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Scott Steckly celebrates his win in the Dickies 200 NASCAR Canadian Tire Series season opener at Mosport Speedway. |
By Kevin W. Green
Bowmanville, Ont. Canada - Scott Steckly rebounded from problems during a pit stop to win the Dickies 200 at Mosport Speedway on Saturday night, as the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series kicked off its 2011 season.
The 2008 series champion from Milverton, Ont., had dominated much of the 200-lap event on the half-mile banked oval, but lost the lead during a pit stop when an air gun jammed as a crew member was changing the right rear tire on his No. 22 Canadian Tire Dodge.
Steckly's fast pace earlier in the race, which left only five cars on the lead lap by just past the midway point, served to minimize his setback. He restarted fifth and quickly began his charge to the front. He caught Pete Shepherd III by Lap 153 and moved by for the lead a few laps later. Steckly held on through two restarts in the last 10 laps to take the win, the ninth of his career.
Shepherd edged Don Thomson Jr., for second; with fourth going to Brad Graham and defending series champion DJ Kenninton fifth. Jason Hathaway, JR Fitzpatrick, Jeff Lapcevich, Ron Beauchamp Jr., and series rookie Steven Mathews completed the top 10.
Fitzpatrick had led the initial laps, after winning his seventh career series pole in qualifying. Mathews charged out front and set the pace, but Kennington later slipped by as they battled through lapped traffic. Steckly, who had started second on the grid, chased down Kennington and moved by for the lead on Lap 56. He maintained the lead until everyone made their pit stops during a caution on Lap 123. After the pit stop issue, he charged his way back to the front and retook the top spot on Lap 157.
The Dickies 200 will be televised on TSN on Saturday, June 4, at 1 p.m. ET
The NASCAR Canadian Tire Series will be back in action next weekend when the circuit makes its inaugural visit to Circuit ICAR, the modern motorsports facility north of Montreal. Indianapolis 500 polesitter Alex Tagliani is entered in the event.