DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – NASCAR in Canada has a new name and entitlement sponsor – one that’s familiar to race fans across the country.

NASCAR and Pinty’s Delicious Foods Inc. announced today a six-year series entitlement sponsorship agreement of NASCAR’s Canadian-based series. Beginning Jan. 1, 2016, the series will be known as the NASCAR Pinty’s Series.

In addition, NASCAR announced a three-year deal for the NASCAR Pinty’s Series to run as part of the Honda Indy Toronto weekend. The series will headline racing activity at Exhibition Place on Saturday, July 16 as part of the event’s 30th weekend.

WATCH: MONDAY’S ANNOUNCEMENT

Pinty’s (Pin-tees), founded in 1943, produces and provides a complete range of premium quality fresh and frozen chicken products to the retail and food service industry throughout Canada. Pinty’s has been a contingency sponsor of the series since 2012.

“NASCAR is a global entity and we couldn’t be more excited to continue to grow this important series with the help of our new entitlement partner, Pinty’s,” said George Silbermann, NASCAR vice president, regional and touring series. “The NASCAR Pinty’s Series is the premier motorsports property in Canada, characterized by the unparalleled competition that defines NASCAR racing.”

Recognizing the tremendous value of sponsorship and activation at the touring series level, Pinty’s expanded its investment to become the entitlement sponsor and a NASCAR Official Partner. Pinty’s progression is similar to K&N Filters and Whelen Engineering, which entered the sport as contingency sponsors and elevated their participation to series entitlement.

“NASCAR and Pinty’s share a common goal of delivering the highest quality product to their loyal and passionate fans,” said Tony Spiteri, Pinty’s senior vice president, marketing, research & development. “Taking our involvement with NASCAR to the next level with this unique naming rights opportunity will further elevate the series and help make it more exciting and engaging for fans.”

The 2016 NASCAR Pinty’s Series season will take the green flag on the traditional Victoria Day weekend, on Sunday, May 22 at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park in Bowmanville, Ontario, outside of Toronto. The summer return to the Honda Indy Toronto will be run with IndyCar Series. The NASCAR Pinty’s Series raced Toronto in 2010 and 2011, with Andrew Ranger winning both races.

The complete schedule for 2016 will be announced at a later date. The series receives full-season broadcast coverage on Canada’s No. 1 sports network, TSN, as well as its French-language sister network, RDS.

Earlier this year, NASCAR’s Canadian Series celebrated its 100th race, which was hosted at Autodrome Chaudiere in Vallée-Jonction, Quebec. Through its first nine seasons, the series has competed on 17 different tracks in six provinces, from Nova Scotia to British Columbia.

In 2016, the NASCAR Pinty’s Series will boast Canada’s brightest stars and biggest talents, from multi-time champions Scott Steckly, D.J. Kennington and Andrew Ranger, to notable names like Alex Tagliani and L.P. Dumoulin. Drivers such as Max Papis, Jacques Villeneuve and Austin Dillon have also competed in the series over the years.

Last year, Scott Steckly edged Jason Hathaway by just four points to capture his historic fourth series championship. It marked the third straight season the title was decided by fewer than five points. The series also saw an infusion of young talent, as 23-year-old Gary Klutt won Josten’s Rookie of the Year honors and second-generation driver Cayden Lapcevich made his series debut at age 15.

Steckly and the top drivers and teams will be honored at the NASCAR Night of Champions Touring Awards on Saturday, Dec. 12 in Charlotte, North Carolina.

 

Matthew Manor/NASCAR via Getty Images

                     

 

Uxbridge, Ontario-November 26, 2015– The 2015 NASCAR Canadian Tire Series Most Popular driver, Jason Hathaway will be supporting his local Uxbridge community this weekend.

 

The Uxbridge community’s annual Care-A-Van food drive, which kicked off November 7^TH across Uxbridge, will have its final drive this coming Saturday at Williamson Chrysler with Jason Hathaway and his #3 NASCAR racing machine on hand. He will be signing autographs and hanging out with fans in effort to raise funds and food for the local Loaves & Fishes Food bank.

