https://canadianracingonline.com/community/apc-united-late-models-of-ontario/ CanadianRacingOnline.com Discussion Board en-US Sun, 17 May 2026 23:10:01 +0000 wpForo 60 https://canadianracingonline.com/community/apc-united-late-models-of-ontario/matt-pritiko-wins-at-sauble-for-second-career-apc-series-triumph/ Wed, 08 Aug 2018 12:02:58 +0000

 

Matt Pritiko (centre) after winning the Beat the Heat 100 at Sauble Speedway on Saturday, August 5 with podium finishers JR Fitzpatrick (left) and Shae Gemmell (right). (Photo by APC United Late Model Series). 


LONDON, Ont. (August 7, 2018) – Matt Pritiko finally shook the monkey off his back and ended a 21-race winless streak with the APC United Late Model Series when he drove to Victory Lane at Sauble Speedway in the Spira Beat the Heat 100 on Saturday night. Pritiko used a bump-and-run pass on JR Fitzpatrick with 17 laps to go as the winning move for his first series victory since June 25, 2016.

“It’s been a while,” Pritiko said. “It’s been three seasons, so it feels really good.”

Pritiko started the night with an 11th-place qualifying effort, which lined him up in the same position for the 100-lap main event. Starting outside the top-10 wasn’t a reason for worry though, Pritiko said.

“We didn’t qualify very well, but we raced really well,” Pritiko explained. “The car hooked up with about 30 laps to go. It was insane. We got the lead on lap 83 and I think we won by almost 15 car lengths. It just took off. It was crazy.”

In the early laps, Pritiko sat patiently inside the top-10 as he avoided a flurry of activity including spins and a pair of major wrecks that resulted in the race being red flagged.

“We were just riding it out, trying to avoid all the crazy wrecks,” Pritiko said. “There were way too many.”

Then, his car found another gear with less than 30 laps to go and he quickly rocketed forward to challenge Shae Gemmel and Fitzpatrick up front.

“I passed the three car to get into second and passed JR for the lead,” Pritiko recounted. “I gave him a little bit of bumper, but it was a clean bumper pass. Once we passed him, we set sail.”

Up Next

Pritiko won’t have much time to savour the victory as the team has a short turnaround to prepare for the seventh race of the season and second of the year at Sunset Speedway in Innisfil, Ont. on Saturday, August 11.

“It’s a short turnaround, but Rick has the car pretty well ready to go for Sunset already,” Pritiko said. “It’s nice when you don’t get into any wrecks like everyone else did.”

Pritiko feels his car is running as well as it has all year after making an engine change prior to the Sauble event.

“We found out we were running on seven cylinders at Flamboro, so we put a new motor in and everything is working well,” he said. “We’re looking forward to Sunset. We run well there. It’s not a lot different than Flamboro or Sauble, so we’ll be fast there.”

Pritiko will employ a similar strategy for Saturday’s AP Exhaust 100 as he did at Sauble. The focus won’t be as much on qualifying as it will be on making sure the car is solid in race trim.

“You don’t need to win qualifying, but you want to be there at the end of 100 laps,” Pritiko said. “We’re bringing a similar setup, so we hope it will hook up right around that lap 70 or 80 mark the way it did at Sauble.”

Race time is 6:00pm for the APC United Late Model Series AP Exhaust 100 at Sunset Speedway on Saturday, August 11. Keep up to date with the latest news on Matt Pritiko online at www.mattpritiko.com or on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram at the links below.

2018 SEASON STATS
Matt Pritiko – 6 Starts: 1 Win, 3 Top-5s, 4 Top-10s

MATT PRITIKO MEDIA
Website: www.mattpritiko.com
Facebook: Facebook.com/MattPritiko
Twitter: @MattPritiko
Instagram: @MattPritiko21

PRITIKO’S PARTNERS
Matt Pritiko is proud to partner with several dedicated marketing partners for the 2018 race season, including Global Warranty, NAPA Certified Bodyshops, Burwell Autobody Ltd., Cadillac Industrial Cleaning, Glencoe Auto Recyclers, SellToWin.com, Wix Filters, Toyota-Town.com and Palasad of London.


About Clayton Johns Media: Clayton Johns Media provides smart motorsports media solutions through affordable public relations services, including professional press releases, social media management and training, and website maintenance. Whether you’re a grassroots team racing at your local track or a professional team travelling with a national tour, Clayton Johns Media can build a package tailored to your needs. Visit us online at claytonjohnsmedia.com, on Twitter, on Facebook or send us an Email for more information. ]]> APC United Late Models of Ontario CanadianRacingOnline https://canadianracingonline.com/community/apc-united-late-models-of-ontario/matt-pritiko-wins-at-sauble-for-second-career-apc-series-triumph/ https://canadianracingonline.com/community/apc-united-late-models-of-ontario/andrew-gresel-rolls-to-top-five-in-lrr-100-at-flamboro/ Mon, 23 Jul 2018 18:15:42 +0000

SAUBLE BEACH, Ont. (July 23, 2018) – Andrew Gresel had to have his elbows up and battle for all 100 laps, but the end result was well worth the effort as he drove his McRobert Fuels/London Recreational Racing No.81 Ford Fusion to a fifth-place finish with the APC United Late Model Series in the LRR 100 at Flamboro Speedway on Saturday night.

The fifth-place finish was Gresel’s third top-five and fifth top-10 in five starts so far this season with the top Pro Late Model series in Ontario. The strong finish didn’t come easily though as Gresel was forced to drive from the12th starting position to achieve the result.

“We qualified 12th. We were in the 15.2s and the car felt good, but obviously it just wasn’t quick enough,” Gresel said. “The car felt pretty good and I was on the throttle nice and early, it just didn’t carry enough speed.”

