CASCAR: The all-new Loctite Pontiac Grand Prix set to debut at Delaware
31 August 2000
LONDON, ON - The Loctite Racing CASCAR Castrol Super Series team will have
a new look for this weekend's National finale at Delaware Speedway Park
(Sept. 1-3). Pete Vanderwyst has driven a Chevrolet - either a Lumina or a
Monte Carlo - since his entry on the tour several seasons ago. But for the
CARQUEST 300, the St. Thomas, ON racer is hoping to boost his fortunes with
a new car and a new 'skin'. For the first time ever, the #77 Loctite CASCAR
late model will be competing as a Pontiac Grand Prix.
The new Loctite car will also sport a new paint scheme for its
first - and final - appearance of the 2000 Super Series season. It's been a
busy couple of days for the Vanderwyst Motorsports crew since Vanderywst's
disappointing 23rd place finish on the road course at Mosport Int'l Raceway
on Sunday afternoon.
"We've got a lot ahead of us to get our car ready for this weekend at
Delaware. The plan is to be able to test at Cayuga on Thursday. I'm in New
Hampshire on business for the early part of the week. We'll have a new
paint scheme on the new Loctite Pontiac Grand Prix for the CARQUEST 300.
It's really 'trick' looking," was the only hint that Vanderwyst would offer
about his all-new racer.
"The goal for the weekend is to put a good finish on what's been a
difficult year. Last season, when we finished second in the Eastern points,
we were successful in putting the bad luck aside. This year, we've been hit
with our fair share and more."
Looking back at the Mosport event, Vanderwyst qualified well in the top
half of the field during time trials and finished sixth (after starting
seventh) in his Saturday qualifying heat race, which was cut to just 15
laps by rain.
In Sunday's 64 lap (250 km) main event, Vanderwyst was running eighth by
lap 20, prior to pitting to allow his team to remove the car's hood, which
was buckled in an earlier coming together with another car.
"Our pit strategy worked. We wanted to 'short pit' - come in early. The
full course caution came out just as we came in and the CASCAR official at
the end of pit road held me there, which put us down a lap. We argued and
argued, but they wouldn't change it. It wasn't right.
"It was perfect timing for our stop. I was already in the pits making my
stop when the caution came out (on lap 24). It was actually a blessing. You
dream about that happening, because when everyone comes in the next time
around, you're the leader. But we got nailed by a bad call, and somehow
lost a lap."
Vanderwyst was able to recover, however, and actually charged back past the
leaders to recover his lost lap.
"I eventually got my lap back. But I was too distracted and I just lost it.
Coming into turn 9, I dropped my right-front tire off the track and into
the gravel (on lap 41). The car spun and it took the back end off. That
ended our day. It was too bad, because we had a good day going and we were
as fast as the leaders. CASCAR got me and then I got myself," lamented
Vanderwyst.
MOSPORT RACE SUMMARY: The third CASCAR Castrol Super Series National event
of the season finished on a familiar note. For the second year in a row,
the Mosport Int'l Raceway road course race was won by Peter Gibbons. And
for the third race weekend in a row, Gibbons finished ahead of his nearest
National points rival, Don Thomson Jr. The pair also finished 'one-two' at
the July 30 National race at Calgary's Race City Motorsport Park, as well
as at the Eastern finale on Aug. 6 at Montreal's Autodrome St-Eustache.
Gibbons and Thomson ran nose-to-tail for much of the race and finished
several seconds ahead of third-place Kevin Dowler.
The CASCAR National season winds up this weekend (Sept. 1-3) at London's
Delaware Speedway Park. The CARQUEST 500 Race Weekend concludes on Sunday
afternoon with the CARQUEST 300; Canada's richest, oldest and biggest stock
car race. Qualifying time trials and heat races are scheduled for Friday
evening.
By Inside Track Communications