2001 Toronto - Cascar

The Canadian Association for Stock Car Racing (CASCAR) was established in 1981 by Tony Novotny. Novotny moved stock car racing in Canada from loosely structured club level regional activities to a national organization. CASCAR is now recognized as the governing body for amateur and professional stock car racing in Canada. The sanctioning body has grown since its inception. In 1999 CASCAR was purchased by brothers Bill and Alan Darmon. The Darmons continue to push CASCAR into the future and position it as the only national stock car racing program in Canada.

The premier division of CASCAR is the twelve race National Super Series sponsored by Castrol. This championship kicks-off at Delaware Speedway on the Victoria Day long weekend. A week later, the teams travel to Peterborough Speedway for round two. The next two events are held on the oval and road course at Mosport. Mosport is followed by race five at Kawartha Raceway. Toronto’s Exhibition Place is the location for the series most high-profile event. Drivers will compete on the temporary street circuit before an audience of over 100,000 fans. Then the series travels to Quebec for a race on the oval at Autodrome St-Eustache and the streets of Trois-Rivieres. In early August, drivers compete in round nine at Cayuga Speedway. The teams make the west coast swing for events at Race City Motorsport Park in Calgary and the Molson Indy Vancouver. The season ends where it started – Delaware Speedway.

The cars competing in the CASCAR are constructed to specifications and rules similar to most stock car series. The minimum weight for the vehicles without the driver is 2,850-lbs. and they must have a minimum ground clearance of four-inches. The tube-frame chassis is constructed of 1.75-inch diameter steel tubing with a wall thickness of 0.095-inches and is fitted with a fiberglass body – representing automotive manufacturers such as Chevrolet, Dodge, Pontiac and Ford.

Engines eligible for the series include the 350-cu.in. Chevrolet, 351-cu.in. Ford and 360-cu.in. Dodge. The motors are equipped with a four-barrel Holley 390-CFM carburetor and produce 400 to 420-horsepower. The driveline is fitted with an OEM four-speed transmission.

Safety equipment includes a 5-point safety harness and an aluminum safety seat with a padded headrest. Drivers are required to wear full coverage Nomex or Nomex, P.B.I., Kevlar Blend fire suits. Fire Retardant gloves and socks are mandatory. A window net is required on the driver's side. Also, an on-board fire extinguisher is needed with two outlets. These must be accessible to safety crews.

Race six of the twelve for the 2001 CASCAR Super Series was held at Toronto’s Exhibition Place. Thirty-seven drivers would take the Starter’s flag for thirty-one laps around the eleven turn 1.755-mile temporary street circuit.

Robin Buck was labeled the series ‘road race ringer’ and lived up to that moniker at Toronto. Buck won in the series first visit to the track in 1999 but failed to finish last season. He was only competing in the series four road course events this year. Buck qualified on the pole and led all but two laps in the No. 66 UAP / NAPA Pontiac Grand Prix. His 2001 victory marked the sixth different winner in as many races.

Finishing in second, 2.125-seconds, behind Robin Buck was Don Thomson, Jr. Thomson was victorious in the previous round at Kawartha Speedway. Thomson was fourth fastest in the qualifying session before he was involved in an incident that damaged the front end of the No. 4 Chevrolet Monte Carlo. Thomson led the opening lap and a second time during the twenty-second circuit but would finish second.

Rounding out the podium was Barrie, Ontario’s Al Turner. Turner drove the No. 76 Blue Streak Chrysler Intrepid. He was the winner of round two at Peterborough Speedway and led the championship standings. Turner was fifth fastest during the qualifying. A consistent drive combined with Peter Gibbon’s problems and Kerry Micks’ aggressive passing attempt on Robin Buck allowed him to finish third.

Although he was from a stock car family, Jeff Lapcevich brought his road racing experience to this year’s Indy event. During 1998 and 1999, Lapcevich participated in Motorola Cup. Like Robin Buck, his appearances were limited to the road course events. At Mosport, he started twentieth and finished twenty-seventh. Lapcevich moved from the thirteenth qualifying spot to a fourth-place finish in round sixth.

D.J. Kennington won round four of the 2001 CASCAR Super Series on the road course at Mosport International Raceway. He also had runner-up results at Peterborough Speedway and the Mosport oval. Kennington was gridded in the eighth position for the thirty-one lap contest at Toronto’s Exhibition Place. The driver of the No. 17 Castrol SYNTEC Chrysler Intrepid collected a seventh-place finish.

Of the six different winners in the first half of the 2001 CASCAR Super Series season, the defending champion, Peter Gibbons, was not one of them. Leading up to Toronto, his best result was a runner-up finish at Kawartha Speedway, but he failed to start the season opener. Gibbons recorded the third-fastest time in qualifying, but the driveshaft fell off on the pace lap, which prevented him from starting the race.

FINISH	START	DRIVER	CAR	LAPS	RETIREMENTS
1	7	Robin Buck	Pontiac Grand Prix	31	-
2	1	Don Thomson Jr.	Chevrolet Monte Carlo	31	-
3	13	Al Turner	Dodge Intrepid	31	-
4	5	Jeff Lapcevich	Chevrolet Monte Carlo	31	-
5	18	Ron Beauchamp Jr.	Dodge Intrepid	31	-
6	14	Chris Fowler	Chevrolet Monte Carlo	31	-
7	4	D.J. Kennington	Dodge Intrepid	31	-
8	12	Donald Theetge	Chevrolet Monte Carlo	31	-
9	11	Peter Vanderwyst	Pontiac Grand Prix	31	-
10	5	Jim Lapcevich	Chevrolet Monte Carlo	31	-
11	15	Kerry Micks	Ford Taurus	31	-
12	15	Carl Harr	Chevrolet Monte Carlo	31	-
13	17	Kelly Williams	Pontiac Grand Prix	42	-
14	21	Robbie Thompson	Dodge Intrepid	31	-
15	23	Andy Farr	Dodge Intrepid	31	-
16	23	Joe Goncalves	Chevrolet Monte Carlo	31	-
17	23	Damon Sharpe	Chevrolet Monte Carlo	31	-
18	9	John Fitzpatrick	Chevrolet Monte Carlo	31	-
19	10	Kevin Dowler	Ford Taurus	31	-
20	19	Dave Jacombs	Ford Taurus	31	-
21	20	Teri MacDonald	Chevrolet Monte Carlo	31	-
22	8	Dave Whitlock	Ford Taurus	31	-
23	8	Steve Robblee	Ford Taurus	31	-
24	6	Mark Dilley	Ford Taurus	30	-
25	6	Kevin O'Hara	Chevrolet Monte Carlo	30	-
26	15	Daryl Harr	Chevrolet Monte Carlo	29	-
27	15	Mark Graham	Chevrolet Monte Carlo	29	-
28	15	Brad Graham	Pontiac Graham	28	-
29	6	Marv Wilder	Ford Taurus	27	-
30	15	Billy Innes	Chevrolet Monte Carlo	27	-
31	3	Scott Steckly	Pontiac Grand Prix	25	Engine
32	15	Scott Lindsay	Chevrolet Monte Carlo	18	Accident
33	23	Rob Neely	Dodge Intrepid	16	Accident
34	15	John Tsoumaris	Chevrolet Monte Carlo	9	Accident
35	15	Howie Scannell, Jr.	Chevrolet Monte Carlo	1	Accident
36	16	Neil Fair	Chevrolet Monte Carlo	1	Accident
37	22	Kevin Trevellin	Ford Taurus	1	Accident
-	2	Peter Gibbons	Chevrolet Monte Carlo	0	Did Not Start

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