David Thorndyke and the #67 Thorsons EVT Chevrolet team worked countless hours preparing for their fist event of the 2011 NASCAR Canadian Tire Series season. All of the hard work by the team was rewarded with very good finish in the 200 km event at Mosport International Raceway near Bowmanville, Ontario.
The team expected to use both practice sessions along with the qualifying segment on Saturday to help dial in their car for the Sunday afternoon race. Rain would dampen the track side tracking their progress somewhat. Later Thorndyke would have a mechanical problem that would further hamper the #67 Thorsons EVT Chevrolet team. “We broke the third link” explained Thorndyke. “And then qualifying was cancelled so we never really got to fully test the car” he added.
With no qualifying session Thorndyke would line up the #67 Thorsons EVT Chevrolet 25th for the Sunday afternoon race. With limited track time and a starting spot deep in the field, it was a cautious approach taken by the driver at the start of the race. “I just wanted to take it easy at the start” said Thorndyke. “The car was pretty loose in the beginning so I just wanted to be patient with it” he added.
As the race progressed the #67 Thorsons EVT Chevrolet improved somewhat and Thorndyke continued to improve his position. “I adjusted a bit and found I could make things work” explained the driver.
In the closing laps of the race as Thorndyke continued to try and push the #67 Thorsons EVT Chevrolet forward he noticed a problem. “I was having some trouble with the right handers” said the driver. “It turns out we broke a shock and that’s why the car was a bit of handful in the final laps” he stated.
Despite the lack of practice time and an ill handling car at the end of the race, Thorndyke would gain eight positions over the course of the afternoon and finish 17th in the #67 Thorsons EVT Chevrolet. “I was very happy with the car” said Thorndyke. “We finished on the lead lap, all of the changes that we made updating the car over the winter really helped and I’m excited about getting back at it in a couple of weeks in Toronto” he stated.
David Thorndyke and the EVT Chevrolet team are next scheduled to race during the Toronto Indy weekend July 8 & 9 at Exhibition Place. For more NASCAR Canadian Tire Series information log onto www.nascar.ca and to learn more about the #67 Thorsons EVT/iRacing.com Chevrolet team go to www.promotiveracing.com
Attached Photo Caption: The #67 Thorsons EVT/iRacing.com Chevrolet at Mosport Raceway.
Photo Credit: Gary Grant www.thegarageblog.com
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