Complete flag to flag coverage of the Northern Provincial Pipelines Late Model Series first ever race dates in the United States are now on ‘YouTube’. (Thank-you Nathan Prince!!)
NOTE: Caution laps have been edited out.
NIGHT #1 - SATURDAY, August 30th
> HEAT 1 / 2 / 3
> 'B' and 'A' DASH
> FEATURE (part 1) ////// FEATURE (part 2)
NIGHT #2 - MONDAY, September 1st
> HEAT 1 / 2
> FEATURE
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WHEELER SURVIVES BIG 'E' FINALE IN ELMA
ELMA,WA (Sept 2nd) - The Northern Provincial Pipelines Late Model Series wrapped up its first ever road trip to the United States with its first ever scheduled race event on a holiday Monday. With only three scheduled race events left in the 2008 season, grabbing maximum points was the goal for all drivers this night. This desperation for top points may have been a factor for several track incidents during the race night. Whitecourt Alberta's Rod Wilde and Entwistle Alberta's Arvid Fonstad duplicated Saturday nights performance by once again winning their respective Heat races. What happened behind them however grabbed more attention. Heat 1 saw a incident which could have resulted in serious injury. Whitecourt Alberta's Travis Day was slowing due to mechanical problems. Day was heading for the back straight exit to the pits when Campbell River, BC's Chris Beaulieu clipped his front right fender. Beaulieu would richochet head on into the back straight wall. The seriousness of the crash forced track officials to immediately throw the red flag. As the red flag flew and crews responded to the crash scene, Grays Harbor Raceway experienced a brown out with half of the track lights going dark. Beaulieu was uninjured in the crash. The checkered flag was flown under red conditions with 9 of the 12 scheduled laps completed. With the facility lights back on, Heat 2 saw plenty of four-wide action coming out of the turns which lead to plenty of body contact and several multi-car spins. Edson Alberta's Ken Clark finished the race missing his front nose clip and hood, Port McNeil BC's Brad Purdey, Whitecourt, Alberta's Paul Grundberg completed the heat race with visible body damage. Defending season champion Jason Beulieu, who also was involved in early heat race contact, would be forced to pit just before the halfway point with a malfunctioning water pump. For drivers who had mechanical problems or suffered damage during the heat races came a little bit of good news from race officials. A change of schedule would be taking place. The NPP Feature would follow the World of Outlaw Feature this night. This allowed both Beaulieu cars (Jason and Chris) and Kevin Clark the extra time needed to fix their cars. Even with the extra time, damage to Travis Day's car was too extensive and could not be repaired in time. There were still more surprises on this cool September 1st evening in Washington. As the trophy was being presented to World of Outlaw Feature winner Kraig Kinser, Grays Harbor Raceway had its second brown out of the evening. Half the race track was illuminated the other half sat in darkness. NPP teams would end up driving onto the racetrack with lights still out on the raceway. With the tracks lights flickering back to life, the green flag was dropped on the 25 lap Feature. Sherwood Park Alberta's Curtis Moore would jump to the early race lead and hold onto the number one spot for close to half the race. Heading into turn 3/4, pole sitter Rod Wilde would brush into the left rear side of Moore attempting a low side pass...Wilde would briefly climb the back of Moore’s car causing the left rear tire to go down. On the restart, Wheeler would take over the race lead from Wilde and hold on for his first Feature win of the 2008 season. Right at the flag stand Series point leader Dwight Kennedy would get by Wilde to steal second.Wilde would take third.
Wheeler wins NIGHT 2 in ELMA (Fletch photo)
The win for Wheeler now puts him within striking distance of the top 5 in the NPP Series Points Chase. Kennedy's second place finish puts some distance between himself and Brian McCaughan, who remains in second place in the points chase with just two races to go. Both races will be run at Edmonton's Castrol Raceway.
