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EDMONTON INT'L RACEWAY'S 2007 RACE SEASON!

Edmonton Int’l Raceway (EIR) celebrates its 13^th year of operation under the direction of Ron & Loretta Thiering. This exciting ¼ mile paved oval has certainly come a long way over the years. In 2005 EIR led the way in Western Canada and became the only track to sanction with NASCAR. This sanctioning has provided local Late Model Racers an opportunity to compete in the NASCAR Whelen All American Series by racing locally without having to endure the additional expenses of touring and traveling. EIR announced on February 5, 2007 that Lucas Oil has taken on the Title Sponsorship of the NASCAR Late Models racing at EIR in the Whelen All American Series. This sponsorship adds a $10,000 year-end points fund bringing the total payout to over $30,000 (and growing) when added to the NASCAR Points Fund and Contingency payouts. Under the new NASCAR Whelen All American Series the NASCAR Late Models will compete for the EIR NASCAR Track Championship and the Provincial NASCAR Championship. Racers in the Whelen All American Series will also receive an International Rating score against their fellow NASCAR competitors throughout Canada & and the U.S.

This year the K-Rock Thunder Cars will also join the NASCAR Series. This gives these entry-level racers the opportunity to race under the NASCAR banner and also awards them with a $3,000 U.S. year-end points fund payout from NASCAR.

In 2006, the NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series Champion was #89 Racer, Terry Dowler. Terry traveled to Las Vegas along with his Crew Chief and EIR NASCAR Mechanic of the Year, Jim McIntosh to receive his award as Champion and 13^th place in Division II of the NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series. Terry will be back this year to defend his title in the Lucas Oil NASCAR Late Models. He faces stiff opposition from fellow NASCAR Racers, #07 Greg Moir (2006 EIR Runner-Up Champion), #94 Ernie Ricard (2006 EIR Late Model Rookie of the Year) and #77 Darrel Vallie, fresh from his debut on Discovery Channel’s STAR Racer Series. The 2006 K-Rock Thunder Car Champion, #41 Kevin McMillan has sold his Thunder Car and moved into the NASCAR Late Model Series at EIR. The NASCAR K-Rock Thunder Car class looks really strong this year as many Claimer Car Racers move up into this very competitive race class. EIR welcomes Osman Auction as the new title sponsor for the EIR Claimer Cars. Expect to see #61 Eric Matthews work hard to win that Claimer Car Title after finishing 2^nd in 2006.

NASCAR has developed a new points system for the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series Late Models and EIR has assigned this points system to the NASCAR K-Rock Thunder Cars & the Osman Auction Claimer Cars as well.  This new points system incorporates a unique new format that awards 2 points for last place finish and moves up 2 points for each car racing in either the heat race or the feature race. The Lucas Oil NASCAR Late Models will qualify for position in the Feature Race by time trials this year. A spectator from the grandstands will roll a dice to determine how many cars will be inverted for that Feature Race line up.

EIR has many added bonuses for those racing at our track. We assist our racers in their quest for sponsorship by providing additional support and advertising programs for the racers’ sponsors. Each year a Sponsor Appreciation Night is organized and racers can invite their sponsors out for an Appreciation Night that includes entry to the event and a BBQ steak meal. Racers who participate in local promotional events (i.e. parades, car shows, displays) have their Back Gate fees covered each time they participate in an EIR scheduled promotion.

The 2007 Race Season is shaping up to include some very unique marketing opportunities for EIR and its Racers. NewCap Radio (encompassing K-Rock, CAM FM, CFCW, Big Earl and KJR) will participate with EIR in developing a NASCAR Pool webpage exclusively for the EIR Lucas Oil Late Models and the NASCAR K-Rock Thunder Cars. Fans will be invited to log onto any of these radio websites to select weekly EIR Feature Race Winners with a chance to win weekly prizes with a Grand Prize Draw of a trip for 2 to the NEXTEL Daytona 500 Race in February 2008. In addition, racers in the EIR NASCAR Lucas Oil Late Model Class, NASCAR K-Rock Thunder Car Class and the Osman Auction Claimer Car Class will be eligible to win a trip for 2 to the Checker Auto Parts NEXTEL Race in Phoenix in November, including tickets to the race, air fare and accommodation. All 2007 EIR Champions will each receive a ticket to the Edmonton Int’l Raceway Banquet at the Fantasyland Hotel in West Edmonton Mall and DERKS Formals outfits the top 3 Racers in each class with Tuxedos to celebrate this event!

