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Steckly Comes Back For Top-Five at Barrie

Scott Steckly racing at Barrie Speedway, shortly after passing #4 Don Thomson Jr. to regain his position on the lead lap.

Barrie, ON. The CASCAR Super Series returned to Barrie Speedway for the second time this year for the Canada Day weekend race. Scott Steckly driver of the #22 Erb Group Dodge Charger posted his first career win at the recently repaved speedway at Barrie. Scott said “we have a new associate sponsor, Sommers Generator Sales in Tavistock and I hope we could achieve the same result as the first race”.

Practice and qualifying were held on July 1, with Steckly posting sixth fastest time. Scott temporarily set a track record for qualifying time, only to have 5 other cars beat his time later in the day. The teams were then scheduled to run two- 50 lap qualifying heats, but with the rain falling from the sky, CASCAR was only able to get one race in and so they ignored the results from the first heat race and reverted back to time trial results.

The team was confident that Scott had a strong car that was capable of winning at Barrie. They planned on employing a similar pit stop strategy as the used at the first race at Barrie, where Scott pitted earlier than most cars. On this day, Scott was forced to overcome some adversity as 42 laps into the race the Erb Group Dodge cut the right front tire causing a caution. The flat tire dropped Steckly down to 17 th place and one lap down to the leader Don Thomson. Scott had a very strong car and was back up to 13 th by lap 83, although still 1 lap down to the leaders.

The entire field of cars made pit stops on lap 139, crew chief Greg Gibson decided to change both right side tires, add fuel, as well as give the car two rounds of wedge. As the race went on the Erb Group Charger was getting better and better. With 61 laps to go Steckly was the first car one lap down, and in ninth place. Finally, with 30 laps remaining, Scott was able to do what no car was able to do all day and that was pass leader Don Thomson. In passing Thomson, Scott got himself back on the lead lap. Shortly thereafter, the yellow caution flag came out for a spin by the #09 car of Kent Nuhn, which allowed Scott to close up the field behind the leaders, but not before ducking into the pits for some fresh rubber. Unfortunately, on the pit stop, Scott ran over the air line on his exit and the penalty was a stop and go pass through pit lane under green flag racing. On lap 295 as Scott entered pit lane to serve his penalty the #19 of Brad Graham got spun out bringing out the caution again. With his penalty served Scott was in 8 th place on the lead lap ready for the final 5 laps.

The end of the race was wild as the #17 of D.J. Kennington got into the #4 of Don Thomson crashing him into the turn 3 wall causing a lengthy red flag. Both of those cars did not finish the race. Thomson’s car was badly damaged and Kennington was black flagged for the remainder. Finally, with 2 laps to go Mark Dilley got caught on the outside racing lane and Steckly was able to pass him for the 5 th position. Scott was elated with the comeback, “It was a tough day out there, and we didn’t give up, Greg (Gibson) made the right calls and the guys worked hard, I’m very proud of the whole team” It was Scott’s third top-5 in three races this season. The fifth place finish kept Steckly in second place in the CASCAR Super Series points standing. Scott is 8 points behind J.R. Fitzpatrick.

The CASCAR Super Series heads out west for the next two races in Vernon, BC and Edmonton, AB. The next race in Ontario is August 12 at Mosport Raceway in Bowmanville.

In the drive for the 2006 CASCAR Super Series Championship, of which Scott presently sits in 2 nd place, the 22 Race team is proudly sponsored by: Erb Group of Companies, AW Millwrights , International Dealers: ALTRUCK International, Diamond International (Edmonton, AB), Lewis Motors Sales, Sommers Motor Generator Sales, D.H. Jutzi Limited , CPL Systems , Thermo King of Eastern Canada , Twin City Graphics , Chris Root Precision Machine , Stratford Motor Products, Filtakleen , Mr. Transmission (Guelph) , Commercial Babcock , Classy Collectibles, Glasvan Great Dane, and Motorsport Design.

Go to CASCAR.ca for information on the racing series or contact kyle_erb@sympatico.ca for information about Scott Steckly and the entire race team.

® After the hometown denotes Rookie contender.
POLESITTER: #9 Mark Dilley (14.132 seconds * New Record) // TIME OF RACE: 2 hours, 17 minutes and 27 seconds // AVERAGE SPEED: 39.268 mph // MARGIN OF VICTORY: .960 seconds // CAUTIONS: 11 for a total of 79 // LAP LEADERS: #9 Mark Dilley (1-6), #4 Don Thomson Jr. (7-142), #09 Kent Nuhn (143-146), #4 Thomson (147-295), #9 Mark Dilley (296-297), #84 J.R. Fitzpatrick (298-300) // GOODYEAR BELTS & HOSES FASTEST LAP: #4 Don Thomson Jr. (14.434 seconds) // HARD CHARGER: #60 Ron Beauchamp Jr. (Advanced 8 positions)

POINT STANDINGS:
CASCAR SUPER SERIES: Unofficial after 3 events (top 10): 1. #84 J.R. Fitzpatrick (542 pts.); 2. #22 Scott Steckly (534); 3. #10 Doug Brown (513); 4. #02 Kerry Micks (506); 4. #39 Dave Whitlock (506); 6. #4 Don Thomson Jr. (505); 7. #17 DJ Kennington (480); 8. #19 Brad Graham (477); 9. #9 Mark Dilley (475); 10. #25 Jim Lapcevich (473)

CASCAR ON TV: For information regarding initial airings and replays of Super Series races on SPORTSNET, please check your local listings or visit http://www.cascar.ca/schedule/tv_schedule.html.

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