Villeneuve Does Donuts in the Streets of Downtown Montreal

By James Neilson

MONTREAL, QC – Jacques Villeneuve wowed the hometown crowd who have come to see him in this weekend’s Canadian GP with a series of donuts in his 2006 BMW Formula1 car.

The exhibition was part of the opening of the BMW Sauber F1 Team Pit Lane Park on June 22. The theme park features exhibits, interactive displays and demonstrations on the Park’s 90 metre section of track from drivers like Villeneuve and two-time defending World
Touring Car Champion, and Brit, Andy Priaulx.

Admission is free and the Park is open from Thursday to Saturday on the Grand Prix weekend, officially closing at 10:00pm Saturday night.

Lucas Oil Shootout Sportsman 35 Headlines Ohsweken This Week As The Empire Super Sprints Also Invade

Courtesy Ohsweken Speedway Online

Race fans will be treated to one of the best shows on tap for the season at Ohsweken Speedway Friday night as the Empire Super Sprints make their annual stop at “The O”. All of the stars of ESS are expected to be on hand to challenge the locals with track owner Glenn Styres leading the home contingent. Others expected to join the field include Fred Cade of Niagara Falls and Terry Baker who will be on board the car Kevin Job drove to victory last week in SOS action.

Round two of the five race “Lucas Oil Shootout” for DIRT Sportsman will run on the same program. A large field nearing forty entries is expected to be on hand to challenge the smooth and fast surface at Ohsweken.

With a regular program of Mini Stock and Thunder Stock racing also slated, the pit area is sure to be packed when the action takes to the track for regular Mini Stock heats beginning at 7:45. Pit gates will open one hour early Friday night at 4:30 with Spectator gates scheduled to open as usual at 6:00.

Feature events will be lead off by ESS followed by the Sportsman-35. Thunder Stocks and Mini Stocks will round out the evenings racing program.

CASCAR PRESSER.... and photos of the new CAYUGA INTERNATIONAL SPEEDWAY

UPDATED: Below are the artist's renderings of the future CAYUGA INTERNATIONAL SPEEDWAY.

A few tidbits from today's press conference at the NASCAR Speedpark, at the Vaughan Mills Mall...

• Cayuga... The new owners (Jerry Santucci and Dean Rose) were on hand with their team to discuss their plans for Cayuga International Speedway. They're cleaning the place up for the Labour Day CASCAR race, and are billing it as the last event before the buildings and track are demolished. The drawings of the future facility are stunning. If it gets built, it will give new meaning to the 'Jewel of Canadian Motorsports'. The company that designed Richmond Int'l Raceway has been hired to create the new facility. The designer was in attendance. No word on what it will all cost. There will be an open house / media day at Cayuga on July 23, 2006. The goal is to re-open for racing in the spring of 2008. I'll try to get some of the sketches up later tonight... everyone is hoping that the dream becomes a reality!!
• The Labour Day CASCAR race at Cayuga Int'l Speedway will be sponsored by Griddly Headz Board Games, and will be called the Hot Head Henry 200. Griddly Headz will have right of first refusal on the first race at Cayuga, once it is re-opened. They will also be the sponsor of this summer's CASCAR race at the Grand Prix of Edmonton (The Griddly Headz 100).
• At long last, CASCAR has been confirmed at this summer's Grand Prix de Montreal ChampCar race weekend at the end of August. That race will be sponsored by GO-RACING.CA

- GM.

Edmonton next stop for Carl Spiering Motorsports Eaton Electrical Camaro

Courtesy Bruce F. Mehlenbacher

JORDAN STATION, ON (June 21, 2006) – The next stop for the Carl Spiering Motorsports Eaton Electrical Pro Modified Supercharged 1967 Chevrolet Camaro will be in Edmonton, Alberta, June 23-25, for race four of the 11-event 2006 IHRA eMax Drag Racing Series.

“This new Eaton Road Warrior Camaro is definitely a keeper,” said Spiering, from Jordan Station, Ontario. “The guys at G-Force Race Cars really did a great job building this car. She sure is pretty too; the detail on the Synergy Composites body and Scott Jahren Paint is outstanding. She’s a hit wherever we go.”

The Fourth Annual CARS RV, Marine & Motorsports Rocky Mountain Nationals presented by Torco Race Fuels will begin Friday, June 23, in Edmonton, and will conclude with championship eliminations Sunday, June 25.

