2013-04-03

Southern Super Series: Austin Theriault Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway Race Preview

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – 4.2.13

For more information, visit AustinTheriault.com or
E-mail GWCNewEngland@gmail.com

THE STORY

FORT KENT, Maine – Austin Theriault of Fort Kent, Maine, and Brad Keselowski Racing head to the historic Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway in Nashville, Tenn., for the inaugural race of the Southern Super Series on Saturday, April 6. Theriault, who hasn't finished worse than sixth in any of his last three Super Late Model races this spring, will pilot the BKR No. 29 Checkered Flag Foundation Ford Fusion in the 125-lap event on the banked .596-mile oval. After winning at Dillon Motor Speedway in Dillon, S.C., Theriault finished second the next week at Myrtle Beach Speedway to take over the PASS South Series points lead. This will mark Theriault's first career appearance at Fairgrounds Speedway, where he will return in November for the All-American 400.

 

 

THE FACTS

WHO: Austin Theriault, Fort Kent, Maine
TEAM: Brad Keselowski Racing No. 29 Checkered Flag Foundation Ford Fusion
CREW CHIEF: Gary Crooks, Mooresville, N.C.
BEST CAREER NASHVILLE FAIRGROUNDS SPEEDWAY FINISH: N/A
LAST RACE AT NASHVILLE FAIRGROUNDS SPEEDWAY: N/A
WHAT: Southern Super Series 125
WHERE: Fairgrounds Speedway, Nashville, Tenn. (.363-mile oval)
WHEN: Friday, April 5 – 3 p.m., practice; Saturday, April 6 – 11:15 a.m., practice; 1:55 p.m., qualifying; 8 p.m., race
Southern Super Series

NEXT RACE: April 27, Southern Super Series 125, Gresham Motorsports Park, Jefferson, Ga. (.500-mile banked oval)

 

DID YOU KNOW?

·         Austin Theriault won the PASS South Series South Carolina Clash 150 at Dillon Motor Speedway on March 9 to become the first Brad Keselowski Racing development program driver to win a race since Landon Cling won at South Boston Speedway on June 9, 2012.

·         Austin Theriault hasn't finished worse than sixth in each of the last four PASS-sanctioned Super Late Model races he's entered. Prior to the South Carolina Clash 150 win, he was victorious in a family-owned car in the PASS North Series season finale at Oxford Plains Speedway in October of 2012.

·         Austin Theriault finished third in the prestigious Oxford 250 at Oxford Plains Speedway in each of the last two seasons, becoming the youngest podium finisher in the 40-year history of the race in 2011.

·         Austin Theriault will team with former PASS North Series driver Lonnie Sommerville this weekend at the Fairground Speedway, marking Sommerville's first start for Brad Keselowski Racing.

 

WHAT THEY ARE SAYING

AUSTIN THERIAULT, Driver of the Brad Keselowski Racing No. 29 Checkered Flag Foundation Ford Fusion, On what he knows about the Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway: “I've heard a lot about it. Once again, it's a place where there's some history behind it. From what I've heard, it's a pretty fast track and it's going to be a bit different from what we've seen the last couple of races we've had on flatter tracks where tire management has been so important. It's going to be a shorter race, so there's going to be some more racing going on early in the race. Track position going to be more important early on.

“We've had some success being able to fall back early and make up ground later in the races, but that will be one of the changes we've got to make this weekend as far as how we execute the race and make decisions during it. We'll approach the weekend the same as we have been, because we know we'll be pretty decent when we unload. But we'll work on me being comfortable in the car and go from there.”

On the team's momentum after a string of strong runs heading into this weekend: “I think having confidence is important, no matter what you're doing. Having good runs like we've had always builds that confidence, and that's some of what we're dealing with right now. The more times you go to the track and run good and practice goes good and you have a good race, it's more of a confidence builder. That's more of what we're feeding on as a team right now.

“We know there's going to be things going on during the races that we can't control, and we saw some of that (last weekend with right side tire bleeder issues). But things like that can't take a lot away from how good the cars have been. Once again, this is a good opportunity for our race team.”

On having a teammate at the track again this weekend: “I think having more than one car at the race track is definitely a positive for any race team. I've been around Lonnie, and he and (crew chief Gary Crooks) have worked together in the past, so there's some chemistry there. It's good to have someone like Lonnie that Gary has worked with to base our car around. It's all about improving our two-car team and getting better. You've got both cars to look at for information.

