EDMONTON, AB – It’s the most difficult part of any race season but for many drivers it can be the most rewarding part of the season too.  The Northern Provincial Pipelines Late Model Series begins the final few weeks of the 2009 season this Friday and Saturday night at Edmonton’s Castrol Raceway.  “It’s the home stretch,” indicates NPP Series announcer Gord Craig, “just five races remain.  Right now there are twelve teams that still have a shot at becoming the 2009 season champion.  That number could be reduced to less than ten depending on what happens this weekend.” Darrell Midgley has a 138 point lead in the standings and is optimistic about his chances at becoming only the second driver from British Columbia to win a NPP Series championship.  “If we continue at our current pace we should be ok,” says the Sidney, BC resident, “it’s not about winning right now, it’s about consistency.”  Midgley has two wins this season.  The #14 Lucas Oil Dodge has finished out of the top three only once in 2009.

“We finished sixth at our last race (Oilmen’s – August 2nd).  We easily had a top three car that race.  Snapping an axle at the end while running second was pretty frustrating.  However its a good thing it didn’t break at the beginning of the race.”  Campbell River, British Columbia’s Jason Beaulieu sits second in the NPP Championship Points chase.  In 2007, Beaulieu became the first BC driver to win the NPP Championship.

“This weekend is pretty crucial,” says Beaulieu, “Mike (Tom) is just 22 points behind me.  He’s got someone right behind him.  With the points chase as tight as it is nobody can afford to make any mistakes.”  Beaulieu leads all NPP Series drivers with three feature wins this season.  “It’s going to make for some hard, fast, racing right to the end.”

Stony Plain Alberta’s Mike Tom sits third in the NPP Points chase.  Rounding out the top five, Altario Alberta’s Kevin Clark is fourth and two-time NPP Series Champion Dwight Kennedy sits fifth in the standings just ten points back of Clark.

>Friday, August 28th
Gates at 4pm
Racing at 6:30pm

>Saturday, August 29th
Gates at 2pm
Pit Party at 3pm
Racing at 6:30pm

CASTROL RACEWAY ADMISSION
-General $40 (Saturday or Sunday)
-Weekend Pass $65

-Reserved $50 (Saturday or Sunday)
-Weekend Reserved $85

NPP/WoO FLASH BACKS
– Kevin Clark and Dwight Kennedy were last years Oil City Cup Feature winners. (Kennedy finished second on night number one/Clark crashed out on night #2)
– Dwight Kennedy swept the Features at the 2007 Oil City Cup.
– the NPP Late Model Series has been the support class for the World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series a total of five times (not including this weekend) The NPP Late Model Series was the support class at Grays Harbor Raceway in Elma, Washington last year. Pau Grundberg and Kevin Wheeler won the NPP Feature events.