O’Brien Reflects on his Season and Hopes for Better Results in 2011

Craig Revelle – Finish Line Web Design

November 11, 2010

Five wins, 23 top ten finishes, 33 top ten finishes in only 43 starts.  Not a bad season by many standards.  For Danny O’Brien it was a disappointing season that ended with his consecutive championship streak at the Brockville Speedway ending at four.  Coming into the final race, O’Brien had his best shot ever at his first DIRTcar 358 Modified championship, but come up just a little short at the finish.

The season began with a DNF at Can Am on opening night back in April.  A mechanical problem forced O’Brien out of the race early.  In May, O’Brien opened the season at Brockville, but for the second race in a row, he didn’t finish, this time the front end of his Bicknell broke, ending the night early.  O’Brien ran Brockville and Cornwall weekly throughout the month, as well as a DIRTcar 358 Modified series race at Merrittville Speedway.  A second place finish was the best finish of the month, coming at Brockville at the end of May.

O’Brien finally broke through with a win at both Brockville and Cornwall in late June, and ended the month with only two finishes outside of the top five, both races, O’Brien was unable to finish due to mechanical problems.  One of those problems happened late in the race while leading at Cornwall.

July was the busiest month of the season for O’Brien with 10 races.  Another win at Cornwall highlighted a rather stagnant month that produced just three other top five finishes for O’Brien and his Global Warranty, 1000 Islands RV, Pat’s Radiator, 103.7 BOB FM, Jackson’s Landscaping & Property Maintenance, Murdock’s Cement Finishing, Stover Bus Lines sponsored Kendrick Racing team. 

Rain cut the month of August short for O’Brien and team, who was trying to chase down the points leader at Cornwall Motor Speedway. Three consecutive rainouts during the month denied O’Brien a legitimate shot at the title.  A win at Can Am highlighted the month, as well as another four top ten finishes.

O’Brien started out the month of September with second place finish at Brockville followed by a win at Cornwall in a 100 lap Mr. DIRTcar 358 Modified event.  The rest of the season was spent chasing that elusive DIRTcar tour which O’Brien had hoped to capture for the first time in his career.  The next four events in September were all tour races, and O’Brien traveled to Autodrome Granby, Autodrome Drummond, and Mohawk Raceway.  His worst finish in these races was a sixth place result, which put O’Brien into the points lead as the month came to an end.

A pair of Super DIRT Week satellite events at Brewerton Speedway and then Rolling Wheels Raceway kick-started the month of October.  A heat race crash relegated O’Brien to a back up car for the feature, and despite several ups and downs through the race, he still managed to finish 15^th.  The next night at Rolling Wheels, O’Brien finished in 4^th place, and carried a mere 10 point lead into the final race at Brockville…O’Brien’s home track for the past several seasons.

The final night didn’t go the way O’Brien had hoped, and just missed out on the DIRTcar crown.  Next year O’Brien will be back, hoping for yet another shot at the overall championship.

“We had a lot of problems early this season, I spent a lot of time expanding the race shop, and we didn’t realize it at the time but it really took some of our focus away from the car itself”, said O’Brien.  We got things going pretty decent towards the end of the season, but we just came up a little short at the end.  We will be back next season”.

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O’Brien Comes up Short in Bid for Mr. DIRTcar 358 Modified Championship

Craig Revelle – Finish Line Web Design

October 21, 2010

Entering the Global Warranty DIRTcar Fall Nationals at the Brockville Speedway last weekend, Danny O’Brien had a mere 10 point lead over his nearest competitor and was only 5 more points up on third place.  While O’Brien has 25 years of experience, and is a nine-time Brockville Speedway champion, winning this year’s Mr. DIRTcar 358 Modified championship was going to be no easy task with both Danny Johnson and Pete Bicknell look to pounce on any opportunity to take over the points lead on the final night of the series.

Time trials set the starting line up for the qualifying heats, and O’Brien turned the fastest time in his group, and fourth fastest speed overall out of the 48 358 DIRTcar Modifieds signed into the Brockville Speedway pit area.  Standard procedure for DIRTcar time trials is that racer with the fastest time selects a number from one to four, and with that, determines the number of cars in each group that would be inverted.  The number that was drawn was two, meaning the fastest car in each group would start second in his heat.  Normally, O’Brien excels on the outside lane of the BOS, but on this day, the bottom was the place to be.  O’Brien failed to qualify through the heat race, but rebounded with a second place run in the days last chance qualifier, giving him the 23^rd starting spot for the main event.  It was a struggle for O’Brien early, and when the caution came out on lap 19, O’Brien looked to pit road for some changes, and returned to the field hoping to move through the field.  As the race progressed, and the halfway indicator was given to the field, O’Brien was still marred back deep in the field.  In the late stages, the car began to come to life moving up towards the top ten.  With just two laps remaining, steering issues caused O’Brien’s car to drift high, up and over the banking in turn one and two.  O’Brien was credited with an 18^th place finish, and ended the season third in the overall points.

“The track had one lane that was real fast, and it was tough to pass.  Not qualifying through the heat really put us back, and that’s just the way it goes.  We were quick in our group for time trials, and we did the inversion, and it put us on the outside, and we needed to be on the inside”, says O’Brien.

With Saturday’s events over with, O’Brien and his team went over the car in preparation for Sunday’s Big Block Modified Super DIRTcar Series race.  Using the same car and Small Block Motor from the previous day, O’Brien qualified 19^th out of the 39 Big Blocks in attendance, and finished second in his qualifying heat, placing him into a redraw for one of the top 12 starting positions in Sunday’s 100 lap main event.  O’Brien drew the 11^th position to start the race.  O’Brien pulled off early with mechanical issues, and finished 24^th.

This concludes the 2010 season for Danny O’Brien and his Global Warranty, 1000 Islands RV, Pat’s Radiator, 103.7 BOB FM, Jackson’s Landscaping & Property Maintenance, Murdock’s Cement Finishing, Stover Bus Lines sponsored Kendrick Racing team.  Stay tuned for a season in review press release in the coming weeks.

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O’Brien Has Narrow Point Lead Heading into Final Event of the Season

Craig Revelle – Finish Line Web Design

October 13, 2010

Just one more race is remaining on the Mr. DIRTcar 358 Modified Championship Series, and Danny O’Brien and his team carry over a slim 10-point lead over second place, and a mere 15 points ahead of the third place car.  With the list of racing victories and championships and accomplishments that O’Brien has achieved in his spectacular career, the Mr. DIRTcar title is one that has eluded O’Brien thus far.  The final race will take place at the Brockville Ontario Speedway this Saturday, October 16^th.

“This is one that we really want to win”, says O’Brien as he prepares for this weekends events.  “We couldn’t really plan it any better with the final race being at Brockville, a track that we have had a lot of success at over the years, but we are not taking anything for granted, as anything can happen.  Hopefully we can be there at the end of the day, and finally get that championship”.

Last weekend, O’Brien had a pair of Mr. DIRTcar 358 events and he carried over a 13-point lead heading into Brewerton Speedway on Thursday night.  The night at Brewerton didn’t go smoothly at all, having to go to a backup car after a hard crash in his qualifying heat.  Coming from the back of the field in the 100 lap main event, O’Brien had passed his nearest points competitors on the track and was making great gains, until a spin in turn four had sent him to the back of the field once again.  As the dust cleared at then end of the race, O’Brien had battled to a 15^th place finish, and retained a six point lead heading into the next night at Rolling Wheels Raceway, in Elbridge, New York.

