EDMONTON, AB. – Mike Tom kicked off the 2011 season the way he ended the 2010 season and that was by winning the Feature event. The Stony Plain, Alberta driver also added a Heat race win at the Lucas Slick Mist NPP Season Opener on Saturday night. After several disappointing season openers, Tom can now say this is his best start to date in the Northern Provincial Pipelines Late Model Series. “The car ran how it needed to tonight. There were no surprises on the track. Perfect way to start out the season.” After starting off the race night with a heat race victory, Tom finished second in the ‘A’ Dash which put him on the outside of the front row for the Feature beside Whitecourt, Alberta’s Rod Wilde. After the drop of the green Tom chased the pole sitter for six laps. On the start of lap seven, Tom inherited the lead after a rare spin from the veteran Northern Alberta racer. Tom held off a brief challenge from Darin Borysko but his biggest challenge of the night would be from two-time NPP Series Champion Dwight Kennedy.

Kennedy, who started the Feature in fifth, would be on Tom’s rear bumper near the midway point of the Feature. Kennedy would get his fender underneath Tom’s car several times but that was as close as he would get. “I think we used up the car trying to catch Mike. We gave it all we got but the set up went away. It would have been nice to get the win but there’s always the next race.” Saturday night’s season opening race had special meaning to many drivers of the NPP Late Model Series. It was the 100th NPP Feature run at Edmonton’s Castrol Raceway.

Finishing third Saturday night was Kevin Wheeler. The Whitecourt, Alberta driver ran most of the season opener with a damaged race car. “It was a bit of rough start to the night,” laughs the driver of the #3 KW Mechanical Dodge, “we drove into Darin (Borykso) in the Heat and messed up the front end pretty good. We patched it together as best as we could. It’s pretty tough for a guy to get on the podium in this class so it’s a huge bonus to finish third tonight.”

NPP RACE NOTES
– a tough night for former season champions; both Bruce Broughton, the 2010 NPP Series Champion and Darrell Midgley, the 2009 NPP Series Champions blew their engines. Midgley lost his engine at the checkered flag of the ‘A’ Dash. Broughton lost his powerplant midway through Saturday nights Feature.
– Jason Beaulieu was scheduled to race in Edmonton Saturday night but the 2007 NPP Series Champion and Tugboat operator was searching for a wayward barge in the Pacific Ocean.
– Mike Tom becomes the 7th different driver to win a NPP season opener.
– only 10 NPP Series Feature events have been won from pole dating back to 2008.
– Crystal Kennedys fourth place finish Saturday night is her best ever finish starting a race season. (Previous best was 6th / May 2008)
– Ryan and Curtis Ellis become the third pair of brothers to campaign separate cars in the NPP Late Model Series. The first were Earl and Larry Simpson (2001–2003). Bruce and Brent Broughton (2005-2007).

Next scheduled NPP Late Model Series race:
Castrol Raceway – Edmonton, Alberta
> Saturday, July 9th, 2011