“It's just always beneficial to have more than one car at the race track.”

 

UP NEXT

Austin Theriault returns to Maine for the PASS North Series season opener at Oxford Plains Speedway in Oxford, Maine, on Sunday, April 21... Theriault will compete in his family-owned No. 57 Pelletier Ford Ford Fusion in the 150-lap event. He is the most recent PASS North Series race winner, having won the 2012 season finale at Oxford last October.

 

SOCIAL MEDIA

Follow Austin Theriault on Facebook: facebook.com/ATRacing
Follow Austin Theriault on Twitter: @austintheriault
Follow GWC Motorsports Marketing on Facebook: facebook.com/GWCMotorsports
Follow GWC Motorsports Marketing on Twitter: @GWCNewEngland

 

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Posted by Marc Patrick Roy at 3.4.13 0 comments

Kimmel's outstanding Salem stats endure, but winless at home track since 2008

For Immediate Release:
Wednesday, April 3, 2013 

(TOLEDO, Ohio) - If nine national championships in the ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards aren't enough, Frank Kimmel's Salem Speedway stats we'll surely get your attention.

 

With the Kentuckiana Ford Dealers 200 presented by Crosley Radio coming April 27-28, Kimmel will be making his 39th ARCA start on the historic southern Indiana short track, long considered his home track having grown up in nearby Clarksville, Indiana - bout a half hour down the road.

 

 

Kimmel, who drives the No. 44 Ansell-Menards Toyota for ThorSport Racing, is also the all-time winner at Salem with nine wins, including five consecutive from 2000 through 2002. He's also the all-time Salem lap leader with 1637 laps-led in 22 races. However, the Salem track master has not been to Victory Lane at Salem since September of 2008, which is also the last time he led laps at Salem.

 

"It bothers me; there's no doubt about it," Kimmel said.

 

"That tells me that our own competition level has fallen while many of the other competitors have risen.

 

"Unfortunately it doesn't look like we'll get the chance to test either."

 

With as many laps as Kimmel has around Salem, you'd think testing, or the lack of, would not be a big deal for the hometown favorite.

 

"Testing at Salem makes a big difference, no matter how many times we've circled the place. Hoosier has a great short track radial we run there, but they change the compound of the tire from time to time. It's still a very tough tire that doesn't wear out, but the point at which the tire's performance levels out, has changed, and that's where testing really makes a difference."

 

Kimmel finished second at Salem last spring, which has been his best performance there since he won back in '08.

 

"Last spring is as good as we've been at Salem in some time, so the best we can do is go off our notes from last spring, but that doesn't always work as things change. And we have to change with it."

 

Obviously, Kimmel is hungrier than ever to get back to Victory Lane at Salem. If he's able to snap his Salem winless streak, he would add career victory number 77 to his overall total. His current 76 career wins are just three away from Iggy Katona's all-time win mark of 79.

 

"We've got our eye on that all-time win mark, but we just want to get back to victory lane at Salem. We're tired of running sixth. We don't want to run second either. We're coming to win. But, however it comes out, it's just so cool to race at Salem. It's so close to home. That place will always have a special place in the Kimmel family. It's our home track, and we want to win on it."

 

Practice for the Kentuckiana Ford Dealers 200 is Saturday, April 27 from 12 noon - 12:45 p.m., with final practice from 1:15 - 2. Menards Pole Award Qualifying presented by Ansell is scheduled to follow at 3:30. Pre-race festivities and driver introductions get underway just before 2 on Sunday afternoon (April 28) with the Kentuckiana Ford Dealers 200 slated to get the green flag at approximately 2:15.

 

Other Salem ARCA winners over the years reads like a who's who in motorsports, a list that includes Indy 500 winner Troy Ruttman, NASCAR champions Bobby Allison and Benny Parsons, ARCA champions Nelson Stacy, Jack Bowsher, Benny Parsons, Iggy Katona, Ramo Stott, Tim Steele, Justin Allgaier and Chris Buescher, as well as Bob Schacht, Ken Schrader, Brian Keselowski, and Alex Bowman. 

