NASCAR Canada

Sun Valley race report

Kennington sweeps CASCAR's Super Series western swing with a win at Sun Valley Speedway VERNON, BC - CASCAR wrapped up its two-race swing through western Canada on Saturday night at Sun Valley Speedway in Vernon, British Columbia. Less than a week ...

Edited: Aug 2, 2005, 7:19 AM

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Kennington sweeps CASCAR's Super Series western swing with a win at Sun Valley Speedway

VERNON, BC - CASCAR wrapped up its two-race swing through western Canada on Saturday night at Sun Valley Speedway in Vernon, British Columbia. Less than a week after winning his first Super Series race in almost two years, at Calgary's Race City Motorsport Park, Castrol Dodge Charger driver DJ Kennington returned to victory lane with a victory at Sun Valley.

It was a dream trip west for the St. Thomas, Ontario racer who started on the pole for the Sun Valley 300 and led a total of 50 laps of the Vernon feature en route to the two-race sweep. The veteran racer also collected a win in his 100-lap qualifying sprint race on Friday night at Vernon.

And while Kennington was thrilled with the accomplishment, second-place finisher Brad Graham was frustrated not to win his first-ever Super Series main event. The Challenger / Logel's Dodge Charger driver led late in the Sun Valley 300 but saw first place slip away when Kennington made the winning move with just three laps to go in the race.

Kennington's power trip through western Canada was enough to blast him into third-place in the overall standings as the Super Series returns to Ontario's Mosport Speedway, next weekend, for Race #8 of the 12-event schedule. Before heading westward, Kennington was 10th in the points.

Home Hardware Chevy driver Don Thomson Jr. claimed the final podium position at Vernon to maintain his hold on first place in the standings as he drives for his fifth consecutive Super Series National championship. Thomson led for much of the race but his final two-tire change, late in the event, didn't produce the handling conditions he needed for the final run to the checkered flag and took him out of contention for the win.

Canadian Tire Chevy driver Peter Gibbons was the fourth and final competitor to finish on the lead lap in the Sun Valley 300, which was good enough to maintain third-place in the National points. MOPAR Dodge Charger driver Ron Beauchamp Jr. completed the top five finishers at Vernon, one lap down to the leaders.

Multi-time CASCAR Western Series champion Kevin Dowler was once again the top finishing Western regular in the race, which doubled as a full points event for the Western Series. The Edmonton, ON racer brought his EMCO Ford Taurus across the line in ninth-place.

During qualifying for the Sun Valley 300 on Friday evening, DJ Kennington posted the fastest lap to secure the sixth pole of his career. Following time trials, the St. Thomas, ON racer went on to win the first 100 lap qualifying sprint race. In the second 100 lapper, Super Series sophomore racer J.R. Fitzpatrick led the entire race distance en route to collecting his first-ever checkered flag on CASCAR's top circuit.

The next CASCAR Super Series event takes place on August 6 at the Mosport Speedway oval.

POINT STANDINGS: After 7 events. Unofficial as of July 30, 2005: 1. #4 Don Thomson Jr. (1413 pts.); 2. #1 Peter Gibbons (1352); 3. #17 DJ Kennington (1312); 4. #02 Kerry Micks (1291); 5. #9 Mark Dilley (1289); 6. #39 Dave Whitlock (1275); 7. #19 Brad Graham (1257); 8. #84 J.R. Fitzpatrick (1253); 9. #60 Ron Beauchamp Jr. (1230); 10. #88 Dave Jacombs (1168)

-cascar-

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