Kwaratha round 12 race summary

Kennington cruises to his fourth victory of the season in the Ram Tough 250 CASCAR Super Series finale at Kawartha

PETERBOROUGH, ON - There were two big winners following the season-ending CASCAR Super Series race at Kawartha Speedway on Sunday afternoon. Castrol Dodge driver DJ Kennington started on the pole for the 'RAM Tough 250 presented by the Dodge Dealers of Ontario' and led several times en route to his fourth checkered flag of the season.

The St. Thomas, ON racer was jubilant in victory lane, and accurately summed up his performance by saying, "We spanked 'em." Prior to a late-race caution, Kennington had lapped all but a few of his competitors and was three-quarters of a lap in front of second-place driver Dave Whitlock in the Avenue Motor Works / NMT Dodge Charger.

At the finish, Kennington came home more than four seconds in front of Whitlock to record one of the most dominant CASCAR Super Series oval track performances in recent memory. Peter Gibbons, the winner of the previous two Super Series races at Delaware and Cayuga fought handling troubles but once again managed to mount a late race charge to bring his Canadian Tire Chevy home in third.

The other big winner on Sunday at Kawartha was Don Thomson Jr. of Hamilton, ON. The Home Hardware Chevy driver clinched his fifth consecutive CASCAR Super Series National points championship when he took the green flag to start the RAM Tough 250. Thomson led several times during the race, but was no match for Kennington at the end and came home fourth.

After the race, Thomson struggled to put his incredible string of championships into perspective. "It's just unbelievable to imagine what this Home Hardware Fitzpatrick Motorsports team has done. To be this competitive and to win the championship for so many years in a row is really something to be proud of. There has been some luck involved, but the people who make up and support this team have contributed to something special."

In addition to the podium and championship presentations, 2005 CASCAR Super Series Rookie of the Year Tara MacLeod was honoured after the race at Kawartha. The Central Merchant Services Ford driver finished 13th in the Kawartha closer.

A total of 29 CASCAR Super Series racers lined up for the season finale at Kawartha Speedway. The 'RAM Tough 250 presented by the Dodge Dealers of Ontario' was the 12th event of the season, which saw Canada's top stock car series compete in Quebec, Ontario, Alberta and British Columbia.

In earlier action at Kawartha, Jason Hathaway led from wire-to-wire in the 100-lap CASCAR PowerWater Series season finale. Hathaway won last year's race at Kawartha, but hadn't participated in any series events in '05 prior to today's race at the Peterborough-area oval. Dion Verhoeven finished third in the race to claim his first PowerWater Sportsman Series championship.

SUPER SERIES POINT STANDINGS: Top 15 after 12 events. Unofficial as of September 18, 2005: 1. #4 Don Thomson Jr. (2208 pts.); 2. #1 Peter Gibbons (2118); 3. #17 DJ Kennington (2069); 4. #39 Dave Whitlock (2021); 5. #19 Brad Graham (1959); 6. #60 Ron Beauchamp Jr. (1953); 7. #02 Kerry Micks (1933); 8. #9 Mark Dilley (1922); 9. #84 J.R. Fitzpatrick (1872); 10. #88 Dave Jacombs (1831)

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