Pro Challenge Online

OntarioOval.com Interviews OPC #8 Dale Wilson

2011-03-05T11:45:00.000-08:00

Our province's leading news website - OntarioOval.com - sat during with Ontario Pro Challenge driver Dale Wilson in early February to talk about the young pilot's rookie campaign with the series. You can access the interview here:

http://www.ontariooval.com/?p=8114

Stay tuned for our Tim Norris profile, coming this week!

Wilson Expecting! '11 Program On Hold!

2011-02-24T12:53:00.000-08:00

Pro Challenge Online has learned that long-time OPC series competitor Danielle Wilson will be on the sidelines this summer, as the program’s only female competitor is now expecting her first child. The soon-to-be mom and her husband Jason are thrilled with the news, as she is due in August. The Ontario Pro Challenge family wishes Danielle the best of luck and we hope to see her back out on the track in 2012!

Ontario Pro Challenge Announces 2011 Schedule

2011-02-22T11:57:00.001-08:00

The 11^th edition of the Ontario Pro Challenge Series has now been confirmed, with the 2011 schedule having been posted to the program’s official website – www.prochallengeracing.com. A total of 14 races have been booked for the upcoming season as the drivers are set to kick things off on May 14 at Sunset Speedway. The series will trek to the incredible Sunset facility four times this year, including a special Sunday event on July 10. A quartet of races are also scheduled for the third-mile Flamboro Speedway, although the series finale will move to Sunset this time around. After successful and extremely popular runs at Varney in 2009 and 2010, the Pro Challenge cars will take to the high banked oval twice, running a pair of races at Sauble Speedway as well. Single events have also been booked at Kawartha Speedway and Mosport Speedway to cap the calendar.

Ontario Pro Challenge 2011 Schedule

May 14 - Sunset Speedway

May 28 - Varney Speedway

June 4 - Flamboro Speedway

June 11 - Sauble Speedway

June 25 - Varney Speedway

July 2 - Sunset Speedway

July 10 - Sunset Speedway (Sunday Special Event)

July 23 - Flamboro Speedway

August 6 - Flamboro Speedway

August 13 - Sauble Speedway (50 Laps)

August 26 - Kawartha Speedway (Friday Event)

September 10 - Mosport Speedway

September 17 - Flamboro Speedway

September 24 - Sunset Speedway

Pro Challenge Online is pushing the ‘start button’ on a new season of coverage and behind-the-scene editorial focusing this popular series, beginning with a profile on one of the program’s tough competitors – Tim Norris. Keep a lookout for the new editorial next week!

Thomson Caps Title Season with Flamboro Victory

2010-10-11T05:55:00.000-07:00

The biggest season in the history of the Ontario Pro Challenge series was completed on Saturday, September 25 at Flamboro Speedway, and a strong field of 21 cars made the call for the finale. A total of 25 different drivers recorded points during the 2010 racing season, including a staggering nine rookies, which exemplifies the amazing growth enjoyed by the program this year. It was a cool fall evening at the 1/3-mile Hamilton area facility and with the title on the line, reigning champion Dennis Thomson once again showed why he is considered one of the best in the business as he worked his way to the front of the 25-lap main to secure the win and his seventh career OPC crown.

Dale Wilson earned his first Ontario Pro Challenge checkered flag, winning the opening heat at Flamboro

The field was split into three heat races to set the grid for the feature, and the opening qualifier proved to be a big one for freshman driver Dale Wilson, who came from sixth place on the grid to score his first series victory. Driving the #8 AW Millwrights Chevy Monte Carlo, the Waterloo high school student has been improving steadily throughout the year and this heat race win was well earned and is a signal that the young pilot will be a force for race wins in 2011. Fellow rookie Owen Smith bagged the second heat race, while the top six drivers in average points per night scrapped it out in the third and final feature with the emerging Dario Valente holding off the lions to steal the checker at the end of the eight-lap dash.

Dario Valente scored the win in the second heat race

The 25-lap feature race took some time to get started as mechanical issues for both Jonathan Sloot and Valente kept the field under yellow, although the drivers were able to use this time to build some heat into their spec Hoosier tires on what was a chilly evening. Wilson would lead the first five laps from pole before his car’s handling began to tighten, which allowed Kyle Batty (#38 Compassion Canada Chev Monte Carlo) to take over the point for the next stint.

A handful of yellow flags throughout the race benefitted Thomson (#02 Thomson Signs Ford Mustang), as he was able to pick his way to the front steadily, eventually taking over the point from Batty. From there, the veteran controlled the evening en route to the win. Josh Nicholson (#66 Firkin Pubs Dodge Charger) finished second at Flamboro to finish up fourth in the overall points. Primary championship challenger Tim Norris was involved in an early incident that put him to the tail of the field, but he fought his way back to third in the final tally, falling short of the title by 42 points.

With his Flamboro win, Dennis Thomson secured his seventh season title

Ken Nicholson (#99 International Truck and Engine Chev Monte Carlo) was fourth in the order while Batty rounded out the top-five. Milton’s Scott Fletcher was sixth in the #60 Hype Energy Drink Monte Carlo, while freshman Jason Podewis (#7 Chev Monte Carlo) was the top finish rookie on the night in seventh. Tim Forbes (#04 Midhurst Roofing Ford Mustang), Patrick Freel (#77 Chev Monte Carlo) and Dale Wilson completed the top-10.

Rick Seeley (#16 Monte Carlo) and Owen Smith (#40 Ford Taurus) were 11^th and 12^th on the track, but it was Smith who edged his challenger in the Rookie of the Year race, winning by just seven points over Seeley. Podewis was also in the hunt, only 15 points off of Smith in the final tally. The rookies were impressive this season, gaining speed and confidence as the season progressed.

Owen Smith is the 2010 Ontario Pro Challenge Rookie of the Year

The 2010 season was truly a breakthrough year for the Ontario Pro Challenge series, thanks to the influx of new drivers into the program. These rookies have now earned their stripes and will go looking to battle with the established leaders in Thomson, Norris, Forbes and the Nicholsons (Ken and Josh). A couple of new drivers are expected to join the ranks in 2011, and the series will be looking to increase their average car count even more. This year, the high-water mark was 22 cars at Sunset in mid-July and the average field was 19. With 26 cars in the province and interest in this great series continuing to grow, the upcoming season promises to be the best yet.

‘Pro Challenge Online’ will be kicking off its post-season editorial program over the next few weeks, highlighting the drivers in the series and some of the stories that unfolded in 2010. Stay tuned for much more throughout the winter!

Race #10 – September 25, 2010

Flamboro Speedway – Millgrove, Ontario

Heat #1: Dale Wilson

Heat #2: Owen Smith

Heat #3: Dario Valente

Feature:

1. Dennis Thomson 2. Josh Nicholson 3. Tim Norris 4. Ken Nicholson 5. Kyle Batty 6. Scott Fletcher 7. Jason Podewis 8. Tim Forbes 9. Patrick Freel 10. Dale Wilson 11. Rick Seeley 12. Owen Smith 13. Danielle Wilson 14. Bob Hopton 15. Rob Howden 16. Jason Davidson 17. Tim Shanahan 18. Ken Lillycrop 19. Dario Valente 20. Jonathan Sloot 21. Malcolm McMaster

Rain Scuttles Sunset Event

2010-09-19T08:01:00.001-07:00

The penultimate race of the 2010 Ontario Pro Challenge season at Sunset Speedway got scuttled by a consistent hit of drizzle and light rain last night (Sept. 18), shutting down the program immediately following the practice sessions. A total of 18 cars made the trek to Sunset, but were forced to pack up and head for home when the forecasted rains arrived.

The season finale at Flamboro Speedway next weekend (Sept. 25) is all that remains and PCO will be putting together a preview of the event and the championship points chase before the end of the week.

Nicholson Scores Second 2010 Victory

2010-09-17T03:36:00.001-07:00

Veteran Ontario Pro Challenge driver Ken Nicholson (above) scored his second win of the 2010 season on Friday, September 10, sprinting out in front of a 17-car field at the quick Kawartha Speedway. Reigning series champion Dennis Thomson chased Nicholson to the checker and was followed across the line by Josh Nicholson to complete the top-three.

