Rimbey, Alberta - Officials and race teams of the Northern Provincial Pipelines Late Model Series are hopeful they can get the 2016 season underway this Friday and Saturday night (June 10/11).

Due to last month's rainout (May 28) at Castrol Raceway, Central Alberta Raceways inherited the NPP Series 2016 season opener. The Rimbey, Alberta oval track hosted its first and only NPP Series season opener ten years ago under the exact same circumstances. "It was back in 2006," recalls NPP Series announcer Gord Craig, "the first race of the year (in Edmonton) was rained out.

The next race on the schedule was Rimbey." Ironically, Central Alberta Raceways was scheduled to host the 2014 season opener of the NPP Late Model Series. This race was unfortunately rained-out handing the Edmonton track the NPP Series season opener in 2014.

"I don't know what it is with the NPP Series and season opening rainouts. Maybe we should just stop calling the first race of the year the season opener." Since 2005 only two seasons have started off according to the schedule. "We guessed right last year," laughs Craig, "we scheduled our opener towards the end of May and it worked."

Darrell Midgley won the 2015 NPP Series season opener and would later go on to win the NPP Series Championship. The Sidney, British Columbia driver has the opportunity this weekend to become just the third driver in the 16 year history of the NPP Series to win back to back season openers.

The two-time NPP Series champion could become the first driver in NPP Series history to win three season openers.Midgley leads all NPP Series drivers with three Feature event wins at the Rimbey, Alberta track.

CLASSES RACING (both nights):

-Sportsman Sprint Cars
-NPP Late Model Series
-Modifieds
-Hobby & Mini Stocks

FRIDAY, JUNE 10th

Gates @ 6:00pm
Racing @ 7:00pm

SATURDAY, JUNE 11th
Gates @ 5:00pm
Racing @ 6:00pm

Northern Provincial Pipelines Ltd., based in Edson, Alberta, is the title sponsor of the NPP Late Model Series.