NEXT NPP SERIES RACE EVENT
Saturday, September 6th
CASTROL RACEWAY - Edmonton
Racing @ 6:00PM
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NPP SERIES / OUTLAWS WRAP UP BIG 'E' WEEKEND IN ELMA
ELMA, WA (Sept. 1) - For the second time in just over a week, the Northern Provincial Pipelines Late Model Series will be backing up the World of Outlaw Sprint Car Series at a major motorsports event. Monday night is the conclusion of the BIG 'E' weekend at Grays Harbor Raceway in Elma, Washington. With only three races remaining in the 2008 season, results tonight will determine whether it will be a two or five car battle for the NPP season championship back in Edmonton on September 9th and 20th. Whitecourt, Alberta's Paul Grundberg, the winner of first ever NPP Feature in the United States, hopes to double up with another victory Monday night. Grundberg currently sits sixth in NPP Series points chase just 3 points back of Sidney, BC's Darrell Midgley (5th in NPP Series points) and 63 points back of Campbell River, BC's Jason Beaulieu (4th). Current point leader and two time NPP Series champion Dwight Kennedy has a 23 point lead over Brian McCaughan heading into race action Monday night. Stony Plain Alberta's Mike Tom sits in third, just 128 points back of McCaughan. It will be a busy night for Brian McCaughan. Along with his NPP Late Model, the Okotok's Alberta driver brought his '360' and '410' Sprint Cars on the Washington road trip. McCaughan just missed out running the ASCS '360' Sprint Car Feature Saturday night by finishing 5th in the 'B' Dash. McCaughan will be one of more than 40 '410' cars hoping to make the 24 car World of Outlaw Feature event Monday night. Ardrossan Alberta's Wade Fleming will also be running with the Outlaws at Grays Harbor Raceway Monday night. Flemings trip south of the border was made possible with major sponsorship from Northern Provincial Pipelines.
BIG 'E' WEEKEND (Night #3) - RACING STARTS AT 6:30pm (local time)
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GRUNDBERG WINS FIRST NPP FEATURE IN UNITED STATES
ELMA, WA (August 30th)- The Northern Provincial Pipelines Late Model Series raced its first ever point event in the United States Saturday night. NPP teams were given some bonus hot laps about 45 minutes prior to the official start of the nights race schedule at Grays Harbor Raceway in Elma, Washington. Spruce Grove Alberta's Bruce Broughton (#61) was the first NPP driver to register a heat race victory south of the border. Arvid Fonstad (#2), who has run a limited season, made the long haul from Entwistle, Alberta and registered his first heat race win of 2008. Whitecourt, Alberta's Rod Wilde, running his final NPP race weekend of the season, grabbed the third and final heat of the night. Edson Alberta's Crystal Kennedy(#88) won the 'B' Dash race. In the 'A' Dash, Altario Alberta's Kevin Clark(#5) and Sherwood Park Alberta's Curtis Moore(#80) battled hard for the lead. After losing the race lead on the very first lap, Clark would take back the number one spot from Moore with 3 laps to go and drive on to his second 'A' Dash win of the season. Kevin Wheeler (#3), was the hard charger in the 'A' Dash. The Whitecourt, Alberta driver, who started in the 8th position, made all his passes on the high groove in his KW Mechanical sponsored #3 Dodge and got past Moore on the final lap of the 'A' Dash to finish second. Clark and Wheeler would sit on the front row for the start of the 35 lap Feature event. The start of the Feature would see Wheeler immediately taking the lead. Kevin Clark fell off the pace in his Clark Construction #5 Dodge with electrical problems and would retire on lap 21. Wheeler was challenged for the lead several times by Whitecourt driver Paul Grundberg and Stony Plain Alberta's Mike Tom. Tom was able to get by Wheeler underneath the flagstand on the start of lap 20. The NPP Feature would go 22 straight laps before the first and only yellow would fly. Edson Alberta's Ken Clark(#78) and Shelton Washington's Jay Cole(#7) would slow at opposite ends of the race track forcing officials to throw the caution. Both drivers irronically suffered broken trailing arms on their race cars. On the restart, Mike Tom and his Hinton Oilfield Services #55 Chevrolet would hang onto the lead until lap 32 when Grundberg, who was running third, would slingshot past Wheeler and Tom coming out of turn four down the front straight. Grundberg would lead the final three laps of the Feature and drive his Carlan Services #12 Pontiac to victory at Grays Harbor Raceway. Mike Tom who was heading for a second place finish, had the spindle on the left front tire break, causing him to spin on the final corner. Bruce Broughton drove on to a second place finish in his #61 LJB Auto Chevrolet and Wheeler finished third. Prince (Grays Harbor Raceway videographer) for the incrediblerace footage of this historic NPP Series race event.
Click: NIGHT#1 PHOTOS (thanks to Fletch Photos 360-649-5063)
Grundberg wins Saturday night Feature at Grays Harbor Raceway.
Grays Harbor Raceway scoreboard.