The race went green to checker without a caution, which made it a little tough on the drivers who qualified through the second heat race and, as a result, started deeper in the field. Nicholson needed to take advantage of every opportunity as he sliced his way to the front of the pack in his #99 International Truck & Engine Monte Carlo before building enough of a gap to hold off the charging Thomson (#02 Thomson Signs Ford Mustang). Nicholson’s son Josh, a frontrunner in the series, took third in his #66 Firkin Pubs Dodge Charger. Rookie Owen Smith (#40 Ford Taurus) completed the top-five, posting his career best finish of fourth. Previously, Smith’s best result was a sixth at Mosport back in early July. Kyle Batty (#38 Compassion Canada Chev Monte Carlo) took fifth in the final tally.

The night included a great ‘feel good’ story. The series saw the return of #14 Tim Shanahan (above), who has been forced to sit out the season for medical reasons. The OPC community was thrilled to have Shanahan back in action, and he responded with a top-10 finish.

The Ontario Pro Challenge Series is back on-track this coming weekend at Sunset Speedway (September 18) and will cap their season at Flamboro Speedway on September 25. Thomson continues to lead the point chase by 35 markers ahead of Tim Norris, but with two races remaining, the title is very much up for grabs. Ken Nicholson sits third ahead of Tim Forbes, while Josh Nicholson caps the top five. The Rookie of the Year race is equally as tight, with Smith leading the way over Rick Seeley by just seven points. Smith’s fourth place run at Kawartha was huge in putting him in contention for the freshman crown.

Race #9 – August 21, 2010

Kawartha Speedway – Peterborough, Ontario

1. Ken Nicholson 2. Dennis Thomson 3. Josh Nicholson 4. Owen Smith 5. Kyle Batty 6. Tim Forbes 7. Jason Podewis 8. Rick Seeley 9. Dario Valente 10. Tim Shanahan 11. Malcolm McMaster 12. Jonathan Sloot 13. Dale Wilson 14. Jason Davidson 15. Tim Norris 16. Scott Fletcher 17. Patrick Freel

Images provided by Chip Young (C.Y. Images)

Norris Backs up Flamboro Win with Sauble Triumph

2010-08-23T08:27:00.000-07:00

Tim Norris took another step closer in his bid for the 2010 Ontario Pro Challenge title on August 21 when he scored his second straight series victory aboard his #88 ApprencticeSearch.com / Lucas Oil Ford Taurus. After taking the checkered flag at Flamboro Speedway on August 7, Norris came right back to lead the pack at Sauble Speedway on August 21 to out-gun a 17-car field. The win closes his gap to the championship leading Dennis Thomson (#02 Thomson Signs Ford Mustang) to just 18 points heading into the final three races of the year. Thomson minimized the damage to his cushion in the standings by once again finishing second, this time ahead of rookies Jason Podewis (#7 Chev Monte Carlo) and Patrick Freel (#77 Chev Monte Carlo), who each turned in their best efforts of the season. Milton, Ontario’s Scott Fletcher capped the top-five in his #60 Hype Energy Drink Monte Carlo.

Tim Forbes (#07 Midhurst Roofing Ford Mustang) was sixth in the final tally, ahead of Dario Valente (#71 Apartments International Chev Monte Carlo), Owen Smith (#40 Ford Taurus), Kyle Batty (#38 Compassion Canada Chev Monte Carlo) and Dale Wilson (#8 AW Millwrights Chev Monte Carlo).

The drivers will now head into the final three races of year, with events at Kawartha (Sept. 10), Sunset (Sept. 18) and Flamboro (Sept. 25).

Race #8 – August 21, 2010

Sauble Speedway – Hepworth, Ontario

1. Tim Norris 2. Dennis Thomson 3. Jason Podewis 4. Patrick Freel 5. Scott Fletcher 6. Tim Forbes 7. Dario Valente 8. Owen Smith 9. Kyle Batty 10. Dale Wilson 11. Ken Nicholson 12. Josh Nicholson 13. Malcolm McMaster 14. Rick Seeley 15. Jonathan Sloot 16. Danielle Wilson 17. Bob Hopton

Norris Holds Off Thomson for Second Win for 2K10

2010-08-09T10:53:00.000-07:00

With 20 cars hitting the track at Flamboro Speedway this past Saturday night (August 7), the Ontario Pro Challenge series once again brought its exciting door-to-door action to the province’s enthusiastic race fans. The competition was elevated on this tight oval, as the heat races were extremely close and the main event featured a couple minor incidents, one big wreck and a good old-fashioned driver versus driver scrap for the win. When the checker eventually flew, series veteran Tim Norris (#88 ApprenticeSearch.com / Lucas Oil Ford Taurus) was the first to arrive at the start-finish line, but he had his hands full thanks to never-ending pressure from reigning champion and point leader Dennis Thomson (#02 Thomson Signs Ford Mustang). The final few laps were thrilling (above), as Thomson searched in vain for a chance to steal the win.

In front of a good crowd at Flamboro, the Ontario Pro Challenge field was split into three heat races to set the grid for the main event. The short 8-lap sprints got started off with a strong run for Kyle Batty (#38 Compassion Canada Monte Carlo), as he was able to stay out in front to score the victory and the pole for the main. Jonathan Sloot (#22 Chev Monte Carlo) picked up the victory in the second heat, giving him the outside of row four for the feature. Lastly, In the quick heat that features the top seven drivers in average nightly points, Josh Nicholson (#66 Firkin Pubs Dodge Charger) was able to hold off Norris for the win, while Thomson clawed his way up to fourth. The OPC field is so competitive that in a short heat race like those run at Flamboro, it is virtually impossible to fight from the tail of the field through to the front. The entire seven-car field crossed the start-finish line in a train. This simply set up for another entertaining main event.

The OPC feature was positioned as the final race of the night, following a 75-lap main for the Grisdale Late Model Series, and the event got off to a inauspicious beginning when contact from behind caused Sloot to loop his Monte Carlo on the exit of turn two, directly in front of the oncoming pack of cars. While many were able to slip by both high and low, the pack had entered the opening corner three-wide, leaving Ken Lillycrop (#00 Monte Carlo) stuck in the middle with nowhere to go. Lillycrop got on the binders, but front bumper to front bumper contact was imminent. The damage put Lillycrop on the sidelines and Sloot to the pit area for hasty repairs. Sloot would battle back to 14^th in the final tally.

When the race finally went green, Batty was the driver on the early move as he advanced to the lead and then stretched away quickly from the field as the remainder of the grid scrapped for position. Robert Coverdale (#26 Monte Carlo) and Larry Majuery (#37 Grand Prix) slipped into the early lead positions of the chase pack, but it wasn’t long before Norris and Thomson began working their way through the field, followed closely by Ken Nicholson (#99 International Truck & Engine Monte Carlo). A couple of mid-race cautions allowed the point leaders to close in any gap, giving them the opportunity to re-set their attack on the lead. When the race went back to green on the penultimate restart, Batty had Norris and Thomson on his bumper, and they quickly slipped through to fight it out amongst themselves.

A final caution came out late in the race when Patrick Freel (#77 Chev Monte Carlo) pulled to the inside of the frontstretch, still battling with electrical issues that had plagued him all night. As the field slowed for the yellow lights, mayhem ensued as Malcolm McMaster made hard contact to the turn 3 wall, severely damaging his #85 MMG Financial Chev Monte Carlo (below). McMaster was shaken up in the wreck, likely hurting just as much as his race car, which required some significant work in the pit area to shoehorn back into his trailer. Malcolm took a ride back to his pit in the ambulance, and emerged complaining of overall soreness. This was no surprise, considering the force of the impact.

In the final run to the checker, Thomson shadowed Norris for the last five laps but could neither find a hole or force a mistake, so he sat tight as Norris recorded his second win of the season. Thomson took a strong second place result to maintain his lead in the points, while Nicholson completed the top-three.

Behind the lead trio, Tim Forbes completed an impressive run that featured a great back-story. After engine trouble heading into the weekend left him waiting for a new powerplant, Forbes found himself without a ride when the replacement mill did not arrive in time. Rookie driver and Forbes protégé Jason Podewis stepped to the plate, sharing his #7 Monte Carlo with the series veteran in the heats before turning over the keys to the car for the main event. Forbes took a little time to get comfortable in his new ride , but he came alive in the 30-lap feature as he steadily worked his was to a solid fourth place result.

The top-five was completed by Danielle Wilson, whose team made brake and chassis adjustments following heat races to give her a solid car for the feature. Wilson steered clear of the mayhem and charged when she could, scoring her best finish of the year. Batty would end up sixth in the final tally ahead of Rick Seeley (#16), Dario Valente (#71), Majuery and Bob Hopton (#10).

The next Ontario Pro Challenge race is set for August 21 at Sauble Speedway.