“It was a really frustrating day”, says O’Brien.  “I am sure we passed more cars then anyone tonight, coming from the back twice.  I guess on a good note we leave here with the points lead, and hope we can have better results in the next two races”.

On Friday, after making the required appearance at the New York State Fairgrounds in Syracuse to get the show up points for the event, O’Brien made the short drive over to Rolling Wheels hoping for a better night.  Unlike the previous night, O’Brien was fast right off the trailer, posting the 12^th best lap time in time trials out of the 56 Small Block Modifieds on hand.  After finishing third in his heat race, O’Brien and the team went to work, getting the car ready for the 75 lap feature.  Danny started the race from 13^th place, and drove his way up to fourth at the checkered flag.

“We needed a good run like this”, stated O’Brien after climbing out of his Global Warranty, 1000 Islands RV, Pat’s Radiator, 103.7 BOB FM, Jackson’s Landscaping & Property Maintenance, Murdock’s Cement Finishing, Stover Bus Lines sponsored Kendrick Racing Bicknell.  “We can now take the points lead back home with us, and hopefully we will be on top when the checkered flag comes out next Saturday”.

The Global Warranty DIRTcar Fall Nationals run this weekend at the Brockville Speedway, come on out and support Danny O’Brien as he tries to claim his first ever DIRTcar championship.

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O’Brien’s Off Week from DIRTcar Tour Spent at Brighton Speedway Applefest

Craig Revelle – Finish Line Web Design

September 29, 2010

With a break in the Mr. DIRTcar 358 Modified Series schedule this past weekend, O’Brien looked to an event just an hour west of his Kingston, Ontario home at the Brighton Speedway.  Brighton is a track that only hosts the DIRTcar Modifieds once a year, but and most teams look forward to the annual event.

Last year at Brighton, there was a 15 lap clash for cash that ended up being rained out.  To start this year’s Applefest Shootout at Brighton, the 15 lap race was the first race of the night.  O’Brien led the race early, but dropped to second before the checkered flag.

In the 50 lap main event, again O’Brien battled towards the front of the pack.  With a few laps remaining he had reached the top five and progressed even further to the third position at the finish.

“This is the best surface we have raced on since we started coming to Brighton for the Applefest Weekend”, says O’Brien.  “It was a fun race, and now we can come back to the shop and concentrate on our Mr. DIRTcar program”.

O’Brien currently leads the Mr. DIRTcar 358 Modified points, and was looking forward to the four events that had been remaining.  Two of those events were at tracks that O’Brien has had a lot of success, with Can Am on October 6^th, and Brockville on October 16^th.  However, early this week, Can Am officials announced the October 6^th event would be canceled.

Just three more events remain on the schedule for Danny O’Brien and his Global Warranty, 1000 Islands RV, Pat’s Radiator, 103.7 BOB FM, Jackson’s Landscaping & Property Maintenance, Murdock’s Cement Finishing, Stover Bus Lines, Kendrick Racing team.  First up will be Brewerton Speedway on Thursday, October 7^th, and Rolling Wheels Raceway on Friday, October 8^th.  The season will conclude on Saturday, October 16^th at the Brockville Ontario Speedway.  O’Brien hopes to be crowned 2010 Mr. DIRTcar 358 Champion, which would be the first overall series title in his illustrious career. 

For more information on Danny O’Brien and the 7* Global Warranty racing team, please visit our website, www.dannyobrien.ca

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It was a Rough Road to the Top of the Mr. DIRTcar Points for Danny O’Brien  

Craig Revelle – Finish Line Web Design

September 21, 2010

Danny O’Brien entered last weekend second in points, only three points out of the lead in the coveted Mr. DIRTcar 358 Modified point standings.  A 75 lap event at the Mohawk Raceway was on the agenda, and O’Brien hoped to repeat his past performance at the track, which was a win back on July 30^th in a 50 lap main event.

Typically, the Mohawk Raceway produces some of the best track conditions in the area, but after a few days worth of heavy rain, the track came apart, despite the ongoing efforts of the MIR track crew.

The night started off slow for O’Brien, posting only the 29^th fastest speed in time trials out of the 49 cars that signed into the pit area.  Starting towards the back of the pack in his qualifying heat, O’Brien had some work to do to lock himself into the feature.  A seventh place run wasn’t quite enough, and O’Brien had to qualify through the last chance consolation race.  O’Brien’s second place run put him in the show, but started deep in the field rolling off the starting grid from the 23^rd position.  The night was going well for O’Brien as he advanced to the top ten, and was looking for more as they hit lap 40.  On a lap 43 restart, contact from another competitor nearly sent O’Brien’s car upside down before coming to a rest in turn three on all four wheels, with oncoming traffic narrowly avoiding his Global Warranty, 1000 Islands RV, Pat’s Radiator, 103.7 BOB FM, Jackson’s Landscaping & Property Maintenance, Murdock’s Cement Finishing, Stover Bus Lines, Kendrick Racing Bicknell.  O’Brien resumed the race, and quickly got back into the top ten, and advanced to the top five before the checkered flag.

“That was the worst track I have ever raced on”, says O’Brien after the race.  “I understand the weather played havoc with this place all week long, and that is understandable, but it was very rough going tonight.  The good news is that we left here with the points lead, and we will move on to the next race”.

This coming weekend, O’Brien will be at the Brighton Speedway for their annual Applefest Shootout and then will continue the chase for the MR. DIRTcar 358 Modified championship on October 6^th at Chapman’s Can Am Motorsports Park for the unofficial kickoff to Super DIRT Week.

“We are excited about our chances to get our first Mr. DIRTcar title.  There is four more series points races left, and with Can Am and Brockville both being tracks that are very familiar to us, we feel confident, but we have a lot of work to do yet, and we need to have good runs at the other two tracks (Brewerton and Rolling Wheels) as well.

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O’Brien’s Trip to Quebec is Successful; Looking For Mr. DIRTcar Title  

Craig Revelle – Finish Line Web Design

September 14, 2010  

The goal heading into this weekend for Danny O’Brien was to finish in the top ten, and position himself for a title run for the 2010 Mr. DIRTcar 358 Modified championship.  O’Brien has won many races and titles in his illustrious career, but the biggest of them all, the Mr. DIRTcar title has escaped O’Brien thus far.

On Friday afternoon, O’Brien traveled to Autodrome Granby, in Granby, Quebec for a 150 lap, $10000 to win event.  O’Brien turned the 16^th fastest overall speed in time trials, and when the qualifying heat races came up, O’Brien easily locked himself into the main event with a second place run.  O’Brien made the redraw for one of the first 12 starting spots, and O’Brien selected position number five.  Starting from inside the third row, O’Brien quickly challenged the leaders.  By lap 70, and the mandatory 10-minute break, O’Brien held the second position and battled for the lead when the race resumed.  O’Brien took over the top spot on lap 94, and relinquished it just three laps later.  O’Brien stayed in second for the next several laps, before mounting another challenge for the lead on lap 104. O’Brien grabbed the lead briefly before dropping back to second place.  At the end of the 150-lap race, O’Brien finished a solid third place, and took over the series points lead.

