2016-10-06

45e Winchester 400 - une course de 400 tours avec arrêts aux puits

Fier d'une remontée spectaculaire de la 29e à la 3e position lors du All American 400 de la fin de semaine dernière, Raphaël Lessard reprend le volant de sa Toyota Racing Camry #99 de nouveau en fin de semaine,  pour une autre course de 400 tours hors championnat, cette fois au Winchester Speedway  en Indiana, pour le 45e Winchester 400.

 

Le jeune pilote de St-Joseph de Beauce participera pour la deuxième fois en carrière à une course de 400 tours avec arrêt aux puits.  Plus de 30 pilotes vont tenter de se faire une place pour la finale de dimanche le 9 octobre.

 

Le Winchester Speedway, localisé à Winchester en Indiana, porte le sobriquet du '' demi mile le plus rapide au monde''. Cet oval est d'une longueur de 0.5 mille (0,8 km) avec des inclinaisons de 37 degrés dans les courbes, ce qui en fait une des pistes avec la plus forte inclinaison. Le circuit existe depuis 1914 et des pilotes de renom tels que Jeff Gordon, Tony Stewart, Kyle Busch, Mark Martin ont couru sur cette piste.

 

Le Winchester 400 sera diffusée en direct sur Speed51.com (option payante). Vous pouvez également suivre sans frais et en temps réel les performances sur piste de Raphaël sur le site Web Race-Monitor.com.

 


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Posted by Marc Patrick Roy at 6.10.16 0 comments

Shane Pecore is Looking for a Strong Run at Brockville’s Northeast Fall Nationals

Shane Pecore is Looking for a Strong Run at Brockville's Northeast Fall Nationals

By Jim Clarke, Clarke Motorsports Communications/First Draft Media

 



It could very well be the biggest event of his career.

 

Shane Pecore took the 2014 Sportsman-Modified honours during the 1000 Islands RV DIRTcar Northeast Fall Nationals, but if everything falls into place, a solid finish could net the 23 year-old from St. Andrews, Ontario his first career Mr. DIRTcar Series championship. After an impressive season at Brockville and the track championship at his hometown Cornwall Motor Speedway, the second generation speedster is taking a 23-point lead into the Super Dirt Week satellite events at Brewerton and Weedsport Speedways (near Syracuse, New York), with his sights set on clinching the crown during the Saturday, October 15th season-ending spectacular at The BOS.

 

"I've never really been the type of driver to worry about points; just winning races and getting the best possible finish," said the youngster. "My focus has changed a bit lately and I've become more aware of who is running where in the order. Every position that we can gain on the track is worth a little more in the standings and we're looking to take as big a cushion as we can into the final show at Brockville."

 

The late season events on the calendar have already been very kind to Shane Pecore. He won the Pete Mitchell Memorial at Mohawk International Raceway, finished 7th during the Applefest Shootout at Brighton Speedway and was 5th out of a stellar field of 82 Sportsman-Modified entries during the Outlaw 200 Weekend at Fulton Speedway. The #0 Bicknell Racing Products machine made its way to the winner's circle a total of 10 times during the 2016 campaign and in addition to the point title, earned the 'Race for the Cure' title for a 3 race mini of 100 lap shows at Cornwall Motor Speedway.

 

"Momentum is an important component of this sport and I'm happy with the position we've put ourselves in heading-down the home stretch," admitted the confident racer. "The hard work we've put into our program this season has paid dividends since the first green flag of the year and I think we're in a good spot to be a contender for the overall title. To have the final race of the play out on a track where we've run all season puts our time into a strong position."

 

Behind the scenes and at track, Pecore's equipment is prepared and maintained by the driver himself, his girlfriend Chelsea Periard along with his parents Marcel and Cindy. Shane Pecore would like to thank the team's sponsors St. Andrews Service Centre, Mister Sew & Sew, Fox/Fastline Racing Shocks, Tru$peed Technical Services & Driver Consulting and NAPA Auto Parts; as well as his family, friends and fans for their support throughout the 2016 season.

 

Photo attachment: Team supplied

 

After an impressive 2016 regular season, Shane Pecore (#0) is in the running to clinch the overall Mr. DIRTcar Sportsman-Modified title during the Northeast Fall Nationals event at Brockville Ontario Speedway.

 

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


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Posted by Marc Patrick Roy at 6.10.16 0 comments

24th Annual Autumn Colours Classic Takes the Green Flag Friday at Peterborough Speedway

24th Annual Autumn Colours Classic Takes the Green Flag Friday at Peterborough Speedway

By Jim Clarke, Clarke Motorsports Communications/First Draft Media







 

Casual conversation will be replaced by enthusiastic excitement as the 24th Annual Autumn Colours Classic – presented by Lucas Oil Products – gets rolling Friday, October 7th at Peterborough Speedway. With 10 divisions of racing throughout the weekend, Canada's Toughest 3rd of a Mile Paved Oval has been transformed into Central Ontario's hub of short track excitement.

