St. Thomas Dragway Releases 2006 Racing Schedule

Courtesy Dave Mathers

Sparta, Ont. - January 31, 2006 – St. Thomas Dragway, an NHRA sanctioned drag strip located in Sparta, Ont, is releasing its tentative 2006 racing schedule. The track operates from the first weekend in April until the last weekend in October each year. Weekend racing starts with Friday Night Street Legal Racing. Saturdays feature club racing, test and tune and special events. Saturday nights see the return of the rapidly growing Run What Ya Brung format. Sundays feature Bracket Races, Club Races and Special events. The bracket series has been expanded to 18 events for 2006.

Featured events for 2006 include the return of the NHRA King of the Hill on May 28 at which an NHRA Wally trophy is up for grabs to the bracket racers. OSCA will be coming July 29 & 30 for their first visit to the track.

The CANUSA Hot Rod Reunion, August 5 & 6 will see the first visit of the PMRA Pro Mods, the return of the wildly popular ONDR Nostalgia classes, the crowd thrilling jet dragsters as well as full bracket racing.

Also new for 2006 is the Windsor Shootout for Essex County residents September 15 -17. All comers will be taking a run at the bounty placed on 2004 Track Champion Dave Fantinato’s wild street legal 8 second wheel standing 555 CID 70 Nova.

The annual Thanksgiving weekend race returns as the National Dragster Challenge on October 7 & 8 with more Wallys up for grabs. Full bracket action along with the Pro Comp class will be racing over the two days.

The ONDR Nostalgia cars will be returning, fighting for their own Wally. The Lightning Power Sports Bike Nationals returns Labour Day weekend and the St. Thomas All Truck

Nationals will return August 19 & 20 raising funds for the St. Thomas Elgin General Hospital Foundation. This year’s event will include light trucks as well as heavy trucks.

For further information, contact the track at 519-775-2263 or visit the website at www.stthomasdragway.com.

RACELINE RADIO NETWORK IN WINNERS CIRCLE AGAIN!

Courtesy Erik Tomas

February 1, 2006, Burlington, ON: RACELINE RADIO, Canada’s only nationally syndicated motorsport magazine radio program has scored another major international broadcast journalism award, winning the “Best Radio Show” category in the 2005 Journalism Contest staged annually by the Eastern Motorsport Press Association, and sponsored by Performance Racing Industry Magazine.

The entry: “2005 ChampCar Molson Indy Toronto Preview Special” took top honours in the EMPA contest against entries from radio stations and networks across Canada and The United States.

“Since RACELINE RADIO launched in 1993, we’ve entered this very prestigious contest and we’ve been lucky enough to win the radio side or at least finish second in the judging at least a dozen times. Over 14 years on the air, it’s an accomplishment we’re extremely proud of! ”, boasted RACELINE RADIO Anchor, Writer and Producer Erik Tomas. “It’s an award we share with every one of our 18 affiliate stations along the RACELINE RADIO NETWORK. Special thanks also goes to our head Technical Producer Brad Hoffman, Programmers Jeff Storey, Bob Sherwin and the Production and Engineering staff at our Network Flagship station AM 900 CHML Hamilton, and of course to Affiliate Coordinator Wendy Taylor!”, Tomas added.

“As most know by now, we enter these contests to gauge RACELINE RADIO against some of the best motorsport radio shows on the air. Erik and everyone involved has sustained the excellence of the show over an extremely long period of time. Our EMPA contest results over the years speak for themselves!” commented RACELINE RADIO NETWORK Executive Producer John Massingberd. “We also know our sponsors love it when we win these awards. They remind them we never exaggerate when we say we produce the best broadcast properties in the business!”, joked Massingberd.

The RACELINE RADIO NETWORK is aired on 18 radio stations coast-to-coast in Canada. Flagshipped out of AM 900 CHML Hamilton, the show is also heard in Toronto, Vancouver, Edmonton, Calgary, Winnipeg, Montreal, Fredericton, Windsor, London, Kitchener, Sudbury, Niagara Falls, Sarnia, Peterborough, Truro, New Maryland and Oromocto.

