NAPA Autopro Driver Squeezes Into Another Top Ten Finish
Doug Brown fought his way back from a disappointing qualifying position to finish tenth a Cayuga International Speedway on Sunday to preserve his position in the tightening points standings.
The NAPA Autopro driver had fallen victim to a broken axle during the second of two 50-lap qualifiers and was forced to start near the rear of the 27-car field in the “Hot Head Henry 200”.
“I knew I had to make some early gains to get into contention and stay on pace with the leaders”, the veteran competitor commented when discussing his race strategy. “It’s not the spot in the line-up where you want to be with the point standings so tight at this point in the season”.
At the drop of the green flag, Doug quickly jumped to 23rd place but some early caution flags caused by spinning back markers kept the field tightly bunched before a long green flag run spread the field.
The team later spurned a pit stop that some of the leaders took advantage of and stayed out on the track hoping to gain track position, but the move resulted in the loss of several positions when racing resumed.
“We battled an ill handling car through most of the race”, Doug later stated in recapping his adventure on the 5/8th-mile oval. “We just couldn’t hit the mark in the set-up we need to chase down the leaders.”
Despite the problems, Brown persevered and moved up to 12th-place by lap 120. As the race worn down, the crew handled a fast one tire pit stop enabling Doug to catch and pass Jim Lapcevich for eleventh then gained the 10th-place finish when Don Thomson spun on the final lap.
The end result earned Doug the event’s “Hard Charger Award” for gaining the most positions from the start to end of the race and placed him in a 10th-place tie for Lapcevich in the tightening points’ race.
Dave Whitlock of Petrolia led Ron Beauchamp of Windsor and teammate Mark Dilley across the finish line to claim the all-Dodge top three positions in the 200-lap chase.
Pole sitter Pete Gibbons of Stouffville led the first 103 laps before yielding to JR Fitzpatrick of Ayr for a lap. The youngster’s lead was short lived when he was caught by Beauchamp who headed the field for laps 105 through 142 before Whitlock took charge for the balance of the event.
The teams now head back to Quebec’s Autodrome Ste. Eustache this weekend for event number 10 on the eleven-race schedule.
The schedule will close at Kawartha Speedway in two weeks time.
Brown Auto Racing is pleased to have NAPA Autopro as its Title Sponsor with Haldex Limited recently coming on board in a Major Associate Sponsor role. Bicknell Racing Products; World of Graphics; HurryPrint Imaging Centre; WIX Filters; KWIC Internet; Gates Canada; BOC Gases; Advance Printing; Brochures etc; Leitch Performance Engines; Davis Fuels; Strodes BBQ & Deli; BrentZone Graphics and Leaf Racewear are also valued members of our Associate Sponsorship Marketing team.
Prepared by: Ken Spencer // Marketing and Media Relations // Brown Auto Racing
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