NASCAR Canadian Tire Series Statistical Advance: GP3R

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Aug. 5, 2014) – The 2014 NASCAR Canadian Tire Series presented by Mobil 1 will head to Quebec for the fourth and final time this year with the JuliaWine.com Le 50 Tours on Sunday at Circuit de Trois-Rivieres. Below is a statistical look at the performance of the series and selected drivers at the track:

Trois-Rivieres Setup:

• Quebec’s Andrew Ranger has won four of the seven all-time NASCAR Canadian Tire Series presented by Mobil 1 races in the Grand Prix de Trois-Rivieres(GP3R). He finished second in the three that he did not win.
• Trois-Rivieres native L.P. Dumoulin brings the championship points lead home to the JuliaWine.com Le 50 Tours. His best finish in five previous GP3R starts was second in 2012.
• J.R. Fitzpatrick (Canadian Tire Motorsport Park) and Ranger (Circuit ICAR) have won the two previous road course races this year while D.J. Kennington is the defending winner of the GP3R.

At Circuit de Trois-Rivieres:

History

• The Grand Prix de Trois-Rivieres began in 1967 when members of the Club Autosport Mauricien decided to organize a race in the streets of the city.
• It is the oldest street course in North America. This year is the 45th edition of the Grand Prix de Trois-Rivieres.
• Kerry Micks won the inaugural NASCAR Canadian Tire Series presented by Mobil 1 Grand Prix de Trois-Rivieres event on Aug. 19, 2007.

Notebook

• The previous seven events have produced four different race victors, led by Andrew Ranger’s four triumphs.
• There have been four different pole winners in seven events. Three drivers have two apiece.
• Seven drivers have participated in all seven previous events, and six are expected to extend the streak this week.
• Dodge has been the winning manufacturer in four events while Ford-powered cars have won the other three.
• Ranger, in 2010, is the only driver to win from the pole.
• The .012-second margin of victory for Micks over Ranger in 2007 is the closest finish in series history.
• Ranger’s four wins at Trois-Rivieres are tied for the most for a driver at one track in NCATS history. Scott Steckly matched Ranger’s mark with his fourth win at Autodrome St-Eustache this year.

Circuit de Trois-Rivieres Data

Race #:  7 of 11

Track Layout:  1.53-mile, 11-turn temporary street course

Race Length:  50 laps (76.5 miles/123 kilometers).

TV Coverage:  RDS2 – Live; TSN – Sat., Aug. 16, 3 p.m.

Qualifying/Race Data

2013 Race Winner:  D.J. Kennington, 57.297 mph, 1 hr. 13 mins. 42 secs.

2013 Pole Winner:  Alex Tagliani, 82.111 mph, 67.080 secs.

Qualifying Record:  Alex Tagliani, Dodge, 82.111 mph, 67.080 secs., Aug. 11, 2013

 Category Leaders at Circuit de Trois-Rivieres:Wins

1. Andrew Ranger … 4

2. Robin Buck … 1

D.J. Kennington … 1

Kerry Micks … 1

Poles

1. J.R. Fitzpatrick … 2

Andrew Ranger … 2

Alex Tagliani … 2

L.P. Dumoulin … 1

Top Fives

1. Andrew Ranger … 7

2. D.J. Kennington … 5

3. J.R. Fitzpatrick … 3

Jeff Lapcevich … 3

 Top 10s

1. Andrew Ranger … 7

2. D.J. Kennington … 6

Jeff Lapcevich … 6

Scott Steckly … 6

 Laps Led

1. Andrew Ranger … 83

2. J.R. Fitzpatrick … 50

3. Kerry Micks … 43

Laps Completed

1. D.J. Kennington… 306 (all)

2. Andrew Ranger … 306

3. Jason Hathaway … 293

Select Driver Highlights:

J.F. Dumoulin (No. 04 Bernier Crepeau Chrysler/Bellemare Dodge)

• Part-time (road course) driver has as eight top 10s in 17 career NASCAR Canadian Tire Series starts.
• Best career finish of sixth was recorded in 2012 at Circuit de Trois-Rivieres.
• Has participated in all seven previous NCATS Grand Prix de Trois-Rivieres (GP3R) races and has posted four top 10s with an average finish of 12th.

L.P. Dumoulin (No. 47 WeatherTech Canada/Bellemare Dodge)

• The 2011 NCATS Rookie of the Year has three wins, a pole, 15 top fives and 23 top 10s in 43 career starts.
• First two career triumphs came at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park in a 2013 season sweep of events at the road course. He became the first back-to-back winner there in series history.
• Leads the championship standings with top-five finishes in all six races, highlighted by his first career oval win at Auto Clearing Motor Speedway.
• Has a pole (2012), two top fives, an average finish of 11th and a best result of second (2012) in five GP3R starts.

J.R. Fitzpatrick (No. 84 Equipment Express/Autism Speaks Chevrolet)

• Has nine wins, shares the series record with 14 poles, has 39 top fives and 59 top 10s in 84 career starts.
• Won the 2014 opener at CTMP to extend his series record for wins at the road course to four.
• Held the points lead following the first four races of the season and now ranks second with top 10s in all six events.
• Has two poles (2007, `08), three top fives, an average finish of 7.5 and a best result of third (2010, `12) in six appearances in the GP3R. Did not participate in the 2009 event.

Alex Guenette (No. 39 Motos Illimitees Dodge)

• The 2013 NCATS Rookie of the Year has eight top 10s in 15 career starts.
• Has three career runner-up finishes, including this year at Circuit ICAR and Autodrome St-Eustache.
• Finished 20th last year in his GP3R debut.