Race #7 – August 7, 2010

Flamboro Speedway – Millgrove, Ontario

Heat #1: Kyle Batty
Heat #2: Jonathan Sloot

Heat #3: Josh Nicholson

Feature:

1. Tim Norris 2. Dennis Thomson 3. Ken Nicholson 4. Tim Forbes 5. Danielle Wilson 6. Kyle Batty 7. Rick Seeley 8. Dario Valente 9. Larry Majuery 10. Bob Hopton 11. Jason Davidson 12. Robert Coverdale 13. Dale Wilson 14. Jonathan Sloot 15. Josh Nicholson 16. Malcolm McMaster 17. Patrick Freel 18. Scott Fletcher 19. Owen Smith 20. Ken Lillycrop 21. Jason Podewis (DNS)

Photos Courtesy of Chip Young

Nicholson Tops Field on Varney High Banks

2010-07-30T04:56:00.000-07:00

Report Courtesy of Jody Buschen - Varney Speedway

The heat wave of the previous week finally let go on Saturday as Southwestern Ontario was pounded with rain. With Varney Speedway soaking wet, a full pit area of race cars and drivers anxiously awaited the decision to 'go' or 'go home'. The touring Ontario Pro Challenge Series was on hand for their second scheduled event of the 2010 season. After the first date was cancelled due to rain back on June 12th, the ruling finally came down that speedway officials would wait out the rain and dry the track.

The rain would ease and, with blue skies on the horizon, the Varney Motor Speedway track crew proceeded to dry the track. Brimming with confidence that this night would yeild some very competitive racing, the Pro Challenge drivers began to unload their cars as speedway regular series cars took to the track to assist with the drying. The hard work paid off and, the green flag dropped on the night's first race just before 8:00pm.

The 3/4 scale late model Pro Challenge cars ran the highbanks in 2009 as an exhibition race but, based on the success of that experiment, Varney Motor Speedway secured two points races for the touring series. All things considered with the weather and all, the grandstands were still half full as #10 Bob Hopton of Kitchener and #77 Patrick Freel of London brought the field to green for Saturday night's feature race.

Hopton would take the early lead from his pole position and Freel would stay close before making a challenge for the top spot in turns three and four. Protecting the lead, Hopton would slip up the track in turn four making contact with Freel's car sending the London driver up into the unforgiving turn four wall, bringing out the first caution flag of the race. Freel would end up in the pits while Hopton found himself at the back for the restart.

Coming back for the restart, #40 Owen Smith of Holland Landing led the way with #60 Scott Fletcher and # 66Josh Nicholson of Brantford; last year's feature race winner; in pursuit. Smith would lead briefly before Fletcher dove to the inside in turn four. Fletcher would take over the top spot as #99 Ken Nicholson of Brantford and Pro Challenge points leader #02 Dennis Thompson of Dundas fllowed through into second and third respectively.

The second caution would come out for a spin in turn two involving #37 Larry Majuery of Niagara Falls. The pack bunched up quickly as Fletcher hoped to protect his lead. Moving up through the field quickly were #88 Tim Norris of Dundas and #71 Dario Valente of Stoufville who both started near the back and now found themselves flirting with the top five.

Green again as Fletcher led the way but, heading into turn four, K. Nicholson would move to the bottom of the track and make the pass for the lead. Then, battling for third, Thompson and Smith would run out of real estate as Smith; unassissted; would spin in turn four to bring out the third caution. K. Nicholson, Fletcher and Thompson led the pack back to green and, over the next several laps, K. Nicholson would build up half a straightaway lead as Fletcher and Thompson raced for second. Fletcher would eventually relinquish the position just as Norris would spin in turn two bringing out the fourth caution of the race.

After another caution flag as #00 Ken Lilycrop finds the turn four wall, Fletcher's night would also come to an early end. After taking the green on the restart following Lilycrop's incident, Fletcher's car would start to lose power from the thrid position and the winner of one of the early heat races would quickly drop back in the pack before parking it for the night.

Meanwhile, K. Nicholson would maintain the top spot and, after one more caution for a second spin involving #40 Owen Smith, Nicholson and Thompson would engage in a fierce battle for the lead as the two drivers would pull away from the rest of the pack. Positions two on back were certainly up for grabs as J. Nicholson, #04 Tim Forbes of Barrie, Norris, Valente and #7 Jason Podewils of Barrie all remained in contention.

With five laps to go, Thompson would close in on K. Nicholson as he was looking for his fifth win of the year but, Nicholson would not be denied and after watching his son take the checkers one year ago, Nicholson would indeed hang on for his first win of the year keeping the Nicholson streak at Varney intact. After winning the first five of the year, Thompson watched the second in a row slip away as he settled for the second spot. J. Nicholson, Norris and Forbes rounded out the top five with Valente, Podewils, #8 Dale Watson of Kitchener, Majuery and #16 Rick Seeley completing the top ten.

While the Pro Challenge series highlighted the night, they weren't the only show in town. Varney regular racing divisions also ran on this night. In the Stock 4's, #51 Clark Hartman of Waterloo was able to break through and into the lead early to speed on to his second feature race win of the year. Street Stock #93 Bill Cole got his season back on track by shutting down last week's winner, #19 Brian Wilson, enroute to another feature race win. In the Late Models, #12 Justin McLellan took advantge of the caution flags to work his way to the front holding off #76 Tyler Williams for the win and, #85 Matt Clarke of Mt. Forest clinched the Super Street feature.

This coming weekend will be another action-packed long weekend double header as all regular divisions will see time on the track inlcuding the Annual All Pro Modified Rick Woolner memorial on Sunday night. Green flag drops both nights at 7:00 pm. For more information, visit http://www.varneymotorspeedway.com.

Varney Motor Speedway
Durham, Ontario
Race Results - Saturday, July 24, 2010

Pro Challenge- FEATURE
Pos Driver Car #
1 Ken Nicholson 99
2 Dennis Thompson 02
3 John Nicholson 66
4 Tim Norris 88
5 Tim Forbes 04
6 Dario Valente 71
7 Jason Podewils 7
8 Dave Wilson 8
9 Larrry Majerie 37
10 Rick Sealy 16
11 Owen Smith 40
12 Scott Fletcher 60
13 Bob Hopton 10
14 Ken Lillycrop 00
15 Patrick Freel 77
16 Kyle Batty 38

Heat races won by: Hopton, Fletcher

Norris Breaks Through for First 2010 Victory

2010-07-30T04:54:00.001-07:00

For the first time since the Ontario Pro Challenge series kicked off its season back in May, a driver other than reigning champion Dennis Thomson grabbed the checkered flag in a feature race. Thomson laid down a streak of four straight feature wins to begin his title defense, but last Saturday (July 17) at Sunset Speedway, series veteran Tim Norris (#88 ApprencticeSearch.com / Lucas Oil Dodge Intrepid) was able to fend off his challenges to score his first win of the year. The racing was hard-fought, as Dario Valente (#71 Apartments International Monte Carlo) capitalized on a heat race win and his subsequent main event pole position to finish second, holding back Thomson ($02 Thomson Signs Ford Mustang) during the final laps of the race.

Rookie Jason Podewis (#7 Monte Carlo) turned in his best effort of the season as the top freshman of the night, running third for a time before losing the spot to a charging Thomson. Podewis would maintain his position in fourth, which brought him a nice points haul and advanced him to 16th overall in the championship standings and sixth in the rookie race. There is still a lot of racing to be had and Podewis is now finding a competitive comfort level in his ride, which will keep him in the hunt for the rookie title. Tim Forbes (#04 Midhurst Roofing Ford Mustang) completed the top-five.

The heat race wins went to Valente, Norris and rookie Patrick Freel (#77 Dodge Intrepid). As previously detailed, Valente would leverage his qualifying victory to finish second overall, while Norris drove up through the field for the win. Freel had issues and would finish up in 14th.

Thomson now leads the points by 36 markers over Norris, with Forbes in hot pursuit. The leading rookie is Owen Smith (#40 Ford Taurus), who sits ninth in the standings, just four points ahead of Rick Seeley (#16). Smith was eighth at Sunset while Seeley took 11th.

The series will be on the road again this weekend, running a track perfectly suited for the ¾ scale hot rods. The Ontario Pro Challenge drivers will be heading to the banked ¼-mile Varney Speedway on Saturday night (July 24) to give the fans a taste of some their unique door-to-door competition.

