2015-03-19

Shelby Mills Finds a Saturday Night Full Fendered Fight the Perfect Prescription




Shelby Mills Finds a Saturday Night Full Fendered Fight the Perfect Prescription

By Jim Clarke, Clarke Motorsports Communications/First Draft Media

 

Whether she's fighting the flu, battling a bug, combating a cold or feeling fit as a fiddle, Shelby Mills says the best medicine in the world is climbing in behind the controls of her Comp 4/Mini Stock machine and heading into weekly battle at Brighton Speedway.

 

The 22 year old from Rossmore, Ontario – who works as an RPN at Lennox and Addington County General Hospital – has been spending a lot of time in the garage, fine-tuning the car that finished 6th in the 2013 point chase and then 4th in last year's hunt. Even though she races for the fun of it, Mills says she's always looking for a little more.

 

"We've had a great couple of seasons, but every racer out there wants to be better," admitted the driver. "Whether that means picking-up another qualifying heat win or finishing higher in the main event running order, the team of Justin Ramsay, Tyler French and Adam Chapman is working with me toward the same goal and it's worth every bit of effort and hard work that it'll take to get me there. I want people to take notice of what we're doing every time we take to the track."

 

After getting her start in the Stinger division, Shelby Mills – who enjoys 4 wheeling, snowmobiling, watersports and attending music festivals in her time away from the track – is looking forward to the possibility of running a Canadian Modified on a limited basis once Brighton's 2015 schedule gets rolling on May 2nd. She sees the opportunity to try the different class as a chance to get some additional experience behind the wheel.

 

Mills – whose equipment carries #78 as a permanent reminder of her first speeding ticket – has raced at Brighton and Brockville Speedways and speaks of a tow to Cornwall Motor Speedway as an event on her competition 'bucket list'. As a fan, she'd like to travel to Charlotte, North Carolina for a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series event and is excited that her favourite driver – World of Outlaws Late Model standout Tim McCreadie – will be racing at the local 3rd of a mile oval again this summer.

 

"I think you can learn a lot from watching a more experienced driver race a track you're familiar with," said the driver who turned the fastest Comp 4/Mini Stock lap in 2012 and 2014, along with being named winner of the Best Appearing Car award in 2013 and 2014 voting. "I like seeing some of the other divisions on the track and paying attention to the lines they're using. I can make some mental notes and try it out when it's my turn."

 

For 2015, Shelby Mills' program is supported by ABC Taxi, Dibbits Excavating, Empey Tire, RC Auto Body, KD Transmissions, Hotch's Auto Parts and Stix and Stones Billiards & Bar. Team promotional services will be provided by Clarke Motorsports Communications.

 

Fans can follow Shelby Mills and track the team's results at Brighton Speedway and other venues across the province by liking 'Dirty Fast Racing' at www.facebook.com.

 

Photo attachment: Don Simpson - ©D Imaging

1) Shelby Mills

2) Shelby Mills powers her #78 Comp 4/Mini Stock machine through the turn at Brighton Speedway. The Rossmore, Ontario racer is looking forward to the first green flag of the local oval's 2015 season.

 

Prepared by: Jim Clarke, Clarke Motorsports Communications/First Draft Media


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Rising Stars of ACT Look to Make a Statement in 2015


Rising Stars of ACT Look to Make a Statement in 2015

 

<<ATTACHED PHOTO (vlf_5372.jpg): Emily Packard (#9ME) and Kyle Welch (#9NH) battle for the lead at Riverside Speedway (now Speedway 51) in Groveton, NH on June 7, 2014. Welch went on to win the event. (Eric LaFleche photo)>>

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                                   ACT-031915-17

 

Waterbury, VT – A trio of 21-and-under drivers are aiming to step up to the plate in 2015 and make their mark on the American-Canadian Tour (ACT). Emily Packard, Kyle Welch, and Brandon Atkins all experienced success during their first full seasons on the ACT Tour in 2014, and are looking to emerge as title contenders this season.

 

Of the three, Packard enjoyed the strongest overall 2014 season. After competing part-time on the ACT Tour in 2013, the then 17-year-old moved up to a full schedule last year and turned heads early. The East Montpelier, VT resident scored her first Tour podium finish in the second race of the year with a third-place effort in the Merchant's Bank 150 at Thunder Road Speedbowl in Barre, VT in late April.

