EDMONTON, AB. – It was memorable and history making night for Western Canadian race fans and for drivers of the Northern Provincial Pipelines Late Model Series. Navigating dry slick track conditions, Concord, North Carolina’s Kenny Schrader held off a late race charge by Hartford, Ohio’s Dave Blaney and grabbed the checkered flag at the inaugural Race of Champions event at Castrol Raceway. Schrader becomes the first American driver to win a NPP Late Model Series Feature. Schrader actually swept the race night winning his Qualifying Heat and the ‘A’ Dash race. “The cars were fantastic,” says the driver of the All Weather Windows #52 Dodge, “Blaney and I had a wonderful time and so did Sterling and Michael. Just a lot of fun. A lot of good race fans here [Edmonton].” Both Schrader and Blaney ran the full NPP Late Model Series race format Wednesday night in Edmonton. Blaney won the second Qualifying Heat Race.

“A lot of times when we do these types of events we normally don’t get good quality cars. [Having these cars to run] just made it a fun night.” The Race of Champions event in Edmonton was kicked off by a four-car dash featuring Schrader, Blaney, Michael Waltrip and Sterling Marlin. Schrader would win this dash race as well. Top Canadian in the NPP Series Feature was Altario, Alberta’s Kevin Clark who finished third. “Those guys are just unbelievable,” admits the driver of the Clark Construction # 5 Dodge, “they are such smooth drivers. I knew I wasn’t going to catch them. I had nothing at all for them and I didn’t want to do what I did a few weeks ago and spin [while running third].” Clark’s third place finish moves him to third in the NPP Late Model Series Championship point standings. Columbia, Tennessee’s Sterling Marlin, who hasn’t run a dirt race in over two years, finished the Feature in eleventh.

Michael Waltrip fell off the pace early in the NPP Series Feature but fought back for a top 10 finish. “I got better all night long,” says the driver of the #55 NAPA Toyota, “I made a couple moves at the end and that got me up to 9th place.” Like Marlin, Waltrip rarely runs dirt race events. “I race dirt seldomly and to be able to finish as strong as we did was a great feeling.” The Sherrills Ford, North Carolina driver was also happy with who won the big Feature. “My buddy Schrader got the win. I figured he’d be one the beat. In a dirt modified or late model type car, he’s as good as there is in the country [USA]. Now he might be as good as there is in two countries because he came up here and won.” Despite the NASCAR drivers being in the spotlight for much of the night, Shawn Kennedy managed to grab some of that spotlight for himself. The Edson, Alberta driver took over the race lead from pole sitter Schrader at the drop of the green. Kennedy held off the NASCAR veteran for three laps. “I was joking before [the race] watch me come beat these guys, it’d be great. Then I got out in front and thinking this is crazy.”

The driver of the Habitat for Humanity/ReStore #90 Dodge battled with Schrader and Blaney for half the race before the handling went away on his car. “It was really cool racing with those guys. There was one turn when we came out three wide. It was just the best feeling ever.” Kennedy managed a solid fifth in the Feature. Rookie of the Year contender Wayne Wheeler got the hard charger award in the race. The Whitecourt, Alberta driver started the Feature near the back of the 18 car field and navigated his MAC Tools/Yaku Enterprises #4 Dodge and finished 4th.

Next race for the NPP Late Model Series is Saturday, August 18th at Edmonton’s Castrol Raceway.