Friday, December 28, 2007

DIRTcar Racing NorthEast 2007 Season Ender!!

Weedsport, NY - 2007 marked the 32nd consecutive year of operation for DIRTcar Racing NorthEast. The past season emerged most rewarding for recently crowned DIRTcar NE champions Brett Hearn, Mario Clair, Joe Williams, Pete Stefanski and Scott Smith with the season-long Advance Auto Parts Super DIRTcar Series for Big-Block Modifieds and companion traveling tours for 358-Modified, Sportsman, UMP Pro Stock and UMP Street Stock teams once again laying the foundation for these five overall Hoosier Tire-Sunoco Race Fuels Mr. DIRTcar titlists.
 
Chronicled in the DIRTcar NE record book, 772 main events ­ Big-Block Modified 194, 358-Modified 147, Sportsman 222, UMP Pro Stock 100, UMP Street Stock 109 ­ were staged at 36 speedways with 20 Big-Block drivers, nine Small-Blockers, 34 Sportsman pilots, 10 UMP Pro Stock wheelmen and 19 UMP Street Stock chauffeurs reaching victory lane for the first time. 79 of those features were extra-distance touring events that were staged from March through October.
 
Advance Auto Parts Modified winner Hearn collected the $60,000 top prize from the annual DIRTcar NorthEast Banquet for his record-tying sixth overall Big-Block title. First-time Mr. DIRTcar 358-Modified champion Clair pocketed $12,000 while Sportsman titlist Williams earned $7,000. Stefanski became the first back-to-back champion in full-fender Pro Stock tour competition and took home $2,000 while Scott Smith claimed the first-ever Caprara Bros. Outdoor Toy Store Mr. DIRTcar Street Stock high-point honors worth a cool grand.
 
While fresh off his first career Small-Block Championship in 2006, Hearn claimed his initial overall Mr. DIRTcar Big-Block Modified crown in 1990 as Clair earned the coveted 358-Modified crown in his initial season following the entire tour stateside. Hearn (14) topped the season victory list with Series stars Danny Johnson (11) and Jimmy Phelps (10) the only other drivers to reach double figures. Success didn't stop there as Hearn matched Canadian chauffeurs Pete Bicknell, Yan Bussiere, David Hebert and Laurent Ladouceur with seven wins in 358-Modified competition by season's end.
 
Hearn used an Advance Auto Parts Series-best seven wins to improve his career tour total to 98 which ranks him first all-time. Only Alan Johnson (350) owns more Big-Block feature wins although Hearn (339) continues to be recognized as DIRTcar Racing NE's
all-time open-wheel leader with 508. The 'Jet' (169) also stands behind only Bicknell (190) on DIRT NorthEast's 358-Modified all-time list although he remains the career 358 Mr. DIRTcar Series race winner with 66 extra-distance triumphs.
 
2007 was a break-out season for Williams as he brought the 18th Mr. DIRTcar Sportsman title chase to a close in record-setting fashion, establishing the new tour standard with seven triumphs and tying the previous mark after recording four straight Series wins in the first half-dozen shows. Coming into '07 he had totaled eight feature wins on the DIRTcar NE circuit since 2004 and recorded just three top-five finishes in tour competition without a single feature win. He ended the season ranked fifth with nine victories at seven different tracks to increase his DIRTcar count to 17.
 
2007 marked the 13th season that DIRTcar Racing offered a Mr. DIRTcar title for the premier Pro Stockers and it ended with the first back-to-back champion in division history. Moving his weekly home to Genesee Speedway, full-fender standout Stefanski exhibited his superiority throughout the entire season at the Fairgrounds oval winning 11 features to secure his first track points title. He concluded the season with a division-high win total for the third straight time, reaching victory lane 17 times at 4 tracks to make him DIRTcar Racing NorthEast's all-time career win leader with 66. Three tour victories in '07 also places him second on the all-time Mr. DIRTcar Pro Stock Series win list with 14 first-place trophies.
 
The past season was highlighted by the crowning of the first-ever overall Street Stock Champion. Inaugural Caprara Bros. Outdoor Toy Store Mr. DIRTcar Street Stock titlist Smith racked up 8 top-5 feature finishes in 12 races held at 8 different New York State tracks to secure first-place honors. The Finger Lakes Region runner scored two tour triumphs at DIRTcar charter members Rolling Wheels Raceway Park and Cayuga County Fair Speedway while being recognized as a weekend warrior at Canandaigua Speedway where he finished 4th in points with one win in 2007.
 
An impressive influx of new talent on the DIRTcar Racing NorthEast circuit in 2007 helped account for 73 first-time feature winners in one of the most competitive seasons ever. Headed by Motorsports Safety Systems/G-FORCE Rookie of the Year award winners Mike Bowman (Advance Auto Parts Big-Block Modified), Eric Landry (358-Modified), Larry Wight (Sportsman) and Jocelyn Roy (UMP Pro Stock), some of those same drivers made a return trip to the winner's circle, gaining even more familiarity with solid showings in their respective home track point standings.
 
The 2008 race season is expected to bring further success as DIRTcar continues to raise the level of excitement in the world of short-track auto racing. It all begins this coming February when racers make their annual pilgrimage to Florida for the start of DIRTcar Racing NorthEast's 33rd straight season. The 37th Annual DIRTcar Nationals at Volusia Speedway Park will be highlighted by the 20th trip to the Sunshine State for the DIRTcar Big-Block contingent with Florida Tour '08 featuring the mighty Advance Auto Parts Modifieds during the week of Feb. 13-16.

From Tom Skibinski, DIRTcar Racing NorthEast PR Director

Press Release: K&M Motorsports Park and South Sask Motorsports under new ownership

REGINA, SK - Rod and Florence Ziegler of Regina, along with their daughters Maranda and Christina are pleased and excited to announce that they have purchased K&M Motorsports Park along with the motorsports management firm of South Sask Motorsports Ltd.
For the Ziegler family this will truly be a family venture as they will be building their home on the property in the immediate future. The Zieglers are all kart racers with a passion for kart racing and motorsports in general and they will strive to provide and improve the racing facilty to serve a growing number of users which presently includes:
Plans are in the works to include a wider range of activities to allow more of the general public an opportunity to…get of the streets and get on track…. as well corporate team building programs with a focus on safe, friendly and competitive employee interaction will be offered in the near future.
The change in ownership was affective as of late November 2007 and renovations to the club house are currently underway with track, paddock and spectator improvements to follow in early spring of 2008.

More information will be available in the next few months along with the anticipated launch of a new track facility name and web site.
The Ziegler family would like to take this opportunity to wish one and all a safe and Happy New Year and look forward to seeing new and familiar faces at the track in 2008.

Thursday, December 27, 2007

CSRA Snowcross Event #1 Dec. 8-9 Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario

Photos from the Dec. 8-9 CSRA Snowcross event in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario (the Searchmont Resort & Team Arctic Cat, CSRA National/Regional)

Thanks to Dwayne Young of RINet/CMSports .com for supplying them!

Results are available here.

The next CSRA event is schedule for Owen Sound, ON on January 19-20, 2008.

Rick Young's 'Rick @ the Races' ... Retro #21 (1983)

PIC # 1    The new rollcage in place on the Spitfire/Jaguar BriSCA F1

PIC # 2     Most of the Spitfire body has now been discarded.

PIC # 3   The rebuilding work is completed and the Jaguar powered BriSCA F1 is ready to race.

PIC # 4   The Seddon Atkinson truck I drove for a living.

PIC # 5    The 'beat up' Morris Marina run-about I was driving.

PIC # 6    Pat and Carla pose beside the current gold top BriSCA F1 of Willie Harrison # 2

PIC # 7   Stuart Smith # 391 winner of the 1983 BriSCA F1 World Championship

PIC # 8   Dick Wolstenhume # 99 of Maine, was a USA rep at the 1983 BriSCA F1 World Final

PIC # 9   Larry Tanguay # 61 of Maine,was a USA rep at the 1983 BriSCA F1 World Final

PIC # 10  Anthony V/D Oetelaar # 4 ( Tilburg. NL) was the 1983 SUPERSTOX World Champion.

PIC # 11  Some of the advertizing posters for the racing at the Gonne Circuit (Gruitrode,Belgium)

PIC # 12  Carla at her first Mainland Europe stock car meeting (17 Sep 1983, Gruitrode, Belgium)

PIC # 13  The # 7 F1 Stock car of John V/D Coot at the Gonne Circuit , Gruitrode , Belgium.

