Showing posts with label KAWARTHA SPEEDWAY. Show all posts
Showing posts with label KAWARTHA SPEEDWAY. Show all posts

2012-05-07

Burning Passion Fuels Larry Jackson's Championship Chase

By Jim Clarke, Kawartha Speedway PR/Clarke Motorsports Communications

 

Racecar drivers earn a living in a variety of different professions.  At the short track level, few weekly runners – even the most successful in any division – can’t look at paying the bills with the money they earn at the track.  Larry Jackson – who captured the NAPA Auto Parts ACT Late Model title at Kawartha Speedway in 2007 – is a full time professional firefighter.  An acting captain with the City of Mississauga fire department, Jackson says he loves the competition at the Fraserville 3/8th mile oval.

 

“Derek Lynch and his people at KD are a great bunch,” said Jackson, who’ll celebrate his 38th birthday on May 12th.  “The decisions they have to make aren’t always easy, but it’s a wonderful place to race and I can’t think of anywhere I’d rather spend my Friday nights.  For the most part, everyone gets along no matter how hard we might battle each other on the track.”

 

Jackson, who lives in Oakville, Ontario with partner Wendy Montgomery and their 8 year-old daughter has been racing in one division or another for more than 20 years.  His career started in street stocks at nearby Flamboro Speedway, before turning laps in a challenger and open wheeled modified at Mosport and other tracks throughout the province.  For the last 10 years, selected NASCAR modified shows south of the border have also been part of his agenda.

 

“Racing is an easy way to spend a lot of money you might not really have,” said Jackson with a smile.  “I’ve been very fortunate to run competitively almost everywhere I’ve raced.  My late model program at Kawartha has easily been the most satisfying and successful over the years.  We’ve regularly been a top 10 car in points – finishing 2nd in 2008 and 2011 – in addition to 3rd in 2010, so that’s always a plus.”

 

Early in his career, Larry Jackson’s racecars carried the number 29 into battle, but an alliance with Barton Motorsports saw that change to 84.  For Kawartha Speedway’s 2011 season, the driver of the Montgomery Marketing/Gary Jackson Trucking/B & B Decals/Speedy Muffler machine took the green flag in a piece that had been designed and built in the team’s shop.  While they may have struggled to find the perfect set-up during the first few events, hard work by crew members Dean and David Ramsbottom, Chuck Barton, Dan Boutcher and Roger Youens turned the chassis into a winner.

 

“There were some things we’d always wanted to try and we managed to incorporate them into the new car,” said Jackson.  “Anytime you start with something brand new – especially something you’ve built and designed on your own – you need to build some notes on how it handles and responds to the changes you make.  I’m not saying we’re going to mass produce this car, but picking-up that first main event win was especially rewarding.”

 

While he’s nowhere near ready to walk away from the sport, Jackson admits that he’s thought about looking for a younger driver to take over his car, but before that happens; there is some unfinished business on his racing bucket list that needs to be taken care of.

 

“It would be nice to run a couple of road course races in a NASCAR Canadian Tire Series car or take the modified to New Smyrna,” said Jackson.  “Just recently, I got to watch my beautiful little girl race her go kart of the first time.  It was both scary and thrilling.  Probably the same way my parents felt seeing my first race.”

 

Fans can follow Larry Jackson throughout Kawartha Speedway’s 2012 season at the track or by visiting www.bartonmotorsports.com.

 

Kawartha klips:  Kawartha Speedway will hold its annual open practice session Friday, May 25th.  The 2012 season opener – with the track’s 3 regular divisions, as well as the OSCAAR Super Late Models and the new OSCAAR Modifieds – is Friday, June 1st.  There will also be a pre-season test for NASCAR Canadian Tire Series teams Wednesday, June 6th.  See www.kawarthaspeedway.com for all the details.

 

Photo attachment:  Jim Clarke – Clarke Motorsports Communications

Larry Jackson earned a second place NAPA Auto Parts ACT Late Model point finish during Kawartha Speedway’s 2011 season.  The Oakville, Ontario racer is excited to start the 2012 campaign.

