Cascar-Vanderwyst Motorsports Report
8 June 1999
#77 Loctite Chevrolet Monte Carlo Pete Vanderwyst - CASCAR Super Series Pole run ends with 17th place result at Ste. Croix STE. CROIX, QC - Pete Vanderwyst reached one of his three primary goals that he'd set for himself and his #77 Loctite Chevrolet Monte Carlo, on Saturday night at the Circuit Ste. Croix, near Quebec City. Prior to the start of the season, the St. Thomas, ON racer noted that for '99 to be considered a success, he would like to win a pole, a CASCAR Castrol Super Series feature event, and a points championship. With a scorching lap of 23.656 seconds around the 5/8-mile oval, located on the banks of the St. Lawrence River, Vanderwyst grabbed the first pole position of his CASCAR career. One goal down... two to go. The Loctite Chevrolet Monte Carlo lined up on the inside of the front row in the field of 29 starters for the third Eastern event of the season. Vanderwyst led the first 36 laps, before being passed by eventual race winner Peter Gibbons. Once in second place, Vanderwyst tailed Gibbons' Chevrolet until lap 114 of the 200 lap race. At that point, Vanderwyst came into contact with a lapped car as the pair entered turn 1. Pete's car spun and returned to action at the tail of the lead lap. According to Vanderwyst, the other driver shouldn't have been in the way and was responsible for the contact. A flat tire on lap 161 was the finishing touch. Vanderwyst eventually finished 17th in an event that had started off so well. "It was the best and worst weekend we've had this year," sighed Vanderwyst after the race. "We got the pole we've been working so hard for. We always run very well at Ste. Croix, so we were happy to be so quick there again. I'm really disappointed that we got taken out by a lapped car. It's happened to us before, and I'm not happy about it. We thought this was going to be our first win, as well. It's hard to take because the guys did such a great job getting the Loctite Monte Carlo ready for the race, just to see it disappear like that. I was out of the country again for the week before the race and they did an amazing job getting the car in winning shape." Race Notes: Once Vanderwyst was out of the picture, Peter Gibbons had a relatively easy cruise to the checkered flag in the Ste. Croix CASCAR Super Series race. He was followed across the line by St. Thomas, ON native DJ Kennington, who started on the outside pole, but went off track on the first lap and recovered well for an impressive runner-up finish. Delaware race winner Neil Fair completed the podium finishers. Looking ahead: The next race for the Loctite Chevy will be on June 19 at the Autodrome St. Eustache in Montreal, QC. In addition to Delaware Speedway Park and Circuit Ste. Croix, Pete Vanderwyst lists it among his favourites. Last year in the Montreal event, Vanderwyst had the fastest car on the track and was safely in control of the race until a flat tire dropped him from the lead.... After three of nine Eastern Super Series events, Vanderwyst sits fourth in the standings.