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 forward 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. 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 first weekend of June, teams travel to St. Eustache. The next two events are held on the oval and road course at Mosport. Mosport is followed by race six at Cayuga International Raceway. Toronto’s Exhibition Place is the location for the series most high-profile event. Drivers will compete on the temporary street circuit in front of an audience of over 100,000 fans. Then the series travels West to Calgary for an event at Race City Speedway and another temporary track at Vancouver’s Pacific Place. Returning to the East, drivers compete at Autodrome Montmagny in August, and teams race in round eleven at Kawartha Speedway. The season ends where it started, Delaware Speedway.

The cars competing in CASCAR are constructed to specifications and rules similar to those of 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 0.095-inch wall thickness 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 seven of the twelve for the 2002 CASCAR Super Series was held at Toronto's Exhibition Place. Thirty-seven drivers would take the starter's flag for thirty-six laps around the eleven-turn 1.755-mile temporary street circuit.

Just two laps into Saturday morning’s qualifying session, CASCAR West competitor Kevin Dowler lost an engine in the No. 35 Quality Care Ford Taurus. Rather than replace the motor, the winner of round four of the Super Series elected to use his backup car. As per the rules, Dowler would start from the back of the grid. He charged from the thirty-seventh position and, with two laps to go, passed Joe. His impressive charge was capped when, with two laps remaining, he overtook Joe Goncalves for the lead and claimed victory.
Joe Goncalves finished 0.513 seconds behind the winner. His best 2002 result before Toronto was eighth at Cayuga International Raceway. He qualified eighteenth in the No. 93 Wooden Sticks / ALCOM / Class RV Chevrolet Monte Carlo. Like Kevin Dowler, Goncalves advanced. On lap 33, he passed leader Robin Buck but could not hold off Dowler, finishing second.
Robin Buck, a road racing expert and defending Toronto winner, drove the No. 15 NAPA Pontiac Grand Prix. He matched his previous qualifying performance to secure a second consecutive pole. Buck led the race until a full-course caution erased his comfortable advantage. On the restart, Joe Goncalves overtook him, followed by Kevin Dowler in corner three. Although Buck did not win, this was his best result of 2002.
The reigning CASCAR Super Series champion, Don Thomson, Jr., drove the familiar No. Chevrolet Monte Carlo with Home Hardware sponsorship. He entered round seven with the points lead, having secured three runner-up finishes and a victory at the Mosport oval. Thomson qualified fifth fastest and, in the race, passed Kerry Mick and Al Turner. However, he could not match the pace of Joe Goncalves and Kevin Dowler, finishing fourth.
Series veteran DJ Kennington finished fifth after being chased by CASCAR West competitor Carl Harr. Accompanying Harr from Alberta was his son, Daryl. The senior Harr drove the No. 2 GM Goodwrench Service Chevrolet Monte Carlo. He qualified fifteenth fastest and capitalized on the misfortune of other competitors to finish sixth. Daryl started in the thirteenth position but retired after twenty-four laps in thirtieth place.
Pete Vanderwyst returned to the Molson Indy Toronto hoping to improve upon last year's ninth-place result. Vanderwyst drove the No. 99 Exide Batteries Pontiac Grand Prix. He opened his 2002 campaign with a runner-up finish in round one at Delaware Speedway. During the qualifying session, Vanderwyst was ninth fastest. Passes on Al Turner, Kerry Micks, and Kerry Micks were rewarded with a seventh-place result.
Kerry Micks piloted the No. 02 United Food and Commercial Workers International Union Ford Taurus. In 2002, Micks excelled in qualifying but struggled during races. For example, at Toronto’s Exhibition Place, he started third in the thirty-six-lap contest and finished ninth.
The No. 76 Blue Streak Hygrade Motor Products Dodge Intrepid was driven by Al Turner. Turner finished third in last season’s CASCAR Super Series final standings with victories at Peterborough Speedway and Vancouver’s Pacific Place. After six rounds in 2002, his program had delivered mixed results. However, in the previous race at Cayuga International Raceway, Turner finished third. In Toronto, he started on the outside of the front row but grabbed the checker in tenth place.

FINISHSTARTDRIVERCARLAPSRETIREMENTS
137Kevin DowlerFord Taurus36 -
218Joe GoncalvesChevrolet Monte Carlo36 -
31Robin BuckPontiac Grand Prix36 -
45Don Thomson Jr.Chevrolet Monte Carlo36 -
58D.J. KenningtonDodge Intrepid36 -
615Carl HarrChevrolet Monte Carlo36 -
79Peter VanderwystPontiac Grand Prix36 -
816Neil FairChevrolet Monte Carlo36 -
93Kerry MicksFord Taurus36 -
102Al TurnerDodge Intrepid36 -
117Peter GibbonsChevrolet Monte Carlo36 -
1212Kelly WilliamsPontiac Grand Prix36 -
1314Bill Rowse, Jr.Chevrolet Monte Carlo36 -
1421Dave WhitlockFord Taurus36 -
1531Dave ConnellyChevrolet Monte Carlo36 -
1630John TsoumarisChevrolet Monte Carlo36 -
1729Kenny ForthFord Taurus36 -
1817Dave JacombsFord Taurus36 -
1932Rob NeelyDodge Intrepid36 -
2010Ron Beauchamp Jr.Dodge Intrepid36 -
2122Robbie ThompsonDodge Intrepid36 -
2219Chris FowlerChevrolet Monte Carlo35 -
2333Scott WatkinsPontiac Graham35 -
2424Howie Scannell, Jr.Chevrolet Monte Carlo35 -
2534Bob MerrifieldDodge Intrepid34 -
2635Marv WilderFord Taurus31 -
2725Doug BrownChevrolet Monte Carlo27 -
2836John FitzpatrickChevrolet Monte Carlo27 -
2923Brad GrahamPontiac Grand Prix26 -
3013Daryl HarrChevrolet Monte Carlo24 -
3128Cole PearnPontiac Grand Prix24 -
324Jim LapcevichChevrolet Monte Carlo23 -
336Scott StecklyPontiac Grand Prix23 -
3426Mark GrahamChevrolet Monte Carlo23 -
3520Jeff LapcevichChevrolet Monte Carlo21 -
3627Joe PlazekChevrolet Monte Carlo15 -
3711Mark DilleyFord Taurus12 -

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