Danny O’Brien Ends Tumultuous 2012 Season With Early Race Incident at Brockville Speedway in Mr. DIRTcar 358 Modified Series Finale

After staring the season with wins at Brockville Speedway and Mohawk Raceway back in May on opening night, the rest of Danny O’Brien’s 2012 racing season has been a struggle.  He has had fast cars on plenty of nights, but has an untimely mechanical failure or simply a victim of being at the wrong place at the right time hindered O’Brien all season.  With the 1000 Islands RV DIRTcar Northeast Fall Nationals on the schedule for the last weekend of the season, O’Brien hoped to put together a strong run to close out the year.

With Saturday being a rare afternoon event at Brockville Speedway, time trials started early, and O’Brien struggled through his session, posting the fifth fastest speed in his group.  He lined up in that fifth position to start the qualifier and needed to gain one spot to solidify his spot in the 100 lap main event.  Handling issues continued to plague him during the heat race, and he would remain in fifth when the checkered flag was displayed at the end of the eight lap race.  After making some adjustments to the car, O’Brien returned to the track for the last chance qualifier, and he led every lap and took home the win.  He started the main event from the 19^th position, and hoped that they had hoped they had all their troubles behind them.  Like his luck has been for most of the season, Danny lasted just two laps into the race as cars piled up in front of him leaving him no room to escape, ending his day 98 laps before the finish.

“It hasn’t been a great season for us.  We really hoped that we could end the season here on a good note, but it wasn’t meant to be”, claims O’Brien after the race.  “We have a great team, great sponsors and great fans here that support us each week, and we look forward to a much better season next year”.

Danny O’Brien would like to thank 1000 Islands RV Centre, Pat’s Rad, BOB FM, Ponte Bros. Masonry, Morrison Racing Engines, Snap-On Adam Way, Wurth, Bicknell Racing Products, and Integra Racing Shocks for their support during the 2012 season and we look forward to the 2013 campaign.

For more information on Danny O’Brien and the 17D racing team, please visit our brand new website, www.dannyobrien.ca.  The website just received a new look this week.  You can also follow Danny O’Brien through www.1000islandsrvmotorsports.com, a new website recently launched by longtime sponsor 1000 Islands RV.

Danny O’Brien Gets Third Place Finish at Rolling Wheels on Thursday Night; Brockville Speedway 1000 Islands RV DIRTcar Nationals up Next

As the 2012 racing season begins to wind down, the big racing events through the early part of the fall continued this past weekend as Danny O’Brien and his team took in the Satellite shows during Super DIRT Week in the Syracuse area.  First it was a trip to Cayuga County Fair Speedway in Weedsport, New York on Wednesday, and then a few minute drive down the road to Rolling Wheels Raceway on Thursday night.  Both events were part of the Mr. DIRTcar 358 Modified Series.

On Wednesday night, Danny O’Brien was at Cayuga County Fair Speedway in Weedsport, New York.  Many people believe that this race could very well be the final event in the long history of this race track, and a packed pit area and grandstand were on hand.  Danny posted the fastest speed in his time trial group, which was third fastest out of the 44 cars on hand.  He started his qualifying heat race from the front row, and finished second, making the redraw for a top ten starting spot in the 75 lap main event.  Danny started from third place, but a crash on lap four sent him to the pits and done for the night.  As a sign of Sportsman ship, the O’Brien crew helped get his competitor back on the track before the race resumed.

The following night, O’Brien traveled just a few miles up the road to Rolling Wheels Raceway Park in Elbridge, New York.  Danny qualified fourth fastest in his time trial group, and advanced one more spot to third in his qualifying heat race, making the redraw for a top 12 starting spot in the main event.  He would draw position number seven, and lined up on the inside of row four.  O’Brien moved to the top five by the first lap, and just a few laps later he was up to fourth.  With 36 laps in the books, Danny had moved into third place, and held that spot until lap 55.  O’Brien would cross the finish line in fourth place, but would later advance to third after a car failed post race inspection.