When the green flag waved on the main event, Gresel had his work cut out for him right away as he was positioned in the outside lane on the narrow Flamboro track. While the initial start was tough, he eventually began to make his way forward.

“Starting 12th was definitely a bit of a battle,” Gresel said. “It took a while just to get up to the front.”

Gresel made his way into the top-five before a late-race wreck in front of him and the subsequent caution caused a bit of confusion and shuffled him back a few positions.

“We were running fifth or sixth and the caution came out,” Gresel said. “The No.9 car got into the wall. When he was coming off the wall, we slowed up instead of running right into him. We kept the car rolling, but a bunch of guys went by on the inside. They came across the start-finish line, so they scored them ahead of us, I guess.”

Restarting ninth with 22 laps to go, Gresel raced his way back into the top-five and held the spot on a restart that was a green-white-checkered finish. While he was happy with the run, he felt the mix-up on lap 78 cost him a podium finish.

“We had at least a third-place car,” Gresel said. “They put us back to ninth with 22 laps to go, so to come back and finish fifth was alright, but it was tough. Overall, it was a good run. Obviously we’re trying to capitalize on anything we can right now.”

Gresel climbed to third in the championship standings with the top-five finish and now sits 43 points back of leader JR Fitzpatrick, but just six points ahead of ninth-place. The close standings are representative of how close the racing has been through the first half of the season, Gresel said.

“I think this year is probably a lot more competitive,” Gresel added. “There’s guys throwing everything they have at it, so it’s pretty good racing.”

Gresel will now shift his focus to the Spira Fire Protection Beat the Heat 100 at Sauble Speedway on August 4, which marks round six of the 2018 APC Series tour. Gresel has already run a few Limited Late Model races and a Super Late Model event at his home track this season and believes it will help his effort. However, he also knows the talent pool will be deep.

“The laps I’ve done so far at Sauble this year will help find the line, but we know the car has to get a bit better,” Gresel explained. “We have a couple of weeks to get something figured out. A lot of guys are pretty fast at Flamboro and when we go to Sauble, the setup isn’t too far off, so there’s going to be a lot of good cars again.”

For more information on the Spira Fire Protection Beat the Heat 100 at Sauble Speedway on August 4, visit www.saublespeedway.ca and www.apcracingseries.com.

SEASON STATS
Pro Late Model – 5 Starts: 0 Wins, 3 Top-5s, 5 Top-10s
Limited Late Model – 3 Stars: 0 Wins, 1 Top-5s, 2 Top-10s
Super Late Model – 1 Start: 1 Win, 1 Top-5, 1 Top-10

SAUBLE FALLS RACING MEDIA
Website: www.saublefallsracing.com
Facebook: facebook.com/saublefallsracing
Twitter: @SaubleFalls81

Andrew Gresel and the Sauble Falls Racing team are proud to partner with several dedicated marketing partners for the 2018 race season, including McRobert Fuels, Sauble Falls Tent & Trailer Park, CUSW - Canadian Union of Skilled Workers, Hy-Grade Roofing, London Recreational, Gallinger Ford Lincoln, F1 Freight Systems, Ron O’Brien Remax, Barry’s Construction and Raden Givari at Ehomes.


About Clayton Johns Media: Clayton Johns Media provides smart motorsports media solutions through affordable public relations services, including professional press releases, social media management and training, and website maintenance. Whether you’re a grassroots team racing at your local track or a professional team travelling with a national tour, Clayton Johns Media can build a package tailored to your needs. Visit us online at claytonjohnsmedia.com, on Twitter, on Facebook or send us an Email for more information. ]]> APC United Late Models of Ontario CanadianRacingOnline https://canadianracingonline.com/community/apc-united-late-models-of-ontario/andrew-gresel-rolls-to-top-five-in-lrr-100-at-flamboro/ https://canadianracingonline.com/community/apc-united-late-models-of-ontario/matt-pritiko-geared-up-for-home-track-apc-series-battle-at-delaware/ Fri, 29 Jun 2018 16:33:25 +0000

 

Matt Pritiko will be back behind the wheel of his Global Warranty No.21 Toyota Camry for the fourth round of the APC United Late Model Series at Delaware Speedway on Friday, June 29. (Photo by Thompson Photography). 


LONDON, Ont. – June 27, 2018 – A turbulent start to the season had led to familiar waters for Matt Pritiko. The London, Ont. driver on the APC United Late Model Series tour has faced a number of challenges through the first three races on the tour this season, but weathered the storm and is not set to return to his home track, Delaware Speedway, for round four of the 2018 schedule in the Spectra Premium 100 on Friday, June 29.

Pritiko is excited to the return to his roots at Delaware, where he first began his Late Model racing career. After a below-expectations finish two weeks ago at Peterborough Speedway, Pritiko tested his Global Warranty/Toyota-Town No.21 Camry earlier this week at Delaware and was pleased with the results.

“I’m confident driving the car now and we know we have a good car from our test on Monday,” said Pritiko. “I’m really looking forward to this weekend.”

Delaware is one of only two tracks a half-mile or larger that the Series visits annually and Pritiko believes his experience on the high-speed and deceptively tricky track will be a major asset on Friday night.

“It’s our home track and we won a championship there before, so we know how to get around that place,” Pritiko explained. “It’s a fast track and it’s not forgiving. With one little error, the wall comes up really quick, whether it’s a corner or on the backstretch. With being a regular, I’m somewhat used to the speeds of it all. The corners are completely different from one end to the other as well. There’s quite a bit of difference as you’re going around the track, so we feel we have a bit of a home track advantage.”

Pritiko and his team, with support from McColl Racing Enterprises, have been hard at work over the past 10 days to find more speed for the No.21 and to improve on the season-best third-place finish at Flamboro Speedway earlier this month.