“I Want to thank everybody here at the track, we’ve got a lot of support here,” remarked O’Brien, who won the last Series race that was held at Cornwall just one week earlier.. “We don’t make it up here very often but it sure is fun racing here. You’re only as good as your last race so we’ll see what we can do tomorrow at Drummond.”

O’Brien and his Global Warranty, 1000 Islands RV, Pat’s Radiator, 103.7 BOB FM, Jackson’s Landscaping & Property Maintenance, Murdock’s Cement Finishing, Stover Bus Lines, Kendrick Racing team traveled to Autodrome Drummond on Saturday night for 160 lap race, also paying $10000 to win.  O’Brien started the night off with the sixth overall fastest speed in time trials, and went on to take the win in his qualifying heat locking him into the redraw once again.  O’Brien started the 160 lap race from sixth, and after the full distance, O’Brien remained in the same position as he started from.

This coming weekend, the Mr. DIRTcar 358 Modified Series will continue, with a Friday night race at the Mohawk Raceway in Hogansburg, New York.  From there, the series will continue on Friday September 24^th at the Rolling Wheels Raceway in Elbridge, New York and then continue with three races in a row during Super DIRT Week on October 6^th, 7^th and 8^th.  The 2010 Mr. DIRTcar Champion will be crowned at Brockville Ontario Speedway just one week later for the 2^nd annual DIRTcar Northeast Fall Nationals.

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O’Brien Wins Jiffy 100 DIRTcar Series Event at Cornwall Motor Speedway  

Craig Revelle – Finish Line Web Design

September 7, 2010

Entering Labor Day weekend, Danny O’Brien had a pair of events on the schedule, beginning with Brockville on Saturday night for the final night of points, followed by the final race of the year at Cornwall Motor Speedway.  While Saturday’s race was important, O’Brien was looking forward to Sunday’s 100 lap event, looking for a big win to end the season the 2010 season at Cornwall.

First up was the final points night at Brockville, and final visit to the BOS until the Fall Nationals in mid October.  O’Brien started his qualifying heat from fifth place, and by the end of lap three O’Brien had claimed the second position, and went to work on the race leader.  As they came around for the checkered flag, O’Brien narrowly picked up the race win by just inches.  Danny started the feature from ninth place, and again moved up quickly, cracking the top five before 10 of the 30 laps were competed.  Danny progressed further in the final 20 laps getting up to second place at the finish.

“We had a great run, but we needed a caution to have a shot at the 25 car, but we didn’t get it.  We will take the second place finish and move on to Cornwall tomorrow night for the Series race. The other car has been sitting, ready for this race for almost a month now, and we are looking forward to it”, commented O’Brien.

At Cornwall Speedway on Sunday, the Jiffy Auto Service Mr. DIRTcar 358 Modified series highlighted the final show of the season at the track.  O’Brien began the night with the third fastest time overall.  In his qualifying heat, O’Brien finished third, placing him into the redraw for one of the first 12 starting spots for the 100 lap main event.  Danny drew starting spot number six, and lined up outside of the third row for the feature.  On lap eight, Danny broke into the top three, and then leaped to second just five laps later.  O’Brien made an impressive move to take over the top spot on lap 26.  For the remainder of the race, O’Brien battled lapped traffic and held off older brother Pat for the win.

“We struggled early in the year and I hope it is a sign of good things to come. It is good to have a top 2 finish in the family, and we had clean racing all around the track’’, says Danny O’Brien, commenting on the win, and finishing ahead of the eldest O’Brien sibling.

For more information on Danny O’Brien and the 7* Global Warranty racing team, please visit our website, www.dannyobrien.ca

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Busy Weekend of Racing for Danny O’Brien With a pair of 100 Lap Events  

Craig Revelle – Finish Line Web Design

August 31, 2010

It was a busy weekend of racing for Danny O’Brien and his team, with three events scheduled, including a pair of 100 lap events with the Canadian Challenge Series, featuring some of the top cars from Ontario and Quebec.  Edelweiss Speedway was the first 100-lap race of the weekend on Friday night, then the Brockville Ontario Speedway had their big race on Saturday night.  O’Brien also visited Cornwall Speedway on Sunday night to complete the weekend with a regular 30 lap feature.

The weekend began on Friday night with a trip to Edelweiss Speedway, located just a few minutes outside of Ottawa, in Cantley, Quebec.  The night started with a third place run in his qualifying heat, which put O’Brien into the redraw for one of the top 12 starting positions for the 100 lap main event.  By luck of the draw, O’Brien began the feature from outside of the first row, and held his own through the first part of race.  At halfway, O’Brien was still well into the top five, but as the tires started to fade, the handling slowly went away on O’Brien’s Global Warranty, 1000 Islands RV, Pat’s Radiator, 103.7 BOB FM, Jackson’s Landscaping & Property Maintenance, Murdock’s Cement Finishing, Stover Bus Lines, Kendrick Racing Bicknell car, and at the finish, O’Brien crossed the line in sixth place.

On Saturday night at Brockville, O’Brien once again started the night off with a strong run in his heat, placing him into the all-important redraw for the 100-lap feature.  This time O’Brien drew the fourth place starting position, and lined up from the outside of the second row to start the feature.  At the green flag, O’Brien took off, taking the second spot right of the initial start.  A caution came out just after the first lap was completed, and Danny jumped out to the lead when the race resumed.  O’Brien led for the next seven laps but dropped to second briefly before overtaking to top spot again on lap 21.  For the 30 laps or so, O’Brien traded the top spot, before eventually losing the lead for good on lap 49.  Similar to the previous night, O’Brien’s car faded just a little in the second half of the race, but O’Brien was still able to bring the car home with a solid fourth place run.

For the first time in almost a month, Cornwall Speedway was able to continue their 2010 season.  The past three weeks had been lost due to rain.  O’Brien began the night with a fourth place run in his qualifying heat, and started the main event from 12^th place.  As with almost everyone on Sunday night at Cornwall, track position was the key to success, as the fastest way around the track on this night was around the bottom.  The usual outside groove that Danny O’Brien has used on many nights just wasn’t there, as there was no grip at all on the top side of the track.  O’Brien crossed the finish line in 13^th place.

For more information on Danny O’Brien and the 7* Global Warranty racing team, please visit our website, www.dannyobrien.ca

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O’Brien Finishes Second at Can Am; Brockville and Cornwall are Rained Out  

Craig Revelle – Finish Line Web Design

August 24, 2010

Heading into last weekend, Danny O’Brien had three events planned, beginning Friday night at Chapman’s Can Am Motorsports Park in Lafargeville, New York.  Then it was off to Brockville Speedway on Saturday night, and followed Cornwall Speedway on Sunday night.