 

Prepared by:  Jim Clarke – Clarke Motorsports Communications

 


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Posted by Marc Patrick Roy at 7.5.12 0 comments

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2012-04-09

Ryan Kimball Kicks Kawartha Speedway Plans into High Gear

By Jim Clarke, Kawartha Speedway PR/Clarke Motorsports Communications

 

It hasn’t come to the extreme of tearing apart couch cushions or collecting empty bottles, but Ryan Kimball is looking for change.  After enduring a few frustrating seasons running an older chassis in Kawartha Speedway’s NAPA Auto Parts ACT Late Model division, the Norwood, Ontario racer will head into the 2012 campaign at the controls of new McColl Racing Enterprises machine.  Making the change to an updated piece is more than just jumping behind the wheel and taking the green flag.  There are long hours in the shop before getting to that point.

 

Kimball’s fresh ride has already been assembled and then taken apart to have some of the components powder coated.  The frame, cage and related components now need to be prepped for Kawartha’s season opener Friday, June 1st.  The driver and crew member Graham Annis are burning the midnight oil putting the finishing touches on the car, including adding the engine and transmission from last year’s 8th place finisher, securing the body panels and designing this year’s graphics package.  Kimball says he’d be lost without help he’s received from Annis.

 

“Graham’s been involved with racing for many years and has helped a number of different drivers along the way,” said Kimball.  “The full-time fabricator and welder at Kerr Industries in Oshawa has been making the hour long trip from Newcastle to our shop a few times a week.  When we get everything finished, we’ll probably have spent about a thousand hours working behind the scenes...and that’s before we get to turn a lap on the track.”

 

With top 10 point finishes in each of his 4 seasons in Kawartha’s headline division, the 2010 most improved driver award to his credit and the confidence boost of a 100 lap late model win last year at Sunset Speedway, Kimball is still chasing an elusive main event checkered flag at his hometown track.  While he can do some of the maintenance on the car, Kimball’s time to shine happens behind the wheel and with new equipment at his disposal; the 28 year-old employee of Black and MacDonald says he hopes this could be a breakthrough season.

 

“After winning the thunder car crown in 2002, I know what it takes to succeed and earning one championship just makes you hungry for another.  Capturing the late model title at the Fraserville facility means a guaranteed starting spot for the American Canadian Tour invitational at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in September,” said Kimball.  “Dan (McHattie) has been there for the last 3 years and while I have a ton of respect for everything he’s done and the information he has shown for all of the late model runners over the years, it might just be time for a changing of the guard.”

 

Racing success – even at the short track level – doesn’t come without a price.  Ryan Kimball figures it costs about $1,000 a night to field a competitive team and for the new season, he’s added support from Adam Simmonds of Flat Rate Realty and Johnny on the Spot to compliment the backing he’s received from long-time sponsors Larry Crowe at Trail’s End, E. Carter Concrete, Archer Trucking, Mayhew Graphics, Benson Auto Parts, Heather Wiebe Photography and Reaction Sportswear.  Behind the scenes, help from his father Bill along with crew members, family and friends Brent, Steve, Tim, Nate, Krystal, Jen and Markis will keep the #16 car on the track.

 

Kimball says this year’s car will also feature a tribute to honour the memory of Mike Johnson, a freelance videographer from Lindsay, Ontario who was a Kawartha Speedway fixture for a number of years and a strong promoter of local stock car racing.  Johnson passed away in December of 2011.

 

Kawartha klips:  Kawartha Speedway’s 2012 race action gets started with an open practice Friday, May 25th.  The first night for track points is Friday, June 1st.  Fans can see the complete schedule and the latest off-season news anytime at www.kawarthaspeedway.com.

 

Photo attachment:  Jim Clarke – Clarke Motorsports Communications

Norwood, Ontario’s Ryan Kimball will enter Kawartha Speedway’s 2012 NAPA Auto Parts ACT Late Model action with a brand new McColl Racing Enterprises chassis.