“It’s kind of a good turning point because we’re almost to the halfway point of the season,” Pritiko said ahead of Friday’s race. “Everyone at McColl’s has been working really hard, and the same with (crew member) Rick. He’s taken some time off work to work on the car and after everything he’s done lately, I can definitely tell a difference on the track.”

On the heels of a successful test session and armed with his vast knowledge of the historical half-mile track, Pritiko feels confident he has the pieces in place for a strong run when the lights are on and the green flag drops Friday.

“It’s nice going to a track that you’re used to driving and that I’ve been at pretty much my whole stock car career,” Pritiko added. “I’m looking forward to seeing everybody from Global Warranty out at the track this weekend and putting on a show for them.”

Keep up to date with the latest news on Matt Pritiko online at www.mattpritiko.com or on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram at the links below. Race time for the Spectra Premium 100 at Delaware Speedway on Friday, June 29 is 7:30pm. For additional event information, visit www.delawarespeedway.com and www.apcracingseries.com.

2018 SEASON STATS
Matt Pritiko – 3 Starts: 0 Wins, 1 Top-5s, 2 Top-10s

MATT PRITIKO MEDIA
Website: www.mattpritiko.com
Facebook: Facebook.com/MattPritiko
Twitter: @MattPritiko
Instagram: @MattPritiko21

PRITIKO’S PARTNERS
Matt Pritiko is proud to partner with several dedicated marketing partners for the 2018 race season, including Global Warranty, NAPA Certified Bodyshops, Burwell Autobody Ltd., Cadillac Industrial Cleaning, Glencoe Auto Recyclers, SellToWin.com, Wix Filters, Toyota-Town.com and Palasad of London.

About Clayton Johns Media: Clayton Johns Media provides smart motorsports media solutions through affordable public relations services, including professional press releases, social media management and training, and website maintenance. Whether you’re a grassroots team racing at your local track or a professional team travelling with a national tour, Clayton Johns Media can build a package tailored to your needs. Visit us online at claytonjohnsmedia.com, on Twitter, on Facebook or send us an Email for more information. ]]> APC United Late Models of Ontario CanadianRacingOnline https://canadianracingonline.com/community/apc-united-late-models-of-ontario/matt-pritiko-geared-up-for-home-track-apc-series-battle-at-delaware/ https://canadianracingonline.com/community/apc-united-late-models-of-ontario/andrew-gresel-rallies-for-second-place-finish-in-apc-series-opener-at-sunset/ Fri, 25 May 2018 18:36:12 +0000 (289) 314-5186 | claytonjohnsmedia@gmail.com

Andrew Gresel Rallies For Second-Place Finish in APC Series Opener at Sunset


 

Andrew Gresel in action during the 2018 APC United Late Model Series season opening event at Sunset Speedway on May 20, 2018. (Photo by Alain Thiboutot). 


SAUBLE BEACH, Ont. – May 23, 2018 – A busy and sometimes frustrating day required plenty of hard work, but the net result was a positive one for Andrew Gresel in the APC United Late Model Series season opener on Sunday. After starting the 100-lap main event from 22nd, Gresel drove his McRobert Fuels No.81 Ford Fusion to a second-place finish.

“It made for a really good day,” Gresel said of his runner-up result. “I was really happy, especially with all the work we did on the car. It was good to see everything come together.”

Gresel’s Sauble Falls Racing team had to work for their success. The team fought an issue with the nose of the car early in the day as it continually hit the racetrack on corner entry. The team thought they had solved the issue for qualifying, but the nose hit again and resulted in the 22nd-fastest time.

“We kept cutting the front nose up, taking quarter-inch chunks out of it (during afternoon practice) to get more clearance,” Gresel said. “The guys figured they had it beat. Coming into qualifying the front end hit and it hit every lap I guess. It caused the car to push way up the racetrack and it wouldn’t turn. It was a pretty tough qualifying deal.”

The time trial effort forced Gresel to the Last Chance race, although he had a provisional starting spot to fall back on. The Sauble Falls team used that to their advantage to solve the problem.

“We made our changes (after qualifying) did three laps in the Last Chance Race and it was fine,” Gresel explained. “The car was handling way better. It was night and day. I pulled off after that because I didn’t want to wear out the tires in the Last Chance race knowing we already had a spot.”

Starting deep in the field from row 11, Gresel knew he had to be patiently aggressive as he made his charge to the front.

“You had to be really patient throughout the pack because there were a couple of wrecks right away,” Gresel recalled.

Continued Gresel, “There were a few spots where I got boxed in. A lot of guys were running the inside line and there were times I could hop to the outside and make a pass. We made that work a few times. The car was really working good up high.”

Gresel made it as far as the fourth spot and it appeared that was as high as he would climb on the day with the top-three cars a half-track ahead. That forecast changed though when the caution flag waved on lap 93 and re-stacked the field for a seven-lap shootout.

“We restarted on the outside and made the pass on Shae Gemmell. That wasn’t an issue because I think he was out of tires,” Gresel explained.

Gresel then set out to track down JR Fitzpatrick, who had restarted second.

“I followed JR and I could see he was tight and I could see the 9-car was pulling away. That’s when I decided to move him out of the way. We got into JR and moved him up the racetrack. I didn’t want to spin him because that would have only hurt us. We just gave him a good tap to let him know we were there and away we went.”

Ultimately, Gresel ran out of time to catch Watson and settled for second on the afternoon.

“I could tell he was really pushing it,” Gresel said of Watson in the closing laps. “I think we had something for him, but we needed another four laps. Time is always an issue when you’re starting at the back. You never have enough time.”

