Cordeiro report; Megenbier makes it two in a row at the Volkswagen Jetta TDI Cup race at MID-OHIO

MEGENBIER MAKES IT TWO IN A ROW AT THE VOLKSWAGEN JETTA TDI CUP RACE AT MID-OHIO SPORTS CAR COURSE
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Melrose Park, Illinois native takes the Championship points lead

Lexington, OH (June 21, 2009) – After a DNF in Round 2 of the SCCA Pro Racing Volkswagen Jetta TDI Cup season, Timmy Megenbier has been a driver on a mission. Today, he claimed his second-consecutive victory of the season in Round 4 of the season after leading 13 of 17 laps at Lexington, Ohio’s Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course.

Pole sitter Devin Cates led the field into the first turn on lap one, but went off course in the second turn, opening the door for the second and third place starters, Joey Atterbury and Timmy Megenbier to advance their positions. Atterbury and Megenbier battled for the remainder of the race with Megenbier taking the lead on lap five. He held on for the remainder of the race to take his second and second-consecutive victory of the young season. Megenbier’s win moves him into the Championship lead.

“I really couldn’t have asked for anything more today,” Megenbier said. “Heading into the race, I knew where the good places to pass were going to be, and I just waited for the opportunity to make it happen. I have to give it to Joey (Atterbury) for racing clean today and not trying to block my move. I simply out braked him, and he let me go. It feels amazing that I’ve been able to make it two in a row now and have moved into the Championship lead. Hopefully, I’ll be able to make it three in a row at our next race, which is at my home track.”

Atterbury and Andy Lee rounded out the podium. Lee’s third-place finish marks the best result for the Maricopa, Arizona native in two seasons. After a difficult qualifying session, Lee started ninth, but didn’t waste any time moving forward. He also ran the fastest lap of the race and the weekend – 1:39.605 (81.610 mph).

“I was pretty disappointed yesterday after qualifying because I definitely think I should have been able to start higher than ninth,” Lee said. “With that starting position, I knew it was going to be a battle for me, so I concentrated on running consistently strong laps and being patient. Thankfully, this strategy paid off with a good result. After almost a season and a half, it feels great to finally be on the podium. I feel like I’m really starting to make some progress in this series, so I can’t wait to get to our next race in Chicago.”

Lee wasn’t the only driver who scored solid, season-best finishes. Andrew Cordeiro (4th), Nicky Boulle (5th) and JD Mobley (7th) all had their best races of the season so far. The day didn’t go so well for series points leader, Jake Thompson who finished 11th. The result drops him to third in the series standings. The top five drivers in the Championship after four races are: Megenbier (140), Atterbury (121), Thompson (111), Lee (104) and AJ Nealey (89).

Mark Gillies of Car & Driver magazine finished 13th, the best finish this season for a guest driver. The Volkswagen Jetta TDI Cup series returns to action for Round 5 of the 10 event season, July 25-26 at Autobahn Country Club in Joliet, Illinois.

Volkswagen Jetta TDI Cup Round 4 (17 Laps)

Position/Car Number/Driver/Hometown/Sponsor/Best Time/Best Speed

1 3 17 Timmy Megenbier/Melrose Park/IL/Chicagoland VW/ 1:39.832 / 81.424
2 2 14 Joey Atterbury(R)/Renton/WA/SCCA/ 1:39.624 / 81.594
3 9 27 Andy Lee/Maricopa/AZ/Castrol/ 1:39.605 / 81.610
4 12 26 Andrew Cordeiro/Woodbridge/Ont/VION/ 1:39.758 / 81.485
5 11 4 Nicky Boulle(R)/Dallas/TX/Defnder/ 1:39.890 / 81.377
6 5 8 Derek Jones/Philadelphia/PA/Aggreko/ 1:40.684 / 80.735
7 13 7 JD Mobley(R)/Castle Rock/CO/Bosch/ 1:40.674 / 80.743
8 6 23 Juan Pablo Sierra Lendle/Puebla/MX/Castrol/ 1:39.996 / 81.291
9 8 2 AJ Nealey(R)/Pasadena/MD/Sherwin-Williams/ 1:40.162 / 81.156
10 22 22 Andrew Novich(R)/Novato/CA/Oakley/ 1:40.753 / 80.680
11 16 19 Jake Thompson(R)/Vancouver/BC/Lamin-X/ 1:40.053 / 81.245
12 15 3 Taylor Broekemeier/Fort Collins/CO/Oakley/ 1:39.934 / 81.341
7 21 Mark Gillies(G)/Ann Arbor/MI/iRacing.com/ 1:40.394 / 80.969
13 10 5 Ryan Ellis(R)/Ashburn/VA/VION/ 1:40.157 / 81.160
14 19 24 Donny Warren(R)/Winchester/VA/Aggreko/ 1:40.385 / 80.976
15 18 15 Theresa Condict(R)/Lexington/MA/HYPERFUELS/ 1:41.384 / 80.178
16 1 29 Devin Cates(R)/Broad Run/VA/HYPERFUELS/ 1:41.106 / 80.398
17 14 6 David Richert/Niverville/MB/Bosch/ 1:41.324 / 80.225
18 20 16 Eric Morse(R)/Pittsburgh/PA/Amplify/ 1:41.665 / 79.956
19 21 34 Juan Pablo Delgado(R)/Orizaba/MX/Red Bull/ 1:42.854 / 79.032
20 23 28 Rhett Tucker(R)/Cumming/GA/DC United/ 1:41.595 /80.011
21 4 20 Mark Pombo/Duluth/GA/VW Parts & Accessories/ 1:41.329 / 80.221
22 24 32 Andrew Gun Tucker(R)/McDonough/GA/Pirelli/ 1:43.595 / 78.467
23 17 30 Perry Richardson(R)/Los Gatos/CA/Pirelli/ 1:42.073 / 79.637
(R) – Jetta TDI Cup Rookie Driver
(G) – Guest Driver (not eligible for Championship results)

