(BOWMANVILLE, ON - August 10, 2010) After a gruelling three race swing through western Canada and a stop this weekend at Circuit de Trois Rivieres in Quebec, Canada’s top stock car championship, the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series presented by Mobil 1, will be back in Ontario and making their return to Mosport, this time on Canada’s fastest half mile paved oval, Mosport Speedway, for the Dickies 200, August 21.

Cambridge, ON native J.R. Fitzpatrick, who won the Vortex Brake Pads 200 on Mosport’s 4 km road course in June, will look for a Mosport sweep, a feat that 2009 series champion and rival Andrew Ranger of Roxton Pond, QC, who was able to do a season ago.

Standing in Fitzpatrick’s way will be D.J. Kennington of St. Thomas, ON. Not only is he currently leading in the points standings, but he has won three races this season, all on oval tracks. The two have had a see saw battle combining to win five of the seven rounds in 2010. The lead duo will face stiff competition from 2008 series champion Scott Steckly, Kerry Micks, winner at Mosport Speedway in 2008 and five time national champion Don Thomson Jr., who also won the NASCAR event at the Speedway in 2007.

Dickies will name their 2010 Canadian Worker of the Year (CWOTY) prior to the start of the race. The CWOTY program is now in its third year. The grand prize winner will receive a 2010 Dodge Ram 1500 pick up truck, valued at just under $28,000. All regional finalists will receive a Bosch cordless drill set, a Dickies apparel prize pack, will be featured in the 2011 catalogue and will given an all-expense paid trip for two to Mosport Speedway for the grand prize drawing.

Adult tickets are just $25 until August 18 ($30 at the Gate). Youth tickets (ages 13-16) are $15. As with all Mosport events, children 12 and under are admitted for free when accompanied by a paid adult admission. Each ticket includes parking, a NASCAR driver autograph session, access to the Mosport Expo and Marketplace and the NASCAR Midway.

The Grand Prix Club offers a VIP hospitality package for only $80. The GP Club Chalet tent is located at Corner One and pass holders will have access to a grandstand reserved for VIP Hospitality guests. It will open at 4:30 pm and dinner will be served from 5:30 pm until the drop of the green flag at 7 pm.

For more information and to purchase tickets call the Mosport Hotline at 1-800-866-1072 (Monday to Friday from 9 am to 5 pm ET), visit online at www.mosport.com, or email info@mosport.com

Ryan Chalmers, Mosport
ryan@mosport.com
800-866-1072 (office), (519) 981-3394 (cell)

>>>>>Get all your NCATS info on our RolfsRacing.com NCATS Page.

Vortex Brake Pads 200 This Weekend At Mosport

ANDREW RANGER

Bowmanville, Ontario - Next on Mosport’s 50th anniversary season schedule is the Vortex Brake Pads 200 this weekend. Headlining the three-day weekend is Canada’s top stock car championship, the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series. These machines will take to Mosport’s road course for their second race of the season on Sunday June 13.

Defending Series champion Andrew Ranger, who will run a limited Canadian schedule this season while chasing the US-based NASCAR K & N title, makes his first start at Mosport. Another young Series star, JR Fitzpatrick, is also spending most of his season stateside, but will run a handful of Canadian Tire Series events including Mosport. The sparks may fly as Ranger and Fitzpatrick renew their heated Mosport rivalry of two years ago.

Both can expect stiff competiton from Series veterans such as 2008 champion Scott Steckly, DJ Kennington, Don Thompson Jr., Ron Beauchamp and Kerry Micks, along with a pack of hard-charging, rising stars like Jason Hathoway, Anthony Simone and Joey Hanssen.

>>>>>Read more in our RolfsRacing.com NCATS Page.

NASCAR Canadian Tire Series, Castrol Touring Car Championship, F2000 Championship and Ontario Formula Ford Highlight Mosport’s Vortex Brake Pads 200 WEEKEND

(BOWMANVILLE, ON - May 31, 2010) In just under two weeks, Mosport International Raceway continues its 50th anniversary celebration with the exciting Vortex Brake Pads 200 Weekend on June 11-13. Stock cars, touring cars and open wheel series’ take to the 4 km circuit for what promises to be a memorable weekend.