 

Different drivers look at a win in the show tabbed as the Super Bowl of Stock Car Racing in different ways. Peterborough's Chris Mitchell has been a fixture at the track for a number of years and although out of town work commitments have kept the 39 year-old from winning a track championship, he says he's extremely proud of his 2011 victory at the season-ending spectacular and wouldn't swap it for an annual crown in the Late Model field.

 

On the other side of the coin, Bryan Sudsbury – who captured the season's title in 2012 – says he'd do almost anything to take an Autumn Colours checkered flag. Originally from Bowmanville, but now calling Cobourg home, 'Sudsy' says he and his crew worked hard for their Earl Ireland Auto Sales Late Model championship. The 27 year-old admits he'll be working hard to add a win at the prestigious event to his resume.

 

Willie Reyns is no stranger when it comes to winning track championships. The former Thunder Car standout grabbed a pair of honours while running weekly at Kawartha Speedway and finished 2nd in a 2013 Street Stock Nationals event in Newton, Iowa. The 31 year-old from Baltimore, Ontario – who along with wife Cheryl recently celebrated the arrival of a daughter – is looking to be first across the line in the highly competitive Pro Late Model field.

 

Of this year's track champions, only James Townsend – who claimed the Jiffy Lube Mini Stock honours – has an Autumn Colours Classic win, thanks to his Battlefield Equipment Rental 4Fun victory in 2013. Jeremy Kelly, Howie Crowe and Rick Spencer-Walt – the remaining members of the 2016 championship class – are hoping to head to Dart Heating & Air Conditioning Victory Lane on Thanksgiving Weekend.

 

The 24th Annual Autumn Colours Classic – presented by Lucas Oil Products – gets underway Friday, October 7th and continues 'til Sunday, October 9th at Peterborough Speedway. The opening day's activities will include pre-race inspection and practice, along with opening round qualifying for the Battlefield Equipment Rental 4Fun, Jiffy Lube Mini Stock, Paul Davis Systems Thunder Car, Late Model, Pro Late Model and OSCAAR Modified divisions; as well as the APC Auto Parts Young Guns Races in the Mini Stock and Thunder Car classes. Pit gates will open at 10:00, with the spectator grandstands unlocked at5:00 and racing getting underway at 6:00.

 

Full schedule details for the annual Super Bowl of Stock Car Racing – along with up to the minute news and results – are always available at www.peterboroughspeedway.com and selecting 'Autumn Colours' from the drop-down choices. You can also like the track on Facebook or follow it on Twitter. Fans can download the free Peterborough Speedway app for their Smartphone.


Photo attachment: Jim Clarke – Clarke Motorsports Communications/First Draft Media

 

Chris Mitchell (#22) and Bryan Sudsbury fight for a spot during Earl Ireland Auto Sales Late Model action at Peterborough Speedway. Both drivers are looking for strong runs during the 24th Annual Autumn Colours Classic.

 

Baltimore, Ontario's Willie Reyns (#87) will be looking to add a Pro Late Model Autumn Colours Classic checkered flag to an impressive resume in the provincial Thunder Car and Street Stock ranks.

 

For Jeremy Kelly (#80) an Autumn Colours Classic victory would be the crowning moment to a 2016 season that included his first career Battlefield Equipment Rental 4Fun championship at Peterborough Speedway.

 

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


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Posted by Marc Patrick Roy at 6.10.16 0 comments

John Smith Takes 4th SMRS Modified Win Of Season At Hickory

John Smith Takes 4th SMRS Modified Win Of Season At Hickory

 

  • For Immediate Release

 

HICKORY, NC (October 1) – Mt. Airy, NC's John Smith played the pit strategy game correctly again to claim his fourthSouthern Modified Racing Series (SMRS) presented by PASS win Saturday night at Hickory Motor Speedway in the Hickory 125.  With his win, Smith and Burt Myers are unofficially tied for the series points lead heading to the season-ending Kenny Minter Memorial 125 on October 22 at Caraway Speedway.    

            "Yeah, we sat there and took care of our tires for the first 50 or 75 laps and my guys are good on pit road and I made a deal with them that if they got me out first that I thought we could win and luckily we did," said Smith, driver of the Mumy Financial #25.  "Going to Caraway, we've just got to race our hearts out.  Burt [Myers] is a helluva racer and we've just got to go at it and let the chips fall where they may."

