Dodge Charger driver won CASCAR’s lone visit to Barrie in ‘05
BARRIE, ON – It’s easy to see why Mark Dilley is looking forward this weekend’s CASCAR Super Series season opener at Barrie Speedway. The driver of the #9 Dodge Motorsports Charger guided his MOPAR-powered late model to the checkered flag in last year’s lone stop at the 1/3-mile tri-oval, and he’s looking forward to defending his win in Sunday night’s 250-lap feature event.
“We won the Barrie race last year,” said the Barrie, ON resident, whose Dodge will carry associate sponsorship from Mobil1, Exide, Leland Industries, Avenue Motor Works, CRS and NTN in ‘06. “Actually, we’ve had a really good run at Barrie Speedway in the past while. We also won the CASCAR Sportsman Series race there in 2004 and some Legends races. Hopefully we can keep our streak alive, because I think we’ve won our last five races there, in various cars.”
The format for the CASCAR opener will include pole position time trials on Saturday afternoon, followed by a pair of 50-lap qualifying sprint races later that night, which will set the grid for Sunday evening’s main event.
“The key to racing at a short track like Barrie is you have to qualify in the top 10 or else you really make it hard on yourself in the race,” continued Dilley. “It’s just that much tougher coming through traffic at a track like Barrie. You don’t want to have trouble in the 50 lapper and be starting in the 20s on Sunday night, that’s for sure. It’s going to be exciting for the fans and that’s what it’s all about. Our goal is to qualify up front, and barring that, get it to the front as soon as possible and try to keep it there.”
Dilley is starting his eighth season as part of Whitlock Motorsports. The former CASCAR Super Series champ finished in eighth-place in the 2005 points chase, and is looking to challenge for the title in ’06.
“We have a bit of a new look on the #9 Dodge Motorsports Charger this year and we’re happy to welcome our sponsors back. I’m also looking forward to our eighth season with Whitlock Motorsports.” In addition to a tweaked paint scheme on the #9 Charger, Dilley is excited about having a brand new oval car, which performed well in pre-season testing at Barrie.
Time Trials for the GO-RACING.CA 300 take place on Saturday (May 20) at 4:30 p.m. The first of the Twin 50s is scheduled to begin at 8:45. On Sunday (May 21) the spectator gates at Barrie Speedway will open at 3:00 p.m. The driver autograph session is slated for 7:00 and the 250-lap Super Series season opener will take the green flag at 8:30 p.m.
Prepared by Inside Track Communications // For more information about the #9 team and its sponsors: www.whitlockmotorsports.com. For more on CASCAR, including complete race results, reports, point standings, event schedules and upcoming broadcast times for Super Series races on SPORTSNET, see www.cascar.ca
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