Edmonton, Alberta - Hot, dry conditions greeted race teams of the Northern Provincial Pipelines Late Model Series on the weekend. Despite the scorching temperatures, winless droughts came to an end for two drivers. Darrell Midgley overcame difficult track conditions Saturday night to win the NPP Series season opener at Castrol Raceway.

This was Midgley's first Feature event win in Edmonton since July 11, 2009. "Pretty happy with that. The car worked well. Ted [Zerbin] did a really good job setting it up. Shawn [Kennedy] put it back together during the winter and did a very good job for us. Very happy. Couldn't have gone much better."

Midgley's night started off on a sour note during his opening Heat race. The Sidney, British Columbia driver cut down a tire on his Integra Tire (Edson) #14 Dodge and did not return. Sour turned to sweet when the Feature event line-up showed the veteran racer on the pole for the first NPP Series Feature of 2015. At the drop of the green the 2009 NPP Series Champion was challenged early by defending season champion Mark Miller.

The Calgary, Alberta driver unfortunately retired before the race was half over due to an overheating engine leaving Midgley all alone to outpace the field. Shawn Kennedy would charge from near the back of the pack to the front in the Feature but ran out of laps to catch Midgley. After winning his first Heat race in Edmonton since July 12, 2008, Kennedy drove his TheRebel.media #7 Dodge to a second place finish in the Saturday night Feature.

It was a good first night of the season for 2010 NPP Series Champion Bruce Broughton The Stony Plain, Alberta finished third in the Feature in his Habitat for Humanity/All Weather Windows #61 Dodge. This was Broughton's first podium finish in NPP Series action since his June 23rd, 2012 Feature win at Rimbey's Central Alberta Raceways. Despite the Feature win by Midgley and the bonus points earned for laps lead, Edson, Alberta's Shawn Kennedy is the early NPP Series points leader thanks to his heat race win. Kennedy leads Midgley in the NPP Late Model Series standings by just a single point.

NPP SERIES "THE INSIDE TRACK"

- Midgley's victory was his third consecutive Feature win dating back to last September's weekend sweep at Rimbey's Central Alberta Raceways. Midgley becomes just the 6th driver in NPP Series history to win three consecutive Features.

- Midgley becomes just the third driver in NPP Series history to win the season opening Feature from the pole position. (2013 - Kevin Wheeler / 2007 - Jason Beaulieu).

- The driver that that won the season opener has gone on to win the NPP Series championship 6 times. Midgley won his lone NPP Series championship in 2009.....he won the 2009 season opener in Lethbridge.

- Despite being under the weather Saturday night, two-time NPP Series Champion Dwight Kennedy finished the Saturday night Feature in 4th. Darin Borysko was in the pits on stand-by to fill-in for Kennedy if needed.

- After a third place finish in his heat race, Beaumont, Alberta's Dean Deatherage shattered the left rear tire and bell housing of his Scott Safety #19 Dodge in the opening laps of the Feature.

- Sylvan Lake, Alberta's Marc Hobe' had thermostat and transmission issues in his #2 Ford.

- Ed Beatty made his NPP Late Model Series debut Saturday night. The former Ontario Pavement Late Model racer was credited with an 8th place finish in his first ever NPP Feature.

- two-time NPP Series Champion Kevin Wheeler was noticeably missing from the 2015 season opening lineup. The Whitecourt, Alberta driver was a spectator attending the Indianapolis 500 race weekend. - Edson, Alberta's Ken Clark had his best finish (5th) in a season opening Feature since his 3rd place finish at the 2008 Season opener in Okotoks.

- Crystal Kennedy had handling problems with her car all night. Finished 6th in both the Heat and Feature.

Next race event for the NPP Late Model Series is Saturday night June 27th back in Edmonton.

NPP LATE MODEL SERIES

> Saturday, May 18th CASTROL RACEWAY Edmonton, Alberta

HEAT 1 1. # 7 Shawn Kennedy 2. #61 Bruce Broughton 3. #18 Dean Deatherage 4. #78 Ken Clark 5. #81 Dwight Kennedy 6. #88 Crystal Kennedy 7. #69 Mark Miller 8. #90 Ed Beatty(R) 9. #14 Darrell Midgley 10.# 2 Marc Hobe'

FEATURE 1.(1) #14 Darrell Midgley - Sidney, British Columbia (MOV 3.216seconds) 2.(8) # 7 Shawn Kennedy - Edson, Alberta 3.(7) #61 Bruce Broughton - Stony Plain, Alberta 4.(4) #81 Dwight Kennedy - Edson, Alberta 5.(5)#78 Ken Clark - Edson, Alberta 6.(3) #88 Crystal Kennedy - Edson, Alberta 7.(2) #69 Mark Miller - Calgary, Alberta 8.(9) #90 Ed Beatty(R) - Edmonton, Alberta 9.(6) #18 Dean Deatherage - Whitecourt, Alberta DNS # 2 Marc Hobe' - Sylvan Lake, Alberta

Northern Provincial Pipelines Ltd., based in Edson, Alberta, is the title sponsor of the NPP Late Model Series which brings big league racing to motorsports fans in Western Canada.