EDMONTON, AB (August 8) -The dust has settled on the Northern Provincial Pipelines Late Model Series biggest race of the season.  It’s been more than a week since the 2014 Legends of NASCAR event at Castrol Raceway.  The race was edgy and action packed.  Of the 18 teams that started the night, only 12 would see the checkered flag at the end of the night.  Bruce Broughton and Kevin Wheeler were two NPP Series drivers that received some racing lumps at the mid-week event.  “For having a smashed up race car at the end, I still had a lot of fun,” reflects Bruce Broughton, “running with Michael Waltrip in the Feature was incredible.  We went back and forth several times but he got me by me in the end.”  The Stony Plain, Alberta driver finished 8th in his Habitat for Humanity/All Weather Windows #61 Dodge.  Waltrip, the two-time Daytona 500 Champion, finished 7th in his Clark Construction/NAPA #55.

“The NASCAR boys had the competitor hats on this year,” admits Broughton, “even the way they interacted with us [NPP Series drivers] was different than last year.  They seemed to be more comfortable in their surroundings.”  For the second year in a row Concord, North Carolina’s Ken Schrader won the NPP Series Wednesday night Feature.  “Would have loved to have been up at the front in this race but it was nice to see Darrell [Midgley] up there and finish as good as he did.”  Midgley, from Sidney, British Columbia finished second.  Kenny Wallace, from North Carolina finished third.  Alberta drivers Kevin Clark and Dean Deatherage rounded out the top five.  “Hats off to the track ownership and management as well for promoting this event,” adds Broughton, “we don’t say this enough but as racers we really appreciate them having a nice facility for us to come play at.”  Broughton the 2010 NPP Late Model Series Champion has been racing at Castrol Raceway since 2000.

Two-time and defending NPP Series Champion Kevin Wheeler took his tough night at the Legends of NASCAR event in stride.  The Whitecourt, Alberta driver crashed out of his Qualifying Heat and the Feature.  “That was one of the worst nights of racing for me period!”  Wheeler was credited with an 11th place finish in the Feature.  “I was due for a bad night.  I’ve been pretty lucky over the past few years.”  While running 6th, with just 2 laps to go, Wheeler crashed into the inside wall coming out of turn 4.  “That was a hard hit.  Probably one of my hardest hits ever.”

Earlier in the night Wheeler and Bruce Broughton came together in their heat race.  “I was watching Bruce and Ken [Schrader] battle for the lead.  They were both heading low in the corner.  The next thing I see is Bruce’s car.  I was hoping to glance off of him but I climbed up on his car instead.”  Both Wheeler and Broughton did not finish their heat.  “The way my night went I was positive I dropped big time in the point standings but everyone else had issues too.”

Despite not finishing the Feature, Wheeler sits second in the NPP Series Championship points chase just 10 points back of leader Mark Miller with two races to go in the season.  Miller bowed out of the Wednesday night Feature with overheating problems.  Dwight Kennedy, third in points, parked his car just past the halfway point of the Feature with brake failure.  “It’s going to make for an interesting championship weekend in Rimbey.”  Wheeler sits fifth on the NPP Series all-time win list with 9 Feature wins (74 starts).  Broughton sits sixth with 8 NPP Series Feature wins (83 starts).