BARRIE, ON – On Saturday night, at Montreal’s Autodrome St-Eustache, Mark Dilley continued his strong, late-season charge with another superb run. Dilley guided his #9 Dodge / Mobil1 / Exide / Leland / Avenue MotorWorks / CRS Dodge Charger to its second-consecutive third-place CASCAR Super Series finish.
The Barrie, ON driver started sixth in the 200-lap race around the flat, 4/10-mile oval and moved into fourth just prior to the halfway point of the race. With 80 laps remaining, a shuffle of the lead pack cars raised Dilley’s Dodge Charger to third, where he would eventually finish.
The result came less than a week after the team earned a third-place result at Cayuga Int’l Speedway. Following the race at St-Eustache, Dilley was excited about his race, as well as his late-season surge.
“The car was great, and the #9 Dodge crew did an excellent job. Our car was very fast, but it’s difficult to pass here. It’s hard sometimes to have a car that’s a lot stronger than the guys you’re chasing. Because even though you’re able to carry a lot more speed into the turns than they can, catching and passing are different things and you really have to get on the brakes sometimes to avoid running into the back of them.
“At the end, I had a shot at DJ [Kennington], who was second, I worked him over a bit, but I wasn’t going to turn him around. I can’t complain about a third at a tough track like this. We’re proud to be on the podium, two races in a row. We’re making a bit of a late-season charge, so I’m happy.”
Adding to Dilley’s pleasure at St-Eustache was the fact that he was – for the second race in a row – part of an all-Dodge Charger sweep of the top three finishing positions. MOPAR-powered racers Ron Beauchamp Jr. and DJ Kennington were first and second, respectively.
Commenting on the Dodge display, Dilley continued, “I’m really proud of, and happy for, all of the DaimlerChrysler, Dodge and MOPAR people associated with this program. To have an all-Dodge Charger podium two races in a row is really an accomplishment.”
This weekend, the CASCAR Super Series wraps up its 2006 season with the ‘Dodge Charger 250 presented by the Dodge Dealers of Ontario’ at Kawartha Speedway, near Peterborough, Ontario.
Regarding the season finale, Dilley said, “We’re on a roll and it would be great to finish the season with another podium and maybe a win. I’m really looking forward to finishing the season on a high note.”
ST-EUSTACHE RACE NOTES: MOPAR Dodge Charger driver Ron Beauchamp Jr. won his fifth career CASCAR Super Series feature race on Saturday night at Montreal’s Autodrome St-Eustache. The Windsor, ON racer took the lead on lap 66 and was able to power away from the field during long runs, en route to the checkered flag.
Second-place went to Dodge driver DJ Kennington, who has performed well at St-Eustache throughout his racing career. Dodge-sponsored Charger driver Mark Dilley completed the second ‘all-Dodge’ podium sweep for the second race in a row.
Super Series points leader JR Fitzpatrick finished fourth and tightened his grasp on the championship heading to the 11th and final points event of the season, this weekend at Kawartha Speedway. The Sept. 16-17 ‘Dodge Charger 250 presented by the Dodge Dealers of Ontario’ is part of a two-day racing program.
CASCAR CHARITY GOLF TOURNAMENT… SPACES AVAILABLE: There are still places available for foursomes and individuals to participate in the 7th Annual Racing With James Turner Charity Golf Tournament, which takes place Tuesday, Sept. 19 at the National Pines Golf & Country Club, in Barrie, ON. For anyone who has ever participated in the event, it’s a great time, for excellent causes (Rick Hansen’s Man in Motion Foundation & the Canadian Diabetes Association). For more information on getting involved, call Mark Dilley directly at (705) 733-8849.
Prepared by Inside Track Communications // For more information about the #9 Dodge team and its sponsors, visit www.whitlockmotorsports.com. For more on CASCAR, including complete race results, reports, point standings, event schedules and upcoming broadcast times for Super Series races on SPORTSNET, see www.cascar.ca
No comments:
Post a Comment