CASCAR: National tour heads to Edmonton following barn-burner finish in Calgary
11 August 1999
EDMONTON, AB - The first round of the 1999 CASCAR Castrol National Super Series is in the books and if Sunday's Mopar 300 at Calgary's Race City Motorsport Park was any indication, then this year's championship hunt will be the most hotly contested ever for Canada's most prestigious racing crown. Pete Vanderwyst's controversial late-race pass in his Loctite Chevrolet on Sunday afternoon sent tempers flaring, but in the end, the St. Thomas, ON racer was standing on top of the winner's podium for the first time in his CASCAR career. Al Turner of Barrie, ON was leading late in the race on Calgary's high-banked, half-mile oval and finished second in his Blue Streak Dodge, following Vanderwyst's daring inside move in turns 1-2. It didn't take long for the post-race tension to dissipate, but the high level of competition and intensity that characterizes every CASCAR Castrol Super Series race was never more evident. Eastern points leader Don Thomson Jr. was third in the Mopar 300 and based on his third-place run in Friday evening's 100 lap heat race, enjoys a slim, four-point lead on Vanderwyst in the National standings after the first of four rounds. Following a few days of rest, relaxation and work on getting their cars ready for road racing, the teams and officials that make up the CASCAR Castrol Super Series National caravan are heading for Edmonton, AB and this weekend's second round. The Bumper to Bumper Motorsport Classic will be held this coming Sunday (Aug. 15.) at the Edmonton City Centre Airport and has traditionally been one of the best attended CASCAR events anywhere. The road course configuration on the airport's tarmac has been a popular one with the majority of the competitors and fans. Garage access for the fans has always been a popular part of the Edmonton CASCAR weekend and this year, once again, the main grandstand will be located adjacent to the CASCAR garage where teams will be working on their cars, preparing for the 250 km feature race on Sunday. Last year, Edmonton's own Kevin Dowler broke through to victory lane to become the first Western driver to win a Castrol Super Series National event. The Ford Quality Care Taurus driver was a popular winner in '98 and is hoping that the broken shoulder blade he suffered just weeks ago during practice for a CASCAR race in Prince George, BC won't hamper his efforts to defend his title in the Bumper to Bumper Motorsport Classic 250 km. Dowler finished 11th in the 300 lap event at Race City Speedway on Sunday afternoon, and appears capable of overcoming the injury. *** The Bumper to Bumper Motorsport Classic 250 km is the centerpiece of three days of racing at the Edmonton City Centre Airport (Aug. 13-15), which will also include sports car, vintage car and exotic car races. Spectators are welcome on all three days. Gates open to the public on Friday at noon for CASCAR's first practice sessions of the weekend. On Saturday, spectator gates open at 8:30 a.m. and the on-track program begins at 9:15. Qualifying time trials for the Bumper to Bumper Motorsport Classic 250 km will start at 11:50 a.m., with the heat races scheduled for 3:20 in the afternoon. The track will open to the public on Sunday morning at 8:30 a.m.. A full morning of support class activity will conclude at 1:00 p.m. and the CASCAR portion of the schedule will commence. The driver autograph session will start at that time and the Bumper to Bumper Motorsport Classic 250 km will take the green flag at 2:30 p.m. National Point Standings: After Round #1 / As of Aug. 8, 1999 1. #4 Don Thomson Jr. (644 / Chevrolet); 2. #77 Pete Vanderwyst (640 / Chevrolet); 3. #1 Peter Gibbons (632 / Chevrolet); 3. #17 DJ Kennington (632 / Dodge); 5. #79 Wade Lee (622 / Pontiac); 6. #02 Kerry Micks (612 / Ford); 7. #76 Al Turner (608 / Dodge); 8. #33 Don Sales (588 / Chevrolet); 8. #35 Kevin Dowler (588 / Ford); 10. #98 Dave Whitlock (578 / Ford); 11. #20 Kim Richard (570 / Chevrolet); 12. #46 Dan Shirley (566 / Chevrolet); 13. #5 Steve Jefferson (560 / Dodge); 14. #2 Carl Harr (548 / Chevrolet); 14. #66 Robin Buck (548 / Pontiac); 16. #44 Fred DelPero (542 / Ford); 16. #31 Kelly Williams (542 / Ford); 18. #33 Neil Fair (540 / Chevrolet); 18. #14 John Fitzpatrick (540 / Chevrolet); 20. #52 Bill Rowse Jr. (538 / Chevrolet); 21. #4 Daryl Harr (536 / Chevrolet); 22. #64 Mark Dilley (534 / Ford); 22. #15 Mike Browne (528 / Pontiac); 24. #60 Ron Beauchamp (526 / Dodge); 25. #12 Ron Larson (524 / Pontiac); 25. #93 Charlie Kirton (524 / Chevrolet); 27. #04 Andy Farr (514 / Dodge); 28. #5 Nik Lapcevich (500 / Chevrolet); 29. #6 Todd Nichol (494 / Chevrolet); 30. #70 John Restemeyer (458 / Pontiac); 31. #88 Dave Jacombs (450 / Ford)