CASTROL SUPER SERIES: Whitlock wins Mopar 300

Posted By Terry Callahan
Motorsports Editor, The Auto Channel

August 27, 2001

CALGARY, AB - Not content to wait another four years to capture his next Castrol Super Series victory, Dave Whitlock wheeled his Motorcraft Ford Taurus to victory lane at Calgary's Race City Speedway on Sunday afternoon, just two weeks after ending his extended winless streak at Cayuga Speedway, near Hamilton, ON.

And just like he'd done at Cayuga, Whitlock ran down and passed race leader Don Thomson to take the win. The Petrolia, ON racer started sixth in the field of 29 who participated in the Mopar Parts 300, the 10th of 12 events on the 2001 Castrol Super Series schedule.

For much of the race, Thomson's Home Hardware Chevy was the class of the field, leading twice for a total of 111 laps. But following a pit stop for two tires, Thomson's edge faded and Whitlock was able to close the gap and made the winning pass on lap 254 of the 30-lap affair.

Thomson was able to hold on to second place, although a post-race inspection revealed that his clutch was close to breaking, just as it had while he was leading on the last lap of the Grand Prix de Trois-Rivières, in early August. To soften the blow of seeing his third probable victory in a row slip through his fingers, Thomson had to be consoled by the knowledge that Sunday's runner-up result added to his Castrol Super Series points lead, with just two events remaining.

Finishing third in the Mopar 300 was Skoal Inc. Chevy driver Neil Fair. The Ancaster, ON racer won one of the 100-lap heat races for this event in 2000, and clearly enjoys competing on the high-banked, half-mile oval.

The Mopar 300 drew a crowd of over 6,000 fans to the Race City oval, located just southeast of Calgary. Total attendance for the three-day event was just under 14,000. Both numbers were records for the annual three-day visit by Canada's top touring stock car tour.

RACE NOTES: Dave Whitlock won at Race City Speedway in the fall of '97. That victory clinched his third Castrol Cup... Defending Mopar 300 race winner Peter Gibbons pitted from the lead on lap 91 of this year's race, and lost a lap while changing a deflating tire. The Canadian Tire Chevy driver recovered his lap and was back in the hunt for the win when a broken timing chain stopped his race 14 circuits from the finish... The Castrol 100 Castrol Super Series race from the Toronto Molson Indy will be broadcast Tuesday (Aug. 28) on Sportsnet EAST, WEST, ONT and PAC at 7 p.m... Next weekend, the Castrol Super Series makes its first appearance at the Vancouver Molson Indy.

Editors Note: To view hundreds of hot racing photos and art, visit The Racing Photo Museum and the Visions of Speed Art Gallery.