Regardless, Gresel was happy with the effort and resilience his Sauble Falls Racing team showed. In post-race technical inspection, Gresel was among four drivers penalized for an improperly built fuel cell containment area. All four drivers received the same penalty, including a $250 fine and loss of 15 championship points. However, Gresel felt a team violated the rule more seriously and extensively and should have received a more severe penalty.

“I don’t want everybody to be painted with the same brush,” Gresel explained. “If somebody deserves a more serious penalty, it should be acted on. Not everybody deserves the same penalties. We have raced this chassis since the Series started in 2015 and have not made any structural changes to it. I’m not sure why there is an issue now.”

Gresel and his team will now turn their attention to the Interstate Batteries 100 at Flamboro Speedway on Saturday, June 2. For additional event information, visit www.apcracingseries.com and www.flamborospeedway.ca.

SEASON STATS
Pro Late Model – 1 Start: 0 Wins, 1 Top-5s, 1 Top-10s
Limited Late Model – 0 Starts: 0 Wins, 0 Top-5s, 0 Top-10s

SAUBLE FALLS RACING MEDIA
Website: www.saublefallsracing.com
Facebook: facebook.com/saublefallsracing
Twitter: @SaubleFalls81

Andrew Gresel and the Sauble Falls Racing team are proud to partner with several dedicated marketing partners for the 2018 race season, including McRobert Fuels, Sauble Falls Tent & Trailer Park, CUSW - Canadian Union of Skilled Workers, Hy-Grade Roofing, London Recreational, Gallinger Ford Lincoln, F1 Freight Systems, Ron O’Brien Remax, Barry’s Construction and Raden Givari at Ehomes.]]> APC United Late Models of Ontario CanadianRacingOnline https://canadianracingonline.com/community/apc-united-late-models-of-ontario/andrew-gresel-rallies-for-second-place-finish-in-apc-series-opener-at-sunset/ https://canadianracingonline.com/community/apc-united-late-models-of-ontario/pritiko-battles-back-for-top-10-in-apc-series-opener-at-sunset/ Tue, 22 May 2018 22:48:37 +0000

 

Matt Pritiko drives his No.21 down the backstretch at Sunset Speedway. (Photo by Alain Thiboutot). 


LONDON, Ont. – May 22, 2018 – Matt Pritiko kicked off his 2018 racing season with a top-10 finish during the APC United Late Model Series season opener at Sunset Speedway on Sunday night. After a flurry of qualifying issues, Pritiko rallied to a seventh-place finish in the Kleen Flo 100 main event aboard his Global Warranty No.21 Toyota Camry.

After a busy afternoon practice session spent perfecting the car’s setup, Pritiko was primed for a strong qualifying run and a chance at a top-five starting spot in the main event, but had his efforts derailed after a contact with another car during the group session.

“We cut a tire down in qualifying due to contact with a slower car,” Pritiko explained. “We didn’t blow the tire, but we cut it enough that it wouldn’t hold a lot of air. We did post the eighth fastest lap after I spun out. We did one lap and got up to eighth, but then chose to change the tire so we had to start 26th.”

The tire change forced Pritiko to the rear of the starting grid, per the APC Series rulebook. Starting at the rear of a deeply talented field meant Pritiko had to be aggressive in order to make his way forward in just 100 laps, but also required patience to avoid any further incident.

“It got a little frustrating,” Pritiko admitted. “When you’re boxed in behind some cars you’re ready to pass, you can’t really go anywhere. You just have to sit tight and wait until one of the cars makes a move so you can get them both. We got stuck behind a couple cars for five or eight laps at a time and that’s what killed our opportunity to move up any further forward for a better final result.”

While Pritiko certainly would have preferred to leave the season opener with a win or a spot on the podium, there are still plenty of positives the London, Ont. driver will take from the race.

“We see it as a good bounce back and a good points night, despite all of the things that happened,” Pritiko said. “We would rather take a seventh-place than a tenth-place or worse.”

Pritiko was also pleased with the feel and performance of his brand new McColl Racing Enterprises-built car.

“I think we have a good balance on the new car,” Pritiko related. “The setup is great. We finally have a really nice long run car. The further it got into the race, the car stayed the same or got better off restarts, so I’m happy about that because last year we had a car that got loose as the race went on. I’m really happy with out new McColl car.”

Pritiko is also looking forward to the next Series race at Flamboro Speedway in two weeks time on Saturday, June 2. He heads to a track he has won at previously in search of his first win this season and with the knowledge he has the team and equipment to get the job done.

“We finally have all of the pieces together and I think we’re going to have a really fast car at Flamboro. We’ve won there in the past and I think we can definitely do it again,” Pritiko said excitedly.

The 2018 APC United Late Model Series schedule is composed of nine races at six different Ontario short tracks. Follow Matt Pritiko from the first green flag to the final checkered flag via his website at www.MattPritiko.com, on Facebook at Facebook.com/MattPritiko, on Twitter @MattPritiko and on Intstagram @MattPritiko21.

2018 SEASON STATS
Matt Pritiko – 1 Start: 0 Wins, 0 Top-5s, 1 Top-10s

MATT PRITIKO MEDIA
Website: www.mattpritiko.com
Facebook: Facebook.com/MattPritiko
Twitter: @MattPritiko
Instagram: @MattPritiko21

PRITIKO’S PARTNERS
Matt Pritiko is proud to partner with several dedicated marketing partners for the 2018 race season, including Global Warranty, NAPA Certified Bodyshops, Burwell Autobody Ltd., Cadillac Industrial Cleaning, Glencoe Auto Recyclers, SellToWin.com, Wix Filters, Toyota-Town.com and Palasad of London.