 

Packard recorded two more top-fives and three more top-10s over the course of the season, including a fifth-place effort at Riverside Speedway (now Speedway 51) in Groveton, NH after leading a race-high 115 laps. At the end of the season, Packard found herself sitting an impressive fourth in the final point standing. Packard accomplished this while also participating in full weekly schedules at Thunder Road and Devil's Bowl Speedway, where she finished 15thand 3rd in the standings, respectively.

Packard, who is in her senior year at U32 High School, said recently that she will be focusing exclusively on the ACT Tour for the 2015 season.

 

"I want to grow more as a driver and we want to grow more as a team, and obviously I want to start winning some races," Packard said of her goals for the year. Last year we learned a lot not only about me as a driver but the team about the car. It was the first year we'd run on a Distance chassis. Hopefully we'll learn more this year and add that to what we gained last year.

 

"There's not really any changes (to the team)," she added. "There's a new paint scheme and that's about it. We've had that same (scheme) for seven years, so it was time for something different."

 

Packard also recently participated in the American Racer Challenge at New Smyrna Speedway in New Smyrna Beach, FL, finishing 12thand 16th in the two 100-lap events on February 16 and 18, and 16thin the overall result.

 

"It was a really good experience," she said. "The thing we learned is don't get behind the 8-ball. We started on Thursday and that put us behind for the 8-ball for the whole weekend."

 

The June 7 race at Riverside also served as the coming-out party for both Welch and Atkins. Welch, of Newport, NH, had struggled in occasional Tour appearances prior to 2014, but made his first career top-10 finish count, scoring the victory in the 150-lap event. Meanwhile, Atkins finished a season-best fourth.

 

Welch added a sixth-place result at White Mountain Motorsports Park two weeks later and finished 11th in final points.

 

"Our goals (for 2015) are the same we have every week, to win races and contend," Welch said. "We definitely want to be in the top-five in points, that's a big one. We just want to finish up front and win races, and hopefully the rest will come…we lost a few guys (from the team), and we've picked up a few guys, we've made a few improvements to the car – everyone does that in winter – we've got a good group of guys as it is."

 

Welch struggled with mechanical problems throughout the American Racer Challenge at New Smyrna, but says that the team is working to get the car ready for the season-opening New Hampshire Governor's Cup at Lee USA Speedway in Lee, NH.

 

"We had a really good car (at New Smyrna)," Welch said. "It was fast, but it didn't show 'cause we didn't get to race. I can't say enough about my team and all the other teams that helped us out all and gave us parts, and (we) would work on the car all night, get a few hours of sleep, and work on it again. It's just frustrating that we couldn't get it fixed. We're still working on it right now…hopefully by Lee we should be good to go."

 

The 18-year-old Atkins earned the 2014 ACT Rookie of the Year award and was named Doc Nielsen Outstanding Rookie Winner. The Au Sable Forks, NY driver added two other top-10 finishes to go with his Riverside effort to place 12th in the point standings. Atkins also finished 9th in the non-point ACT International at his home track of Airborne Park Speedway. He recently finished 15th overall in the American Racer Challenge at New Smyrna Speedway, and is already eyeing bigger things to come in 2015.

 

"We're looking for a top-five in points," he said recently. "We want to get our first win as well. We had a lot of races (last year) where we were competitive, but couldn't quite finish the deal. A lot of places we've been like Airborne, Devil's Bowl, Riverside, we were fast, but just missed a little bit…a lot of (last year) was getting experiences at the flat tracks like Beech Ridge and (Circuit Riverside) where we hadn't been before, and also learning about who we race with and how to stay out of trouble.

 

"The team is pretty much the same, but we've got a new car to run the Tour with," Atkins added. Rick Payea built us a new car Port RV performance kit car; that's going to be our car for the tour, and we'll run the old car for the special events."

 

All three drivers, along with the rest of an expected 40-car field, will get their first chance to make their mark on the season on Sunday, April 12, in the New Hampshire Governor's Cup 150 at Lee USA Speedway. Post time is 1:00pm. Practice will take place from noon until 5pm on Saturday, April 11.