Four-for-Four For Reigning Champion

2010-07-30T04:52:00.000-07:00

After winning his seventh career Ontario Pro Challenge title in 2009, it appears as though Dennis Thomson has no plans to let anyone steal the crown away from him in 2010. The Dundas, Ontario veteran sold his championship-winning ride during the off-season to help grow the program’s field, and now armed with a new Ford Mustang, he has been on fire from the beginning of the new season. Coming off wins at both Sunset (June 6 and June 13) and Sauble (June 29), Thomson once again found himself in victory lane on Saturday, July 3 when the Pro Challenge drivers visited Mosport Raceway for the first of two trips to the half-mile facility. While the influx of freshman pilots is providing new faces in the top-10, neither the rookies nor the veteran drivers have been able to step the series’ powerhouse.

Following a pair of 10-lap heat races at Mosport Speedwat, which were claimed by the Fords of Tim Norris #88 and Thomson #02, Norris led the field to the green flag to begin the 25-lap feature. With Thomson’s Taurus filling his mirrors, Norris led the opening handful of laps before a major, five-car incident on lap five slowed the proceedings. Once the track was clear, Thomson used his experience to take the low line through Turn Two, edging past Norris for the lead. Once clear of traffic, Thomson never looked back, taking the checkered flag for his fourth feature win of the season.

“This is a quirky track,” said Thomson. “You have to have a car that you can work around the bumps to be successful. This is a new car this year, but it feels just as good as the old one. It seems to work really well here.”
Norris was hard pressed to maintain his runner-up position, as he led a four car procession to the stripe, followed to the line by the son and father tandem of Josh (#66) and Ken (#99) Nicholson with Dario Valente (#71) rounding out the top five. The top rookie in the race was Owen Smith, who finish a strong sixth ahead of Kyle Batty and freshman Patrick Freel. Tim Forbes and Bob Hopton rounded out the top-10.

In the points hunt, Thomson maintains a nice cushion over Nicholson and Forbes. Ken Nicholson and Tim Forbes complete the top-five. The top rookie in the standings is Smith, although he is just three points ahead of Rick Seeley in the chase.

The Ontario Pro Challenge drivers are back at it this weekend at Sunset Speedway.

Thomson Extends Ontario Pro Challenge Streak To Three

2010-07-30T04:47:00.000-07:00

The Ontario Pro Challenge got back underway this past weekend after a three week break, rolling the dice on the province’s crazy weather patterns as they trekked northwest to Sauble Speedway for the first of two trips to ‘The Beach’ on Saturday night (June 26). After rain hammered the region through Friday and early Saturday morning, the racing gods smiled down on the 1/4 –mile bullring with bright sunshine that dried off the racing surface and opened the gates for a great night of competition. A total of 17 Pro Challenge cars made the call for Sauble, and when the dust had settled, reigning champion Dennis Thomson had extended his winning streak to three with a solid victory over series veterans Ken Nicholson and Tim Norris.

Kyle Batty (#38 Compassion Canada Ford Taurus) scored the win in the opening heat race, his first in OPC competition, outrunning Tim Forbes (#04 Midhurst Roofing Ford Mustang) and Ken Nicholson (#99 International Truck and Engine Chev Monte Carlo) for the victory and the main event pole. Tim Norris (#88 ApprencticeSearch.com Dodge Intrepid) and Dario Valente (#71 Apartments International Monte Carlo) rounded out the top-five.
In the second heat, which features to drivers with the highest average point totals, it should come as no shock that Thomson took the checker in his new Thomson Signs Dodge Charger. What is surprising it that this was his first heat race win of the year. Thomson has been unbeatable in the mains, but in the shorter heat races, he has not been overly aggressive in fighting his way to the front. Josh Nicholson (#66 Firkin Pubs Dodge Charger) was second at the checker, coming in ahead of Jonathan Sloot (#22 Monte Carlo). Owen Smith (#40) and Rick Seeley (#19 Pontiac Grand Prix) were fourth and fifth, respectively.

In the main, Forbes led early, but it was all about Thomson, as he was able to work his way methodically through the field to assume the point before the end of the 30-lapper. Thomson is currently unbeaten in main event action and now enjoys a 22-point lead over Josh Nicholson, who was fourth in the feature race. Ken Nicholson scored the runner-up result in Sauble, crossing the stripe behind Thomson. Norris was third overall, ahead of Nicholson and Forbes. Scott Fletcher (#60 Hype Energy Drink Monte Carlo) came back from fuel pump issues in his heat race to take sixth in the main, coming in ahead of Valente, Danielle Wilson (#21 Huber Window Cleaning Monte Carlo), and Batty. Jason Podewis (#7 Chev Monte Carlo) was the top finishing freshman in tenth after a series of great on-track battles with fellow rookies Seeley and Smith.

The Ontario Pro Challenge teams will return to Sauble Speedway on August 21, but not before heading to Mosport Speedway on Saturday, July 3 as part of Fan Appreciation Night.
Round #3 – June 26, 2010
Sauble Speedway – Hepworth, Ontario
Heat #1:
1. Kyle Batty 2. Tim Forbes 3. Ken Nicholson 4. Tim Norris 5. Dario Valente 6. Danielle Wilson 7. Scott Fletcher 8. Malcolm McMaster 9. Bob Hopton
Heat #2:
1. Dennis Thomson 2. Josh Nicholson 3. Jonathan Sloot 4. Owen Smith 5. Rick Seeley 5. Jason Podewis 7. Dale Wilson 8. Ken Lillycrop
Feature:
1. Dennis Thomson 2. Ken Nicholson 3. Tim Norris 4. Josh Nicholson 5. Tim Forbes 6. Scott Fletcher 7. Dario Valente 8. Danielle Wilson 9. Kyle Batty 10. Jason Podewis 11. Jonathan Sloot 12. Malcolm McMaster 13. Owen Smith 14. Rick Seeley 15. Dale Wilson 16. Ken Lillycrop 17. Bob Hopton

Two-for-Two for Thomson to Start 2010

2010-06-10T11:55:00.000-07:00

Veteran driver and reigning Ontario Pro Challenge Series champion Dennis Thomson (above) is showing no signs of letting up in his title defense, winning his second consecutive feature race this past weekend at Sunset Speedway in Innisfil, Ontario. After selling his title-winning Ford Taurus to rookie Owen Smith in the off-season, Thomson purchased a new Ford Mustang and has not missed a beat, backing up his win in the season opener by out-running Josh Nicholson to the checkered flag this past Saturday. The series once again put 21 cars on Sunset’s third-mile banked track, and the quality of racing improved this time out as the large rookie contingent now had a night’s experience under their collective belts. The size of the grid will only grow as the season progresses, as there are still a handful of cars that should be making their debut sometime in 2010.

In the opening heat race of the night, Ken Nicholson (above) led the way in his #99 International Track and Engine Chev Monte Carlo, coming from fourth on the grid to take the win. Markham’s Kyle Batty (#38 Compassion Canada Ford Taurus) found some speed after struggling at the season opener a week earlier and enjoyed a successful first heat with a runner-up finish to Nicholson, coming home just ahead of Bob Hopton (#10 Tradewind Heating and Air Conditioning Monte Carlo) in the short sprint race. Malcolm McMaster (#85 MMG Trading / Bamboo Flooring Monte Carlo) and Matt Marshall (#85 Monte Carlo) rounded out the top-five.

In the OPC heat race line-up equation, the drivers with the highest average point totals are positioned in Heat #2, meaning it will likely be a barnburner all summer. With just one race in the books thus far in 2010, this heat race pitted the top six drivers from last weekend’s feature race. This time out, young gun Josh Nicholson (above - #66 Firkin Pubs Dodge Charger) started on pole and powered out to the win ahead of Tim Forbes (#04 Midhurst Roofing Ford Mustang) and Danielle Wilson (#21 Huber Window Cleaning Chev Monte Carlo). Wilson is off to a great start this season, coming off a fine sixth at last weekend’s series opener at Sunset. Contact early between frontrunners Tim Norris (#88 ApprencticeSearch.com / Lucas Oil Dodge Intrepid) and Scott Fletcher (Hype Energy Drink / Fine Details Chev Monte Carlo) put Fletcher on the sidelines with a damaged left-front, while Norris was able to continue on to fourth, ahead of Thomson in his #02 Thomson Signs Ford Mustang. Fletcher’s team would go to work quickly in an attempt to repair his car in time for the night’s feature.