This coming weekend Danny will be back at Brockville Speedway for the 1000 Islands RV DIRTcar Northeast Fall Nationals.  He will race on Saturday afternoon with the final 358 Modified Mr. DIRTcar Series race, and may race on Sunday as well, attempting to run his 358 Modified against the Big Blocks.  This will be the final weekend of the 2012 racing season.

Danny O’Brien would like to thank 1000 Islands RV Centre, Pat’s Rad, BOB FM, Ponte Bros. Masonry, Morrison Racing Engines, Snap-On Adam Way, Wurth, Bicknell Racing Products, and Integra Racing Shocks for their support during the 2012 season.

For more information on Danny O’Brien and the 17D racing team, please visit our brand new website, www.dannyobrien.ca.  The website just received a new look this week.  You can also follow Danny O’Brien through www.1000islandsrvmotorsports.com, a new website recently launched by longtime sponsor 1000 Islands RV.

Danny O’Brien Grabs Top Ten Finish in Big Block Modified Series Race at Mohawk International Raceway; Battles to a Top Five in 358 Modified Series

It was all set to be a full weekend of racing for Danny O’Brien at Mohawk International Raceway.  The full weekend turned into a full day of racing on Saturday after rain postponed virtually all of Friday night’s schedule to Saturday, making for a very long day at the track.  O’Brien raced the Big Block Modified Super DIRTcar Series show to begin the weekend and followed that up with the 358 Modified Mr. DIRTcar Series to conclude the weekend.

The rain held off on Friday night just long enough to complete the time trials for the Big Block Modifieds.  Danny was second fastest in his time trial group, giving him an outside front row starting spot for his qualifying heat race.  The rain arrived just after time trials were completed, forcing DIRTcar and track officials to set up an all day event on Saturday.

Saturday turned out to be a much better day.  Big Block Modified heat race action was the first order of business for the day.  Danny started from second and maintained that spot throughout the race, earning a spot in the redraw for a top 12 starting spot in the 100 lap main event.  Danny would redraw sixth, and started from outside of row three.  O’Brien moved up early, running fourth on lap 10, but slid back on the dry slick surface as the race approached the 25 lap mark.  O’Brien made a pit stop under a lap 36 caution for a tire change, and returned to the track at the rear of the field.  Over the duration of the event, Danny moved through the field patiently, and by the end of the race he was eighth place.

Once the Big Block race was over, teams began to prepare for the scheduled Saturday night portion of the weekend.  The 358 Modified Mr. DIRTcar Series was on the agenda, and O’Brien was looking for a solid run.  The evening started off well, as O’Brien set fast time in his qualifying group, and was fastest overall amongst the 40 cars that were on hand.  He finished third in his qualifying heat race, transferring to the redraw for a top 12 starting spot.  The first caution of the race occurred on lap 10 and Danny was running strong in fourth place.  He remained in the top five for most of the event and crossed the line in fifth place.

“It was a pretty good weekend, considering all the rain we had on Friday night”, says O’Brien.  “The track was really slick, especially tonight in the 358 race, but we battled hard and were able to get a top five out of it”.

This coming weekend, O’Brien will continue with the 358 Modified Mr. DIRTcar Series as they roll into Brighton Speedway for their inaugural Mr. DIRTcar event.  The annual Applefest Weekend will close out the racing for the month of September and O’Brien will then prepare for the Super DIRT Week Satellite shows at Cayuga County and Rolling Wheels in early October before closing out the season at Brockville Speedway on October 13^th and 14^th for the 1000 Islands RV Centre DIRTcar Northeast Fall Nationals.

Danny O’Brien would like to thank 1000 Islands RV Centre, Pat’s Rad, BOB FM, Ponte Bros. Masonry, Morrison Racing Engines, Snap-On Adam Way, Wurth, Bicknell Racing Products, and Integra Racing Shocks for their support during the 2012 season.

