SIDNEY, BC – As the 2015 season opener of the Northern Provincial Pipelines Late Model Series continues to inch closer, Darrell Midgley will be waving the Canadian flag at the inaugural $150,000 Winter Showdown 250 in Bakersfield, California. Over 60 teams have registered for this short track, pavement Super Late Model event scheduled for February 26th – 28th at Kern County Raceway Park. Midgley will be behind the wheel of the Northern Provincial Pipelines/Alien Chassis #81 Dodge.

“No guarantees for anyone,” exclaims the 2009 NPP Series Champion, “everyone will have to race their way into the big race on Saturday night. Its going to be a tough deal that’s for sure. If I make the show [Saturday night] it will be huge. This is a very high level event.” After single car qualifying Friday afternoon, three qualifier races will then be run under the lights. “You can’t focus too much on the big race,” adds Midgley, “yes, running Saturday night is the ultimate goal but you have to get through Friday first. ”

Ten drivers from each of the Friday night qualifier races will transfer to Saturday nights 250 lap/$25,000 to win event. For non-qualifiers, a last chance race will be run Saturday afternoon of which only four cars will transfer. “I don’t think anybody wants to run this race,” exclaims Midgley, “it’s an extra race which will probably be a very rough one.” Earlier this month (February 6 -7) at Tuscon Speedway in Arizona, Midgley qualified 19th, finished 2nd in his Heat and finished 22nd in the Feature at the annual Chilly Willy 100. “We were running 8th near the end and got taken out. I think we were probably a top 5 car at this race.” Midgley says the race in Bakersfield will be exciting. “There are a lot of good teams, a lot of full-time teams down in the Southwest. We will be seeing many of these same drivers and teams, that we raced against in Arizona, at the California race.” Midgley indicates if the car ‘survives’ the Showdown event at Kern County Raceway he’ll be competing at California’s Irwindale Speedway on April 4th.

UPDATE
> THURSDAY – February 26th
Practice – 36th fastest / 18.094 seconds / -.912)
Qualifying pill draw – drew #22

> FRIDAY – February 27th
Practice – 37th fastest / 18.135 seconds / -.707
Qualifying – Qualified 34th – 18.058 seconds / -.835
Qualifier Race – Finished 9th

> SATURDAY – February 28th
— RAINED OUT —
Race rescheduled to Sunday, March 1st

> SUNDAY – March 1st
Winter Showdown 250 – Finished 13th