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Merrittville Cancelled June 20th

Merrittville Speedwa's racing program for tonight, Saturday June 20th. is cancelled.

- Erica Bicknell

www.merrittvillespeedway.com

OHSWEKEN SPEEDWAY: Richards rockets to Six Nations 50 World of Outlaws LM victory

By Tommy Goudge (June 18, 2009) – The World of Outlaws Late Model series visited Ohsweken Speedway for the second annual “Six Nations 50” on Thursday night, bringing forty-two of the best drivers in Dirt Late Model racing to the Southern Ontario speed plant.  At the end of a rough and tumble evening, twenty-one year old West Virginia driver Josh “Kid Rocket” Richards was left standing in victory lane.  The Corr/Pak Merchandising Sprint Cars were also in action on Thursday, with Tom Huppunen coming out on top of the twenty-eight car field.

Defending World of Outlaws Late Model series champion Darrell Lanigan and young gun Austin Hubbard began the fifty lap affair on the front row, and it was Lanigan getting the early advantage, but his lead would be short-lived.  During a caution period on lap five, Lanigan was forced to the pits with a flat left front tire, leaving Hubbard in command out front, with a hard-charging Richards already on his tail. 

The early portion of the race became a matter of survival, as cautions on laps five, seven, fourteen, and sixteen, and a red flag on lap ten slowed the pace.  The red flag was a result of a three-car pileup involving Shane Clanton, Gregg Satterlee, and Clint Smith, in which Satterlee came close to getting upside down.  Clanton and Satterlee were done for the evening, while Smith’s crew scrambled to make repairs.  Their efforts would eventually pay off as Smith would salvage a thirteenth place finish despite missing much of the front section of his machine.

A lap fourteen caution was for series points leader Steve Francis, who hit the turn four wall hard and retired from the event.  Hubbard led Richards on the restart, but pulled off the track with a blown engine, ending his bid for a first career series victory and handing the lead to Richards.  After another caution for Tyler Reddick’s damaged machine on lap sixteen, the green flag came out and stayed out for the remaining thirty-four circuits, all of which would be led by Richards.  “Kid Rocket” would not take the victory easily however, as Brady Smith was on the prowl, and closed in on Richards in lapped traffic, while Darrell Lanigan fought his way back through the pack and into third. 

As the race wound to a close, Smith was right on Richards’ tail, while Lanigan made a last-ditch effort to pass both of them, but came up short.  Richards’ margin of victory was 0.429 seconds over Smith, who held barely held off Lanigan for the runner-up spot.  Lanigan’s third place finish was good enough to take close to within two points of Steve Francis in the series points standings, with Richards just another four markers back.

Lanigan set a new Late Model track record in time trials with a lap of 14.718 seconds around the three-eighths mile oval, and also won the first heat race.  Tim Fuller, Shane Clanton, and Steve Francis also claimed heat race wins, while Russell King and Tony Knowles won the two B-Mains.

In Corr/Pak Merchandising Sprint Car action, a fine twenty-eight car field signed in for competition on Thursday night.  Travis Cunningham and Mikey Kruchka led the field to green in the twenty lap feature, and it was Kruchka taking over the lead before the completion of the first lap.  Jared Zimbardi quickly moved up from his starting spot inside row three to challenge Kruchka for the lead, but the sophomore driver was hanging tough at the front.  Zimbardi was able to get by for the lead on lap six, before the race was slowed for the stopped machine of Darren Long on the backstretch. 

The race went back green, but was quickly stopped again as the red flag came out for the ambulance to attend to Long, who had been hit by a rock or mud clod that came through his screen.  Long was checked out and released, and the race went back green once again, with all eyes now on division points leader Tom Huppunen, who had advanced to third from his tenth starting spot by the time the seventh lap was complete.

