DJ Kennington and the Castrol Dodge Crew are aiming to continue their run of success in the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series this weekend and hope that they can also run well in the NASCAR Busch Series event on the very challenging course at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve in Montreal.
With support from Dwight Kennedy and Northern Provincial Pipelines DJ Kennington has participated in several Busch Series events already this season working with fellow Canadian Randy McDonald and had some very strong outings. We had a great run at IRP last weekend picking up at 25th place finish. That really helped a lot. It gave us a confidence boost and like every weekend we learned more about the car and the series”.
With this being the first ever NASCAR Busch Series race held at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve it will also bring out several Cup series regular drivers like Daytona 500 winner Kevin Harvick, his RCR racing teammate Jeff Burton, Greg Biffle and Carl Edwards. Kennington is looking forward to participating this weekend with some of the best stock car racers in the world. “It’s always great to measure yourself against some of these racers” said the Castrol Dodge pilot. “It’s also a real opportunity to learn from them. Whenever I get the chance to see how they’re working a particular corner on the track and talk with them in the garage I make the most of it”.
Kennington also knows that running both races this weekend as well as other select Busch series events presents unique challenges to the Castrol Team. “The toughest part for us is that we’re not full-time participants in the Busch series and we have to get up to speed quickly at each race”. said Kennington. “The long days and nights that all of the crew put in is really something they should be proud of, I’m proud of their effort and they should be too”.
After five races DJ Kennington and the Castrol Dodge team sit fourth in the overall NASCAR Canadian Tire Series point standings.
The NASCAR Canadian Tire series race will precede the NASCAR Busch Series event this coming Saturday, August 4th at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve on Ile Notre Dame in Montreal. The twelve race NCATS schedule features events from coast to coast in Canada including stops at the best ovals in the Country along with temporary street circuits in Edmonton and Trois Rivieres. Look for more information all season at www.nascar.ca All twelve races of the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series will also be broadcast on TSN.
This release prepared by TL Sports & Entertainment
Tuesday, July 31, 2007
Castrol dispatches Buchanan to win Targa
Long time racer Jud Buchanan of Campbelville, Ontario took his restored/super-tuned 1967 Acadian Canso to Newfoundland finishing 3rd overall in the inaugural Targa Rally Race in 2003.
He podiumed 3rd overall again in ’04 then down a notch to 4th in 2005. Last year in the ’06 edition of the Canada’s highest profile tarmac rally, Jud and co-driver Jim Adams, of Pickering, ON ran in the top three overall for the entire rally. Suddenly disaster struck preventing the team from top spot; leading the rally by 16 seconds a transmission failure limped them to 2nd place in the final special stage of the rally.
“This year, thanks to Castrol’s sponsorship, we’re bring home the trophy,” promises Buchanan. He certainly knows how to win with a slew of autoslalom championships dating back 25 years and 1st place in the 2002 Yokohama Winter Rally Series on his mantle.
Anthony Stadelman, Wakefield Canada’s director of marketing, notes that Castrol has been a principal Targa sponsor since the beginning and has seen Buchanan win his Classic class several times. “It’s now time for Jud to switch from being the bridesmaid! This year we want to see Jud win the whole thing,” Stadelman says in his role as chief cheerleader.
Follow the Buchanan/Adams driven Canso at Targa Newfoundland beginning September 8, 2007.
Castrol Motorsport for 2007
Castrol’s track heritage spans more than 100 years during which the company has sponsored everything from Land Speed Records to John Force’ fabled NHRA Funny Car career. In Canada, Castrol is the founding sponsor of the Canadian Motorsport Hall of Fame and was a long time significant sponsor of CASCAR during that organization's many seasons.
This year the company has helped establish one of the country’s most successful ever series racing series for touring cars titled the Castrol Canadian Touring Car Championship. Also for 2007, Castrol has expanded its participation in the Canadian Rally Championship through the creation of the Castrol Cup. The Castrol Cup will provide a major prize fund for the Canadian Rally Championship with significant cash prizes to be awarded participants in the championship.
