DRAYTON VALLEY, AB. – Eighteen race teams braved ‘tricky’ track conditions as the $100,000 Northern Provincial Pipelines Late Model Series touched down for the first time at Rapid Fire Motorsports Park.  Dwight Kennedy won the Saturday and Sunday night Feature events.  It was Kennedy’s third Feature win in a row and the second time this season he has won back to back race events at a weekend show.  “It was a battle out there,” exclaims Kennedy, “never mind trying to pass other cars, you really had to pick and choose your spots on the racetrack.  I feel like I’ve just run a 3 hour marathon.”  Both nights the racing surface tossed around the 3,000lb Late Models like they were small toys.  In several instances several drivers came together through no fault of their own.  Wayne Gideon, Kevin Wheeler, Bruce Broughton, Shawn Kennedy and Ken Clark are just some of the drivers who were involved in fender benders.  “There still a body on the race car,” chuckles three-time NPP Series Champion Trevor Emond, “it was definitely a struggle this weekend for both me and my dad.  We each took some lumps on the track both nights.”  Saturday nights Feature event saw Trevor Emonds #71 machine without its two front fenders and the hood.  The Leduc Alberta driver was squeezed into the front straightaway wall by Dan Stewart which forced the flagman to throw the black flag to the Seba Beach driver.  Six laps later Emond retired with a blown transmission.  “The consolation for me, “adds Emond, “was coming back from Saturday night’s gong show and finishing fourth in the Feature.”  On Sunday night, Gerry Emond was involved in one of the wildest NPP Late Model crashes in series history.  A slowing car on the first lap of the Feature forced several drivers to perform evasive maneuvers.  Some made it through.  Others did not. Four race cars came to a halt with spectacular results.  “We came to a sudden stop and here I had a car sitting on top of my roof, “exclaims Gerry Emond, “I was watching that fuel cell fall out of the #46 machine as we were still moving and was wondering where is this thing going!”  Both Emond and rookie driver Chris Skelton were uninjured in the crash.  “I saw a lot of dust and shadows of cars elevated,“ indicates Mike Tom, “ so I knew it was bad.  I was heavy on the brakes but was tagged from behind.  All corners of the car got it but it was mostly cosmetic.”  Despite the carnage Tom was one of a handful of drivers that had a top ten finish both nights.  Kevin Clark was the only NPP driver other than Kennedy to finish in the top six both nights.  The two night consistency from the rookie driver launched him 3 positions in the standings to 11th.  The Altario, Alberta driver now sits just five points out of the top 10 and can clinch rookie of the year status with a strong performance in Edmonton.  Only three races remain in the 2006 NPP Late Model Series season.  These events will be held at Edmonton’s Castrol Raceway on August, 26th, September 9th and September 23rd.