[media-credit name=”OntarioOval.com” align=”alignright” width=”255″]
[/media-credit]After months of waiting, it is finally here – the first race of the 2012 NASCAR Canadian Tire Series season takes the green flag tomorrow afternoon with the Vortex Brake Pads 200 at Canadian Tire Motorsports Park.
Known as Mosport International Raceway in years past, the track has gone under new ownership and upgrades in the winter, including a new pedestrian bridge. Ron Fellows and team took ownership of the track near the end of last year and have been working feverishly through the winter to have the track ready for this weekend.
“It’s really enjoyable to be a part of it. Mosport has been a big part of my life,” Fellows said at the Canadian Motorsports Expo back in February. “I went to the first race in 1969 as an 11 year old kid and that’s where I got bitten by the bug to go racing for myself and have had a lot of firsts at Mosport in terms of big wins for me so the place has meant a lot to me. For me, to get an opportunity to be part of the ownership team with Carlo Fidani and Alan Boughton, it’s pretty special.”
It was then announced last February that the track would be renamed Canadian Tire Motorsports Park as part of a new marketing partnership between the ownerships group and Canadian Tire.
“For the Canadian Tire Series to do their season opener at Canadian Tire Motorsports Park is absolutely ideal scenario for us,” Fellows added. “And then having a marketing partner like Canadian Tire, we feel it’s going to grow Mosport and create a lot more auto racing interest.”
Going into this weekend, one of the favorites is J.R. Fitzpatrick after the success he has had there. In his past five starts, he has two wins and five top fives while leading 91 of 257 laps. Fitzpatrick ran some NASCAR Camping World Truck Series races to start the year, however with sponsorship not materializing, he chose to focus on the Canadian Tire Series.
“We’re going for the win,” he said back at the end of March. “I think there’s only two of us that are two time winners at that place and we’re both going to be at that race so it’s going to be exciting. That’s one of my favourite tracks and to be one of the guys everybody watches every week when we go there, it’s kind of a cool feeling.”
The other two-time winner on the road course is Andrew Ranger. Ranger has two wins and three top fives in four starts. Ranger returns to run the full schedule once again in 2012 after spending some time in the United States running some NASCAR Nationwide Series races. Ranger will team up with GC Motorsports International, who has fielded Natiownide Series cars for David Ragan and Fitzpatrick in the past.
“I am happy with the faith entrusted in me by GCMI, Quebec Chrysler-Jeep-Dodge-Ram Dealers Co-op,” the Quebec native says. “I know the Canadian Tire Series tracks well, and look forward to competing in front of a home town crowd.”
The Canadian Tire Series has had five races on the Mosport road course – Fitzpatrick has won two, Ranger has won two and DJ Kennington has[media-credit id=4 align=”alignleft” width=”112″]
[/media-credit] won one. In five starts, the 2010 series champion has a win and four top fives.
“This is where we got our first series road course win in the #17 Castrol Edge Dodge” Kennington says. “It would be really nice to get another one, especially with Castrol presenting the event this weekend” he added.
Defending series champion Scott Steckly returns for another year as he looks to defend his championship. In five starts at Mosport, Steckly has three top fives with an average finish of 10.6. Steckly will once again have support from Canadian Tire.
“I’m grateful for the support I’ve received from Canadian Tire and their continued support of motorsports in Canada,” Steckly says. “I am honoured to be part of such an incredible team and looking forward to another fantastic year on the track in 2012.”
Jeff Lapcevich is also returning to the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series full-time in 2012, with sponsorship once again from Tim Hortons. In five starts at Mosport, he has one top five finish and an average finish of 7.4. When he’s not behind the wheel, he is at Sunset Speedway supporting his son, 12-year-old Cayden Lapcevich, as he embarks on his rookie season in the Super Stock division.
Isabelle Tremblay is set for sophomore season in the Canadian Tire Series as she looks to improve on her eighth place finish at Mosport last year. She has only confirmed so far to run four events this year, however is optimistic that marketing partners can be brought on to run the full season.
“This new partnership with Martin Roy is going to be very good for both us” Tremblay says. “He is very professional, has great experience in racing and I’m confident we’re going to work very well together.”
The race at Mosport also marks the beginning of a partnership that will play out this season between Kerry Micks and Mark Dilley. The two series veterans will share the driving duties of the No. 02 Leland/BDI Ford owned by Micks Motorsports in an attempt to win the owner’s championship. Micks will run the five road courses while Dilley runs the seven ovals.
“(It’s) is going to be very different year, for sure,” Micks says. “It will be the first time for Mark and I not to run a full season in our own rides. It will definitely be a change of scenery to sit on the box and cheer for the other at the different events. I have not stood on the box and watched someone else race my car.”
In five starts at Mosport, Micks has a top 10 and an average finish of 15.2.
The race is set to take the green flag on Sunday May 20 at 1:30pm EST with practice and qualifying taking place today (May 19). There will be an autograph session held at 11:15pm on Sunday.
