RIMBEY, AB. – Leduc’s Trevor Emond won the first race of 2006 in the $100,000 Northern Provincial Pipelines Late Model Series and now finds himself the early season point leader.  A total of 19 NPP Late Model race teams made the trek to Central Alberta Raceway’s in Rimbey, Alberta Saturday, to help celebrate the tracks official grand opening.  Emond started near the back of the pack in the 25 lap feature event.  The defending series champion made his way through the field, taking over the lead with about 7 laps remaining.  Despite challenges near the end of the race from Edson’s Shawn Kennedy, Emond hung on for victory.  “I had fun racing here.  Ending up at the front was a bonus.  My goal this year is to try to have more fun on the track and not to focus on the point’s race.”  Emond hopes that with the change in focus the wins still come his way this season.  So far he’s right!  Shawn Kennedy raced one of his best events to date in a NPP Late Model finishing in second spot.  He started the event strong winning his preliminary heat race.  “I’ve been working on the mental game behind the wheel because last year I made a lot of mistakes.  I hope to build from what I did today on the track (in Rimbey) and bring it with me to the next race in Edmonton.”  Shawn Kennedy’s father Dwight was the pole sitter in the race but had to settle for third spot in the feature.  “A big thanks goes out to Paul and Gerry” added Kennedy.  Whitecourt’s, Paul Grundberg and Edmonton’s Gerry Emond had separate spins late in the race which sent them to the back of the field allowing Dwight Kennedy to gain back the positions lost after being passed by the two drivers.  “The car setup wasn’t there,” adds Kennedy, “I’m very fortunate to get third.”  Several drivers did not have the luck of Dwight Kennedy in this race.  Hardisty Alberta’s Kelvin Bell crashed out of the Feature event while running 8th as did Brian Ford from Sundre.  Mike Tom from Salmon Arm, British Columbia had handling problems during the Feature event, spinning twice and was forced to pit.  Darrel Midgley looked to be the early favorite going into Saturday nights Feature event after winning both of his preliminary heat races.  But the Sydney BC driver spun late in the Feature ending his charge to the front.  Midgley ended the race finishing 13th.

The next race in the $100,000 Northern Provincial Pipelines Late Model series is Saturday night May 27th at Castrol Raceway in Edmonton and then its on the road for the first ever visit to Bridge Country Raceway in Lethbridge, Alberta on June 3rd.