EDMONTON, AB. – Two-time Northern Provincial Pipelines Late Model Series Champion Dwight Kennedy returned to Castrol Raceway’s victory lane for the first time in almost four seasons. “It’s been a while,” says the driver of the Integra Tire #81 Dodge who last won a race in Edmonton on August 23rd, 2008, “we ran a clean race tonight and this proves that you can win without taking someone out.” Kennedy was referring to some excessive aggression on the track not only in the Feature but the Qualifying Heats and Dashes. Saturday nights event saw a lot of twisted up race cars.

PLENTY OF CARNAGE IN BOTH QUALIFYING HEATS

“We have a little damage on the car but we got through the night.”  Kennedy was running second with just four laps to go when race leader Kelvin Bell lost his front right tire due to a broken spindle.  “Kelvin was strong tonight,” admits Kennedy who nearly hit Bell’s suddenly slowing race car, “it’s too bad what happened but that’s racing.”  Bell’s car had barely come to a stop when he was hammered hard by Altario Alberta’s Kevin Clark who had just changed his driving line on the track.  Clark was battling for 5th with Campbell River BC’s Chris Beaulieu.

MOMENT OF IMPACT BETWEEN BELL AND CLARK

Clark was then clipped by Sherwood Park, Alberta’s Curtis Moore who was running sixth.  Bell, the seventh different pole sitter this season, led the most laps after he inherited the lead from Whitecourt, Alberta’s Kevin Wheeler on lap six.  “The temperature sensor blew out of my thermostat,” sighs Wheeler who had built up a commanding lead, “I lost a bunch of coolant and had to come in [to the pits].”  Wheeler and his KW Mechanical/Bill Wiens Trucking #3 Dodge went to the back of the pack and charged back to the front and finished fourth.  “I definitely salvaged what could have been a real bad finish.”  Another driver that salvaged his race night was Stony Plain, Alberta’s Mike Tom in the Belterra/TFL Industrial #55 Chevrolet.  “The track was very difficult tonight”, says Tom, “we had a right rear tire going down and I caught a lucky caution.”  Tom, who won his Qualifying Heat earlier in the evening, was running 5th when his tire went soft, “changed the tire under caution went to the back and made it back to fifth.”  Tom entered race action second in the NPP Series standings just 35 points behind Chris Beaulieu.  Tom hoped to gain some ground on the point leader however Beaulieu also won his Qualifying Heat and finished third in the Feature.

KENNEDY, BORYSKO AND BEAULIEU GO HARD IN EDMONTON

“This close to the end [of the season] you really have to be thinking about making sure you finish the race,” says Beaulieu who remains the NPP Series point leader, “I played it smart and ended up coming in on the podium.” Edson, Alberta’s Darin Borysko had his best finish of year, “I was praying for a good finish tonight and I got one,” says Borysko who finished second Saturday night, “James and Jerry [my crew] have been helping me this year.  The good crew sure helps.”  With just two races to go in the 2012 season, the points race has never been this tight.  Beaulieu gained a little ground in the standings and now has a 42 point lead over Tom, Wheeler and Kennedy who share second in the NPP Championship point standings.  Borysko sits in third just 26 points behind the trio.  The 2012 NPP Series Championship will be decided at Flatlanders Speedway in Kindersley, Saskatchewan on the September long weekend.

NPP SERIES – THE INSIDE TRACK
– Kennedy’s victory Saturday night was his 20th NPP Series Feature win in Edmonton.
– the NPP Late Model Series has never had a three way tie in the points chase.  Mike Tom, Kevin Wheeler and Dwight Kennedy all sit tied for second in the standings just 42 points behind Chris Beaulieu after Saturdays event.
– Kelvin Bell has won the pole four of the last five NPP Series events that he’s competed in.
– there has been seven different pole winners this season.  Current NPP Series record for different pole winners is 10 set in 2008.
– Wayne Wheeler and brother Kevin Wheeler were racing each other on the oval for first time since July 14th, 2007.
– Following last weeks surgery to repair a badly broken ankle and leg, NPP Series competitor Pete Head showed up at the race track Saturday night on crutches.  Head’s wife Charlene wins Castrol Raceways 50/50 draw.
– CBC Television is shooting a special documentary on summer ‘activities’ in Alberta.  Motorsports will be part of the show.  NPP Series driver Crystal Kennedy will be featured in the documentary which will air in late September.  A camera crew from Calgary was at the track Saturday night.