About Clayton Johns Media: Clayton Johns Media provides smart motorsports media solutions through affordable public relations services, including professional press releases, social media management and training, and website maintenance. Whether you’re a grassroots team racing at your local track or a professional team travelling with a national tour, Clayton Johns Media can build a package tailored to your needs. Visit us online at claytonjohnsmedia.com, on Twitter, on Facebook or send us an Email for more information.]]> APC United Late Models of Ontario CanadianRacingOnline https://canadianracingonline.com/community/apc-united-late-models-of-ontario/pritiko-battles-back-for-top-10-in-apc-series-opener-at-sunset/ https://canadianracingonline.com/community/apc-united-late-models-of-ontario/fresh-start-has-matt-pritiko-motivated-for-apc-series-opener-at-sunset/ Thu, 17 May 2018 09:15:34 +0000

 

Matt Pritiko unveiled the paint scheme on his No.21 Global Warranty Toyota Camry for competition in the APC United Late Model Series earlier this week. (Matt Pritiko Motorsports photo). 




LONDON, Ont. – May 17, 2018 – Since the 2017 racing season concluded, a lot of change has taken place inside the walls of the Matt Pritiko Motorsports shop. Pretty well the only thing that hasn’t changed is the driver. After a seven-month layoff, Matt Pritiko is eager to jump behind the wheel of his brand new Global Warranty No.21 Toyota Camry when the APC United Late Model Series takes its first green flag of the season in the Kleen-Flo 100 at Sunset Speedway on Saturday, May 19.

When Pritiko hits the track, it will be on board a brand new McColl Racing Enterprises car with a fresh Ilmor Engineering-prepared motor under the hood of his No.21.

“We’re starting completely fresh,” Pritiko said of his new ride. “I’m very eager. We did two test days – one at Delaware for a shake down and one at Sunset for a full test. It’s a huge improvement from the last car. It was really quick right out of the box with very few adjustments.”

While the steel and tin of Pritiko’s No.21 is new, fans will still recognize the London, Ont. native’s car when it rolls on to the track. Pritiko is maintaining a familiar look and is excited to welcome back all of his marketing partners for the 2018 season, including Global Warranty, NAPA Certified Bodyshops, Burwell Autobody, Cadillac Industrial Cleaning, Glencoe Auto Recyclers, SellToWin.com, Wix Filters, Toyota-Town.com and Palasad of London.

“I’m really thankful that we have all our sponsors on board again this year, especially Global Warranty,” Pritiko said. “They’ve been my main sponsor for the last eight years and supported us from touring cars into Late Models.”

Pritiko is coming off a third-place finish in the APC United Late Model Series point standings last season. It was a successful year with several podium finishes, but it’s certainly not lost on Pritiko that his team went winless in 2017. It’s a stat his group is using as motivation entering 2018.

“We’re extremely hungry,” Pritiko said frankly. “We think this is our year. We have a couple of new team members, so we have the team to do it and we definitely have the car to do it. It’s going to be up to me to accomplish those goals.”

Chasing the championship in the ultra-competitive APC Series is no easy task. The Series has seen three different champions in its three-year history and Pritiko knows that in order to become the fourth, a strong start to the season will go a long way towards achieving his goal.

“It’s very important,” he said. “You want a strong start to the season so that if something happens midway or at the end of the season, you won’t really have to worry about it affecting you too much. You want to be strong out of the box and earn at least a top-five finish, but we’re always going for the win.”

The biggest challenge for Pritiko and his fellow APC Series competitors may be getting a handle on the new Bilstein AS2 shock package that was introduced over the off-season.

“You can’t really do much at the shop sitting there,” Pritiko said. “It’s a new shock, so we’re all going to have to learn the ins and outs of it. It’ll be interesting to see what everybody does.”

The 2018 APC United Late Model Series schedule is composed of nine races at six different Ontario short tracks. Follow Matt Pritiko from the first green flag to the final checkered flag via his website at www.MattPritiko.com, on Facebook at Facebook.com/MattPritiko, on Twitter @MattPritiko and on Intstagram @MattPritiko21.

2018 SEASON STATS
Matt Pritiko – 0 Starts: 0 Wins, 0 Top-5, 0 Top-10s
First Event: May 19, 2018 – Kleen-Flo 100 at Sunset Speedway

MATT PRITIKO MEDIA
Website: www.mattpritiko.com
Facebook: Facebook.com/MattPritiko
Twitter: @MattPritiko
Instagram: @MattPritiko21

PRITIKO’S PARTNERS
Matt Pritiko is proud to partner with several dedicated marketing partners for the 2018 race season, including Global Warranty, NAPA Certified Bodyshops, Burwell Autobody Ltd., Cadillac Industrial Cleaning, Glencoe Auto Recyclers, SellToWin.com, Wix Filters, Toyota-Town.com and Palasad of London. 

Contact: Clayton Johns
(289) 314-5186 | claytonjohnsmedia@gmail.com]]> APC United Late Models of Ontario CanadianRacingOnline https://canadianracingonline.com/community/apc-united-late-models-of-ontario/fresh-start-has-matt-pritiko-motivated-for-apc-series-opener-at-sunset/ https://canadianracingonline.com/community/apc-united-late-models-of-ontario/andrew-gresel-eager-to-begin-2018-apc-series-title-chase/ Tue, 08 May 2018 11:59:46 +0000 Contact: Clayton Johns
(289) 314-5186 | claytonjohnsmedia@gmail.com 



 

Andrew Gresel Eager to Begin 2018 APC Series Title Chase


SAUBLE BEACH, Ont. – May 8, 2018 – On the heels of a solid 2017 campaign, Andrew Gresel is set to renew his chase for the APC United Late Model Series championship in 2018 when the series kicks off a new season at Sunset Speedway on Saturday, May 19. The Sauble Beach, Ont. native is putting the finishing touches on his No.81 Ford Fusion to ensure he begins the chase for his second series title on the right foot.

