EDMONTON, AB. – The Northern Provincial Pipelines Late Model Series makes its British Columbia debut at Merritt Speedway this August long weekend. For two current NPP Series competitors it’s a chance to race in their home province. Both Chris Beaulieu and Darrell Midgley can’t wait for the Saturday and Sunday night events on the 3/8 mile clay/dirt oval track in Merritt, BC. “I’ve never raced on the dirt in BC before,” says Campbell River’s Chris Beaulieu, “just to let you know that I am going to go for it this weekend!”

Beaulieu, the current NPP Series point leader, has two Feature wins in 2012 [both in Edmonton] and would like to be the first driver to win a NPP Series Feature event in British Columbia. “It would be pretty good to win one in front of the BC race fans.” For Darrell Midgley it’s been almost 20 years since he raced at a dirt track in British Columbia. “I raced my IMCA Modified at Cassidy Speedway in the early 1990’s,” says the Sidney, BC driver, “that dirt track is closed now but I’ve run many paved events in BC since then in my Late Model.” Midgley is the current president of Western Speedway on Vancouver Island. “This next race should play out well for us,” adds the 2009 NPP Series Champion, “no one in the Series has raced there before [in Merritt]. I feel pretty good going in.”

Midgley moved from ninth to sixth in the NPP Series point standings after a strong fourth and second place finish at the last race weekend in Edmonton [July 20th & 21st]. “Winning races is the key right now. We’ll see what happens in Merritt this weekend.” Saturday nights race at Merritt Speedway marks the official halfway point of the 2012 season for NPP Late Model Series race teams. Just 77 points separates the top 5 drivers in the standings. Sunday nights race in Merritt marks the beginning of the last half of the 2012 season.

> SATURDAY, August 4th
> SUNDAY, August 5th
General Admission – $10.00
Youth (age 13 – 17) – $6.00
Seniors – $6.00
Children 12 and under FREE.