In the third heat, which featured all of the current series rookies, Owen Smith (above) showed the way in his #40 Ford Taurus to bag his first career OPC heat race. Dale Wilson (#8 AW Millwrights Chev Monte Carlo) was second in run, looking much more comfortable in his car following the Sunset opener earlier in the month. Rick Seeley finished third in the #16 Pontiac Grand Prix, ahead of Jason Podewis (#7 Chev Monte Carlo) and Ken Lillycrop (#00 Chev Monte Carlo).

Unlike the opening night feature, which was plagued by early race yellows, the OPC drivers raced clean for the first 17 laps, putting on a good show for the Sunset race fans as they were the first main event of the evening. Ken Nicholson would lead the early going, but eventually, Thomson would find his way to the front and was able to take over the lead just two laps before the first caution period of the night bunched the field back together. Thomson would not be challenged for the remainder of the race but he was not the only driver making a move to the front.

After starting 12^th and easing into the 30-lap event to test the repairs to his car, Fletcher (above) found himself with a quick ride, his team’s post-heat efforts having paid off. Once things got underway, Fletcher used both the high-side and the low groove to pick off his competition, eventually finding his way into third before the final caution of the night. When the race went back to green, the lead trio held their position as they pulled away with Thomson leading Nicholson and Fletcher to the flag. Dario Valente took fourth in his #71 Apartments International Inc Chev Monte Carlo, while Matt Marshall (#97 Chev Monte Carlo) turned in a strong run to finish fifth in the final tally. Forbes would finish sixth ahead of Ken Nicholson, while Podewis was the top rookie in eighth. Seeley had his best run of the young season in ninth, besting Hopton to the line as the duo completed the top-10.

Thomson now leads the points with 12 markers over John Nicholson, while Forbes and Fletcher are right there in third and fourth. The top rookie in the points after the first two races is Rick Seeley in ninth. The Ontario Pro Challenge drivers are back in action this coming Saturday to cap off this three-weekend run with a special 50-lap event at Varney Speedway.

Special thanks to Chip Young for the amazing images - www.cyimages.biz

Race #3 – June 5, 2010

Sunset Speedway – Innisfil, Ontario

Heat #1:

1. Ken Nicholson 2. Kyle Batty 3. Bob Hopton 4. Malcolm McMaster 5. Matt Marshall 6. Robert Coverdale

Heat #2:

1. Josh Nicholson 2. Tim Forbes 3. Danielle Wilson 4. Tim Norris 5. Dennis Thomson 6. Scott Fletcher

Heat #3:

1. Owen Wilson 2. Dale Wilson 3. Rick Seeley 4. Jason Podewis 5. Ken Lillycrop 6. Jonathan Sloot 7. Jason Davidson 8. Patrick Freel

Feature:

1. Dennis Thomson 2 Josh Nicholson 3. Scott Fletcher 4. Dario Valente 5. Matt Marshall 6. Tim Forbes 7. Ken Nicholson 8. Jason Podewis 9. Rick Seeley 10. Bob Hopton 11. Owen Smith 12. Dale Wilson 13. Jonathan Sloot 14. Jason Davidson 15. Ken Lillycrop 16. Danielle Wilson 17. Tim Norris 18. Robert Coverdale 19. Kyle Batty 20. Malcolm McMaster 21. Patrick Freel

Thomson Begins Title Defense with Sunset Victory

2010-06-02T15:49:00.000-07:00

The 2010 Ontario Pro Challenge (OPC) season got underway on Saturday evening at the spectacularly renovated Sunset Speedway in Innisfil, ON and the travelling series did not disappoint as a record 21 drivers hit the asphalt to kick off the new campaign. The battles were impressive on the fast 1/3-mile high-banked track, as two-wide racing was a given throughout the night. A highlight of the opener was the debut of the 2K10 rookie class, which put seven drivers in a freshman-only heat race that went green to checker without issue. The new competitors had a little more trouble in the 30-lap main event, but the overall impression was solid.

When the OPC has more than 21 cars in the pits, they run a total of three heats, setting the grid for the first two heats using an average points per race equation. Rookie drivers – those running less than the minimum three races – are placed in third heat. Using the average points from the 2009 season for the series opener, Dario Valente (#71 Apartments International Monte Carlo) was placed on the outside pole for the first heat and was able to hold off a hard-charging Danielle Wilson (#21 Huber Window Cleaning Monte Carlo) to score the first checkered flag of the year. Scott Fletcher crossed the line in third in his #60 Hype Energy Drink Monte Carlo.

The second heat featured all of the big hitters, including reigning champion Dennis Thomson, Tim Norris, Tim Forbes, Josh Nicholson and Ken Nicholson. After an exciting dice, Norris would score the win in his #88 ApprencticeSearch.com / Lucas Oil Dodge Intrepid, holding off both Thomson (#02 Thompson Signs Ford Mustang) and Forbes (#04 Midhurst Roofing Ford Mustang) to further set the grid for the 30-lap main. Josh Nicholson (#66 Firkin Pubs Dodge Charger) and Ken Nicholson (#99 International Truck and Engine Chev Monte Carlo) capped the top-five, while Bob Hopton was sixth in his #10 Tradewind Monte Carlo.

In the third heat, the rookies did extremely well, with Jonathan Sloot (#22 Monte Carlo) staying out in front of the pack to win in his series debut. Jason Davidson powered his #48 entry to second ahead of Patrick Freel in the #77 Dodge Intrepid. Rick Seeley (#19 Pontiac Grand Prix) and Jason Podewis (#7 Chev Monte Carlo) rounded out the top-five.

The main event was set as the feature race of the evening, and with 21 cars roaring off turn four to take the green, Valente held the point for the initial laps after starting on pole. Fletcher had the rocket over the opening laps as he went to the front by controlling the low exit line out of the corners. Fletcher would eventually take the lead and he was able to hold onto the point through multiple cautions, however, these frequent stoppages allowed Norris, Thomson and Forbes to close in. Fletcher was able to hold off their advances for many laps, but Thomson would eventually slip through, pinning Fletcher to the high groove whereby the floodgates opened. Fletcher would eventually finish a strong fifth, after losing three additional positions.

It would come down to a green-white-checker finish after a late-race yellow, but the veteran Thomson would not be fazed as he held off Norris to defend his ’09 championship in fine style. Norris would finish second ahead of Forbes, while Josh Nicholson steered his ride to an impressive fourth after starting 10^th. Danielle Wilson fought through a couple of incidents to take sixth behind Fletcher, while Malcolm McMaster turned in an impressive effort to take eighth. The highest finishing rookie driver was Jason Davidson, who ran a great race after starting in 15th, advancing to eighth in the final tally. Robert Coverdale and Matt Marshall completed the top-10.

The next race is set for this coming weekend back on the high banks of Sunset, with the cars again part of their Saturday night program.

Round #1 – May 28, 2010

Sunset Speedway – Innisfil, Ontario

Heat #1:

1. Dario Valente 2. Danielle Wilson 3. Scott Fletcher 4. Robert Coverdale 5. Matt Marshall 6. Malcolm McMaster

Heat #2:

1. Tim Norris 2. Dennis Thomson 3. Tim Forbes 4. Josh Nicholson 5. Ken Nicholson 6. Bob Hopton

Heat #3:

1. Jonathan Sloot 2. Jason Davidson 3. Patrick Freel 4. Rick Seeley 5. Jason Podewis 6. Owen Smith 7. Dale Wilson 8. Ken Lillycrop

Feature:

1. Dennis Thomson 2. Tim Norris 3. Tim Forbes 4. Josh Nicholson 5. Scott Fletcher 6. Danielle Wilson 7. Malcolm McMaster 8. Jason Davidson 9. Robert Coverdale 10. Matt Marshall 11. Ken Nicholson 12. Ken Lillycrop 13. Rick Seeley 14. Jason Podewis 15. Bob Hopton 16. Jonathan Sloot 17. Patrick Freel 18. Dale Wilson 19. Kyle Batty 20. Dario Valente 21. Owen Smith

Driver Profile: Danielle Wilson - #21

2010-05-25T23:45:00.000-07:00

On any summer weekend night in Ontario, there are countless kids perched intently in the grandstands of our local stock car tracks, their gazes locked on the brightly lit racing surface. I know this, because I myself was one of those crazed youngsters back in the 70s and 80s. These adolescent enthusiasts cheer on their favourite drivers and dream of one day getting the opportunity to be down on the asphalt themselves. For Danielle Wilson, Sauble Speedway was the venue as her family spent many a weekend at a cottage in Sauble Beach, where they would regularly attend Saturday night events at Sauble Speedway. A huge racing fan as a child, Wilson's dream became a reality back in 1999 when her father John began the shared ownership of a Jr. Late Model with a friend, which would put his 12 year-old daughter into competition. A simple yet probing question one night from Dad regarding his daughter’s perceived ability to race a Jr. Late Model at Sauble was followed with a resounding “I bet I could”, a reply that has led to a long career and love affair with the sport. They would purchase their own car for her second season of racing, and Wilson was off and running.