PIC # 14  Rien Rutgens # 15 in Victory Lane at Baarlo following his 1983 Long Track W/F win.

PIC # 15 Me and Carla at Brafield (2 October 1983).

PIC # 16  Brian Bedford # 209 at Brafield ( 2 Oct 1983)

From Rick Young....

Intro.... RICK @ the RACES 'RETRO' is an ongoing story of my life and times at the races. My first taste of stock car racing was at the Foxhall Stadium (Ipswich UK) when I was taken there by my parents as a 'toddler' in the late 1950's. When our family moved to Bedfordshire in the 1960's , I became a regular race fan, as a school kid , at the Brafield Stadium ( Northants) . After leaving school, I raced my first BriSCA F1 Stock Car in 1974 at the age of 20. Since then and after several moves, I now live in Ontario, Canada (since 1994) where I've become heavily involved in the DIRT Modified scene. RICK YOUNG.

RICK @ the RACES (RETRO # 21)

First, to recap from 1982 (RETRO # 20) . I was living in Maidford , Northamptonshire and working as a truck/lorry driver on contract to the UK's leading Freezer Food retailer ( I was either driving a Leyland Marathon or a Seddon-Atkinson) On December 8, Pat and I became the proud parents of a baby daughter we named Carla. Later that month I once again became the owner of a BriSCA F1 stock car. Pat had bought the E Type Jaguar powered Triumph GT6 Spitfire bodied car from my old buddy Chris Pickup # 50. We had an Austin A60 as our regular 'road car' and I acquired a 'beat up' old Morris Marina as a runabout.

1983

Every winter , the BSCDA ( British Stock Car Drivers Association) held it's AGM and as usual I was in attendance. One of the rule changes made that year in relation to construction, was for cars to have a mandatory 'six post' roll cage. In the past it was OK to have just four. As well as this, cages were to be steel plated above the drivers head and down the sides. This was aimed at giving added protection from impact in the event of a rollover or a 'heavy' side swipe.

This meant that my newly acquired race car needed 'major surgery' to comply. A new roll-cage had to be built, so it turned out longer than expected before I got back out on the track. I had no bending equipment to make one out of round tubular steel, so chose to make it from 2 X 2 box section similar to that used on my first car. My original idea was to keep the Spitfire body but the larger roll cage made it impractical. I did try fitting the 'battered' Fiat Toppolino body that I'd saved from my BriSCA F2, but that didn't work either. In the end I decided to use just the roof section from the Spitfire combined with sheet metal. As for a radiator grill, I used one from a Van Den Plas Princess 1100.

I guess you could say the early 1980's were the 'thin end of the wedge'.

The new rules brought in for roll cages and the 'doing away' of mandatory stock bodies really set the trend for the modern day �cookie cutter� stock cars.

Also, there were many cars now appearing with sprint car style wings. I'm not afraid to say that at the time ( just my opinion ! ) , I felt, they made the cars look 'silly' . I still dont like them,  but have now excepted the fact they are here to stay. I thought it was a bad thing for the sport because the cars began to lose their individuality. If I had wanted to see sleek speed machines with wings, I would have spent my Sunday afternoons watching the air planes take off at Luton Airport ! The cars were turning in to something far apart from what I learned to love in the 1960/70's.

This was also the end of the era for Jaguar powered BriSCA F1 Stock Cars. In the past, your average working guy, with a modest budget and a little bit of mechanical knowledge could be out on the track with a Jag, having a bit of fun and picking up the occasional placings. These days were now over, technology had advanced and more and more drivers were using imported big block Chevy's from the States. I realized this before starting out on the project , so my intentions were to concentrate only on my 'local' Brafield track and to 'have a bit of fun'.

The re-construction took place gradually throughout the year while we attended our nearby tracks of Coventry, Brafield and Leicester as a spectators.

One long distance track I did visit early in the season was the Smeatharpe Stadium near Taunton . Pat's sister lived on a farm at West Lydford in Somerset which was not far away from Smeatharpe. We took a drive down there for a visit on the May Day holiday weekend ( April 30- May 1 / 2 ) so the relatives could see Carla for the first time.

While the two sisters spent time together, nephew Peter and myself went along to Smeatharpe to see the BriSCA F2's in action. This was my second, and only other time I visited the track. The first time was in 1976 when I accompanied Brian Holmes # 542 who was racing there. Back then, it poured with rain all day , and it did the same thing on this occasion too. Heat and Final winner was long distance traveler Andy Horton # 574 from Cheshire.

The Spedeworth Superstox were first to hold their World Final this year, with the event once again taking place at Cleethorpes (13/14 Aug). I missed this one, where Anthony V/D Oetelaar # 4 from Tilburg in the Netherlands took the victory. He was the son of Barry , 1960's BriSCA F1 driver # 386, who had moved from his base in Reading, Berkshire, back to his native land where he become a promotor.

Actually Cleethorpes is on my �wish I'd done it� list of UK tracks , which consists of places I regret never visiting. ( others on that exclusive list include New Cross, West Ham, Prestatyn, Newcastle, and Bolton )

The BriSCA F1 World Final was held at the the Coventry Stadium on September 3 and was won by Stuart Smith # 391. Defending champion Willie Harrison # 2 came home third with my old buddy Danny Clarke # 203 taking the runner up spot. The Netherlands representatives were Friedhelm Welters # 8, Leon Cox # 17, George Kroonder # 217 and Piet Keyzer # 10. Once again the reps for the USA came from the Beech Ridge Speedway in Maine, and were Larry Tanguay # 61 and Dick Wolstenhume # 61. Wolstenhume was the best placed overseas driver with a twelth place finish.

A week later ( Sept 11) it was Carla's christening, which came between the next big race on the agenda. The F1 Long Track World Final ( Sept 17/18) was a little different this year. Instead of being an exclusive weekend event at the Baarlo Autospeedway, for the first ( and only) time it was run as two legs at two different venues. On the Saturday it was at the Gonne Circuit at Gruitrode , near to Bree in Belgium and on Sunday it was at Baarlo in the Netherlands.

A few days after Carla's christening we set off from Maidford en-route to my birth town of Ipswich in Suffolk. We stayed overnight at some of my relatives to make it handy for an early morning ferry crossing from the Port of Felixstowe. With Carla being so young this was the best way to do it. Once landed in mainland Europe I drove the Austin A60 up the Dutch coastline to the sea-side town of Noordwijk an Zee . This was close to the world famous Zandvoort Circuit which used to host the F1 Dutch Grand Prix ( unfortunately there was nothing going on at the track while we were there) . For this years vacation we chose Bed and Breakfast establishments ( or pensions as they are called over there) in preference to camping.

After a day by the coast we drove to Roermond (where I'd camped many times in the past) and  based ourself at a small hostelry in the center of town. Roermond was a good central point for both the Gruitrode and Baarlo tracks.

What made this two day event interesting was the fact that Gruitrode was a dirt track of approx 1/3 mile and Baarlo was a 1 kilometer paved track. This meant that some drivers used two different cars. A pre-race rainstorm made the going tough at Gruitrode, where Rien Rutjens took the two heat races and Friedhelm Welters won the Final.

The next day the 'traveling road show' moved to Baarlo which was about an hours drive across the border from Gruitrode. Again the day started out wet, and it was local hero , Rutjens who took both races including the prestigious Long Track World Championship. One of the Dutch drivers competing that weekend was John V/D Coot # 7 who in the coming years we got to know as well as his family.

Instead of dashing to catch the ferry straight after the races , we traveled towards Chaam near Breda and stopped overnight. Pat, who's mother was Dutch, had an uncle who lived there so we payed him a visit. The next day we traveled to Rotterdam for the sea crossing back to the UK.

While we were in Belgium and the Netherlands the BriSCA F2 World Final was taking place at Newton Abbott in Devon where David Bunt # 595 of Plymouth clinched his second gold roof.

I mentioned before, that my old friend Brian Bedford from the 'Beds and Herts' club days was now living in Weedon close to our place at Maidford. He'd quit racing after moving up country, but had been watching with interest the progress of my rebuild. I think the temptation was too much for him, and by the time I was ready to get back on the track, he'd aquired another race car too. He bought a former, Geoff Weston # 96, Bob Boddington # 196, Jim Wilde # 90 car from John Plant # 390. John , who I knew quite well, was also a former Hertfordshire racer who'd moved north to Long Buckby in Northamptonshire.

