Montreal race report

Kerry Micks wins inaugural CASCAR 100 Super Series race at the G.P. de Montreal

MONTREAL, QC -- Veteran stock car competitor Kerry Micks became the first two-time CASCAR Super Series winner of the 2006 season when he won the inaugural CASCAR 100 at the G.P. de Montreal on Saturday afternoon. The Canadian Detailing Services Ford Taurus driver started on the pole and came out on the winning end of a race-long, back-and-forth battle with Lou's / CPS Ford driver Robin Buck. Micks' other victory of the campaign took place in mid-June at Mosport Int'l Raceway.

Micks, who hails from Mt. Albert, Ont. started on the pole for the 23-lap race around the 13-turn, 4.359 km Circuit Gilles Villeneuve road course and led the first 11 laps before slipping in the hairpin turn (turn 10), opening the door for Buck to take the lead. Both drivers have multiple CASCAR road course wins to their credit and it wasn't long before Micks had recovered from his miscue and was all over the Campbellville, Ont. racer as they left the rest of the 24-car field behind.

On lap 17, Micks dove underneath Buck in turn 10 and was able to pull in front on the exit from the tricky corner. From there, the lead duo posted furious lap times, almost two seconds quicker than their rivals. On the last lap, Buck mounted one last challenge, pressuring Micks to go across the final chicane. The final few hundred metres came down to a drag race between the pair, which Micks was able to win by a nose. His margin of victory at the checkered flag was less than two-tenths of a second.

Third-place in the CASCAR 100 went to ERB Dodge Charger driver Scott Steckly, of Milverton, Ont. Steckly cruised in third through the entire race, finishing comfortably ahead of Jim Lapcevich (EMCEA Transport / Tim Hortons Chevy) and DJ Kennington (Castrol Dodge Charger), who were fourth and fifth, respectively.

The points chase was tightened in Montreal as Fitzpatrick Motorsports teammates J.R. Fitzpatrick and Don Thomson -- who entered the race 'one-two' in the standings -- experienced trouble in qualifying for the CASCAR 100. Both drivers suffered engine failures during the Saturday morning time trial session and were forced to start at the back in the feature race. Fitzpatrick (Milwaukee Tools Chevy) was the Fast Eddie Hard Charger of the race, climbing to eighth at the finish, while Thomson (Home Hardware Chevy) endured more power trouble during the 23-lap chase and came home 13th, the last car on the lead lap.

Heading to next weekend's Labour Day Weekend event at Cayuga Speedway, Fitzpatrick now leads Micks by just 11 points, with Thomson 22 markers back of Micks.

-cascar