 

For additional information contact the ACT office at 802.244.6963,media@acttour.com, or visit www.acttour.com.

 

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FedEx Ground to Celebrate at Airborne Park Speedway Season Opener


 
FedEx Ground to Celebrate at Airborne Park Speedway Season Opener

Airborne's 62nd season kicks off with 100-lap race for retooled Modified division

 

For Immediate Release                                                                                                                                                                                APS-031815-1

 

PLATTSBURGH, NY – Airborne Park Speedway's 62nd stock car racing season will open in style on Saturday, May 2, hosting the Plattsburgh FedEx Ground employee and contractor teams for their annual engagement event and the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series season kickoff. The new-look J&S Steel Modified division will be put to the test with a 100-lap main event, in addition to racing for the Ground Round Late Model, Key R-D Trailer Sales Renegade, and Busch Beer Mini Modified divisions.

The 100-lap opener rings in a new era for open-wheel racing in the North Country. Many teams from the former 358-Modified division will now compete in the restructured J&S Steel Modified class under NASCAR sanction, giving Airborne fans a full field of established veterans rubbing wheels with the up-and-comers.

Among the talented racers expected to shoot for the trophy are young stars Jason Durgan, Codie Aubin, Jamie LaFountain, Rookie of the Year Jayson Criss, and three-time champion Nick Heywood. They'll face Modified masters Leon Gonyo, Greg Atkins, Andy Heywood, Mike Wells, and the returning Bucko Branham, along with rookies Jamy Begor, Steven Bresette, and Danny Sullivan, and more.

Employees and contractors from FedEx Ground's Plattsburgh, NY operations will be treated to a night of fun and racing action at the North Country's most exciting track, andseveral FedEx Ground contractors will have their package delivery trucks and vans available on site for race fans to see up close.

"Our local FedEx Ground employees and contractors are looking forward to our annual event at Airborne Park Speedway, which has become a fun tradition for all of us," FedEx Ground Senior Manager Q. Battle said. "Being a part of the action and watching the races is always a great way for our teams to relax."

Season passes and reserved seating are available for the 2015 season at Airborne Park Speedway by calling (518) 647-4444. The season opening event on Saturday, May 2marks the 62nd season of stock car racing for Airborne Park Speedway, with green flag racing action at 6:00 p.m.

Airborne Park Speedway is located on Broderick Road in South Plattsburgh, NY, one mile from Exit 36 on the Interstate 87 Northway. Visit www.airborneparkspeedway.com for more information, or call (518) 647-4444. Airborne Park Speedway is on Facebook at Facebook.com/AirborneParkSpeedway and on Twitter at @AirborneSpeed.

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Contact: Justin St. Louis, Media Director





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2015 DIRTcar NE Series Schedules