 

Prepared by:  Jim Clarke – Clarke Motorsports Communications

 

 


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Posted by Marc Patrick Roy at 9.4.12 0 comments

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2012-04-08

Craig Scott: Powering a Part-Time Passion

By Jim Clarke, Kawartha Speedway PR/Clarke Motorsports Communications

 

A busy work schedule can be either a blessing, or a curse.  Omemee, Ontario’s Craig Scott would love to be a regular runner in Kawartha Speedway’s Better Carpet Thunder Car field, but his full-time position as Vice President of Operations for Hy-Tech Drilling places so many demands on his to-do list, he’s only able to make it to the track a couple of times a year.  The 59 year-old father of 4 – who got his first taste of the sport at the now defunct North Bay Speedway, a track once owned by pit crew member Gary Harling – says that even with a limited schedule, he still looks forward to the adrenalin rush that comes with running side-by-side with a trusted driver.

 

“I’ve never been able to shake the racing bug,” admitted Scott.  “When the North Bay track ceased operations, I just started hauling the car farther south.  The first stop was Barrie and when I moved back to the Peterborough area, bringing the car to Kawartha just made sense.  It’s such an amazing facility.  Everyone is so friendly and having a first class venue practically in my own backyard is like a dream come true.”

 

While some drivers enjoy the opportunity to advance through the ranks and a track’s different divisions during their time behind the wheel, Craig Scott has remained loyal to the #69 CSC Racing Products Hy-Tech Drilling/AMC Drilling Fluids/Reflex Survey Instruments/West Coast Drilling Supplies Chevy Monte Carlo thunder car throughout his 14 year career.  Even with that level of dedication, Scott does confess to a brief flirtation with something a little more powerful.

 

“Last year, I was in California on business and during some down time I had the chance to drive a NASCAR Sprint Cup stock car at Auto Club Speedway,” said Scott with a wide smile.  “It was part of the Rusty Wallace driving experience.  I did about 40 laps in the car, reaching speeds of close to 180 miles an hour.  Even with as much fun as I have in my own car on the 3/8th mile layout at Kawartha, there isn’t much that can compare to that thrill ride.”

 

With the combination of workplace pressures and tight constraints on his leisure time, Scott knows he’s fortunate to have long-time friend Harling and Harvey Sutton’s help to maintain his equipment in the garage and at the racetrack.  Even his wife Monica is quick to offer support to her husband’s favourite hobby.  Competing just a few times a season, Craig Scott knows he’ll always be at a disadvantage when it comes to running against the track regulars.

 

“Sometimes, it’s hard to keep your skills as sharp as you’d like them to be because you’re not there all the time,” said Scott.  “There are also changes in the rulebook almost every year and you’ve got to be able to adjust to what the others are doing to keep pace with the pack.  I’ve occasionally thought about getting out and maybe what people say about everything being for sale for the right price is correct.  I just think I’m having way too much fun to walk away now, no matter how tempting the offer might be.”

 

Kawartha klips:  Kawartha Speedway will host a pre-season test session for the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series.  Check the web-site for details...2012 race action gets started with an open practice Friday, May 25th.  The first night for track points is Friday, June 1st.  Fans can see the complete schedule and the latest off-season news anytime at www.kawarthaspeedway.com.

 

Photo attachment:  Heather Wiebe – Heather Wiebe Photography

Even though he’s only able to race a couple of times a year, Craig Scott still loves the thrill of competition in the Better Carpet Thunder Car division at Kawartha Speedway.

 

Prepared by:  Jim Clarke – Clarke Motorsports Communications

 

 


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Posted by Marc Patrick Roy at 8.4.12 0 comments

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2012-03-08

Dwight Brown Vows to Keep Charging Until All the Numbers Add Up

By Jim Clarke, Kawartha Speedway PR/Clarke Motorsports Communications

What is the difference between a driver and a racer?  Some people may try to tell you there isn’t one, but just take a casual survey at your favourite speedway.  You don’t need to be part of the action on the track to be a racer.  It’s more about having an undying passion for the sport.  You eat, sleep and dream motorsports.  It’s an infatuation that consumes you and you can’t wait to get to the track.