O’Brien traveled to Chapman’s Can Am Motorsports Park on Friday night for a SUNY Canton 358 Modified series race.  After finishing second in his qualifying heat, O’Brien easily made the redraw for one of the top 12 starting positions for the 25 lap main event.  O’Brien selected number eight, and he lined up on the outside of the fourth row for the feature.  By the end of the first lap O’Brien was up to fifth.  Just a couple laps later, on a restart, O’Brien tangled with the third place car, sending both to the infield.  With no damage, O’Brien restarted the race from the rear, and wasted no time at all charging back through the field.  Just seven laps in, he was back up to fifth place, and held that position until a caution on lap 16.  On the ensuing restart, O’Brien made a brilliant move, and taking over fourth, and then third before the completed the following lap.  Another caution on lap 19 bunched the field once again, and O’Brien was able to move up to second, but was unable to run down the race leader.  O’Brien settled for a second place finish.

“We had a decent car tonight.  I am still not sure what happened on that restart, but the car ahead of us either didn’t go, or something, but we both ending up sitting in the infield.  We had to restart from the back, and the car worked awesome, and the track was really fast”, says O’Brien.

On Saturday night, Danny had hoped to take his Global Warranty, 1000 Islands RV, Pat’s Radiator, 103.7 BOB FM, Jackson’s Landscaping & Property Maintenance, Murdock’s Cement Finishing, Stover Bus Lines, Kendrick Racing Bicknell car to Brockville, but all day rain forced track officials to cancel.

That rain continued over to Sunday, and for the third week in a row, Cornwall Speedway was forced to cancel their program due to rain.  Now, with just two week’s remaining, O’Brien is looking to make up the 19-point deficit in the chase for the Cornwall Speedway track title.

For more information on Danny O’Brien and the 7* Global Warranty racing team, please visit our website, www.dannyobrien.ca

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O’Brien Tops Small Block Division at Chapman’s Can Am Motorsports Park

Craig Revelle – Finish Line Web Design

August 18, 2010

Heading into last weekend, Danny O’Brien had three events lined up, with a rare Friday night appearance at Chapman’s Can Am Motorsports Park in Lafargeville, New York, followed by the usual Saturday and Sunday night events at Brockville and Cornwall respectively.

At Can Am on Friday night, O’Brien started from the back of the pack in his qualifying heat race, and advanced up to the fourth position after the eight lap event.  After making some changes to the car come feature time, O’Brien set off from the 13^th position.  While racing against the more powerful Big Blocks, O’Brien held his own through the first five laps, but as the race went on, O’Brien’s

Global Warranty, 1000 Islands RV, Pat’s Radiator, 103.7 BOB FM, Jackson’s Landscaping & Property Maintenance, Murdock’s Cement Finishing, Stover Bus Lines, Kendrick Racing Bicknell got faster, and by lap 13 he had moved up to seventh.  O’Brien advanced one more position to finish sixth at the checkered flag, but most importantly, he was the top finishing Small Block in the field.

“It was a good run for us tonight.  We had to start towards the back of the pack, because of the track handicapping due to us not racing here every week.  We had our work cut out for us, but we had a pretty solid run.  We will be back here next week for the SUNY Canton race”, says O’Brien.

At Brockville on Saturday night, O’Brien started the evening with third place run in his qualifying heat race.  In the feature, O’Brien was issued the tenth place starting position.  O’Brien moved up during the 30 lap feature, but settled for a sixth place run at the end of the night.

“We were looking for more then that”, stated O’Brien.  “It has been a struggle here all season for some reason.  We just have to keep working at it, and it will get better”.

For more information on Danny O’Brien and the 7* Global Warranty racing team, please visit our website, www.dannyobrien.ca

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Danny O’Brien Wins 50 Lap Feature at Mohawk Raceway on Friday Night

Craig Revelle – Finish Line Web Design

August 3, 2010

A pair of events topped the schedule for Danny O’Brien and his Global Warranty team this passed weekend, which included a 50 lap feature at Mohawk Raceway and a 125 lap feature at Cornwall.

For the first time this season, Danny O’Brien traveled to the Mohawk Raceway in Hogansburg, New York on Friday night.  After winning his qualifying heat, Danny started on the front row of the feature, and took the lead at the drop of the green flag.  Just 10 laps into the race, O’Brien was into lapped traffic, but continued to lead the field.  O’Brien held the top spot for the remainder of the race, and captured the win, his fourth of the season.

“It was a much needed win for us”, says O’Brien after the race.  “It has been a tough season, and it is nice to come here for the first time and pick up the win.  I have to thank the crew and all of our sponsors, and I also want to mention the loss of track photographer Mike Watts, it just is not the same here without him.  We will definitely be back here again this season”.

On Sunday, the Cornwall Motor Speedway hosted the final race in the Canadian National series.  A 125-lap feature was on the schedule, including a 10 min break for pit stops on the front straightaway after lap 75.  O’Brien started the night with the second fastest time in his qualifying group, and backed that up with a second place effort in his heat race.  O’Brien started the feature from 12^th place, and cracked the top ten just a few laps later.  The entire 75 lap first segment was run with out a caution, and by then O’Brien had dropped to 15^th, with brake problems hampering the progress during the late stages of the first 75 laps.  Once the racing resumed, O’Brien continued to struggle, and pulled into the pits just a few laps later.

“We were doing ok early on, but we developed some brake problems during the first segment”, said O’Brien after the race.  “It is disappointing, but we will move on, and look forward to next week”.

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O’Brien Looking for Consistency Down the Homestretch of 2010 Season 

Craig Revelle – Finish Line Web Design

July 19, 2010

With well over half the season over with, Danny O’Brien hasn’t had a typical Danny O’Brien like season, but with just over a month left in the season at Cornwall Motor Speedway, Danny sits second in points, only 19 point behind the current leader and looking for some consistent finishes down the month of the season.

Just one race was on the Danny O’Brien race schedule for this weekend, and that was a scheduled 30 lap feature at the Cornwall Motor Speedway where O’Brien posted a sixth place in his Global Warranty, 1000 Islands RV, Pat’s Radiator, 103.7 BOB FM, Jackson’s Landscaping & Property Maintenance, Murdock’s Cement Finishing, Stover Bus Lines, Kendrick Racing team prepared Bicknell car. 

“We need to have better finishes than we did tonight if we are going to win this championship”, admits O’Brien.  “We finished one spot behind the current point leader tonight, and we can’t afford to have that happen again”.

This coming weekend, O’Brien will make his first appearance of the season at the Mohawk Raceway in Hogansburg, New York on Friday night for a 50 lap main event.  On Sunday Danny O’Brien and the Global Warranty team will head back to Cornwall for a 125 lap Canadian National Series, paying $5000 to win.

“We are looking forward to making our first trip to the Mohawk Raceway this season, says O’Brien. “It is a beautiful facility, and they have done a lot of hard work making that place a premiere racing facility”.

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O’Brien Picks Up Second Win of the Season at Cornwall Motor Speedway  

Craig Revelle – Finish Line Web Design

July 19, 2010

Danny O’Brien has always had a lot of success racing at Cornwall Speedway over the years, and has won plenty of races, and championships at the track over the course of his career.  Arguably none were more dramatic then his win this past weekend.

Sunday night at Cornwall was a great night for Danny O’Brien.  Starting the 30-lap feature from the 11^th position, O’Brien worked his way through the field.  At the halfway point of the race, Danny had moved up to seventh, and just a few laps later he had jumped into the top five.  A much needed caution came out on lap 23, bunching the field back up, and by this point O’Brien had advanced into third place, putting himself into contention for the final 7 lap run the checkered flag.  Coming down for the checkered flag, O’Brien appeared to have a second place finish, until the race leader destroyed a tire on the final turn, handing the win to O’Brien.