            For the fourth time this year, Brandon Ward was able to capture the Precision Built Spindles Pole Award with a lap of 14.371 seconds (90.933 MPH) around the 66-year-old facility.  But, after the top six qualifiers redraw, Bobby Measmer, Jr. and Burt Myers would move to the front row, while Ward would move back to the fifth starting position.

At the drop of the green, Measmer would move to the point, before Tom Buzze would flex his muscle and move into the lead on lap 7.  The leaders would go back-and-forth over the first 50 laps, exchanging the lead amongst Buzze, Measmer, and Ward at least 12 times.  The first caution of the night waved on lap 46 for debris giving teams the first opportunity to pit for tires.  The only taker on this round of stops would be Scott Hall.

Back under way, Buzze continued to lead, with Burt Myers leading for a short stint from laps 52 through 56. Buzze opened up more than a straightaway advantage before the caution waved again for debris with 37 laps to go.  All the leaders would use this opportunity to pit for tires, with the exception of Hall who had pitted earlier.

Back under green, the cars with fresher tires quickly disposed of Hall, as Smith assumed the lead for the first time on lap 91.  With 23 laps to go, B. Myers nearly saw his championship hopes slip away as he spun off turn four while battling for third due to a broken axle.  Luckily for B. Myers, Buzze, Darren Shaw, and Dan Speeney tangled in turn two causing an extended caution that allowed the #1 team to replace the axle without losing a lap.

Smith continued to lead, but was being pressured heavily by Ward.  But, with 7 laps to go, Ward fell off the pace with a mechanical problem, allowing Smith to cruise on for the win over Jason Myers, B. Myers, Measmer, and Andy Jankoiak. Rounding out the top 10 were Buzze, the Mod Lite winner, Hall, Ward, Speeney, and Shaw.

The Southern Modified Racing Series Presented By PASS will be in action again on Saturday night, October 22 at Caraway Speedway for the Kenny Minter Memorial 125 season finale.  Entry forms will be available at SouthernModifiedRacingSeries,com.  Be sure to "Like" the Pro All Stars Series and Southern Modified Racing Series on Facebook or follow us on Twitter at @PASSSLM14.

 

                 SMRS Modifieds – Hickory 125 – Unofficial Results

  1. 25 – John Smith
  2. 4 – Jason Myers
  3. 1 – Burt Myers
  4. 14 – Bobby Measmer, Jr.
  5. 37 – Andy Jankoiak
  6. 5 – Tom Buzze
  7. 54 – Scott Hall
  8. 19 – Brandon Ward
  9. 08 – Dan Speeney
  10.  17 – Darren Shaw
  11.  70 – John Barilka
  12. 75 – Ronnie Souders, Jr.


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Posted by Marc Patrick Roy at 6.10.16 0 comments

There’s No Race Like Home at Brockville Speedway’s DIRTcar Northeast Fall Nationals

There's No Race Like Home at Brockville Speedway's DIRTcar Northeast Fall Nationals

By Jim Clarke, Clarke Motorsports Communications/First Draft Media

 









At the weekly level, short track stock car racing has long been focused on family and friends. With the 8thrunning of Brockville Ontario Speedway's 1000 Islands RV DIRTcar Northeast Fall Nationals less than a month away, the thought of a Saturday night regular taking the checkered flag is a distinct possibility. Car counts in the Small Block and Sportsman Modified divisions at The BOS have been strong for a number of years and several of the drivers in each class are members of racing families.

 

13-time track champion Danny O'Brien – who competes in the 358 Modified field with his older brother Pat and younger sibling Tim – followed in the footsteps of his father, Pat O'Brien Sr. Stephane Lafrance added an extra digit to the #15 made famous over the years by his father Marcel and made his own mark in the sport with his craft-built, limited edition racecars.

 

After practicing his craft at a number of different tracks in past campaigns, Matt Billings – a former go kart racer – returned home this year and logged a pair of main event wins, while finishing 7th in points. Chris Herbison – a former Sportsman division champion – developed a passion for the sport from watching his father George compete and this year, his son Jarrett – who also graduated from the karting ranks – finished 16th during his rookie Sportsman-Modified season.

 

The Brockville hometown attitude continues with the Evoy clan and 2016 Sportsman division track champion Dylan – whose race shop is about a 10-minute drive from the speedway – and even extends to nearby Spencerville, with the father and son duo of John and Madison Mulder, who finished 10th and 12threspectively in the recently concluded Small Block Modified standings.

 

For the 8th annual edition of the 1000 Islands RV Northeast Fall Nationals – A Craig Revelle Tribute, presented by St. Lawrence Radiology, Rez-X Racing and sponsored by 103.7 BOB-FM, the Brockville Recorder & Times and CKWS-TV – the Friday, October 14th program has the final Mr. DIRTcar championship event for the 358 Modifieds, Late Models and Street Stocks, with a 7:00 green flag. The Saturday, October 15th agenda is headlined by DIRTcar Big Block Mods, the championship final for Sportsman Modifieds, Mini Stocks and Outlaw Vintage Mods. Racing gets underway at 4:00.