For more information on Danny O’Brien and the 17D racing team, please visit our brand new website, www.dannyobrien.ca.  The website just received a new look this week.  You can also follow Danny O’Brien through www.1000islandsrvmotorsports.com, a new website recently launched by longtime sponsor 1000 Islands RV.

Danny O’Brien’s Disappointing Weekend Ends on a Strong Note With Second Place Finish in Mr. DIRTcar 358 Modified Series Race at Cornwall

The weekend didn’t start the way Danny O’Brien and his 1000 Islands RV Centre team had hoped with a mechanical failure at Mohawk Raceway on Friday night.   The frustrations continued over into Saturday night at Brockville Speedway with another frustrating night at the BOS.  Sunday’s Mr. DIRTcar 358 Modified Series event at Cornwall Speedway was the highlight of the weekend with a strong second place finish.

O’Brien entered Thursday night’s race at Mohawk Raceway with a shot at the championship. The cards would definitely have to fall his way for that to happen, but at the drop of the green flag for the 50 lap Modified feature, O’Brien’s car wasn’t right, and he made his way to the infield, out of harm’s way on the very first lap of the race with a broken valve in the engine.  Any chance of a championship was now gone as he was unable to continue.  O’Brien would go on to finish the season fifth place in points.

Danny’s luck wasn’t much better on Saturday night at Brockville Speedway.  After a fourth place finish in his qualifier, he started the 30 lap main event from 12^th place, and once again was sidelined in the opening laps, this time with front-end damage.  He was unable to continue.  O’Brien, a 10 time champion at Brockville Speedway, would a disappointing season with a seventh place overall finish in the 2012 point standings.

Cornwall Speedway was up next with their 125 lap Mr. DIRTcar 358 Modified Series race which also counted towards the Canadian Nationals Series Championship.  Danny started the night by setting the pace in the opening practice session for his group, and backed that up in time trials, earning a front row starting spot for his heat race.  He won his heat, and made it into the redraw for a top 12 starting spot for the 125 lap race.  Danny drew the 12^th position and would start the race on the outside of row six.  By lap 25, O’Brien advanced his position to sixth place, and soon made his way into the top five.  With 50 laps complete, he was up to third, and was looking real strong leading up to the scheduled 75 lap competition caution.  With 70 laps complete he made the pass for the lead, and held the top spot when the pre-determined caution was displayed to the field.  The pit crew went to work, changing tire and making some adjustments to the car during the 10 minute break.  When the race resumed, Danny would soon lose the top spot when the race resumed, but maintained the runner-up spot over the remaining laps.

“It was a good run for us tonight, we just needed to he just a little better to contend for the win”, says O’Brien.  “After the rest of the weekend that we have had, we will definitely take and move on to the next race”. 

Danny will be back in action at Mohawk Raceway on September 15^th, Brighton Speedway on September 22^nd, and Cayuga County Fair Speedway and Rolling Rolling Wheels Raceway Park on October 4^th and 5^th as part of Super DIRT Week.  He will close out the 2012 season back at Brockville Speedway for the 1000 Islands RV Centre Northeast Fall Nationals October 12^th to October 14^th.

Danny O’Brien would like to thank 1000 Islands RV Centre, Pat’s Rad, BOB FM, Ponte Bros. Masonry, Morrison Racing Engines, Snap-On Adam Way, Wurth, Bicknell Racing Products, and Integra Racing Shocks for their support during the 2012 season.

For more information on Danny O’Brien and the 17D racing team, please visit our brand new website, www.dannyobrien.ca.  The website just received a new look this week.  You can also follow Danny O’Brien through www.1000islandsrvmotorsports.com, a new website recently launched by longtime sponsor 1000 Islands RV.

