Boyd Gaming Kicks Off NASCAR Weekend with Appearances by Nationwide and Sprint Cup Drivers

LAS VEGAS –2012 -- NASCAR Weekend is one of the most anticipated events on the Las Vegas calendar, and Boyd Gaming Corporation is once again revving up for the 15^th annual Sam’s Town 300 at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Ahead of the March 10 race, Boyd Gaming properties will be offering a variety of unique experiences designed to appeal to NASCAR fans of all ages.

FONTHILL. ONTARIO (February 7. 2012) – The Cor Con Racing 1967 Chevy II Top Sportsman entry plans to have a more successful season for 2012 in Quick 32 Sportsman Series presented by NAPA Auto Parts competition.

“Last year we had a lot of growing pains,” said Steve Corriveau, driver of the Deuce. “We had no issues with the motor, but we did with everything else.”

From NASCAR

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Dec. 16, 2011) – More than 50 drivers from the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, NASCAR Nationwide Series and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series are now confirmed to appear at the inaugural NASCAR Preview 2012 Presented by Sprint, scheduled for Jan. 21 in Charlotte, N.C. Race fans will have the chance to meet top competitors of the sport during the all-day fan event located inside the Charlotte Convention Center.

By Jim Clarke, Kawartha Speedway PR/Clarke Motorsports Communications

Close.  They say it only counts in horseshoes (and occasionally hand grenades).  Midway through Kawartha Speedway’s 2011 season, it looked like Port Hope, Ontario’s Bryan Mercer was close to earning his first career NAPA Auto Parts ACT Late Model track championship. After scoring a 3rd place finish on opening night, the 15 year veteran racer picked-up a convincing win in the season’s first 100 lap invitational – his first main event win since 2006.  Another 3rd place effort Friday, June 24th was followed by a history making triumph in the 8th annual running of the 150 lap Summer Sizzler and a $3,000 payday.“Between the final checkered flag of 2010 and first green of 2011, our car spent a lot of time on either jackstands or a jig,” said Mercer.  “We stripped off the body panels and sent the car to Mike McColl’s shop in London, Ontario.  They updated some of the geometry and other components during the winter.  It really made a difference to how the car felt and handled.  Our 2007 Monte Carlo felt like a brand new piece every time we took to the track.  I’ve been told a number of people thought it was a brand new car.”

The strong, early season showings placed Mercer and his #81 Sine’s Flooring/Durmach Tooling/Creative Edge Graphics/Jim’s Pizza, Port Hope/Quantrill Chev-Buick-GMC Cadillac/Cressman Tree Maintenance/UAP NAPA, Port Hope/Appleman CARSTAR Collision/ Dent Tec/True2spl Windshield Repair/Clarke Motorsports Communications Chevrolet in a comfortable, albeit not commanding lead atop the Fraserville 3/8th miler’s headline division standings.  As anyone who is familiar with the world of short-track racing will tell you, things can often change in the length of a straightaway; or in Bryan Mercer’s case, the turn of a corner.

“No matter how much I’d like to erase that night from my mind, I’m sure I’ll never forget the incident from Friday, July 15th,” said Mercer. “I was coming through turns 1 and 2 in the semi feature.  I’d already won a heat race, so that meant starting near the back.  Another car and I went into the corner running close together and we made contact.  I don’t know if he didn’t know I was there or if the car just broke loose.  No matter how it happened, it was frustrating and may have cost us the championship.”

In a sportsmanlike gesture, Bryan Watts offered the use of his car for the main event, but the 38 year-old father of 3 could only muster a 9th place finish in the unfamiliar piece.  With just a week before the next event, crew chief and father Ron Mercer along with Shane Crombie, Dave Dennis, Jeremy Dennis, Donny Dennis, Dylan Fraser, Danny Langstaff, Mike Lagrois and Terry Stark went to work to get their damaged machine ready for a trip to McColl Racing Enterprises to have a front clip updated.  The car made its return Friday, July 22nd, but a second place finish was its best showing in the year’s final 6 events.  A fluid leak on the final night of the season saw the black bow-tied beast with the patented showroom shine loaded into the hauler after only a couple of laps in the night’s first qualifying heat.