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NPP TO MAKE SERIES HISTORY SATURDAY NIGHT
ROCHESTER, WA (August 29th) - Anticipation is growing for drivers and teams of the Northern Provincial Pipelines Late Model Series. A history making weekend begins in only a few hours time. Saturday and Monday night, the first ever NPP Series points race takes place at an American race track. Grays Harbor Raceway in Elma Washington is home to the BIG 'E' Weekend. "You can't find a motel room for miles," says NPP Series announcer Gord Craig, "local campgrounds are jammed packed with racefans and racers. This is going to be an incredible race weekend." The NPP Late Model Series headlines the race action Saturday night at Grays Harbor Raceway along with the local Hobby Stock class. NPP teams have Sunday night off but are back in action Monday night, backing up the World of Outlaw Sprint Car Series.
EAGLES LANDING HOTEL PARKING LOT FRI. NIGHT IN ROCHESTER, WA.
There are several firsts that NPP drivers will be aiming for Saturday night in Elma; Heat race win, Dash win, Feature win. "Everyone is focused on Saturday night right now," adds Craig, "no one will say it out loud but you know that winning the first Feature on US soil is very much the number one goal right now for everyone here." There has been 8 different Feature event winners in 2008. Adding to the intensity of this weekends race. It's the closest point battle in the NPP Series 8 year history. Just 400 points separates first through tenth in the point standings. Currently point leader Dwight Kennedy (Edson, Alberta) has just a 15 point lead over Brian McCaughan (Okotoks, Alberta). Stony Plain Alberta's Mike Tom currently sits third, just 101 points back of McCaughan and 115 points back of Kennedy. Including this weekend there are only four races left in the season with 600 points still yet to be awarded.
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AMERICAN DEBUT FOR NPP SERIES THIS WEEKEND
EDMONTON, AB (August 27th) – For the first time in its eight year history, the Northern Provincial Pipelines Late Model Series competes south of the border. “This is the final road trip of the 2008 season,” indicates NPP Series announcer Gord Craig, “it’s also a history making road trip that drivers and teams will remember for a very long time.” Eighteen race teams are planning to make the long 16 hour drive from various parts of Alberta to Elma, Washington (west of Seattle).
NPP Series heads to the USA for the first time. (Perry Nelson photo)
The NPP Late Model Series will join about 100 other race teams from 3 different racing divisions at Grays Harbor Raceway for the Big ‘E’ weekend Saturday, Sunday and Monday. “We race Saturday and Monday night,” adds Craig, “we have Sunday off.” Only four races remain on the 2008 NPP schedule. Edson, Alberta’s Dwight Kennedy sits number one in points heading into race action this weekend. “The win in Edmonton on Saturday night (Aug. 23rd) was huge for us,” says the driver of the #81 Lucas Oil Dodge, “we got the point lead back and some pretty good momentum for the final four races of the season. Maybe we can add to our point lead with a win in Washington this weekend.” Four different drivers have sat number one in the NPP point’s chase this season. Kennedy is at the top of the points chase for the third time this season. The 2008 NPP Championship points chase has been one of the closest battles in Series history.
Kennedy leads the NPP Series points chase headtng to Washington. (Perry Nelson photo)
Fifteen points separates Kennedy from Brian McCaughan out of Okotoks, Alberta. It’s a classic Northern Alberta versus Southern Alberta battle. Only 210 points separates the top five in the standings. “We are right where we want to be,” says McCaughan, “just keep our nose clean, run strong and hope for the best.” The Okotoks, Alberta driver had back to back third place finishes in Edmonton last weekend.
ELMA, WASHINGTON
BIG ‘E’ WEEKEND
-presented by the Lucky Eagle Casino
>SATURDAY, August 30th >SUNDAY, August 31st
Pit gates @ 2:30pm Pit gates @ 2:30pm
Spectator gates @ 4:30pm Spectator gates @ 3:30pm
Racing @ 7:00pm Racing @ 6:30pm
Classes Classes
N.P.P. Late Model Series ASCS ‘360’ Sprint Cars
Hobby Stocks Ford Focus Midgets
Spectator Admission Spectator Admission
Adults (15 & Up): $10.00 Adults (15 a& Up): $20.00
Juniors (6-14): $5.00 Juniors (6- 14): $5.00
Child (0-5): Free Child (0 – 5): Free
Premium Seating: $15.00 Premium Seating: $28.00
>MONDAY, September 1st
Pit gates @ 2:00pm
Spectator gates @ 3:30pm
Racing @ 6:30pm
Classes
World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series
Northern Provincial Pipelines Late Model Series
Spectator Admission
Adults (15 & Up) - $35
Juniors (6-14) - $17
Child (0-5) – Free
Premium Seating: SOLD OUT!
NOTE: No ATM on Site.
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