Delaware: Scott Steckly race notes

STECKLY EARNS FIRST PODIUM FOR CANADIAN TIRE IN 2009

London, Ontario, Monday June 8, 2009: Scott Steckly driving the No. 22 Canadian Tire/Tow Truck in a Box Dodge Avenger finished the Saturday night event in third place after several green, white checkered attempts to finish the race. The Delaware 200 presented by Belfor Restoration Services was held at Delaware Speedway just outside of London, On on Saturday night as the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series made its inaugural visit to the popular Southern Ontario half mile speedway.

Steckly posted his time trial early in the qualifying session and was first on the charts until a late qualifying Mark Dilley bumped him off the top spot. Dilley and Steckly would form the front row for the start of the 200 lap race.

At the drop of the green flag Dilley quickly moved to the front and Steckly was in the high groove for a few laps until he was finally able to get down to the preferred racing groove and into third place. By the first round of pit stops at lap 62, the No. 22 Canadian Tire driver found himself back in fifth. His crew quickly serviced the car with racing fuel, made some chassis adjustments and sent him back IMG_2122-1.JPG out. On lap 88 Steckly again came to the attention of his crew for some right side tires. The car was extremely loose all night and the adjustments were making it better but still not quite what the driver wanted. When the dust settled after three attempts at a green, white checkered finish Steckly brought the Canadian Tire/Tow Truck in a Box Dodge Avenger across the line in third posting his first podium finish in the early stages of the 2009 NASCAR Canadian Tire Series season.

"The car was extremely loose all night," stated Steckly after the race. "The team made some adjustments during our pit stops and while it was better it still wasn't perfect but a third is a good finish. I want to thank Canadian Tire, Tow Truck in a Box and all of our great sponsors for making this possible."

D. J. Kennington won the Delaware 200 on his home track with Ron Beauchamp Jr. posting his second straight second place finish, Kerry Micks and Anthony Simone rounded out the top five.

The Delaware 200 presented by Belfor Restoration Services will be aired on TSN on Sunday June 14th at 11:30 a.m. EST.

Steckly and his Canadian Tire team now head to Mosport International Raceway for the Dickies 200 next weekend, June 13/14th. Steckly finished fourth at this Internationally renowned road course venue in 2008. If not for a rain shower late in the event, Steckly may have had a chance at the win.

-credit: ssPR