CASCAR: St-Eustache / Whelen 200 Event Preview

CASCAR Super Series // PREVIEW: Whelen 200 // Autodrome St-Eustache (June 4, 2005)

CASCAR returns to Quebec for the Whelen 200 Super Series race at Montreal’s Autodrome St-Eustache

LONDON, ON – Following a one-year hiatus, the CASCAR Super Series is set to return to Montreal’s Autodrome St-Eustache. This Saturday night (June 4), the Montreal-area oval will play host to the Whelen 200.

Heading into the 200-lap feature race, Ron Beauchamp Jr. leads the points chase on the strength of his victory in the season-opening MOPAR 250 at Delaware Speedway, on Victoria Day. The MOPAR Parts / Exide Dodge Charger driver has history on his side as he heads to the flat, 4/10th-mile Montreal track in search of his second-consecutive Super Series checkered flag.

Back in June of 1998, Beauchamp – who now has three career Super Series wins – won features on consecutive days (June 20 & 21, respectively) at Autodrome St-Eustache and Circuit Ste-Croix. Beauchamp is hoping that lightning strikes again for him in La Belle Province and that he is once again able to leave Quebec with a two-race winning streak intact.

But before he can do that, the Windsor, ON racer will have to overcome a determined field of rivals. Peter Gibbons has a pair of Super Series race wins at St-Eustache (’00 & ’01). The Canadian Tire Chevy driver has a knack for being strong at the end of races at the flat Montreal oval.

Castrol Dodge driver DJ Kennington won the last Super Series race at St-Eustache, in ’03. The St. Thomas, ON racer came home in front of Scott Steckly (Erb Pontiac) and Don Thomson. Thomson, incidentally, claimed the final podium position in that race while behind the wheel of Kennington’s back-up car, after his #4 Home Hardware Chevy was stolen the night before the race.

Avenue Motor Works Dodge driver Dave Whitlock heads to the Whelen 200 after a strong, second-place showing in the MOPAR 250. The three-time Super Series National champion scored a checkered flag following a rain-shortened race at Autodrome St-Eustache in 2002.

Another driver to watch will be Brad Graham. The driver of the Challenger / Logel’s Dodge looked set to collect his first-ever Super Series win in the St-Eustache event in ’03, but fate intervened and he fell out of the race after leading the first 167 laps of the 200-lap affair. According to the Glencoe, ON driver, “St-Eustache owes us one.”

Representing Quebec in the Whelen 200 will be André Coursol, who finished a solid third in the CASCAR Sportsman Series points last season. The St-Jerome, QC resident drives the CARQUEST Chevrolet Monte Carlo and is always a crowd favourite when Canada’s top racing circuit visits Quebec.

Qualifying for the Whelen 200 is scheduled to start at 6:45 p.m. on Saturday evening. The night’s racing card includes other regular St-Eustache hometrack classes. The 200-lap CASCAR Super Series feature will take the green flag at 9:00 p.m.

WHELEN 200 CASCAR SUPER SERIES EVENT SCHEDULE
AUTODROME ST-EUSTACHE // MONTREAL, QC
SATURDAY, JUNE 4, 2005
5:00 – 6:00 p.m. CASCAR Rotating Practice
6:40 p.m. CASCAR: All Cars on Grid for Qualifying
6:45 p.m. CASCAR Time Trials
7:15 – 7:45 p.m. Heat Races: ANCA Support Class
7:45 – 8:30 p.m. ANCA Features
8:30 p.m. CASCAR Super Series Driver Introductions
9:00 p.m. GREEN FLAG: WHELEN 200 CASCAR SUPER SERIES RACE


POINT STANDINGS:

CASCAR SUPER SERIES POINTS AS OF JUNE 1, 2005 (TOP 25): 1. #60 Ron Beauchamp Jr. (Dodge / 170 points); 2. #39 Dave Whitlock (Dodge / 164); 3. #4 Don Thomson Jr. (Chevrolet / 157); 4. #9 Mark Dilley (Dodge / 152); 5. #84 J.R. Fitzpatrick (Chevrolet / 144); 6. #25 Jim Lapcevich (Chevrolet / 140); 7. #52 Ron Sheridan (Pontiac / 138); 8. #1 Peter Gibbons (Chevrolet / 136); 9. #23 Jeff Lapcevich (Chevrolet / 134); 9. #14 John Fitzpatrick (Chevrolet / 134); 11. #28 Steve Robblee (Ford / 130); 12. #71 Bryan Cathcart (Dodge / 128); 13. #88 Dave Jacombs (Ford / 126); 14. #93 Joe Goncalves (Chevrolet / 124); 15. #42 Sean Stafford (Chevrolet / 122); 16. #41 Matty Tsoumaris R (Chevrolet / 120); 17. #17 DJ Kennington (Dodge / 118); 18. #37 R Tara MacLeod (Ford / 116); 19. #86 Kenny Forth (Ford / 114); 20. #20 Mark Swain (Chevrolet / 112); 21. #02 Kerry Micks (Ford / 111); 22. #19 Brad Graham (Dodge / 110); 23. #22 Scott Steckly (Pontiac / 108); 24. #44 Marv Wilder (Ford / 106); 25. #50 Pete Shepherd (Dodge / 103)

CASCAR WESTERN SERIES POINTS AS OF JUNE 1, 2005 (TOP 15): 1. #30 Derek Polack (Stony Plain, AB / Chevrolet / 175 points); 2. #79 Wade Lee (Calgary, AB / Chevrolet / 158); 3. #12 Ron Larson (Quesnel, BC / Dodge / 157); 4. #14 James VanDomselaar (Fort Sask., AB / Chevrolet / 151); 5. #26 Shaun Polack (Stony Plain, AB / Chevrolet / 148); 6. #36 Jim White, Kamloops, BC / Dodge / 140); 7. #87 James Ward (Kelowna, BC / Ford / 138); 8. #21 Jason White (Sun Peaks, BC / Chevrolet / 136); 9. #31 Sean Maltman (Vernon, BC / Chevrolet / 134); 9. #35 Kevin Dowler (Edmonton, AB / Ford / 134); 11. #6 Todd Nichol (St Albert, AB / Chevrolet / 132); 12. #96 Norman Hunger (Delta, BC / Pontiac / 128); 13. #69 Randy Kozek (Kelowna, BC / Pontiac / 126); 14. #4 Gil Gillett (Kelowna, BC / Chevrolet / 124); 15. #76 Dale Biesick (Winfield, BC / Dodge / 122)

CASCAR NOTEBOOK: The CASCAR Western Series will take its second green flag of the season next Saturday (June 11) at Bridge City Speedway in Saskatoon, SK. The CASCAR Power Water Series kicks off its six-race season on Saturday, June 18 at Mosport Speedway, northeast of Toronto.

CASCAR ON TV: The MOPAR 250 from Delaware Speedway will air at 11:30 a.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.

- Prepared by Inside Track Communications