05/21/2010:  O'Blenis Racing Starts 2011 Campaign With A Top Ten
   The track looked very wet at first and thought maybe it would remain that way with all the water but by the time Sportsman qualifier was up it was already dry and dusty. There were 26 sportsman on hand for the night and 4 qualifiers.
   We started the feature at the rear of the field (20th) and were able to avoid some big wrecks early and got up to fifth. With 5 to go the car was going away from us and the large bumps and holes in turn 1 did not help the handling and not being able to pass.
All and all was a good first night finished 10th and no damage. The races were long Saturday night with many caution flags in all classes. I guess the first night out everyone was a little excited.
   Let’s hope the rain can hold off next weekend as well and we will be able to try again to obtain a top 5 finish and a win would be great. 
 

09/24/2010:  O'Blenis Finishes 10th In Return To Brighton Speedway
   Video by OntarioOval.com - For Doug O'Blenis returning to Brighton Speedway is like going home. The driver of the #32 cut his teeth every Saturday night at the 1/3 mile clay oval before moving up to the DIRTcar Sportsman in 2009 and running weekly at Brockville.
On Friday, September 24th the O'Blenis Racing Team made the trip back to Brighton for the annual Applefest Weekend. A total of 20 cars were on hand and after 30 laps of battle it was Chris Herbison taking the win and the Syracuse Qualifier. Doug meanwhile drove a smart and consistent race bringing the car home in the 10th position. The run was Doug's seventh top ten of the season which was a strong improvement over his rookie campaign.
The team now turns their attention to the DIRTcar Northeast Fall Nationals at Brockville Ontario Speedway on Saturday, October 16th. For the big event Doug is proud to announce Drain-All Ltd. as a new sponsor with the team. For more information on the season ending weekend visit www.brockvillespeedway.com  
 

09/04/2010:  Career Best Finish For Doug O'Blenis At Brockville
   The 2010 season has been a year of learning for O'Blenis Racing. As each race night goes by the team has made gains. The hard work and patience finally paid off on Saturday, September 4th as Doug drove to his best career finish in a DIRTcar Sportsman.
   The night began with the team missing the setup for the qualifying heat, but without getting frustrated they made changes for feature time. Those changes worked out perfect for Doug, and he was able to lead from the pole for the first half of the 25 lap main event. Eventual race winner Dylan Evoy took the lead in the second half of the race, however Doug was able to hold off charges from Jessica Powers and Randy Earl to capture second place.
   The career best finish left Doug feeling excited about the progress of the team. With confidence stronger than ever the #32 crew is looking forward to the next event at Brockville on September 11th. Following that the team will head to Mohawk Int'l Raceway on September 17th and then wrap up the season with stops at Brighton on September 24th and Brockville for the Fall Nationals. 
 

08/14/2010:  Rough Terrain Leads To 16th Place Finish At Brockville
   The second half of a double-header week at Brockville took place on Saturday, August 14th. The track surface would be a tough one for the drivers and would not play into the hand of O'Blenis Racing.
In the qualifying heat Doug finished 6th after having to avoid another car and keep from damaging the #32. It wasn't the finish the team was hoping for, but meant the car would be in one piece for the feature.
   In the feature Doug managed to work his way up as high as 12th after finding a safe line to run on the bump surface. Unfortunately though the left rear tire blew off the rim leading to a 16th place finish. With the low air pressures in the tires and rough track conditions the tire was able to roll off. The team did manage to stay in 14th in points which is one spot better than 2009.
   Only four points events remain at Brockville with the O'Blenis Racing Team also participating at Applefest in Brighton and the Fall Nationls at the end of the seaosn. Racing resumes this week on Saturday, August 21st for a regular show at Brockville. Race time is 7pm. For more information visit www.brockvillespeedway.com.  
 

08/12/2010:  Mid-Week Race Produces 11th Place Finish
   Brockville Ontario Speedway ran a mid-week special on Thursday night as the O'Reilly All Star Late Models were in town. The DIRTcar Sportsman division was also on the card with a full points show. Doug O'Blenis and the #32 team continued to look strong in the qualifying heats taking home a 2nd place finish after a battle with Chris Herbison. The track was dry and dusty for the 25 lap feature and was slowed for cautions involving back markers. 
   The track had multiple grooves on this night and Doug felt his car worked best on the top line. Alot of side by side racing made it hard to make up alot of ground. The #32 came home again in one piece and with another solid finish in 11th. Racing resumes on Saturday, August 14th for a regular show at Brockville. Race time is 7pm. For more information visit www.brockvillespeedway.com. 
 

08/07/2010:  O'Blenis Finishes 13th At Brockville 
   It was a one groove race track at Brockville on Saturday night and that proved tough for many competitors including Doug O'Blenis. The #32 started things off well in the heat with a second place finish.
That good finish was all for not after the feature redraw took place. Doug would find himself starting 10th in the 20 lap main event. After a couple of close calls with spinning cars on the track the #32 stayed clean and finished the race in 13th. It was another successful night of consistency and a week without any damage to repair heading into a double-header weekend.
   Doug and the O'Blenis Racing Team return to action twice this week as the DIRTcar Sportsman join the card with the O'Reilly All-Star Late Models at Brockville on Thursday, August 12th. Then on Saturday, August 14th regular weekly racing resumes at Brockville Ontario Speedway. Race time is 7pm. For more information visit www.brockvillespeedway.com. 
 

