Montreal: JR Fitzpatrick race notes

VICTORY SLIDES AWAY FROM J.R. FITZPATRICK IN MONTREAL

August 2, 2008. John Ryan (J.R.) Fitzpatrick and the #84 Fitzpatrick Motorsports team had the fastest car on the day at round number seven of the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve in Montreal. As the old saying goes however, the fastest car doesn't always win.

Right from the start of practice the Fitzpatrick Motorsports team was focused on the goal of winning the race. The team limited the number of practice and qualifying for J.R. looking to preserve the power in the motor. Even with only a handful of trips around the track the #84 Chevrolet posted the second quickest qualifying time. "We took off on a qualifying lap with a bit of traffic and got held up otherwise we would have been even better" said Fitzpatrick.

As the green flag dropped Fitzpatrick moved from the right side of the track in front of the pole sitter before corner number one and took over the lead. "The car was a bullet" said J.R. "We made some changes to the engine and it really helped the performance".

The #84 Chevrolet of Fitzpatrick would lead the first eighteen laps of the race with little difficulty. Fitzpatrick allowed the #27 car by on lap nineteen but retook the lead the next time around. I just wanted to take it easy and not use up the car that early in the race" said the driver.

Fitzpatrick would continue to lead and accepted the white flag indicating the last lap. Heading into corner one Fitzpatrick went a little wide and the #27 car moved up to the inside. As J.R. looked to retake the lead heading to the back part of the track Fitzpatrick went little wide and put the wheels of his #84 Chevrolet onto the grass. The car would slide of course and brush the wall. The chance of victory was gone.

"I just tried a little too hard, a bit too aggressive and once the car got onto the grass that was it" said a very frustrated Fitzpatrick afterwards. "The car was just so good all day; the team did a great job getting ready. We'll head to Mosport next week and hope to change our luck and get that win'.

J.R. Fitzpatrick would lead 21 of the 23 race laps and turn the quickest lap of the afternoon in Montreal. He is now sixth in the overall championship standings.

J.R and the Fitzpatrick Motorsports team get back to oval track racing this coming Saturday night, August 9th at Mosport Speedway. The 2008 NASCAR Canadian Tire Series schedule will take teams to the east coast and western Canada where Fitzpatrick swept away the competition last year. All races will once again be broadcast on TSN.

-credit: fm