CASCAR - Mopar Parts 300 Summary & Results
CASCAR Super Series July 21, 2002 Jim Lapcevich wins the Mopar Parts 300 CASCAR veteran wins for first time in eight Super Series seasons CALGARY, AB - Although he's been close on several occasions, victory lane has eluded Jim Lapcevich for the past eight CASCAR Super Series seasons. But the Hamilton, Ontario racer put an end to that drought on Sunday afternoon when he won the Mopar Parts 300 at Calgary's Race City Speedway. Driving a patient race, the Raceline Radio / Fastline Motorsports Chevy driver lined up 10th in the field of 33 who took part in the 300 lap event at the high-banked, half-mile Calgary oval. Driving in the lead pack throughout most of the race, the former Super Series rookie of the year winner did a good job of preserving his tires for the late going. While running second, Lapcevich was able to take advantage of an opening in traffic that saw him pass race leader Kerry Micks with just eight laps to go. From there, Lapcevich was able to fend off a spirited attempt by the UFCW Taurus driver to recover the lead, including a side-by-side battle with just two laps to go. Coming across the finish line just .165 seconds ahead of Micks, Lapcevich captured his first Super Series feature win since 1994. For Lapcevich, who was in contention to win the Toronto Molson Indy just two weeks ago - before being caught up in another competitor's accident - the win in the Mopar Parts 300 was extremely gratifying. Blue Streak Intrepid driver Al Turner finished third. Peter Gibbons took the lead from Mopar Intrepid driver and polesitter Ron Beauchamp very early in the race. The Canadian Tire Chevy driver led until he was passed by Micks on lap 83. Several drivers pitted under caution, soon after, which handed the lead to Beauchamp. The Windsor, ON racer held the top spot until he was passed, on lap 122, by the defending winner of the Mopar Parts 300, Dave Whitlock (Fast Lane Taurus). But the three-time CASCAR champion saw the lead slip away just 20 laps later when he was run down and passed by the charging Micks, who was on newer tires. Rookie driver Joe Plazek put his Playstation2 Chevy into the lead on lap 173. The impressive first-year asphalt racer maintained the spot for 11 circuits, until pitting. In doing so, he passed the lead torch back to Micks, who held the spot until being passed by Lapcevich, with just eight laps to go. Plazek, of Caistor Centre, ON, continues to impress in his inaugural Super Series season, and is clearly making the adjustment from dirt, where he spent many years as one of the top competitors on the DIRT Motorsports circuit. The CASCAR Super Series returns to action next weekend at the Molson Indy Vancouver. CASCAR SUPER SERIES UNOFFICIAL POINT STANDINGS - As of July 21, 2002 - After 8 of 12 events: 1. #4, Don Thomson Jr., 1348 points; 2. #17, D. J. Kennington, 1305; 3. #39, Dave Whitlock, 1257; 4. #35, Kevin Dowler, 1223; 5. #1, Peter Gibbons, 1207; 6. #64, Mark Dilley, 1206; 7. #76, Al Turner, 1202; 8. #9, Robbie Thompson, 1182; 9. #02, Kerry Micks, 1171; 10. #60, Ron Beauchamp Jr., 1151; 11. #93, Joe Goncalves, 1146; 12. #99, Pete Vanderwyst, 1139; 13. #33, Neil Fair, 