“We ran our career best last weekend at Mission with a 6.03-second, 235.91 mph pass,” Spiering noted. “We need to qualify well and win some rounds in Edmonton which will help pick up our pace in the IHRA championship points race.”

Spiering had a very strong 2005 season, and he plans on continuing the IHRA Pro Modified Championship pursuit this year. In 2005, Spiering won the IHRA Torco Race Fuels Pro Modified Shootout and the IHRA ACDelco Nationals. Overall the 41-year old placed third in the IHRA World Championship National Event Tour.

Spiering crashed the Carl Spiering Motorsports Eaton Electrical Pro Modified Chevrolet Corvette at the first race of the 2006 season in the quarterfinals at the Texas Nationals at San Antonio Raceway March 26. Spiering was taken to hospital after the incident and released the same night with broken ribs, bumps, and bruises. The Camaro replaced the Corvette.

With a serious passion for fast machines in any type of competition, Carl Spiering and his Carl Spiering Motorsports Eaton Electrical 1967 Chevrolet Camaro Supercharged Pro Modified is quickly becoming one of the hottest Pro Modified racers on the drag race circuit.

The Fourth Annual CARS RV, Marine & Motorsports Rocky Mountain Nationals presented by Torco Race Fuels will take place in Edmonton, Alberta June 23-25. For more information about Castrol Raceway, call 1-877-331-RACE (7223) or visit www.castrolraceway.com.

Team Fastline takes two top-fives at Mosport

Courtesy Bruce F. Mehlenbacher

BOWMANVILLE, ON (June 18, 2006) – Fastline Motorsports team drivers Jeff and Jim Lapcevich finished second and fourth in Sunday’s Clarington 200 presented by Canadian Shield Anti Crime Response Corporation at Mosport International Raceway.

“We had some problems on Saturday and qualified a disappointing 10th, but the team worked hard on the Tim Hortons / EMCEA Transport Chevrolet Monte Carlo during the night and we were in much better shape for the race,” said team driver Jeff Lapcevich. “We seemed to be a little short on straight line speed this weekend and I was frustrated I didn’t have enough to get by (Kerry) Micks.”

Kerry Micks won the Clarington 200 presented by Canadian Shield Anti Crime Response Corporation followed closely by Jeff Lapcevich in second, Scott Steckly in third and Jim Lapcevich in fourth.

“I’m really pleased with the weekend. Jeff and I were able to quickly make our way to the front and I led a lap which was long overdue”, explained Jim Lapcevich, who started the 51-lap race in 12th spot. “The EMCEA Transport / Tim Hortons Chevrolet Monte Carlo team was running on all cylinders and it’s a good start to the season.” Veteran racer Jim Lapcevich passed Dave Whitlock on the final lap to secure fourth place.

The strong finish by the Fastline Team on the Mosport 2.5-mile, 10-turn road course in Bowmanville, Ontario moved Jeff and Jim Lapcevich into the top-ten in the CASCAR Super Series Points Championship, seventh and tenth respectively.

The next CASCAR Super Series race of the season, the MOPAR Canada Day Weekend presented by the Dodge Dealers of Ontario CASCAR Super Series will take place Saturday and Sunday, July 1-2 at Barrie Speedway located north of Barrie, Ontario on the 1/3 mile tri-oval.

For information about Barrie Speedway tickets and camping, call the Barrie Hotline at 705.487.02791 or visit online at www.barriespeedway.com.

EPH Tools 100 at the Beach

Courtesy Sue Chisholm

TOLEDO OH (6-21-06)—With two rainouts already dampening the spirits of the regionally touring ARCA Lincoln Welders Truck Series in 2006, you would think that the last thing anyone would want to see is more water. But this weekend, it’s off to the beach for the truckers, who are ready and anxious to compete in the EPH Tools 100 at Steelback Sauble Speedway, located along the shores of beautiful Sauble Beach, Ontario, Canada.

And, although the Saturday, June 24th event marks the first time the ALWTS has visited the quick, quarter-mile oval, the touring truckers have geared up with plenty of Canadian flavor for the 100-lap race.

EPH Tools, located just North of Lion’s Head, Ontario, has signed on as event title sponsor. The Canadian company produces custom bending and assembly equipment for the worldwide automotive industry.