 

ABOUT ARCA

The Automobile Racing Club of America (ARCA) is among the leading and most diverse auto racing sanctioning bodies in the country. Founded in 1953 by John and Mildred Marcum, the organization administers more than 100 events each year in multiple racing series, including the ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards, the ARCA/CRA Super Series, the ARCA Truck Series and the ARCA Midwest Tour, plus weekly racing at Toledo and Flat Rock Speedways.

 

CONTACT:

Doug Donnelly, ARCA                                   

(419) 574-2685 (mobile)

ddonnelly@arcaracing.com 

 

Don Radebaugh, ARCA

(419) 450-0611 (mobile)

dradebaugh@arcaracing.com 

 

ARCAracing.com

Facebook.com/arcaracing 

Follow on Twitter @ARCA_Racing 

 


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Posted by Marc Patrick Roy at 3.4.13 0 comments

Venturini Motorsports 'Wide Open' in Talladega ARCA open testing; Townley, Duno, Armstrong, Boston lead

 

For Immediate Release:
Wednesday, April 3, 2013 

 

 

(TALLADEGA, Ala.) - Wide open space. That's how New Castle, Indiana's Caleb Armstrong described Talladega Superspeedway Wednesday after taking his first laps around the 2.66-mile track during ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards open testing.

 

 

Known for its spectacular three- and four-wide 200 mph mad scrambles, Talladega is the widest among the superspeedways that ARCA races on, and at times, the wildest.

 

"What struck me most about Talladega, in comparison to Daytona, was the wide open space," said Armstrong, as if he were describing the 'wild west'.

 

"There is so much more room. Daytona is a lot narrower than it looks on TV. Talladega is one awesome track. We started out pretty quick, fell back a little, but I think we could have been faster had it not rained."

 

Persistent rain showers cut today's test session about three hours short of the intended mark, but not before 17 drivers posted time and speed.

 

And if Armstrong "fell back a little", it wasn't much. Armstrong, the cousin of Dakoda Armstrong (ARCA winner at Talladega in 2010), was third fastest overall (179.108 mph), and third among his Venturini Motorsports teammates, led by Daytona winner John Wes Townley.

 

"The test was great," Townley said.

 

"We unloaded, made a few changes - some things we wanted to try, and picked up right where we left off (at Daytona). Despite the rain, I think we got what we needed. This is the same car we won with at Daytona, and it's still fast."

 

Townley, of Watkinsville, Ga., agreed with Armstrong regarding the wide open space at Talladega.

 

"The biggest thing that stands out to me is the room you have to race at Talladega. It gets a little edgy at Daytona when you start going three wide, but here (Talladega), you can run three-wide comfortably, and squeeze in a fourth car when you need to."

 

Venturini Motorsports led the charts, taking the top-four spots with Townley, in the No. 15 Zaxby's Toyota, the quickest overall with an average speed of 180.264 mph.

 

Milka Duno, who qualified second at Daytona, leading the first 11 laps, was second fastest overall. The Caracas, Venezuela driver, in the No. 35 CANTV-Milka Way Toyota, circled the track Wednesday with an average speed of 179.625 mph.

 

Baltimore, Maryland rookie Justin Boston, in the No. 25 ZLOOP Toyota, was fourth fastest overall at 178.720 mph.

 

"I thought the test went really good," Boston said.

 

"Collectively, as a (Venturini Motorsports) group, it was awesome. For me, personally, it was a comfort thing - building my confidence for when we return. But today was really more important for us as a team, than for me as a driver.

 

"The track definitely feels a lot bigger (than Daytona) going down the straightaways. The other difference I noticed was the access roads - getting onto and exciting pit road is different."

 

Current ARCA Racing Series point leader Mason Mingus, also in a Toyota, was fifth fastest overall at 177.854 mph.

Former Talladega polesitter Tom Hessert was sixth on the charts with an average speed of 177.745 mph in the No. 77 Cunningham Motorsports Dodge.

 

Former Talladega winner and eight-time Daytona winner Bobby Gerhart was seventh overall in the No. 5 Lucas Oil Chevrolet.  

 

Gerhart tested two cars, a newer machine and an old reliable car he calls "Sweet Pea". Gerhart's Sweet Pea is the same car that he won in at Talladega in 2001. It's also the same car that got wrecked in a multi-car pile-up at Talladega during last year's race.

