PETERBOROUGH, ON – There were two big winners following the season-ending CASCAR Super Series race at Kawartha Speedway on Sunday afternoon. Castrol Dodge driver DJ Kennington started on the pole for the ‘RAM Tough 250 presented by the Dodge Dealers of Ontario’ and led several times en route to his fourth checkered flag of the season.
The St. Thomas, ON racer was jubilant in victory lane, and accurately summed up his performance by saying, “We spanked ‘em.” Prior to a late-race caution, Kennington had lapped all but a few of his competitors and was three-quarters of a lap in front of second-place driver Dave Whitlock in the Avenue Motor Works / NMT Dodge Charger.
At the finish, Kennington came home more than four seconds in front of Whitlock to record one of the most dominant CASCAR Super Series oval track performances in recent memory. Peter Gibbons, the winner of the previous two Super Series races – at Delaware and Cayuga – fought handling troubles but once again managed to mount a late race charge to bring his Canadian Tire Chevy home in third.
The other big winner on Sunday at Kawartha was Don Thomson Jr. of Hamilton, ON. The Home Hardware Chevy driver clinched his fifth consecutive CASCAR Super Series National points championship when he took the green flag to start the RAM Tough 250. Thomson led several times during the race, but was no match for Kennington at the end and came home fourth.
After the race, Thomson struggled to put his incredible string of championships into perspective. “It’s just unbelievable to imagine what this Home Hardware Fitzpatrick Motorsports team has done. To be this competitive and to win the championship for so many years in a row is really something to be proud of. There has been some luck involved, but the people who make up and support this team have contributed to something special.”
In addition to the podium and championship presentations, 2005 CASCAR Super Series Rookie of the Year Tara MacLeod was honoured after the race at Kawartha. The Central Merchant Services Ford driver finished 13th in the Kawartha closer.
A total of 29 CASCAR Super Series racers lined up for the season finale at Kawartha Speedway. The ‘RAM Tough 250 presented by the Dodge Dealers of Ontario’ was the 12th event of the season, which saw Canada’s top stock car series compete in Quebec, Ontario, Alberta and British Columbia.
In earlier action at Kawartha, Jason Hathaway led from wire-to-wire in the 100-lap CASCAR PowerWater Series season finale. Hathaway won last year’s race at Kawartha, but hadn’t participated in any series events in ’05 prior to today’s race at the Peterborough-area oval. Dion Verhoeven finished third in the race to claim his first PowerWater Sportsman Series championship.
SUPER SERIES POINT STANDINGS: Top 15 after 12 events. Unofficial as of September 18, 2005: 1. #4 Don Thomson Jr. (2208 pts.); 2. #1 Peter Gibbons (2118); 3. #17 DJ Kennington (2069); 4. #39 Dave Whitlock (2021); 5. #19 Brad Graham (1959); 6. #60 Ron Beauchamp Jr. (1953); 7. #02 Kerry Micks (1933); 8. #9 Mark Dilley (1922); 9. #84 J.R. Fitzpatrick (1872); 10. #88 Dave Jacombs (1831)
CASCAR ON TV: For information regarding initial airings and replays of Super Series races on SPORTSNET, please check your local listings or visit http://www.cascar.ca/schedule/tv_schedule.html.