Tod and Phyllis Hayes, owners of EPH Tools, have had a long and prosperous relationship with the auto racing community, and in particular Steelback Sauble Speedway. Besides providing event title sponsorship of the June 24th ARCA Lincoln Welders Truck Series event, the company sponsors a Late Model entry at the track on a weekly basis. In addition, they have sponsored a NASCAR Nextel Cup Series team and a NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series team in the past. The company is hoping that their motto, “racing ahead of the competition,” translates into a winning weekend come June 24th.

“We’re excited for the ARCA Lincoln Welders Truck Series to make their first ever appearance at Sauble Speedway,” said Hayes. “And we’re thrilled that several other community-minded local businesses will take part in this venture.”

In addition to the EPH Tools event title sponsorship, at least three of the series’ full time competitors have entered the race with the support of local, Canadian companies. Among the growing entry list are truckers Paul Hahn, Kyle Partridge and Stan Maitlen.

Partridge’s No. 18 Chevrolet Colorado will sport sponsorship from Paul Howell Carpet and Hofstrand Contracting LTD for this weekend’s ALWTS event, while Maitlen’s No. 9 Chevy will carry sponsorship from event title sponsor EPH Tools, along with Mullin’s Farm Service of Chepstow, Ontario and Mielhausen Roofing of Tobermory, Ontario.

Hahn, who is currently third in points, just 25 marks behind John Kasmierski, has announced that TIM-BR Mart Kincardine and TIM-BR Mart Miller Lake of Bruce County, Ontario, Canada have signed on to sponsor the No. 7 ARCA Lincoln Welders Truck for the EPH Tools 100.

As part of the TIM-BR Mart Group, TIM-BR Mart Kincardine and TIM-BR Mart Miller Lake both specialize in building supplies and materials, windows and doors, kitchen and bathroom supplies, interior and exterior décor, hardware and electrical supplies. The company has been locally owned since 1977.

“We’re really excited to put the Tim-BR Mart name on our Howe chassis for the Sauble race,” said Hahn. “The company is the largest buying group out in Canada, and although I’ve never been to the track, I’m told it’s beautiful.”

Incepted in 1999, the ALWTS is depictive of ARCA’s national touring RE/MAX Series, and unique in that it tests the abilities of drivers and race teams on the most diverse schedule of stock car racing events in the Midwest. The series annually visits tracks ranging in size from .25-mile to 1.1-mile in length, on ovals and road courses, on both paved and dirt surfaces.

This weekend’s EPH Tools 100 marks the first time that the series has made an appearance at Steelback Sauble speedway. The EPH Tools 100 rolls off on Saturday, June 24th at 7:00 pm. In addition to the ALWTS, the race date features Pro Stocks, Pure Stocks and a pre-race concert from 5:45-6:45 with Jamie Warren in the Beer Garden. Tickets are available by contacting the speedway at 519-422-1422.

Steckly Scores Second Consecutive Podium

Courtesy Kyle Erb

After nearly one month off of CASCAR Super Series racing, Scott Steckly driver of the #22 Erb Group Dodge Charger was looking to follow up his first career win at Barrie Speedway with another solid effort this past weekend at Mosport. Steckly has produced some of his best finishes at the Mosport road course and this weekend was no different. The race weekend got underway on Saturday with both practice and qualifying taking place. The team qualified as the seventh fastest car out of the field of 31 cars.

As is the case with road course races, drivers must be careful not to drive to aggressively and ‘race the track and not the other drivers’. Steckly followed that perfectly as he remained in 7th place for the first 20 laps. During, the only pit stop of the race the team changed all tires and added fuel to the car. Following the pit stop the car began to get much better and Scott was able start passing a few cars. The Erb Group Charger gained two positions when the # 1 of Peter Gibbons and # 88 of Robin Buck got into each other causing a caution. Steckly moved into 4th position after Ron Beauchamp spun off the race track and finally, Scott got by #25 Jim Lapcevich with about 10 laps remaining.

With one lap remaining, Scott was pushing #23 of Jeff Lapcevich for the runner-up position but was unable to complete the pass and had to settle for third place. This was Scott’s second consecutive podium finish of the year; it kept him in second place in the CASCAR Super Series Championship point’s standings. Scott said “we had a very strong car that was capable of winning again, but as long as we can have consistent finishes we should have a chance of remaining in the championship running.”

The CASCAR Super Series returns to Barrie Speedway on Canada Day Weekend, the race is on Sunday July 2nd.