07/31/2010:  Momentum Building for O'Blenis Racing 
   The O'Blenis Racing Team had another great run on Saturday night at Brockville Ontario Speedway. After a few weeks of troubles on the track things seem to be turning a corner for Doug and the crew.
The night started off well for the pilot of the #32 as he drove to a second place in his 8 lap qualifying heat. In the feature event Doug managed to notch his second top ten in a row with a 10th at the end of the 25 lap race. Doug has been gaining confidence and it is showing. After spending much time this year bouncing between setups he now knows what works and what doesn't for the #32. With half the season still remaining the focus is now turning to finding victory lane and capturing that first DIRTcar Sportsman feature win. 
 

07/24/2010:  O'Blenis Racing Has Strong Night At Brockville
   The O'Blenis Racing Team has had its shares of ups and downs this season, but persistence paid off on Saturday night. Doug started the evening off with a convincing win in his 8 lap qualifying heat.
   After having a look at the track during intermission they decided to leave the setup alone in hopes of pulling out a solid finish.
   When the 25 lap feature was over Doug managed to collect his third top-ten of the season with an 8th place finish. The good finish helped improve his overall standings in Brockville DIRTcar Sportsman points. The #32 now ranks 15th after 10 weeks of competition. 
 

06/19/2010:  Team Report from Saturday, June 19th
   The O'Blenis Racing team had their best finish yet. Track was very dried up with a lot of rubber but yet managed to have grip.
9th place finish was good for the team as a confidence booster. 
 

06/05/2010:  Team Report from Saturday, June 5th
   After last weeks rough driving the sportsman drivers got a little talk to.
   Qualifier started off good until 1 lap to go and we got a flat tire. Doug thought he might be able to stay out by when on the back stretch the tire rolled off the bead and was impossible to control.
   When coming down the front stretch to head to the pits several drivers must not have seen Doug's flat and that we wanted to go to the pits. Cars went to the inside, outside and trying to find their brakes.
   Feature time we started about 25 out of 26 cars due to the flat in the qualifier. Track had a big rut in turns 1 and 2 but other than that was pretty good.
   We were trying to work out way through lap by lap and after the 25 lap feature we ended up 18th.
   After getting to wash the car Sunday we noticed that a torsion bar was not at the rating it should be and needs to be replaced. The right side of the car is much lower than the left. So some work to do for next week. Bring out your goggles and dry set-up as the sprints will be there. 
 

05/31/2010:  Team Report from Memorial Day Weekend
     Each week seems to be getting better and the car is getting to what we want. Doug compared from where we were last year to this year as a VW Beetle and a Royals Royce.
     We got 3rd in the qualifier and was it ever a rough one. Looked more like a demo derby then a race. Track was nice lots of grooves to choose from. We started 6th ion the feature and it was a long one. There was caution after caution and wrecked cars and some upset drivers taking it out on others. Once things got going it was good we have made a lot of changes to the car for set-up and still a bit more to do and we will be all set.
     We ended up finishing 10th with some body damage and some bent bars due to an unhappy driver after the races that thought he would take it out on us.
     Car is being repaired and we will try again next week. Improving each week and Doug is happy.
 

05/25/2010:  Team Report from Victoria Day Weekend
     The May 24 weekend was a long one for the O'Blenis Racing Team. We raced in Brockville Saturday night on a very dry track.
Started 11th and finished up 15th. Couldn't quite set the car up.
     We then headed off to Cornwall for some Sunday night racing. We raced her years ago when we had our old pro-stock.
Doug said it was a totally different feel. Finished up 4th in the qualifier as we started last track then was pretty good.
Then came feature time the track had a lot of rubber on it as there was a 100 lap modified race and a 50 lap pro-stock race before us. We tried different lines and then got in a inside groove that was working pretty good, until we got spun out by a car that had no brakes and went in the corner too deep. The nose from the other car put a large tear in my newly purchased tire that weekend. The car was stuck in gear and wiring was burning so we were towed in.
     Once we got the car home Monday and unloaded we notice a noisy flywheel. We have to see if it's just loose or broken.
Also some body damage and rear bumper. Also notice the front axel is bent on the right side. Not sure how or when this happened but needs to be fixed.
 

05/15/2010:  Team Report from Season Opener at Brockville
     The sportsman cars hit the track in full force.
32 cars showed up they took 7 from each qualified and 3 from the non qualifier.
     We started the feature line-up in 16th position. The car was working really good but the track did not have many racing grooves.
     We worked out way up and started 10 on the restart and started picking off cars and got up to 5th spot.
Lap 13 we got a left rear flat and had to go to the pits. The tack was under caution so we were able to come out and stay on the lead lap. We finished the race in 13th spot and the car came home in one piece.
     We were very happy with the car for the first run of the year. We are starting the year off with a different chassis and a new motor. 
     There are a few adjustments to be made and the car will be ready to hit the track again next week.
 

