CASCAR - Cayuga Points and Wrap
June 30, 2003 Super Series points chase tightens following 'Dodge Canada Day Shootout, presented by MOPAR' HAMILTON, ON The CASCAR Super Series points standings got considerably tighter following the'Dodge Canada Day Shootout, presented by MOPAR' at Cayuga Speedway on Sunday evening. On the strength of his third-place finish, UFCW Taurus driver Kerry Micks moved to within just three points (613 to 610) of series leader Don Thomson Jr. after four events. Thomson was running seventh in the 200-lap final segment when a broken wheel left him with just three Goodyear tires. Some quick pit-work on the part of the Home Hardware Chevy crew kept the two-time and defending Super Series champ on the lead lap, but his car wasn't as strong over the final laps and he finished 14th. "We had a couple of things go wrong, but they went wrong at the right time," said Micks, who experienced brake trouble in his 50-lap heat race, prior to the feature race. "We qualified second with a new setup, which we were thrilled about. We didn't have the right tires for the end, but it was a good result for us. We were quick for three or four laps after the restarts, but it went away pretty quick after that so we didn't have anything for the front two guys [race winner Peter Gibbons and second-place Pete Vanderwyst]." In terms of the championship chase, at the end of the night, Micks knew he had cut into Thomson's points lead. "I don't know where he [Thomson] finished, but I know we gained some ground here tonight. He's still a few points ahead, but we're doing all we can and feeling good about it." Neil Fair is third in the points and is the top MOPAR driver in the standings, one-third of the way into the Super Series schedule. CASCAR's top division will now take a week off as teams prepare for the Molson Indy Toronto on July 11-12 at Toronto's Exhibition Place temporary street circuit. CASCAR NOTEBOOK: On Saturday night at Cayuga 2000 Speedway, the CASCAR CARQUEST Sportsman Series held the first of four mandatory 150-lap races on its 2003 schedule. Three-time CARQUEST Series champion Steve Robblee bounced back from a disappointing finish in the previous event, at Delaware, to notch the win at the 5/8-mile oval. The Dorchester, ON racer started 10th in the field of 35 and took the lead from Quebec star Richard Beauchamp on lap 67. From there, Robblee led the rest of the way, leading Beauchamp and Doug Brown across the finish line. Steve Munro and Paul DeJong were fourth and fifth, respectively. John Ryan Fitzpatrick, the son of Super Series veteran John Fitzpatrick, recorded an impressive ninth-place finish... The third round of the CASCAR Super Series the 'Exide Batteries 200 km ' road course event from Mosport Int'l Raceway will be broadcast on Monday, July 7 at 7 p.m. on Sportsnet. The 'Dodge Canada Day Shootout, presented by MOPAR' at Cayuga 2000 Speedway will air on Sportsnet (Ontario) on Sunday, July 13 at 3 p.m. ... CASCAR veteran Robin Buck has announced that he will be taking part in the 'Avenue ACDelco 100' Super Series race, on July 12 at the Molson Indy Toronto. Buck has secured a one-race deal with Chief's Heavy Truck Collision, of Kitchener, which will allow him to participate in the race he's won on two occasions. Last year, the talented road racer qualified on the pole for the street race at Exhibition Place, and led most of the event, before finishing third. CASCAR SUPER SERIES POINT STANDINGS AFTER 4 ROUNDS / AS OF JUNE 29, 2003 POS. CAR# DRIVER (HOMETOWN / MAKE / POINTS): 1. #4 Don Thomson Jr. (Hamilton, ON / Chevrolet / 613 points); 2. #02 Kerry Micks (Mt. Albert, ON / Ford / 610); 3. #33 Neil Fair (Ancaster, ON / Intrepid / 562); 4. #37 DJ Kennington (St. Thomas, ON / Intrepid / 557); 5. #1 Peter Gibbons (Stouffville, ON / Chevrolet / 554); 6. #19 Brad Graham (Glencoe, ON / Pontiac / 552); 7. #64 Mark Dilley (Barrie, ON / Intrepid / 548); 8. #22 Scott Steckly (Milverton, ON / Pontiac / 538); 9. #60 Ron Beauchamp Jr. (Windsor, ON / Intrepid / 532); 10. #14 John Fitzpatrick (Ayr, ON / Chevrolet / 515); 11. #25 Jim Lapcevich (Hamilton, ON / Chevrolet / 508); 12. #88 Dave Jacombs (Mt. Hope, ON / Ford / 478); 13. #93 Joe Goncalves (Concord, ON / Chevrolet / 474); 14. #71 R Bryan Cathcart (Peterborough, ON / Intrepid / 468); 15. #24 Cole Pearn (Mt. Brydges, ON / Chevrolet / 454); 16. #86 Kenny Forth (Lynden, ON/ Ford / 444); 17. #00 Billy Innes (Simcoe, ON / Chevrolet / 428); 18. #39 Dave Whitlock (Petrolia, ON / Intrepid / 407); 19. #32 Mike Alguire (London, ON / Pontiac / 404); 20. #10 Doug Brown (Brantford, ON / Pontiac / 346); 21. #41 John Tsoumaris (Toronto, ON / Chevrolet / 334); 22. #77 Pete Vanderwyst (London, ON / Pontiac / 304); 23. #7 Sean Dupuis (LaSalle, ON / Chevrolet / 282); 24. #23 Jeff Lapcevich (Caistor Centre, ON / Chevrolet / 279); 25. #28 Steve Robblee (Dorchester, ON / Ford / 252) CASCAR CARQUEST SPORTSMAN SERIES POINTS STANDINGS AFTER 3 ROUNDS / AS OF JUNE 29, 2003 POS. CAR# DRIVER (HOMETOWN / POINTS): 1. #55 Rob Graham (Bothwell, ON / 226 points); 2. #28 Steve Robblee (Dorchester, ON / 167); 3. #77 Dion Verhoeven (Kerwood, ON / 165); 4. #00 Stephen Munro (Carp, ON / 163); 5. #74 Richard Beauchamp (Ormstown, QC / 162); 6. #52 Ron Sheridan (Strathroy, ON / 154); 7. #3 Scott Lindsay (St. Mary's, ON / 147); 8. #16 Paul DeJong (Pembroke, ON / 141); 9. #10 Doug Brown (Brantford, ON / 139); 10. #43 Jay Doerr (London, ON / 138); 11. #18 Andre Coursol (St. Antoine, QC / 137); 12. #60 Steve Maheux (Ile Bizard, QC / 136); 13. #00 Josh Wood (London, ON / 135); 14. #76 Jason Hathaway (St. Thomas, ON / 134); 15. #82 Dave Connelly (White Lake, ON / 131); 16. #42 Doug Stewart (London, ON / 129); 17. #45 Duke Sawchuk (Emeryville, ON / 125); 18. #02 Gertain Longtin (Clateauguay, QC / 124); 18. #92 Dave Riopelle (Dunrobin, ON / 124); 20. #03 Jesse Kennedy (Southwold, ON / 122); 21. #7 Jerry Marinuk (Scotland, ON / 121); 22. #19 Benoit Beauchamp (Montreal, QC / 120); 22. #12 Mark Patrick (Delaware, ON / 120); 24. #67 Scott Mitchell (St. Catharines, ON / 113); 25. #02 Scott O'Connor (Delaware, ON / 112)