Beauchamp goes back-to-front to win the MOPAR 250 CASCAR Super Series opener at Delaware Speedway
LONDON, ON – On Sunday afternoon at Delaware Speedway, Ron Beauchamp Jr. ended a winless streak that dated back to June 21, 1998 when he won the MOPAR 250 CASCAR Super Series season-opener. And he did it in style. The #60 MOPAR Parts / Exide Dodge Charger driver was forced to start last in the 30-car field after the nose of his car was judged to be ‘too low’ following Saturday’s time trials.
Undeterred by the setback, Beauchamp quickly started to work his way forward after the start of the 250-lap race at the half-mile oval. By the time he pitted at lap 100, the Windsor, ON driver had charged to sixth-place. At the halfway point of the race, Beauchamp was running fourth and looking strong. The winning move came on lap 144 when Beauchamp powered underneath race leader Dave Whitlock (Avenue Motor Works Dodge Charger) on the front straight.
After making the pass, Beauchamp had the field covered the rest of the way. At one point, he built a massive 10-second lead over his nearest rival. And even though caution flags late in the race erased his big lead, the former Super Series East champ came home more than a second in front of Whitlock.
“Our last win was a long time ago, so this is really big,” said Beauchamp, in victory lane. “I knew we had a good car, but I was worried about wrecks with us being so far back for the start. But the car was so good that I knew if I was patient we had a chance. The only trouble I had all day was on restarts for a few laps, but then it just took off.”
The final podium position went to Mark Dilley (Dodge / Mobil1, Exide / Power Water Dodge Charger), Whitlock’s teammate at Whitlock Motorsports.
The top three finishers all drove the new Dodge Charger, which was made its CASCAR Super Series debut at Delaware, just days after being introduced at CASCAR’s Media Day. All in all, it was a dream finish for the MOPAR / Dodge contingent.
Fourth-place went to reigning Super Series National champ Don Thomson Jr. The Home Hardware Chevy driver started on the pole and ran second for most of the first-half of the race, but wasn’t in contention for the win after that point. Sophomore driver J.R. Fitzpatrick was fifth in the Cambridge Rigging Chevrolet. Defending MOPAR 250 race winner Peter Gibbons fought handling troubles on his Canadian Tire Chevy and came home eighth.
Matty Tsoumaris was the top finishing rookie driver. The John’s Unique Auto Chevy racer, who hails from Toronto, recorded a 16th-place result.
The MOPAR 250 was slowed by seven cautions for a total of 54 laps. The next CASCAR Super Series race is slated for June 4 at Montreal’s Autodrome St-Eustache.
CASCAR SUPER SERIES POINTS AS OF MAY 22, 2005 (UNOFFICIAL TOP 15): 1. #60 Ron Beauchamp Jr. (170 pts.); 2. #39 Dave Whitlock (164); 3. #4 Don Thomson Jr. (157); 4. #9 Mark Dilley (152); 5. #84 J.R. Fitzpatrick (144); 6. #25 Jim Lapcevich (140); 7. #52 Ron Sheridan (138); 8. #1 Peter Gibbons (136); 9. #23 Jeff Lapcevich (134); 9. #14 John Fitzpatrick (134); 11. #28 Steve Robblee (130); 12. #71 Bryan Cathcart (128); 13. #88 Dave Jacombs (126); 14. #93 Joe Goncalves (124); 15. #42 Sean Stafford (122)