ST. THOMAS DRAGWAY RETURNS TO NHRA SANCTION

Courtesy Dave Mathers

Sparta, Ont. - January 30, 2006 - St. Thomas Dragway, Canada’s first purpose built drag strip, is returning to National Hot Rod Association sanctioning for the 2006 season. The track was NHRA sanctioned from it’s opening in 1962 until 2002. However, the events of September 11, 2001 changed the insurance situation with the result that K&K Insurance was derated by NHRA. The track went with Bill Bader’s IHRA sanction but with the retirement of Bader it elected to return to NHRA, the number one sanctioning body for drag racing in the world.

St. Thomas Dragway operates from the first weekend in April until the last weekend in October. It features bracket racing on the one quarter mile track, Street Legal Racing on Friday nights, Run What Ya Brung racing on Saturday nights, Test and Tune days, club racing and special events featuring such popular classes as Pro Mods (PMRA), Nostalgia cars (ONDR), Pro Comp, Street Machines (OSCA) and Sports Compacts (CSCS). As well, the National Dragster Challenge and NHRA King of the Track races will return to the track.

The switch will allow bracket racers to attend the Summit Racing Series Division Three Bracket Finals in Indianapolis. Winners qualify to run in November at the World Finals in Pomona, California to become world Champion, a race won by Les Belle of Springfield in 2002.

For further information, contact the track at 519-775-2263 or visit the website at www.stthomasdragway.com.

World First to Finance Racing Career

Courtesy Michel Poirier-Defoy

Montreal, January 31st 2006. – A 15 year-old professional driver will be the next of a few Canadian racers to reach an open wheel championship in 2006. Maxime Pelletier will enter the Formula BMW USA series, a state-of-the-art single seater that has become the entry-level racing series in North America over the last three years. Even if his racing career started a mere three years ago, the young man who hails out of a Montreal suburb was the youngest selected BMW scholar in North America after training camps that were held at the racing facility in Valencia, Spain. He will be one of the five Junior drivers who will be supervised with a special training program by the series officials all along the season.

In order to help him secure part of his 2006 budget, Maxime Pelletier offers a new and innovative concept in America. Instead of the usual sponsor solicitation, Maxime will be providing pixel blocks on his web site, www.maximepelletier.com, to eventual sponsors and investors who seek publicity in return. This concept was launched in United Kingdom et and was an overnight success. This is the first time a race car driver uses his web site to help support his racing career. This is a very interesting opportunity for sponsors who seek more visibility for the money they invest. Maxime’s web site shows a lot of traffic and the number of visitors will necessarily grow with his successes when he takes to the track.

‘‘This is really a turning point in my career, states the Canadian karting 2005 vice-champion. Since I was awarded the prestigious BMW scholar, I underwent a complete physical program and tested the FB2 Bimmer for many days with Virginia-based Gelles Racing, the team I’ll be racing with this season. I think we have a 15-day testing schedule before a test ban applies before the start of the season. Hopes are high as I enter this series but I still want to spend another year with a kart because I want to get as much experience out of this demanding discipline.’’

‘‘Meanwhile, I think what we offer corporations and supporters on our web site, maximepelletier.com, is a great value for their money. For them, it’s a whole new way of getting involved in motorsports.’’

Pixel blocks available
For those who want to find out about the new pixel block procedure, just log on www.maximepelletier.com and discover how you can advertise on the front page for three years for a minimal amount of money. A pixel block is available for as little as 100$ and the sponsor will be able to post on one or many pixel blocks a company or association logo or picture, a message and a link to another web site. It provides a simple and innovative opportunity to advertise while helping Maxime go on with his racing career. Some pixel blocks are already chosen, but many others are available

A busy 2006 schedule
With training camp attendance with BMW and many testing days coming with Gelles Racing, Maxime will have a busy schedule. He is also entering the Florida Winter Tour with the best karting drivers in North America: the Sunoco Ron Fellows Rotax champion will drive in the very competitive ICC class and Top Ten finishes show the determination of this young man entering a new class. Beginning in March, he will be part of the official BMW test days, will enter Stars of Karting and Sunoco Ron Fellows Canadian series selected events. He also,plans to be part of the Canadian championships later in the season.