Headlining the three day weekend is Canada’s top stock car championship, the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series. These machines will take to Mosport’s road course for their second race of the season on Sunday June 13. With defending Series champion Andrew Ranger spending most of his season stateside, the title picture is wide open. Series veterans such as 2008 champion Scott Steckly, DJ Kennington, Don Thompson Jr., Ron Beauchamp and Kerry Micks will try to hold off the hard charging rising stars like Jason Hathoway, Anthony Simone and Joey Hanssen. NASCAR Canadian Tire Series kicks off their season on June 5 in Delaware.

The country’s top sedan road racing series, the Castrol Canadian Touring Car Championship, makes its second of three season stops at Mosport, boasting a 40-car field competing in Touring and Super Touring classes. This is a doubleheader weekend for the Championship. In their first races of the season, which were held as part of the Victoria Day SpeedFest, Quebec’s Marc-Antoine Camirand and Thornhill’s Anthony Rapone swept both races in the Super Touring and Touring Classes respectively and will be the favourites to repeat.

The F2000 Championship Series continues their season with rounds five and six. Points leader Keith McRone looks to hold off Ardie Greenamyer and Mark Defer who currently sit within two points of the top spot after four races. St. Anne des Lacs, Quebec resident Remy Audette currently sits in ninth place in the points standings despite missing two of the four races run this year.

Another open wheel series will also hold a Saturday-Sunday doubleheader. The Ontario Formula Ford Championship for F1600 returns to Mosport for the second of five trips this season. Winners of the first two races - rookie driver Spencer Pigot and veteran Dean Baker look to continue on their success at one of the most challenging road courses in the world.

Racing starts Friday (June 11) with a full day of testing for all series’ but the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series. Saturday (June 12) will have both practice and qualifying in the morning, followed by races for the Castrol Touring cars, F2000 Championship and OFFC-F1600. Sunday (June 13) morning opens with more qualifying and then races in F2000, NASCAR, Castrol Touring and OFFC-F1600 to close out the weekend.

The three day weekend SuperTicket is just $50 until June 9 ($60 at the Gate). Single day tickets are also available. Each ticket includes parking, access to the race team paddock, Motorsport Expo and Marketplace and admission to Mosport Speedway’s Saturday Night Stock Car racing at the half-mile paved oval located on the grounds. As with all Mosport events, children 12 and under are admitted for free when accompanied by a paid adult admission.

Camping is a popular part of the Mosport experience, with advanced general camping passes just $35 for the weekend when purchased before June 9 (tents or pop-up trailers). Advance RV passes are $55.

For those who would like to get closer to the action, the Grand Prix Club offers a VIP hospitality package which includes a fully catered BBQ lunch, beverages and bar service (beer and wine) on Race Day. The GP Club Chalet tent is located trackside overlooking the start/finish straight and corner one. Passes are just $100 and are also good for admission to the event on Friday and Saturday.

For more information and to purchase tickets call the Mosport Hotline at 1-800-866-1072 (Monday to Friday from 9 am to 5 pm ET), visit online at www.mosport.com, or email info@mosport.com

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla Andrew Ranger, the 2009 NASCAR Canadian Tire Series presented by Mobil 1 champion, will utilize his secured starting position - earned as a NASCAR Developmental Series champion - in the NASCAR Toyota All Star Showdown on Jan. 29-30 at Toyota Speedway at Irwindale (Calif.).

Andrew Ranger

The annual all star event attracts the top drivers from across North America to what has become the pinnacle of short track racing in the U.S. and is often referred to as the ‘Daytona 500 of short-track racing.’