Elsewhere, Castrol has added its sponsorship weight to an emerging series in the Alberta/B.C. region announcing the Western Canadian Drift Championship presented by Castrol. With a four-round series running in Calgary, Edmonton and Vernon, this series nicely compliments the Castrol Drift Mania Canadian Championships (DMCC) that runs in Eastern Canada.
Castrol’s long time stock car presence continues in 2007 aboard DJ Kennington’s Number 17 car in the NACAR Canadian Tire Series and Kevin Dowler’s hard driving programs. The title sponsored multi- faceted facility, Castrol Raceway in Edmonton and many other sponsoring roles with drivers and series all over Canada contribute to an unprecedented Canadian motorsport summer for the Castrol brand.
For more information: John@marcovitchpr.ca; 416 963-3222
NASCAR drivers Michael Waltrip and David Reutimann will be in Mississauga, ON on Wednesday, Aug. 1
NASCAR drivers Michael Waltrip and David Reutimann will be in Mississauga on August 1 to celebrate the NAPA AUTO PARTS 200, the first NASCAR race in Canada and join NAPA Auto Parts in celebrating the opening of its new store at 1825 Dundas Street East, in East Mississauga (between Dixie and the 427).
Michael and David will meet with NASCAR racing fans and sign autographs from 1:00 pm to 2:45 pm at the NAPA Auto Parts East Mississauga Store. The event is open to the public with NASCAR consumer products for sale and door prizes to be awarded including tickets to the NAPA AUTO PARTS 200 to be held at Montreal’s Circuit Gilles Villeneuve on Aug. 4.
David Reutimann is the driver of the #00 Domino's/ Burger King Nextel Cup Toyota Camry and will be driving the #99 NAPA Auto Parts Toyota Camry in the NAPA AUTO PARTS 200. David is currently the second in Busch series points.
Michael Waltrip is a two-time Daytona 500 winner and currently drives the #55 Napa Auto Parts Toyota Camry in the Nextel cup series. Michael Waltrip Racing also owns the #44 UPS Toyota Camry driven by Dale Jarret and the #00 Toyota Camry driven by David Reutimann.
The NAPA AUTO PARTS 200 will be the third road course race and will feature the NASCAR Busch series’ spectacular drivers and more than 40 of its powerful V8 700 HP stock cars. The NAPA AUTO PARTS 200 is poised to become one of the most attractive sporting events in Canada.
Ontario Pro Challenge to tackle 50 lap feature at Sunset Speedway
TORONTO, ONTARIO – The Ontario Pro Challenge Series is heading into what will be their longest race night of the year, this Saturday, Aug 4th at Sunset Speedway. The OPC drivers will tackle a 50 lap feature event – a first for the Canadian series.
“I think it will be a fantastic night for the series,” series administrator Kathy Nicholson said. “I know all our drivers are looking forward to the night, especially with the changes to the regular format.”
The change Nicholson is talking about is that the Ontario Pro Challenge drivers will do a two lap – combined – qualifying session to set the grid instead of the usual heat races to set the grid for the feature.
“This is a new thing for all our drivers, and I am sure each will be pushing hard to get on the pole for the 50 lap feature,” Nicholson added.
The Ontario Pro Challenge Series is a fan favourite wherever they travel, and when they head to Sunset Speedway this Saturday, the fans won’t be left out. “After the qualifying, a lucky fan will draw a pill out of the back to see how many places we invert for the 50-lap feature,” Nicholson said.
After the lucky fan picks the inversion, the cars will be lined up in that order and the 50 lap feature will begin. Clearly it will be a big night for not only the drivers, but the fans of the series as well.
Racing action will kick off at Sunset Speedway on Saturday night at 6:00pm, and the Ontario Pro Challenge Qualifying is set for 8:00 pm – 8:30 pm.
