EDMONTON, AB. – The clock is counting down to the Jim Albert Memorial Gold Cup race weekend at Castrol Raceway on July 21st and 22nd. The Northern Provincial Pipelines Late Model Series will attempt to get its 2017 race season underway at this event. “The Canada Day long weekend is over,” says NPP Series announcer Gord Craig, “we’ve seen the fireworks. We’ve celebrated history. Now it’s time to see some racing.” A lack of entries for the official season opener back on May 26th/27th forced NPP Series officials to cancel an appearance at Central Alberta Raceways in Rimbey. A tentatively scheduled June appearance by NPP Series drivers at Sangudo Speedway was also cancelled less than a week later. Track officials in Sangudo, Alberta announced they were postponing the start of their season till mid-July. “A lot of race classes in Alberta are struggling for cars this season,” admits Craig, “we’re probably the only class that is admitting it publicly.” Having a decent number of cars for the Gold Cup race is crucial. “We need at least eight teams confirmed,” says Craig, “we’re close but we’re not there yet. We’ll have a decision of yes or no [for the Edmonton race] on July 19th.”

This is not the first time a season has started this late in the year for NPP Series race teams. “Several years ago we were several weeks into summer before our season started. The circumstances were totally different.” Back in 2013 the season start was delayed till July 19th thanks to five consecutive rainouts. “The Gold Cup was the first race of the 2013 season for us. Car count permitting, the Gold Cup will be our first race of the season this year.” The Gold Cup is Canada’s oldest open wheel sprint car event first run back in 1954 at Edmonton Speedway. “The NPP Late Model made its debut at the 1999 Gold Cup and has been part of this big show ever since.” Darrell Midgley, the three-time and defending season champion of the NPP Late Model Series, has swept the Gold Cup race weekend the last two years. “Hopefully we’ll have enough confirmed drivers for this year’s Gold Cup race. In a couple of weeks we’ll have an answer to the car count question.”