1124; 14. #22, Scott Steckly, 1118; 15. #3, Billy Rowse Jr., 1082. CASCAR Super Series Results: MOPAR Parts 300 Round #8 // July 21, 2002 // Race City Speedway // Calgary, Alberta FIN # DRIVER (HOMETOWN) SPONSOR / MAKE LAPS 1 10 25 Jim Lapcevich (Hamilton, ON) Raceline Radio / Fastline Motorsports Chevrolet Monte Carlo 300 2 12 02 Kerry Micks (Mt. Albert, ON) UFCW Canada Ford Taurus 300 3 8 76 Al Turner (Barrie ON) Blue Streak Hygrade Motor Products Intrepid 300 4 2 1 Peter Gibbons (Stouffville, ON) Canadian Tire Chevrolet Monte Carlo 300 5 25 0 Joe Plazek (Caistor Centre, ON) R Playstation2 Chevrolet Monte Carlo 300 6 6 39 Dave Whitlock (Petrolia, ON) Fast Lane / Ford Motor Company Ford Taurus 300 7 28 64 Mark Dilley (Barrie, ON) NTN Bearings Ford Taurus 300 8 14 35 Kevin Dowler (Edmonton, AB) Ford Quality Care Ford Taurus 300 9 1 60 Ron Beauchamp Jr. (Windsor, ON) Mopar Performance Parts / Mr. Sub / Exide Intrepid 300 10 19 4 Don Thomson Jr. (Hamilton, ON) Home Hardware Chevrolet Monte Carlo 299 11 22 15E Robin Buck (Campbellville, ON) NAPA Pontiac Grand Prix 299 12 15 14 John Fitzpatrick (Ayr, ON) Cambridge Rigging Chevrolet Monte Carlo 299 13 7 33 Neil Fair (Ancaster, ON) Skoal Inc. / Mac's Intrepid 299 14 5 9 Robbie Thompson (Southampton, ON) Team Logel's / Shear Metal Products Intrepid 299 15 13 88 Dave Jacombs (Mt. Hope, ON) Speedy Auto Service / FAG Automotive Taurus 298 16 20 19 Brad Graham (Glencoe, ON) Challenger Motor Frt. / Volvo Trucks Pontiac G.P. 298 17 3 17 D.J. Kennington (St. Thomas, ON) Castrol SYNTEC / Kleen Flo / Team Truck Intrepid 298 18 9 3 Bill Rowse Jr. (Uxbridge, ON) Snap-on Tools / Canadian Forces Chevrolet Monte Carlo 298 19 18 93 Joe Goncalves (Concord, ON) Wooden Sticks / ALCOM / Class RV Chevrolet Monte Carlo 297 20 23 99 Pete Vanderwyst (St. Thomas, ON) Exide Batteries Pontiac Grand Prix 297 21 11 2 Carl Harr (St. Albert, AB) GM Goodwrench Chevrolet Monte Carlo 295 22 27 21 Wade Lee (Calgary, AB) Alberta Ford Dealers Taurus 295 23 16 12 Ron Larson (Quesnel, BC) Turtle Wax Chevrolet Monte Carlo 292 24 29 38 Darren Turner (Kelowna, BC) James Western Star Trucks Chevrolet Monte Carlo 278 25 21 33W Don Sales (Quesnel, BC) Skoal Inc. / Shell Select Pontiac Grand Prix 275 26 24 23 Jeff Lapcevich (Hamilton, ON) Crime Stoppers / Fastline Motorsports Chevrolet Monte Carlo 274 27 34 89 Terry Dowler (Spruce Grove, AB) R Competition Chev-Olds Chevrolet Monte Carlo 267 28 31 15 Mike Browne (Calgary, AB) Bartin Pipe / NGK Pontiac Grand Prix 259 29 4 22 Scott Steckly (Milverton, ON) AW Millwrights / ERB / CPL Sys. Pontiac Grand Prix 192 30 17 71 Daryl Harr (St. Albert, AB) Westworld Chevrolet Monte Carlo 187 31 26 24 Cole Pearn (Mt. Brydges, ON) R Kubota Canada Pontiac Grand Prix 110 32 33 79 Dwane Arnott (Calgary, AB) M&M Meats Chevrolet Monte Carlo 81 33 30 50 Wheeler Boys (Calgary, AB) Owens-Corning Insulation Intrepid 63 34 DNS 7 James MacFarlane (Calgary, AB) AltaLink Ford Taurus 0 R after the hometown denotes Rookie contender. MARGIN OF VICTORY: .165 seconds // TIME OF RACE: 1 hour, 58 minutes and 27 seconds // AVERAGE SPEED: 75.983 mph // CAUTIONS: 4 for a total of 34 laps // LEAD CHANGES: Eight among six drivers.