Six seasons of Jr. Late Model competition at Sauble helped hone Danielle’s racecraft in preparation for her move to the Ontario Pro Challenge series in 2006 at the age of 18. Wilson was voted the OPC Sportsman of the Year in her rookie season, and has used the subsequent campaigns to consistently improve her abilities. A number of heat race victories have been enjoyed, and her best feature race finish is a second place run. Last season, Wilson turned in her best run at Sunset in late August when she finished an impressive third to Josh Nicholson and eventual champion Dennis Thomson. Danielle missed three races and finished 14^th in points in ’09, but a full campaign is scheduled for 2K10. This year will be all about bagging that illusive first main event victory.

For Wilson, the biggest draw of the Ontario Pro Challenge Series is the community, which she states is always there to help with advice or to jump in if a car needs help with trackside repairs. As for the race car itself, Danielle loves the corner speeds and the agile nature of the Pro Challenge machine, not to mention its relatively low maintenance requirements. When it comes to tracks, she points to Kawartha as her favorite. As the site of her first heat race win, there is a comfort and confidence factor for the fast facility, where she feels that she can always fight for a top-three finish. She’ll get a chance to return to the track on September 10 during the Ontario Pro Challenge’s only visit to the challenging venue.

Danielle got married this past winter to Jason Huber, and is a full-time administrator at Homewood Health Centre in Guelph, Ontario. Danielle has also aligned herself with the Canadian Center for Abuse Awareness (CCAA) in 2006 and does fundraising for the organization through her racing efforts. The 2010 season will see Wilson back on the track in her Huber Window Cleaning #21 Monte Carlo, aiming to score that first series victory. Danielle will once again have her crew of John Wilson (crew chief), Jason Huber and George Schroeder at the wrenches as she sets about competing at speedways all over southern Ontario.

Photography Provided by Chip Young

2K10 Season Kicks off Saturday Night at Sunset

2010-05-25T05:31:00.001-07:00

After watching the planned season opener at Flamboro Speedway on May 8 get scuttled due to inclement weather, the competitors of the Ontario Pro Challenge will finally get the opportunity to begin the 2010 season this weekend at the completely renovated Sunset Speedway. The Saturday evening show is much anticipated thanks to the total overall that has been done to the Stroud, Ontario facility, and the early reviews are extremely positive. Series veterans like Dennis Thomson, Tim Norris and Ken Nicholson will be joined by several rookies competitors this year, as the promoters expect 20+ cars in the pit area.

The pit gate opens at 2:00 pm, while the spectator gates will open at 4:30 pm. Racing begins a 6:00 pm. For directions to the facility, head to www.sunsetspeedway.ca.

Flamboro Cancelled

2010-05-08T09:07:00.001-07:00

We have received word from Ontario Pro Challenge officials that the season opening race schedule for Flamboro Speedway this evening has been cancelled due to weather. The first race of the season will now move to the newly renovated Sunset Speedway on May 29.

2K10 Season Preview – The Rookies

2010-05-06T19:57:00.001-07:00

After six years of steady development and growth, the Ontario Pro Challenge series is about to see its grid explode into 2010 thanks to a major influx of competition. The quality of the program and the passion of its promotional team are now paying dividends as the traveling series will likely enjoy 20+ cars at every outing this summer. A total of nine series rookies are expected to join the program and have cars either race-ready or in the process of completion; some veterans of roundy-round action, some new to stock car racing and others with impressive resumes in other categories. This preview will have a look at a few of these drivers.

The freshman class features competitors who can be found both ends of the age spectrum, as well as the experience ladder. On the experienced side, Jason Podewils comes to the Ontario Pro Challenge with a solid winning resume in Ontario Mini Stock competition, and he will debut a former U.S. car that he and OPC regular Tim Forbes picked up from Georgia. Podewils’ past oval success could quickly see him become a frontrunner once he has figured out the Pro Challenge equation. Likewise, Owen Wilson is a long-time Ontario short tracker with both Street Stock and Legend car time, and his purchase of Dennis Thomson’s title winning Ford Taurus will give him a tried and true ride to begin his PC journey.

Motorsports journalist Rob Howden will join the fray this season, having purchased a car from North Carolina last fall. The son of a former Ontario Super Late Model frontunner, the Cambridge resident has a diverse resume that includes high-level 125cc shifter karting and open wheel formula car racing. In between trips to major karting events around North America, where he acts as the sport’s leading commentator, Howden is targeting a limited schedule of between 5-8 events in 2010. Having been away on business all winter, Howden and his crew will begin work rebuilding his Monte Carlo in mid-May with a planned June debut. The car will sport backing from eKartingNews.ca, the Canadian arm of Howden’s popular US karting website – eKartingNews.com.

The rookie field is also ripe with young talented drivers who are making their way from both Junior Late Models and Ontario karting. Waterloo’s Dale Wilson will run an ex-Ryan Heavner car from the south, having worked with his father to rebuild and update the car throughout the winter. Wilson graduated his way through the Waterloo Regional Kart Club – which now runs on Saturday mornings on the Flamboro Speedway karting course – and he continues to run with the growing organization to gain continued track time. Over the past two years, the 15 year-old has also run in selected JCAR and Mini Truck events at Grand Bend Motorplex, getting some time in the full-bodied cars. Along the same lines, London’s Patrick Freel purchased a second Heavner car, which he will use to make his Pro Challenge debut after devoting his entire development on the Junior CASCAR program, with much success. Junior titles in 2006 and 2007 at the London oval graduated him into the senior categories in ’08-’09, where he quickly came up to speed against his older competition, which occasionally included such famed provincial stars JR Fitzpatrick. It is expected that both Wilson and Freel will focus on making a smooth transition in 2010, working to gain the respect of the established veterans.

Additional rookies include Ken Lillycrop, Rick Sealy, Jason Davidson and Bryan Stevanus. PLO was unable to gather bios on this quartet, but further information on these competitors will be posted to Pro Challenge Online soon.

While Mother Nature is threatening the season opener at Flamboro Speedway this Saturday with rain, you can be sure that the freshman class of 2010 has its collective fingers crossed that clear skies will be the order of the day. After a long off-season, they are all ready to hit the asphalt.

2K10 Season Preview – The Veterans

2010-05-04T05:40:00.003-07:00

In 2009, there was an easily identifiable lead group in the Ontario Pro Challenge Series. Last year’s victories were shared by just four drivers – Dennis Thomson, Tim Forbes, Tim Norris and Josh Nicholson - but the competition promises to be even tougher in 2010. A number of second and third-year drivers will enter the new campaign with a season or more worth of experience under their belts, making them quicker than ever. A huge rookie class, which we will preview later this week, is also primed and ready to surprise the establishment.

Thomson remains the series standout for 2010, as the star driver is entering the new campaign with a brand new car after selling his title-winning Ford Taurus to rookie Owen Smith. It won’t take Thomson long to shake any bugs out of his new ride, and he’ll be gunning to repeat a season of consistency that featured four wins and a staggering nine straight top-four finishes. That said, Norris should again challenge Thomson for the crown, capping off the ’09 season with an impressive win at Flamboro to make it a pair of victories on the year. A return to the Millgrove, Ontario facility to launch the new season should give Norris the extra confidence he needs to start the schedule with a ‘W’.

Nicholson is a young lion in the paddock and is only getting better each season, while Forbes kicked off the ’09 season with a win at Sunset. He’ll looking for more of the same this time around. Forbes and Nicholson both have the experience and speed to vie for wins on any given evening, so last year’s race winners will need to fight each other first before even thinking of the snarling pack of veterans, sophomores and freshman who are ready to pounce.

Leading the charge after last year’s victors will be Ken Nicholson, Robert Coverdale, Scott Fletcher and Kyle Batty. Nicholson was a charger all year, but just wasn’t able to crack the ‘winners circle’ despite multiple heat race wins. The veteran finished in the top-five on six occasions, was runner-up at Kawartha and took third at Sunset, Flamboro and the non-points Varney special. A win is just around the corner for the Brantford hotshoe. Coverdale’s 2009 season showed impressive consistency as well, especially for a series rookie. An incredible eight top-10 finishes were punctuated by three fifth place results, including two at Flamboro and one at Sunset. Fletcher was a rookie to the series last year, but not racing itself, although he had not been behind the wheel since 2003. Once Fletcher had sorted out the Dodge Avenger that he had purchased out of the US, he completed the season with a total of our top-seven finishes in the final five races.

