CASCAR Super Series: Cayuga Preview

CASCAR heads to Cayuga 2000 Speedway on Sunday for the ninth event of the ’05 Super Series schedule

LONDON, ON – The CASCAR Super Series makes its lone appearance of the season at Cayuga 2000 Speedway on Sunday afternoon for a 200-lap race at the 5/8-mile oval. Because of its size and speed, Cayuga has long been a highly anticipated destination for CASCAR’s racers and fans.
Heading to Cayuga, Don Thomson Jr. leads the Super Series points chase as he continues his quest for a fifth-consecutive CASCAR National championship. The Home Hardware Chevy driver is coming off a runner-up finish in the Mosport Speedway 200 last Saturday night, where DJ Kennington charged around him with just a few turns to go, en route to the win.

Immediately after the race, Thomson was upset to see the victory slip away so close to the checkered flag. But it didn’t take long for the veteran racer to refocus on the big picture. “We have eight races down and four to go. We’d like to get another win in the column, and that’s why I’m a little frustrated with what happened [at Mosport], especially when you lead so many laps and not to seal the deal. But it was another good points night for us and we’ll head to Cayuga right where we want to be.”

And while Don Thomson is pleased with his position in the overall points, DJ Kennington is looking for his fourth CASCAR Super Series feature event win in a row, at Cayuga. “Our good run started at Toronto [where he started on the pole] and it’s just gone from there. We’ve had a strong car every race all season, but the difference lately is that the little things that were biting us, aren’t biting us anymore. I can’t describe how good this run feels; it’s just amazing.”

The Castrol Dodge driver is starting to display a level of confidence that indicates he believes he can challenge Thomson and points runner-up Peter Gibbons for the title over the final third of the schedule. “We’re concentrating on our Super Series program right now and that has made a big difference. We still have a long way to go to catch Donnie, but we’re climbing and that’s what we have to continue to do.”

Time trials for Sunday’s Super Series race at Cayuga are scheduled to start at 12:30 p.m. The green flag is set to fly at 2:30 p.m. A Thunder Car feature race will follow the Super Series event.

CAYUGA NOTEBOOK: In 2004, the Super Series visited Cayuga 2000 Speedway on two occasions. In the first, on June 6, Peter Gibbons led the final 30 laps of the PowerWater 200 after starting third in the 32-car field. Dave Whitlock won the second Cayuga race last summer (on July 4), after a pit miscue thwarted Gibbons’ chances for a Cayuga sweep. Last year’s top rookie, Pete Shepherd, started on the pole in that race and went on to finish fifth.

CASCAR ON TV: The Sun Valley 300 CASCAR Super Series race from Sun Valley Speedway in BC’s Okanagan Valley will air on SPORTSNET on Saturday, August 13 at 3 p.m. 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.

POWERWATER SPORTSMAN SERIES: The CASCAR PowerWater Sportsman Series returns to action this Saturday night at Barrie Speedway. The event will be the fourth of six on the 2005 PowerWater schedule and the second of the season at Barrie Speedway. The tour last visited the 3/8-mile oval on July 2 when hometown driver and rookie competitor Ron Lethbridge led all 100 laps of the PowerWater 100 en route to his first series win.

SCHEDULES:

CASCAR SUPER SERIES: Cayuga 2000 Speedway 200
Nelles Corners (Hamilton), Ontario // Event #9 of 12
SUNDAY, AUGUST 14, 2005
10:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. CASCAR Super Series Practice Session
12:30 p.m. CASCAR Time Trials
2:20 p.m. CASCAR Driver Introductions
2:30 p.m. START: Cayuga 2000 Speedway 200


POWERWATER SERIES: PowerWater Series 100, presented by CARQUEST
Barrie, Ontario // Event # 4 of 6
SATURDAY, AUGUST 13, 2005
4:00 p.m. CASCAR Super Series Practice Session #1
5:00 p.m. CASCAR Super Series Practice Session #2
7:45 p.m. CASCAR Time Trials
9:45 p.m. Super Series Driver Autograph Session
10:10 p.m. START: POWER WATER SERIES 100, presented by CARQUEST

SUPER SERIES POINT STANDINGS: Top 15 after 8 events. As of August 9, 2005: 1. #4 Don Thomson Jr. (1582 pts.); 2. #1 Peter Gibbons (1493); 3. #17 DJ Kennington (1474); 4. #9 Mark Dilley (1443); 5. 39 Dave Whitlock (1412); 6. #02 Kerry Micks (1405); 7. #19 Brad Graham (1401); 8. #84 J.R. Fitzpatrick (1390); 9. #60 Ron Beauchamp Jr. (1382); 10. #88 Dave Jacombs (1296); 11. #22 Scott Steckly (1260); 12. #10 Doug Brown (1238); 13. #37 Tara MacLeod ® (1216); 14. #11 Ron VanEs (1206); 15. #3 Stu Robinson Jr. (1168).

WESTERN SERIES POINT STANDINGS: Top 15 after 6 events. As of August 9, 2005: 1. #35 Kevin Dowler (1309 pts.); 2. #30 Derek Polack (1238); 3. #79 Wade Lee (1212); 4. #36 Jim White (1159); 5. #6 Todd Nichol (1119); 6. #21 Jason White ® (1116); 7. #26 Shaun Polack (1092); 8. #69 Randy Kozek ® (924); 9. #14 James Van Domselaar (876); 10. #87 James Ward (828); 11. #31 Sean Maltman (676); 12. #68 Shane Charlton (562); 13. #15 Mike Browne (542); 14. #96 Norman Hunger ® (512); 15. #27 Mark Derks (288)

POWERWATER SPORTSMAN SERIES POINT STANDINGS: Top 15 after 3 events. As of August 9, 2005: 1. #77 Dion Verhoeven (250); 2. #95 R Ron Lethbridge (244); 3. #28 Steve Robblee (242); 4. #00 Steve Munro (239); 5. #32 Mike Alguire (237); 6. #6 Brad Graham (232); 7. #97 R Michael Gold (224); 8. #80 Mike Hryniuk (218); 9. #38 Ken Grubb (211); 10. #11 R Cole Weber (200); 11. #66 R Josh Wood (199); 12. #91 Dean Fantin (192); 13. #81 Shawn McGlynn (184); 14. #39 Kevin D'Amore (184); 15. #45 Bob Merrifield (183)

® Denotes Rookie of the Year Competitor.

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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