WAYFREIGHT backs ALSTAR

The SHOULDICE STONE ALSTAR SERIES is pleased to announce new for 2006 the WAYFREIGHT POLE AWARD.



President of WAYFREIGHT - Trucking Warehousing Logistics, Rick Way of Guelph, Ontario will present the fastest time trial for each of the SHOULDICE ALSTAR Super Event Weekends at Steelback Sauble Speedway. The Pole for the first 50 Lap Qualifier, plus $250.00 cash each ALSTAR super event weekend.

ALSTAR drivers will get their first opportunity to claim the WAYFREIGHT Pole Award on Saturday May 20th 5pm at Steelback Sauble Speedway, with racing at 7pm.

For more information on Fast, Reliable Shipping and Warehousing: www.wayfreight.on.ca WAYFREIGHT Celebrating 10 Years of Good, Safe Service! www.alstarseries.com

Daytona thoughts...

1. No one should ever listen to Tony Stewart about anything... ever again. Really. His diatriabe about "someone else getting killed" due to aggressive and reckless driving was apparently aimed at everyone but himself. After the race, he justified running Matt Kenseth off the track at 190 mph because Kenseth had dared to drive two feet to Stewart's right in the first 20 laps of the race. Since when is driving alongside of someone an offence punishable by death? Tony Stewart should receive a very harsh penalty from NASCAR for admitting that what he did to Kenseth was intentional. There is no room for such behaviour at 190+ mph speedways. Period.
2. After having his debut race ruined by Busch Series 'rookie' John Andretti, Paul Tracy joked that he's now been hit by every Andretti but Marco. Fair comment. 'PT' did himself proud on Saturday and showed me could easily make the jump to NASCAR if the dollars are there to do it.
3. Did anyone else have a mental picture of the people from Lowe's having a heart attack when their car was 100% covered by confetti in victory lane following Jimmie Johnson's win in the Daytona 500? I don't think we'll be seeing the confetti machine anymore.
4. Cup drivers in Busch races treat it as a lark, in the same way they view the IROC events. The Busch regulars deserve better than to have their races turned into a joke wreck-'em by Cup regulars looking for something to do on a Saturday afternoon.
5. When did they announce that the Daytona 500 had become yet another night race?
6. When did Jimmie Johnson become so bitter? After the race, he went off on all the "48 haters". Maybe he was talking about people who looked down at the team for cheating earlier in the week? And speaking of the cheating, why did Johnson not get run off the property in the same manner as his crew chief Chaud Knaus? Whatever was going on with the illegal system they installed to improve the aero package of the #48 in qualifying, wouldn't Johnson have had to press a button to activate the thing? And if he did, then wouldn't he be as guilty as Knaus? And it's too bad that the 'victimization of the bad guy' has reached NASCAR. After the race, team owner Rick Hendrick and Johnson were droning on and on about the tough times the team endured over the Knaus ejection, as if they were caused by an outside force, rather than by themselves.

5 years ago today....

From CP:

The toughest man to ever climb into a stock car was gone, killed in a violent crash in the final turn of the last lap of the Daytona 500.

In the blink of an eye, NASCAR lost more than a just another driver. Dale Earnhardt was a friend, a father, a leader and an icon. There were seemingly too many voids to ever fill.

... more at the link above...

"Dirt from the Stands" by Greg Cybulski

Racing Bonanza in 2006

Well race fans, this may be your year to see the biggest variety of dirt track racing in our region in quite some time. Whether you are a fan of Motocross, Late Models, 360 sprints or 410 Outlaw sprints, it's all here for you in 2006 right in our own back yard. Let's check out some of the highlights...

The newly formed ASCS Northern Plains Region under the guidance of Chuck Zitterich will pay visits to North Central Speedway in Brainerd, Minnesota as well as Jamestown Speedway and Dacotah Speedway in North Dakota in 2006.

The balance of the 2006 regional schedule is south of the North Dakota - South Dakota line.

