CASCAR: Kawartha results

Dilley and Fitzpatrick are the big winners in the Dodge Charger 250 CASCAR Super Series finale at Kawartha Speedway

PETERBOROUGH, ON – The 2006 CASCAR Super Series season came to a close on Sunday afternoon at Kawartha Speedway. Dodge-sponsored Charger driver Mark Dilley won the ‘Dodge Dealers of Ontario Dodge Charger 250 presented by MOPAR’ at the 3/8-mile, Peterborough-area stock car oval. It was the first feature win of the season for the Barrie, ON resident, making him the ninth different winner in 11 races.

“Everything hit on eight cylinders today,” said Dilley, after the race. “We pitted early and found that the right-rear tire was blistering a bit. It was a great call by my crew to bring me in at that point to make the change and fix our loose condition. After that, the car would really ‘come on’ about 15 laps into the runs. It’s a great honour to win for Dodge today in this great race.”

Sharing the spotlight with Dilley was 18-year-old J.R. Fitzpatrick, who earned his first CASCAR Super Series points championship by completing the 11-event series 45 points ahead of Don Thomson Jr.; his Fitzpatrick Motorsports teammate. Thomson (Home Hardware Chevy) won five consecutive CASCAR National championships between 2001 and 2005.

“The goal today was to win the title, and stay out of trouble,” said the young champion. “We’re going to take this, enjoy it, and start thinking about winning another one. At the start of the season, I set a goal for a top-five points finish. We exceeded everything we wanted to achieve, by far.”

Fitzpatrick, driver of the Milwaukee Tools Chevy, avoided trouble for most of the 250-lap race but was involved in a mild scrape in the late-going, triggered by two other drivers. The Ayr, ON youngster soldiered home for a ninth-place result, which was more than sufficient to secure the prestigious points championship.

Finishing second to Dilley in Sunday’s Dodge Charger 250 was Don Thomson Jr., who overcame a blown motor during qualifying which relegated him to the tail-end of the 25-car field for the start of the feature race. The Hamilton, ON resident earned the ‘Fast Eddie Hard Charger’ award by advancing 23 positions.

Castrol Dodge Charger driver DJ Kennington claimed the final podium spot at Kawartha. The St. Thomas, ON racer started on the pole and led the first 100 laps, but used up his tires after pitting early, and could do little to challenge Dilley and Thomson at the end. Fourth-place went to Scott Steckly (ERB Dodge), ahead of Kawartha track promoter Derek Lynch (Canadian Shield Dodge).

Jason Hathaway (Snap On Dodge) wrapped up his inaugural Super Series season with a sixth-place showing. The Appin, ON racer earned the Rookie of the Year Award driving for the #3 Ed Hakonson Racing (EHR) team. Things came together for Hathaway late in the season with several strong runs. His final three races produced three top-six finishes, en route to 11th overall in the Super Series points. Dilley’s victory in the Dodge Charger 250 secured a second-consecutive CASCAR Manufacturers’ Trophy for DaimlerChrysler / Dodge / MOPAR.

UNOFFICIAL POINTS: CASCAR SUPER SERIES (Top 15 // After 12 events, as of September 17, 2006): 1. #84 J.R. Fitzpatrick (1868 pts.); 2. #4 Don Thomson Jr. (1823); 3. #02 Kerry Micks (1817); 4. #39 Dave Whitlock (1800); 5. #9 Mark Dilley (1799), 6. #22 Scott Steckly (1777); 7. #60 Ron Beauchamp Jr. (1750); 8. #1 Peter Gibbons (1717); 8. #17 DJ Kennington (1717); 10. #19 Brad Graham (1677); 11. #3 Jason Hathaway ® (1647); 12. #10 Doug Brown (1646); 13. #25 Jim Lapcevich (1638); 14. #11 Ron Van Es (1362); 15. #Jeff Lapcevich (1351)

CASCAR ON TV: 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.

