CASCAR - Toronto Indy Results and Summary
CASCAR Super Series July 6, 2002 Dowler wins from the back row Switch to backup car proves to be the winning move for Edmonton racer TORONTO, ON - Kevin Dowler's second career Molson Indy Toronto CASCAR Super Series win won't soon be forgotten. With his lap 34 pass on race leader Joe Goncalves, on the entry to turn 3 of the 11-turn, 2.825 km circuit, Dowler completed an incredible 'back-to-front' run through the entire field, en route to the astounding victory. After suffering a blown motor just two laps into the Saturday morning qualifying session, the Ford Quality Care Taurus driver made what turned out to be a superb decision. Rather than drop a new motor into the team's primary car, the Edmonton, AB resident instead opted to start Saturday afternoon's feature race in his backup machine. The call meant that he would have to drop back from his already lowly 33rd starting spot, and take the green flag from the end of the back row, in 37th, for the 36-lap race around the tight Exhibition Place circuit. Throughout the race, Dowler picked his way through the field, advancing to third for the restart on lap 33. The caution immediately prior to that restart had erased a comfortable five-second lead that polesitter and race dominator Robin Buck had enjoyed for much of the event. But on the restart, Goncalves dove into turn 1 and managed to make it onto the lengthy Lakeshore Blvd. straight ahead of Buck. Seconds later, Dowler also managed to get past Buck's NAPA Pontiac. On the entry to turn 3, under heavy braking, Dowler dove to the inside of Goncalves' Wooden Sticks Chevrolet, and went on to win the race by just over half a second. Dowler was obviously elated with the win, after riding a roller coaster of emotions throughout the day. For Goncalves, the runner-up finish was the first podium result of his entire CASCAR Super Series career. Buck was also gratified with the outcome, as his season has proven somewhat frustrating to this point. The Campbellville, ON racer is looking at the Indy result as the turning point of his season. Super Series points leader Don Thomson finished fourth in his Home Hardware Chevy, ahead of the Castrol Intrepid of DJ Kennington. CASCAR Western Series regulars Carl and Daryl Harr took part in the Molson Indy Toronto, once again. The father and son duo finished sixth and 30th, respectively. PHOTO: Two-time CASCAR Toronto Indy race winners Robin Buck (3rd) and Kevin Dowler (1st), along with first-time CASCAR podium finisher Joe Goncalves (2nd) following Saturday's race in Toronto CREDIT: Greg MacPherson / Inside Track Motorsport News *** CASCAR Super Series Unofficial Results: CASCAR Super Series at the Toronto Indy, presented by NAPA Molson Indy Toronto // Round #7 // July 6, 2002 // Exhibition Place // Toronto, ON FIN ST. # DRIVER (HOMETOWN) SPONSOR / MAKE LAPS 1 37 35 Kevin Dowler (Edmonton, AB) Ford Quality Care Ford Taurus 36 2 18 93 Joe Goncalves (Concord, ON) Wooden Sticks / ALCOM / Class RV Chevrolet Monte Carlo 36 3 1 15 Robin Buck (Campbellville, ON) NAPA Pontiac Grand Prix 36 4 5 4 Don Thomson Jr. (Hamilton, ON) Home Hardware Chevrolet Monte Carlo 36 5 8 17 D.J. Kennington (St. Thomas, ON) Castrol SYNTEC / Kleen Flo / Team Truck Intrepid 36 6 15 2 Carl Harr (St. Albert, AB) GM Goodwrench Chevrolet Monte Carlo 36 7 9 99 Pete Vanderwyst (St. Thomas, ON) Exide Batteries Pontiac Grand Prix 36 8 16 33 Neil Fair (Ancaster, ON) Skoal Inc. / Mac's Chevrolet Monte Carlo 36 9 3 02 Kerry Micks (Mt. Albert, ON) UFCW Canada Ford Taurus 36 10 2 76 Al Turner (Barrie ON) Blue Streak Hygrade Motor Products Intrepid 36 11 7 1 Peter Gibbons (Stouffville, ON) Canadian Tire Chevrolet Monte Carlo 36 12 12 31 Kelly Williams (Inglewood, ON) Pontiac Grand Prix 36 13 14 3 Bill Rowse Jr. (Uxbridge, ON) Snap-on Tools / Canadian Forces Chevrolet Monte Carlo 36 14 21 39 Dave Whitlock (Petrolia, ON) Fast Lane / Ford Motor Company Ford Taurus 36 15 31 82 Dave Connelly (White Lake, ON) Tide (Procter & Gamble) Chevrolet Monte Carlo 36 16 30 41 John Tsoumaris (Toronto, ON) John's Unique Auto / Mama's Pizza Chevrolet 36 17 29 86 Kenny Forth (Lynden, ON) Rockton Berry Farm Ford Taurus 36 18 17 88 Dave Jacombs (Mt. Hope, ON) Speedy Auto Service / FAG Automotive Taurus 36 19 32 97 Rob Neely (Milton, ON) Holmar Plumbing Intrepid 36 20 10 60 Ron Beauchamp Jr. (Windsor, ON) Mopar Performance Parts / Mr. Sub / Exide Intrepid 36 21 22 9 Robbie Thompson (Southampton, ON) 10-10-620 / Shear Metal Products Intrepid 36 22 19 30 Chris Fowler (Stouffville, ON) Snap-on Tools / Canadian Forces Chevrolet Monte Carlo 35 23 33 69 Scott Watkins (Milton, ON) Johnny Bower Goaltending School Pontiac Grand Prix 35 24 24 6 Howie Scannell Jr. (Milton, ON) HobbyHobby.com / Scannell Moving Chevrolet Monte Carlo 35 25 34 43 Bob Merrifield (Belle River, ON) Remax Preferred Realty Intrepid 34 26 35 44 Marv Wilder (Toronto, ON) R Longbow Freight Systems Chevrolet Monte Carlo 31 27 25 56 Doug Brown (Brantford, ON) Trailers by Jim Bray Chevrolet Monte Carlo 27 28 36 14 John Fitzpatrick (Ayr, ON) Cambridge Rigging Chevrolet Monte Carlo 27 29 23 19 Brad Graham (Glencoe, ON) Challenger Motor Frt. / Volvo Trucks Pontiac G.P. 26 30 13 71 Daryl Harr (St. Albert, AB) Westworld Chevrolet Monte Carlo 24 31 28 24 Cole Pearn (Mt. Brydges, ON) R Kubota Canada Pontiac Grand Prix 24 32 4 25 Jim Lapcevich (Hamilton, ON) Raceline Radio / Fastline Motorsports Chevrolet Monte Carlo 23 33 6 22 Scott Steckly (Milverton, ON) AW Millwrights / ERB / CPL Sys. Pontiac Grand Prix 23 34 26 94 Mark Graham (Odessa, ON) Interlock / Microplay Chevrolet Monte Carlo 23 35 20 23 Jeff Lapcevich (Caistor Centre, ON) Fastline Motorsports Chevrolet Monte Carlo 21 36 27 0 Joe Plazek (Caistor Centre, ON) R Playstation2 Chevrolet Monte Carlo 15 37 11 64 Mark Dilley (Barrie, ON) NTN Bearings Ford Taurus 12 R after the hometown denotes Rookie contender. MARGIN OF VICTORY: .513 seconds // AVERAGE SPEED: 102.677 km/h // TIME OF RACE: 59 minutes and 25 seconds // CAUTIONS: 3 for a total of 8 laps // LAP LEADERS: #15 Robin Buck (1 - 33) and #35 Kevin Dowler (34 - 36).