DOOLEY SET TO LEAD TEAM MERRITTVILLE INTO NEW FORMAT DUEL ON THE DIRT AGAINST BRIGHTON PRO STOCKS

Courtesy Erica Bicknell

Thorold, Ontario ... Inaugural Duel on the Dirt Overall Champion Mike Dooley of St. Catharines will lead his Daytona Automotive Equipment Challenge Championship Team Merrittville into a new look series against the Brighton Speedway Pro Stocks in 2006.

The new format will see two Home Track events at Merrittville, (Monday May 22 and Monday August 7) and two at Brighton (Saturday June 10 and Saturday July 1). There will also be two combined events - Saturday September 3rd and Saturday September 10th at Brighton and Merrittville Speedways respectively.

"There will be points awarded to drivers for all 6 events," relates (Merrittville Speedway GM) Erica Bicknell, just in from shoveling around the flagpole proudly flying the Daytona Champions Banner, " our drivers were really proud of their achievement ...they'll be tough to beat again this year."

"I don't know," adds Brighton's Operations Manager Mark Rinaldi, " the D-shape at Merrittville is different ... but my Pro Stocks are quick learners and they'll be back with quite a vengeance."

"I knew this would happen ... as soon as last year's event ended - my guys were at each other all over again," says Joe Dennison, President of Daytona Automotive Equipment in Brighton Ontario.

Dennison's employees are two very big racing enthusiasts. Terry Kaiser is the Niagara area representative for Daytona Automotive Equipment while Dave Culford - who races a car at Brighton, is a Daytona Service Advisor.

"The new format should provide some great action at both tracks," says Dennison, "the excitement's going to build all season."

"Merrittville Speedway is celebrating its 55th season this year and the Hoosier Stocks will surely want their efforts to be a highlight of the year," boasts Kaiser, "last year we saw quite an exciting group of drivers ... both events were first class."

"But Terry you're forgetting," Culford steps in," you aren't a real driver until you have won a Pro Stock feature at Brighton Speedway ... the fans at both tracks were overwhelming and the finale - what a race ... 36 laps before caution slowed the hectic pace"

To date, drivers participating in the 6 event Duel on the Dirt Series will share in more than $15,000.00 in purse and point fund money monies. In addition to the Daytona Automotive Equipment $1000 Team Award, two other Brighton-area businesses Environmental Remediation Contractor D.L. Services and Lawns We Do provided funding in 2005.

"The corporate support for this event has just been phenomenal and it keeps getting bigger," relates Merrittville co-owner Nancy Bicknell, " Mark and I are proud that the Daytona Automotive Equipment Team Award is returning - drivers and fans from both tracks rallied together and made some new friends - the team concept is just awesome."

Daytona Automotive Equipment - with Head Offices and a warehouse facility in Brighton, Ontario - manufactures a line of automotive lifts, tire changers, wheel balancers and auto body frame machines for the automotive service and repair industry.

Merrittville Speedway's Duel in the Dirt portion September 9th is part of a 3 day Season Finale that features Friday Night and Sunday Afternoon action. The Rose Webber Memorial presented by J&S Heating attracts top Mod Lite and Dwarf Car teams from across Canada and the US for Friday and Saturday's events while a 100 lap Enduro and Demo Derby close out the weekend Sunday - a presentation of Konzelmann Estates Winery.

Brighton Speedway Pro Stocks are welcome to come up for Friday's Hoosier Stock Event - although not part of the Series - it will provide the eastern Ontario race teams with some valuable track time. The 25 lap event pays $300 to win and boasts a total purse of more than $1,500.

Free Camping is available for the entire weekend.

"I was up for the Friday night event last year," relates Rinaldi, " but had to return to Brighton ... from what I saw though - the camping area resembled that of a Super Speedway ... and the party continued all weekend."

Shouldice Stone ALSTAR Series on the Radio

Courtesy Sauble Speedway

Great news race fans, the SHOULDICE STONE ALSTAR SERIES Super Event Weekends will be broadcast live on AM 560 CFOS, and 98 The Beach FM, and on the internet www.radioowensound.com

Each lap of the 100 lap feature events will be covered live. Listen to your hosts in 2006 ALSTAR Announcer Dave Middleton, and Sports Director of Bayshore Broadcasting Fred Wallace, for Canada’s only Live Racing Broadcast.