The 23 year-old Ranger, out of Roxton Pond, Que., will pilot a car out of the Steve McGowen stable. McGowen fields the Chevrolet driven by David Mayhew, who won a pair of NASCAR K&N Pro Series West events in 2009. Mayhew, too, has a secure spot in the starting lineup as a NASCAR K&N Pro Series race winner.

“I’m really excited about this opportunity to race against all these talented drivers,” said Ranger.

In 2009, Ranger won his second Canadian Tire Series championship in three years on the power of a single season series record six wins and outdistanced frequent NASCAR Nationwide Series competitor DJ Kennington by 167 points for the crown. Among those six victories, three came on oval tracks while the others were a result of his tremendous prowess on road courses.

It was through his road course ability that he caught the attention of the U.S. stock car media last August in the NASCAR Nationwide Series event in Montreal. Ranger staged a race long battle with Carl Edwards and Marcos Ambrose before settling for a third place finish in the race.

His first stock-car victory on an oval track came last July 18 at SunValley Speedway in Vernon, B.C., where he dominated on the half mile trioval by lapping every car in the field but one. This win validated his skills behind the wheel of a NASCAR race car after making the switch from open wheel racing where he was a top-10 performer in the Champ Car World Series, which since has reunified with the Indy Car.

“That victory was huge for me,” said Ranger. “If I was going to be racing in NASCAR, then I had to be able to win on ovals. Everything clicked that night. All of the things that Dave Jacombs (car owner) and Billy Burns (crew chief) had taught me fell into place.”

This will be Ranger’s second appearance in the NASCAR Toyota All Star Showdown having competed in the event following his first Canadian Tire Series championship in 2007. That outing lasted just 31 laps, leaving him with a 39th place finish.

>>>>>Read more in our RolfsRacing.com 2010 News Page.

Advance Discount Tickets Available Until Wed., June 10

The Mosport High Octane Weekend, June 12-14, headlined by the Dickies 200 for the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series, features a wide variety of racing from thundering stock cars to performance sedans and open-wheel racers that will cater to just about every racing fan’s taste.

The NASCAR Series cars will be joined by the Ford Racing Mustang Challenge, F2000 Championship, Castrol Canadian Touring Car Series and the Ontario Formula Ford Championship on Mosport’s famed 4-kilometre, 10-turn road course.

A three-day SuperTicket is $50 until June 10 ($60 at the Gate) and each ticket includes parking, paddock admission, and entrance to the Saturday Night Stock Car racing at Mosport Speedway. Children 12 and under are free when accompanied by a paid adult admission. Single day tickets are also available.

General and family camping areas are available, with full-service washrooms, showers and children’s playgrounds. An advanced three-day weekend general camping pass is just $30 for tents and pop-up trailers and RVs are $50 for the weekend.

Also available for the Mosport High Octane weekend is the Grand Prix Club, which for $90 gives fans a real VIP experience. Located near corner one overlooking the front straight, the Grand Prix Club includes a three-day admission and Sunday VIP Hospitality which features a fully catered lunch and beverages.

For more information about Mosport ticket packages and camping, call the Mosport Hotline at 1-800-866-1072 (Monday to Friday from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm ET) or visitonline at www.mosport.com. Tickets are also available at Ticketmaster.

October 25, 2008

Scott Steckly was honoured Saturday night as the 2008 NASCAR Canadian Tire Series presented by SIRIUS Satellite Radio champion. Steckly, the driver of the No. 22 Tow Truck in a Box/Erb Group Dodge, was recognized at the season-ending awards banquet held at the Hilton Suites Toronto/Markham Conference Centre.

Along with Scott Steckly many other others received well deserved honours.

The event was emceed by TSN’s Vic Rauter, Canada’s home for NASCAR.

________________________

    CHAMPIONSHIP TROPHY:
    Scott Steckly and his entire team

    NASCAR CHAMPIONSHIP RING:
    Scott Steckly

    CHAMPIONSHIP OWNER AWARD:
    Scott and Penny Steckly

    CHAMIONSHIP CREW CHIEF:
    Greg Gibson

    CHAMPION SPONSOR AWARD:
    Tow Truck in a Box CEO (accepted by Michael Manno)

    2ND PLACE IN CHAMIONSHIP:
    Don Thompson Jr.

