MERRITT, BC. – Record crowds and record temperatures welcomed the debut of the Northern Provincial Pipelines Late Model Series in British Columbia on the August long weekend.  Trevor Emond kept his cool in a ‘borrowed’ race car and scored his 33rd and 34th career NPP Series Feature victories.  The three-time NPP Model Series Champion, filling in for NPP Series regular Kevin Clark, also won his Saturday and Sunday night Qualifying Heats.  Emond also won the ‘A’ Dash Sunday night which gave him pole position for the Feature.  “It’s always good to come back [to the NPP Series],” says the Leduc, Alberta driver whose been focused on racing his pavement Late Model in 2012, “I had to knock the rust off though.”  Emond last competed in the NPP Series in 2010.  “If Kevin wants me to drive every August long weekend I guess I’ll fill in.”

Darin Borysko, Dwight Kennedy and Trevor Emond were the Saturday night lap leaders in the Feature.  Emond would lead all laps in Sunday night’s Feature.  “The track really rubbered up but it was nice and smooth all weekend.”  With temperatures in the mid-thirties, the Merritt Speedway water truck made several appearances both nights to calm the dusty racing surface.  Dwight Kennedy and Darrell Midgley would finish second and third in Saturday night’s Feature.  Curtis Moore and Kevin Wheeler would finish on the podium Sunday night.  The hot temperatures did lead to some hot tempers on and off the race track both nights.  Kevin Wheeler and Curtis Moore were pointing fingers at each other Saturday night after an on-track incident in the ‘A’ Dash.  Both cars suffered significant damage in the back straight melee.  During Sunday nights Feature, two-time NPP Series Champion Dwight Kennedy and defending NPP Series Champion Mike Tom bumped and battled hard for second down the back straight.  Kennedy would spin going into turn three.  Under the caution flag Kennedy would track down Tom and would give his car a hard nudge.  Kennedy would receive the black flag for his actions.

It was a tough weekend for current NPP Series point leader Chris Beaulieu.  The Campbell River BC driver was hoping to build off Saturday nights fifth place finish in the Feature.  Sunday night would be a night filled with frustration.  “I had an axle go on me in the Heat race.  Come Main event time, everyone was driving real aggressive and I got collected.”  Starting near the back, Beaulieu was involved in a 5 car wreck on the third lap of Sunday nights Feature.  Jeff Grundberg, Kevin Wheeler, Darrell Midgley and Mike Dunn were also involved.  The red flag would be thrown for this incident because the track was blocked.

 

Beaulieu would recover and run as high as 2nd in the Feature but ended up 8th after spinning late in the race.  Beaulieu has a 35 point lead over a surging Mike Tom who had a 5th place finish in Sunday night’s Feature.  Kevin Wheeler’s Qualifying Heat win and a 3rd place finish in the Feature Sunday night puts him just 8 points behind Tom in the NPP Series Championship point standings with just three races to go in the 2012 season.

NPP SERIES – THE INSIDE TRACK
– Trevor Emond and Darin Borysko were the only two NPP Series drivers that finished better than 5th both nights.
– this is the second August long weekend sweep for Trevor Emond.  Emond won the Saturday and Sunday Features at the 2008 August long weekend event at Rocky Mountain Raceway Park in Okotoks, Alberta.
– Darin Borysko grabbed his first ever NPP Series pole position Saturday night winning the ‘A’ Dash in the All Weather Windows/Habitat for Humanity #35 Dodge.
– Rookie of the Year contender Mike Dunn finished the Feature in the top 10 both nights plus ran his first ever ‘A’ Dash Sunday night.
– Bruce Broughton has won a Qualifying Heat at the last three tracks the NPP Series has visited; Merritt Speedway, Castrol Raceway and Central Alberta Raceways.
– temperature at Merritt Speedway Saturday night at 6:00pm was 35 Celcius.
– temperature at Merritt Speedway Sunday night at 6:00pm was 37 Celcius.