The EIR 2007 race schedule offers fans a very unique variety of race classes this year including a number of Double Feature Events for the NASCAR Lucas Oil Late Models. Fans will see a significant growth in the K-Rock Thunder Car Class, now sanctioned by NASCAR. The entertaining Osman Auction Claimer Cars are shaping up well, other classes include the Legends Cars, the Cycle Works Speedway Super Moto, Baby Grands, JCAR West Junior Late Models, Alberta Outlaw Modifieds, the very popular Hit To Pass Event Series and a Special Event for the IMCA Modifieds on July 7^th. Other Special Events include the Kids Up Front Charity Classic, Faster Pastor Race in August, NASCAR Lucas Oil Late Model Special in August and much, much, more.

EIR continues offer the 10 Lap Stock Car Test Drives, Stock Car Race Schools, Birthday Parties for all ages and many more exciting events. Our 10-Lap Stock Car Test Drives & Stock Car Races are booking up extremely fast for our 2007 Season!

ESTABLISHING A TRADITION OF LATE MODEL RACING IN THE EDMONTON AREA

Mention the name Gretzky, Messier, Smyth and almost every person living in Edmonton will know exactly who you are speaking of, drop names like Gizmo Williams and Ricky Ray and it’ll be the same response. Let’s switch to Auto Racing, names like Richard Petty, Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Jeff Gordon, yes; they ring a bell, don’t they? How about Terry Dowler, Fred Whiteman and Greg Moir, do they sound familiar, not so much? Terry Dowler has been racing stock cars in the Edmonton area for over 15 years and the same can be said for Fred Whiteman and Greg Moir. Terry won the Edmonton Int’l Raceway NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series Champion last year and placed 13^th in Division II of the NASCAR Regional Series. Did you hear about that? Most likely, you didn’t.

In 2005 Edmonton Int’l Raceway (EIR) took a crucial step in the Auto Racing Industry here in Canada and sanctioned with NASCAR. This affiliation gave EIR the opportunity to market under the NASCAR banner and provides EIR Late Model Racers the opportunity to join the NASCAR league here in the Edmonton area. Racers have been competing in Late Model racing for well over 30 years in this area, most recently at EIR’s ¼ mile paved oval. Yet, very little is known of these committed and hard working Sportsmen. They, along with their crew of friends and family put in endless and tiring nights on and off race season to prepare for their Saturday Night showdowns. They aren’t awarded with million-dollar contracts and fame; their fame comes from the 1500+ Fans cheering them on to cross the finish line on a Saturday night.

When EIR committed to sanctioning with NASCAR in 2005, our goal was to create a tradition of NASCAR Late Model Racing right here in the Edmonton area. Fans can experience the thrill of Stock Car Racing by traveling a very short distance down the highway to EIR in Wetaskiwin. At EIR Fans are entertained every Saturday by these NASCAR warriors in addition to many other unique race events.

Our aim for the 2007 Race Season is to create these local heroes – live within the Edmonton area. When you pick up the newspaper on Monday morning you’ll be able to capture Saturday night highlights at EIR and the names will become synonymous with NASCAR racing at EIR. You should be able to tune into your local TV and Radio to get the highlights of the weekend’s race in addition to the Hockey and Football scores and highlights.

By the end of the 2007 Race Season, names like Dowler, Whiteman and Moir and many other EIR NASCAR Late Model Racers will mean something to you and local auto racing will then mean, much, much more to every one!