Inaugural Series Visit Nets First Win For Road-Course Ace
MIRABEL, Que. — Robin Buck was the beneficiary of a skirmish between race leaders Alex Tagliani and Andrew Ranger, and converted the opportunity into a win in the Grand Prix ICAR Sunday.
It was the first NASCAR Canadian Tire Series win for Buck, a road course expert who has made 13 series starts over the previous four seasons. He held off points leader Scott Steckly on a green-white-checkered finish for the victory in the series inaugural visit to Circuit ICAR.
Tagliani and Ranger made contact while battling on Lap 28 for the lead in Turn 11 of the 15-turn, 2.113-mile road course. The incident caused Tagliani to hit the guard rail to bring out the caution, and NASCAR penalized Ranger a pass-through penalty for aggressive driving. Tagliani had led a race-high 24 laps after winning the Keystone Light Pole Award Saturday, while Ranger led four laps. Ranger had started in the back of the field after missing qualifying Saturday for another racing commitment.
The yellow set up the final race restart and handed the lead to Buck, who was right with the race leaders from the outset after starting from the seventh spot.
Don Thompson Jr. finished third, followed by L.P. Dumoulin and Mark Dilley.
Jeff Lapcevich, JR Fitzpatrick, Tagliani, John Farano and Jason White rounded out the top 10. Ranger finished in the 21st position.
The race was slowed due to caution four times for a total of nine laps and the race lead changed hands six times among four drivers.
The Grand Prix ICAR will air Sunday, June 12 on TSN at 11 a.m. ET.
NASCAR CANADIAN TIRE SERIES-Grand Prix ICAR UNOFFICIAL Results
Sunday
At Circuit ICAR
Mirabel, Que.
Lap length: 2.113 miles
(Start position in parentheses)
1. (7) Robin Buck, Campbellville, Ont., Dodge, 33 laps, 57.246 mph.
2. (2) Scott Steckly, Milverton, Ont., Dodge, 33.
3. (8) Don Thomson, Jr., Hamilton, Ont., Dodge, 33.
4. (9) L.P. Dumoulin, Trois-Rivieres, Que., Dodge, 33.
5. (13) Mark Dilley, Barrie, Ont., Dodge, 33.
6. (27) Jeff Lapcevich, Grimsby, Ont., Dodge, 33.
7. (5) JR Fitzpatrick, Cambridge, Ont., Chevrolet, 33.
8. (1) Alex Tagliani, Lachenaie, Que., Dodge, 33.
9. (15) John Farano, Toronto, Ont., Chevrolet, 33.
10. (17) Jason White, Sun Peaks, B.C., Dodge, 33.
11. (6) Peter Klutt, Halton Hills, Ont., Chevrolet, 33.
12. (12) Elie Arseneau, Laval, Que., Chevrolet, 33.
13. (16) Derek White, Kahnawake, Que., Chevrolet, 33.
14. (19) Ron Beauchamp, Jr., Windsor, Ont., Dodge, 33.
15. (10) Jason Hathaway, Appin, Ont., Dodge, 33.
16. (23) Dave Coursol, St. Jerome, Que., Chevrolet, 33.
17. (14) Patrice Brisebois, West Mount, Que., Chevrolet, 33.
18. (21) Steven Mathews, New Liskeard, Ont., Ford, 33.
19. (4) Kerry Micks, Mt. Albert, Ont., Ford, 33.
20. (3) DJ Kennington, St. Thomas, Ont., Dodge, 33.
21. (26) Andrew Ranger, Roxton Pond, Que., Dodge, 33.
22. (11) J.F. Dumoulin, Trois-Rivieres, Que., Dodge, 31.
23. (24) Dexter Stacey, Kahnawake, Que., Dodge, 29.
24. (25) Michel Pilon, Blainville, Que., Chevrolet, 19.
25. (22) Isabelle Tremblay, St. Hippolyte, Que., Ford, 13, drive shaft.
26. (18) Martin Roy, Napierville, Que., Dodge, 1, accident.
27. (20) Noel Dowler, Sherwood Park, Alta., Dodge, 0, accident.