TORONTO, ON – The CASCAR Super Series will take to the track for its first road course outing of the season this weekend at Mosport Int’l Raceway for the Clarington 200 presented by Canadian Shield Anti Crime Response Corporation. Sunday afternoon’s 51-lap feature race will be the highlight of a busy weekend of racing action at the legendary multi-purpose motorsports facility, located an hour east of Toronto.
Five-time and defending Super Series champion Don Thomson Jr. earned his only checkered flag of the 2005 season at Mosport, last June. The Home Hardware Chevy driver started second and took the lead from polesitter Peter Gibbons just past the halfway point of the race, en route to the victory.
Thomson, who leads the 2006 Super Series points chase after one event, came home less than a second in front of runner-up Jeff Lapcevich, while J.R. Fitzpatrick finished third to earn his first-ever CASCAR podium. During qualifying for last year’s race, Gibbons smashed the existing CASCAR time trial record when he turned in a lap of 1 minute and 26.183 seconds around the 10-turn, 2.459-mile road course.
While the majority of CASCAR’s racers are skilled on road courses, there are only a handful of drivers who have climbed the top rung of the podium on several occasions. One of them is Robin Buck, who has three Super Series road course wins on his resume (two at the Toronto Indy, and one in the Vancouver Indy).
The Oakville, ON resident hasn’t participated in a CASCAR race since 2003, but he will be returning to action this weekend, at Mosport, behind the wheel of his Jennifer Ashley Foundation-supported Pontiac Grand Prix. Buck has finished as high as second in CASCAR road races at Mosport, in the past, and is looking to break through on Sunday with a win.
“The Jennifer Ashley Foundation, in association with ‘Rebate A Cause’ will be on our car this weekend at Mosport,” said Buck. “We put a 2006 Grand Prix body on my car and we’re proud to promote the Foundation, which has helped over 3000 children and their families with treatment needs, medical expenses and financial assistance since it was formed in 1990 by National Sports owner Norman Clements.” According to Buck, “there’s a good possibility” that he will be participating in all of the remaining road course races on the ‘06 CASCAR schedule.
Qualifying for the Clarington 200 presented by Canadian Shield Anti Crime Response Corporation takes place on Saturday afternoon at Mosport Int’l Raceway, while the 51-lap feature race is slated to take the green flag on Sunday afternoon at 1:30 p.m. Several other support classes will be in action at Mosport throughout the weekend.
The CASCAR Sportsman Series will also be taking to the track at Mosport this weekend, kicking off its 2006 schedule with a 100-lap feature race on Saturday evening at Mosport Speedway. Kerwood, ON racer Dion Verhoeven will begin his title defense of CASCAR’s Ontario-based touring series at the challenging half-mile Mosport oval. Verhoeven sat on the pole for last year’s Sportsman Series event at Mosport, but the race was won by former series champ Steve Robblee.
CASCAR ON TV: Catch the Clarington 200 presented by Canadian Shield Anti Crime Response Corporation from Mosport Int’l Raceway on Sunday, June 25 at 2 p.m. EST on SPORTSNET. For information regarding initial airings and replays of Super Series races, please check your local listings or visit http://www.cascar.ca/schedule/tv_schedule.html.
FLO~PRO.COM WESTERN SERIES: Five-time Flo~Pro.com CASCAR Western Series champion Kevin Dowler got back on the winning track last Saturday night at Sun Valley Motor Speedway in Vernon, BC. The Sherwood Park, AB racer overcame a drive-through penalty midway through the Finning 200 at the ½-mile oval en route to capturing his first checkered flag of the season. Derek Pollack was second, ahead of Todd Nichol. Following two events, Dowler leads the points chase in his quest for an unprecedented sixth Western crown.
SCHEDULE: MOSPORT INT’L RACEWAY (Bowmanville, Ontario)
CASCAR Super Series // Clarington 200
SATURDAY, JUNE 17, 2006
11:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. CASCAR Practice
1:30 p.m. – 2:00 p.m. CASCAR Qualifying Session #1
3:45 p.m. – 4:15 p.m. CASCAR Qualifying Session #2
SUNDAY, JUNE 18, 2006
11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. CASCAR Driver Autograph Session
1:00 p.m. Driver Introductions
1:30 p.m. START: CASCAR CLARINGTON 200 (51 LAPS)
SCHEDULE: MOSPORT SPEEDWAY (Bowmanville, Ontario)
CASCAR Sportsman Series // Race #1
SATURDAY, JUNE 17, 2006
3: 00 p.m. Gates Open
4:30 p.m. – 5:30 p.m. CASCAR Practice
7:00 p.m. – 7:30 p.m. CASCAR Time Trials
8:30 p.m. Driver Introductions
8:45 p.m. START: CASCAR SPORTSMAN SERIES FEATURE (100 LAPS)
CASCAR PRESS CONFERENCE: CASCAR will host a press conference on Thursday, June 22 at the NASCAR Speedpark in the Vaughan Mills Mall, located just off Hwy. 400, north of Toronto. Starting at 11 a.m., the session will cover several topics, including introducing the new owners of Cayuga International Speedway. They will be on hand to spell out their future plans for the legendary facility, including their Super Series race on the Labour Day Weekend. Details will also released regarding the ‘TBA’ date on the Super Series schedule, at the end of August. CASCAR will also unveil some new event sponsorships. To attend this event, media members must RSVP to CASCAR’s Richard Coughlin at: richard@cascar.ca
POINT STANDINGS:
CASCAR SUPER SERIES (TOP 15 after 1 event): 1. #4 Don Thomson Jr. (249 points); 2. #22 Scott Steckly (238); 3. #10 Doug Brown (230); 4. #84 J.R. Fitzpatrick (228); 5. #02 Kerry Micks (223); 6. #9 Mark Dilley (218); 7. #19 Brad Graham (214); 8. #39 Dave Whitlock (208); 8. #17 DJ Kennington (208); 10. #1 Peter Gibbons (204); 11. #88 Dave Jacombs (201); 12. #60 Ron Beauchamp Jr. (200); 13. #14. John Fitzpatrick (197); 14. #23 Jeff Lapcevich (194); 15. #11 Ron Van Es (189)
CASCAR FLO~PRO.COM WESTERN SERIES (TOP 15 after 2 events): 1. #35 Kevin Dowler (325); 2. #36 Jim White (320); 3. #71 Daryl Harr (307); 4. #30 Derek Pollack (301); 5. #6 Todd Nichol (290); 6. #87 James Ward (278); 7. #21 Jason White (275); 8. #2 Carl Harr (268); 9. #26 Shaun Pollack (264); 10. #79 Wade Lee (262); 11. #96 Norman Hunger (254); 12. #48 Chris Dennis (252); 12. #42 Lyle Paulson (252); 14. #24 Scott Dennis (247); 15. #11 Marty White (244); 15. #86 Shawn Press (244); 15. #76 Dale Beisick (244); 15. #31 Sean Maltman (244)
Contact CASCAR’s Toronto Office at (416) 531-4714 or visit www.cascar.ca
Prepared by Inside Track Communications. // Contact: Greg MacPherson (416) 561-2320 (cell).
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