Cascar: Ford of Canada St. Eustache Report
21 June 1999
Micks and Whitlock on podium at St. Eustache ST. EUSTACHE, QC - Ford drivers Kerry Micks and Dave Whitlock scored podium finishes on the weekend, taking second and third, respectively, in the CASCAR Castrol Super Series race at Autodrome St. Eustache on Saturday night. Micks lined up ninth in the field of 31 starters for the fourth Eastern series race of the season and climbed to second by just past the halfway point of the 150 lap event. By lap 105, Micks was hot on the tail of Don Thomson, who led the majority of the race on the flat, Montreal-area oval. The leaders engaged in a gentle 'bump and run' game with 10 laps to go. Each nudged the other high on the track and assumed the lead, as the laps wound down. Micks led the 142nd circuit, but couldn't hold the point as Thomson went on to victory. The Ford Fast Lane Taurus driver came across in second place, .252 of a second behind. With the result, the former National champion rose to a seventh-place tie in the Eastern point standings. "Donnie [Thomson] and I have been racing together for almost 15 years," said the Mt. Albert, ON racer. "We both know how the other races. I went up to him after the race and I said, 'I rubbed you a little bit there' and he said he knew that was the way we always race and he didn't have a problem with it and neither did I. He returned the favour when he got the lead back I can't complain. The Fast Lane Taurus was fast and I'm happy. It was an awesome night and I love racing like that." Whitlock's Ford Quality Care Taurus started sixth in the feature but he later admitted to fighting his car's handling 'condition' for much of the race. He progressed, however, and found himself in fourth place by lap 91. Climbing to third on lap 120, the Petrolia, ON driver was able to catch Thomson and Micks in the late going, but was unable to improve his position. Following the race, Whitlock was happy with the result, which raised him to third in the Eastern points rankings. "The car just wasn't perfect. Today was a day when we took a seventh place car and brought it up to third. We struggled with it all day. We were trying to find a magical setup here, and I don't think there is one. We might have to go back to basics again. But we're glad to have a third here at St. Eustache." NTN Bearings Ford Taurus driver Mark Dilley continued to impress in his return to full-time CASCAR action. The Barrie, ON racer captured his first pole of '99 during time trials. In the race, Dilley was challenging for the lead when he was involved in an incident with another driver. A 'stop and go' pit stop knocked Dilley off the lead lap. He finished one lap behind, in 12th place and sits sixth in the standings. "The car was good all night. We were fast and it was a little unfortunate what happened," said Dilley. "Steve [Robblee] had a tire going down, but it looked like we turned him around and we got a stop and go. That put us a lap down and that ended it for us.... The pole was good. We were really fast, and for that we're happy." Race Notes: During heat races for the St. Eustache event, Ford Fast Lane Taurus driver Kerry Micks picked up a checkered flag for winning the 'Fast Qualifiers' heat... Other heat winners were: Nik Lapcevich, Rob Neely and DJ Kennington... Richard Beauchamp of Ormstown, QC qualified third-fastest for the race on his 'hometrack'. The Ford of Canada Taurus driver was competing in his first Super Series race of the season and finished an impressive 10th... Texaco-Havoline Taurus driver Steve Robblee led from laps 24-35 and looked strong at St. Eustache, before getting involved in a spin. A subsequent trip to the turn 4 wall left him 27th at the finish... Taurus driver Dave Jacombs returned to action, for the first time in '99, and finished 21st... The Eastern Super Series returns to action this weekend (June 26-27) at Cayuga Speedway, while the Western tour resumes Saturday night (June 26) at Hythe (AB) Motor Speedway.