Dwight Brown is a racer.  A regular in the NAPA Auto Parts ACT Late Model division at Kawartha Speedway, the 43 year-old father of 2 from Beeton, Ontario knows there’s more to the sport than just getting behind the wheel, fastening the seatbelts and driving as fast as he can for as long as he can.  Brown is always thinking.  Always looking for a break that will help him gain an advantage on the competition and a position on the racetrack.  He knows where he’s running and where he needs to finish to get the most out of his equipment in every race.

“We have the chance to pick up a maximum of 100 points during every show,” said Brown.  “A heat race win is worth 10 points.  The semi feature pays another 15 and winning the 25 lap main event earns 75.  Every position is worth points toward the annual track championship and even though I can’t always give you an exact amount, I’ve usually got a good idea of who’s running where and how I’ll need to finish to keep pace or even pull ahead.”

While many would look back at a season with a pair of feature race wins, the soft spoken speedster – who works as a forklift mechanic through the week – thinks of what could’ve should’ve would’ve been if he had been just a little more aggressive while marching toward the front.  A well placed nudge or bump at the right moment may have closed the 6 point gap that stood between Brown and a second place 2011 point finish or eliminated the 17 deficit to eventual track champion Dan McHattie.

“I finished in the top five 8 times last year, but running 13th in the Summer Sizzler and 9th on August 5th made a big difference in the outcome of the final standings,” admitted Brown.  “One night, I followed another driver – I can’t remember who it was – for a number of laps and watched the leaders get further and further away.  I gave him a tap in the bumper and managed to get the spot, but it also caused the right front fender to start rubbing on the tire.  From there, I tried to chase down the pack but also worried about cutting down the tire.”

A 24 year veteran of the weekly short track racing wars who has advanced through almost every division, Dwight Brown – the driver of the Bourque Transmission/RB Graffix #20 machine – admits he still loves the competition that comes with battling the best on Kawartha’s 3/8th mile layout, but confesses he’s becoming a little concerned about the increasing costs and a timid economy that seem to be affecting car counts and spectator turnouts.

“The action is great in all 3 classes, but there isn’t a speedway in the land that wouldn’t love to have extra drivers in each division and more people there to see the show,” said Brown.  “Hopefully 2012 will be the year that happens for Kawartha...and my goal is to run well enough to earn the late model track championship.”

Kawartha klips:  2012 race action gets started with an open test session Friday, May 25th.  Fans can see the complete schedule and the latest off-season news anytime at www.kawarthaspeedway.com.

Photo attachment:  Jim Clarke – Clarke Motorsports Communications
1). Dwight Brown’s first season in Kawartha Speedway’s headline class was in a ride he called the ‘Sesame Street car’, sponsored by the number 20 and the colour red.
2). Friday, July 22nd marked Dwight Brown’s first trip to NAPA Auto Parts ACT Late Model victory lane for Kawartha Speedway’s 2011 season.

Prepared by:  Jim Clarke – Clarke Motorsports Communications


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Posted by Marc Patrick Roy at 8.3.12 0 comments

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2012-03-05

Kawartha Speedway 2012: The Show Must Go On

By Jim Clarke, Kawartha Speedway PR/Clarke Motorsports Communications

 

The biggest obstacle faced by any speedway is down-time.  What happens when there is an on-track incident that requires extensive clean-up and perhaps medical attention?  Grandstands everywhere are filled with paying customers who are there to see a show and although even a casual motorsports fan understands that crashes and mechanical failures are part of the game, they want to see the high speed action and thrills of their favourite driver compete for the checkered flag.

 

Like other tracks, Kawartha Speedway is faced with the added pressure of a curfew imposed by the local municipality.  Once the cars roll from the staging area at 7:00 for the first qualifying heat race, the entire show needs to be in the books by 11:00.  That allows just a 4 hour window for a program with the track’s 3 regular divisions and a variety of touring series.  With the restrictions of a tight schedule, the support staff needs to bring their best effort to the track for each and every show and Kawartha’s crew is one of the best in the industry.