Dave and Fred have been calling the action of the ALSTAR Series since 2000. If you can't be there, you won’t miss a lap of the excitement at Steelback Sauble Speedway. For more details see: www.alstarseries.com

Speedorama back where it all began

Courtesy Gary “The Big Kahuna” Wallace, Speedorama Shows

February 1, 2006, Toronto, ON - Once again, the wheels of some of Canada’s finest Hot Rods, Street Machines, and Custom Cars will grace the fabled floors of the Automotive Building at Exhibition Place in Toronto.

On February 3 - 5, 2006, Speedorama returns to its roots, the Automotive Building, the place where it all began. In the early 60s, car shows were in their infancy but the events held here were legendary. The greatest cars of the time were displayed in this building. “We are going to celebrate those early triumphs with our return to this venue,” said Gary Wallace the Big Kahuna of Speedorama Shows “this years event will offer our car owners, enthusiasts and fans the greatest show on wheels”.

The Automotive Building was constructed in 1929 by architect Douglas Kertland at a cost of one million dollars, an astounding sum at the time. It was purpose built to display the fruits of the growing automotive industry and in the years since has been the home to many unique automotive events. “Our return to this fabulous building with two display levels will allow us a more intimate and exciting presentation that will only enhance our show,” noted Gary.

To ensure that Speedorama 2006 is a huge success, and to kick off what will be a full year celebration, the Roadmates, celebrating 50 years as one of Canada’s oldest functioning car clubs, will also return to the building where they hosted many of the shows during the 60s and 70s. Once again, the club will be out in full force, displaying many of their vehicles and acting as host for this memorable event. “We are proud to be able to host once again in the place where it all began for both our club and the car show industry in general,” said Derek “Duke” Brown, president of the Roadmates Car Club.” We invite all our friends and car enthusiasts to come out to see what we have in store for the whole year”.

Speedorama, always a car crazy event, will continue its leadership as the event to see and be seen at. Once again car owners will vie for the BIG PRIZE,” The Dean” a tribute to the pioneer of Canadian Custom Car Show Promoters, with a whopping $10,000.00 in cash. There will be an additional $20,000.00 in other cash awards and prizes up for grabs.

Speedorama is famous for bringing to Toronto first, the very finest and the hottest cars and celebrities of the year. 2006 is no different.

For information about Speedorama call 416.462.0132 or visit online at WWW.SPEEDORAMACARSHOWS.COM

SPEEDORAMA 2006
AUTOMOTIVE BUILDING
EXHIBITION PLACE, TORONTO
FEBRUARY 3, 4 and 5, 2006

FEATURING:

- CHIP FOOSE, World Famous award winning designer and builder, Host of the hit TV series OVERHAULIN’ appearing Saturday and Sunday
- COURTNEY HANSEN, Former co-host of hit TV series OVERHAULIN’ and now Host of Spike TVs weekend Power Block automotive shows, and present FHM superstar and monthly writer of Courtney’s Garage
- Relive Harvey’s “The original Home of the Hot Ones”, the place to be cool in the late sixties and seventies
- A nostalgic walk back in time of the first car shows in Toronto, club jackets, pictures, trophies, t-shirt, and other nostalgic novelties
- The original General Lee from the hit TV series “The Dukes of Hazard”
- Limited FREE Parking
- Reduced ticket prices with Themed Days:
Friday - Guy’s Night Out
Saturday - Take a Kid to the Car Show
Sunday - Guys and Gals
- Each day with a coupon, you can enter the show at a reduced rate of $15.00 - Except for Sunday, it is $15.00 a COUPLE (one male one female)
- Kids 12 and under get in FREE with paid adult
- FREE collectible Hot Wheels to the first 1000 kids under 12 Saturday and Sunday
- FREE collectible Hot Wheels to the first 500 adults Saturday and Sunday
- FREE posters
- Friday night the 21st Annual Miss Auto World Bikini Pageant
- Saturday night Miss Legs Competition
- HO scale replica of the world famous Lemans track
- Over 100 commercial exhibitors including 12 Speed and Performance Shops
- More rods and customs than the Automotive Building has ever seen before