During the year while I was at work , I stopped at the Watford Gap Services on the M1 for a 'cuppa tea ' where I happened to bump into Al Henderson . Al was well known in the sport as 'Mr Starter' but he'd filled many other positions over the years. At this time he was secretary of the VSCA ( Veteran Stock Car Association) which is a group of people dedicated to keeping the sports long time drivers, fans and officials in touch. He invited me to become a member, I joined up and I'm still a member to this day. Many VSCA special events and 'get togethers' are organized through out the year and one was scheduled for Brafield on October 2 . With the rebuild completed it was this day that I chose to make my racing come-back. I was joined by Brian Bedford as we towed our cars in convoy through the lanes of Northamptonshire on our way to the track.  As for the racing that day ...... Oh, how things had changed in nearly three years !

1984 to follow...

Monday, December 24, 2007

GRAND AM KONI CHALLENGE: COMPASS360 Signs Burrows and Hopwood

Toronto, Canada - Throughout the 2007 Grand-Am KONI Challenge season, Adam Burrows and Trevor Hopwood had to keep one eye on the road and one in the mirror to keep tabs on the all-out championship pursuit from Compass360 Racing. In the end, the ST Class Championship came down to the thrilling last laps of the season in the VIR Six- Hour enduro, as Burrows stormed to take the final spot in the podium and clinch the championship with Hopwood.

But even after the checkered flag flew on 2007 for Compass360, the chase was not over, as the team pursued Burrows and Hopwood during the off-season to turn their fierce competition into an asset by inking the two to a one-year contract to campaign the team's #74 Acura TSX.

"I'm really excited that Compass360 Racing is giving us this chance to defend our championship and to race together," said Burrows. "We were pretty floored by the interest we got from teams after we won the championship, but it was really important that we were in a competitive situation and that Trevor and I could race together and go for another championship. Fortunately, Compass360 presented us with an opportunity we just couldn't pass up."

While the move from the straight-six powered rear-wheel drive BMW 330i they won the championship with last season to the front-wheel drive four-cylinder Acura TSX is a dramatic one, Burrows and Hopwood are looking forward to showing what they can do in a completely different kind of race car after impressing all season in the BMW.

Acura's TSX's took five wins in 2007, four of them in the hands of Compass360 Racing. "Obviously we saw a lot of this car on the track last season and I'm looking forward to getting a feel for it from the drivers seat," said Hopwood, who has raced everything from Spec Racers to GT-1 Corvettes. "As returning Champions, we know we are going to have a target on our backs, but we're excited about the challenge. We know there are going to be some fast new cars and drivers in ST next year, but we are ready to get into it again -- the sooner, the better."

For Compass360, which has a long-term growth plan in place for its motorsports division, the chance to retain Burrows and Hopwood was one that the team wanted to grab with both hands.

"We talked with Adam and Trevor throughout last year and I am tremendously proud to have the champions racing for us this season," said Team Principal Karl Thomson. "I'm pleased we had a program strong enough to sign these guys for 2008. We already know how quick they are on the track, and are looking forward to using the strong assets they bring to the team. We plan on being very competitive this season and continuing to grow in the KONI Challenge Series in the future, and these guys are going to be a an important part of that."

This announcement finalizes the driver line-ups for Compass360 three TSXs; Hopwood and Burrows join Thomson and co-driver Travis Walker who pilot the #76 car, alongside Kevin York and Christian Miller in #75. "I'm excited because all three of our TSXs have strong driver line-ups capable of winning races and a championship."

Burrows and Hopwood will get their first taste of the TSX after the New Year during the Test Days in Daytona on January 4-7 before taking the green flag in the Fresh From Florida 200 on January 25th.

Commercial partnerships are still to be announced in the coming weeks.

Compass360 Racing is the motorsports division of Compass360 Design + Advertising, a firm offering branding expertise to clients in diverse industries across North America. For details visit www.compass360.com/racing or email racing at compass360 dot com.

- 30 -

PR inquiries about Adam Burrows and Trevor Hopwood should be directed to Matt Cleary at Sunday Group Management; 317.908.2975 (mobile) or media@sundaymanagement.com

PR inquiries about the Compass360 Racing team should be directed to Team Principal Karl Thomson at (416) 993-3951 or email karlt at compass360 dot com

Photo courtesy Grand Am, reproduction rights granted.
2007 Grand Am KONI Challenge Champions Trevor Hopwood (left) and Adam Burrows.

Friday, December 21, 2007

NEWALTA relinquishes title sponsorship of Late Model Challenge Series

CALGARY, AB - Craig Ball, NEWALTA Late Model Challenge Series President, announced today that the Calgary-based industrial waste management and environmental services company, NEWALTA Corporation, will be relinquishing title sponsorship of the Series. Newalta became title sponsor in 2005.

"The Series would not be where it is today without the support of business partners like Newalta," said Ball.

"Newalta was with us at the local level, stepped it up when we had to go on tour and were rewarded for their efforts as the interest in the Series gained momentum in mid 2006 and exploded this year," he said.

The Series has seen unprecedented media and spectator interest and set records for car counts in seven of eight races at five of the venues that the tour visited this year. In July, the largest field of Super Late Model stock cars ever to grid in Western Canada staged the Mac's Border Challenge at Race City in Calgary.

The Calgary Herald newspaper called the growth "the most important development in regional stock car racing" in 15 years.

Ball continued, "The same thing (the title sponsor change) has been announced for all three of NASCAR's elite series this year. In Canada, CASCAR was rebranded and introduced a new entitlement sponsor."

"It is a period of exciting change and opportunity in oval racing in North America. We are extremely excited about our 2008 season."

While the 2008 schedule has yet to be announced, it is expected that the 2008 tour will open and close as it did in 2007 at  Auto Clearing Motor Speedway in Saskatoon, SK.

The tentative schedule has the Series visiting all of the venues that were scheduled on the 2007 tour. Negotiations are under way with other regional paved oval tracks to replace the events lost by the closure of the Cranbrook, BC speedway.

On behalf of the drivers, teams, business partners and Super Late Model stock car racing fans, the Series office would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to Newalta and all its employees for their support of Super Late Model racing in the West.

(h/t Rod Ormon / www.justturnleft.ca)

Champ Car: Conquest Racing signs Opes Prime... commits to two cars

(Some good news out of the Champ Car world - g.m.)

CONQUEST RACING SOLIDIFIES FUTURE WITH NEW PARTNER OPES PRIME

(Indianapolis, IN) December 20, 2007– Conquest Racing has solidified its future in the Champ Car World Series with the signing of new marketing partner Opes Prime Group Ltd, an Australian based financial services provider. As a direct result of this new 2-year agreement, Conquest Racing is committed to entering two cars in the 2008 Champ Car World Series. Drivers and other marketing partner announcements will be announced in early 2008.

Additionally, the new agreement sees Opes Prime principle shareholder Anthony Blumberg acquiring an equity stake in the organization, providing the necessary capital investment to fuel the team's growth over the next two seasons.

"I'm proud to be associated with Conquest Racing for 2008 and beyond, said Anthony Blumberg of his latest acquisition. "Conquest Racing is  team with whom we made our Champ Car debut at SurfersParadise this year, giving me a taste of the American open-wheel scene.

"Our aim over the next couple of years is to develop and promote talen from within the junior formulae Australian and Asian Championships, and whilst our involvement with Conquest in no way guarantees a drive for any of those talented, young Opes Prime backed-drivers, it does provide an opportunity, which is what we are all about," he confirmed.

The team is currently active in strengthening the organization and its resources with further announcements of new additions expected in early 2008. Drivers have not yet been confirmed and the team has planned tests in January and February in which to conduct driver evaluations.

"I'm thrilled to welcome Opes Prime as partners with Conquest Racing. Although we have fielded competitive entries the last five years in Champ Car with good results, the addition of Opes Prime and Anthony Blumberg offers us the opportunity to solidify our base of operations and plan for the growth required not just to compete but to win," said Conquest Racing President and CEO Eric Bachelart.

In 2007, Conquest Racing scored a season best result of 2nd place at the Champ Car Grand Prix of Assen in Holland with driver Jan Heylen. Overall the team scored five, Top-10 finishes.