 

Fans can find complete Northeast Fall Nationals details by checking www.brockvillespeedway.com, as well as the track's Facebook page and Twitter feed.


Photo attachment: Jim Clarke – Clarke Motorsports Communications/First Draft Media

 

Stephane Lafrance (#115) wheeled his latest home-built 358 Modified creation to a feature event win and 13th place in the final 2016 point standings at Brockville Ontario Speedway.

 

Coming 'home' for the first time in a couple of years, Brockville's Matt Billings (#74) logged a pair of feature wins and a 7th place finish in the Small Block Modified standings at Brockville Speedway.

 

With a pair of Fall Nationals Sportsman Modified wins on his resume, Chris Herbison (#63) wheeled his 358 Mod to a feature win and coached his son Jarrett to a 16th place finish in his rookie Sportsman campaign at Brockville Speedway.

 

The father and son duo of John (#12) and Madison Mulder (#7M) showed their stuff during 2016 Small Block Modified action at The BOS.

 

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


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Posted by Marc Patrick Roy at 6.10.16 0 comments

Craig Graham is Locked-In and Loaded for Peterborough Speedway’s Autumn Colours Classic

Craig Graham is Locked-In and Loaded for Peterborough Speedway's Autumn Colours Classic

By Jim Clarke, Clarke Motorsports Communications/First Draft Media

 




The clock is running and hours are ticking away. In less than a week, Central Ontario's most anticipated motorsports events will take the green flag, with the arrival of the 24th Annual Autumn Colours Classic at Peterborough Speedway. For the first time since 2014, Craig Graham will be in the Late Model starting field when the Super Bowl of Stock Car Racing rolls from the staging area. The 44 year-old father of 2, from Orono, Ontario – who has served as mentor and coach for his son Brandt's Lucas Oil Sportsman Cup Series effort over the last 2 years – says he's looking forward to running the popular event.

 

"I've had some good success at Peterborough over the years and this is a race I always enjoyed being part of," said the former multi division track champion. "Autumn Colours is the culmination of a season of hard work for teams in every division and to take home a win from the season-ending spectacular would be quite an accomplishment. Even though I haven't raced much lately, it all comes back to the forefront once the seat belts are fastened and the steering wheel gets locked into place."

 

The 75 lap main event for the Earl Ireland Auto Sales Late Models may seem like a long race, but depending on the circumstances, it has the potential to roll-by quite quickly. While his goal is to get to the front of the pack, everyone in the starting field will be facing the same challenges. Craig Graham says he'll have to wait until the green flag waves to see if he'll take a cautious or aggressive approach to the event.

 

"Peterborough Speedway's bottom line has long been the preferred racing line, but we can't all run there," said the driver. "You'll have to be daring enough to venture up to the top at some point to pick up a position or 2, but then it can become an issue to get back down. That's where a good handling race car and spotter who's on their toes can be a huge benefit."

 

After finishing 6th at the Chase for the Colours event, Craig Graham has a provisional starting spot for what is tentatively scheduled to be 5th in the order of feature races Sunday, October 9th. The weekend will also be a role reversal of sorts for Graham Racing, with Brandt Graham serving as spotter while his father tackles the action on the track.

 

"A strong showing at Autumn Colours would be the icing on the cake for our team," said Craig Graham, who until this year has run the year-end event Pro Late Model event, with a string of showings in and around the top 10. "Brandt's Lucas Oil Sportsman Cup Series championship run was a great way to start the late-season events and I'm hoping we'll have a strong enough Late Model effort throughout the weekend to continue that charge."

 

Graham Racing thanks their 2016 sponsorship partners Full Circle Automation, Arcade Pools, J & M Restoration, Auto Care, Hot Rod Swag and Squirrel Head Music, DJD Graphics and Mayhew Graphics for the support throughout the season. Team media and promotional services are provided by Clarke Motorsports Communications.

 

Follow the team behind the scenes and at the track by checking @Graham_Racing on Twitter and the Graham 98 Racing page at www.facebook.com. Look for www.graham98racing.com, an Image Factor web-site.


Photo attachment: Jim Clarke – Clarke Motorsports Communications/First Draft Media

 

Orono, Ontario's Craig Graham is looking forward to running with the Earl Ireland Auto Sales Late Model division during the Autumn Colours Classic – October 7th to 9th – at Peterborough Speedway.

 

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


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Posted by Marc Patrick Roy at 6.10.16 0 comments

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