Batty will also be one to watch, as the young pilot got quicker and quicker at the season wore on. A solid fourth place result at Sauble in mid-July was his best effort, but it was his five top-10 finishes that advanced him to seventh in the final standings.

Another year’s experience will certainly help many drivers to step up in 2010. Bob Hopton capped the ’09 season with an impressive second at Flamboro, while Malcolm McMaster scored six top-10 finishes in ’09 and will again be ready to fight for top-five results. Tim Shanahan will be looking to using the experience gained in his rookie season, as will John Sloot, Larry Majuery, and Matt Marshall. Dario Valente had a season-high eighth at Sunset, while showed Daniel Wilson showed her mettle en route to a third at Sunset last summer, hinting at great things to come. Long-time series driver Kevin Crowhurst is also hoping to running a full schedule this year, but a limited schedule is a given for the driver who sits near the top of the list in all-time series wins.

In our next preview installment, we’ll look at the 2010 freshman class, which will certainly help take the series to a new level. With the opening round of the series happening this coming weekend at Flamboro Speedway (May 8), we’ll know soon enough who is in the position to make a run at this year’s crown.

It's Time to Go Racing!

2010-04-30T16:21:00.000-07:00

The 2010 edition of the Ontario Pro Challenge Series is right around the corner, as the season opener is scheduled for Saturday, May 8 at Flamboro Speedway. After a banner year in ’09 which saw a record average car count, this new season will enjoy a significant jump in numbers as over 24 cars appear to be in preparations for the new campaign. We’ll have a few preview pieces here on ‘Pro Challenge Online’ over the next couple of weeks, targeting the returning veterans and the long list of rookies. We’ll also start profiling the individual drivers in the program, running these features in between our regular race reports.

After a chilly off-season, the Pro Challenge competitors are no doubt eager to get back on the track, and this excitement was on display in mid-April when an open practice session as held at Flamboro. A handful of eager drivers braved the elements during a very cold outing, but this dedication only served to begin what will surely be the biggest season of Ontario Pro Challenge racing to date.

Stay tuned for more information of the series. For those wanting to know when the series will visit your home track, head to the Ontario Pro Challenge website.

2010 Ontario Pro Challenge Schedule Released

2010-02-17T09:52:00.000-08:00

Here is the schedule for this year's Ontario Pro Challenge. The calendar includes 13 dates at six different venues throughout the province.

May 8 - Flamboro Speedway
May 29 - Sunset Speedway

June 5 - Sunset Speedway

June 12 - Varney Speedway

June 26 - Sauble Speedway

July 3 - Mosport Speedway

July 17 - Sunset Speedway

July 24 - Varney Speedway

August 7 - Flamboro Speedway

August 21 - Sauble Speedway

September 10 - Kawartha Speedway

September 18- Sunset Speedway

September 25 - Flamboro Speedway

Brandon Williamson Sweeps Winternationals Events at Orlando

2010-02-15T14:22:00.000-08:00

Here's the official report from PASCAR:

By Tracy Chirico

Rain may have dampened the scheduled activities for the Pro Challenge Series at Orlando Speedworld this week, but Brandon Williamson took advantage of the double features on Saturday to score a clean sweep of the day. Williamson was dominant all day, and walked away with wins in both of the 50-lap events.

After winning his heat race, Williamson started the first feature on the outside pole. Dennis Thompson came from the pole to take the lead, at the drop of the green, but fell off the pace early in the race and took his car to the infield with issues. Williamson inherited the lead as a result, and once out front, he never surrendered the spot. As the laps wound down, Williamson stretched his lead over second-place Brady Boswell to nearly a full straightaway. Ken Nicholson crossed the line in third.

Williamson started on the pole in the second event and never looked back. While there were several restarts, his fellow competitors were unable to keep him from continuing to pull away from the field. Nicholson, who had been a contender early on in the race, pulled off of the track in a puff of smoke prior to the halfway point of the event. Again Williamson pulled off the win by a tremendous margin. Boswell made a sweep of the runner-up spot, and Anderson Bowen was third.

FEATURE #1 (50 laps)

1. Brandon Williamson

2. Brady Boswell

3. Ken Nicholson

4. Anderson Bowen

5. Darin Matthews

6. Malcolm McMaster

7. Melina Rolo

8. Jacob Callowy

9. Chad Finchum

10. Dennis Thompson

FEATURE #2 (50 laps)

1. Brandon Williamson

2. Brady Boswell

3. Anderson Bowen

4. Darin Matthews

5. Melina Rolo

6.Malcolm McMaster

7. Ken Nicholson

Winternationals Update - Canadians Show Well

2010-02-14T10:48:00.000-08:00

I just received an e-mail update from Ken Nicholson, who along with Dennis Thomson and Malcolm McMaster, traveled to Orlando Speedway in Florida this weekend to participate in the annual Pro Challenge Winternationals. As anyone watching Speedweeks knows, the weather in Florida has been sketchy at best throughout the week and as was the case at Daytona, the Winternationals events were rained out on Friday. This pushed the first 50-lap feature to Saturday, where clear skies set the stage for Twin 50s. The weather certainly affected the turnout, as the field consisted of less than a dozen cars.

In the first heat, Thomson showed his stuff in taking the win, while Nicholson was third. In the first 50-lapper, Thomson led the way until a minor mechanical issue took him out of the race and, disappointingly, out of the rest of the night as well as they couldn't get it fixed in time. Nicholson was third in the first main event. MacMaster was battling a miss in his engine throughout the night, but steered his car to a solid sixth in the first race.

In the second heat race, Nicholson stepped up his game to win, but he was running third in the 50-lapper when he, too, was sidelined with a mechanical issue. McMaster improved one more position, capping the top-five.

The drivers will now work their way back to Ontario to begin preparations for the Ontario Pro Challenge on May 8 at Flamboro Speedway.

Pro Challenge Continuing Winternationals Tradition at Orlando SpeedWorld

2010-02-08T16:18:00.000-08:00

For the fourth straight season, PASCAR (the Professional Association of Scale Car Auto Racing) and officials from Orlando SpeedWorld in Bithlo, Florida, will be hosting one of the most anticipated events in scale-car racing, the Pro Challenge Winternationals on February 11-13, 2010.

Pro Challenge, the three-quarter-scale stock car and truck series that has become the industry leader in developmental racing, will return to Orlando SpeedWorld for the fourth-annual Winternationals with a practice day on Thursday, February 11th, followed by two days of racing events on Friday and Saturday, February 12th and 13th.

As a special bonus for the 2010 Winternationals, the start of the new season at Orlando will also include a celebration of the recently-completed 2009 season with the fourth annual Awards Banquet, to be held at the full-service and catered pavilion building at Orlando SpeedWorld following the racing events on Friday, February 12th.

“We are excited and proud to be holding our Winternationals events at Orlando SpeedWorld for the fourth straight season,” said John Litzinger, President of PASCAR and owner of Pro Challenge Race Cars, Inc. “The staff Orlando have been great hosts for our series for many seasons and our competitors really enjoy being able to enjoy the pleasures of Central Florida in February. We’re looking forward to another great event to start the 2010 season and also celebrating our stellar 2009 season at the banquet on Friday night.”

Pro Challenge Series competitors will have an open practice day at Orlando SpeedWorld on Thursday, February 11th to kick off Winternationals weekend. Qualifying and racing events will be held on both Friday, February 12th and Saturday, February 13th. Teams competing during Winternationals must be licensed PASCAR members in order to compete. Early entry for Winternationals is $100 by February 10th, while the at-track entry fee will be $150, so early registration is encouraged. All necessary registration and entry forms are available for download on the Pro Challenge Series’ official website, www.prochallengeseries.com.

Following the events on Friday, February 12th, all Pro Challenge teams are invited to celebrate the 2009 season with the Awards Banquet at Orlando SpeedWorld. National Champion and series Rookie of the Year Brady Boswell, all four Regional Champions and more will be honored for their successes in 2009. More information on the banquet will be announced soon.

Winternationals kicks off an exciting 2010 season for the Pro Challenge Series, which consists of four regions (North, South, Canada and Sunshine) competing for a year-end National Championship.