“I always like to start the season strong and have a good racecar for the first race,” Gresel said in anticipation of the season opener. “This year it might be a little bit more challenging because we might not get down to Sunset to test (before the APC Series season opener). Sunset is always a difficult racetrack to setup for, but I think it’s going to be good with all of the changes we’ve made.”

Entering the new campaign, Gresel is excited to announce his returning marketing partners for the 2018 season. His No.81 Ford Fusion will carry McRobert Fuels as primary sponsorship alongside dedicated partners Sauble Falls Tent & Trailer Park, CUSW - Canadian Union of Skilled Workers, Hy-Grade Roofing, London Recreational, Gallinger Ford Lincoln, Barry’s Construction and Raden Givari at Ehomes.

“I have to send a big thank you to all of our sponsors again this year,” Gresel said gratefully. “They’re a huge part of what we do and allow us to compete at the high level that we do each season.”

Gresel and his Sauble Falls Racing team have worked hard over the off-season to prepare for the 2018 title chase. While Gresel will return with the same car for the new season, the team did make several improvements to their program over the winter months.

“There’s been quite a few upgrades done to it, so it’s taken quite a bit of time,” Gresel said. “They’re definitely an improvement and it’s going to help the car, hopefully in qualifying too so we can get a few more bonus points that way. We should be able to qualify in the top five or six every race.”

After winning the APC Series championship in 2016, Gresel finished second in the 2017 standings with one win to his credit, and now sits tied with Brandon Watson for most wins in the series’ four-year history with seven. While it was still a successful season, Gresel certainly saw room for improvement.

“It was a good year,” Gresel said. “Second overall was pretty good, but I wasn’t too happy with some of the stuff that happened throughout the year. The racecar was off sometimes and it just didn’t feel like it had the speed we needed. A bunch of little things combined to make it a little more difficult, so we’re looking to improve on all of that stuff.”

To find that speed, Gresel is going back to the same well that has powered his success over the course of several seasons. He’ll continue to run a Ford power plant under the hood of his No.81.

“I like the Ford and I’ve been a Ford guy for a lot of years. We get support from Gallinger Ford too, so we’re loyal to them,” Gresel stated enthusiastically. “You have to have speed in the car to win these things, so that’s what we’re going to be working on this year to be a bit more competitive that way.”

In addition to the full APC United Late Model Series schedule, Gresel will also compete in the Great Lakes Concrete Series for Limited Late Models events at Sauble Speedway, and Flamboro Speedway’s Gold Rush 100. However, the biggest race on the schedule is the $25,000-to-win Canadian Nationals at Jukasa Motor Speedway on September 1-2, 2018.

“That’s a big event that’s hard to beat. They’ve got a wicked package put together there,” Gresel said excitedly. “There are guys coming from all over the States, guys from out east. I think it’s going to be phenomenal and I really hope we have everything in order to do well there that day. The track is fun and super fast.”

Sauble Falls Racing fans can catch Andrew Gresel and the No.81 team in action for the first time this season at the APC Series’ 100-lap season opener on Saturday, May 19 at Sunset Speedway. For additional event information, visit www.apcracingseries.com and www.sunsetspeedway.ca.

SEASON STATS
Pro Late Model – 0 Starts: 0 Wins, 0 Top-5s, 0 Top-10s
Limited Late Model – 0 Starts: 0 Wins, 0 Top-5s, 0 Top-10s
First Event: APC Series Season Opener – Sunset Speedway – May 19, 2018     

SAUBLE FALLS RACING MEDIA
Website: www.saublefallsracing.com
Facebook: facebook.com/saublefallsracing
Twitter: @SaubleFalls81

Andrew Gresel and the Sauble Falls Racing team are proud to partner with several dedicated marketing partners for the 2018 race season, including McRobert Fuels, Sauble Falls Tent & Trailer Park, CUSW - Canadian Union of Skilled Workers, Hy-Grade Roofing, London Recreational, Gallinger Ford Lincoln, F1 Freight Systems, Ron O’Brien Remax, Barry’s Construction and Raden Givari at Ehomes.


About Clayton Johns Media: Clayton Johns Media provides smart motorsports media solutions through affordable public relations services, including professional press releases, social media management and training, and website maintenance. Whether you’re a grassroots team racing at your local track or a professional team travelling with a national tour, Clayton Johns Media can build a package tailored to your needs. Visit us online at claytonjohnsmedia.com, on Twitter, on Facebook or send us an Email for more information. ]]> APC United Late Models of Ontario CanadianRacingOnline https://canadianracingonline.com/community/apc-united-late-models-of-ontario/andrew-gresel-eager-to-begin-2018-apc-series-title-chase/ https://canadianracingonline.com/community/apc-united-late-models-of-ontario/smg-motorsports-partners-with-fury-for-apc/ Wed, 24 Jan 2018 13:49:20 +0000 In a combination of building on the success already experienced, along with a new partnership, SMG Motorsports is putting all their ducks in a row for a run at the APC Auto Parts United Late Models of Ontario Series Championship.

The Sean Grosman-owned team will compete in the series full-time in 2018, with Ryan Kimball behind the wheel of a brand new Pro Late Model. Kimball will not only be chasing the year-end title but also the 2018 APC Series Rookie of the Year Award.

“People who know me know Ryan, and I have a long-time friendship, and I have huge respect for him on a personal level and professional level,” Grosman said. “He has filled in for me at times and always performed well. I feel his talent at that level needs to be showcased, as I feel he is one of the best drivers around. We are excited to join that series, and we feel APC is a great platform for us to showcase our team and Fury Racecars.”