The biggest racing news in our region has to be the inclusion of Nodak Speedway as part of the ASCS National Tour Yes, this reporter's all-time favorite sprint car driver, Gary Wright and company will be invading Minot, ND. on June 10 and 11.

The Northern Outlaw Sprint Association has yet to release it's 2006 schedule at the time of this writing, however, an ambitious race schedule has been promised.

The World of Outlaws returns to Fargo, ND in June for two shows in conjunction with the Red River Valley Fair. The bigger news is that the Outlaws will be making a trip to Nodak Speedway in Minot on Saturday, August 19.

The folks in Minot must be feeling very proud, having signed two of the nation's biggest sprint car tours this season. The atmosphere at Nodak Speedway for these shows will be electric.

Finally, the newly formed National Sprint Tour under the guidance of Brownfield Promotions, Inc., will make an appearance at River Cities Speedway in Grand Forks, ND . Steve Kinser, Danny Lasoski and company will bring their high-flying 410 sprint show to the North Dakota bull ring on July 7 and 8
Victory Lane Speedway with Prairie Dirt website are pleased to present the 2nd Annual Mid-Canada Sprint Car Challenge set for Thursday, July 13.

Details will be released as they become available.

Speaking of Victory Lane Speedway, fans will have a real treat at the facility this season as the older wooden bleachers have been replaced with an all new grandstand seating for fan comfort. The parking lot space has been increased to accommodate a larger volume of traffic in 2006. Other upgrades will be made in time for the start of another exciting season of racing at Victory Lane Speedway.

The most noticeable difference will be the infield which is going to be used by the Manitoba Motocross Association for two big weekends in 2006. The dirt bikes will invade VLS on the weekends of June 10 & 11, and August 5 & 6.

The Northern Late Model Racing Association will visit Victory Lane three times in 2006. The dates are Thursday, June 15, Thursday, August 17 and Saturday, September 9. With all the specials this season, Winnipeg race fans will get their money's worth of entertainment at VLS.

Emo Speedway, ON. will once again be hosting the NOPA Super Trucks on Saturday, June 17. From the positive response of fans and the teams to last year's truck race, fans can expect another good show in 2006.
No matter what your car preference is, there will be plenty of racing to go around in 2006.

In my next column, I will have more information about the upcoming Mid-Canada Sprint Car Challenge including a preliminary list of participants for this year's event. As always, the kid saves a few aces up his sleeve for next time. I will talk about some exciting things happening out west in Saskatchewan and Alberta for 2006.

Until next time, take care and good racing,
Greg Cybulski
Prairie Dirt (2005)
http://ca.geocities.com/prairiedirt/home.html

Toronto Star: Norris McDonald writes about the first Canadian who ever competed in the Daytona 500

Richard “Dick” Foley of Baie D’Urfé, Que., ran in the Daytona Beach sands in 1957 and ’58 but hated that. When Bill France Sr., founder of NASCAR, opened the Daytona Speedway in 1959, the Montreal speedster ran the first race. He did beat none other than Richard Petty in the first Daytona 500, although Foley finished 32nd and Petty 57th.

... more at the link above ...

Jack n' Jill's has Yamaha G3 Aluminum boats!

From Jill Latondress // Jack n Jill's Motorsports and Marine.

MIDLAND, ON – Hi to all of the avid and weekend fishermen and fisherwomen! I wanted you to know that Jack n Jill's Motorsports and Marine are now dealers of the Yamaha G3 aluminium boats.

It is new to Canada. The best prices are now and we offer very competitive financing packages from one to twenty years.

If you are going to the Toronto Fishing Show, check them out at the Yamaha boothand email me or call 877-527-4386 and let your 5 star Yamaha dealership give you a quote.

We won't be at the show but we will be pricing them from here. A deposit holds your package at the special price until spring. We will be at the Toronto Sportsman show in March with our usual booth of ATVs and also at the Yamaha G3 boat booth.

For anyone looking for that perfect birthday present for me....

Ferrari to open driving school in Quebec

TORONTO -- Ferrari has announced plans to open a North-American driving school in Mont Tremblant, Quebec.