DIRTcar

2015 DIRTcar NE Series Schedules

Posted: 18 Mar 2015 05:26 AM PDT

Series schedules for 2015. All events subject to change
2015 SUPER DIRTCAR SERIES DIRT MODIFIED TOUR
DateLapsTrackSizePointsEventWinners
2/18/1530Volusia Speed PkFL0.500N/P43rd Winter NationalsBrett Hearn
2/19/1530Volusia Speed PkFL0.500N/P43rd Winter NationalsStewart Friesen
2/20/1530Volusia Speed PkFL0.500N/P43rd Winter NationalsRick Laubach
2/21/1550Volusia Speed PkFL0.500N/P43rd Winter NationalsNeal Williams
4/25/15100FultonNY0.375100
5/20/15100CanandaiguaNY0.500100
5/27/15100Brockville, ONCAN0.375100
6/16/15100GrandviewPA0.333100
6/24/15100Utica-RomeNY0.500100
6/28/15100Cornwall, ONCAN0.250100
6/30/15100Oshewken, ONTCAN0.500100
7/2/15100Rolling WheelsNY0.625100
7/7/15100Albany-SaratogaNY0.400100Brett's Big Show
7/9/15100Mohawk Int'lNY0.400100
7/14/15100Five Mile PointNY0.250100
7/20/15100Drummond, PQCAN0.500100
7/21/15100Granby, PQCAN0.500100
8/3/15100Merrittville, ONCAN0.333100
8/4/15100RansomvilleNY0.375100
8/6/15100WeedsportNY0.375100Hall of Fame Race, inductions on 8/5 at Hall of Fame located in Weedsport, NY
8/13/15100Lebanon ValleyNY0.625100
9/11/15100Granby, PQCAN0.500150
9/19/14100BrewertonNY0.333150
9/26/15100FondaNY0.500150
10/11/15200SyracuseNY1.000150Super DIRT Week XLIV
10/17/15100Brockville, ONCAN0.3751507th Fall Nationals
10/24/15100WeedsportNY0.375150
11/6/1540Charlotte Dirt TkNC0.4001509th Annual World Finals
11/7/1540Charlotte Dirt TkNC0.4001509th Annual World Finals
Final Points computed by Home Track Bonus Points, Plus Series Points
2015 DIRTCAR 358-MODIFIED TOUR
358 Starter Series best 3 finishes count towards series points
Full series starts on 9/6/15
DateLapsTrackSizePointsEventWinners
4/26/15Mohawk Int'lNY0.400Starter Series
5/16/15Brockville, ONCAN0.250Starter Series
5/18/15Merrittville, ONCAN0.333Starter Series
5/22/15RansomvilleNY0.500Starter Series
6/6/15Le RPM, PQCAN0.250Starter Series
6/14/15Cornwall, ONCAN0.250Starter Series
6/26/15RansomvilleNY0.500Starter Series
6/27/15Brockville, ONCAN0.250Starter Series
7/3/15Granby, PQCAN0.500Starter Series
7/3/15Mohawk Int'lNY0.400Starter Series
7/11/15Drummond, PQCAN0.500Starter Series
7/11/15Merrittville, ONCAN0.333Starter Series
8/1/15Brockville, ONCAN0.250Starter Series
8/7/15Granby, PQCAN0.500Starter Series
8/12/15Cornwall, ONCAN0.250Starter Series
8/14/15RansomvilleNY0.500Starter Series
8/15/15Le RPM, PQCAN0.250Starter Series
8/16/15Cornwall, ONCAN0.250Starter Series
8/29/15Merrittville, ONCAN0.333Starter Series
9/4/15Mohawk Int'lNY0.400Starter Series
9/6/15125Cornwall, ONCAN0.250150
9/12/15100Drummond, PQCAN0.500150
9/18/15100Mohawk Int'lNY0.400150
9/19/15100Granby, PQCAN0.500150
9/20/15100Le RPM, PQCAN0.250150
10/7/15100WeedsportNY0.375150
10/8/15100BrewertonNY0.333150
10/10/15150SyracuseNY1.000N/PSuper DIRT Week XLIV
10/16/15100Brockville, ONCAN0.2501507th Fall Nationals
10/23/15100WeedsportNY0.375150
Final Points computed by Home Track Bonus Points, Plus Starter Series Poinys, plus Series Points
2015 DIRTcar SPORTSMAN CHAMPIONSHIP TRAIL
DateLapsTrackSizePointsEventWinners
6/4/1530Can AmNY0.625100
7/20/1530Drummond, PQCAN0.500100
7/21/1530Granby, PQCAN0.500100
9/6/1550Cornwall, ONCAN0.250150
9/11/1550RansomvilleNY0.375150
9/12/1550Merrittville, ONCAN0.333150
9/13/1550Humberstone, ONCAN0.250150
9/19/1550Mohawk Int'lNY0.400150
9/20/1550Le RPM, PQCAN0.250150
9/25/1550Can AmNY0.500150
10/7/1530WeedsportNY0.375150
10/11/1530SyracuseNY1.000N/PSuper DIRT Week XLIV
10/18/1550Brockville, ONCAN0.2501507th Fall Nationals
Final Points computed by Home Track Bonus Points, Plus Series Points
2015 DIRTcar PRO-STOCK CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES
all dates tentative
DateLapsTrackSizePointsEventWinners
6/12/15Granby, PQCAN0.500100
6/18/15FondaNY0.500100
7/4/15LeRPM, PQCAN0.250100
7/24/15Albany-SaratogaNY0.400100
9/6/15Cornwall, ONCAN0.250150
9/26/15FondaNY0.500150
10/11/1525SyracuseNY1.000150Super DIRT Week XLIV
Final Points computed by Home Track Bonus Points, Plus Series Points




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