BARRIE, Ontario – Scott Steckly won the Pizza Pizza 300 at Barrie Speedway after taking the lead from Don Thomson Jr. on Lap 247 restart and led the final 54 laps to collect his fourth NASCAR Canadian Tire Series presented by Sirius Satellite Radio victory of the season.
After visiting Victory Lane three times in the first four races this season, Steckly (No. 22 Tow Truck in a Box/Erb Group Dodge) was held to the runner-up position four times over the next five events.
Steckly, out of Milverton, Ontario, was able to get away from Kerry Micks (No. 02 Beyond Digital Imaging Ford) over the race’s final two laps after a debris caution and beat him to the line by .372 seconds. Thomson (No. 4 Home Hardware Chevrolet) finished third after working his way through the field a few times on the night.
“We came here looking for the win,” said Steckly. “After a couple of tough finishes, we did not want to take an even smaller points lead into the last two races.”
Finishing fourth and fifth were the two Barrie residents, John Gaunt (No. 12 Centennial Chrysler Dodge) and Mark Dilley (No. 9 Dodge/Leland Industries/Maple Lodge Farms Dodge), respectively.
JR Fitzpatrick, DJ Kennington, Pete Shepherd, Brad Graham and Derek Lynch rounded out the top 10.
On Lap 238 several cars made contact on the frontstretch resulting in the Dave Whitlock (No. 39 Dickies/NMT Dodge) machine ending up on its roof. Whitlock emerged from the car with no apparent injuries. He was evaluated by medical personnel and released. The race was red flagged for 21 minutes while track workers cleared the track. Also involved in the incident were Lynch (No. 77 Allied Steel Buildings/Canadian Shield Dodge) and Fitzpatrick (No. 84 Fitzpatrick Motorsports Chevrolet).
Like Thomson, Micks overcame adversity to finish in third for his first podium since winning at Mosport Speedway.
Shepherd (No. 7 Wal-Mart/Ubisoft Ford), subbing for regular driver Alex Tagliani, who is competing in the Indy Car Series. Shepherd spent much of the first half of the race in the top 10, but a costly pit road infraction cost the Brampton, Ontario driver a lap after NASCAR officials tagged him for pitting outside of his pit stall. He gained the lap back after the race’s eighth caution period when he received the Tow Truck in a Box Free Pass Award and was able to collect a top-10 finish.
The race was slowed 14 times for caution covering 101 laps. There were 17 lead changes among six drivers.
Unofficially in the championship point standings, Steckly leads Thomson by 123 points. Andrew Ranger (No. 27 Wal-Mart/Tide Frod) is in third, just three points in back of Thomson.
The NASCAR Canadian Tire Series takes a break next weekend before travelling eastward to the Maritime province of Nova Scotia for the Atlantic Dodge Dealers 300 at Antigonish’s Riverside International Raceway. Riverside is a one-third scale model of the famed Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway.
NASCAR CANADIAN TIRE SERIES presented by SIRIUS SATELLITE RADIO-Pizza Pizza 300 Results
Saturday
At Barrie Speedway
Barrie, Ontario
Lap length: 0.333 miles
(Start position in parentheses)
1. (4) Scott Steckly, Milverton, Ont., Dodge, 301 laps, 44.329 mph, $8,090.
2. (5) Kerry Micks, Mt. Albert, Ont., Ford, 301, $3,850.
3. (1) Don Thomson, Jr., Ayr, Ont., Chevrolet, 301, $3,450.
4. (17) John Gaunt, Barrie, Ont., Dodge, 301, $6,275.
5. (3) Mark Dilley, Barrie, Ont., Dodge, 301, $3,640.
6. (15) JR Fitzpatrick, Cambridge, Ont., Chevrolet, 301, $2,525.
7. (6) DJ Kennington, St. Thomas, Ont., Dodge, 301, $2,790.
8. (10) Pete Shepherd, III, Brampton, Ont., Ford, 301, $2,180.
9. (8) Brad Graham, Glencoe, Ont., Dodge, 301, $2,360.
10. (11) Derek Lynch, Warkworth, Ont., Dodge, 301, $1,950.
11. (16) Peter Gibbons, Stouffville, Ont., Chevrolet, 300, $1,950.
12. (18) Andrew Ranger, Roxton Pond, Que., Ford, 300, $1,605.
13. (9) Jeff Lapcevich, Grimsby, Ont., Chevrolet, 300, $1,490.
14. (7) Ron Beauchamp, Jr., Windsor, Ont., Dodge, 298, $1,375.
15. (13) Doug Brown, Brantford, Ont., Dodge, 270, $1,285.
16. (19) Jason Hathaway, Appin, Ont., Dodge, 262, $1,260.
17. (12) Joey McColm, Ajax, Ont., Dodge, 246, $1,195.
18. (20) Anthony Simone, Holland Landing, Ont., Chevrolet, 245, $1,145.
19. (2) Dave Whitlock, Petrolia, Ont., Dodge, 237, accident, $1,100.
20. (14) Kent Nuhn, Williamsford, Ont., Chevrolet, 50, engine, $1,055.
Race Statistics
Time of Race: 2 hours 15 minutes 40 seconds
Margin of Victory: .372 seconds
Fastest Qualifier: D.Thomson Jr. (85.227 mph, 14.066 seconds)
Caution Flags: 14 for 101 laps.
Lead Changes: 17 among 6 drivers.
Lap Leaders: D.Thomson,Jr. 1-28; M.Dilley 29; D.Thomson,Jr. 30-68; M.Dilley 69;
D.Thomson,Jr. 70-79; S.Steckly 80; D.Thomson,Jr. 81-111; S.Steckly 112-131; D.Thomson,Jr. 132-157; K.Micks 158-159; D.Lynch 160; K.Micks 161-188; D.Lynch 189-193; D.Whitlock 194; D.Lynch 195-212; S.Steckly 213-245; D.Thomson,Jr. 246; S.Steckly 247-301.
Standings: 1. S.Steckly, 1824; 2. D.Thomson,Jr., 1701; 3. A.Ranger, 1698; 4.
D.Kennington, 1697; 5. K.Micks, 1634; 6. M.Dilley, 1565; 7. J.Fitzpatrick, 1527; 8. P.Gibbons, 1509; 9. D.Lynch, 1453; 10. J.Hathaway, 1416.
From Shon Sbarra / NASCAR
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