CASCAR Super Series
RESULTS: Dodge Charger 250 presented by MOPAR
Round #11 // September 17, 2006 // Kawartha Speedway
Peterborough, Ontario // 3/8-mile banked oval

FIN. ST. # DRIVER (HOMETOWN) SPONSOR(S) / MAKE LAPS
1 3 9 Mark Dilley (Barrie, ON) Dodge / Mobil 1 / Exide / Leland / Avenue M.W. / CRS Dodge Charger 250
2 7 4 Don Thomson Jr. (Hamilton, ON) Home Hardware Chevrolet Monte Carlo 250
3 1 17 DJ Kennington (St. Thomas, ON) Castrol Dodge Charger 250
4 4 22 Scott Steckly (Milverton, ON) ERB / AW Millwrights Dodge Charger 250
5 9 77 Derek Lynch (Warkworth, ON) Canadian Shield / JJ Stewart Motors Dodge Charger 250
6 13 3 Jason Hathaway (Appin, ON) ® Snap-On Tools / Arctic Cat / Super 8 Dodge Charger 250
7 6 39 Dave Whitlock (Wyoming, ON) NTN Bower / Griddly Headz / NMT Dodge Charger 250
8 5 1 Peter Gibbons (Stouffville, ON) Canadian Tire / Monroe Brakes Chevrolet Monte Carlo 250
9 2 84 J.R. Fitzpatrick (Ayr, ON) Milwaukee Tools Chevrolet Monte Carlo 250
10 11 02 Kerry Micks (Mt. Albert, ON) Cdn. Detailing Services Ford Taurus 250
11 17 23 Jeff Lapcevich (Caistor Centre, ON) CARHARTT / Tim Hortons / EMCEA Transport Chevrolet Monte Carlo 249
12 25 88 Dave Jacombs (Mt. Hope, ON) Lou's BBQ / CPS Flooring Ford Taurus 248
13 16 50 Joey McColm (Ajax, ON) ® ATTO Dodge Charger 248
14 21 71 Bryan Cathcart (Peterborough, ON) Mid-America Motorsports Chevrolet Monte Carlo 246
15 10 19 Brad Graham (Glencoe, ON) Challenger Motor Freight / Logel’s Dodge Charger 245
16 15 11 Ron Van Es (Smithville, ON) Star Van Systems Chevrolet Monte Carlo 244
17 23 18 Chad McGlynn (Kitchener, ON) McGlynn Motorsports Ford Taurus 241
18 22 09 Kent Nuhn (Williamsford, ON) ® Nuhn Motorsports Pontiac Grand Prix 239
19 20 93 Joe Goncalves (Concord, ON) Bolt-On Performance / Pro-Spray Chevrolet Monte Carlo 227
20 18 43 Bob Merrifield (Belle River, ON) Re/Max Preferred Team Dodge Charger 222
21 19 86 Kenny Forth (Lynden, ON) Midnight Sun / Parkinson Tours / Halltech Ford Taurus 215
22 12 10 Doug Brown (Brantford, ON) NAPA / AUTOPRO Chevrolet Monte Carlo 165
23 14 25 Jim Lapcevich (Hamilton, ON) EMCEA Transport / Tim Hortons Chevrolet Monte Carlo 114
24 8 60 Ron Beauchamp Jr. (Windsor, ON) MOPAR / Mobil1 / Exide / Chrysler Jeep Dodge Svc. Dodge Charger 73
25 24 36 Al Lebert (Stoney Point, ON) Al’s Yardworks Garden Centre Pontiac Grand Prix 35

POLESITTER: #17 DJ Kennington (18.084 seconds) // TIME OF RACE: 1 hour, 47 minutes and 11 seconds // AVERAGE SPEED: 52.479 mph // MARGIN OF VICTORY: 0.256 seconds // CAUTIONS: 7 for a total of 41 // LAP LEADERS: #17 DJ Kennington (1-100), #23 Jeff Lapcevich (101-104), #02 Kerry Micks (105-122), #9 Mark Dilley (123-128), #02 Micks (129-160), #9 Dilley (161), #02 Micks (162), #9 163-196), #4 Don Thomson Jr. (197-230), #9 Dilley (231-232), #4 Thomson (233), #9 Dilley (234-250) // GOODYEAR BELTS & HOSES FASTEST LAP: #4 Don Thomson Jr. (18.445 seconds) // FAST EDDIE HARD CHARGER: #4 Don Thomson Jr. (Advanced 23 positions) ** Thomson Qualified 7th, but blew his motor after recording his qualifying lap. The hange of motor in the #4 meant that he had to go to the back of the field (25th) for the start of the race.

Prepared by Inside Track Communications