EDMONTON, AB – Northern Provincial Pipelines Late Model Series race teams hit the track this weekend for the first time since May. Defending season champion Mark Miller knows that having another off-night is not an option. “There are a lot of great teams in this Series,” says the Calgary, Alberta driver, “we don’t like bringing a bad car to the track. We will be bringing our A game to the track this weekend.”

Miller suffered overheating problems at the season opener and slowed to a seventh place finish in the Feature. “We’re pretty confident that we’ve got the problems fixed,” says the driver of the A1 Autobody #69 Chevrolet, “we changed the head gasket and then had the car dynoed. There was no overheating problem on the dyno.” Thanks to a revised point system implemented by the NPP Series a few seasons ago, Miller sits just 17 points behind Edson, Alberta’s Shawn Kennedy. Kennedy, who has been enjoying his time at the top of the point standings the past few weeks, realizes things can change awfully fast in the NPP Late Model Series. “Its the little things can set you back,” says the driver of THE REBEL media.com #7 Dodge, “even if your car is driving good, someone can accidentally take you out. Mechanical issues, which I’m familiar with, are always a huge hit.” Kennedy has a single point lead over Sidney, British Columbia’s Darrell Midgley in the NPP Late Model Series Championship point standings.

“Darrell is a seasoned driver. He probably has double the time behind the wheel that I do.” Midgley won the season opening Feature in his Integra Tire (Edson) #14 Dodge last month. Kennedy says finishing well is important. “Consistency and sometimes just finishing the race is huge in this series. Yes you want to go out and win every race but sometimes if you can’t win, take that second or third place or even fifth place.” Kennedy, who finished second at the 2015 season opener, has never won a Feature event in Edmonton. “I’ve come close a few times. It’s pretty tough to win one of these things.” The season opening victory for Midgley was his first victory in Edmonton since July 11th, 2009, the same year he won the NPP Series Championship. Midgley won the last two races of 2014 and is looking at becoming just the sixth driver in NPP Series history to win four consecutive Feature events.

Bruce Broughton meanwhile sits third in points. The Stony Plain, Alberta driver had a very strong season opener grabbing a second place finish in his heat and a third in the Feature in his Habitat for Humanity/All Weather Windows #61 Dodge. Broughton last went to victory lane on June 23rd, 2012 at Central Alberta Raceways in Rimbey. His last Feature win in Edmonton took place on July 10th, 2010. This was the same year he won his first NPP Series Championship.