LONDON, ON - Sunday marked the beginning of a new CASCAR Super Series season and the first appearance of the new Mopar Parts Dodge Charger for Ron Beauchamp Jr. in race competition with the traditional season opener; the Mopar 250 at Delaware Speedway. It was an afternoon to remember!
The new car was debuted during qualifying runs and Ron Jr. turned in a strong showing with the fifth quickest time. However following post race inspection the team was ordered to the back of the field after the front end of the car was declared to be too low. Never the less the team prepared their Mopar powered racecar for competition. “The car has been great right from the first time we put it on the track” stated the confident driver. “We’ll have something for them”.
As the race began Beauchamp knew he would have to steer clear of any trouble to have a car capable of getting to the front. On lap 3 he avoided contact with another car and on lap 23 during a major incident he incurred only minor cosmetic damage. “Those were the breaks we needed” commented Ron Beauchamp Sr. “I then had to calm down Ron Jr. a bit, he was a little anxious because he knew we had an excellent car.
Ron Beauchamp began to move the Mopar Parts Dodge up through the field. After a pit stop on lap 105 he began charging for the front. By lap 120 he was third, on lap 132 he claimed second and then took the lead of the race on lap 144. This is when the Beauchamp prepared Mopar power was best demonstrated, as he was able to pull out a huge lead over the next car. While a couple of late race caution flags bunched the field, Ron Beauchamp Jr. and the Mopar Parts Dodge never relinquish the lead, and the Windsor driver claimed his first victory in seven years, and the first for the 2005 Dodge Charger in CASCAR Super Series competition.
“What an unbelievable weekend” smiled the driver afterwards. “I’m so happy to have this first victory in the new Charger. Mopar parts have been so supportive of our racing program it’s a great feeling”. Asked afterwards if it felt good to have the monkey off his back regarding the winning drought and Ron Jr. exclaimed “yes, and I hope I gave it to somebody else”.
In addition to the race victory, Ron Beauchamp and the Mopar Parts Charger claimed the $1,500 cash award for the fastest lap of the race. It was also an all Dodge podium with Dave Whitlock taking second, and Mark Dilley rounding out the top three.
With the victory and the bonus points Ron Beauchamp Jr. leads the Super Series point standings and the competition gets set to return to Quebec and the flat oval at St. Eustache. “The cars in good shape” stated Ron Beauchamp Sr. “It shouldn’t be too much work at all to get ready for the next event”.
The CASCAR Super Series is the only National Stock Car Racing series with events scheduled this year at famed oval tracks including Delaware Speedway & Cayuga Speedway along with road courses and temporary street circuits like the Toronto Indy. You can keep up with the latest news on the CASCAR Super Series by logging onto the website at www.cascar.ca and by watching all of the races on Rogers Sportsnet.
This release prepared by Todd Lewis, TL Sports & Entertainment, tandt@pathcom.com (905) 978-7090
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