Kimball has proven his ability behind the wheel over the past several years, winning feature events across the province at Sunset Speedway, Peterborough Speedway, and Kawartha Speedway, along with championships at both Peterborough and Mosport Raceway. Most recently, the veteran won the Peterborough Late Model Championship in 2014.

This past year, Kimball toured the province running various events. He scored a pair of wins at Sunset Speedway, before a podium finish at Peterborough’s Autumn Colours Classic.

“Words cannot express how thankful I am to be a part of the team, and be able to drive for Sean Grosman,” Kimball said. “He supplies us with the best in the business, and is a great friend.”

The new car will be built out of Fury Racecars, through a new partnership between the chassis builder and team.

Located in North Carolina, Fury Racecars has quickly built a reputation for producing top-notch racecars, whether Pro Late Model, Super Late Model or Modified competition. Led by Jeff Fultz and Tony Eury Jr., the team has won significant events across the United States, including the 2016 Snowball Derby with Christian Eckes.

The partnership will see Fury Racecars provide technical support and expertise, working alongside the SMG Motorsports crew, which will include Graham Annis, Graham Flett, Bill Kimball, Nathan Wrightly, and Dale Lyons. The car will be maintained, though, by the SMG Motorsports at Ryan Kimball’s race shop, with Graham Annis leading the way as the crew chief.   

There is excitement for both SMG Motorsports and Fury Racecars in being able to come together. For SMG Motorsports, it’s about contending for race wins, the rookie of the year award, and an APC championship. For Fury Racecars, it’s an opportunity to showcase their equipment north of the border in hopes of creating future business.

“The competition is the best in Ontario,” Kimball said of the APC Series. “There is no better class with this much talent out there right now. When you beat these guys, it’s beating the best, like Brandon Watson and Matt Pritiko.”

SMG Motorsports is proud to be sponsored by Landing Strip Gentleman’s Club, For Your Eyes Only Gentleman’s Club, Flagship Properties, Rylex Glass and Mirror, AP Racing Engines, Cochrane Automotive, and Fury Racecars.

Press Release by Ashley McCubbin – ashleymccubbin17@gmail.com]]> APC United Late Models of Ontario CanadianRacingOnline https://canadianracingonline.com/community/apc-united-late-models-of-ontario/smg-motorsports-partners-with-fury-for-apc/ https://canadianracingonline.com/community/apc-united-late-models-of-ontario/andrew-gresel-caps-apc-series-season-with-great-canadian-race-win-at-delaware/ Thu, 21 Sep 2017 22:36:45 +0000

 

Andrew Gresel celebrates his APC Series win at Delaware Speedway in the Great Canadian Race last Saturday night. (Photo by Thompson Photography). 


SAUBLE BEACH, Ont. – September 21, 2017 – it took a full season, but Andrew Gresel finally found his way back to Victory Lane in the APC United Late Model Series season finale at Delaware Speedway last Saturday. Gresel’s victory also solidified his second-place finish in the overall championship standings.

“It’s definitely the best way to end the season, that’s for sure,” Gresel said. “It was a really good race for us.”

Gresel’s victory didn’t come easily. Instead, he overcame a good amount of adversity right until the final restart of the race.

“We didn’t qualify very well at all,” Gresel exclaimed. “In practice we fought some more power steering issues, which I couldn’t believe. We didn’t get a whole lot of practice, so we ended up qualifying 11th.”

That qualifying effort put Gresel right in the middle of the 22-car field for the Great Canadian Race, Delaware’s annual September bookend. Gresel immediately marched his way forward despite losing power steering on lap 15 until he ran second to leader Matt Pritiko over the final half of the race.

“We were catching him too,” Gresel said. “I couldn’t make the pass on him. With some lapped traffic, sometimes we could catch him and other times he would pull away. It was like our car was just as good as his. I may have heated things up a little too much by the time I got to him.”

The long green flag run ended with a final caution on lap 96 of the 100-lap race. On the ensuing restart, Gresel washed up the track in turn one, but got a second chance when the start was called back. Then, he made the most of the opportunity.

“It worked in our favour because the next restart the tires actually had some heat in them,” Gresel recalled. “It stuck going into (turn) one and it stuck really good coming out of two and I cleared him down the backstretch. Then we held him off for three laps.”

The victory was certainly a sweet way for Gresel to end his APC Series campaign. Over the of the 10-race series, Gresel recorded nine top-five finishes and never finished outside the top-10.

“We ended up finishing second overall. Just to win the last race, especially the Great Canadian Race and our third time winning it, is pretty awesome,” Gresel said. “It’s pretty sweet to have that title three times now. There’s a lot of good guys on that trophy.”

Gresel’s season will continue this weekend at Jukasa Motor Speedway’s Pro Late Model Fall Brawl before Frostoberfest at Flamboro Speedway on October 1.

SEASON STATS
Pro Late Model – 10 Starts: 1 Wins, 9 Top-5s, 10 Top-10s
Super Late Model – 4 Starts: 2 Wins, 4 Top-5s, 4 Top-10s     

SAUBLE FALLS RACING MEDIA
Website: www.saublefallsracing.com
Facebook: facebook.com/saublefallsracing
Twitter: @SaubleFalls81

Andrew Gresel and the Sauble Falls Racing team are proud to partner with several dedicated marketing partners for the 2017 race season, including McRobert Fuels, Sauble Falls Tent & Trailer Park, CUSW - Canadian Union of Skilled Workers, Hy-Grade Roofing, London Recreational, Gallinger Ford Lincoln, F1 Freight Systems, Ron O’Brien Remax, Barry’s Construction and Raden Givari at Ehomes.]]> APC United Late Models of Ontario CanadianRacingOnline https://canadianracingonline.com/community/apc-united-late-models-of-ontario/andrew-gresel-caps-apc-series-season-with-great-canadian-race-win-at-delaware/ https://canadianracingonline.com/community/apc-united-late-models-of-ontario/andrew-gresel-overcomes-lack-of-power-steering-for-fourth-place-finish-at-sunset/ Mon, 21 Aug 2017 12:09:34 +0000

 

Andrew Gresel races his McRobert Fuels No.81 Ford Fusion through turn one at Sunset Speedway during the AP Exhaust 100 on Saturday night. (Photo by Derek Smith). 