 

"Both of the cars we tested are former Daytona winners. In fact, there are four Daytona wins between these two cars - two apiece. One of our goals was to find out which car is the best, and leave it at that."

 

Hessert's Cunningham Motorsports teammate, rookie Korbin Forrister, was eighth fastest followed by fellow rookies Cody McMahan (Wes Gonder Racing) and Galen Hassler (Carter 2 Motorsports) to complete the top-10 respectively.

 

ARCA Racing Series open testing is scheduled to continue Thursday, barring no rain. ARCAracing.com will feature live timing and scoring.

 

The two-day scheduled test is in preparation for the 51st annual Talladega ARCA 250, live on SPEED at 5:00 p.m. eastern Friday, May 3.

 

Former Talladega ARCA winners include Ramo Stott, Mark Martin, Davey Allison, Red Farmer, Grant Adcox, Charlie Glotzbach, Jimmy Horton, Tim Steele, Mike Wallace, Paul Menard, Frank Kimmel, Justin Allgaier and Ty Dillon to name a few.   

 

 

2013 ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards

 

 

 

Talladega Superspeedway, Talladega Alabama

 

 

 

Open Test Results (4-3-13)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

NO

DRIVER/HOMETOWN

CAR

TIME

SPEED

1

15

John Wes Townley/Watkinsville GA

Toyota

53.122

180.264

2

35

Milka Duno/Caracas Venezuela

Toyota

53.311

179.625

3

55

Caleb Armstrong/New Castle IN

Toyota

53.465

179.108

4

25

Justin Boston/Baltimore MD

Toyota

53.581

178.720

5

32

Mason Mingus/Brentwood TN

Toyota

53.842

177.854

6

77

Tom Hessert/Cherry Hill NJ

Dodge

53.875

177.745

7

5

Bobby Gerhart/Lebanon PA

Chevrolet

54.179

176.747

8

22

Korbin Forrister/Cedartown GA

Dodge

54.330

176.256

9

38

Cody McMahan/Chilhowie VA

Ford

54.670

175.160

10

40

Galen Hassler/Columbia MO

Dodge

54.826

174.662

11

13

George Cushman/Waterville NY

Chevrolet

54.865

174.538

12

40

Eric Meisner/Brighton CO

Dodge

54.884

174.477

13

90

Grant Enfinger/Fairhope AL

Ford

55.034

174.002

14

90

Buster Graham/Lafayette LA

Ford

55.063

173.910

15

40

Dustin Knowles/Trussville AL

Dodge

55.097

173.803

16

40

Mark Meunier

Dodge

55.145

173.651

17

27

Barry Fitzgerald/Sykeston MD

Ford

56.981

168.056

 

40

Joel Willman/Fort Hood TX

Dodge

NT

 

 

40

Dominick Casola/Holmdel NJ

Dodge

NT

 

 

40

Cody Lane/Port Richey FL

Dodge

NT

 

 

 

ABOUT ARCA

The Automobile Racing Club of America (ARCA) is among the leading and most diverse auto racing sanctioning bodies in the country. Founded in 1953 by John and Mildred Marcum, the organization administers more than 100 events each year in multiple racing series, including the ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards, the ARCA/CRA Super Series, the ARCA Truck Series and the ARCA Midwest Tour, plus weekly racing at Toledo and Flat Rock Speedways.

 

CONTACT:

Doug Donnelly, ARCA                                   

 

Don Radebaugh, ARCA

 

ARCAracing.com

Facebook.com/arcaracing 

Follow on Twitter @ARCA_Racing 

 


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Posted by Marc Patrick Roy at 3.4.13 0 comments

Racecars and drivers to line Rutland City streets before Spring Green opener

ATTACHED PHOTOS (all credit Devil's Bowl Speedway): The Downtown Rutland Partnership will host the second annual "Devil's Bowl Downtown Fan Festival" on Saturday, May 4 in Rutland City, VT.  The Devil's Bowl Speedway season opens with the "Spring Green" on Sunday, May 5 in nearby West Haven, VT.

 

 

Rutland to Host 2nd Annual Devil’s Bowl Downtown Fan Festival

 

For Immediate Release                                                                                                                                                                     DBS-040313-1

 

RUTLAND, VT – One of Vermont’s largest cities will rumble with the sound of stock car engines on Saturday, May 4 as the Downtown Rutland Partnership hosts the second annual “Devil’s Bowl Downtown Fan Festival.”  One day before Devil’s Bowl Speedway in nearby West Haven, VT opens for its 39th annual “Spring Green” event, as many as 50 sparkling new race machines will line Merchants Row – in the heart of the shopping, dining, and entertainment district of the city – beginning at 9:00am.  Admission is free.

