EDMONTON, AB. – Kevin Wheeler almost let a Feature win slip through his fingers Saturday night at Castrol Raceway.  On the white flag lap, two-time NPP Late Model Series Champion Dwight Kennedy got by the defending NPP Series Champion down the back straight.  Wheeler managed to muscled back the lead coming out of turn four and drove to his second Feature win of the 2013 season.

WHEELER GRABS SECOND WIN OF 2013 SEASON

“We had a fast car right out of the gate,” says the driver of the Bill Weins Trucking/KW Mechanical #3 Dodge, “Dwight put some pressure on us hard at the end but we were able to hold him off.  To finish in front of him is pretty good.”  With the win Wheeler solidified his lead atop the NPP Late Model Series Championship point standings.  The Whitecourt, Alberta driver has a 69 point cushion over Kennedy who moved from sixth to second in the standings with his second place finish.  Despite his best finish of the season, the Edson, Alberta driver was not very pleased with Wheelers passing tactics at the end.  “I passed Wheeler clean [to take over the lead].  That’s really all I have to say.”  With his second place finish in his All Weather Windows #81 Dodge, Kennedy hopes to continue his move to towards the top.  “Its a new car and a new chassis for us this season,” admits Kennedy, “we are starting to get the feel of it finally and it definitely showed tonight.”  Both Kennedy and Wheeler were the NPP Series Heat race winners earlier in the evening.

PETE HEAD AND CRYSTAL KENNEDY BATTLE FOR FOURTH IN EDMONTON

Darin Borysko, who ran a full-season last year with the NPP Late Model Series made his first appearance of the season Saturday night.  The Edson, Alberta racer drove the Integra Tire #14 Dodge to a third place finish.  Borysko was filling in for Darrell Midlgey who was overseeing track management duties at Western Speedway in Victoria, British Columbia.  Edson Alberta’s Crystal Kennedy started the Feature at the back of the pack and finished fourth.  Pete Head had his best ever finish in the Northern Provincial Pipelines Late Model Series. The Whitecourt, Alberta driver finished fifth.  His previous best Feature finish was 10th at Merritt Speedway in British Columbia last season.  Next scheduled event for the Northern Provincial Pipelines Late Model Series is a two-day show at Flatlanders Speedway in Kindersley, Saskatchewan on the September long weekend.

NPP LATE MODEL SERIES – THE INSIDE TRACK
– this is Kevin Wheelers first ever multi-win season in the NPP Series.
– Rookie of the Year contender Wayne Wheeler suffered extensive damage in a two-car tangle early in the Feature.  Wheeler finished last and moved from second to fourth in the points chase.
– Rookie of the Year contender Mark Miller was heading for a top-5 finish in the Feature but suspension problems forced the Calgary, Alberta driver to retire with four laps to go.
– Dwight Kennedy’s heat race win Saturday night was his first in Edmonton since September 19th, 2009.
– Crystal Kennedy now has 88 starts in the NPP Late Model Series.  Her brother Shawn has 80 starts.  Her dad Dwight leads all drivers will 139 starts.