"We believe in the future of Champ Car very strongly and I believe that is validated not only by commitment of Conquest Racing but our new partners as well. This partnership will continue to spur the growth of Champ Car in Australia where it is already massively popular," added Bachelart.

Opes Prime Group Ltd is an Australian unlisted public company providing a range of financial services and products for high net worth individuals, stockbrokers and financial advisors, asset managers, banks and other firms, both for themselves and their clients.

The group conducts business via a number of operating subsidiaries based in Melbourne, Sydney and Singapore.

For more information visit www.opesprime.com .

For the past five seasons, Indianapolis, IN based, Conquest Racing has fielded a entries in the Champ Car World Series and its driver development series the Champ Car Atlantic Series. Both are a fiercely competitive, international showcase for some of the world's best drivers, teams and corporations.

From Conquest Racing / Julie Murphy

Thursday, December 20, 2007

Robert Wickens to run World Series by Renault in 2008 with Carlin Motorsport

December 20, 2007 - It was announced today that Canadian Robert Wickens will be competing in the World Series by Renault for the 2008 season. The Red Bull Junior driver will be part of a two-car Red Bull effort with Carlin Motorsport (Carlin) based in Aldershot, England. Robert ran the final two World Series by Renault races on the 2007 schedule at Estoril, Portugal and Barcelona, Spain with Carlin.

World Series Renault (WSR) is the flagship class in a series that features single-marque open-wheel and sports cars. The World Series FR3.5 Robert will be driving is all new for 2008. The new chassis will be powered by a 24V V6 engine featuring flex fuel technology and capable of delivering up to 500bhp with E85 bioethanol.

The series receives wide acclaim throughout Europe and regularly draws huge crowds at every venue. The 2008 World Series Formula Renault 3.5 championship will once again feature nine meetings (17 races). Seven will be held as part of the World Series by Renault meetings (Belgium, Turkey or Italy, Germany, Hungary, the United Kingdom, France and Spain), one will take place at the Monaco GP (1 race) and one at another venue (tbd).

Carlin Motorsport was founded in 1996. Over 150 drivers have passed through their doors - many on their way to the highest echelons of the sport. Carlin has played an integral role in the careers of F1 drivers such as Takuma Sato, Narain Karthikeyan, Anthony Davidson, Nico Rosberg, Robert Kubica and Sebastian Vettel. Carlin Motorsports also fields cars in the F2 Euro Series and Formula Renault 2.0 UK Series.

Robert is very pleased to be joining the series full time in 2008. "It was a terrific opportunity to drive the final two races of 2007 with Carlin" commented Robert. "We learned a lot during those sessions and now we can take that forward into 2008. I am looking forward to testing the new car as soon as possible."

News, schedules and updates will be posted on Robert's web site as they become available. Visit http://www.robertwickens.com/

Photos: Robert in the Carlin Motorsport Red Bull WSR FR3.5 at Estoril, Portugal // Credit: GEPA Pictures

From Chris Jameson / Level Ten Communications

Date Change for the Canadian Motorsports Expo

The Canadian Motorsports Expo has moved to a new date for the 2008 edition.

The new dates are February 29 through March 2, 2008. Originally scheduled for January 18th to 20th, 2008, construction delays of the new hall at the Toronto Congress Centre have necessitated the date switch.

�Learning of the construction delays from the Toronto Congress Centre was certainly a surprise,� remarked expo president Glenn Butt. �The Toronto Congress Centre management are first class and certainly did not want to have to share this type of news. �Our current exhibitors are aware of the new date and look forward to being at the Expo. We have already begun informing the motorsports community and public of the new date.�

Covering all aspects and disciplines, Canadian Motorsports Expo has something for everyone. It is a one-stop shopping experience. Parts, accessories, safety equipment, collectibles, free �how to� seminars, racing history, fan forums, celebrity appearances, autograph sessions and more await all at the 2008 Canadian Motorsports Expo.

Canadian Motorsports Expo runs February 29, March 1 & 2, 2008 at the Toronto Congress Centre, 650 Dixon Rd, Toronto, Ontario. Hours are from 10:00 am to 9:00 pm Friday; 10:00 am to 9:00 pm Saturday; and 10:00 am to 5:00 pm Sunday. General admission is only $15.00--Seniors and Youth (10 to 15 years old) $10.00 and Children under 10 years old are free. Three-day passes are also available. More information can be found by visiting the show website at http://www.canadianmotorsportsexpo.com/.

Exhibit space enquiries, can also be found on the web site or by calling the show office at (905) 721-1762.

From Glenn Butt // canadianmotorsportsexpo.com

Pierre Bourque enters Daytona ARCA race with Eddie Sharp Racing

CONCORD, NC (December 19, 2007) – Come early February, Canadian Pierre Bourque will be escaping the cold and snow of the Great White North to take a trip to Florida. It won’t be for the typical fun in the sun, or a trip to Disney World though. Bourque’s journey will be even more meaningful. He’ll be making his debut on the high-banked oval of Daytona International Speedway, driving a car fielded by powerhouse team Eddie Sharp Racing in the ARCA RE/MAX Series opening race.

Bourque got a head start on the experience by testing with the team in an open ARCA session at the track last week. After three days of track activity and even with a record turnout of 79 drivers, Bourque was able to place himself 12th overall on the speed charts.

“The test went very well,” said Bourque. “The experience and expertise of the Eddie Sharp Racing team showed with the car that they prepared for me. I was very comfortable in it right away and we ran some very good laps. I can’t wait to get back to Daytona in February. I’m very excited and optimistic about our chances in the race and the hard part is going to be the waiting.”

Eddie Sharp Racing, with driver Michael McDowell, finished second to ARCA Legend Frank Kimmel in the 2007 series championship battle.

Bourque is no stranger to success either, even at Daytona. While he has yet to enter an event on the track’s famed 2.5-mile oval, he did race on the road course there last January, driving a Porsche 997 for The Racers’ Group to a 12th-place finish and earning a hard charger award for making the most passes during the event. He is scheduled to compete in the 2008 edition of the 24 Hour race with TRG at the end of January.

The ARCA 200 race will get Bourque’s 2008 stock car racing season started. The season already promises to be a very big one for Bourque.

“We’re working on putting the finishing touches on my plans for 2008,” said Bourque. “There will be some announcements coming up soon and there are great things in the works. We will also have a major sponsor announcement for the ARCA 200 very shortly.”

During the 2007 racing season, Bourque split his time between the Whitlock Motorsports NASCAR Canadian Tire Series entry and Kevin Buckler's The Racers Group team in Grand-Am road racing. He also made his NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series debut at Indianapolis’ O’Reilly Raceway Park and competed in ARCA RE/MAX Series and NASCAR Busch East Series events as well.

From Mike Twist / 51 Sports

Wednesday, December 19, 2007

Stevie Wonder could have seen this one coming...

Several weeks ago when the wind went out of Frank D'Angelo's sails at Steelback Breweries, you had a hunch that the other shoe was going to drop. And today, it did.

From the Toronto Star:

"Sputtering Steelback Breweries has spun out of the Grand Prix of Toronto. The Grand Prix Association of Toronto confirmed yesterday that insolvent Steelback won't be the title sponsor for next year's car race.
"Steelback will not be returning as our title sponsor," said association president Charlie Johnstone.
Wasanda Enterprises, which has financed money-losing Steelback Breweries and related beverage producer D'Angelo Brands Ltd. since 2002, gained court protection from creditors for the two companies last month.
Court protection under the federal Companies' Creditors Arrangement Act negated all contracts with the two companies including the four-year sponsorship deal for the Grand Prix, according to Johnstone.
"We had been optimistic about them continuing until we saw the extent of their debts in published reports," Johnstone said.
Steelback and D'Angelo Brands owe Wasanda more than $120 million in loans and interest. Court filings show Steelback's spending on marketing and promotion far outpaced its beer revenue...."


...continued at the link above

MOTORCYCLES: SunTrust MOTO-ST Series Announces Provisional Schedule for 2008

Daytona Beach, Fla. - Ready to head into its second year, the SunTrust MOTO-ST Series - America�s newest two-wheeled professional racing tour - plans to deliver an incredible seven-race season of some of the most exciting team racing seen anywhere in the country.
 