 

This year’s target of $7500 in monetary donations is close to being achieved and every donation goes a long way in helping the more than 80 families in the Uxbridge area to feed their families.

 

Monetary donations can be made in person at the event or on line at careavan.ca.  If you wish to get involved or need more information please contact Jamie Hakonson 416-560-6103 or jamie@team3red.com

 

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T3R/ EHR is proud to be partnered with Fast Eddie Racewear, The Harman Group, Praxair and Choko Motorsports and Williamson Uxbridge.

Fans can keep up with Jason and the rest of T3R/EHR at their Ed Hakonson Racing page on Facebook, on Twitter @JasonHathaway3 or @EHRT3R Instagram jasonhathaway3 and are encouraged to visit their official webpage www.Team3Red.com for all updates

                     

STOUFFVILLE, ONTARIO-November 24, 2015- After a successful on track season, recording 3 wins, 6 Top 5 finishes and 9 Top 10 finishes in 2015 and finishing 2^nd in the Championship battle,  Jason Hathaway wanted one more honour to complete his 2015 NASCAR Canadian Tire Series campaign – 2015 NASCAR Canadian Tire Series Most Popular Driver award.

After nearly 34,000 votes were cast across the world for NASCAR regional touring series’ 2015 Most Popular Driver Awards, Jason Hathaway was voted by fans the 2015 NASCAR Canadian Tire Series most popular Driver.

“This is a pretty cool award and I am honored by it for sure! We have had a great season on the track and this is a great way to wrap it up off the track. We have a very loyal and dedicated fan base all over the country and we appreciate all of their support. Thank you to everyone that supported us and voted for us; this is a pretty cool honour.”

Hathaway and the rest of the top NASCAR Canadian Tire Series drivers will be honored at the Night of Champions Awards Banquet at the Charlotte Convention Center/NASCAR Hall of Fame in Charlotte, North Carolina, on Saturday, Dec. 12^th.

 

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T3R / EHR is proud to be partnered with HGC The Harman Group, DSI, L&C Construction, Bio Pressure Wash, Raybestos Brakes, Williamson Chevrolet, Williamson Chrysler, Muskoka Aircraft Centre, Fast Eddie Racewear, Brake-Works, WSSL Saskatoon, Praxair and Choko Motorsports.

Fans can keep up with Jason and the rest of T3R/EHR at their Ed Hakonson Racing page on Facebook, on Twitter @JasonHathaway3 or @EHRT3R Instagram jasonhathaway3 and are encouraged to visit their official webpage www.Team3Red.com  for all updates on the 2015 season.

For additional information please contact Jamie Hakonson at 416-560-6103. Or email jamie@team3red.com

Photo credit : Matt Murghan

                     

Uxbridge, Ontario-November 9, 2015- The Canadian NASCAR race season may be over for the year, but Jason Hathaway is busy supporting his local Uxbridge community.

 

The Uxbridge community annual Care-A-Van food drive kicked off this past weekend and NASCAR driver Jason Hathaway is a helping to raise awareness and funds to help meet the growing needs of over 80 families in the surrounding area.

 

Jason will be volunteering at various locations throughout the month of November and will attend with his car a meet and greet autograph session November 28^th from 10am to 1pm. The event will be held at community supporter and Care-a-van Primary supporter; Williamson Uxbridge.

 

This year’s target is $7500 in monetary donations and 2 Dodge Caravans full of food that will benefit the local Loaves and Fishes Food bank of Uxbridge. The food bank goes through 60,000 lbs of food each year in efforts to support the local community.

 

Local businesses in the Uxbridge Industrial park will also be taking on a corporate challenge and fundraising amongst their internal staff and will match funds raised by their staff.

 

Monetary donations can be made in person at the event or on line at careavan.ca.  If you wish to get involved or need more information please contact Jamie Hakonson  416-560-6103 or jamie@team3red.com

T3R/ EHR is proud to be partnered with Fast Eddie Racewear, The Harman Group, Praxair and Choko Motorsports.