Jason Hathaway (No. 3 Princess Auto/Rockstar Energy Drink Chevrolet)

• Has four wins and 56 top 10s in 93 career starts. Is one of three drivers to compete in every race in NCATS history.
• Ranks fifth in points this season, highlighted by a win at Autodrome Chaudiere and podiums in both of the western swing events.
• All four of his career wins have been earned on ovals, including three of his last seven circle track starts.
• Has four top 10s, an average finish of 12th and a best result of third (2008) in the seven GP3R races.

D.J. Kennington (No. 17 Castrol Edge/Mahindra Tractors Dodge)

• The 2010 and 2012 NCATS champion.  Maintains series record for career wins (tied-19), top fives (64) and top 10s (78), and is one of three drivers to start each of the 92 all-time events.Also ranks second in series history in laps led (2,754) and fifth in poles (10).
• Holds the NCATS record for most career oval victories with 16, and has won at eight different circle tracks. All 10 of his career poles have been earned ovals.
• Has a streak of 56-consecutive races without at DNF. Last DNF came at Riverside International Speedway in 2007.
• Ranks sixth in points after six events with a best result of fifth in both the CTMP opener and at Edmonton International Raceway.
• Has a win (2013), a pole (2009), five top fives and an average finish of fifth in the seven previous GP3R events.

Alex Labbe (No. 36 Couche-Tard/VR Victoriaville Dodge)

• Has a pole and three top 10s in seven career starts with a best result of fourth this year at ICAR.
• Earned that first pole last time out at St-Eustache, which was his NCATS oval debut.
• Finished 31st (DNF) in the 2012 GP3R and improved to seventh a year ago.

Jeff Lapcevich (No. 76 Tim Hortons Dodge)

• Has a pole and 36 top 10s in 56 career NCATS starts.
• Has competed in three of six events so far this year – the two road course contests and St-Eustache.
• Has top 10s in all six of his GP3R starts with an average finish of sixth and a best result of fourth (2007, `11).

Kerry Micks (No. 02 Johnsonville/Leland/BDI Ford)

• Has three wins, four poles and 51 top 10s in 78 career starts.
• Only previous race this year was the CTMP opener. Was to participate at ICAR, but fell ill.
• Has a win (2007), four top 10s and an average finish of 11th in the seven GP3R races.

Andrew Ranger (No. 27 Mopar/Exide Dodge)

• The 2007 and 2009 champion is tied for the series all-time lead in both wins (19) and poles (14). Has 41 top fives and 58 top 10s in 67 career NCATS starts.
• Of his 19 career triumphs, 15 have come on road courses, including this year at ICAR
• Ranks third in points with two wins and four top 10s. The second victory came at Edmonton.
• Holds GP3R records for wins (four), poles (tied, two), top fives and top 10s (seven) and laps led (83).

Scott Steckly (No. 22 Canadian Tire/Sylvania Dodge)

• Has a series-leading three championships (2008, `11, `13) through the first seven years of NCATS competition.
• Owner of 16 wins, 13 poles, 57 top fives and 70 top 10s in 93 career starts. His top fives and top 10s totals rank second all-time while his wins and poles sit third in the record book. Is the all-time leader in laps led at 3,944.
• All 16 of his career triumphs have come on ovals. He’s won at eight different circle tracks.
• Ranks fourth in points after six races with five top 10s, highlighted by a win last time out at St-Eustache.
• Has six top 10s and an average finish of ninth across the seven GP3R events.
• Has five career road course runner-ups, including GP3R in 2008.

Alex Tagliani (No. 18 EpiPen/Dicom Express Dodge)

• Has a win, five poles, six top fives and an additional two top 10s in 21 career NCATS starts. The victory was earned at Edmonton City Centre Airport in 2008.
• Missed the CTMP opener to compete in Indianapolis 500 qualifying, but has an average finish of 10th in the five races since, including a pair of top fives.
• Has two poles (2009, `13), an average finish of 17th and a best result of fifth (2013) in four GP3R starts.

Jacques Villeneuve (No. 7 Dodge/Julia Wine/Couche-Tard Dodge)

• Has two top fives in three career NCATS races. This will be his first NCATS appearance since last year’s GP3R.
• Finished fourth in the 2009 GP3R and third a year ago in his only two previous NCATS races there.
• Has a total of 20 career starts between NASCAR’s three national series; 10 on ovals and 10 on road courses.

Up To Speed:

• The 2014 season is the eighth for the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series presented by Mobil 1.
• The 2014 schedule features 11 races at 10 different tracks across five provinces.
• J.R. Fitzpatrick opened the campaign with a dominant victory at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park on May 18. Andrew Ranger set the track record in qualifying.
• Steve Mathews earned his third career pole and Jason Hathaway took the checkered flag for the fourth time in his career on June 15 in the series’ inaugural visit to Autodrome Chaudiere. The race was postponed one day due to rain.
• Ranger swept the weekend at Circuit ICAR with his second straight pole and third win in a row in the event on July 6.
• The western swing began on July 11 with the series’ inaugural visit to Edmonton International Raceway. Alex Tagliani earned his fifth career pole and Ranger took down a second straight victory.
• L.P. Dumoulin closed out the western swing in Victory Lane at Auto Clearing Motor Speedway on July 16. Scott Steckly earned the pole.
• Steckly broke through for his first win of the year in dominant fashion as he repeated as victor at Autodrome St-Eustache on July 26.
• Following the JuliaWine.com Le 50 Tours, the series will head to Antigonish, Nova Scotia, for the Wilson Equipment 300 on Aug. 16 at Riverside International Speedway.