Fitzpatrick's Final Lap Heroics Win Dickies 200
 
BOWMANVILLE, Ont. -- J.R. Fitzpatrick (No. 84 Fitzpatrick Motorsports
Chevrolet) used his one and only chance to get to Victory Lane for the
first time since Edmonton last July. The chance came on the final lap of
the Dickies 200 presented by Lucas Oil at Mosport International Raceway
when he had to work past two cars on a wet race track. On that final lap,
the Cambridge, Ont., driver overtook D.J. Kennington (No. 17 Castrol/NPP
Dodge) and teammate Don Thomson Jr. (No. 4 Home Hardware Chevrolet).
 
"The last two laps are sort of blur. Everything was happening so fast even
though we weren't carrying the same speeds," said the jubilant winner. "I
just decided to go for it. I was either going to win or stick it in the
fence."
 
Fitzpatrick took the opportunity to wish his father, who missed all of the
2007 season recovering from serious injuries sustained in a motorcycle
accident, a happy Father's Day.
 
"My dad is back at the track and this one is for him. Happy Father's Day!
It's great to have you back with us," he said.
 
He had contact late in the race with Alex Tagliani (No. 7 Wal-Mart/Ubisoft
Ford), as well as, having some problems with the jack while switching to
rain tires.
 
"I was a little upset about some of the stuff that happened out there, but
I just kept my focus," he said. "That was the key, really. I get upset
sometimes, but I'm trying to not let those things get in the way as much."
 
Rain began to fall on the track during lap 41. Once the skies began to
darken, Thomson and Kent Nuhn (No. 18 Interstate Batteries Chevrolet) were
the first two competitors to make the move to the grooved rain tires. Race
leader Peter Gibbons (No. 1 Canadian Tire/Mobil Super Ford) remained on the
track on race slicks even after the track was entirely wet. Thomson closed
to within a few car lengths of Gibbons on lap 47. The caution flag waved on
lap 48 after a spin by Ron Beauchamp Jr. (No. 60 Mopar/Mobil 1 Dodge)
giving every driver the opportunity to change over to rain tires. However,
Gibbons decided to roll the dice and not forfeit the track position.
 
Once racing resumed on lap 51 for a green-white-checkered finish, Thomson
was easily able to work past Gibbons, who was a sitting duck on slick
tires. Thomson's gamble to change tires early on almost resulted in a win,
but Fitzpatrick had other ideas.
 
"I thought (changing tires) was going to pay off, but (Fitzpatrick) drove
the wheels off that thing considering the conditions," said Thomson.
 
Kennington had to start at the tail of the field after assuming the reigns
from Kenny Forth, who qualified his car on Saturday. Kennington was at
Kentucky Speedway on Saturday night to compete in the NASCAR Nationwide
Series event. He made the nine-hour drive north arriving at the track early
Sunday morning. It took Kennington just eight laps to get just outside the
top 10.
 
"This was a brand new racecar, so we weren't totally sure what we were
going to get, but it did great," said Kennington. "I'm pretty tired, but
happy with the results."
 
Kerry Micks (No. 02 Beyond Digital Imaging Ford) beat polesitter Scott
Steckly (No. 22 Tow Truck in a Box/Erb
 
Group Dodge) around the 2.459-mile road course to lead the first lap. Micks
led the first six laps before succumbing to Peter Gibbons (No. 1 Canadian
Tire/Mobil Super Ford), who paced the field until lap 22 when he made a
scheduled green flag pit stop.
 
Once the field cycled through green flag stops, Gibbons, once again,
assumed the lead on lap 30 with Steckly on his rear deck lid. However, the
caution flag waved on lap 35 due to fluid on the track in Turn 1 and erased
a large lead by Gibbons.
 
The veteran Gibbons has yet to win a Canadian Tire Series race despite
having the dominant car on more than a few occasions. Whether it was a
mechanical problem or contact with another car, something always happened
to squelch his hopes and today was no exception. Gibbons led 38 of the 53
laps and seemed to have an answer for every challenge except the rain.
 
The Canadian Tire Series is back on the track on June 28 at Barrie (Ont.)
Speedway for the A&W 300.
 
##MMR 2.61#.  (copied MP MMR 2.61#, was  6-21-08 #AS:E01/001 Stock Car
Racing - NASCAR, etc.#) 


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