Fans can keep up with Jason and the rest of T3R/EHR at their Ed Hakonson Racing page on Facebook, on Twitter @JasonHathaway3 or @EHRT3R Instagram jasonhathaway3 and are encouraged to visit their official webpage www.Team3Red.com for all updates.

 

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PLEASE USE THE LINK BELOW TO VOTE FOR OUR TEAM.

THANK YOU IN ADVANCE FOR VOTING!!

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After his finest season on the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series, Jason Hathaway is putting two cars and three engines up for sale.

That doesn’t mean he and the Ed Hakonson Racing team are folding the tent.

“We’re going to replace equipment to come back racing (in 2016),” the St. Thomas native and driver of the Team 3 Red Chevy said. “We talked to a couple of sponsors and we’re working on a few other things. My date is the (series) banquet in December whether we’re racing (there again) or not. Hopefully, we can get something together and come back.”

He’s not alone. The series — with Canadian Tire hitting the brakes — needs a new title supporter.

Hathaway, when that’s said and done, should be one of the top driving targets.

He won three races this season, including the 100th in NASCAR Canada history at Autodrome Chaudiere in Quebec, and the final two of the season, the well-attended stop at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park and the capper at Kawartha Speedway near Peterborough.

“You couldn’t have picked three better races to win than we did,” he said. “We had two oval wins and a road course win. It’s an exceptional year by any standard, really. If that doesn’t help raise our profile for the sponsorship hunt, I don’t know what will.”

Hathaway finished second in the points race, four back of four-time champ Scott Steckly, who ended up staying right behind his bumper in second at Kawartha.

“Scott didn’t let me get away from him all night and I enjoyed where he was behind me,” Hathaway said. “But he did what he had to do to win the championship and I did what I had to do to win the final race.”

The NASCAR series is not for the hobbyist. It costs $250,000 to 300,000 a year to run 11 races.

Hathaway, Steckly (Canadian Tire) and DJ Kennington (Castrol) are considered circuit ironmen for competing in all 109 events since inception. When the schedule shifted west this summer, Hathaway wasn’t sure he would be able to continue, but he found a way each week to keep rolling.

“I’d like to do it two more years with a company that wants to get involved,” Hathaway said. “I know Kennington will be back and I imagine Scott will be, too. Maybe I’m the lone wolf that won’t be back, but we’ll see.

“With three wins and second place in the championship, I think there are a lot of companies that missed the boat this year to go along with our team and ride our car. They’re kicking themselves for not getting involved when they had the chance.”

United, they stand

APC United late models series founder Luke Ramsay declared the opening season a “huge success” on the heels of the Great Canadian Race finale two weeks ago at Delaware Speedway.

“We averaged 29 cars per race and 43 different cars competing throughout the year,” he said. “We had the one rainout at Sauble and we got delayed (by weather the final weekend) at Delaware, but we’re happy with the way it went and we’ll only be bigger and better for next year.”

The series plans to add at least one event, maybe two, to what was an eight-race schedule. They will hand out nearly $75,000 in prizes at their banquet Oct. 17 at the London Convention Centre.

“We’re not going to go crazy adding races because we’ve got to keep it affordable for all involved,” Ramsay said. “We understood the first year would be all about proving ourselves and we did that. Sure, we had some bumps along the way but that’s just learning curve. We’re going to market the series, get new people involved and take it to the next level.”

 

Written By: Ryan Pyette, The London Free Press

                     

     FRASERVILLE, ON –September 20, 2015-  Jason Hathaway and his team focused on one thing on Saturday in the season finale of the 2015 NASCAR Canadian Tire Series- win the race and let the Championship points take care of themselves.

Hathaway practiced in the 8^th spot and qualified in the 4^th place in a field of 22 cars.  Shortly after qualifying the skies around the .375 mile oval of Kawartha Speedway opened up and rain fell.  When the rain stopped, the clean-up team went to work and the green flag flew at 7:30 pm.

In his #3 HGC/Williamson/Choko Chevrolet Hathaway set a fast pace and took the lead on lap 48 of the 250 lap event and never looked back.