Champions Profile: #02 Dennis Thomson

2009-10-20T09:42:00.000-07:00

To say that 2009 Ontario Pro Challenge champion Dennis Thomson is a veteran of short track racing in this province would be a huge understatement. Thomson’s father Don Thomson was a regular fixture on the region’s late model scene in the 70s and 80s, and both Dennis and his older brother Don followed in their Dad’s footsteps. Dennis made his debut in the Challenger class in 1985 running at Flamboro, becoming a force in the category before moving up into in Late Model Sportsmans. From there, Thomson jumped into the short-lived Ontario Speedway Mini Sprints series and onto the Legends program, where he would win three championships. Fast-forward to 2009 and this year’s Ontario Pro Challenge series champion has added yet another trophy to the mantle that further illustrates a stellar 20+ year racing career.

Thomson is enjoying his current racing focus thoroughly and told PLO that he’s “not going anywhere”. Dennis was part of the initial debut of the Pro Challenge series back in 2001, as a member of the ‘Original Six’, the nickname that is often used for the drivers who made up the grid during the first year in 2001. Thomson would only continue his impressive on-track performances as the series grew, adding to his resume by topping the final standings seven times since the inception of the Ontario program.

This past year, the 45 year-old sign shop owner from Dundas scored four straight victories through the middle of the summer to pull away from his competition, setting him up for yet another title. These wins were all part of an amazingly consistent season that saw Thomson finish every race within the top-four. Victories were logged at four different tracks as well – Mosport, Sauble, Flamboro and Sunset – proving Thomson’s ability to tackle any challenge. With the series traveling to several different tracks around the province, Thomson cannot, however, single out one facility as his favorite. As far as the most difficult challenge is concerned - the type of test in which champions revel - he was able to tag Sunset Speedway as one that motivated him the most to find the ideal set-up. His successful chase of getting the car to turn-in while still not sacrificing forward bite off the corner was particularly rewarding.

Aside from his penchant for winning races, Thomson is extremely supportive and complimentary of the Pro Challenge program when asked. Dennis cites the quality of the people in the series as its biggest asset, along with the car’s affordability. The stability that has been developed by the hard-working promoters of the series – Kathy and Ken Nicholson – has paid out handsomely, providing a program that has attracted a great field of race cars for 2010. Growth is certainly not a buzz word in Ontario stock car racing these days, but the Ontario Pro Challenge series is something of an anomaly, and this province’s race fans will be the benefactors.

Next year, Thomson will be back for more, and he will once again enjoy the opportunity to go door-to-door with an ever-improving and ever-growing line-up of Pro Challenge competitors.

The 2009 Season – A Quick Synopsis

2009-10-15T08:24:00.000-07:00

During the ‘09 Ontario Pro Challenge season, a total of four drivers visited victory lane in the nine points-paying shows that were actually put in the books. Just as it did to tracks all over the province, rain wreaked havoc on several occasions throughout the summer, forcing the cancellation of three Pro Challenge races. This didn’t stop the series competitors from taking their traveling road show to six different facilities this past summer, garnering new fans for the program at every stop.

The wet weather scuttled the season opener at Flamboro on May 9, but things finally got going at Sunset on May 23 as Tim Forbes (right, #04) steered his Carstar #04 Mustang to the victory over Dennis Thomson and Josh Nicholson. Tim Norris (above, #88) improved from his fourth place finish at Sunset just two weeks later to win at Kawartha, powering his Lucas Oil Ford Taurus #88 to the checkered flag ahead of Ken Nicholson (International Chevy Monte Carlo #99), who held off the advances of his son Josh. A return to Sunset was next up at the end of June and this time out, Josh Nicholson found his groove to score his first win of the year in his Firkin Pubs Dodge Charger #66. After the first three races, it was Thomson who held the lead in standings by just two points over Josh Nicholson.

The month of July was all Thomson (left) as he rung off a streak of three wins to stretch his point lead. At Mosport on July 4 and Sauble on July 18, the Dundas, Ontario driver put his Thomson Signs Ford Taurus #02 in front of Josh Nicholson and Norris on both occasions. A return to Flamboro on July 18 produced the same results, as Thomson this time topped Norris and Ken Nicholson for the checkered flag. The three-race winning streak provided an 18-point cushion for Thomson heading into the final five races of the year. This would eventually become just three events, as two of the August dates (Sauble and Flamboro) were cancelled due to rain.

Thomson was not done with the streak, winning at Sunset on August 1 over Norris and Forbes, but Josh Nicholson came back to put an end to the dominance at Sunset once again, this time on August 29 during an exciting Saturday night show. Thomson remained consistent to finish second ahead of Danielle Wilson, who turned in her best performance of the year aboard the A.S.A.P Courier Chevy Monte Carlo #21. Thomson needed only to start the season finale at Flamboro to take the crown, racing to a strong third place finish behind Norris, who capped his campaign with an impressive victory. Bob Hopton (Tradewind Chevy Monte Carlo #10) laid down his finest run of the year to finish second, leading the race for several laps in the process.

When it was all said and done, Thomson enjoyed a 26-point advantage over Norris to take the championship on the strength of four wins and nine straight top-four finishes. Next up on Pro Challenge Online (PCO)…a Championship Profile of Dennis Thomson.

Photos Courtesy of Dave Franks Photos and www.sunsetspeedway.ca

What is the Ontario Pro Challenge Series?

2009-10-13T15:05:00.000-07:00

Simply put, the Ontario Pro Challenge Series is a traveling racing program that features ¾ scale versions of NASCAR stock cars. The cars feature the same steel tube frame and roll cage design as any hardcore late model, and they are skinned in fiberglass bodies resembling your favorite Cup cars. Models such as the Chevy Monte Carlo, Dodge Intrepid, Pontiac Grand Prix and Ford Taurus are all in the Ontario lineup, as are the recent inclusion of the Ford Mustang and the Dodge Avenger.

The Pro Challenge cars offer up a unique exhaust note, that’s for sure, as they are powered by Kawasaki 1100cc motorcycle motors that boast 100+ horsepower. Bolted into a 1550 lb race car, they will propel the Pro Challenge cars to over 100 mph on the series’ longest tracks. The engines are sealed to keep costs affordable and the competition tight, and all the cars run a spec Hoosier slick tire. While the Pro Challenge car is a spec car, there is also enough adjustability in the suspension to allow proper set-up to make a real contribution to the final pace a driver can achieve.

The length of a track is the primary factory in the development of Ontario Pro Challenge schedule, as anything over a long third-mile becomes a little large for the series. Quarter-mile and third-mile bullrings allow the cars to stretch their legs, putting on exciting shows that have been adding to the nightly excitement at Ontario ovals for the last nine years. In 2009, the Ontario Pro Challenge Series visited the speedways at Flamboro, Sunset, Kawartha, Sauble and Varney during a 14-race calendar that went from May to September. As soon as the 2010 schedule is confirmed, we’ll have it for you here on Pro Challenge Online.

If you’d like to find out more about the series, head to the official Ontario Pro Challenge website.

PCO Takes The Green!

2009-10-08T13:29:00.000-07:00

Welcome to Pro Challenge Online, a new blog site that will give Ontario's race fans and look inside this growing series.

Let's start with a little background. As a professional motorsports journalist, I make a living covering racing, traveling all over North America and the world reporting on competitive karting and open wheel formula car racing. I also have a not-so-secret desire to get back to the short tracks of Ontario where grew up. As the son of a former Super Late Model driver who spent many a Saturday night at Flamboro Speedway, it should come as no surprise that I am now the owner of a Pro Challenge car that I intend to campaign in selected events next summer.

I had been watching the Pro Challenge series develop over the past couple of years, and I thought that it was a great car for Ontario's tracks. However, it all came to a head this past September when I had a weekend off and drove over to Flamboro to check out the action. I knew the Pro Challenge cars would be there for their finale and I really wanted to see how far they'd come. I was thrilled to see 17 cars in the pit area and was pumped after they put on a great show all night. I immediately went to work seeking out a car in the US, and the rest is history. I'll be on-track with the series for a handful of races in 2010.

Now let's look at 'Pro Challenge Online' and what I plan to do with this blog. The media sources in Ontario and Canada do what they can, but there is only so much room to provide really solid coverage of the many different series in the province. I know personally how good the Pro Challenge racing is and I believe that by building the fan awareness of the class and its drivers, we can make it one of the most followed and supported traveling series in Ontario. So, this blog will focus on the drivers and the series, letting the province's race fans learn more about the pilots who will be out on track all next year!

If you like watching the Pro Challenge Series, book mark this page and become a 'Follower'....we're going to have alot of good stuff here!

Enjoy,

Rob Howden