 

Cars and drivers from the Bond Auto Parts Modified, Late Model, Renegade, and Central Vermont Motorcycles Mini Stock divisions of the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series will be on hand, along with Late Model teams competing in the American-Canadian Tour championship.  Fans can meet the drivers, collect autographs, and enter to win a Devil’s Bowl Speedway 2013 Season Pass at the Fan Festival and are encouraged to support surrounding businesses including the Farmers Market on nearby West Street.

New features highlighting the work done by each race team’s crew members have been added to this year’s Fan Festival, including Best Appearing Car awards and a Pit Stop Competition.  Best Appearing Car awards will be decided by a panel of officials judging overall workmanship; winners will be announced at the Spring Green event at Devil’s Bowl Speedway on Sunday, May 5.  The Pit Stop Competition, scheduled for 11:00am, will see race teams go head-to-head in a timed two-tire pit stop on Merchants Row.  The Fan Festival wraps up with a parade of racecars through the city streets at 12:00 noon.

In cooperation with the Downtown Rutland Partnership (DRP), the Fan Festival will also include a show-and-shine for vintage, classic, custom, and all other types of street vehicles.

“Last year nearly 1,000 fans attended [and] we thought it would be great for those enthusiasts to participate directly with their own cars,” DRP Marketing Coordinator Laura Conti said.  “It might be a vintage Mustang, a Model T, an antique truck … or if you have a great new car, you can enter that, too.”  For information on the street car show, call (802) 773-9380 or visit www.rutlanddowntown.com.

The 2nd annual Devil’s Bowl Downtown Fan Festival will be held 9:00am to 12:00 noon on Saturday, May 4, followed by a practice session at Devil’s Bowl Speedway.  The 39th annual Spring Green begins at 1:30pm on Sunday, May 5.  General admission is $20 for adults, $18 for seniors (62+), and free for children 12 and under.  Devil’s Bowl Speedway is located on Route 22A in West Haven, VT – a short 20-minute drive from Rutland – four miles north of Exit 2 on U.S. Route 4.  For more information, call (802) 265-3112 or visit www.devilsbowlspeedwayvt.com.  Devil’s Bowl Speedway is on Facebook at facebook.com/DevilsBowlSpeedway and on Twitter at @DevilsBowlSpeed.

-30-

 


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Posted by Marc Patrick Roy at 3.4.13 0 comments

2013-04-02

Nagy Tapped For NASCAR Canadian Tire Series Post http://hmtk.co/14w6n26


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Posted by Marc Patrick Roy at 2.4.13 0 comments

Like Father, Like Son: Craig and Brandt Graham Join the Weekly Wars at Peterborough Speedway


Peterborough Speedway Media

 

As the seasons transition from winter to spring, the typically quiet community of Orono, Ontario becomes a hive of activity.  The father and son stock car race team of Craig and Brandt Graham is busy preparing for the 2013 season at Peterborough Speedway.

 

He may not have turned a lap on the racetrack since midway through the 2011 season, but Craig Graham was never far from the sport.  The 40 year old father of 2 spent last year mentoring his son Brandt during his first year of action in Kawartha Speedway's Mini Stock class.  The youngster was obviously paying attention to his father's tutelage, as he finished 8th in the final point standings and was named the division's rookie of the year.

 

"I don't know how much I taught him, but he must have been listening when we talked," said Craig Graham when asked to describe his son's early career stock car racing success.  "Every time he strapped into the car, the crew and I told Brandt the most important part of racing was to have fun.  He picked-up some useful racing skills while running with the KDKC and was able to apply them to what he did with the Mini Stock.  Everyone was very pleased with the results he was able to achieve last season."

 

As they head into the new campaign at the tricky 1/3rd of a mile bullring west of the Liftlock City, the Graham Racing team of Dad and the Lad is both excited and tense.  Getting one car ready for the action can be stressful enough, but the preparing a pair of championship calibre teams takes some long hours in the garage and a dedicated crew to organize the Late Model and Mini Stock machines for battle.  Even though they're always willing to welcome new crew members into the fold, Graham is confident in the team's ability to do the job.