“We have lost races in a similar fashion”, stated O’Brien from victory lane after his win.  “It’s a tough way for them to lose a race, but we will take it.  I want to thank all the crew for their hard work, and all of our sponsors”.

For more information on Danny O’Brien and the 7* Global Warranty racing team, please visit our website, www.dannyobrien.ca

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O’Brien Continues Strong Performances, but Still Looking for Some Wins 

Craig Revelle – Finish Line Web Design

July 14, 2010  

The 2010 Racing Season continues to heat up as mid summer is upon us, and race teams begin to look for ways to build some momentum as they head into mid July.  The season track championship battles are on the line, and Danny O’Brien is looking to extend his Championship streak at Brockville, and begin a new streak at Cornwall.

Heading into the weekend, O’Brien had a full schedule of racing, beginning Saturday at Brockville Ontario Speedway, Sunday at Cornwall Speedway and then across the St. Lawrence River to Chapman’s Can Am Motorsports Park on Monday night for a special SUNY Canton Series Race.

At Brockville on Saturday night, O’Brien started his qualifying heat from the seventh position, and struggled with the handling of his Global Warranty, 1000 Islands RV, Pat’s Radiator, 103.7 BOB FM, Jackson’s Landscaping & Property Maintenance, Murdock’s Cement Finishing, Stover Bus Lines, Kendrick Racing team prepared Bicknell car.  At the checkered flag, O’Brien finished in the sixth position.  In the 30-lap feature, O’Brien started from the 14^th position, and quickly worked his way to the front.  In just a few short laps, O’Brien had already moved inside the top ten, and with a caution on lap 17, the four time defending track champion was up to seventh.  On the ensuing restart, Danny jumped to the outside lane on the track, and begin challenging for a top five almost immediately.  After over taking fifth place on lap 22, O’Brien wasn’t done yet, as he soon was up to fourth, and then in the closing laps he had moved into third, and that is where he finished.

“The car was really good again tonight.  This team has really worked hard getting us back up front”, stated O’Brien after the race.  “The competition is so much tougher then previous seasons, but we working hard to get back to victory lane”.

On Sunday night at the Cornwall Motor Speedway, a 100 lap Big Block Modified Super DIRTcar Series highlighted the evening.  After posting the 17^th fastest speed in time trials, O’Brien and his team had a little work to do before the qualifying heats.  Danny lined up fifth in his heat, and moved up just one spot to fourth at the checkered flag.  The fourth place finish was good enough to lock him into the 100-lap feature event.  Starting from the 15^th position, O’Brien had his work cut out for him against the powerful Big Blocks.  In the early laps, Danny maintained his position, but when the halfway point of the race was looming, O’Brien’s Global Warranty Bicknell began to come to life.  At lap 37, he was running 14^th, and on lap 49 he was just outside of the top ten, running in 11^th.  O’Brien made it all the way up to the tenth position before mechanical problems sideline him for the rest of the night on lap 80.

“It was a tough race tonight, but we knew it wasn’t going to be easy racing against these Big Blocks”, stated O’Brien.  “We will take it home and get ready for Can Am tomorrow night”.

At Chapman’s Can Am Motorsports Park on Monday night, a special SUNY Canton Series event was scheduled.  Despite a brief downpour, and some intermittent rain, they were still able to get the race completed.  A draw at the pit gate determined starting positions for the qualifying heats, and this gave O’Brien a fifth place starting position.  O’Brien worked through the field with just eight laps, and advanced to third.  Danny started the 30 lap feature from ninth place, and quickly advanced through the field in the early going.  On lap eight, O’Brien was up to sixth and just five laps later O’Brien was into the top five.  The handle seemed to go away in the closing laps as he slipped to sixth at the finish.

For more information on Danny O’Brien and the 7* Global Warranty racing team, please visit our website, www.dannyobrien.ca

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O’Brien Ends Holiday Weekend With a Pair of Third Place Finishes 

Craig Revelle – Finish Line Web Design

July 7, 2010

It was a busy Canada Weekend for Danny O’Brien and his Global Warranty team, with three nights of racing, including a Canada Day Mr. DIRTcar 358 Modified Series race at Edelweiss Speedway, near Gatineau, Quebec.

A special Thursday, Canada Day celebration took place up in the mountains near Gatineau, Quebec.  Edelweiss Speedway hosted the Small Block Modified series.  After posting the 16^th fastest time in qualifying, the team made some adjustments on the Global Warranty, 1000 Islands RV, Pat’s Radiator, 103.7 BOB FM, Jackson’s Landscaping & Property Maintenance, Murdock’s Cement Finishing, Stover Bus Lines, Kendrick Racing team prepared Bicknell car before the heat race. The adjustments seemed to work, as O’Brien finished second in the qualifier, locking him into the 100 lap feature, and placing him in the redraw for one of the top 12 starting spots.  O’Brien drew the seventh starting position, and once the green flag dropped, he quickly worked his way to the front, things seemed to be going O’Brien’s way in the early stages, and just before halfway, he challenged for the lead.  On lap 53, O’Brien gained the top spot, just for one lap, and at this point, the handling on O’Brien’s car began to deteriorate.  O’Brien slipped to seventh at the finish.

“We were really good early on”, stated O’Brien.  “The handle really went away just after halfway and it was all we could do.  The track was really slick, and we just used up the tires in the first half of the race”.

After taking Friday night off, the O’Brien team was back at the track on Saturday night at the Brockville Ontario Speedway.  In his qualifying heat, Danny started sixth and quickly marched to the front.  O’Brien needed just one more lap to score the heat race win, but settled for second place at the checkered flag.  Starting the 30-lap feature from 11^th place, O’Brien again patiently worked his way to the front.  In just two laps, he was inside the top ten, and when the first yellow was displayed on lap 11, O’Brien was already up to sixth place.  On the restart, he overtook the fifth position and began to run down the leaders.  With 19 laps competed, O’Brien moved into third place, and stayed there for the remaining laps.

“We were hoping for more tonight”, stated O’Brien after his third place finish.  “We will be back tomorrow night at Cornwall looking for a little better performance.

After getting the car ready on Sunday for Cornwall Speedway, the O’Brien team traveled east on Highway 401 to Cornwall.  After finishing second in his qualifying heat, O’Brien rolled off the starting grid for the 30 lap feature from the ninth position.  On lap 13, O’Brien cracked the top and continued to gain ground on the leaders.  Just one lap later, he was up to fourth place.  A caution on lap 23 bunched the field up, and just after the ensuing restart, O’Brien picked up one more position, and placing him in third.  O’Brien finished the race in third place, matching his results from the previous night.

“Once again, third place isn’t what this team is looking for, we want to win races, and gain some ground in the points”, states O’Brien.  “We have made some major gains over the last few weeks, and we are inching closer to where we have been in past years, but we have a little more work to do yet”.

For more information on Danny O’Brien and the 7* Global Warranty racing team, please visit our website, www.dannyobrien.ca

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O’Brien Nets Win Number Two of The Year With Checkers at Cornwall 

Craig Revelle – Finish Line Web Design

June 29, 2010

While Danny O’Brien spent much of the weekend dodging raindrops, there were also some bright moments in his weekend, with a win Sunday night at the Cornwall Motor Speedway.