Danny O’Brien Enters Final Points Night at Mohawk Raceway Looking for 2012 Championship; 125 Lap DIRTcar/Canadian Nationals Race at Cornwall

The season long battle at Mohawk International Raceway and Brockville Speedway are about to come to an end this coming weekend, and Danny O’Brien has his eyes on the 2012 Mohawk Raceway championship coming into the final night. A mechanical failure in the closing laps by the point leader last week opened the door for Danny, and two other drivers, and will set the stage for an epic showdown this coming Thursday night at Mohawk Raceway.

O’Brien has posted some consistent top ten finishes all season long at Mohawk Raceway, placing him in the hunt for the championship as we approach the final night. He won on opening night at the track and would like nothing more then to close out the 2012 regular season in similar fashion with Thursday Night’s 50 lap Frenchie’s “Chevy Runs Deep” Series race also part of the final points showdown. The final point totals from last week have not been tallied as of yet, but O’Brien will enter the night fourth in track points. It will be an uphill battle with a point deficit to overcome, but stranger things have happened in this sport.

“We are a little bit behind the leader, but we are not giving up”, says O’Brien. “Hopefully we can go out there and get the win, and see how it all plays out in the end. We haven’t had a great year, but it would be nice to build some momentum going into the bigger races coming up”.

Danny will close out the 2012 regular season at Brockville Speedway on Saturday night as well. Sitting in seventh in track points, O’Brien will not be in the battle for the championship, but with 10 championships at Brockville Speedway over his career and many feature wins, he will be back strong in 2013.

Once Labor Day Weekend is over, Danny will shift his focus to the MR. DIRTcar 358 Modified Series. He will race at Autodrome Granby on September 8th, Mohawk Raceway on September 15th, Brighton Speedway on September 22nd, and Rolling Wheels Raceway Park on October 5th as part of Super DIRT Week. He will close out the 2012 season back at Brockville Speedway for the 1000 Islands RV Centre Northeast Fall Nationals October 12th to October 14th.

Danny O’Brien would like to thank 1000 Islands RV Centre, Pat’s Rad, BOB FM, Ponte Bros. Masonry, Morrison Racing Engines, Snap-On Adam Way, Wurth, Bicknell Racing Products, and Integra Racing Shocks for their support during the 2012 season.

For more information on Danny O’Brien and the 17D racing team, please visit our brand new website, www.dannyobrien.ca. The website just received a new look this week. You can also follow Danny O’Brien through www.1000islandsrvmotorsports.com, a new website recently launched by longtime sponsor 1000 Islands RV.

Danny O’Brien Has Strong Weekend With Top Five Finishes at Mohawk Raceway, Brockville Speedway and Cornwall Speedway

After getting back to victory lane last week at Brockville Speedway, Danny O’Brien returned this week with a busy weekend schedule with races at Mohawk Raceway on Friday night, Brockville Speedway on Saturday night and a 100 lap Canadian Nationals Series race at Cornwall Motor Speedway on Sunday.  In addition, Danny also took part in 1000 Islands RV Customer Appreciation Day Sales on Saturday afternoon in Gananoque.

At Mohawk Raceway on Friday night, Danny finished his qualifying heat race from third place.  In the 25 lap main event, he lined up on the outside of row four in eighth place.  The first caution on the night came on lap eight, and Danny had already climbed to fourth place and would soon find third place before the race approached halfway.  With one lap remaining, the caution was out again, setting up a final lap dash to the finish.  Danny was still in third place, and used the high side of the track to try and make a pass for second, but the lack of grip caused him to fall back to fourth at the checkered flag.

“The car was pretty good.  I tried to get around the 151 car for second on the last restart, and the car just wouldn’t stick at the top”, says O’Brien.  “It wasn’t a bad night though, and we will move on to Brockville and Cornwall the rest of the weekend”.

