2016-04-11

Howie Crowe Puts his 2016 Plans Into High Gear

 

Howie Crowe Puts his 2016 Plans Into High Gear

By Jim Clarke, Clarke Motorsports Communications/First Draft Media

 

Running weekly at the local hometown racetrack – in front of your friends, neighbours and relatives – can be fun. But finishing at the front of the field can take a lot of hard work and long hours behind the scenes. In the Paul Davis Systems Thunder Car division at Peterborough Speedway, there are few teams who put in more effort than the #28 machine and driver Howie Crowe.

 

The veteran campaigner from the Alderville First Nation has been a fixture at the venue known as Canada's Toughest 3rd of a Mile Paved Oval for a number of seasons and after finishing in the runner-up position in the final point standings in each of the past 2 years, he says he's looking to regain the form that helped pave the way to his past championship winning performances.

 

"It's a very competitive field and with the right amount of racing luck, almost anyone can make it to the winner's circle," admitted Crowe. "Don't get me wrong. There's no shame in being second best, but its kind of like having a hot dog when you're used to the finest steak on the menu. I like a hot dog once in a while, but a great steak with roasted potatoes, sautéed onions and mushrooms can't be beat. When you've won once, you want to win all the time. You can't get enough of how great it tastes."

 

Heading into the 2016 calendar – beginning Saturday, May 21st with the Country 105 Season Opener – Howie Crowe will once again take to the track in search of a next checkered flag behind the wheel of his popular black Chevrolet Monte Carlo, backed by Crowe Brothers Roofing, Trail's End, Custom Steering and Mayhew Graphics. Team media and public relations services are provided by Clarke Motorsports Communications.

 

With experience on a wide variety of racetracks, Crowe admits there is always the possibility of some contact on the short tracks – especially at the tight, tricky bullrings like Peterborough Speedway – but that doesn't concern him. He's always preferred to race the drivers the way they race him. Sometimes, you can work your way through traffic by waiting for an opening, but occasionally need to use the bumper to gain a position comes into play.

 

"Our goal this year is to be strong out of the box," said Crowe, whose background includes a boxing championship in the United States Marine Corp. "We picked-up a main event win on the second night of the year in 2015 and put together some solid top 5 and top 10 efforts throughout the rest of the season, finishing things off with a solid run in the Autumn Colours Classic. You don't need to get to victory lane at every show to earn a track championship."

 

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

 

Howie Crowe celebrates a Peterborough Speedway Thunder Car feature win with his wife Nicole. The 2016 season at Canada's Toughest 3rd of a Mile Paved Oval takes the green flag Saturday, May 21st.

 

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

                      clarkemotorsports@hotmail.com, www.facebook.com/clarkemotorsports


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Posted by Marc Patrick Roy at 11.4.16 0 comments

Martin Roy se hisse dans le top-25 au Texas


Martin Roy se hisse dans le top-25 au Texas

O'Reilly Auto Parts 300 – Texas Motor Speedway

Fort Worth, TX, le 9 avril 2016 - Le pilote québécois Martin Roy a effectué une belle remontée, vendredi soir, alors qu'il prenait part à l'épreuve de la série NASCAR Xfinity disputée au Texas Motor Speedway. Le propriétaire de l'équipe King Autosport a rallié l'arrivée en 25eplace au volant de la voiture n°90 Gamache/Côté/Arcopel.

Ayant pris le départ en 36e place, le pilote québécois, qui en était à sa deuxième course de la saison, a vite fait de gagner des positions sur l'ovale d'un mille et demi. « C'est une piste rapide, où l'inclinaison est prononcée. Elle est assez technique et ne pardonne pas l'erreur, alors il faut jouer de prudence, même à des vitesses frôlant les 180 milles à l'heure!», a partagé Roy, à propos du Texas Motor Speedway

Malchanceux à sa première course de la saison au Daytona International Speedway, Roy a pu compter sur une stratégie efficace d'arrêts aux puits pour compléter l'épreuve dans le top-25. Le chef d'équipe Mario Gosselin a orchestré la stratégie d'arrêts aux puits, et a pris un pari qui a été payant. 

« Nous devions nous arrêter alors qu'il restait environ 50 tours à faire, et nous nous apprêtions à le faire sous le drapeau vert. C'est à ce moment que j'ai entendu qu'il y avait peut-être un débris sur la piste, et je me doutais bien que NASCAR neutraliserait l'épreuve pour cette raison», a raconté Gosselin. 

C'est d'ailleurs ce qui est arrivé, avec une cinquantaine de tours à faire. Cette neutralisation allait d'ailleurs être la dernière de la course. « Nous avons pu faire le plein d'essence et mettre quatre pneus neufs sous le jaune. À la relance au tour 152 sur 200, nous avions environ 55 tours d'autonomie en essence, alors nous savions que nous pourrions rallier l'arrivée », a expliqué Martin Roy.

King Autosport a pu compter sur l'équipe d'arrêts aux puits de la pilote de la Coupe Sprint, Danica Patrick, à qui s'était ajouté le Québécois Dave Gigandon, préposé à l'essence. L'équipe mécanique toute québécoise était composée de Guy Caron, Éric Laperle et Dave Gigandon, alors que l'éclaireur était Normand Roy.