CASCAR Super Series
RESULTS: Dodge Dealers of Ontario Ram Tough 250
Round 12 of 12 // September 18, 2005 // Kawartha Speedway
Peterborough, Ontario // 250 Laps // 3/8-mile oval
FIN. ST. # DRIVER (HOMETOWN) SPONSOR(S) / MAKE LAPS
1 1 17 DJ Kennington (St. Thomas, ON) Castrol Canada Dodge 250
2 2 39 Dave Whitlock (Wyoming, ON) Avenue Motor Works / NMT Dodge Charger 250
3 13 1 Peter Gibbons (Stouffville, ON) Canadian Tire Corporation Chevrolet Monte Carlo 250
4 5 4 Don Thomson Jr. (Hamilton, ON) Home Hardware Chevrolet Monte Carlo 250
5 8 19 Brad Graham (Glencoe, ON) Challenger Motor Frt. / Logel’s Dodge Charger 250
6 12 14 John Fitzpatrick (Ayr, ON) Latta Crane Chevrolet Monte Carlo 250
7 9 20 Pete Shepherd III (Brampton, ON) G.E. Lighting / L.E. Walker / Mid-America Chevrolet Monte Carlo 250
8 7 88 Dave Jacombs (Mt. Hope, ON) Lou's BBQ / FAG Auto / CPS Flooring Taurus 248
9 20 22 Scott Steckly (Milverton, ON) Alltruck / ERB Group Pontiac Grand Prix 248
10 15 75 Kenny Habul (Etobicoke, ON) R Hot Wheels Racing School / Simply Kids Chevrolet Monte Carlo 248
11 26 71 Bryan Cathcart (Peterborough, ON) Meyers Transport / Peterborough Homes Dodge 247
12 23 86 Kenny Forth (Lynden, ON) Midnight Sun / Parkinson Tours / 820 CHAM Ford Taurus 247
13 18 37 Tara MacLeod (Innisfil, ON) R Central Merchant Services Ford Taurus 246
14 29 0 Howie Scannell Jr. (Milton, ON) Bond Homes / Hobby Hobby Chevrolet Monte Carlo 245
15 25 41 John Tsoumaris (Toronto, ON) John’s Unique Auto / Mama’s Pizza Chevrolet Monte Carlo 243
16 3 77 Derek Lynch (Warkworth, ON) Berms-R-Us Dodge Charger 243
17 28 23 Jeff Lapcevich (Caistor Centre, ON) Fastline / EMCEA Transport / Tim Hortons Chevrolet Monte Carlo 243
18 22 93 Joe Goncalves (Concord, ON) G.P.S. Automotive Refinishes Ltd. Chevrolet Monte Carlo 237
19 17 3 Stu Robinson Jr. (Holland Landing, ON) Snap-On Tools / Super 8 Dodge 235
20 6 9 Mark Dilley (Barrie, ON) Dodge / Mobil 1 / PowerWater / Exide Dodge Charger 234
21 19 8 Marc Miller (Holland, MI) Carhartt Clothing Dodge 231
22 10 10 Doug Brown (Brantford, ON) NAPA / Wahta Springs Chevrolet Monte Carlo 218
23 4 60 Ron Beauchamp Jr. (Windsor, ON) MOPAR Parts / Exide / Mobil 1 Dodge Charger 178
24 21 11 Ron VanEs (Smithville, ON) Star Van Systems / All Cover Chevrolet Monte Carlo 175
25 24 42 Sean Stafford (Springfield, ON) L.E. Walker / Mid-America Freight Chevrolet Monte Carlo 166
26 16 25 Jim Lapcevich (Hamilton, ON) Fastline / EMCEA Transport / Tim Hortons Chevrolet Monte Carlo 107
27 11 02 Kerry Micks (Mt. Albert, ON) PowerWater Ford Taurus 56
28 14 84 J.R. Fitzpatrick (Ayr, ON) Cambridge Rigging Chevrolet Monte Carlo 24
29 27 18 Chad McGlynn (Petersburg, ON) R Awesome Racewear / Ultimate Garage Ford Taurus 15
R after the hometown denotes Rookie contender.
POLESITTER: #17 DJ Kennington (18.166 seconds) // TIME OF RACE: 1 hour, 38 minutes and 52.587 seconds // AVERAGE SPEED: 56.889 mph // MARGIN OF VICTORY: 4.410 seconds // CAUTIONS: 6 for a total of 41 // LAP LEADERS: #17 DJ Kennington (1-34), #4 Don Thomson Jr. (35-75), #17 DJ Kennington (76-180), #4 Don Thomson Jr. (181-187), #17 DJ Kennington (188-189), #4 Don Thomson Jr. (190-198), #17 DJ Kennington (199-250) // GOODYEAR BELTS & HOSES FASTEST LAP: #17 DJ Kennington (18.481 seconds on lap 106)
Contact CASCAR at (519) 641-1214 or visit www.cascar.ca
Prepared by Inside Track Communications. // Contact: Greg MacPherson (416) 561-2320 (cell).
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