For more information and directions to Sunset Speedway, visit www.sunsetspeedway.ca
Ontario Pro Challenge Series Fast Facts;
The Ontario Pro Challenge Series (www.prochallengeracing.com) is a touring stock car series in Southern Ontario. The Pro Challenge Cars are spec ¾ scale, tube framed Nextel Cup styled cars powered by sealed Kawasaki Ninja 1100cc engines. The 12 race series travels throughout Ontario’s oval racetracks during the summer. For more information on the Ontario Pro Challenge Series, contact Kathy Nicholson at 519-754-2001 (kathynicholson@sympatico.ca). or Russ Bond at 905-852-2900 (r.bond@russbondagency.com)
Release prepared by Russ Bond Agency
“I think it will be a fantastic night for the series,” series administrator Kathy Nicholson said. “I know all our drivers are looking forward to the night, especially with the changes to the regular format.”
The change Nicholson is talking about is that the Ontario Pro Challenge drivers will do a two lap – combined – qualifying session to set the grid instead of the usual heat races to set the grid for the feature.
“This is a new thing for all our drivers, and I am sure each will be pushing hard to get on the pole for the 50 lap feature,” Nicholson added.
The Ontario Pro Challenge Series is a fan favourite wherever they travel, and when they head to Sunset Speedway this Saturday, the fans won’t be left out. “After the qualifying, a lucky fan will draw a pill out of the back to see how many places we invert for the 50-lap feature,” Nicholson said.
After the lucky fan picks the inversion, the cars will be lined up in that order and the 50 lap feature will begin. Clearly it will be a big night for not only the drivers, but the fans of the series as well.
Racing action will kick off at Sunset Speedway on Saturday night at 6:00pm, and the Ontario Pro Challenge Qualifying is set for 8:00 pm – 8:30 pm.
For more information and directions to Sunset Speedway, visit www.sunsetspeedway.ca
Ontario Pro Challenge Series Fast Facts;
The Ontario Pro Challenge Series (www.prochallengeracing.com) is a touring stock car series in Southern Ontario. The Pro Challenge Cars are spec ¾ scale, tube framed Nextel Cup styled cars powered by sealed Kawasaki Ninja 1100cc engines. The 12 race series travels throughout Ontario’s oval racetracks during the summer. For more information on the Ontario Pro Challenge Series, contact Kathy Nicholson at 519-754-2001 (kathynicholson@sympatico.ca). or Russ Bond at 905-852-2900 (r.bond@russbondagency.com)
Release prepared by Russ Bond Agency
Good News for Amgen and J&J on EPO—but not for the Rest of Pharma
Amgen and Johnson & Johnson got some good news when the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services finalized its proposed policy on coverage of erythropoietin stimulating agents (ESAs) in cancer patients. The final policy is about as good as it could be for the companies under the circumstances—much better than the agency originally proposed.
CMS agreed to continue to cover EPO in a number of important chemotherapy settings and also dropped some of the toughest dosing restrictions in the proposed policy. So the worst may be over for darbepoetin (Aranesp) and epoetin (Procrit) in the cancer market. Both Amgen and J&J reported sharp revenue declines for their respective brands during the quarter in response to safety concerns—and especially payment changes—but both expect growth to resume from the new, lower baseline.
CMS may have backed off from the most draconian aspects of its proposed limits on EPO coverage, but the agency is not backing off from the position that it does not have to defer to the Food & Drug Administration when it comes to responding to emerging drug safety issues.
In that sense, the final coverage policy is not a change from the agency’s initial proposal—and that is a message that the rest of the biopharmaceutical industry cannot afford to miss.
The RPM Report has written extensively about the activist role taken by CMS in the EPO safety debate. Simply put, there are now two agencies—FDA and CMS—that manufacturers have to consider when thinking about regulatory responses to drug safety issues.
CMS made it abundantly clear in the proposed EPO policy that it does not intend to wait for FDA to finalize its review of the safety issues before acting. And in the final policy, CMS is sticking to that position.