« Nous sommes très satisfaits. Un top-25 cadre parfaitement avec nos objectifs. Nous avons aussi très bien fait lors des arrêts aux puits. Ceux qui n'avaient pas opté pour la même stratégie que nous à la dernière neutralisation ont dû se battre avec des pneus usés à la corde ou faire le plein d'essence sous le vert », a conclu le pilote.

La course a été remportée par le pilote régulier de la Coupe Sprint, Kyle Busch. La série NASCAR Xfinity retourne en action dès samedi prochain, au Bristol Motor Speedway, au Tennessee.

-30-


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Posted by Marc Patrick Roy at 11.4.16 0 comments

Garrett Hall wins PASS Super Late Model race at Thompson Speedway Motorsports Park

Garrett Hall wins PASS Super Late Model race at Thompson Speedway Motorsports Park

First-ever touring series victory for young racer from Scarborough, Maine

 

Thompson, Connecticut -- Garrett Hall of Scarborough, Maine nailed down his first-ever Pro All Stars Series Super Late Model victory in the 75-lap season opener for the PASS North Tour, also offering National Championship points, Sunday afternoon at Connecticut's Thompson Speedway Motorsports Park.

 

Hall, driving his Quinn's Insulation car, numbered 94, outgunned early race leader Trevor Sanborn of East Parsonsfield, Maine midway through the race to claim the top spot after an extended, spirited battle.  He then held off a determined challenge from Hudson, New Hampshire's Derek Griffith, aboard the LCM Racing 12, to post the win.  

 

Hall, a 21-year-old competitor who prior to this season spent almost his entire racing career on relatively-flat, third-mile ovals in his home state, credited a February trip to Florida's New Smyrna Speedway with helping himself and the team to dial the car in on New England's biggest and fastest oval short track.  

 

"We would have never been able to do this without that trip to New Smyrna, even though we didn't run well there," Hall said in victory lane after thanking his crew, family and sponsors.

 

Griffith made things interesting in the late stages of the race for a while, dueling with both the eventual winner, as well as third-place finisher Dave Garbo, Jr. of Stonington, Connecticut in the Garbo Lobster-sponsored 8. 

 

Early race leader Sanborn dominated the first half of the event aboard the Cushman Competition Ford, crossing the finish line in fourth position.  Multi-time PASS North Super Late Model champion Ben Rowe of Turner, Maine rounded out the top five.  Rowe unofficially took over the PASS Super Late Model National Championship points lead on the strength of that finish.

 

Mike Hopkins of Hermon, Maine kept things tight at the top of the rankings, finishing sixth at Thompson after entering the race tied for second spot with Rowe in the National rankings.  Larry Gelinas of Buxton, Maine battled for the early race lead, and ended up in seventh position under the checkered flag.

 

Berwick, Maine's Joey Doiron battled to an eighth-place finish in a car borrowed from Dale Shaw Race cars, with 2015 Oxford 250 winner Glen Luce of Turner, Maine and Derek Ramstrom of West Boylston, Massachusetts rounding out the top ten.  Ramstrom had entered the race as the PASS National Championship Series points leader.

 

Saturday afternoon heat race victories were posted by Sanborn, Gelinas and Hall.

 

The Pro All Stars Series North Super Late Models are in action this Sunday, April 17, at Oxford Plains Speedway in Oxford, Maine in a doubleheader racing program also featuring the ACT Late Model Tour, presented by Speedway Homes, Dave's Smaal Engines and Husqvarna.  Post time is 2:00 p.m.  For more information visit proallstarsseries.com, oxfordplains.com or call (207) 539-8865.

 

 

Results from the Icebreaker 75 Pro All Stars Series Super Late Model National Championship and North Series race at Thompson Speedway Motorsports Park, Sunday, April 10, 2016 (showing finishing position, car number driver's name, driver's hometown):

1 94 Garrett Hall, Scarborough ME; 2 12 Derek Griffith, Hudson NH; 3 8 David Garbo, Jr. Stonington CT; 4 4 29 Trevor Sanborn, East Parsonsfield ME; 5 4 Ben Rowe, Turner ME; 6 15 Mike Hopkins, Hermon ME; 7 37 Larry Gelinas, Buxton ME; 8 68 Joey Doiron, Berwick ME; 9 7 Glen Luce, Turner ME; 10 35 Derek Ramstrom, West Boylston MA; 11 80 Donald TheetgeBoischatel QC; 12 8 Angelo Belsito, Auburn MA; 13 60 DJ Shaw, Center Conway NH; 14 09 Jeremy Davis, Tamworth NH; 15 15 George Bessette, Oxford MA; 16 1 Cory Casagrande, Stafford Springs CT; 17 82 John-Michael Shenette, Thompson CT; 18 16 Travis Stearns, Auburn ME; 19 59 Reid Lanpher, Manchester ME; 20 54 Johnny Clark, Farmingdale ME; 21 00 Bryan Kruczek, Newmarket NH; 22 46 Jake Vanada, Berkley MA; 23 2 Matt Matheson, French Lake NB; 24 42 Eric St.Gelais, Saint-Aime-des-Lacs, QC; 25 24 Mike Rowe, Turner ME; DNS 7 Travis Benjamin, Morrill ME.

 


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