OntarioOval.com Interviews OPC #8 Dale Wilson

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!

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

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

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

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

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

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