“CMS and FDA are separate agencies with different statutory missions, and operate under distinct legal authorities,” the final policy notes. “We are encouraged that the separate and independent analyses of the FDA and CMS have raised similar serious concerns about the use of ESA treatment in patients with cancer and related neoplastic conditions.”
“FDA deliberations are not public and their timeline for making changes (if any are made) in the labeling for ESAs is unknown. We believe the safety concerns that we have identified in this document required CMS to act quickly to protect beneficiaries.”
There are still plenty of regulatory hurdles ahead for ESAs. FDA hasn’t finalized labeling changes for EPO in response to the safety issues—and both FDA and CMS are just getting started on reviewing use of the agents in the renal failure market.
But one thing is clear: CMS is not going to take a back seat to FDA when safety issues arise.
KAWARTHA SPEEDWAY: Twin Pack Track Attack
By Jim Clarke, Kawartha Speedway PR
Kawartha Speedway and Brighton Speedway Park have teamed-up to present the 2007 edition of the Fast and Furious Weekend. 2 shows, back-to-back Friday, August 10th on the paved 3/8ths of a mile layout at Kawartha and Saturday, August 11th on the tight, 3rd of a mile clay at Brighton.
Kawartha Speedway’s show features the second visit of the year by the fastest cars on Canadian pavement, the OSCAAR Outlaw Super Late Models and the Ontario Legends. The pair of touring groups will join Kawartha’s Late Models and the Discount Car and Truck Rental Mini Stocks. During the 50 lap Mini Stock invitational July 6th at Kawartha, a number of Brighton cars were entered and just as many are likely to attend Friday, August 10th.
Your double-header racing weekend continues the next night at Brighton Speedway Park. The popular oval, promoted by Mark and Angela Rinaldi is celebrating its 40th anniversary season and will feature a regular show - plus the ground-pounding Southern Ontario Sprint cars - Saturday, August 11th.
NASCAR Busch Series Makes Inaugural Stop in Montreal with NAPA Auto Parts 200 Live on TSN and TSN HD, this Saturday
Some of the biggest names in NASCAR, including this year's Daytona 500 champion, are driving north of the border as the NASCAR Busch Series makes its inaugural pit stop in Montreal this weekend with the NAPA Auto Parts 200 - Presented by Dodge. TSN has live coverage of all the action from Montreal's famed Circuit Gilles Villeneuve road course, beginning with qualifying on Saturday (Aug. 4) at 12 noon ET, immediately followed by the race at 2:30 p.m. ET. Both qualifying and the race are available in High Definition on TSN HD.
Kevin Harvick, the reigning Daytona 500 winner and two-time NASCAR Busch Series champion, leads the list of big-name drivers competing in Montreal. The field also includes current Busch points leader Carl Edwards, Jeff Burton, who has won 24 races on the Busch circuit, and Robby Gordon, whose resume boasts three NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series victories, a NASCAR Busch Series win and five Top-10 finishes at the Indianapolis 500.
The Canadian contingent at the NAPA Auto Parts 200 features such popular drivers as Quebec's Patrick Carpentier, the local favourite who is making his NASCAR Busch Series debut behind the wheel of the Fitz Motorsports Dodge, veteran Ron Fellows of Mississauga, Ont., one of the most distinguished and accomplished Canadian NASCAR drivers ever, and 19-year-old J.R. Fitzpatrick of Cambridge, Ont., the 2006 CASCAR champion.
TSN's Brent Wallace will be on site at Circuit Gilles Villenueve providing reports for SportsCentre, including a post-race wrap-up on Saturday that will include a one-on-one interview with the winner of the race.
Fans in attendance at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve on Saturday will be able to watch NASCAR Canadian Tire Series' (NCATS) sixth race of the season. The 23-lap race takes place at 10 a.m. ET just prior to the Busch Series qualifying. The NCATS-Montreal race will air on TSN and TSN HD on August 19 at 12 noon ET.
TSN's NASCAR coverage is the most comprehensive ever this season, with live coverage of 30 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series races, all 35 NASCAR Busch Series races, and highlight shows of the entire 12-race NASCAR Canadian Tire Series. All NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series and NASCAR Busch Series races are available in High Definition on TSN HD.
