Billy Innes: “I’m Really Looking Forward to Getting Back Behind The Wheel of A Sportsman Car”
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Tillsonburg, Ontario
Jun 11, 2007
OSS
Former CASCAR Super Series competitor Billy Innes will return to Ontario stock car action in 2007, behind the wheel of a Chevrolet Monte Carlo, compete with his traditional number ‘00’. The return to competitive racing for Billy and his Ruckus Racing Team will take place on Saturday June 16th, as Innes will enter the inaugural Ontario Sportsman Series (OSS) event on the ½-mile oval at Mosport.
Innes is looking forward to not only his return to competitive action, but to running up front at each event during the six-event tour. “I’m really looking forward to getting back behind the wheel of a Sportsman car and racing on the Ontario Sportsman Series tour. I’ve been watching the series for the past several years, while it was still owned by CASCAR, and thought it would be the perfect fit for our race team. We travel to a number of different parts of Ontario, and get great exposure to a number of markets. I think it’s a great place to race if you don’t have the finances to do the entire Canadian Tire NASCAR Racing Series, but you don’t want to be tied down to one track. We’re going to get to race at a bunch of different tracks that I’ve raced at in a number of different cars. Also, our team has a lot of experience at all levels, including with a car like the OSS car. We’re not too far removed from the CASCAR Super Series, and I crewed for some teams after that. That experience should give us a good starting spot for the team in terms of being competitive. ”
The tour’s inaugural event will be under the lights at Mosport Speedway on Saturday June 16th, the same weekend as part of a big weekend at Mosport, including a 100-lapper for the OSS, and plenty of action on the road course. “That place is a real drag strip. They straights are long and fast, and the corners are tight. D.J. Kennington has been working on the car and I think we’re going to be in good shape for the first race, and see where we stack up after that. ”
Billy’s racing career has spanned almost 30 years, as he first started competing in Ice Racing as a teenager, in 1981. Innes turned to dirt and asphalt, advancing through the ranks to an Ontario Pro Four car in the late 80’s.
In 1991, Innes turned to CASCAR, graduating to the Super Series in 1992. Following that season, Billy’s car owner backed away from the sport, as Innes picked up rides where he could over the next several years, including with his own championship caliber Street Stock team.
In 2001, Innes would again join the ranks of the Canadian elite, racing his own Super Series car throughout a number of Ontario events during the next four season. Despite being underfunded through much of that time, Innes ran well well, posting a number of strong finishes.
After a few years on tour, Innes stepped back from racing, to concentrate on building his business ventures, but now it’s time to return to the race track. “I think the series is a great deal. It’s affordable for a guy like me, and just enough racing. I also like what they’ve done with the schedule, making it so the Canadian Tire NASCAR Series drivers can make all the shows. They also have a good mix of tracks. I’m really looking forward to going to Sunset again. That’s one of my favorite tracks. ”
Innes won’t be worried about knocking the rust off during next weekend’s opener, “I’ve got some great guys helping me out and I think we’re going to be potent. We’re going to race the first two events for sure, and would really like to take a shot at the championship. ”