On lap nine, Glenn Styres came to life, passing three cars in just one lap and taking over third from Huppunen.  Both drivers pounced on Kruchka on lap ten, relegating him to fourth, and then Styres blasted around the outside of Zimbardi and into the lead coming out of the fourth turn to complete the eleventh lap.  Styres held court out front for much of the last half of the race, while Huppunen and Zimbardi battled for the runner-up position. 

Huppunen finally disposed of Zimbardi on lap seventeen and began to close back in on Styres as the race came to a conclusion.  Styres still looked to have the race in hand, but had trouble getting around the lapped machine of Brad Malloy, and Huppunen used that opportunity to pounce.  Coming through the final set of corners on the last lap, Huppunen was able to nose ahead and hang on for the win, officially 0.664 seconds ahead of Styres.  Zimbardi settled for third, followed by Kruchka, and Kevin Job. 

Heat races on the ultra-fast surface were won by Zimbardi, Long, Ryan Hunsinger, and Huppunen, while Dain Naida claimed the B-Main victory after a spectacular incident in his heat race in which his right rear wheel broke off and flew high into the air.  Huppunen’s lap of 13.024 in heat race action is now the fastest lap ever recorded for a 360 sprint car at the speedway, which he ran on his way to establishing a new record for an eight lap heat race.

Friday Night Thunder resumes on Friday, June 19 when Outhouse Image and Design presents the first “UMP Modified Summer Sizzler” in conjunction with South Buxton Raceway, plus the ESSO Thunder Stocks, ESSO Mini-Stocks, and Bombers! Friday Night Thunder at Ohsweken Speedway offers affordable family entertainment just a short drive away from most mid-western Ontario locations. Friday Night Thunder Adult General Admission is just $10, while Seniors and Students are $8, and kids 12 and under are FREE! Please visit www.OhswekenSpeedway.com for more information. On Friday night, gates open at 6:00p.m., with the first race at 7:45p.m.

Delaware Speedway: June 19 races rained out

TONIGHT'S RACING CANCELLED (June 19, 2009)

Tonight’s racing at Delaware Speedway has been cancelled due to the impending weather.

The decision was arrived at based on severe weather warnings which in effect for London Middlesex this afternoon and this evening, the severe showers and lightning forecast for the area, and the impact to the facility.  Officials have determined that they would be unable to complete the event.

Delaware Speedway would like to extend our appreciation to our fans and competitors for their ongoing support.

Tomorrow’s Transmission Direct Enduro event is on schedule at this time.  That event will be assessed by approximately 12:00 pm tomorrow.  Competitor gates are scheduled to open at 3:00 pm.  Spectator gates for that event are scheduled to open at 6:00 pm with racing by 7:00 pm.

Advanced tickets for next week’s NASCAR Wheelen All-American Series PartSource 142 presented by BX93 are now available through the website.  The advanced window is open until Wednesday, June 24 at midnight, at which points tickets for the event will return to the regular gate price.

Auto Clearing Motor Speedway... existing seats sold out for July 29 NASCAR race... more available

June 19, 2009 - Saskatoon, SK – The excitement of NASCAR coming to Saskatchewan, and Saskatoon, is REAL.  We are pleased to announce that we have SOLD OUT our existing seating for the July 29th inaugural NASCAR Canadian Tire Series race, the Velocity Prairie Thunder, presented by Bayer CropScience.

As a result, we are excited to announce the addition of 1500 bleacher seats for the race.  These tickets will go on sale today.  Tickets can still be ordered by downloading a ticket request form at www.autoclearingmotorspeedway.ca. Tickets orders can also be placed at the Avocado Restaurant, 2921 8th St. E, tonight from 4:30 to 7:00 pm or at the front gate at Auto Clearing Motor Speedway on race days.

For more information please contact our Business Development Office at 306-956-3225.

Negotiations back on for Montreal F1 race for 2010

Under the category, off and on more times than a light switch.... off and more more times than the next federal election.... off and on more times than Britney's gitch.... off and on more times than Jim Balsillie's purchase of the Coyotes.... off and on.... well, you get the idea.

TSN is reporting:

"Quebec Finance Minister Raymond Bachand is confirming that negotiations are underway in an attempt to bring back the Canadian Grand Prix in 2010.
Bachand said today talks are ongoing with Formula One boss Bernie Ecclestone for a potential return of the popular F1 race to Montreal.
Montreal was dumped from the circuit this year in favour of Istanbul but this month's race in Turkey was hamstrung by poor attendance.
Bachand told reporters in Quebec City the province, Ottawa and the City of Montreal are still willing to come up with financing to ensure the race returns.
The finance minister says he's confident but added that F1 has its own financial problems that need to be resolved.
The 2010 F1 schedule is to be unveiled before the end of the month."

P.S. - The story doesn't say who Bernie is negotiating with, but doesn't NASCAR have the contract to put on all races at Ile Notre Dame now?

Youtube: Kenny Schrader set for World of Outlaws Late Model race tonight at Ohsweken