Launching into action in March at the famed Daytona International Speedway, the 2008 provisional SunTrust MOTO-ST Series schedule will again feature events at both Virginia International Raceway and Road America.   In addition, this popular series will also make its debut at Barber Motorsports Park in Birmingham, Ala., Heartland Park Topeka in Topeka, Kans., and at the newly-built New Jersey Motorsports Park in Millville, N.J. The series will conclude back at Daytona International Speedway with the third running of the 8 Hours At Daytona in October.
 
Showcasing three classes; The Buell Motorcycle Company SuperSport class (SST) which includes motorcycles producing between 90-118 horsepower, the BMW GrandSport Twins class (GST) covering motorcycles producing 75-90 horsepower and Sport Twins (ST) for machines under 75 horsepower, the SunTrust MOTO-ST Series provides fans with the unique opportunity to witness not only the skill of the riders and the durability of their machines, but also each team�s ability in the pits.
 
The SunTrust MOTO-ST Series is organized and sanctioned by Professional Motorsports Productions (PMP) of Toronto, Ontario, Canada, and the Grand American Road Racing Association (Grand-Am), based in Daytona Beach, Fla., provides the series with administrative and commercial support. Learn more about MOTO-ST at www.moto-st.com .
 
March 2            Daytona International Speedway
                        Daytona Beach, Fla.
 
April 27             Virginia International Raceway
                        Alton, Va.
 
June 8              Road America
                        Elkhart Lake, Wis.
 
July 20              Barber Motorsports Park
                        Birmingham, Ala.
 
August 17         Heartland Pak Topeka
                        Topeka, Kans.
 
August 30         New Jersey Motorsports Park
                        Millville, N.J.
 
October 18        Daytona International Speedway
                        Daytona Beach, Fla.

From Penny Nicolai, SunTrust MOTO-ST Series Public Relations
Gene Crouch, Grand-Am Internet and Communications Services Coordinator

Tuesday, December 18, 2007

Roush Fenway finalizes Truck line-up... Shepherd not mentioned

(This morning, I received this press release from Roush Fenway Racing. I believe this is the first one in over a year that didn't include Pete Shepherd in the "About Roush Fenway Racing" paragraph at the bottom. - G.M.)

UPDATE (10:45 a.m.): I sent the people at Roush a note and they got back to me right away with the following response: "Peter has been released from Roush Fenway Racing to pursue other opportunities." I will try to contact Pete to see what his plans are going forward.

UPDATE: (11:15 a.m.): Just spoke with Pete, who confirmed the story. For 21 years of age, he is extremely mature and is very positive about his situation. The bottom line is that money buys rides, even with the top teams. He's very positive about the experiences he had at Roush, although it's somewhat frustrating that he never got a real opportunity with a regular ride. Pete's going to keep his place in North Carolina, but isn't ruling anything out. His goal is to race approximately 25 times a year. Shepherd is planning to spend Christmas at home with his family. This is just speculation on my part, but wouldn't it be great to see him teamed with Andrew Ranger at Jacombs Racing in '08?

CONCORD, N.C. - Roush Fenway Racing announced today that Joey Clanton will be part of its NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series line-up for 2008, along with sponsor Zaxby's. Clanton will pilot the No. 09 Zaxby's Ford F-150 for the entire truck series season.

Clanton, the 2002 ASA champion, joins Roush Fenway Racing after a season in the Craftsman Truck Series with Wood Brothers/JTG Racing. There Clanton earned five top-10 finishes in 16 starts.

"We are pleased to have Joey and Zaxby's join our team," said Jack Roush. "We have a strong line-up in the Craftsman Truck Series for 2008 with Erik Darnell and rookie Colin Braun. Joey is a proven champion in the ASA Series and has a lot to offer young drivers like Erik and Colin as a teammate, and a competitor. I expect to see the No. 09 Zaxby's Ford F-150 running up front this season."

"I am really thrilled about this opportunity with Zaxby's and Roush Fenway Racing," said Clanton. "Jack Roush will give me the equipment and the resources I need to win races and that is what I intend to accomplish this year - winning races. I can't wait to get to Daytona and start testing next month."

"We are pleased to have Joey representing our brand, as well as welcoming Roush Fenway Racing into the Zaxby's family," said Zaxby's co-founder/CFO Tony Townley.

The 2008 season kicks off Friday, February 15 at Daytona International Speedway. Roush Fenway Racing starts the season with 48 wins in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, the most of any team in the series.

About Roush Fenway Racing
Roush Fenway Racing operates 13 full-time motorsports teams, five in NASCAR NEXTEL Cup with drivers Matt Kenseth, Jamie McMurray, Greg Biffle, Carl Edwards and David Ragan; four in the Nationwide Series with Kenseth, Biffle, Edwards, McMurray, Ragan, Erik Darnell and Colin Braun; three in the Craftsman Truck Series with Darnell, Braun and Joey Clanton; and one in the ARCA RE/MAX Series with Ricky Stenhouse, Jr....

Late Models return to Holland Speedway

HOLLAND, NY - Late Model racecars are back at Holland Speedway on Holland-Glenwood Road. After a yearlong absence, the cars that once dominated the racing world at Holland are going to hit the track again in 2008. The new series is the brainchild of Late Model owner Gordon Trank; fed up with the high cost and long travel time it took to compete in the past.

Trank took action creating an affordable way to run the cars at a local track. The cars will be restricted to a certain point to increase competition and the on track excitement. These restrictions will also lower the cost of building these cars to a winning level. The restrictions would level out the speed and handling of the cars, allowing them to run more competitively. Also the cost is cut because the series mandates certain parts, all with little tolerance for change, which will keep the more affluent teams from outspending their opposition.

The series rules can be found on the website RaceNY.com where the concept for the series lit fire and soon became a reality. The board of directors of what is affectionately known as the LAMOT (Late Model of Tomorrow) Series, agreed to run at the local track, with Holland Speedways general manager Tim Bennett. The track plans to run the series approximately three Saturdays a month, giving the fans and competitors a chance to take a weekend off from racing to spend time with their families.
 
Both Trank and Bennett believe that the affordability of the cars will increase the number of teams regularly competing, which hopefully would lead to even higher attendance at the track. Holland Speedway did see an increase in attendance last season over the previous, but Bennett says �(Holland Speedway) is and always was a Late Model track�, that lead Bennett to bring the LAMOT series to his facility and bring back the Late Models. Bennett hopes that more sponsors and drivers will lead to a closer racing community at the track.
 
Speaking of the touring NASCAR series, Bennett said �The Busch East Series put fans in the seats, but the money we paid to bring those guys in didn�t stay in the area�. In fact that money went to the teams and sponsors of the cars that are located anywhere and everywhere east of the Mississippi. The LAMOT series would keep money in the area, and with the lower cost to operate the teams sponsorship costs could be cut. The higher number of cars at a lower price Trank said �Will lead to lower sponsorship costs, allowing more businesses to get involved.�

With more sponsors, more fans who associate themselves, either through employment or service, with those companies would be interested in seeing the races, and cheering for the driver who carries their companies name or logo. This could lead to the camaraderie that Bennett wants to bring back to Holland Speedway, something that is lost, to an extent, when the touring series� come to the speedway. The sponsors that could come in would have the investment in a team bring money back into the local economy rather than the national economy, again adding to the camaraderie of the racing community.
 
The LAMOT series has a board of directors made up of for former and current drivers as well as Chairmen of the Board Gordon Trank, all who have been in the local racing world for years. The Late Models were missed at Holland last year, and Internet blogs show the high level of interest from competitors and fans; although there are no official numbers, Trank says that twenty plus teams are seriously interested in the series. That would be the highest Late Model count any local track has had in quite a long time. The high number of regular competitors would bring more friends and family of the team members to the stands and create once again, a stronger sense of community at the track.
 
The series and track hope to have a schedule formed by late January, as well as an official number of teams. This agreement with Holland Speedway will allow the series to get NASCAR sanctioning, giving them even more recognition in the general public. The series, along with the track want to bring back the local feeling of local racing.
 
By Jake Earl

Monday, December 17, 2007

INDUSTRY: MAHLE Clevite introduces half-size H-Series performance engine bearings

ANN ARBOUR, MI - MAHLE Clevite Inc. announces expanded part numbers for their line of Clevite® H-Series performance engine bearings. The new part numbers include .009", .011'', .019" and .021" rod and main bearings. They are designed for engine builders who want to fine-tune the bearing clearance on performance engines with crankshafts that are ground nominally undersize.
 