Saturday’s racing at Brockville Ontario Speedway was a complete washout.  Track officials decided to cancel just after lunchtime on Saturday.  This gave O’Brien and his crew a little more time to get the car ready for the following day at Cornwall Motor Speedway.

Taking some time to reflect on the season thus far, O’Brien explains some of the work that has taken place away from the track, that could explain his slow start to the 2010-racing season.

“We put an addition on the garage, but we couldn’t start until May 1st, it took us about six weeks to complete.  It definitely distracted us, and it required a lot of time away from racing. We had lots of irons in the fire, and we were going to the racetrack tired.  It was hard to keep a handle on everything.  We can’t go to the track tired and expect to do well.  The last two weeks we have been really good and it is starting to show”, reflects O’Brien, looking back on his season.

On Sunday, O’Brien traveled to Cornwall, for a regular racing program.  Starting third in his qualifying heat, O’Brien drove a steady race, and finished second.  Come feature time, O’Brien lined up in eighth position, and quickly made his mark, jumping all the way up to fourth by lap eight.  A restart on lap 18 was just what O’Brien was looking for, and he soon moved into second place.  After several laps of side by side racing for the lead, O’Brien finally made the pass with just three laps remaining and picked up the win in his Global Warranty, 1000 Islands RV, Pat’s Radiator, 103.7 BOB FM, Jackson’s Landscaping & Property Maintenance, Murdock’s Cement Finishing, Stover Bus Lines, Kendrick Racing team prepared Bicknell car.

“We really wanted this one badly”, stated O’Brien after the race.  “We have been running really well as of late, and we are looking forward to the rest of the season.  The win now vaults O’Brien into third place in track points, just 39 points out of the lead.

For more information on Danny O’Brien and the 7* Global Warranty racing team, please visit our website, www.dannyobrien.ca

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O’Brien is Back on Track With a Win, a Second, and a Third Place Finish  

Craig Revelle – Finish Line Web Design

June 22, 2010

It has been almost two months since the first race of the 2010 season, and it hasn’t gone according to plan for Danny O’Brien and his team.  After winning the last four track championships at Brockville, and finding victory lane there several times each season, along with success at Can Am and Cornwall, it was just a matter of time before O’Brien would break through for the first win of the season.

“It has been a season from hell so far”, claimed O’Brien.  “We haven’t been able to catch a break, and when it does seem like things are going better, we break something.  It has been frustrating”.

The weekend started with a SUNY Canton Series event at Chapman’s Can Am Motorsports Park in Lafargeville, New York.  O’Brien started at the back of his qualifying heat due to a draw at the pit gate that determined starting position.  In the eight lap qualifier, O’Brien rocketed from the back of the field and finished second, placing him into the redraw for starting position in the 25 lap feature event. 

O’Brien started the feature from the seventh position, and quickly worked his way to the front of the pack.  Just 10 laps into the race, O’Brien had moved up to fourth place and began closing in on the cars ahead of him.  By lap 18 O’Brien had found him self in second place, and closing fast on the race leader as he worked his way through lapped traffic.  O’Brien finished the race in second, needing just a few more laps to catch up to the race winner.

“We had a great car tonight, but track position was everything.  We needed a caution to close up the gap.  Congratulations to Zach (Aubertine) on his first win at Can Am, he ran a great race”, says O’Brien after the SUNY Canton race.

With much of day on Saturday spent looking at the forecast and the rain that was falling through the morning and into early afternoon, optimism that racing would take place at the Brockville Ontario Speedway was low.  However, the skies cleared, and despite the heavy rains, racing was on as scheduled.

O’Brien took his Global Warranty, 1000 Islands RV, Pat’s Radiator, 103.7 BOB FM, Jackson’s Landscaping & Property Maintenance, Murdock’s Cement Finishing, Stover Bus Lines, Kendrick Racing team prepared Bicknell car to victory lane on Saturday night over brothers Pat and Tim O’Brien, only the second time in history that the O’Brien family has swept the top three spots.

“We finally got that first win tonight”, said O’Brien after climbing out of his car in victory lane.  “It has been a tough season with bad luck and mechanical failures, but I think we are back on track now.  We have been really good the last two weeks”.

With a win and second place finish to his credit, O’Brien was looking for another solid finish at Cornwall Motor Speedway to finish out the weekend.  O’Brien rolled of the starting grid from the fifth position, and by lap two had moved into third.  Setting his sites on the race leaders, O’Brien battled for second place for the remainder of the 30 lap feature, eventually settling for a third place run.

“It was a good weekend for us, but I’m a little frustrated with how it ended, we had a car that was capable of winning and I just went a little to high in turn 4 and lost some ground”, said O’Brien after the race.  “Overall though, it was a strong weekend, and hopefully we are back on track”.

O’Brien will continue to build momentum with a pair of races this coming weekend at Brockville Ontario Speedway and Cornwall Motor Speedway of Saturday and Sunday night respectively.

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Mechanical Woes Continue to Plague O’Brien Early in 2010

Craig Revelle – Finish Line Web Design

June 16, 2010

Danny O’Brien just can’t seem to catch a break.  Earlier in the season O’Brien struggled with the handling of his Global Warranty car.  With the issues resolved, O’Brien’s car has been plenty capable of winning races, but cant shake the bad luck that has followed him since the first green flag of 2010.

Friday night, O’Brien traveled across the border to Chapman’s Can Am Motorsports Park, another track that he has had a great deal of success at over his storied racing career.  O’Brien started fourth in his qualifying heat race, and progressed to fourth place at the checkered flag.  After some adjustments, O’Brien was ready for feature time, and lined up from the eighth position for the 25-lap SUNY Canton Series main event.  O’Brien had a fast car, moving through the field with finesse.  In just two laps, he had climbed into the top five, and just a few laps later he had conquered the fourth place position. Continuing his progress through field, O’Brien was up to second with 7 laps remaining, before slipping to third at the checkered flag.

“The car was good tonight”, but we just didn’t have enough for the 74 car.  “We seem to be getting back to having fast cars, and one of these days we will get this car back to victory lane”, says O’Brien.

Heavy rains overnight and through the morning on Saturday left plenty of doubt that their would be any racing at all on Saturday night, but as the rain stopped and the clouds departed, racing was still on at the Brockville Ontario Speedway.  Despite the rough track conditions caused by the amount of rain that had fallen, O’Brien finished third in his qualifying heat after starting from the fifth position.  Once the 30-lap feature started, O’Brien quickly moved through the field, starting from inside of the sixth row, in 11^th.  It was a tough race for many cars on this night, but O’Brien stayed alert and focused, and was able to bring his car home with a solid top five finish.

“The track was really rough tonight”, says O’Brien.  “The weather earlier today really left the track and the speedway grounds in a mess.  Turns one and two were especially bad.  We will have to change a lot of parts on this car before we race again tomorrow night”.

