CASCAR off and running - Coast to Coast
1 June 2000
NELLES CORNERS, ON - After getting the 2000 campaign off and running just two weeks earlier, the CASCAR Castrol Super Series East teams move into perhaps Canada's most famous oval course this weekend. The Ford Quality Care 250 lines up at Cayuga Speedway here with defending race winner Kerry Micks of Mt. Albert, ON looking to cap off a milestone weekend with his third straight Cayuga win. Micks will become the CASCAR Ironman with his 118th consecutive green flag and has an excellent shot at capping the weekend with a race win. Micks is known as 'King of Cayuga' for his success on the 5/8-mile oval, but if he is to continue his success there, he will have to be at his best in the ultimate battle of driver and machine. While taking his Ford Fastlane Taurus to victory lane twice last season, other drivers and car makes will be in the thick of it this year as well. Among them, Alan Turner of Barrie, ON the series points leader and winner of the opening race who holds the honour of being the first ever to record a race win in an Intrepid. Turner will be looking to build on his earlier success at Delaware Speedway Park in his Blue Streak Hygrade Motor Products Intrepid at Cayuga. But don't forget General Motors, the make that dominated much of the 1999 campaign, led by defending CASCAR Castrol Super Series East champion, Don Thomson Jr. of Hamilton, ON. Thomson opened the season with a second place finish and will be looking to bolster his own title defense at Cayuga with his Home Hardware Chevrolet Monte Carlo. Another Hamilton resident, Jim Lapcevich, also in a Monte Carlo, finished third at Delaware. Five of the top 10 at the series opener were behind the wheel of a Ford Taurus including Micks, Dave Jacombs of Mt. Hope, ON; Mark Dilley of Barrie, ON and Kelly Williams of Inglewood, ON. Kevin Dowler of Edmonton, AB actually had the best Taurus finish, bringing his Ford Quality Care/Herbrand Ford Taurus in fourth, but he will move to the opener of the CASCAR West series this weekend. Other top 10 finishers at Delaware, looking to improve at Cayuga include Rob Neely of Milton, ON, eighth in his Dodge and John Fitzpatrick of Ayr, ON who powered his Monte Carlo to ninth. Ironically, Neely will also see his own Ironman mark supplanted having reached the plateau in 1997. While support series will dominate racing at Cayuga on Saturday, CASCAR will own the track Sunday. Practice begins at 9:30 a.m., Time Trials are scheduled for 11:30 a.m., heats at 12:30 p.m., final qualifying at 1:20 p.m. and the Ford Quality Care 250 goes green at 3 p.m. Jefferson begins title defense. SASKATOON, SK - After enjoying the winter as CASCAR Castrol Super Series West champion, Steve Jefferson of Prince George, BC begins the tough job of defending his title at the 2000 season opener here at Bridge City Speedway - The Auto Clearing Chrysler Super Store 150. Jefferson will be here with his Mopar Batteries/Sandman Chrysler and will be the man to beat in the highly competitive CASCAR West field. Kevin Dowler of Edmonton, AB has prepared for the opener with a fourth place finish two weeks ago at the Mopar Parts 250 at Delaware Speedway at Komoka, ON with his Ford Quality Car Services Ford Taurus. Also gunning for front spot at the season opener will be hometown heroes, Dan Shirley, a former series champion and runner up to Jefferson last season; Charlie Kirton with his Great Western Brewing Co. Chevrolet and Bobby-Joe Wilson with his Wilson Auto Racing Chevrolet. Gates open at 2 p.m. at Bridge City with Time Trials kicking off at 6 p.m. and the green flag flies at 7:30 p.m.