These special size H-Series bearings feature the strength and durability of Clevite TriMetal™ bearing construction combined with the special H series features including narrowed width and modified overlay. They are available for a wide range of Chevy, Ford and Chrysler engines. Information on the bearing part numbers, product specifications and recommended applications is available on the MAHLE Clevite web site: www.mahleclevite.com or our new 2007-2008 Performance Engine Bearing Catalog EB- 40-07.
 
The .009", .011'', .019" and .021" H-Series engine bearings offer engine builders greater latitude in choosing bearings for performance engines having an undersized-ground crankshaft.
 
In the competitive world of racing and performace motoring, many engine builders are extremely particular about the bearing clearances they want to achieve. Jeff Schaerer, Bearing Application Engineer for MAHLE Clevite, says that with these additional size H-Series bearings, engine builders can easily achieve specific bearing clearances of +/- a half-thousandths of an inch.
 
"You can custom tailor the bearing clearance to your own individual preference simply by mixing or matching the shells of these performance bearings," Schaerer says.
 
For example, using a pair of .009" bearings will reduce bearing clearance by .001" compared with normal .010" bearings. Similarly, clearance can be increased by .001" by using a pair of the new .011" bearings. Furthermore, it is possible to use one .009" shell in combination with a regular .010" shell to reduce clearance by .0005" (a half-thousandth). Likewise, a .011" shell can be used with a regular .010" shell to increase clearance by .0005" (a half-thousandth).
 
All of this information also applies to .019" and .021" bearings used on a .020" undersize crankshaft.
 
Schaerer adds that most enthusiasts can not afford to discard a worn crankshaft after four or five races like the top professional racing teams do. "That's the beauty of the Clevite undersized
H-Series bearings. They allow engine builders to get perfect clearance on a used crankshaft that has been ground undersize for re-use."
 
Domestic engine applications for the H-Series bearings include:
 
Chevy
Small block:, 350, 400
Big block: 396, 402, 427, 454
 
Ford
Small block: 289, 302
Big block: 460
Windsor Ford: 351
Late model 4.6L and 5.4L modular V-8
 
Chrysler
Small block: 318, 360
Big block: 400, 440, 426
Late model 5.7L, 6.2L HEMI ®*
 
MAHLE Clevite Inc. is one of the world's largest suppliers of pistons, valve train parts, engine bearings, piston rings, and engine gaskets. MAHLE Clevite brands include MAHLE Original® pistons, assemblies, valves, cylinder liners, Clevite® engine bearings and engine parts, Victor Reinz® gaskets and Perfect Circle® piston rings. In addition, Clevite®, Victor Reinz® and Perfect Circle® are official NASCAR® Performance Products. MAHLE Clevite's Internet address is www.mahleclevite.com.
 
The MAHLE Group is one of the 30 largest automotive suppliers worldwide. As the leading manufacturer of components and systems for the internal combustion engine and its peripherals, MAHLE is among the top 3 systems suppliers for piston systems, cylinder components, valve train systems, air management systems, and liquid management systems. With more than 40,000 employees in 110 production plants and seven research and development centers, MAHLE generated sales in excess of EUR 4.3 billion (USD 5.8 billion) in 2006.
 
* HEMI is a registered trade mark of Chrysler LLC

From Dick Moritz / Target Communications Inc.

ACT: Série ACT Castrol 2008 Stock Car Racing Schedule Announced

WATERBURY, VT – The American-Canadian Tour (ACT) stock car racing organization has announced a nine-race schedule for the 2008 Série ACT Castrol in Québec and Ontario.

Launched under the name “Série Nationale Castrol” in 2005, the short track Late Model tour took ACT sanction in 2007 and enjoyed a very successful year.

“We are very excited to return to Canada in 2008 to support the race teams that have continually supported ACT throughout the years,” said ACT President Tom Curley. “This past season was proof that short track racing is doing very well in the region.”

The 2008 Série ACT Castrol season begins and ends at the fan-friendly 4/10-mile Autodrome St-Eustache, just minutes from Montréal. A 100-lap event on Sunday, May 18 will open the season, while the 14th Annual St-Eustache 300 will draw the year to a close on Sunday, September 21. A 200-lap event, which will offer a bonus purse for U.S. competitors, will take place on Saturday, July 26.

Autodrome Montmagny, a 3/8-mile, high-banked oval, will hold a 100-lap event on Saturday, May 31. A long-distance, 250-lap race, which also offers a U.S. bonus, will be held Saturday, August 23. The 1/3-mile, progressively banked Autodrome Chaudière in Vallée-Jonction, QC will also host the Série ACT Castrol twice, with a 100-lap event on Saturday, June 14, and a 150-lap contest on Saturday, August 16.

Autodrome St-Félicien, a 1/2-mile, semi-banked tri-oval, returns to the schedule for the first time in over two years on Saturday, July 5, with a 150-lap event. Capital City Speedway in Ottawa will host a Série ACT Castrol event for the second consecutive season with a 100-lap race on Saturday, August 9.

Three dates have been reserved for special “non-points” events on the Série ACT Castrol schedule for 2008, beginning with the Summer Sizzler 200 at Ontario’s Kawartha Speedway on Sunday, July 13. The Sizzler will be part of the ACT Late Model Tour Championship schedule. Oxford Plains Speedway in Maine will hold the biggest “open competition” event for Late Models in North America on Sunday, July 20, with the $25,000-to-win TD Banknorth 250.

Autodrome Chaudière will see ten Série ACT Castrol drivers in action on Saturday, September 6, as they go head-to-head with the top ten ACT Late Model Tour drivers in the first-ever “ACT Showdown at Chaudière,” a 200-lap all star invitational event paying $5,000 to the winner and $1,000 to the last-place finisher.

Patrick Laperle of St-Denis-sur-Richelieu, QC won the 2007 Série ACT Castrol Championship, narrowly defeating Sylvain Lacombe of Terrebonne, QC, the 2005 Champion. For more information on the Série ACT Castrol, visit www.laserieactcastrol.com or call (802) 244-6963.

2008 SÉRIE ACT CASTROL SCHEDULE

# DAY DATE TRACK LAPS
1 Sun May 18 Autodrome St-Eustache 100
2 Sat May 31 Autodrome Montmagny 100
3 Sat June 14 Autodrome Chaudière 100
4 Sat July 5 Autodrome St-Félicien 150
** Sun July 13 Kawartha Speedway - Summer Sizzler 200 200
** Sun July 20 Oxford Plains Speedway - TD Banknorth 250 250
5 Sat July 26 US Bonus Autodrome St-Eustache 200
6 Sat Aug 9 Capital City Speedway 100
7 Sat Aug 16 Autodrome Chaudière 150
8 Sat Aug 23 US Bonus Autodrome Montmagny 250
** Sat Sept 6 Autodrome Chaudière - "ACT Showdown at Chaudière" 200
9 Sun Sept 21 Autodrome St-Eustache 300

** - Non-Championship events (schedule subject to change)

- From Justin St. Louis / ACT

Fischer Quickest at Daytona in ARCA Sunday Testing

On Friday, we mentioned that Andrew Ranger was taking part in his first-ever test at Daytona Int'l Speedway, in an ARCA Car. Western Canadian contributor Rod Ormon of justrurnleft.ca was nice enough to send along an update (and a photo) on the exploits of another DIS 'rookie', Ryan Fisher, who hails from Surrey, British Columbia. And see the bottom for a note from Pierre Bourque, who also impressed in ARCA testing at Daytona on the weekend. Looks like it's going to be a fun Speedweeks for Canadian watchers.
Thanks to Rod and Pierre for the updates!!

Fischer Quickest at Daytona in Sunday Testing
Surrey, BC driver Ryan Fischer was at the ARCA RE/MAX testing at Daytona Speedway this weekend in preparation for the Feb 2008 ARCA race, part of the SpeedWeeks events for the 50th running of the Daytona 500.
He was again driving the #25 Chevrolet Monte Carlo for Venturini Motorsports which he campaigned at Gateway (Chicago) and Talladega in the ARCA RE/MAX series in 2007.
Fischer was 20th on Friday and improved to 10th fastest (178.816 mph) of 65 entries on Saturday in single car testing. On Sunday, he was quickest in the morning single car testing with a 49.558sec 181.605 mph lap.
Also part of the test along with the usual ARCA regulars was Dario Franchitti, former F1 driver Scott Speed and Canadian Andrew Ranger.
Fischer ran the ARCA West Late Model Series last season and finished 2nd in a NEWALTA Late Model race at SunValley Speedway in Vernon, BC in 2006.