06/13/2009:  Big event brings big results for O'Blenis Racing
     On Saturday, June 13th the Lucas Oil Sportsman Series rolled into Brockville Ontario Speedway and it marked the first big event for O'Blenis Racing in 2009. Doug and the #32 team would start 9th in a full field of 26 cars for the Lucas Oil 40 lap feature. The track was very smooth with a top and bottom groove that came in very nicely, creating plenty of side by side action.
     Doug started off well in the feature but lost ground when he had to make a quick stop to avoid another competitor, he then had problems getting the car back into gear. This led to the #32 being put to the back of the pack on the restart. This didn't slow Doug down at all however as he got hooked up and was flying around the outside as he loves to do and was passing cars each lap.
     The end of the race came down to a green-white-checkered finish and Doug was able to get by Kyle Wilson and make a great pass to claim 10th position.
     The good finish is just what the O'Blenis Racing team was in need of.  After a rocky start to the 2009 season that featured more bad luck than good results, a top ten in the biggest race of the year to date was not only welcome but a reflection of what Doug and the team are capable of in the future. 
 

05/30/2009:  O'Blenis Racing enjoying life on the learning curve
     A breezy cool but clear night greeted fans at the BOS on this Saturday. The O'Blenis team was already to go prior to the nights event. Doug drew the 3rd spot in heat 3 and quickly moved up to second after the drop of the flag.. About midway through the race Doug had dropped back to fourth after one bad ride through the corners. While trying to get back one of the spots the #32 O'Blenis car got sideways between turns 3&4 and took a hard hit to the left rear wheel and quarter panel. Doug was able to re-fire the car and limp back to the pits. A quick tire change got the car back on the track but the car quit on the high side of turn 3 and was forced to limp back pit-side. The team found a broken bar in rear of the car which snapped under impact of the hit the car took in the spin. While one of the pit crew banged out the dents in the body the team got to work replacing damaged parts. The rod length they need to make the repair was , you guessed it, the only one they didn't have. Out with the wallet and over to the parts truck. 
Repairs finished, Doug lines up in 24th starting spot for the feature. Through the first half of the event Doug picks cars off one at a time making his way up to a race high of 13th. A couple of groups of cars from about 6th through 12th kept up a relentless quest to better positions, alot of times 3 wide, so the inevitable happened with a 4 car pile up coming out of four. A nifty bit of driving kept the #32 out of more trouble, weaving through that mess. A few more cautions rounded out the race which didn't really allow Doug to get any rhythm or momentum going. A 15th place finish is all the BOS would give up to the team on this night. The lessen maybe learned this night would be a little more patience in the heat and get a better feature spot. Overall this 1st year Sportsman team can definitely compete, it just needs more laps and a bit of luck. (View Photos)
 

05/05/2009:  O'Blenis takes on a new challenge in DIRTcar Sportsman ranks
     With a new season of racing just getting underway in the northeast, several drivers and teams are embarking on a new challenge in a different division. For Napanee, Ontario's Doug O'Blenis 2009 marks a new beginning in the DIRTcar Sportsman ranks.
     A mainstay and top competitor at Brighton Speedway since 1999, Doug has made the move in hopes of competing at a variety of tracks in Ontario, New York and Quebec. The 2007 Canadian Modified Champion has plans to run weekly at Brockville Ontario Speedway as well as compete on the Lucas Oil Sportsman Series and a partial schedule at Thunder Alley and Can-Am Speedway's.
     Already Doug and the #32 team have logged a solid amount of track time. The season began at Merrittville during the Bicknell Racing & Setup School. From there O'Blenis Racing has competed twice at Thunder Alley. Although the results we not what was hoped for strong runs has Doug and the crew positive heading to Brockville for the season opener.
 

05/04/2009:  O'Blenis Racing and ImageFactor.ca launch new partnership
     It is a season of firsts for O'Blenis Racing. It marks the first time in 25 years that the family team will not be in full time competition at Brighton Speedway. It is the teams first foray into DIRTcar Sportsman and it is also the first time the team has had an online presence.
     With the move up the ranks to a new division O'Blenis Racing and ImageFactor.ca Motorsport Designs announced an exciting partnership for the 2009 season. As part of this new relationship www.oblenisracing.com was launched. The website creates a new way for fans, family and friends to keep up-to-date on Doug's progress behind the wheel.
     "We are excited to be working with O'Blenis Racing" said Greg Calnan of ImageFactor.ca. "Not only does Doug and the team have a proven record on the track, they also have a reputation of being some of the nicest people off the track. We are definitely proud to be associated with the team as they embark on this new journey into DIRTcar Sportsman racing."
     The first full season for Doug and the #32 crew officially begins May 16th at Brockville Ontario Speedway. For more information on ImageFactor.ca Motorsport Designs visit www.imagefactor.ca