On Sunday, O’Brien and his team departed for Cornwall Motor Speedway, optimistic of their chances for the first win of the 2010 season.  The qualifying heat was a bit of a struggle for O’Brien and crew, but after making several changes to the car before feature the car and driver were ready to make their move.  O’Brien clearly had the fastest car on the track, and took the lead on lap 15, the halfway point of the race.  On a restart with 8 laps remaining, O’Brien temporarily lost the lead, only to regain it back on the next restart.  With just four laps remaining, yet another caution was displayed to the field, and on the ensuing restart, O’Brien accelerated, and mechanical problems forced O'Brien's Global Warranty, 1000 Islands RV, Pat’s Radiator, 103.7 BOB FM, Jackson’s Landscaping & Property Maintenance, Murdock’s Cement Finishing, Stover Bus Lines, Kendrick Racing team prepared Bicknell car to exit the track and into the infield, costing the team their first win of the season.

“It is frustrating when stuff like this happens, but we will regroup, and give it another shot next weekend”.  I just want to thank the fans, and all of our sponsors for sticking with us, and we will be back to the front soon.

For more information on Danny O’Brien and the 7* Global Warranty racing team, please visit our website, www.dannyobrien.ca

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Mechanical Failure End O’Brien’s Day Early at Brockville

Craig Revelle – Finish Line Web Design

June 9, 2010

The season is just over a month old for Danny O’Brien and while he is fighting arguably his worst season to date, things appeared to be looking up for the popular Kingston, Ontario driver.

On Saturday night, O’Brien raced at the Brockville Ontario Speedway.  As the reigning track champion for the past four years, it is hard to imagine that he is winless so far in 2010, but bad luck seems to be plaguing the Global Warranty team.  O’Brien started his heat race in fifth place, and soon was challenging for the win before running out of laps and finishing second.

O’Brien started the 30 lap feature from the 11^th position, and quickly worked his way towards the front.  When the first caution of the race came out on lap 14, he had already moved into the fourth position.  Just a few laps later, he was up to second, and looking to run down the race leader.  O’Brien, unable to keep the car on the bottom of the track, had dropped to third place with 8 laps remaining.  On lap 24, Danny’s Global Warranty, 1000 Islands RV, Pat’s Radiator, 103.7 BOB FM, Jackson’s Landscaping & Property Maintenance, Murdock’s Cement Finishing, Stover Bus Lines, Kendrick Racing team prepared Bicknell car suffered a mechanical failure, ending his night early.

“It is disappointing, but what can you do, it is racing, and this stuff happens.  We will be back next week, and hopefully our luck will begin to turn around”, says O’Brien.

O’Brien and his Global Warranty 7* team had planned to travel to Cornwall on Sunday, but with persistent rain most of the day, Cornwall canceled their racing program.

For more information on Danny O’Brien and the 7* Global Warranty racing team, please visit our website, www.dannyobrien.ca

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O’Brien Back on Track With Pair of Top Fives, Including Near win at BOS - Craig Revelle – Finish Line Web Design

June 2, 2010

While the early stages of 2010 haven’t been all that kind to Danny O’Brien and his 7* Global Warranty team, the hard work and dedication of driver and his crew are paying off, as O’Brien scores a pair of top five finishes this weekend.

The weekend started off on a high note, as Danny O’Brien started from the fourth position in his qualifying heat, and picked up the checkered flag.  O’Brien looked strong in his Global Warranty, 1000 Islands RV, Pat’s Radiator, 103.7 BOB FM, Jackson’s Landscaping & Property Maintenance, Murdock’s Cement Finishing, Stover Bus Lines, Kendrick Racing team prepared Bicknell car, and was looking for his first feature win of the season.

Come feature time, O’Brien and his team were ready.  A 9^th place starting position and 30 laps to get to the front was the game plan.  O’Brien patiently worked his way through the field, and with 10 laps to go, he was right on the back bumper of the race leader.  The next 10 laps were some of the best racing the track has ever seen.  O’Brien raced side by side, battling for the top spot.  Coming down for the checkered flag, O’Brien lost by less then a car length.

“It was a great battle for the win.  Unfortunately, we came out on the wrong side of it, but it sure was fun.  Congrats to Stephane on his win.  I’m sure the fans really enjoyed that one”, says O’Brien.

On Sunday, the O’Brien team headed to Cornwall Motor Speedway, a weekly stop for O’Brien in 2010.    A 30 lap feature was on tap for the evening, and despite a brief rain shower just past halfway, the race continued, and O’Brien scored his second top five of the weekend with a fifth place finish.

“We are never happy with fifth place, but we will take it and move on to next week.  We are getting closer to where we need to be, but we still have some work to do”, says O’Brien.

For more information on Danny O’Brien and the 7* Global Warranty racing team, please visit our website, www.dannyobrien.ca

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Victoria Day Weekend Ends With Mixed Results For Danny O’Brien

Craig Revelle – Finish Line Web Design

May 25, 2010

Victoria Day Weekend was a busy one for Danny O’Brien and his race team.  Friday evening was spent in the shop going over the car, preparing it for the a busy weekend of racing, beginning with round two at Brockville Ontario Speedway on Saturday night, followed by a pair of 100 lap races Sunday at Cornwall, and then Monday at Merrittville Speedway.

After a disappointing start to the season at Brockville last weekend, Danny was back, and looking for some redemption this week.  He started the 30-lap feature from the 16^th position, and quietly worked his way to towards the front.  At the checkered flag, O’Brien crossed the finish line in the 6^th position.

“We have some work to do to get back to where we were last year.  There are a lot of good cars here this year, and it seems that everyone has really stepped up their game.  We will get it figured out”, said O’Brien after the race.

Cornwall Motor Speedway hosted a 100 lap event on Sunday, the first leg of the Canadian Nationals Series.  O’Brien’s night started out great, drawing the pole position for the main event.  Unfortunately, an ill handling racecar prevented O’Brien from making a serious challenge for the win, but he did lead the first several laps, before falling back to finish 11^th.

“We haven’t been very good so far this season”, says O’Brien.  “I am confident that we will bounce back, and will be up front again very soon”.

On Monday, Danny O’Brien and his team traveled to Merrittville Speedway, in Thorold, Ontario for the first round of the 358 Modified Mr. DIRTcar Series.  O’Brien won his heat race, and after redrawing for position for the main event, he started the 100 lap feature in his Global Warranty, 1000 Islands RV, Pat’s Radiator, 103.7 BOB FM, Jackson’s Landscaping & Property Maintenance, Murdock’s Cement Finishing, Stover Bus Lines, Kendrick Racing team prepared Bicknell car from third place.  After a grueling 100 lap battle, O’Brien finished 9^th.

“We are making some gains”, says O’Brien.  “We are certainly not satisfied with 9^th, but we will take it and build on it”.

For more information on Danny O’Brien and the 7* Global Warranty racing team, please visit our website, www.dannyobrien.ca

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O’Brien Ends Weekend with a top Five at Cornwall Speedway

Craig Revelle – Finish Line Web Design

May 18, 2010

After a two-week hiatus, Danny O’Brien was back on track this weekend, set to defend his title at Brockville Ontario Speedway track championship.  Danny also made the trip to the Cornwall Motor Speedway on Sunday for their season opening twin 25 lap features.  Danny will race at Cornwall weekly during the 2010 season.