“Finishing 5th in points – especially after running so well at the start of the year – was a bitter pill to swallow,” said Mercer.  “On the positive side, we were only 1 point out of 4th and found what it takes to win.  As a team, that makes us more determined to come back even stronger when the 2012 season gets underway.”

Mercer says he likes the competition and challenge of racing and the friends he’s made over years.  The graduate of the thunder car and challenger divisions would like to see a more uniform set of rules from track to track to allow the drivers to travel more.  He’d also like to take a stab at the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series before calling it a career.  To learn more, see www2.creativeedgegraphics.com/mercer.

Be sure to visit www.kawarthaspeedway.com for details on the on-line voting for most improved and most sportsmanlike drivers in each of the 3 regular divisions.  Winners will be announced at the annual awards banquet Saturday, January 14th.  The 2012 season kicks-off Sunday, February 5th with the 3rd edition of the Long John 200 Endurance event.  Kawartha Speedway will also be part of the Canadian Motorsports Expo – presented by Inside Track Motorsports News – February 10th, 11th and 12th at the International Centre in Toronto.  See www.canadianmotorsportsexpo.com for the full schedule.

Allmendinger, who has competed in the Cup Series since 2007, is coming off a NASCAR career-best season that saw him finish 15th in the series standings while battling for a position in the Chase for the Championship. The 30-year-old native of Los Gatos, Calif., earned one top-five, 10 top-10 and 22 top-15 results in 2011 while driving the No. 43 car for Richard Petty Motorsports.

By Jim Clarke, Kawartha Speedway PR/Clarke Motorsports Communications

Take a few moments to wander through the pit area at your favourite weekly racetrack and one thing is very evident.  The racers look younger year after year.  Drivers have more opportunities to develop their skills, gain experience and sharpen their talents in go karts and the track’s entry level divisions before taking a turn at the headline class.  Kawartha Speedway isn’t much different...except for one possible exception.  50 year-old Uxbridge, Ontario racer Bryan Watts says he’s looking to show everyone at the 3/8th mile Fraserville oval that ‘old guys rule’.  The Vice President of OE Quality Friction, makers of VORTEX Brake Pads could’ve started slowly like everyone else, but instead chose to get his feet wet running with the NAPA Auto Parts ACT Late Models.

Powerful, Durable, Fast - Improvements Make Cordless Series Better Than Ever

Sleeker, sturdier and stronger; the next generation of Snap-on 7850 series cordless tools are sure to make technicians more productive and efficient in the service bay.  Both the Snap-on® 1/2-inch drive cordless impact wrench (CT7850) and the cordless hammer drill (CDR7850H) have been re-designed to maximize performance, increase runtime and provide more durability over the life of the tools.

Almost 80 percent of the available exhibitor space has already been filled!

(TORONTO, ON // December 12, 2011) The 6th Annual Canadian Motorsports Expo, Powered by Inside Track Motorsport News takes place February 10, 11 & 12, 2012 at the International Centre, adjacent to Toronto’s Pearson International Airport. New for 2012, the CME will be held on a new date, in a bigger hall.

Every racer looks for an edge. The certain elements that will help them get the most out of their abilities and equipment. No matter how many changes you make to the chassis, spring rate, suspension components or tire pressures, there is little that will help their overall performance as much as experience. Even though he’d been active at the controls of sportsman, super late model, OSCAAR, Flex-Mor Series and OSLR equipment since 1987, Earl Ireland faced a steep learning curve when he returned to the driver’s seat to start the 2010 season at Kawartha Speedway. The Peterborough, ON auto dealer may have struggled through his inaugural year in the NAPA Auto Parts ACT Late Model division, but he found his niche and earned a seventh place finish in the final 2011 standings.

By Jim Clarke, Kawartha Speedway PR/Clarke Motorsports Communications

With a federal election in May and a provincial campaign making headlines in October, 2011 may already be considered the year of the vote.  Now, Kawartha Speedway’s fans, friends, drivers and crew members will get a chance to cast a ballot for their favourites.  The track will host an on-line vote for the most improved and most sportsmanlike drivers in the Hasiuk Trailer and Container Rental Mini Stock, Better Carpet Thunder Car and NAPA Auto Parts ACT Late Model divisions.  Winners will be announced at the annual awards banquet Saturday, January 14th.  General Manager and Promoter Derek Lynch says it’s a great way to get the fans involved.