The amazing journey of what is now called the Northern Provincial Pipelines Ltd. Late Model Series has a rather humble, non-spectacular beginning dating back to the early 1990's. A group of racers in the Hinton and Edson regions of the province of Alberta, got together with a simple plan....."Have fun.....go racing!" At the time, going fender to fender on a Saturday or Sunday afternoon was a way to unwind after a week of work. To these drivers it was a fun hobby. Thus the original name of the class; 'The Hobby Stocks.' Fragmented records show that this newly formed class, which had a rather 'liberal' set of rules for engine size and body styles, ran one of their first ever events in the summer of 1993. The Oilmens Invitational race, which celebrates its 18th anniversary in 2010, was run for the very first time. For the first 4 years, prize purses were small (less than $3,000) and so was the car count. Feature events often saw less than 7 cars on the race track. Yellowhead Speedway in Hinton, Alberta was home track to the 'Hobby Stocks' for many years. In 1997, Edson, Alberta's Dwight Kennedy, owner of Northern Provincial Pipelines Ltd. and a race competitor, saw huge growth potential for the class. Kennedy knew that the class could only grow with the right ingredients. Increasing the season prize purse was one of those ingredients. To protect the future of this race class, many 'Hobby Stock' competitors agreed to 'tighten up' the engine and body rules. The slight increase in prize money and newly designed rules saw the 'Hobby Stock' class expand with the addition of several new race teams. Taking the show on the road would be a new venture for 'Hobby Stock' competitors as well, with races competed in Valemont, BC and Sangudo, Alberta. The passion that these drivers showed for racing was evident both on and off the track. Momentum for this new look class was definitely building. Up for debate now was the name of the race class. Should 'Hobby Stock' be replaced with a more professional sounding name? In the summer of 1999, an exhibition race at Budweiser Motorsports Park (now Castrol Raceway) in Edmonton, Alberta, would change the direction of this class forever. The 'Hinton Late Models', as they were first introduced, were an instant hit with the knowledgeable, stock car loving racefans. In 2001, after two years of planning, the Northern Provincial Pipelines Late Model Series was born, with its new home base at the Edmonton race track. The winter months of 2003 saw a major announcement from series sponsor Northern Provincial Pipelines Ltd. This announcement would forever change the face of Late Model Stock Car racing in Western Canada. A $100,000 season points fund was introduced. Despite the mid-winter announcement, 7 new race teams were formed to compete in the 2003 season. Additional race teams also joined the series mid-season. The car count continued upward in 2004. The 2005 season saw a record 22 race teams campaigning for the $100,000 season points fund. To celebrate its 6th season as a series, race teams travelled to 6 different racing venues including inaugural visits to Swift Current, Saskatchewan and Lethbridge, Alberta. The 2007 season saw an increase in regular race day payouts for NPP Series competitors. Combined with the six figure season points fund, a record $265,000 was paid out to NPP Series competitors during the 2007 season. The Northern Provincial Pipelines Late Model Series celebrated its 8th consecutive season in 2008 by breaking down the international barrier. For the very first time, NPP Series race events took place at Grays Harbor Raceway in Elma, Washington, USA. With well over $275,000 in prize money on the line once again this season, the 2010 chase for the N.P.P. Late Model Series Championship will go down in history as one of the best season's yet. Current drivers and teams however cannot forget what was said some 15 years ago, before the Series was even born......"Have fun....go racing!" The NPP Series tradition continues.