Saturday night was the Brockville Ontario Speedway season opener, and after winning the last four track championships, O’Brien was certainly a favorite to win the opening night feature.  O’Brien worked his way to the front of the pack and up as high as second before the front end broke on Danny’s Global Warranty, 1000 Islands RV, Pat’s Radiator, 103.7 BOB FM, Jackson’s Landscaping & Property Maintenance, Murdock’s Cement Finishing, Stover Bus Lines, Kendrick Racing team prepared Bicknell car.

“We are not off to a good start.  We have had two races and have yet to finish”, says O’Brien.  “That is racing though, and we will go on to Cornwall tomorrow night, and hope for some better luck”.

Sunday afternoon, the O’Brien team made their way to the Cornwall Motor Speedway for their annual season opening twin 25 lap feature events.  In the first feature, O’Brien finished in 12^th place.

“We have some work to do before the second feature”, claims Danny O’Brien.  “The car didn’t handle very good at all”.  We will start up near the front in the next feature, and hopefully we can get the car working better.  The track is very slick, and we are just not able to get much side bite off the corners”.

Danny started the second feature from the third position, after the lead lap cars from the first race were inverted.  When the checkered flag flew 25 laps later, O’Brien scored his first top five finish of the season, as he crossed the line in fourth.

“It was a little better this time.  The track position helped us a lot, but there still was hardly any grip left out on the track at all.  It was very slick.  Hopefully next weekend will be better”, says O’Brien.

Danny O’Brien and his Global Warranty Kendrick Racing team will be busy weekend this coming weekend, as Danny will be back in action at Brockville on Saturday, then a 100 lap race at Cornwall on Sunday before making a Victoria Day visit to the Merrittville Speedway in Thorold, Ontario for the first round of the 2010 Mr. DIRTcar 358 Modified Series.

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O’Brien's Quest for 5^th Consecutive Championship at Brockville Begins This Weekend - Craig Revelle – Finish Line Web Design 

May 12, 2010

It’s that time of year, when race teams are looking to put a winter’s worth of rebuilding, and tinkering to test, in hopes of dethroning Danny O’Brien as Brockville Ontario Speedway track champion.

To say Danny O’Brien is the King of Hill at Brockville Ontario Speedway would be a fair assessment, after all, he has won the past 4 championships, and a win total that most racers won’t even accomplish through an entire career.

While O’Brien has dominated the past several years at the BOS, the competition will surely be tough in 2010, but Danny O’Brien and his Global Warranty, 1000 Islands RV, Pat’s Radiator, 103.7 BOB FM, Jackson’s Landscaping & Property Maintenance, Murdock’s Cement Finishing, Stover Bus Lines, Kendrick Racing team are certainly up to the challenge, and welcome all competitors, looking to take over the title.

“We have a great run going at the BOS, and we are looking forward to getting the season started.  “There are some strong competitors at Brockville, and it wont be easy, but we are up to all the challenges that will come our way”, says O’Brien.

O’Brien will be looking to capture the opening night victory, just as he did last season, which started a remarkable total of 8 feature wins at the track in 2009.   O’Brien will also return to weekly racing at the Cornwall Motor Speedway, another track that O’Brien has had extreme success over his illustrious career.

“We are excited about returning to Cornwall weekly in 2010, says O’Brien.  “Cornwall is one of the most well run tracks in the DIRTcar sanction, and we are proud to call it our Sunday home for the 2010 season”.

In addition to a confirmed schedule of Brockville on Saturday nights, and Cornwall on Sunday, Danny O’Brien and his team will also follow the 358 Mr. DIRTcar Series schedule, which begins in just over week at Merrittville Speedway, in Thorold, Ontario.  The Mr. DIRTcar 358 Championship has eluded O’Brien over his career, and has set that as his goal for the 2010 season.

For more information on Danny O’Brien and the 7* Global Warranty racing team, please visit our website, www.dannyobrien.ca

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Opening Night Problems Force O’Brien out of the Race at Can Am

Craig Revelle – Finish Line Web Design

April 27, 2010

After a pair of opening night rainouts the previous weekend, Danny O’Brien and his Global Warranty 7* team were looking to hit the track and continue the success of previous seasons.  Clear skies, and cool evening made for some great racing at Chapman’s Can Am Motorsports Park in Lafargeville, New York, a site of many feature wins for O’Brien.

Danny posted some fast laps in the pre race practice session, which had the team feeling optimistic heading into the first event of the season.  With a draw at the pit gate entering the track at the start of the evening to determine heat race starting position, O’Brien drew a high number, that would place him near the back of his qualifying heat.  With just 8 laps to work some magic, Danny worked his way towards the front, finishing 3^rd, which would lock him into the 25 lap feature.

The third place finish from his qualifying heat race would give Danny the 8^th place position to start the feature.  The car was fast from the drop of the green flag, and O’Brien battled to third place by lap 5.  On lap 9, the Global Warranty, 1000 Islands RV, Pat’s Radiator, 103.7 BOB FM, Jackson’s Landscaping & Property Maintenance, Murdock’s Cement Finishing, Stover Bus Lines, Kendrick Racing team prepared Bicknell developed an ignition problem and Danny sent the car to the infield out of the way of his fellow competitors to avoid bringing out a caution.  At the end of the race, Danny was scored in 26^th, but everyone in attendance new that O’Brien had a car capable of winning, with a Morrison Small Block engine, unlike most competitors racing with a Big Block.

“That’s racing”, claims O’Brien after the race.  “The car was fast tonight, and we were able to get some good laps in.  We will move on, and hope for some better luck next race”.

The next race Danny O’Brien and his team will be the season opener at the Brockville Ontario Speedway on Saturday, May 15^th, followed by the Cornwall Speedway opener the following night, which will be twin 25 lap features.

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Danny O’Brien Honoured at Brockville Ontario Speedway Banquet

Craig Revelle – Finish Line Web Design

March 28, 2010

Even though the 2010 racing season is less then three weeks away, there was a little unfinished business left before the 2009 season can be put to rest, and that was to honour Danny O’Brien and the rest of the Brockville Ontario Speedway champions from the past year at the annual Brockville Ontario Speedway awards banquet.

At the end of the evening, Danny was quick to thank his sponsors, crew and car owners Darren and Todd Kendrick, who made the trip to Brockville from St. Catherines, Ontario.

“It was a great season, and I really can’t thank my crew and our sponsors enough for everything that they do”, says O’Brien.  “We are all looking forward to the upcoming season.”

Danny found victory lane 8 times in 2009 at Brockville, and captured his 9^th overall championship at the BOS, and a very impressive 4^th consecutive title.  These phenomenal numbers add to the 127 Small Block wins, 11 Big Block feature wins and 5 other track championships that O’Brien has collected during his career.

As for the 2010 season, Danny plans to run weekly at the Brockville Ontario Speedway on Saturday nights, and the Cornwall Speedway on Sundays.  In addition to the two weekly races, Danny and the Global Warranty, 1000 Islands RV, Pat’s Radiator, 103.7 BOB FM, Jackson’s Landscaping & Property Maintenance, Murdock’s Cement Finishing, Stover Bus Lines, Kendrick Racing team will launch a full assault on the Mr. DIRTcar 358 Modified Super DIRTcar series which begins April 17^th at Chapman’s Can Am Motorsports Park in Lafargeville, New York.  Danny will also run select events at Can Am, Mohawk, and various other tracks throughout the northeast.