EDMONTON, AB – The $100,000 Northern Provincial Pipeline Late Model Series races on its home track this Saturday night May 22nd.  Leduc, Alberta’s Trevor Emond is the early season point leader after a big win two weeks ago at Central Alberta Raceways in Rimbey, Alberta.  Emond’s good fortune early in 2006 is certainly troubling news for the rest of the NPP Late Model field at Edmonton’s Castrol Raceway this weekend.  The 2003, 2004 and 2005 N.P.P. Champion is off to one of his best starts in 4 seasons.  “The last few years I’ve had some bad luck at the first few events because of something breaking on my car.  Race car preparation, plain and simple, is why I won the last race (in Rimbey).”  Both Dwight and son Shawn Kennedy from Edson, Alberta, are off to their best starts in several seasons also.  Shawn Kennedy challenged Emond for top spot late in the race at Rimbey but settled for second.  “I’ve been working on the mental game behind the wheel because last year I made a lot of mistakes,” says Kennedy who currently sits second in the points, “I hope to build from what I did in Rimbey and bring it with me to Edmonton.”  Dwight Kennedy admits he’s lucky to be sitting in third spot in the chase heading into this weekend’s event.  “If it wasn’t for Gerry (Emond) and Jeff (Grundberg) spinning in Rimbey I’d probably be 8th in the points.  We’ve changed a few things in the car so I hope to get this Dodge to the front in Edmonton.”  There are several NPP Late Model series drivers looking to get out of the ’basement’ as far as the point chase is concerned.  Mike Tom is looking up at the rest of the field.  Tom had one of his worst season opening races ever.  Handling problems forced the driver from Salmon Arm, BC to retire early from the race in Rimbey two weeks ago.  Hard charging Kelvin Bell, from Hardisty, Alberta had a tough first race of the 2006 NPP Series also.  Bell crashed out of the Rimbey event.  Last seasons NPP Rookie of the Year does not want a repeat of the Rimbey race.  Bruce Broughton’s severely damaged race car is repaired.  The Spruce Grove driver hopes to be one of the top challengers in Edmonton Saturday night.

WHAT: N.P.P. Late Model Series Oval event.
WHERE: Castrol Raceway – Edmonton, Alberta
GATES: 4:00PM
RACING: 6:00PM

2006 N.P.P. LATE MODEL SERIES STANDINGS (after 1 race)
1. #71 Trevor Emond – Leduc             114
2. #7 Shawn Kennedy – Edson          108
3. #81 Dwight Kennedy – Edson         97
4. #19 Dan Stewart – Seba Beach       85
5. #12 Jeff Grundberg – Whitecourt  78
6. #78 Ken Clark – Onoway                 72
7. #21 Cody Graber – Edson                68
8. #88 Crystal Kennedy – Edson       58
9. # 2 Arvid Fonstad – Entwistle       57
10.#23 Gerry Emond – Edmonton   50
11.#14 Darrel Midgley – Sydney, BC 46
12.#18 Tim Beausoliel – Sedgewick  45
13.#99 Wayne Gideon – Edson         40
14.#69 Kelvin Bell – Hardisty            32
# 5 Kevin Clark(R) – Altario, AB       32
15.#52 Brian Ford – Sundre               29
16.#61 Bruce Broughton – Spruce Grove       25
17.#16 Ashley Broughton(R)– Spruce Grove 24
18.#55 Mike Tom – Salmon Arm, BC              23