After spending early Saturday afternoon at 1000 Islands RV for their Customer Appreciation Day event, Danny and his team hit the road to Brockville Speedway looking to repeat their win from last weekend.  He started the night with a win in his qualifying heat race, and started the 30 lap main event from 11^th place.  The entire distance went caution free, and Danny was able to move through the field quickly, reaching the top five by halfway.  Over the final 15 laps, O’Brien climbed to second place.

“It was a great run for us again this week”, says O’Brien after the race.  “A caution with a few laps to go would have been nice, but it didn’t happen.  It has been a good weekend so far, and hopefully we can keep it going”.

The final stop on the weekend was at Cornwall Motor Speedway for round two of the Canadian Nationals Series that had been postponed from August 5^th.  Danny qualified for the 100^th lap main event by finishing fourth in his qualifier, but just missed out on a redraw spot for a top 12 starting position.  He would roll off the starting grid from the outside of row seven in 14^th.  Danny patiently move through the field throughout the race, and when the caution came out on lap 95 he was in sixth place.  On the restart, Danny was able to move into the top five and finished with his third consecutive top five finish of the weekend with a fifth place finish.

This coming weekend, Danny will be back at Mohawk Raceway on Friday night, and Brockville Speedway on Saturday.

Danny O’Brien would like to thank 1000 Islands RV Centre, Pat’s Rad, BOB FM, Ponte Bros. Masonry, Morrison Racing Engines, Snap-On Adam Way, Wurth, Bicknell Racing Products, and Integra Racing Shocks for their support during the 2012 season.

For more information on Danny O’Brien and the 17D racing team, please visit our brand new website, www.dannyobrien.ca.  The website just received a new look this week.  You can also follow Danny O’Brien through www.1000islandsrvmotorsports.com, a new website recently launched by longtime sponsor 1000 Islands RV.

Danny O’Brien Returns to Brockville Speedway Victory Lane

It was a relatively slow week for Danny O’Brien and his team with just one night of racing on their schedule for the weekend.  Mohawk Raceway was closed for the week because of their local fair, so it was just Saturday night’s event at Brockville Speedway this week.

Danny began the night by setting fast time in opening practice.  It was clear that he would have a fast car, but time would tell if the bad luck that had hindered him all season would subside. After a strong second place finish in his qualifying heat race, O’Brien hit the track again for a final practice session before the 30 lap main event and once again he was on top of the scoreboard.  Danny rolled off the starting grid from seventh place, and after avoiding an opening lap incident, he restarted the race from fourth.  Just four laps into the race, Danny was in the lead, and built up a half track advantage over second place.  The big lead evaporated with a lap 26 yellow, but over the final four laps he was able to pull away, and pick up his third win of 2012 at Brockville.

“The car was great tonight, and we were finally able to finish the race”, says O’Brien.  “It has been a tough few weeks here, so its nice to get back to victory lane.  I knew we had a big lead early as I could see the scoreboard coming off turn two and seen that second place hadn’t crossed the line yet.  I didn’t want to see that last caution, but we were able to pull away again on the restart”.

This coming week, Danny will return to Mohawk International Raceway on Friday night, then on to Brockville Speedway on Saturday.  On Sunday night, he will travel to Cornwall Motor Speedway for their 100 lap Canadian Nationals Series race.


Danny will also be at 1000 Islands RV on Friday afternoon from noon until 2pm signing autographs.  He will be there as part of 1000 Islands RV’s Customer Appreciation Sale that runs all week long at their Gananoque, Ontario location beside the 401.

Danny O’Brien would like to thank 1000 Islands RV Centre, Pat’s Rad, BOB FM, Ponte Bros. Masonry, Morrison Racing Engines, Snap-On Adam Way, Wurth, Bicknell Racing Products, and Integra Racing Shocks for their support during the 2012 season.

For more information on Danny O’Brien and the 17D racing team, please visit our brand new website, www.dannyobrien.ca.  The website just received a new look this week.  You can also follow Danny O’Brien through www.1000islandsrvmotorsports.com, a new website recently launched by longtime sponsor 1000 Islands RV.