Chevrolet Impala rode a record of ten top- ten finishes to third place in the 2011 stand- ings. The 24-year-old former CASCAR Super Series champion (2006) will have five-time Canadian National champion Don Thomson Jr. calling the shots from the pit wall this year as Fitzpatrick looks to add to his career six race victories. Talented, fiercely determined and not afraid to mix it up, Fitzpatrick must be con- sidered a frontrunner in the 2012 title hunt.
RON BEAUCHAMP JR A consistent, top-ten performer, the #60
MOPAR / Mobil 1 / Exide Dodge team fronted by Ron Beauchamp has seemed to be missing just one small piece of the puzzle that would bring them race and champi- onship success.
That gap may have been plugged this year as the Windsor, Ontario based squad had brought on board a trio of pit stop ‘Ringers’ from the United States, as well as legendary Crew Chief Dion Deneau from Butch Miller’s ASA championship-winning team. From a career-best third place overall result in 2009, Beauchamp has ended the last two seasons in seventh spot, well below what the driver and team are capable of. With a fresh set of eyes calling strategy and strong pit lane support, this could be a breakout year for Beauchamp.
JEFF LAPCEVICH The driver of the #23 Tim Horton Dodge
has only competed in selected races over the past several years. For 2012, Lapcevich returns to the Canadian Tire Series on a full time basis and could very well be a dark horse in the championship chase. A talented road racer, Lapcevich is also comfortable on the ovals, earning a trio of fourth place results (Canadian Tire Motorsport Park, Trois-Rivieres and Mon- treal) on road courses in 2011 and a top-five finish on the 1/3-mile Barrie Speedway.
WILD CARDS
Jason Hathaway (#3 Rockstar Energy Drinks / Snap-On Tools Dodge) has one race victory to his credit (Kawartha in 2008) and overcame an early-season broken wrist last year to conclude the schedule in ninth place in the final points tally. With the downsizing of the E.H.R. Racing team to a single car ef- fort, Hathaway will enjoy the full concentra- tion of the Stouffville, Ontario based squad. Two veterans on the Canadian Tire Series
tour, Kerry Micks and Mark Dilley will share the driving duties of the #02 Beyond Digital Imaging / PartSource Ford this year, with Dil-
ley driving the ovals and Micks handling the road course challenges. Although they will obviously not be in line for the Driver’s Championship, with three series victories apiece, whoever happens to be in the car will be capable of winning.
Over the past three seasons, Jason White has enjoyed a steady progression up the championship ladder. Riding a record of five top-ten results, the driver of the #23 A&W / Castrol Edge Dodge ended the 2011 cam- paign in eighth place overall. This year, White’s ride will be prepared by DJK (Ken- nington) Racing, and while he may not be in contention for the overall title, it is quite pos- sible that a checkered flag could be in the fu- ture for the Sun Peaks, BC driver. 2011 Rookie of the Year Louis-Phillip Du- moulin has vastly more racing experience than his rookie status indicates, and this se- ries’ sophomore will no doubt be a threat to win on whichever road courses he ventures onto. Two top-five finishes (ICAR and GP3R) in 2011 illustrates his obvious skill and with a year’s experience at the wheel of the Scott Steckly-prepared #47 Weathertech Chal- lenger, he could very easily slide in under the radar and drive away with a victory or two. Steve Mathews is the definition of a low- budget, family-backed racer, but his talent and outright speed tend to overshadow any financial constraints. A pole position for the Bill Mathews Motors/John Mathews Body Shop Ford in the 2011 season finale at Kawartha Speedway translated into a seventh place finish, bested only by his season-best fourth place finish on the 1/2-mile Delaware Speedway. When it comes to part-time, rac- ing specialists, few rank higher than Robin Buck and Pete Shepherd III. On road and street courses in 2011, Buck made five starts and came away with a pair of victories (ICAR and GP3R) and two more podium results at Mosport and Toronto.
Returning to face a similar schedule this
year, the #66 Quaker State Challenger will probably again be found at or near the front of the pack. Shepherd enjoyed a similar rate of success in 2011, as the pilot of the #7 Na- tional Exhaust Dodge he earned the pole po- sition at Delaware Speedway and scored one race victory (Saskatoon) and a pair of runner- up results on the Mosport and Riverside ovals. In 2011, 59 drivers scored points on the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series tour. With an equally talent-laden field expected to take part in the 12-race, 2012 schedule, a race winner could come from anywhere on the grid. •
(Clockwise from opposite page) 2012 NASCAR Canadian Tire Series contenders Scott Steckly, Andrew Ranger, DJ Kennington, J.R. Fitzpatrick and Ron Beauchamp Jr. are top five favourites for this year’s title.
WWW.NASCAR.CA • @NASCARHoMeTRACK • #NCATS 23
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64