Jeff Lapcevich wins the Griddly Headz 100 CASCAR race at the Grand Prix of EdmontonEDMONTON, AB – Jeff Lapcevich ended an almost two-year CASCAR Super Series winless drought on Saturday afternoon in the Griddly Headz 100 at the Grand Prix of Edmonton. The Caistor Centre, Ontario resident started fourth in the 38-car field and never looked back after coming out on top of an early-race battle with polesitter J.R. Fitzpatrick.
It was the sixth Super Series win of Lapcevich’s career. The Tim Hortons / EMCEA Transport Chevy last visited victory lane following the Vancouver Indy, on July 24, 2004. Kerry Micks, who won the Father’s Day CASCAR race at Mosport Raceway, finished second in his Cdn. Detailing Services Ford Taurus, ahead of CASCAR newcomer Kenny Habul (Hot Wheels Chevy), who recorded his first-ever Super Series podium finish.
Points leader J.R. Fitzpatrick of Ayr, Ontario started on the pole for the 32-lap race around the 14-turn road course, after dominating practice and qualifying in his Milwaukee Tools Chevy. His Fitzpatrick Motorsports teammate Don Thomson Jr. started alongside of him, in the Home Hardware Chevy, but had a tire go down early in the race, forcing him to the pits for new rubber. The five-time and defending Super Series champion recovered to fifth at the end of the Griddly Headz 100.
The early action featured back-and-forth racing between Fitzpatrick and Lapcevich. After swapping the lead a few times following the race’s lone full-course caution, Fitzpatrick experienced electrical problems and fell off the pace, to 14th at the finish. At the checkered flag, Lapcevich cruised home almost 15 seconds ahead of Micks, despite never having raced on the Edmonton circuit before.
“After we got past J.R. [Fitzpatrick] that second time, it was pretty uneventful,” said Lapcevich, following the race. “My biggest concern was making sure that we had a few cars between us and Kerry [Micks] in case there were any late restarts. I was behind him for that restart at Mosport when he got by [Peter] Gibbons and I didn’t want to take any chance of that happening to me today.”
Lapcevich credited his A.P Engine for putting him into contention in Edmonton. “We had trouble at Mosport and we found out later that we had an ignition problem that we weren’t aware of for a while. We fixed that and we were more than competitive in Edmonton.” Lapcevich continued, “I don’t know what the crowd was today, but I spoke with people who said it was the biggest we’ve ever raced in front of. I did several ‘donuts’ during my victory lap and there were a lot of people who hung around to enjoy them.”
Fourth-place went to CASCAR’s ‘Ironman’ DJ Kennington in the Castrol Dodge Charger, ahead of Don Thomson. Dodge Charger racers Ron Beauchamp (MOPAR), Mark Dilley (Dodge) and Dave Whitlock (NTN Bower / Headz Gamez) came home sixth through eighth, respectively, while Peter Gibbons (Cdn. Tire Chevy) and Jim Lapcevich (EMCEA / Tim Hortons Chevy) rounded out the top 10 finishers.
In addition to being a CASCAR Super Series race, the Griddly Headz 100 was also a CASCAR Flo~Pro.com Western Series points race. EMCO Taurus driver Kevin Dowler’s 17th-place overall result was the best of the Western regulars, which earned the Sherwood Park, AB racer top points toward his goal of earning a record-extending sixth Western Series championship.
After a pair of events in western Canada, the CASCAR Super Series returns to the east and will make its next appearance on the streets of Trois-Rivieres, Quebec on Aug. 4-6 for the Grand Prix de Trois-Rivieres.
CASCAR ON TV: For information regarding initial airings and replays of CASCAR Super Series races on SPORTSNET, please check your local listings or visit http://www.cascar.ca/schedule/tv_schedule.html.
