CASCAR Castrol Super Series - National - After 2 Rounds
20 August 1999
CASCAR Castrol Super Series Alberta Wrap-up Thomson returns from Alberta with slim CASCAR National points lead KOMOKA, ON - Don Thomson has been enjoying a dream season so far in 1999 on the CASCAR Castrol Super Series tour. The Hamilton, ON racer opened the season by announcing that he'd secured Home Hardware as the primary sponsor of his Chevrolet Monte Carlo. From there, the CASCAR veteran racked up three Eastern series victories, and on Sunday afternoon at Edmonton's City Centre Airport, Thomson collected his fourth checkered flag of the season. The second National event of the season was a road race, held on the tarmac of the downtown airport. In the end, it was a case of crafty fuel management and a consistent pace that won the race for Thomson, who last tasted victory on a road circuit at Ontario's Mosport Park, back in 1991. This most recent win, ahead of last year's Edmonton event winner Kevin Dowler (Ford Quality Care Service Taurus) and Carl Harr (Alberta GM Goodwrench Dealers' Chevy), was enough to reclaim the National points lead for Thomson, who had lost his grip on the lead, on Saturday, to fourth-place Edmonton finisher Peter Gibbons. Both Dowler and Harr live in the Edmonton area, so it was another successful outing for the CASCAR Castrol Super Series West racers to have two of their own on the Bumper to Bumper Motorsport Classic 250 km podium. Thomson was aware that Gibbons had made a lengthy run from the initial green flag and used that information in his own calculations. "I was worried [about running out of fuel], but I saw how far [Peter] Gibbons went and thought that if he could go 60 laps in a Chevy, then so can I. I guess I just got used to the track and ran as smooth as I could and just had lots of 'car' left at the end." As for recovering the National points lead from Gibbons, Thomson exclaimed, "I'm glad to have it back." Dowler's runner-up finish wasn't as good as the historic win he captured in '98, but considering he is still recovering from a broken shoulder blade and endured some mechanical troubles during the race, second place was welcome result by the experienced road racer. Asked about his shoulder, after the race, Dowler said, "It's a little tender. I wasn't thinking about it during the race, but I couldn't get the cork out of the champagne when I was on the podium." As for the reason he slowed drastically at the start of the race, Dowler explained, "The Watts Link on the back of the car jammed up and the car wouldn't handle. It slipped so that the car was just like driving a board. We were fortunate to get a caution right after that and we came in and fixed it. Second place for this team is great. We've been through a lot of adversity this year; knocking walls down and blowing motors up. This is great." Following the two National races in Alberta, the tour takes a week off to prepare for Round #3 at Mosport International Raceway on Aug. 27-29. The Canadian Auction Group 250, presented by UAP/NAPA, is the final road course race of the CASCAR season and sets the stage for the last National race of the summer - the CARQUEST 300 - the following weekend (Sept. 3-5), at Delaware Speedway Park near London, ON. Bumper to Bumper 250 Notes: Just hours before the start of the Bumper to Bumper Motorsport Classic 250 km in Edmonton, Calgary's Wade Lee learned that race sponsor Bumper to Bumper was going to sponsor his #79 Pontiac Grand Prix for the race. Buoyed by the news, Lee went on to post a solid sixth-place result. With Dowler (2nd), Carl Harr (3rd), Lee (6th) and Daryl Harr (8th) all placing in the top eight spots, the western drivers had their best ever showing in a CASCAR National race... Steve Jefferson, who is currently a very close second to Dan Shirley in the hunt for the Western points championship, broke his second motor in as many weekends, in qualifying for the Edmonton road course event. The Prince George, BC racer pointed to troubles with the oiling system on his Mopar Batteries Dodge and was unable to compete in Sunday's race. The Dodge driver will now concentrate on the Western title. *** National Points Standings after Round #2 of 4 / As of August 15, 1999: 1. #4E Don Thomson Jr. (978 points / Chevrolet); 2. #1 Peter Gibbons (970 / Chevrolet); 3. #17 DJ Kennington (944 / Dodge); 4. #77 Pete Vanderwyst (912 / Chevrolet); 5. #79 Wade Lee (910 / Pontiac); 6. #35 Kevin Dowler (904 / Ford); 7. #02 Kerry Micks (884 / Ford); 7. #76 Al Turner (884 / Dodge); 9. #33W Don Sales (848 / Chevrolet); 10. #2 Carl Harr (844 / Chevrolet); 11. #33E Neil Fair (842 / Chevrolet); 12. #98 Dave Whitlock (840 / Ford); 13. #20 Kim Richard (820 / Chevrolet); 14. #66 Robin Buck (814 / Pontiac); 15. #52 Bill Rowse Jr (812 / Chevrolet); 15. #4W Daryl Harr (812 / Chevrolet); 17. #46 Dan Shirley (806 / Chevrolet); 18. #44 Fred DelPero (802 / Ford); 19. #31 Kelly Williams (790 / Ford); 20. #64 Mark Dilley (784 / Ford); 20. #14E John Fitzpatrick (784 / Chevrolet); 22. #60 Ron Beauchamp (764 / Dodge); 23. #12 Ron Larson (758 / Pontiac); 24. #93 Charlie Kirton (758 / Chevrolet); 25. #6 Todd Nichol (754 / Chevrolet); 26. #5E Nik Lapcevich (752 / Chevrolet); 27. #70 John Restemeyer (682 / Pontiac); 28. #88 Dave Jacombs (674 / Ford); 29. #5 Steve Jefferson (580 / Dodge); 30. #04 Andy Farr (534 / Dodge); 31. #15 Mike Browne (528 / Pontiac); 32. #14W James VanDomeslaar (376 / Pontiac) For more information, contact CASCAR at (519) 641-1214 or visit www.cascar.com / Prepared by Inside Track Communications.