    3RD PLACE IN CHAMIONSHIP:
    DJ Kennington

    ROOKIE OF THE YEAR AWARD:
    Jason White (No. 21 A&W/Zimmer-Wheaton GMC Chevrolet)

    POWERade POWER MOVE OF THE RACE AWARD (plus $5,000):
    DJ Kennington

    MOBIL 1 COMMAND DRIVER OF THE YEAR
    CRYSTAL PEGASUS TROPHY (plus $5,000):
    Scott Steckly

    TOW TRUCK IN A BOX FREE PASS AWARD:
    Don Thompson Jr.

    NCATS POLE AWARD:
    Don Thompson Jr.

    MOPAR FAST FIVE PROGRAM MOPAR CUP:
    Scott Steckly (Mopar Cup and $5,000)
    DJ Kennington
    Mark Dilley
    Jason Hathaway
    Brad Graham

    SPORTSMANSHIP AWARD:
    Jason White

    DRIVER ACHIEVEMENT AWARD:
    Jason Hathaway

    MOST POPULAR DRIVER AWARD (fan vote):
    DJ Kennington

For more info on the Series, please visit our NCATS Page at RolfsRacing.com.

Scott Steckly won his first NASCAR Canadian Tire Series presented by Sirius Satellite Radio championship Saturday night, holding off a late-season challenge from Don Thomson Jr by 24 points.

Steckly finished 17th in the Dodge Dealers of Ontario 250 at Kawartha Speedway, while Thomson finished fifth. Enough to earn his first NASCAR championship by 24 points. Jason Hathaway picked up his first career victory in a race that was called after 174 of the scheduled 250 laps due to of rain.

Steckly won three of the first four races of the season and held the points lead throughout the season. The 36 year old driver from Milverton, Ontario ended the season with four wins, nine top fives and nine top 10s.

As the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series champion, Steckly also earned a spot in the NASCAR Toyota All-Star Showdown. The Showdown will be Jan. 23-24, 2009 at Toyota Speedway at Irwindale, California. 2007 NCATS champion, Andrew Ranger represented the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series in the prestigious postseason event last year.

See our NCATS Page for more information on the final race and final 2008 season stats.

For the last thirty years Peter Gibbons has been a very successful race car driver winning events from coast to coast in Canada. Among Gibbons career highlights are National Championships in 1998 and 1999 in the CASCAR Super Series. After a proud career in stock car racing, it is with both sadness and excitement that at the end of the 2008 NASCAR Canadian Tire Series season, Peter Gibbons announces that will climb from the driver’s seat of the Canadian Tire/Mobil Super Chevrolet for the final time.Stepping away from the competition has been something Gibbons has pondered for quite sometime but feels now it is the right time to make the move. “I guess it started a couple of years ago” said Gibbons. “After considering it and taking a look at what was happening with the beginning of the NASCAR Canadian Tire series I made the choice to stay. Last winter after some discussions with Canadian Tire we agreed that this was going to be my last year in the car”.

It has been a wonderful partnership between Gibbons Motorsports and Canadian Tire for many years and it weighed heavily in the decision making process. “I just can’t say enough about what a wonderful relationship our group has had with Canadian Tire over the years and how good they’ve been to me” said Gibbons. “They were a big reason why I stayed involved over the last couple of years and we had some discussions about 2009 but I just feel this is the right time for me to get out of the car. I’ve always been a big supporter of the Canadian racing program and Canadian Tire has done a fantastic job helping to elevate the series in Canada. I have a real respect for all the hard work the people at Canadian Tire have put into this program”.

While making the announcement now to make fans aware, the immediate focus for Peter Gibbons and the Canadian Tire/Mobil Super Team is the final two events on this years NASCAR Canadian Tire Series schedule at Riverside Speedway and Kawartha Speedway. “Our car has run really well at both of those tracks and we’re looking to finish with a flurry and put on a real show for all the fans that have supported us over the years and we’re going to celebrate all we’ve achieved.” said the driver.

