Carl Edwards Will Sign Autographes at Canadian Motorsports Expo
[media-credit name=”Credit: Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images for NASCAR” align=”alignright” width=”225″]
[/media-credit]After finishing second in last year’s NASCAR Sprint Cup Series standings, Carl Edwards will be coming to Canada for the Canadian Motorsports Expo on Saturday February 11th. Edwards will be signing autographs and taking part in an hour Q&A session with the fans.
“I’m looking forward to coming to Toronto on Saturday, February 11 to meet Canadian racing fans at the Canadian Motorsports Expo,” Edwards said. “I was in kind of a rush the last time I was in Canada, last August. We were doing double-duty that weekend, shuttling back and forth between the Michigan Cup race and the Nationwide race in Montreal. This time, it’ll be nice to chat with the fans in a more relaxed setting.”
Edwards finished second in standings after Tony Stewart won the tie-breaker as he had won more races than Edwards in 2011. The championship battle last year between Edwards and Tony Stewart stands as the closest championship battle in NASCAR’s history. Edwards is also one of the drivers to win a race on Canadian soil as he won the 2009 NASCAR Nationwide Series race at Montreal’s Circuit Gilles Villeneuve.
The Canadian Motorsports Expo Powered by Inside Track Motorsports News will be taking place at the International Centre from February 10th to February 12th.
“We’re very pleased to announce that Carl Edwards will be our headline celebrity at this year’s Canadian Motorsports Expo,” CME’s David Weber said. “Heading into this year’s show, virtually all of our exhibitor space has been sold and we’ve gotten a lot of great support from some of the country’s top companies, racing series, tracks, manufacturers and retailers. This year’s CME is going to be the best ever, and we’re extremely excited that Carl Edwards is going to be part of it.”
The three-day event is meant to highlight the best of Canadian motorsports, while giving the fans a chance to meet racing superstars. Along with Edwards’ appearance, there will be a CASCAR reunion held on February 12th and the Inside Track Reader’s Choice Awards will be given out on February 10th.
Watch the CME’s website (www.CanadianMotorsportsExpo.com) for details on Carl Edwards’ appearance, including confirmed times and the autograph session, and for more information about the Canadian Motorsports Expo.
Tom Hessert Will Return To The ARCA Racing Series in 2012
While Tom Hessert won’t release many details about what his plans for 2012 are, he is saying one thing that is definite – he will be racing in the ARCA Racing Series.
“I’m definitely planning on returning to the ARCA Racing Series in 2012,” Hessert said. “Whether it’s full-time or on a part-time basis is yet to be sorted out.”
The Cherry Hill, N.J. native also adds that he vows that he will be at Daytona International Speedway on February 18th for the Lucas Oil Slick Mist 200. He also wants to finish better this year after finishing 37th in last year’s running.
“But I can tell you I’ll be at Daytona in February, so definitely looking forward to that,” Hessert, who finished sixth in points last year, said. “We didn’t have a real good Daytona last year, so definitely looking to come out this year on the better end.”
Hessert also has made another vow, to marry his fiancée Meghan Reilly in November.
Getting ready for Daytona and helping his bride-to-be with wedding plans isn’t all that’s on Hessert’s plate. He is also busy working for the Classic Auto Group in hometown.
“I do most of the wholesale stuff for Classic Auto Group – buy cars for resale while we, at the same time, sell our aged inventory to make way for the newer stuff,” he said. “In terms of what we buy, it could be anything from a Ferrari to a Ford F-150, so a pretty wide range.”
New IndyCar Series ‘DW12’ Chassis To Make First Appearance in Canada
Canadian Motorsports Expo Powered by Inside Track staff announced that as part of the three day show, they will be featuring a special show car – the 2012 IndyCar Series D12 Dallara Chassis.
This will mark the first time that the completed version of the 2012 Dallara DW12 IndyCar will make its appearance in Canada. A preview of the final version was on display at the Honda Indy Toronto last year, but there have since been significant changes. Dallara named the the chassis “DW12″ in honor of the late Dan Wheldon, who helped develop the car and and is a two-time winner of the Indy 500. The car is being put on display on behalf of the Honda Indy Toronto staff.
“Canadian Motorsports Expo visitors are going to be the first in Canada to get a firsthand look at the new road course version of the Dallara DW12 IZOD IndyCar Series car, identical to the ones that will be in action on the streets of Toronto in July,” CME’s David Weber said. “The Honda Indy Toronto is one of Canada’s biggest sports and entertainment events and we’re excited to be working the organizers to promote both the event and Canadian motorsports at the CME.”
The Honda Indy Toronto brings the stars of the IZOD IndyCar Series, Firestone Indy Lights and other major racing series to Toronto to race along the streets of the Exhibition Grounds. The event weekend is schedule to take place July 6th through the 8th for 2012. Representatives from the event will on-hand to talk about the 2012 event and the new IndyCar Series chassis.
“The Honda Indy Toronto is the highlight of the year for many motorsports fans and car aficionados,” Charlie Johnstone, Vice President and General Manager of the Honda Indy Toronto. “Motorsports has much more to offer than one single weekend of spectacular racing and excitement. IndyCar and other racing series can offer great entertainment all year long, which is something we will also offer at the CME.
“At the CME, we can speak directly to the motorsport enthusiast who will definitely appreciate seeing the new car up-close and in-person six months before it hits the track,” continued Johnstone.”
The Canadian Motorsports Expo will be taking place at the International Centre from February 10th to February 12th. The three-day event is meant to highlight the best of Canadian motorsports and let the fans get up-and-close with the race cars, while giving the fans a chance to meet racing superstars.
Canadian racing talent has been building in the IZOD IndyCar Series as 2011 IndyCar Rookie of the Year James Hinchcliffe and 2011 Indy 500 pole-winner Alex Tagliani have both signed deals for full-time rides. Hinchcliffe, who was born in Ontario, recently signed with Andretti Autosport while Tagliani, who was born in Quebec, recently signed with Bryan Herta Autosport. Both drivers are also nominated for an Inside Track Readers’ Choice Award.
Canadian racing veteran Paul Tracy could also have a full-time ride for 2012 as he in talks with teams, but nothing has yet to be confirmed.
“We have some solid Canadian talents participating this year and driving at the highest level,” Johnstone said. “Having Canadian IndyCar drivers is very important for us and for our fans. We always want to see local heroes on-track and to have them succeed. We can’t wait to see how they perform in Toronto this July and what the season holds for our Canadian drivers.”
