CASCAR: Gibbons takes fourth pole of season, in Toronto
15 July 2000
TORONTO, ON - Reigning CASCAR Castrol Super Series National Champion Peter Gibbons grabbed his fourth and arguably most important pole of the Eastern Series season on Friday afternoon at Exhibition Place in Toronto. The Stouffville, ON racer lapped the temporary street circuit at the Toronto Molson Indy in 1 minute and 20.662 seconds to earn the pole for Saturday afternoon's Exide 99 Street Fight; the seventh event on the CASCAR East schedule. Gibbons's Canadian Tire Chevrolet overcame a stuck throttle early in the half-hour timed qualifying session and he posted the speedy lap in his eighth tour around the challenging Indy track. An early morning practice session was hampered by light rain, which saw half of the 41 competing drivers take to the track on slicks, while the others put treaded rain tires on their CASCAR Late Models for the first time in series history. Starting on the outside of the front row will be Edmonton, AB driver Kevin Dowler. The former road racer is a CASCAR veteran and is experienced on the Indy track. The combination of experience and his starting position make the Ford Quality Care Service Taurus driver a contender for victory on Saturday. Al Turner's Blue Streak Intrepid will line up behind Gibbons, on the inside of Row 2. He'll be looking for his fourth CASCAR feature win of the season. The Barrie, ON resident finished second to Robin Buck in last year's inaugural CASCAR Indy event. The lone afternoon qualifying session was slowed by a pair of red flags. Defending race winner Robin Buck, of Oakville, ON, encountered oil system problems and managed to get in only five laps. The UAP / NAPA Pontiac Grand Prix driver has his work cut out for him on Saturday afternoon as he'll be starting 34th in the 41-car starting field. Whether or not he can make it to the front, it should be exciting to watch his charge from deep in the pack. Castrol Dodge racer DJ Kennington lost a motor during qualifying and was busy installing a new motor late into the evening on Friday. Kennington, who hails from St. Thomas, ON, is another talented road racer and will line up 38th. The green flag falls on the Exide 99 Street Fight at 3:15 p.m. EXIDE 99 STREET FIGHT NOTES: Damon Sharpe will contend his first ever CASCAR race on Saturday afternoon. The Stouffville, ON racer will be working on the other side of the wall in the Exide 99 Street Fight, in a second Gibbons Motorsports Chevrolet Monte Carlo. Sharpe is one of Gibbons' senior crew members and will have backing from Logel's… Like the second-starting Kevin Dowler, the father and son team of Carl and Daryl Harr are also from Edmonton and have made the long journey to participate in their second consecutive CASCAR Indy race. Carl Harr currently leads the CASCAR Castrol Super Series West points chase on the strength of two victories so far this season. by Inside Track Communications.