CASCAR ON TV: The MOPAR 250 from Delaware Speedway will air at 9 p.m. on June 11 on SPORTSNET. 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: MOPAR 250
Round #1 of 12 // May 22, 2005 // Delaware Speedway
London, ON // 250 Laps // ½-Mile, Banked Oval
FIN. ST. # DRIVER (HOMETOWN) SPONSOR / MAKE LAPS
1 30 60 Ron Beauchamp Jr. (Windsor, ON) MOPAR Parts / Exide Dodge Charger 250
2 2 39 Dave Whitlock (Wyoming, ON) Avenue Motor Works / NMT Dodge Charger 250
3 9 9 Mark Dilley (Barrie, ON) Dodge / Mobil 1 / Exide / Power Water Dodge Charger 250
4 1 4 Don Thomson Jr. (Hamilton, ON) Home Hardware Chevrolet Monte Carlo 250
5 10 84 J.R. Fitzpatrick (Ayr, ON) Cambridge Rigging Chevrolet Monte Carlo 250
6 18 25 Jim Lapcevich (Hamilton, ON) Fastline / EMCEA Transport / Tim Horton’s Chevrolet Monte Carlo 250
7 14 52 Ron Sheridan (Strathroy, ON) Restoration Masters / United Carpet Pontiac Grand Prix 250
8 7 1 Peter Gibbons (Stouffville, ON) Canadian Tire Corporation Chevrolet Monte Carlo 250
9 12 23 Jeff Lapcevich (Caistor Centre, ON) Fastline / Tim Horton’s / EMCEA Transport Chevrolet Monte Carlo 250
10 4 14 John Fitzpatrick (Ayr, ON) Latta Cranes Chevrolet Monte Carlo 249
11 22 28 Steve Robblee (Dorchester, ON) Grogan Ford Taurus 249
12 17 71 Bryan Cathcart (Peterborough, ON) Meyers Transport / Peterborough Homes Dodge Charger 248
13 11 88 Dave Jacombs (Mt. Hope, ON) Lou’s BBQ Ford Taurus 248
14 19 93 Joe Goncalves (Concord, ON) Chevrolet Monte Carlo 246
15 15 42 Sean Stafford (Springfield, ON) L.E. Walker / Mid-America Freight Systems Chevrolet Monte Carlo 245
16 24 41 Matty Tsoumaris (Toronto, ON) R John’s Unique Auto / Mama’s Pizza Chevrolet Monte Carlo 244
17 6 17 DJ Kennington (St. Thomas, ON) Castrol Canada Dodge Charger 244
18 26 37 Tara MacLeod (Innisfil, ON) R Central Merchant Services Ford Taurus 244
19 21 86 Kenny Forth (Lynden, ON) Midnight Sun / Parkinson Tours / 820 CHAM Ford Taurus 243
20 28 20 Mark Swain (Port Perry, ON) Nighthawk Chevrolet Monte Carlo 242
21 8 19 Brad Graham (Glencoe, ON) Challenger Motor Frt. / Logel’s Dodge Charger 239
22 16 22 Scott Steckly (Milverton, ON) Alltruck Int’l / ERB Group Pontiac Grand Prix 232
23 29 44 Marv Wilder (Toronto, ON) Longbow Freight Systems Ford Taurus 222
24 3 02 Kerry Micks (Mt. Albert, ON) Power Water / APX / Carstar Ford Taurus 195
25 5 50 Pete Shepherd (Brampton, ON) ATTO Dodge Charger 165
26 20 43 Bob Merrifield (Belle River, ON) Team Remax Preferred Realty Windsor Dodge Charger 140
27 25 11 Ron VanEs (Smithville, ON) Star Van Systems / All Cover Chevrolet Monte Carlo 117
28 27 18 Chad McGlynn (Petersburg, ON) R Ultimate Garage Ford Taurus 53
29 13 10 Doug Brown (Brantford, ON) NAPA / Autopro Chevrolet Monte Carlo 52
30 23 3 Stu Robinson Jr. (Holland Landing, ON) Snap-On Tools Dodge Charger 32
R after the hometown denotes Rookie contender.
TIME OF RACE: 1 hour, 55 minutes and 41.247 seconds // MARGIN OF VICTORY: 1.013 seconds // CAUTIONS: 7 for a total of 54 laps // LAP LEADERS: #4 Don Thomson Jr. (Pole-15), #02 Kerry Micks (16-38), #39 Dave Whitlock (39-143), #60 Ron Beauchamp Jr. (144-250).
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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