 

The emergency response unit – supplied by Todd Equipment in nearby Millbrook, Ontario – is a fully-equipped ATV, manned by professionally trained personnel who arrive on the scene within seconds of trouble on the racetrack.  Mark and Deborah Edgerton have the background and experience to do the job and co-ordinate the activity at the accident site.  After starting with the track’s clean-up crew, Mark Edgerton – a veteran of nearly 30 years with Cavan Monaghan Fire Rescue – proposed the idea of an Emergency Response Team to Promoter/General Manager Derek Lynch when the track reopened in 2004.  A racer himself, he says Lynch was immediately behind the program.

 

“Derek’s said his main concern has always been with driver safety,” said Edgerton.  “In our first meetings, he related some of his own experience and told me that every racecar is designed to take a crash but his biggest fear is to be trapped in a car that is on fire.”

 

Mark Edgerton says he and his wife Deborah have upgraded the ERT’s equipment and supplies every year since the team’s inception.  The unit rolls to every crash scene on the racetrack, not matter how minor it may initially appear. 

 

“There’s no way to evaluate anything until we’re actually on site,” said Edgerton.  “Deborah has close to 10 years experience with St. Johns Ambulance and more than 5 years as a first aid and CPR instructor.  Her background can quickly gauge the severity of any injury and communicate instructions to the crew from Apollo Patient Transfer if needed.”

 

All members of Kawartha Speedway’s support crews are linked by way of radio communication with the control tower and race director Rob McCrae and look to keep the show rolling.  Debris on the racetrack is quickly taken care of by the clean-up crews started by Dave McKinnon and taken over by Bill Prince in 2010, while Dave Ephgrave from Fitzsimmons Towing and the Nadeau Auto Body/Eggy Car Care towing specialists John McMahon and Gary Ainsworth get any damaged racecars back to the pit area.

 

Its not just about the speed, Kawartha Speedway is committed to safety on and off the racetrack and their support teams have set the bar as high as possible.

 

Kawartha klips:  2012 race action gets started with an open test session Friday, May 25th.  Fans can see the complete schedule and the latest off-season news anytime at www.kawarthaspeedway.com.

 

Photo attachment:  Jim Clarke – Clarke Motorsports Communications

1). Cavan-Monaghan Fire Rescue veteran Mark Edgerton co-ordinates the emergency response team at Kawartha Speedway.

2). Kawartha Speedway Race Director Rob McCrae (centre) discusses the night’s schedule with Promoter/General Manager Derek Lynch and pace car driver Phil Matthews.

 

Prepared by:  Jim Clarke – Clarke Motorsports Communications

 

 


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Posted by Marc Patrick Roy at 5.3.12 0 comments

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2011-09-26

Canadian Tire Driver Scott Steckly Reigns Supreme as NASCAR Canadian Tire Series Champion

For Immediate Release

 

FRASERVILLE, ON (September 24, 2011) – Tonight at Kawartha Speedway, Scott Steckly raced his Canadian Tire Dodge to a second-place finish in the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series season finale. With the finish, Steckly secured the points championship for the second time in four seasons. As he was presented with the Champion’s trophy, the popular racer and his team were cheered by a full house at the Peterborough-area oval.

 

“The Canadian Tire Dodge performed very well tonight; we didn’t have any big adventures,” said Scott, who came home behind 2010 Canadian Tire Series champ DJ Kennington. “We raced hard but by the end we were pretty sure we had it clinched and we were going for the race win. It feels really good to earn the championship again. People don’t realize how hard it is to win one of these things; a lot of things have to go right in a lot of races to get to here.”

 

Steckly was eager to recognize the support of his family, sponsors and friends, who contributed to him winning the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series - the biggest prize in Canadian stock car racing.

 

“I can’t give enough thanks to Canadian Tire for sponsoring our team and supporting the series as well as companies like Exide and Castrol. Also, AW Millwrights and ERB Transport who have sponsored me for 18 years. And my family and crew are the best, making sacrifices and supporting my racing.”