SAUBLE BEACH, Ont. – August 20, 2017 – Andrew Gresel had to use plenty of muscle to overcome power steering issues, but did just that on his way to a fourth-place finish in the AP Exhaust 100 for the APC United Late Model Series at Sunset Speedway on Saturday night.

Intermittent afternoon rain kept Gresel and the Sauble Falls Racing team on their toes as wet weather changed the track and the practice schedule throughout the day. The team made several adjustments to the McRobert Fuels/CUSW/Gallinger Ford/F1 Freight Systems No.81 Ford Fusion before time trials and went from 17th fastest in practice to fifth quickest in qualifying.

“It was a total team effort and I have to thank everybody,” Gresel said. “Everybody worked really hard. We did a lot of work on the racecar and we knew we had to make it a little bit better and we did. It was a good effort today.”

The top-five qualifying effort was crucial as the team made their way into the redraw and Gresel pulled the pole starting spot for the main event. Gresel made a bold move before the green flag even dropped by choosing the outside lane for the initial start and it paid instant dividends.

“It worked out pretty good because at this racetrack there is a lot more grip up top and you get a better run,” Gresel said. “If your car is tight, you can’t hold on to the bottom and the guy on the high side will take the spot. I was glad we did that, it was the right move.”

Gresel ran second after lap five and ran into issues with the power steering after Brandon Watson made contact with his No.81 in turn four while battling for second on lap 15.

“We were side-by-side there and it was a pretty good hit,” Gresel explained. “He hit about three times on the left-front tire and I think it might have blown a power steering line or created a leak anyways. That was pretty early in the race and we had no power steering for the rest of the race.”

That put the control of the 2800lbs car directly into Gresel’s hand for the final 80 laps of the race.

“I started feeling out the car entering the corner on caution laps to see if I would be able to turn it okay,” Gresel said. “It depends on how the car is setup and sometimes you can’t. It seemed to turn okay as long as you were just going left. You couldn’t warm up the tires or anything like that. It would cooperate even without the power steering, but it was a handful.”

Without any power steering, Gresel spent most of the race running a half groove off the bottom of the track. However, he was forced down to the bottom lane during multiple mid-race side-by-side battles with Andy Kamrath for the third and fourth positions.

“That was a tough deal,” Gresel said of the clean battle with Kamrath. “He kept getting that high side run and I couldn’t get clear of him. Going through the corners, sometimes I’d gain a little bit on him and then the next corner I’d just oversteer the front tires and the car would kind of break a little loose and he’d get a spot on me again. It was back and forth for a little while, but I figured our car was better because it was getting through the centre of the corner better.”

While Gresel had a car capable of at least a podium run, he’s happy with a fourth-place finish given the circumstances.

“If we would have had power steering, I think we would have done alright on the restarts,” Gresel said. “The car was a little loose. I know what’s going on with it, but all in all it was a good day. To lose your power steering, you’re pretty much out of it, but we were able to finish in the top-five.”

Gresel’s focus now shifts to Monday night’s $5,000-to-win Gold Rush 100 for the Outlaw Super Late Models at Flamboro Speedway. Race time is 7:00pm. Additional event information is available at www.flamborospeedway.ca.

“We’re looking forward to it,” Gresel said. “We don’t get to run the Super Late a lot, but it’s a good break from this stuff to go and run something with a little more horsepower and to have some fun.”

Gresel will also be in action next weekend at the debut event for Jukasa Motor Speedway in Hagersville, Ont. for the Rankin Construction Late Model Summer Shootout. He will race with both his Pro Late Model and Outlaw Super Late Model.

“It’s going to be phenomenal,” Gresel said. “The Super Lates are going to put on one hell of a show there. It’s a super fast racetrack and there’s lots of grip there, so we’re looking forward to it. With the Pro Lates, they have 44 cars registered, so it’s going to be good. It’s going to be the show of the year, for sure.”

Qualifying will take place on Saturday, August 26 before a pair of APC United Late Model Series 75-lap Features and a 75-lap Outlaw Super Late Model event on Sunday, August 27. For additional information, visit www.jukasamotorspeedway.com.

SEASON STATS
Pro Late Model – 7 Starts: 0 Wins, 6 Top-5s, 7 Top-10s
Super Late Model – 2 Starts: 1 Win, 2 Top-5s, 2 Top-10s     

SAUBLE FALLS RACING MEDIA
Website: www.saublefallsracing.com
Facebook: facebook.com/saublefallsracing
Twitter: @SaubleFalls81

Andrew Gresel and the Sauble Falls Racing team are proud to partner with several dedicated marketing partners for the 2017 race season, including McRobert Fuels, Sauble Falls Tent & Trailer Park, CUSW - Canadian Union of Skilled Workers, Hy-Grade Roofing, London Recreational, Gallinger Ford Lincoln, F1 Freight Systems, Ron O’Brien Remax, Barry’s Construction and Raden Givari at Ehomes.]]> APC United Late Models of Ontario CanadianRacingOnline https://canadianracingonline.com/community/apc-united-late-models-of-ontario/andrew-gresel-overcomes-lack-of-power-steering-for-fourth-place-finish-at-sunset/