EDMONTON, AB. – The Northern Provincial Pipelines Late Model Series will be without three racing regulars this Saturday night in Edmonton.  Both the 2010 NPP Series Champion Bruce Broughton and 2009 NPP Series Champion Darrell Midgley will be absent from the track when the green flag drops.  Rookie of the Year contender Pete Head has announced that he is gone for the season after an incident unloading his race car.  Midgley, president of Western Speedway in Victoria, British Columbia puts on his promoter hat for the biggest pavement sprint car event of the year on Vancouver Island.  “It’s unfortunate that I have to miss a NPP Series race but I have to be here [at Western Speedway] for this race.”  The Daffodil Cup, first run in 1961, is the second longest running open wheel event in Western Canada, next to Edmonton’s Gold Cup which was first run in 1954.  Midgley will compete at the inaugural NPP Series event in Kindersley, Saskatchewan on the September long weekend.  Four-time Castrol Raceway champion Kelvin Bell will drive Midgley’s Integra Tire #14 Dodge in Edmonton Saturday night.

Meanwhile, Bruce Broughton has announced that he will not be behind the wheel for the remainder of the 2012 season.  The Spruce Grove, Alberta driver has a family reunion to attend this weekend and a wedding on the September long weekend.  “I had these commitments well before the race season began and before the NPP schedule was released.  These are two big family get-together’s and I can’t miss either one.  So I have to pull myself out of the driver’s seat.”  Broughton actually sold off his entire #61 Chevrolet racing operation upon the conclusion of the 2011 race season.  “I actually was done with racing,” exclaims Broughton, “I had my 13 years of fun behind the wheel of a Stock Car, Sprint Car and Late Model.”

Broughton’s retirement from racing was brief.  NPP Series team owner Dwight Kennedy contacted Broughton back in April and asked the 2010 NPP Series Champion if he’d like to fill in for a couple of race weekends in 2012.  “It was only supposed to race a few weekends but the way things worked out it ended up being most of the season.  I loved racing the #7 Dodge this year.  I want to thank Dwight for giving me the opportunity.”  Broughton registered a Feature win in Rimbey and leads all NPP Series drivers this season with four Qualifying Heat race wins.  Whitecourt, Alberta’s Dean Deatherage will drive the #7 NPP Dodge Saturday night in Edmonton.

Rookie of the Year contender Pete Head is done for the 2012 race season.  “The doctor told me he has never seen a broken ankle as bad as mine.”  The Whitecourt, Alberta driver was unloading his car when it ‘got away’.  His right foot was twisted underneath the car.  Along with the broken ankle, Head suffered a fractured leg.  “At least four months on crutches,” sighs the driver of the Venom Energy #48 Chevrolet, “it could be as much as six months.”  Pins have already been inserted into his ankle.  Head is scheduled for several operations in the coming months.

>SATURDAY, AUGUST 18th 
Gates at 4:00pm
Racing starts at 6:00pm
Also racing: The 2012 Extreme Cup featuring Sportsman Sprint Cars.

Edmonton spectator admission:
$20.00 – Adults
$10.00 – Youth
$10.00 – Seniors
FREE – Children 5 and under