At the half way point the team fueled the car, changed tires and make quick work of brake maintenance to keep Hathaway out front.  After the mandatory break Hathaway logged laps, in the top spot.  Hathaway led the most laps of the race earning vital points. Hathaway dominated the race and brought home his second consecutive win and his 3^rd victory of the 2015 season.

“This was a great way to top off the season.  We were okay in practice and our qualifying effort put us in a good spot. I told our guys that we would be okay once the race got going. The track was green after all the rain came and I was a tick loose at the beginning of the race. The car came to us and after the break we were in real good shape”. Said Hathaway on his race win.

The team and driver did everything they set out to do with the last race. They won the race, lead a lap and lead the most laps accumulating the most points possible. At the end of the season Hathaway was just 4 points shy of the 2015 NCTS Championship.

Hathaway was happy with this season. “We did everything we needed to do tonight and I am proud of our entire team. Grunt has been with me 25 years and I am grateful that he has stuck with me through it all. Thanks to my boys that kept digging all season long as well. We started out the season with only enough financial backing to do the first 4 races. Every race after that we had to earn and take it on a race by race basis. Thanks to all of sponsors that helped us to get here tonight. To win the race and finish 2^nd in the Championship is an honour. Thank you to all of my crew and our families of all of their sacrifice and support to allow us to do this. Ed, our owner was behind us and let us work our way through the season with his support. “

The Pinty’s 250 will air on TSN on Saturday, Oct. 3 at 1 p.m., and on RDS2 on Thursday, Oct. 22 at 7 p.m.

Hathaway and the rest of the top NASCAR Canadian Tire Series drivers will be honored at the Night of Champions Awards at the Charlotte Convention Center/NASCAR Hall of Fame in Charlotte, North Carolina, on Saturday, Dec. 12.

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T3R/ EHR is proud to be partnered with HGC The Harman Group, DSI, L&C Construction, Bio Pressure Wash, Williamson Chevrolet, Williamson Chrysler, Muskoka Aircraft Centre, Fast Eddie Racewear, Brake-Works, The Harman Group, Praxair and Choko Motorsports.

Fans can keep up with Jason and the rest of T3R/EHR at their Ed Hakonson Racing page on Facebook, on Twitter @JasonHathaway3 or @EHRT3R Instagram jasonhathaway3 and are encouraged to visit their official webpage www.Team3Red.com for all updates on the 2015 season.

For additional information please contact Jamie Hakonson at 416-560-6103. Or email jamie@team3red.com

 

Photo credit: Ashley McCubbin

 

                     

 

STOUFFVILLE, ON –September 18, 2015- After posting his first road course win of his career at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park in late August, Jason Hathaway and his team are ready to finish up the 2015 Championship weekend this Saturday at Kawartha Speedway north of Bowmanville.

The .375 mile oval of Kawartha Speedway is a favourite for Hathaway and he and his team are focused. Going into the season finale this weekend Hathaway in his #3 HGC/Williamson/Choko Chevrolet  is 9 points back from the points lead.

Starting the 2015 season on a limited budget, the Team planned to run the first 4 races of schedule and then take the rest on a race-by-race basis.  A successful start to the season including his historic repeat win at Autodrome Chaudière in his 100th NASCAR Canadian Tire Series start, earned Hathaway the points lead heading into the annual western swing to Alberta and Saskatchewan. He posted 2 podiums out west and the team decided to capitalize on their momentum and worked with individual race sponsors for the remaining schedule. The Team’s determination recently paid off with an emotional win at CTMP.

“To win on a road course was pretty special for our whole team. Knowing how hard we have all worked to stay in the Series this year, that win was awesome. Wins don’t come very easily in this Series and to finally have one on a road course to our credit is a big deal for me personally. The help that we received from Muskoka Aircraft Centre that weekend was a nice surprise as well”. Said Hathaway of his most recent win.

The 2015 Championship battle has come down to the final race. Sitting 2^nd in the points, 9 points back of the leader, with 2 wins, 2 top 5’s and 8 top 10’s to his credit Hathaway is going into the Pinty’s 250 strong.