 

Steckly lined up fourth in the field of 26 racers who took part in the series’ 12th and final event of 2011. During time trials, the Milverton, Ontario racer lapped the high-banked 3/8-mile oval in 17.839 seconds (75.677 mph). The driver of the Canadian Tire Dodge was careful to protect his car in the early going, but quickly moved forward. Steckly was out front by lap 100 but pitted prior to the halfway point of the 250-lap race, for fuel and tires.

 

With 100 laps to go, Scott was back in the top five. With 40 laps remaining in the race, the Canadian Tire-sponsored racer was up to second, behind Kennington, the only other driver in the field with a mathematic chance of denying Scott his second championship. The two would come across the line in that order, with J.R. Fitzpatrick claiming the third and final podium spot at Kawartha.

 

During the championship presentation, Steckly and the Canadian Tire team were joined in the victory lane by Allan MacDonald, Senior Vice-President of Automotive for Canadian Tire. “On behalf of Canadian Tire I’d like to congratulate Scott and his team on a phenomenal performance in this race and for a truly outstanding season. Scott is a great asset to the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series and to the sport of racing in Canada. We couldn’t have asked for a better way to end the 2011 race season.”

 

The race for the 2011 championship kicked-off at Mosport Speedway on May 28. Steckly set the tone for his championship season by qualifying second-fastest and winning his first of three races during the season. Much like his 2008 championship season, where he won four races, Steckly was off to a fast start and was able to maintain the points lead starting with the first race of the season. Qualifying and finishing in the top five for the first six events set the bar high for his competitors in the series. Steckly would go on to record three Keystone Light Pole Awards, three wins, nine top-fives and 10 top-10s during the season.

 

For more information on the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series please visit www.nascarlocalracing.com.

 

PHOTO: Allan MacDonald (l), Senior VP of Automotive for Canadian Tire stands with NASCAR Canadian Tire Series champion Scott Steckly (r) following the season finale at Kawartha Speedway on Saturday Night. Steckly finished second in the race to secure his second Canadian national stock car championship in the past four years.

Credit: Inside Track Motorsport News. This image is available at full size, upon request.

 

For more information on Scott Steckly and 22 Racing please contact:

Linda Jones

Wide Open Motorsport Solutions

 


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Posted by Marc Patrick Roy at 26.9.11 0 comments

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2011-09-22

Statistical Advance: Kawartha 250

Analyzing the Canadian Tire Series at Kawartha Speedway

By Shon Sbarra, NASCAR
September 20, 2011 - 4:35pm

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – The NASCAR Canadian Tire Series closes out the 2011 race season with the Kawartha 250 at Kawartha Speedway in Fraserville, Ont. The race is scheduled to take the green flag on Saturday, Sept. 24 at 5 p.m. ET. Below is a statistical look at the recent performance of selected drivers at Kawartha, as well as some statistical trends:

 

NASCAR Canadian Tire Series At Kawartha Speedway
• This is the series’ fifth visit to the track that is a .375-mile progressive-banked track in Fraserville, Ont.
• The Kawartha 250 will premiere on TSN at 12:30 p.m. ET on Sat. Oct. 15 with a special 90-minute show.
• Each of the four previous winners at Kawartha has driven a Dodge.
• For three of the four previous winners –Scott Steckly, Jason Hathaway and Pete Shepherd III – the Kawartha victory was the first of their series career.
• Both the 2008 and 2009 events at Kawartha Speedway were cut short due to rain.
• There has been an average of 7.75 caution periods for an average of 61 laps in the four prior races at Kawartha, with the earliest coming on Lap 2 in 2009 and the latest at Lap 247 in 2007.
• The lead has changed hands an average of 10.25 times in Kawartha races with a high of 14 in the 2009 event.
• The average starting position of the winner is 7.25, while the polesitter has an average finish of 6.25.