###

From Pierre Bourque
Greetings,
A quick update, I was 12th fastest overall of 60 drivers @ the Daytona 3-day stock car test that ended today. My speed was 180 MPH average, faster than Indy 500 winner Franchitti, NASCAR hotshoe Erik Darnell and even my teammate, Scott Speed, the Formula One driver!
We're back here in early January, then on to Talladega two weeks later. Onwards !

- Pierre

Friday, December 14, 2007

Look out Helio.... NOT.



I'm currently picking photos for the Inside Track NASCAR Canadian Tire Series Year In Review. While sorting through my stuff from Race #11 at Riverside Int'l Speedway, in Nova Scotia, I came upon this short video.
During the, er, toe-tapping rendition of the Canadian national anthem, series points leader Andrew Ranger got into the swing of things. Literally.
So I switched my camera over to video mode. Anyway, it's just a funny little clip taken moments before the race in which a racer and his crew chief had some fun during a very tense time.
Can you nominate someone for Dancing with the Stars?

UPDATE (12/14/07... 5:30 p.m.): I just interviewed Andrew a few minutes ago (I didn't mention the video, so one of you will have to do it, haha). He was testing one of Mario Gosselin's ARCA cars today at Daytona. Sounds like it went very well considering it was his first ever time on such a big track. If all goes well (the rest of testing, sponsorship, yada, yada...) he hopes to be in the ARCA race in February at DIS.

Jimmie Johnson to Race Michael Schumacher at Race of Champions

Two-time NASCAR champion, Jimmie Johnson, will face the man widely billed as one of the world's greatest drivers, Michael Schumacher, in The Race of Champions this weekend.
 
The Team USA driver, who faces the seven-time Formula 1 World Champion in the first round of The ROC Nations Cup, says he has the greatest respect for the European superstar, which motivates him all the more to snatch victory for The United States.
 
"Everyone recognizes Schumacher as a champion, and after winning my second straight championship in NASCAR I hope I'm perceived in that way," said Johnson, who took the NASCAR title this season with 10 wins in the Lowe's Chevrolet for Hendrick Motorsports. "Beating him and helping Team USA win The ROC Nations Cup would be a perfect ending to the best year of my career."   
 
The ROC Nations Cup aims to determine the fastest country in the world, with two drivers from each pitted against each other in identical cars. This year The Race of Champions is being held at Wembley Stadium, London, England, and the famous landmark has been transformed into a parallel track, using 1,800 tons of tarmac, for the unique event this Sunday.
 
"I've raced The ROC before and did OK," said Johnson, who won The ROC Nations Cup in 2002. "My team-mate, Travis Pastrana, was the unexpected success of the event last year, almost winning the whole thing single-handedly after I pulled out with an injury. That's got to give us the edge this year!"
 
The ROC Nations Cup draw resulted in the following pairings:
     
France : Sébastien Bourdais Vs Norway: Henning Solberg
 
France : Yvan Muller Vs Norway : Petter Solberg
 
Finland : Heikki Kovalainen Vs Scandinavia : Tom Kristensen
 
Finland : Marcus Grönholm Vs Scandinavia : Mattias Ekström
 
Scotland : David Coulthard Vs England : Jenson Button
 
Scotland : Alister McRae Vs England : Andy Priaulx
 
USA : Jimmie Johnson Vs Germany : Michael Schumacher
 
USA : Travis Pastrana Vs Germany : Sebastian Vettel
 
The ROC Nations Cup will begin about 9 a.m. on Sunday with The Race of Champions starting at 2p.m. EST. All the action will be shown live on The ROC website, www.raceofchampions.com/live
 
Drivers taking part are: 
 
* Seven-time Formula One World Champion Michael Schumacher 
* Formula One star Jenson Button 
* Triple and reigning World Touring Car Champion, Andy Priaulx 
* Red Bull Racing's David Coulthard 
* Scuderia Toro Rosso's Sebastian Vettel 
* Four-time Champ Car Champion Sébastien Bourdais 
* Seven-time Le Mans winner Tom Kristensen 
* Two-time DTM Champion Mattias Ekström 
* Two-time and reigning NASCAR Champion Jimmie Johnson 
* Eight-time X-Games Champion Travis Pastrana 
* Double World Rally Champion, Marcus Grönholm 
* Renault F1's Heikki Kovalainen 
* 1995 British Rally Champion Alister McRae 
* World Touring Car Championship star Yvan Muller 
* 2003 World Rally Champion, Petter Solberg 
* Five-time Norwegian Rally Champion, Henning Solberg
 
This traditional end-of-season showdown attracts spectators from across Europe. For three years the event, held at the Stade de France in Paris, has attracted well over 50,000 spectators each year.
 
Action from The Race of Champions 2006 was broadcast in over 200 countries and watched by more than 186 million viewers.            
                        
From GMRLIVE

A1GP: Canada's Wickens Second Fastest in China Practice

Zhuhai, China (December 14, 2007) - A1 Team Canada faced some on-track adversity but still managed to remain at the sharp end of the timesheets with Toronto's Robert Wickens finishing second fastest in Friday practice ahead of Round 4 of the 2007-08 A1GP World Cup of Motorsport at China's Zhuhai International Circuit on Sunday, 16th December.

Having reached the podium on his A1GP race debut last time out in Malaysia, 18-year-old Wickens continued to impress as he lapped the 4.30km Zhuhai track for the first time in Friday morning's 'Rookie-Only' session. Despite a driveshaft issue, he finished second quickest behind Germany's Michael Ammermüller, with a best lap of 1m24.205s. Lap times tumbled in the afternoon's hour-long practice session. A puncture robbed Wickens of valuable track time, limiting him to just 10 laps, but he repeated the morning's feat of finishing second fastest, this time behind Ireland's Adam Carroll.

"I think in general the results of day we were ok," Wickens reflected. "The only problem is we never really got to work on the car on old tires which is crucial for the race and in the official practice we had a puncture which put an early end to the day. It was frustrating because there was a half hour left in the session but we'll figure it out. It's a little frustrating as we're an hour behind and potentially a set of tires behind everybody else. Hopefully we can figure something out without wasting another set tomorrow. It's going to be tough but the team will be able to rebound!"

"We've hit the ground running," Team Manager Simon Cayzer commented. "The starting set-up was pretty good and the work the team put in preparing for here has been good but it was a day of mixed emotions really. We look quite good on the timing sheets but we've lost track time so we still have quite a bit of work we'd like to get through and a couple of problems with the car we'd like to iron out. We need to be a little bit creative with our plan for tomorrow so we don't hurt ourselves in qualifying and our overall strategy for the weekend. We're feeling relatively confident as we had the benefit of running Robert in both sessions, hopefully we're on target for a good result this weekend!"

Mark Gallagher, whose Status Grand Prix operation runs both A1 Team Canada and A1 Team Ireland, commented; "Robert did a great job under difficult circumstances, first with the driveshaft issue and then with the puncture during practice. It's very satisfying to see Canada right up there with its stable-mate Ireland, hopefully this bodes well for the rest of the weekend!"

Official Practice (1 Hour Session)
1, Ireland, Adam Carroll, 1:23.279
2, CANADA, ROBERT WICKENS, 1:23.771
3, Germany, Michael Ammermüller, 1:23.848
4, Netherlands, Jeroen Bleekemolen, 1:23.891
5, China, Congfu Cheng, 1:23.940

Rookie Practice (2 x 25 Minute Sessions)
1, Germany, Michael Ammermüller, 1:24.132
2, CANADA, ROBERT WICKENS, 1:24.205
3, Brazil, Sergio Jimenez ,1:24.216
4, Great Britain, Danny Watts, 1:24.217
5, Switzerland, Alexandre Imperatori, 1:24.400

Qualifying for Sunday's 20-minute Sprint race and 70-minute Feature race starts tomorrow, Saturday 15th December, at 2:15pm in China (1:15am EST). Live timing - www.a1gp.com
ENDS - www.a1teamcan.com

Photo Credit: 'Robert Wickens again kept A1 Team Canada at the sharp end of the timesheets' - Jakob Ebrey Photography
Copyright-free A1 Team Canada images are available for download at www.a1gp-photo.com/can

From: A1 Team Canada Media Relations: Stuart Morrison - PR & Media Manager

Marcos Ambrose shows Dale Earnhardt Jr. around his V8 Super School in Australia

Australian NASCAR driver Marcos Ambrose has spent the day with NASCAR superstar Dale Earnhardt Jr at Ambrose's V8 Super School on the Gold Coast in Australia today.