TSN, a division of CTVglobemedia, is Canada's Sports Leader. Setting the Canadian sports broadcasting standard, TSN's flagship news program, SportsCentre, was voted the number-one source for sports news by sports fans from across the country.* TSN's comprehensive broadcast schedule also features the NHL and first three rounds of the Stanley Cup Playoffs; Toronto Maple Leafs hockey; International Hockey including the IIHF World Junior Championship; the Olympic Games through 2012; CFL including Friday Night Football; NFL including Sunday and Monday Night Football; PGA TOUR and all four golf Majors; Season of Champions Curling; NASCAR including the Daytona 500; Formula One including the Canadian Grand Prix; IRL including the Indy 500; Blue Jays baseball; Raptors basketball and the NBA Finals; Tennis and all four Grand Slam events; EURO 2008 and UEFA Champions League Soccer; and HBO World Championship boxing. TSN HD offers more sports coverage, more hours and more events in High Definition than any other network in Canada, reinforcing TSN's position as Canada's Sports Leader in High Definition. TSN is available in 9 million households. TSN's programming and news content is also available online at TSN.ca.
Kevin Harvick, the reigning Daytona 500 winner and two-time NASCAR Busch Series champion, leads the list of big-name drivers competing in Montreal. The field also includes current Busch points leader Carl Edwards, Jeff Burton, who has won 24 races on the Busch circuit, and Robby Gordon, whose resume boasts three NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series victories, a NASCAR Busch Series win and five Top-10 finishes at the Indianapolis 500.
The Canadian contingent at the NAPA Auto Parts 200 features such popular drivers as Quebec's Patrick Carpentier, the local favourite who is making his NASCAR Busch Series debut behind the wheel of the Fitz Motorsports Dodge, veteran Ron Fellows of Mississauga, Ont., one of the most distinguished and accomplished Canadian NASCAR drivers ever, and 19-year-old J.R. Fitzpatrick of Cambridge, Ont., the 2006 CASCAR champion.
TSN's Brent Wallace will be on site at Circuit Gilles Villenueve providing reports for SportsCentre, including a post-race wrap-up on Saturday that will include a one-on-one interview with the winner of the race.
Fans in attendance at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve on Saturday will be able to watch NASCAR Canadian Tire Series' (NCATS) sixth race of the season. The 23-lap race takes place at 10 a.m. ET just prior to the Busch Series qualifying. The NCATS-Montreal race will air on TSN and TSN HD on August 19 at 12 noon ET.
TSN's NASCAR coverage is the most comprehensive ever this season, with live coverage of 30 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series races, all 35 NASCAR Busch Series races, and highlight shows of the entire 12-race NASCAR Canadian Tire Series. All NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series and NASCAR Busch Series races are available in High Definition on TSN HD.
TSN, a division of CTVglobemedia, is Canada's Sports Leader. Setting the Canadian sports broadcasting standard, TSN's flagship news program, SportsCentre, was voted the number-one source for sports news by sports fans from across the country.* TSN's comprehensive broadcast schedule also features the NHL and first three rounds of the Stanley Cup Playoffs; Toronto Maple Leafs hockey; International Hockey including the IIHF World Junior Championship; the Olympic Games through 2012; CFL including Friday Night Football; NFL including Sunday and Monday Night Football; PGA TOUR and all four golf Majors; Season of Champions Curling; NASCAR including the Daytona 500; Formula One including the Canadian Grand Prix; IRL including the Indy 500; Blue Jays baseball; Raptors basketball and the NBA Finals; Tennis and all four Grand Slam events; EURO 2008 and UEFA Champions League Soccer; and HBO World Championship boxing. TSN HD offers more sports coverage, more hours and more events in High Definition than any other network in Canada, reinforcing TSN's position as Canada's Sports Leader in High Definition. TSN is available in 9 million households. TSN's programming and news content is also available online at TSN.ca.
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