Kawartha Speedway Data
Race: #12 of 12 (9/24/11)
Track Layout: .375-mile oval
Race Length: 250 laps (93.75 miles)

EVENT SCEHDULE | ENTRY LIST

Kawartha Speedway Records
1-Lap Qualifying: Mark Dilley, 17.704 seconds, 76.254 mph, Sept. 23, 2007
250-Lap Race: Pete Shepherd III, 1 hour, 49 minutes, 7 seconds, 51.550 mph, Sept. 25, 2010

Series Race Winners at Kawartha
Jason Hathaway ... 1
D.J. Kennington ... 1
Scott Steckly ... 1
Pete Shepherd III ... 1

Series Pole Winners at Kawartha
Ron Beauchamp Jr. ... 1
Mark Dilley ... 1
D.J. Kennington ... 1
Don Thomson Jr. ... 1

Manufacturer Wins at Kawartha
Dodge ... 4

Lap Leaders at Kawartha
Don Thomson Jr. ... 199
D.J. Kennington ... 144
Pete Shepherd III ... 124

2011 Lap Leaders
Scott Steckly ... 621
D.J. Kennington ... 378
J.R. Fitzpatrick ... 235

2011 Laps Completed
D.J. Kennington ... 1,749
J.R. Fitzpatrick ... 1,745
Kerry Micks ... 1,739

Selected driver highlights:
Ron Beauchamp Jr. (No. 60 Mopar/Mobil 1 Dodge)
• Finished 10th last season in the Kawartha 250.
• Has two third-place Kawartha finishes – 2007 and 2008.
• Led 65 laps before finishing fifth in 2009 Kawartha race.
• Started 2009 Kawartha 250 from the pole position.
• Logged his first top-five finish of the season on July 23 at Motoplex Speedway.
• One of seven drivers to start all 62 NASCAR Canadian Tire Series races.

Donald Chisholm (No. 89 Keltic Ford/Nova Construction Ford)
• Posted an 11th-place finish last season at Kawartha.
• Finished 10th in 2008 and 17th in 2009 at the Ontario track.
• Posted a series career-best finish of third in his last start on Sept. 17 at Riverside International Speedway.

Mark Dilley (No. 9 Rheem/Exide Dodge)
• Scored a fourth-place finish last season in the Kawartha 250 for his best series finish at the track.
• Posted 12th-place finishes in 2007 and 2009 while placing 23rd in 2008.
• Has led a total of 11 laps in Kawartha action
• Recorded his third career win in last start on Sept. 10 at Barrie (Ont.) Speedway.
• One of seven drivers to start all 62 NASCAR Canadian Tire Series races.

L.P. Dumoulin (No. 47 Maskimo/Somavrac Dodge)
• Making first series start at Kawartha Speedway.
• Leads 2011 Rookie of the Year point standings by just one over Isabelle Tremblay.
• Made NASCAR Nationwide Series debut on Aug. 20 in Montreal.

J.R. Fitzpatrick (No. 84 Equipment Express Chevrolet)
• Finished 15th in last year’s Kawartha 250.
• Posted finishes of 23rd (2007), 19th (2008) and 16th (2009) at Kawartha Speedway.
• Has led 17 laps at Kawartha.
• Five of his six career series wins have come on road courses – Mosport (2), Edmonton (2) and Montreal.
• Has made six NASCAR Nationwide Series starts in 2011 including a fifth-place effort on Aug. 20 in Montreal and a 10th-place finish on June 25 at Road America in Elkhart Lake, Wisc.

Jason Hathaway (No. 3 Snap-on Tools/Rockstar Energy Drink/Vortex Brake Pads Dodge)
• Scored a seventh-place finish last season at Kawartha Speedway.
• Earned his only series win in the 2008 Kawartha event.
• Has led 68 laps at the .375-mile Ontario track.
• Scored a season-best finish of second on Sept. 10 at Barrie (Ont.) Speedway for his first top-five finish of the season.
• One of seven drivers to start all 62 NASCAR Canadian Tire Series races.

D.J. Kennington (No. 17 Castrol Edge Dodge)
• Finished third a season ago at Kawartha.
• Won the 2009 race at Kawartha Speedway and finished second in 2008.
• Has led a total of 144 laps at Kawartha Speedway.
• Is second in the 2011 point standings, 94 points behind leader Scott Steckly.
• Has 10 NASCAR Canadian Tire Series victories – third on the all-time list.
• Won 2010 series championship.
• One of seven drivers to start all 62 NCATS races.

