DAYTONA BEACH, FL (July 25, 2018)- The NASCAR Pinty’s Series heads out on its annual West swing, with the Velocity Prairie Thunder Twin 125s sponsored by Bayer CropScience on deck first on Wednesday at Wyant Group Raceway in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. Then the series heads to Alberta for Saturday’s LUXXUR 300 presented by Bayer at Edmonton International Raceway.
WHAT TO WATCH FOR
NASCAR Pinty’s Series at Saskatoon
Since 2012, Saskatoon is perfect on predicting the NASCAR Pinty’s Series championship.
Vpt Twin 125Race winners DJ Kennington (2012), Scott Steckly (2013), LP Dumoulin (2014) , Scott Steckly (2015) and Cayden Lapcevich (2016) all went on to win the series title. Last year, Alex Labbe won the first of two twin 100-lap features (and finished third in the other) en route to his title.
What does that mean for current points leader Andrew Ranger, whose two titles pre-date the series’ visit to the Saskatoon track? The Roxton Pond, Quebec, driver has three top fives and seven top 10s there. But he missed last year’s race because of illness that effectively took him out of title contention. Dumoulin, who is tied with Ranger in points, has a three top fives and five top 10s in seven starts. Meanwhile, Cole Powell will be making his debut there, Marc-Antoine Camirand is racing there for just the second time, and Kevin Lacroix has three top 10s in all three of his starts at the track.
DJ Kennington finished runner-up in both races a year ago.
RACE FACTS
RACE
VELOCITY PRAIRIE THUNDER TWIN 125S SPONSORED BY BAYER CROPSCIENCE
PLACE
Wyant Group Raceway, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
DATE
Wednesday, July 25
TIME
6:05 p.m. & 8:30 p.m. (approx.) MT
TELEVISION
TSN, Saturday, Aug 4 – 1:30 p.m. ET; RDS2, Tuesday, Aug 21 – 10 p.m.
TRACK LAYOUT
third-mile oval
2017 WINNER
Alex Labbe / Cayden Lapcevich
2017 POLE
Kevin Lacroix / DJ Kennington
EVENT SCHEDULE
Wednesday — Garage opens: 10:15 a.m. MT; Practice: 12:20-1:30 p.m.; Qualifying: 3 p.m.; Autograph session: 4:35 p.m.; Velocity Prairie Thunder Twin 125s sponsored by Bayer CropScience Race 1: 6:05 p.m.; Velocity Prairie Thunder Twin 125s sponsored by Bayer CropScience Race 2: 8:30 p.m. (approx.)
@wyantgrprace; @NASCARPintys
HASHTAG
#NPSWesternSwing, #VelocityBayerTwin125s
CREW CHIEF HANDOUT: The maximum starting field is 24 cars, for each race, including provisionals.
The first 21 cars will secure starting positions based on qualifying. The remaining three spots will be awarded through the provisional process.
Qualifying for the VELOCITY PRAIRIE THUNDER TWIN 125s SPONSORED BY BAYER CROPSCIENCE Race 1 will consist of two consecutive qualifying laps per vehicle. Faster lap determines qualifying position.
Qualifying for the VELOCITY PRAIRIE THUNDER TWIN 125s SPONSORED BY BAYER CROPSCIENCE Race 2 will be determined by each vehicles best lap time during the running of the first event.
The VELOCITY PRAIRIE THUNDER TWIN 125s SPONSORED BY BAYER CROPSCIENCE will be two 125 lap (41.25 mile) championship points races.
The maximum tire allotment available for the first event is as follows: One (1) tire for practice, four (4) tires for qualifying and the race for a total of five (5) tires. If this is a driver’s first event on an oval, the maximum tire allotment available is as follows: Four (4) tires for practice, four (4) tires for qualifying and the race for a total of eight (8) tires.
The maximum tire allotment available for the second event is as follows: four (4) tires for the race for a total of four (4) tires.
WHAT TO WATCH FOR
NASCAR Pinty’s Series at Edmonton
Edmonton could be a key venue for Alex Tagliani.
Luxxur 300 Logo 1In the series’ first visit in 2014, he led 268 laps but a late-race battle with eventual winner Andrew Ranger relegated him to 13th. After a top-10 run the following year, the Montreal driver led the final 213 laps on the quarter-mile in 2016 en route to the victory. Last year, he finished fourth. He enters the week sitting sixth in points, but is just 18 out of the lead.
The western swing will go along way toward deciding the title. The top seven drivers are all within 22 points, and three races and a scheduled 550 laps will transpire before the series returns to Quebec in August. Those drivers who get through Saskatoon will have their work cut out for them on the tough Edmonton bullring.
RACE FACTS
RACE
LUXXUR 300 PRESENTED BY BAYER
PLACE
Edmonton International Raceway, Wetaskiwin, Alberta
DATE
Saturday, July 28
TIME
7:30 p.m. ET
TELEVISION
TSN, Saturday, Aug 11 – 1:30 p.m. ET; RDS2, Tuesday, Aug 28 – 10:30 p.m.
TRACK LAYOUT
quarter-mile oval
2017 WINNER
Alex Labbe
2017 POLE
Alex Labbe
EVENT SCHEDULE
Saturday — Garage opens: 10 a.m. PT; Practice: 12:35-1:45 p.m.; Qualifying: 4:05 p.m.; Autograph session: 6:10 p.m.; LUXXOR 300 presented by Bayer: 7:30 p.m.
@EIRNASCAR; @NASCARPintys
HASHTAG
#NPSWesternSwing, #NASCARWeek, #LUXXUR300
CREW CHIEF HANDOUT: The maximum starting field is 24 cars, including provisionals.
The first 21 cars will secure starting positions based on qualifying. The remaining three spots will be awarded through the provisional process.
Qualifying will consist of two consecutive qualifying laps per vehicle. Faster lap determines qualifying position.
The LUXXOR 300 PRESENTED BY BAYER will be 300 laps (75 miles), to be run in two (2) segments. The five (5) minute breaks will occur at or near the conclusion of Laps 150 and 100. Tires may only be changed during the break. In addition, during the break, changing of major components (ie: sealed parts, rear gear, spring, shocks, sway bars, etc.) will not be permitted unless authorized by the Technical Director. Unauthorized changing of major components may result in a discretionary penalty of a minimum of one (1) lap. At the conclusion of the break, vehicles will line up with lead lap cars to the front.
The maximum tire allotment available for this event is as follows: One (1) tire for practice, four (4) tires for qualifying and to begin the race and four (4) additional tires for use during the race for a total of nine (9) tires. If this is a driver’s first event on an oval, the maximum tire allotment available is as follows: Four (4) tires for practice, four (4) tires for qualifying and to begin the race and four (4) additional tires for use during the race for a total of twelve (12) tires
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