RIMBEY, AB – Three days of heavy rain have forced track officials at Central Alberta Raceways in Rimbey to cancel this weekends scheduled event. “We have yet to hold a single Oval event this season,” says Rimbey mayor and track manager Dale Barr, “this is our third race in a row we’ve had to cancel due to weather.” For the Northern Provincial Pipelines Late Model Series it’s the second consecutive year a scheduled race at Central Alberta Raceways has been cancelled due to weather. “The oval track itself actually looked pretty good,” says Series announcer Gord Craig who was at the Rimbey track Friday morning, “some track preparation had obviously taken place before the rains came. Right now though you wouldn’t dare put any equipment on the track.”

CENTRAL ALBERTA RACEWAYS OVAL TRACK
(all photos taken on June 11th)

After looking at the track, Craig toured the facility and realized that he should have brought his rubber boots and bug spray. “There was standing water everywhere. The competitor and spectator parking area was very, very soupy. The mosquitoes were something else too!”

Despite a positive forecast for Saturday’s race (Sunny 25Celcius), Craig adds that the damage has already been done. “We lost a race in Edmonton a few years ago under the same circumstances. It’s kind of a cruel joke. Torrential rain for several days, then sunshine for race day. Unfortunately you just can’t squeeze three full days of facility preparation into less than 24 hours.”

The cancellation of the Rimbey event means NPP Series race teams won’t see action until the second weekend of July. The NPP Series will ‘back up’ the open wheel ‘360’ Sprint Cars at the 2010 Gold Cup at Edmonton’s Castrol Raceway on July 9th and 10th.

RIMBEY FEATURE WINNERS
Rained Out (2010)
Rained Out (2009)
Brian McCaughan (2008)
Snowed Out (2007)
Trevor Emond (2006)
Dwight Kennedy (2005)

NOTE: The main road adjacent to Central Alberta Raceways and the entry road to the facility have been paved.