Ambrose hosted Earnhardt Jr, who is in Australia on holiday with friends, and gave the American the opportunity to drive one of the school's 450-horsepower race cars around the V8 Super School's 2.1-kilometre road course circuit.

Ambrose and Earnhardt Jr shared the track in a Ford and GM-Holden respectively for some laps before speaking with the assembled media contingent.

Ambrose only recently arrived back in Australia after collecting his eighth place championship trophy at the NASCAR Busch Series Awards banquet in Orlando, Florida.

Earnhardt Jr spoke with Ambrose late this season about his impending trip to Australia, taking tips from the Australian regarding his homeland.

The two agreed to catch up on the Gold Coast in Queensland so that Ambrose could host Earnhardt Jr and his friends for a day of fun and thrills at the V8 Superschool, which Ambrose co-owns with friend and Australian V8 Supercar driver Paul Morris.

"It was great to catch up with Dale and give him the chance to experience one of our cars at the V8 Super School," said Ambrose.

"I always make a point of visiting everyone here at the V8 Super School when I am back in Australia, and this time around they were very impressed with the friend I brought along for a drive.

"It's been a great year for me in the United States and it's nice to come home to the Australian summer for a break. Sonja and I are busy catching up with some friends and family and showing off our new daughter Adelaide along with Tabitha, who is already two years old.

"I've had the chance to speak with Junior a couple of times this year and late in the year he came up and asked me about Australia because he intended on coming down here for a holiday.

"From that point on I have kind of been his travel consultant. We made sure he saw the V8 Supercar final at Phillip Island, stayed in Melbourne, Sydney and now the Gold Coast.

"Dale and his buddies are here having a ball at the V8 Super School and it's been great to catch up with him and spend some time with him because he is definitely one of the guys I look up to in NASCAR.

"He's a real driver's driver and he's got awesome skills. You can see how quickly he has adapted to these cars today just how good he is and I look forward to the day where I can hopefully get to his level and run side-by-side with him because he's a great driver and a great guy.

"I'm already looking forward to next season. We've got some great things going and I think the Kingsford team will be really strong in the Nationwide Series next season. I'm also really looking forward to getting in the Little Debbie Ford for my first races in the NASCAR Sprint Cup and working on the Cup program with everyone in the team."

Earnhardt Jr thoroughly enjoyed his time behind the wheel of one of the V8 Super School's cars, more accustomed to oval racing a NASCAR at over 300km/h.

"I have to thank Marcos for everything he has set-up for me on this trip," said Earnhardt Jr.

"This is my first trip to Australia and I absolutely love it. Everyone here has been so good to me and to all of my friends and we will never forget this trip.

"I have really enjoyed the chance to drive these cars on a road course-style track. It's great fun and Marcos and Paul Morris have been great to me and really looked after us. We are having a ball.

"It's been great to experience Australia and see how racing is down here. Our group has all had a blast and Marcos' advise on where to go and everything he has set up for us has been awesome.

"He's a great guy and I think he is doing very well in NASCAR and has the potential to go a long way."

From BAM Media

Thursday, December 13, 2007

PHOTO GALLERY: Daytona 2000 by Dave Franks



29 pictures from Dave Franks (Thanks Dave!) from New Smyrna Speedway and Daytona Int'l Speedway (featuring mostly Canadians) from the year 2000. It's snowing outside (in Toronto), so I thought it would be nice to remember that racing isn't that far away.

Two Canadians rookies recognized for their efforts on the DIRTcar Racing NE Circuit In 2007

Weedsport, NY - Headed by Motorsports Safety Systems/G-FORCE Rookie of the Year award winners Mike Bowman (Advance Auto Parts Big-Block Modified), Eric Landry (358-Modified), Larry Wight (Sportsman) and Jocelyn Roy (UMP Pro Stock), the DIRTcar Racing NorthEast circuit boasted an influx of new talent during the 2007 season.

Those same four divisions accounted for 73 first-time feature winners in 663 events, meaning after every nine races there was a new face for fans to see in victory lane during the past season. And some of those same drivers made a return trip to the winner's circle, emerging even more familiar with solid showings in their respective home track point standings.

Of the 20 first-time DIRTcar Big-Block Modified winners, recently crowned Brewerton (NY) Speedway champion Willy Decker and New Jersey standout Ryan Godown led a half-dozen in repeat runs with four apiece. The mighty Modifieds staged 194 events at 29 tracks with 74 drivers taking checkered flags.

Chris Shultz, Jeremy Markle and Johnny Guarino logged inaugural Small-Block wins at Orange County Fair (NY) Speedway to pace a poised group of nine first-timers in the DIRTcar 358-Modified ranks. Seventeen tracks ran off 147 main events with 60 more drivers joining the finish line celebration.

A grand total of 34 new drivers graced victory lane in DIRTcar Sportsman competition with a dozen promoters handing out trophies to at least one first-time winner. In all, 81 different drivers showed their prowess in 222 features contested at 16 tracks around the Northeast.

Exactly 100 main events were charted for the DIRTcar Racing UMP Pro Stocks in '07 and 27 drivers made their maiden voyage to victory lane at seven tracks. Two-time defending overall Hoosier Tire-Sunoco Race Fuels Mr. DIRTcar Pro Stock Champion Pete Stefanski led every DIRTcar division with 17 feature wins.

For their own accomplishments, '07 DIRTcar NE rookies Bowman, Landry, Wight and Roy collected a $700 package Motorsports Safety Systems at the season ending awards banquet in November that included a new G-FORCE helmet, set of six-point G-FORCE safety belts, one pair of G-FORCE driving gloves, and a $225 gift certificate toward the purchase of a HANS device. Bowman was also awarded a ButlerBuilt Racing Seat valued at $2,000.

2007 Motorsports Safety Systems/G-FORCE Racing Gear
DIRTcar NorthEast Rookies of the Year

MIKE BOWMAN - Baldwinsville, N.Y. (20 yrs.)
- driver of the no. 16 Klaben Nursery-Fulton Springs/Bicknell Big-Block Modified entry;
- competed at Cayuga Co. (16th pts/1 top-10), Brewerton (21st/3 top-10), Fulton (24th/1 top-10);
- finished 24th in overall Mr. DIRTcar Modified points (9th-place best at Cayuga County);

ERIC LANDRY - Trois-Rivieres, QUE (26 yrs.)
- driver of the no. 81 D'Artagnon's Bar/Bicknell 358-Modified entry;
- competed at autodromes Drummond (12th pts/4 top-5, 7 to-10) and Granby (20th pts);
- finished 28th in overall Mr. DIRTcar 358-Modified points (19th-place best at Drummond).

LARRY WIGHT - Phoenix, N.Y. (15 yrs.)
- driver of the no. 99 Gypsum Express-Stadium International/Bicknell Sportsman entry;
- competed at Can-Am (15th pts/3 top-5), Fulton (19th pts/2 top-5), Thunder Alley (16th pts/2 top-5);
- finished 8th in overall Mr. DIRTcar Sportsman pts (1 top-5, 4 top-10 finishes).

JOCELYN ROY - Ste-Helene, QUE (28 yrs.)
- driver of the no. 05 Roy Racing Products/Chevrolet Monte Carlo Pro Stock entry;
- competed at Cornwall (13th pts/2 Top-5); Semi-Pro at Drummond (11th pts), Granby (16th pts);
- finished 13th in overall Mr. DIRTcar Pro Stock pts standings (1 top-5, 3 top-10 finishes).

The Advance Auto Parts Super DIRTcar Series for Big-Block Modifieds is brought to fans across the Northeast by several sponsors and partners, including series sponsors Advance Auto Parts, Hoosier Racing Tire and Sunoco Race Fuels. Promotional partners include AMB i.t., Rite Aid Corporation and the University of Northwestern Ohio and the contingency sponsors are Bert Transmission, Bicknell Racing Products, Bilstein Shocks, Brodix Cylinder Heads, Crane Cams, Integra Shocks, MSD Ignitions, Motorsports Safety Systems, Penske Shocks and Wrisco Industries.

From Tom Skibinski, DIRTcar Racing NorthEast Public Relations Director