 

"My father-in-law Marten Rottine has a real passion for working on the racecars," said the Fixed Operations Manager at Clarington Hyundai in Bowmanville.  "Without Marten, there's no way that Brandt and I would be racing anywhere.  He works about 5 days a week year-round on the cars, tow vehicles and trailers.  We've been able to put together a great team of Mark Rottine, Blair Graham and my father, Ian.  These guys have been with me since the beginning and I appreciate their help in the shop and at the track. Now that we'll be running both cars on a regular basis, the work has doubled so we've recruited some new people."

 

During the 2012 season – where Brandt Graham was named Kawartha Speedway's Mini Stock rookie of the year – the 15 year-old Clarke High School student admitted a desire to run head-to-head against his father on the speedway.  While that day may still be on the horizon, for now the youngster will be content to park beside his Dad in the pits at Peterborough. To help his team, the sophomore speedster has brought in classmate Josh Ullrich to lend a hand on his car.

 

For the 2013 season, the #98 and #12B Graham Racing team will be supported by P.J. Larkin Salvage, Hot Rod Swag, Motorhead Canada and SJM Improvements, with promotional assistance from Clarke Motorsports Communications.  The team is always interested in hearing from prospective sponsors for their attack on the Vanguard Self Storage Late Model and Peterborough Hyundai Mini Stock divisions at Peterborough Speedway. Contact Craig Graham at graham.98@hotmail.com or look for the team's Facebook page at Graham 98 Racing.

 

Peterborough Speedway gets rolling for the year as Country 105 presents the 2013 season opener – with free spectator grandstand admission – Saturday, May 18th.  For full schedule details and the latest news, visitwww.peterboroughspeedway.com.

 

Photo attachments:  Graham Racing Collection

1). Orono, Ontario teen Brandt Graham will take his Mini Stock to Peterborough Speedway for 2013 and will be joined by his father Craig, who will compete in the Late Model division.

 

2). Mentoring his son during the 2012 season rekindled the fire of competition for Craig Graham. His #98 machine will be part of the Late Model wars this year at Peterborough Speedway.

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Posted by Marc Patrick Roy at 2.4.13 0 comments

Un Sportsman présenté au Salon de l’Auto Sport de Chicoutimi.

Communiqué, pour diffusion immédiate

02 avril 2013, Québec



C'est ce week-end, soit les 5-6 et 7 avril que se tiendra le Salon de l'Auto Sport de Chicoutimi à l'Hôtel le Montagnais. Nous sommes fiers de vous annoncer que la Série Sportsman Lucas Oil y sera représenté par la voiture #10 de Michael Lavoie.

Notre pilote aura l'occasion de présenter sa voiture à plusieurs milliers d'amateurs du Lac St-Jean et du Saguenay. Sous les mêmes couleurs que l'an dernier, Michael est prêt à débuter la saison 2013.

Aux dires du pilote :

« La venue de plusieurs recrues ayant de l'expérience dans la course automobile rehaussera lacompétition. C'est course par course que nous tenterons d'améliorer notre performance afin de nous permettre de se positionner dans les premiers au classement. À moins d'imprévu, je prévois faire toutes les courses prévues au programme.»

L'équipe de Lavoie Racing est fier de vous présenter ces commanditaires pour la saison 2013.

-Transport Beaulac, Lévis
-Groupe E.D.S, Saguenay
-Dale Shaw race car, Conway NH
-Peinture PPG
-Pro Color prestige look et Luc Saguenay -Labreque et VilleneuveAutopneu Saguenay
-Groupe Gilbert, Saguenay
-Swift Spring , USA

-Vortex Brake Pad, Toronto

- Industrie Chic, Saguenay

Venez en grand nombre encourager ce vétéran de la course automobile.

Marie-Claude Levasseur, Relationniste.


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Posted by Marc Patrick Roy at 2.4.13 0 comments

Ward And New Day Motorsports Look For Old Magic In PASS Return To Southern National

 For Immediate Release

 

CHARLOTTE, NC (April 3) – From the time Southern National Raceway Park first opened as Southern National Speedway in 1993, Super Late Models have been an intricate part of what made the speedway special.  While other tracks in the Carolinas were abandoning Super Late Models, Southern National held firm with a dwindling pool of speedways to keep the division alive.