When the straps are unfastened and the helmet comes off for the final time at Kawartha Speedway then the reality will sink in. It will be big change for Gibbons and many others. “I know I’ll miss it and it will be a big adjustment for everybody” said Gibbons. “And none of our success would have been possible without the incredible support of our family. And I include all of our Canadian Tire crew members in that group and so many of our sponsors who’ve been with us for so long this great ride. But I feel really good about the decision. I’m looking forward to spending a lot more time with my wife Denise and boys Petey and Jake. Racing has been the biggest influence on all our lives for a long time and we’re all looking forward to lots of quality time and new adventures outside of the racing life too”.

Source:  petergibbons.com

For his second win this season at Barrie Speedway, and his first win since July 5th. at Autodrome St.Eustache, Steckley was finnaly back were he wanted to be.

“We came here looking for the win,” said Steckly. “After a couple of tough finishes, we did not want to take an even smaller points lead into the last two races.”

Kerry Micks the No 02 Beyond Digital Imaging Ford driver finished second, back by .372 seconds. Thomson in his No 4 Home Hardware Chevrolet finished third after a tough night of working his way through the field several times.

Pete Shepherd, the No 7 Wal-Mart/Ubisoft Ford driver, was sitting in for regular driver Alex Tagliani, who is competing in the Indy Car Series. After spending most of the first half of the race in the top 10, lost a lap for the pit road infraction of pitting outside of his pit stall. He regained the lap after the race’s eighth caution period when he received the Tow Truck in a Box Free Pass Award and was able to finish in 8th. place.

The race had 14 cautions for a total of 101 out of 301 laps. That ended up with 17 lead changes between six drivers.

The Next race is in Nova Scotia at the Riverside Speedway in Antigonish on September 20th..

For more on the series and complete race results, visit our NCATS Page at RolfsRacing.com.

Team Release

TROIS-RIVIERES, Quebec - After having shown his immense talent two weeks ago in Montreal, it is now official; Andrew Ranger will finish the season and participate in seven NASCAR Nationwide Series events starting Friday August 22. The announcement was made Sunday in the media centre of the Grand Prix de Trois-Rivières.

Once again, it will be at the wheel of the No. 22 Fitz Motorsports car that Andrew Ranger will start in the Food City 250 which will take place at the legendary Bristol Motor Speedway in Tennessee. This event will be a first for Andrew; a Nationwide Series race on an oval track.

Andrew Ranger is also confirmed to participate in the races at Richmond, Charlotte, Memphis, Texas, Phoenix and will close out the season in Homestead on November 15 during the NASCAR Nationwide and Sprint Cup season finale. All these races will be on oval race tracks. Andrew is sponsored by Tide, Wal-Mart, Supercuts, Habitations Éric Alary and Autodrome St-Eustache for his NASCAR debut in the United States. Andrew will continue and complete his season in the Canadian Series where he will attempt to win back to back championships. He is presently fourth in the standings only 134 points out of first place.

Armando Fitz, Fitz Motorsports team owner, is very confident to put a talented young driver such as Andrew at the wheel of his car. “I really loved his perseverance in Montreal. This promising driver is not afraid to mix it up. His profile is also exactly the image we want our team and sponsors to portray.”

“I am really happy and honored that Fitz Motorsports have chosen me as their driver for these races,” Ranger said. “To run in the Nationwide Series is a new challenge for me and also an excellent path for my career as a NASCAR driver. I am more than ready to take this on and I will give it everything I’ve got to position myself as a contender in this series. I want to thank all the fans that encourage me continually, their support is very important for me. I would also like to thank my sponsors who are offering me an opportunity to realize a dream. However, I want to indicate that I will continue to compete in the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series.”

Kerry Micks won his first race of the season at the Full Throttle Energy Drink 200 at Mosport International Speedway.