Kerry Micks (No. 02 Dickies/Beyond Digital Imaging Ford)
• Has two second-place finishes at Kawartha Speedway including last year’s race and the 2009 event.
• Finished 14th (2007) and 21st (2008) in his other two series starts at the track.
• Has led 10 laps in Canadian Tire Series action at Kawartha.
• Has one oval-track win (Mosport Speedway in 2008) and two road-course wins (Montreal and Trois-Rivieres in 2007) in NASCAR Canadian Tire Series action.
• Is one of seven drivers to compete in all 62 NCATS races.

Chris Raabe (No. 01 Canadian Tire/MotoMaster/Sylvania Dodge)
• Making his Kawartha Speedway debut in the Kawartha 250.
• Scored consecutive top-10 finishes in his first two NASCAR Canadian Tire Series starts.
• Has 99 career dirt-track Modified victories.
• Won 2008 and 2009 Mr. DIRTcar Sportsman Modified titles.

Pete Shepherd III (No. 7 Hy-Tech Drilling/National Exhaust Dodge)
• Won last year’s Kawartha 250 for his first career NASCAR Canadian Tire Series win.
• Has four top-10 finishes in five starts this season.
• Picked up his second career NASCAR Canadian Tire Series victory in his last start on July 27 at Saskatoon’s Auto Clearing Motor Speedway.

Dexter Stacey (No. 55 Playground Poke Club Dodge)
• Finished 14th a year ago at Riverside after posting a 24th-place finish in his track debut in 2009.
• Posted a series career-best finish of seventh on June 26 at Mosport Int’l Raceway.
• Was rookie of the year runner-up in 2009.

Scott Steckly (No. 22 Canadian Tire/MotoMaster Dodge)
• Scored a sixth-place finish last season at Kawartha Speedway.
• Won the 2007 event at the .375-mile oval.
• Finished 17th (2008) and fourth (2009) in his other two Kawartha starts.
• Has led a total of 82 laps at Kawartha.
• Leader in 2011 championship point standings with a 94-point advantage over D.J. Kennington.
• Earned 11th series career victory on Sept. 17 at Riverside International Speedway which gives him sole possession of second place on the all-time list behind Andrew Ranger.
• Needs to either lead a lap or not finish last in the Kawartha 250 to secure his second NASCAR Canadian Tire Series title.
• Won 2008 series championship.
• One of seven drivers to start all 62 NASCAR Canadian Tire Series races.

Don Thomson Jr. (No. 8 Farmers Feed Families Dodge)
• Finished fifth a season ago in the Kawartha 250.
• Had a career-best Kawartha finish of third in 2009.
• Has led a series-best 199 laps at Kawartha Speedway.
• Collected his seventh series win on June 11 at Delaware (Ont.) Speedway.
• Had a streak of eight consecutive top-five finishes broken on June 26 at Mosport International Raceway due to an engine problem.
• Holds the overall series career mark for poles with 11 along with Andrew Ranger.
• One of seven drivers to start all 62 NASCAR Canadian Tire Series races.

Isabelle Tremblay (No. 07 Group Beton Brunet/ADF Diesel Ford)
• Finished 21st last season at Kawartha in her first series start on an oval track.
• Second to L.P. Dumoulin in the 2011 Rookie-of-the-Year standings by a single point
• Posted a series career-best finish of eighth on June 26 at Mosport Int’l Raceway.

Jason White (No. 21 A&W Cruisin’ The Dub Dodge)
• Finished 22nd last season in the Kawartha 250.
• Finished eighth in 2007 for his best Kawartha finish.
• Finished a career-best sixth on June 26 at Mosport International Raceway and Aug. 7 at Circuit de Trois-Rivieres.
• Was 2008 NASCAR Canadian Tire Series Rookie of the Year.

 


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Posted by Marc Patrick Roy at 22.9.11 0 comments

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