SUPER SERIES: Toronto Indy Race Report

Kerry Micks mounts a late charge to win the ATTO 100 CASCAR Super Series race at the Molson Indy Toronto

TORONTO, ON – CASCAR Super Series veteran Kerry Micks won Sunday afternoon’s ATTO 100 CASCAR Super Series race at the Molson Indy Toronto. The PowerWater Ford Taurus driver started 11th in the field for the 36-lap chase around the 11-turn temporary street circuit and passed race leader Don Thomson with seven laps to go en route to his first-ever Toronto Indy win.

Thomson’s Home Hardware Chevy led from lap 8 and stretched out an almost 10-second lead on the rest of the field, before the handling went away quickly on his car. At that point, Micks started to carve into Thomson’s lead and it became just a matter of time before the Mt. Albert, ON racer was in position to challenge Thomson for first place. That opportunity came at the end of the long Lakeshore Blvd. straightaway on lap 29 as Micks out-braked the reigning National champion on the entry to turn 3.
Once in front, Micks was able to build a solid lead of his own as Thomson continued to struggle. On the last lap, Peter Gibbons was able to slide his Canadian Tire Chevy inside of Thomson, as the pair entered turn 1, to grab second-place. Micks took the checkered flag 8.4-seconds ahead of Gibbons, while Thomson hung on for the final podium position.
“This was at the top of my list for races to win and I can’t believe we actually did it,” said Micks after the race. “The PowerWater Ford was strong all day and it didn’t go away. This was just our second race with this car. It’s the product of years of input and experience and we finally had it right on. I was backing off a little bit early but about mid-way, it looked like there wasn’t going to be a caution so I knew I had to get going after Donnie. Obviously, I caught him pretty fast because his car went away pretty severely.”
Polesitter DJ Kennington led the first seven laps of the ATTO 100, but pitted suddenly just prior to the race’s second restart when he felt a tire going down on his Castrol Dodge Charger, thereby handing the lead to Thomson. CASCAR’s seventh appearance at the Molson Indy Toronto was slowed by two full-course caution flags for a total of four laps.
With his third-place finish, Thomson retained the Super Series points lead after five events. Fourth-place Toronto finisher Mark Dilley (PowerWater / Dodge / Mobil 1 / Exide Charger) moved into second-place in the overall standings. Tara MacLeod (Central Merchant Svcs. Ford) is the top rookie in the points, in 16th-place. The Innisfil, ON racer came home 24th in her inaugural Toronto Indy outing.
The next CASCAR Super Series event is the MOPAR 500 Race Weekend at Calgary’s Race City Motorsport Park, on July 22-23.

POINT STANDINGS: After 5 events. Unofficial as of July 10, 2005: 1. #4 Don Thomson Jr. (806 pts.); 2. #9 Mark Dilley (757); 3. #02 Kerry Micks (741); 4. #1 Peter Gibbons (743); 5. #39 Dave Whitlock (693); 6. #23 Jeff Lapcevich (664); 7. #19 Brad Graham (662); 8. #84 J.R. Fitzpatrick (659); 9. #60 Ron Beauchamp Jr. (658); 10. #17 DJ Kennington (657); 11. #14 John Fitzpatrick (648); 12. #71 Bryan Cathcart (616); 13. #88 Dave Jacombs (614); 13. #25 Jeff Lapcevich (614); 15. #22 Scott Steckly (612); 16. #37 Tara MacLeod ® (582)
® Denotes Rookie of the Year.

Contact CASCAR at (519) 641-1214 or visit www.cascar.ca
Prepared by Inside Track Communications. // Contact: Greg MacPherson (416) 561-2320 (cell).
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