Championship points leader Scott Steckly led the first 126 laps of the race but, had to retire with a blown engine. That put Mark Dilley in his No. 9 Dodge/Leland Dodge car into the lead. In the final 2 laps Kerry Micks in his No. 02 Beyond Digitial Imaging Ford nudged Dilley out of the way and took the win by .085 seconds.

“I got into (Dilley) a little there at the end, but it was just last-lap racing,” said Micks.

Dilley responded: “He tagged me pretty good and it was enough to make me lift off the throttle a little,” Dilley said. “I was a little tight there at the end, but it’s every man for himself at that point, I guess.”

D.J. Kennington in his No. 17 Castrol/NPP Dodge finished third. See our NCATS Page for full results.

Mosport Speedway’s Full Throttle Energy Drink 200 has been has been moved to Sunday, August 10, after rain washed out time trials and the 200 lap race, following the practice session.
The race, originally scheduled to run on Saturday night, will now run on Sunday at 12 noon, following time trials at 10:30 a.m.

The first Nationwide series race to be run in the rain was a cautious affair by NASCAR.

The sprinkles started coming down in lap 5, by lap 7 NASCAR stopped the race with a mandetory “3 minute” pit stop to change to rain tires and add windshield wipers to the cars. That red flag event and following yellow ended up in a race delay of about 1 hour.

None of the teams were allowed to make their own strategic decisions for tire choices, or when to change back and forth from wets to slicks. This frustrated the fans and many of the experienced road racers. The race had 3 more cautions for a total of 13 laps.
After 48 of the scheduled 74 laps were completed NASCAR halted the event, and expert Canadian road racer Ron Fellows took the checkered under a yellow. Congratulations.

Despite all the NASCAR official interferences in the race, designed to aid the series regulars, many of the experienced road racers (aka Canadian drivers) prevailed:

 1     Ron Fellows            GoDaddy.com   Chevrolet

 2     Patrick Carpentier     Subway Dodge

16     Jacques Villeneuve     L'Equipeur/Ganotec Toyota

27     D J Kennington         Mahindra Tractor Dodge

28     Andrew Ranger          Tide/Wal Mart/Supercuts Dodge

32     Wheeler Boys           sponsordavis.com Chevy

34     Trevor Boys            sponsordavis.com Chevy

40     Don Thompson Jr        MRSP Chevy

41     Scott Steckley         MRSP Chevy

Roxton Pond, Quebec driver Andrew Ranger, in the No. 22 Fitz Motorsports car, won the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series race at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve in Montreal. Ranger took advantage of an error by JR Fitzpatrick, who had slipped in the Senna turn, at the very last lap of the 23 lap race to take the lead and get the victory from Scott Steckly.

“I haven’t won a race here in a long time and to do it in front of my family and fans is really nice,” said Ranger. “Last year I came close, so it’s good to win it this year.”

Series leader Scott Steckly of Milverton, Ont., came in second with last year’s winner Kerry Micks of Mt. Albert, Ont. coming in third.

Alex Tagliani of Lachenaie, Que., who won in Edmonton last week, was out of the race after seven laps with a blown engine.

See our NCATS Page for more.

Local Montreal driver Andrew Ranger was added onto the entry list for the Nationwide NAPA Auto Parts 200 at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve this Saturday.

The former Champ Car driver and last years overall Champion in the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series will be joining 2 other local drivers on the track, Jacques Villeneuve and Patrick Carpentier, to get the home crowd going.

Andrew ranger will be driving the #22 Fitz Motorsports Dodge. This is the same car that Patrick Carpentier drove last year in the same race. Carpentier got pole position and finished the race in 2nd place. Lets hope Rangers does as well or better.

“We got a great opportunity,” Ranger said “NASCAR Canada helped. They said no one was available to drive the No. 22 car and they called us to see if we were interested. It’s unbelievable to have that drive. I’m so proud. I’ll do my best. To finish in the top 10 would be great for us.”

We hope that this might lead into a Nextel career for this talented driver.