EDMONTON, AB – The Northern Provincial Pipelines Late Model Series resumes its 2009 season schedule with a Northern Alberta, Southern Alberta race weekend. “This is going to be a pretty intense weekend for everyone,” says NPP Series announcer Gord Craig, “we haven’t raced in over a month due to the weather and now we run back to back races in two different area codes.” This Friday night (June 19th) the NPP Series competes at Edmonton’s Castrol Raceway. Less than twenty-four hours later the scene shifts to Rocky Mountain Raceway Park south of Calgary. Current point leader Jason Beaulieu is looking forward to the challenge. “Both tracks are fun to race at,” says the Campbell River, BC driver, “Okotoks is probably the tougher of the two tracks. It’s small and tight and tough to pass. Track position is everything.”

The 2007 NPP Champion, who has 11 Feature wins at Castrol Raceway, has yet to visit victory lane at Rocky Mountain Raceway Park. “It’s one track I definitely want to win at that’s for sure.” Beaulieu’s best performance at RMRP was a second place finish in August of 2006. Three-time NPP Series champion Trevor Emond has 25 Feature wins at Castrol Raceway and three Feature wins at Rocky Mountain Raceway Park. “Two different tracks over two nights is pretty tough,” admits the Leduc, Alberta driver, “hopefully there won’t be too much carnage in Edmonton Friday night.”

Emond’s last NPP Feature win at Castrol Raceway came on September 9th, 2006. As a guest driver during the 2008 season, Emond won back to back Features at the August long weekend event at Rocky Mountain Raceway Park. “After being away from the Series for two years it was a good feeling to win on the dirt again,” says the driver of the #17 Glentel Wireless Chevrolet, “maybe we’ll do it again this weekend in my own car.” Emond currently sits 8th in the NPP Series points chase.

WEEKEND RACE NOTES
– Trevor Emond is driving the same race car his dad (Gerry) took to victory lane at the inaugural NPP Series Race (July 2005) at Rocky Mountain Raceway Park.
– Trevor Emond, Dwight Kennedy and Kevin Clark are the only NPP Drivers that have won a Feature event at both Castrol Raceway and Rocky Mountain Raceway Park.
– In the last 5 NPP Series races at RMRP, the #5 Clark Construction Dodge has visited the winners circle three times.
– this is the only NPP Series visit to Rocky Mountain Raceway Park this season.
– Darrell Midgley will miss Saturday night’s race in Okotoks. Chris Beaulieu will be the relief driver in the #14 Lucas Oil Dodge.
– Friday’s race is the 88th visit of the NPP Late Model Series to Edmonton’s Castrol Raceway.
– Saturday’s race is the 9th visit of the NPP Late Model Series to Rocky Mountain Raceway Park.
– the pole sitter has won just 6 of the last 20 NPP Features dating back to 2007.