            At that same time, a young crew chief from Winston-Salem, NC named Jeff Day was forming a Super Late Model team with one of the region's heroes, John Paul Linville.  A union that would prove fruitful for the two men at opposite ends of their respective careers in racing.  For the duo, checkered flags and victory lane celebrations became commonplace at Southern National.

"When I first started working with Super Late Model cars I was with John Paul Linville at Kenly," said Day.  "He was at the end of his career and he wanted to do something fun so we ran Super Late Models down there and I crew chiefed for him for several years, won some races and had a great time."

Linville and Day continued to race together for a number of years, before Linville eventually retired.  Ed Berrier and Scott Riggs, among others, stepped into the #62 with similar results as Linville.  They battled the likes of Southern National favorites like John Batten, Randy Renfrow, Shelton McNair, and "Big" Jim Kelley.  It is that lineage of racing, and the fan base that comes along with it, that has Day excited about the return of the Pro All Stars Series (PASS) South Super Late Models to Southern National Raceway Park on Saturday, April 13.

"The eastern North Carolina race fan is accustomed to seeing the Super Late Model at Southern National and other tracks around the area," said Day.  "They understand Super Late Models and how they race.  I look to see a big crowd when PASS returns and I'd say we'll have a good shot there."

PASS South has not raced at Southern National since 2009, but that does not mean the history books are empty regarding the Nation's top short track series racing there.  The second PASS South race ever held was at Kenly in 2006 and saw Freddie Query take his one and only series win over local favorite Clay Jones.  In 2009, PASS returned for the only race held at Kenly that year.  Ben Rowe pitted late, swapping the left and right side tires, to win over Jones and Preston Peltier.

The current driver of the New Day Motorsports #62 is Brandon Ward, coming off a 2012 season that saw the team score wins at Wake County Speedway and Anderson Motor Speedway.  Ward hopes he and Day can tap into some of the old magic that gave the team such great success throughout the 1990's and early 2000's.

"Jeff's got a lot of experience at that track, it's where he got started with these Supers," said Ward, driver of the Foothill Ford/kpmoto.com Ford.  "He's looking forward to going back so hopefully it'll be a good show for the 62 team."

Ward feels, based on his experiences at Southern National in other types of cars, that this race will provide a distinct set of challenges for the PASS South stars compared to the first three events of the season.

 "One thing you're going to see different from any track we've been to so far this year is the banking," said Ward, referring to Southern National's high banks. "Southern National is a super nice facility with a lot of grip, but you carry a ton of speed off into the corners, so it's still going be a tire management game for these guys to run 150 laps.  It's gonna be a good racetrack…should be able to pass pretty good, move around some, and I think it will be a great show for the fans." 

Action gets under way on Friday, April 12th with rotating practice from 1 – 6:30 PM for the PASS South Super Late Models, PASS Pro Late Models, Limited Late Models, Chargers, Mini Mod Mayhem and Bandoleros.  On Saturday, April 13th, pit gates open at 10 AM, with rotating practice for all divisions from 12:45 PM – 4:20 PM, qualifying at 4:45 PM, the pit party at 6:30 PM and feature racing at 7 PM.

PASS South Super Late Model entry forms for Southern National, the Apple Blossom 200 at Wenatchee Valley Super Oval and TD Bank 250 as well as the 2013 PASS license forms for all divisions can be found at ProAllStarsSeries.com.

The Pro All Stars Series is recognized as North America's premier sanctioning body for asphalt Super Late Models and boasts such marquee events as the PASS Northwest Triple Crown at Wenatchee Valley Super Oval, PASS South's Easter Bunny 150 at the historic Hickory Motor Speedway, the Autobus La Qubecoise Triple Crown at Autodrome Chaudiere, and the legendary TD Bank 250 at Oxford Plains Speedway.  For technical information concerning all PASS divisions please contact Scott Reed at 207-625-3230 orscottreedpass@yahoo.com.  For media or marketing questions, please contact Alan Dietz at704-231-2039 or alandietzpass@live.com.  Please visit ProAllStarsSeries.com for more information and don't forget to "Like" the Pro All Stars Series on Facebook to keep up with breaking news as it happens.

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Posted by Marc Patrick Roy at 2.4.13 0 comments

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