POINT STANDINGS: CASCAR SUPER SERIES: Unofficial After 5 Events (Top 15): 1. #84 J.R. Fitzpatrick (907 pts.); 2. #02 Kerry Micks (902); 3. #22 Scott Steckly (889); 4. #4 Don Thomson Jr. (877); 5. #17 DJ Kennington (860); 6. #39 Dave Whitlock (852); 7. #19 Brad Graham (849); 8. #10 Doug Brown (837); 9. #9 Mark Dilley (819); 10. #1 Peter Gibbons (816); 11. #25 Jim Lapcevich (809); 12. #60 Ron Beauchamp Jr. (801); 13. #3 Jason Hathaway (772); 14. #14 John Fitzpatrick (752); 15. #11 Ron VanEs (702)
CASCAR Super Series
RESULTS: Griddly Headz 100
Round #5 // July 22, 2006 // Grand Prix of Edmonton
Edmonton, Alberta // City Centre Airport // 14-turn road course
FIN. ST. # DRIVER (HOMETOWN) SPONSOR(S) / MAKE LAPS
1 4 23 Jeff Lapcevich (Caistor Centre, ON) Tim Hortons / EMCEA Transport Chevrolet Monte Carlo 32
2 5 02 Kerry Micks (Mt. Albert, ON) Cdn. Detailing Services Ford Taurus 32
3 8 75 Kenny Habul (Etobicoke, ON) Hot Wheels / Variety Village Chevrolet Monte Carlo 32
4 3 17 DJ Kennington (St. Thomas, ON) Castrol / N.P.P. Dodge Charger 32
5 2 4 Don Thomson Jr. (Hamilton, ON) Home Hardware Chevrolet Monte Carlo 32
6 13 60 Ron Beauchamp Jr. (Windsor, ON) MOPAR / Mobil1 / Exide / Chrysler Jeep Dodge Svc. Dodge Charger 32
7 10 9 Mark Dilley (Barrie, ON) Dodge / Mobil 1 / Exide / Leland / Avenue M.W. / CRS Dodge Charger 32
8 9 39 Dave Whitlock (Wyoming, ON) NTN Bower / Headz Gamez Inc. / NMT Dodge Charger 32
9 16 1 Peter Gibbons (Stouffville, ON) Canadian Tire / Monroe Brakes Chevrolet Monte Carlo 32
10 17 25 Jim Lapcevich (Hamilton, ON) EMCEA Transport / Tim Hortons Chevrolet Monte Carlo 32
11 15 19 Brad Graham (Glencoe, ON) Challenger Motor Freight / Logel’s Dodge Charger 32
12 7 22 Scott Steckly (Milverton, ON) ERB / AW Millwrights Dodge Charger 32
13 11 8 Marc Miller (Holland, MI) Carhartt Dodge Charger 32
14 1 84 J.R. Fitzpatrick (Ayr, ON) Milwaukee Tools Chevrolet Monte Carlo 32
15 19 10 Doug Brown (Brantford, ON) NAPA / AUTOPRO Chevrolet Monte Carlo 32
16 23 3 Jason Hathaway (Appin, ON) ® Snap-On Tools / Arctic Cat / Super 8 Dodge Charger 32
17 6 35 Kevin Dowler (Sherwood Park, AB) EMCO Ford Taurus 31
18 25 09 Kent Nuhn (Williamsford, ON) ® Nuhn Motorsports Pontiac Grand Prix 31
19 20 30 Derek Polack (Stony Plain, AB) Bulldog Protective Coatings Chevrolet Monte Carlo 31
20 24 36 Jim White (Kamloops, BC) MOPAR / Kamloops Dodge Charger 31
21 21 2 Carl Harr (St. Albert, AB) Zimmer / Wheaton GMC / GM Goodwrench Chevrolet Monte Carlo 31
22 29 44 James Van Domselaar (Ft. Sask., AB) South Fort Chevrolet Monte Carlo 31
23 27 14 John Fitzpatrick (Ayr, ON) Latta Cranes Chevrolet Monte Carlo 31
24 36 5 Fred Whiteman (Edmonton, AB) KPSA & Associates Chevrolet Monte Carlo 31
25 28 29 Pierre Bourque (Ottawa, ON) ® Pollara Public Affairs / Full Metal Minerals / Driving.ca Dodge Charger 31
26 34 86 Shawn Press (Calgary, AB) Crestview Homes / All Weather Windows Dodge Charger 31
27 26 6 Todd Nichol (St. Albert, AB) Pennzoil / Rocky Mountain Sales / SEM Chevrolet Monte Carlo 30
28 35 26 Shaun Polack (Stony Plain, AB) Thompson Brothers Chevrolet Monte Carlo 30
29 30 42 Lyle Paulson (Enderby, BC) ® New Era Promotion Pontiac Grand Prix 29
30 22 71 Daryl Harr (St. Albert, AB) Westworld Computers / GM Goodwrench Chevrolet Monte Carlo 27
31 32 41 Fred Del Pero (Edmonton, AB) Castrol Ford Taurus 24
32 14 79 Wade Lee (Calgary, AB) Sun Valley Speedway Chevrolet Monte Carlo 22
33 12 88 Robin Buck (Campbellville, ON) Lou's BBQ / CPS Flooring Ford Taurus 16
34 31 87 James Ward (Maple Ridge, BC) Lordco Racing Ford Taurus 15
35 18 11 Ron VanEs (Smithville, ON) Star Van Systems Chevrolet Monte Carlo 13
36 37 21 Jason White (Sun Peaks, BC) Zimmer / Wheaton GMC Chevrolet Monte Carlo 1
37 38 24 Scott Dennis (Edmonton, AB) ® Antrim Construction Fluid Life Chevrolet Monte Carlo 1
38 33 59 Brad Musart (Lac La Biche, AB) OK Ford Sales Ford Taurus DNS
® after the hometown denotes Rookie contender.
POLESITTER: #8 J.R. Fitzpatrick (1 minute and 22.582 seconds) // TIME OF RACE: 52 minutes and 5.655 seconds // MARGIN OF VICTORY: 14.699 seconds // CAUTIONS: 1 for a total of 7 laps // LAP LEADERS: #84 J.R. Fitzpatrick (1-10), #23 Jeff Lapcevich (11-32) // GOODYEAR BELTS & HOSES FASTEST LAP: #23 Jeff Lapcevich (1 minute and 24.710 seconds)
Contact CASCAR’s Toronto Office at (416) 531-4714 or visit www.cascar.ca
Prepared by Inside Track Communications.
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