“My goal is to go out and win the race, collect the most points possible and let the Championship points fall where they may. We have been very lucky to get some help on the sponsorship side with HGC The Harman Group, DSI Services from Timmins, L&C Construction from South Porcupine, Bio Wash 2000, Williamson Chevrolet & Williamson Chrysler as well as Thornbury Cider. It is support like this that has really given us the opportunity to vie for this Championship”.

The Pinty’s 250 on Saturday will begin with practice at 11 am, followed by qualifying at 3:15 pm. The fan favourite autograph session will begin at 3:45 pm and the green flag will fly at 5 pm.

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T3R/ EHR is proud to be partnered with HGC The Harman Group, DSI, L&C Construction, Bio Wash 2000, Williamson Chevrolet, Williamson Chrysler, Muskoka Aircraft Centre, Fast Eddie Racewear, Brake-Works, The Harman Group, Praxair and Choko Motorsports.

Fans can keep up with Jason and the rest of T3R/EHR at their Ed Hakonson Racing page on Facebook, on Twitter @JasonHathaway3 or @EHRT3R Instagram jasonhathaway3 and are encouraged to visit their official webpage www.Team3Red.com for all updates on the 2015 season.

For additional information please contact Jamie Hakonson at 416-560-6103. Or email jamie@team3red.com

                     

 

BOWMANVILLE, ON  August 30, 2015-Hathaway has raced in each and every of the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series races since its inception and this weekend marked another historic event for Hathaway and his team. In a deep, talented field of competitors Hathaway came away from the Series’ final road course of the 2015 season with his first ever road course victory.

 

The weekend started off well with a top 10 effort in first practice on Saturday. However, half way through second practice Hathaway reported an engine issue and the team elected to change their power plant before qualifying his #3 Muskoka Aircraft Centre/HGC  Chevrolet  in the 10th position.

 

Hathaway started in 10th and he and his team put their plan into play. Crew Chief Craig Masters brought Hathaway down pit road for fuel on lap 9, followed up by a 4 tire stop. The boys did a great job on pit road, but Hathaway got held up coming out of the its and came out deep in the field of 28 cars. Hathaway had to get up on the wheel and make his way to the front of the running order. Hathaway perseverance paid off and with 10 laps to go he was up to the 4th spot.

 

Caution came out on lap 43 and the #3 Muskoka Aircraft Centre /HGC Chevrolet  was running in 3rd and in a great position for the restart. Hathaway had an awesome restart, pulling into 2nd place and on lap 49 made a great pass to take over the lead spot and never looked back, bringing home his first ever road course win.

 

Overcome with emotion, Hathaway brought his race machine into victory lane after taking a victory lap around the 2.459 mile road course.

 

“This is a pretty special win for our team today. We tried to put ourselves in a position to there at the end of the race and today it worked in our favour. I figured we might come out with 2nd or 3rd place, but we got a chance to take the lead and we took it. When we got the lead I focused on each corner and shift and headed for the checkered flag.  Thanks to Muskoka Aircraft Centre for jumping on board this weekend and helping us out. Ed & Hiedi Hakonson have been behind us every race and we can’t thank them enough. I am happy we were able to share this will all of our families here this weekend as well. They allow us to do what we love!”

 

With the win today, Hathaway is 9 points back from the points lead and tied for 2nd place in the Championship battle headed into the last race in 3 weeks’ time at Kawartha Speedway September 19.

 

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The Pinty’s Presents The Clarington 200 will air on TSN on Saturday September 5th at noon and on RDS2 on Friday September 25th at 7pm.

T3R/ EHR is proud to be partnered with Muskoka Aircraft Centre, Fast Eddie Racewear, Brake-Works, The Harman Group, Praxair and Choko Motorsports.

Fans can keep up with Jason and the rest of T3R/EHR at their Ed Hakonson Racing page on Facebook, on Twitter @JasonHathaway3 or @EHRT3R Instagram jasonhathaway3 and are encouraged to visit their official webpage www.Team3Red.com for all updates on the 2015 season.