Race car drivers are revving their engines ahead of the annual NASCAR Canadian Tire Series, scheduled to take place this week at the Auto Clearing Motor Speedway in Saskatoon.

This is the third and final leg of the Western Canadian swing, said race car driver Nathan Weenk, a self-described adrenaline junkie who will be taking his 600 horsepower engine vehicle out on the track tomorrow.

"I love the freedom, the speed. I mean even though we are confined to concrete walls, it seems like we're a lot freer [on the tracks] than you are out on the highway," said Weenk of what it's like to be a NASCAR driver.

The 35-year-old, who originally hails from the Town of Kindersley, about 200 kilometers southwest of Saskatoon, was at the Delta Bessborough Hotel this afternoon where a handful of race cars were out on display.

Weenk, who used to be a crew member for local racing hero Dan Shirley and has been circling the track himself since 2002, said the main goal of the event was to introduce regular drivers to what it's like to be at the helm of a powerful car and to promote NASCAR racing.

"We're here to promote ourselves because it's an expensive sport," said Weenk.

"There's a lot of good advertising space on this race car so we're looking for some people who want to spend some money and help us go racing further across Canada," said Weenk, pointing to his car which was originally purchased for $150,000.

This year, Weenk will be competing with a number of experienced racers, many of whom race every weekend.

"They are good at what they do," said Weenk, who hopes to achieve that level of success in the near future.

"So it's going to be a tough field out there."

To learn more about the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series Velocity Prairie Thunder 250, visit their website.

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