From the Crossville Chronicle – Crossville, TN. Friday August 3, 2007
By Joe Dunn / joe@onpitroad.com
In it’s second International appearance of 2007 the Nascar Busch series head to Montreal, Canada for the first time. Like it’s trips south of the border to Mexico City they will again be on a road course.
Like the race earlier in the season at Mexico City, the field will be sprinkled with new names from other nations. This week in Montreal, 15 drivers will represent 7 counties outside the United States. Some drivers will be with independent teams trying to make the race while some new names will be driving for established teams.
Seven Cup regulars will be there, but most noticeable missing driver will be Juan Pablo Montoya. After his victory in Mexico City it would seem a sure bet that the road course ace would be there, however he is replaced in the 42 car by Michael Valiante of Vancouver, BC, Canada. Other Canadians filling in, Ron Fellows in Kevin Harvick’s 33, John Graham in the Greg Pollex 10 and Patrick Carpentier in the 22 of Armando Fitz.
Matt Kenseth will vacate the 17 car in favor of Mexican Michael Jourdain Jr., while JJ Yelley is replaced in the #1 by Max Papis of Italy, Jason Keller in the 27 replaced by Jorge Goeters of Mexico and In the Dale Earnhardt Jr 88 Navy car will be Andy Pilgrim of England.
Other foreign nationals include series regular Marcos Ambrose of Tazmania, Australia, Canadians JR Fitzpatrick, DJ Kennington, Mike Mckenzie and Trevor Boys, Sweden’s Niclas Jonsson, and Venezuela’s Alex Garcia.
The Nextel Cup teams head back to Pocono for the second time this year as they close in on the end of the 26 race run up to the Chase. Tony Stewart, on the heels of two back to back wins heads to the track with a full head of steam, while his teammate Denny Hamlin looks forward to the return to the site of two wind for him in 2006.
Last weeks big news was the merger of DEI and Ginn Racing and that overshadowed some other mergers that took place. Robert Yates Racing merged with the open wheel teams of Newman/Haas and Lanigan forming the Yates/Newman/Haas/Lanigan Racing. On the Busch side, two mergers were announced, HMS and JR Motorsports merged as well as the RCR and KHI merger.
On the local racing scene, heavy rains last week forced the cancellation of racing action Friday night at Wartburg Speedway. Mother nature could not stop the show at Crossville Raceway Saturday night where the winners were Dale Nance (LLM), Michael Asberry (OWM), Jason Todd (SS), John Ross (MS) and Jordon Butler (FWD).
This weeks local action begins Friday with action starting at 7:30 pm (et) at Wartburg Speedway and Saturday starting at 7:00 pm (ct) at Crossville Raceway. Both tracks will run their full racing program. Crossville Raceway announced earlier that they are dropping the Super late Models from the regular weekly program, but they will still be there for scheduled special events. They also announced the lowering of the regular admission price to $10.
Get off that couch and bring the family out to a local dirt track and support the local racers. You may just see the next Jeff Gordon or Tony Stewart on his way up.
