http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=n8R0WLaEs1Q
TROIS-RIVIERES, Quebec, Canada
D.J. Kennington claims he isn’t a road racer, but he keeps proving himself wrong.
Kennington of St. Thomas, Ont., won the JuliaWine.com 100 in NASCAR Canadian
by Text-Enhance">Tire Series presented by Mobil 1 action on Sunday at the 44th Grand Prix de Trois-Rivieres after holding off road-course specialists Andrew Ranger and Jacques Villeneuve in a harried green-white-checkered finish in front of a crowd in excess of 30,000.
After starting eighth, Kennington passed former Formula One and IZOD IndyCar Series champion Villeneuve on Lap 38 before the fifth caution flag of the day flew on Lap 40 to set up the exciting finish. On the final restart, Ranger, who had gotten around Villeneuve just after Kennington made his pass, tried in every turn of the 11-turn, 1.53-mile street circuit to rattle Kennington, but was forced to settle for the runner-up position.
“We just had a great race car today,” said Kennington. “The crew did a great job at getting cool air to the brakes. At the end, we still had good braking. I saved as much as I could. We got a little lucky that (Villeneuve) slipped up a little and we were able to get by.”
With three series road-course wins to his credit Kennington has shown the ability to win anywhere at any time, but outdueling the likes of Ranger and Villeneuve had Kennington thinking about the significance.
“To beat those two guys on a road course is right up there in my career,” said Kennington. “They are two of the best in the world in my estimation. It’s really special. With (Ranger) starting in the rear and getting to the front, we might have been in trouble if he started on the pole.”
Ranger, a four-time Trois-Rivieres winner, started from the rear of the field due to missing Saturday’s qualifying session after competing in the NASCAR Nationwide Series race at Watkins Glen (N.Y.) International. Despite not getting the win, Ranger was pleased with the results.
“From where we started, I’m really happy with second place,” said Ranger – owner of 14 series road-course victories. “The car was pretty used up at the end. I had to fight for everything in passing all those cars. I tried everything to pass (Villeneuve). He raced me totally clean and like a champion. We went through (four) turns side-by-side and we never touched.”
The final restart gave Ranger one last opportunity at the win.
“The cautions at the end really helped me a lot on those last laps I was finally able to get the speed I wanted to in the corners, but (Kennington) didn’t make any mistakes,” he said.
Villeneuve, who led a race-high 29 laps, finished third for his best finish in three career Canadian Tire Series starts. He finished fourth in this event in 2009.
“I was taking it easy in the beginning, but I saw a chance to get around (Tagliani) and I took it,” said the accomplished driver. “I misjudged a corner while passing a (lapped car) and Kennington was able to get around me. I thought I had a chance at the end to get it back, but (Kennington) clipped the wall and bounced into me which set us back.”
Villeneuve appreciated the opportunity to compete in the legendary event.
“These are fun cars to drive and this is a fun little track,” said the former world champion driver and fan favorite. “This event is important to Quebec and Canada. It has provided drivers, including me, the stage to further their careers.”
It was the first win of the season for Kennington, who set a single-season series record with seven victories a year ago and the 19th career win for the driver of the No. 17 Castrol Edge/Mahindra Tractors Dodge which tops the series’ all-time list.
Jason Hathaway finished fourth followed by IndyCar Series regular Alex Tagliani in fifth. Tagliani set a new track record in Saturday’s qualifying session for his fourth series career pole win. He led the first eight laps of the race before getting tangled up Louis-Philippe Dumoulin in a battle for the lead.
Martin Roy, Alex Labbe, Scott Steckly, Jeff Lapcevich and Trevor Seibert completed the top ten.
The race was slowed due to caution five times for 16 laps. The five cautions equaled the series high at the track that was established in the 2007 race.
In the championship standings, Steckly saw his lead shrink to just four points over Kennington. Hathaway holds down the third spot, just 14 points behind the leader while Dumoulin dropped from second to fourth, but is still within striking distance at 16 tallies back with just four races remaining.
The JuliaWine.com 100 will be telecast on TSN on Sunday, Aug. 18 at 4:30 p.m. ET.
The NASCAR Canadian Tire Series presented by Mobil 1 is in action next on Saturday, Aug. 17 at Riverside International Speedway in Antigonish, N.S., in the Wilson Equipment 300 supporting Red Cross Disaster Relief.
D.J. Kennington passes Jacques Villeneuve late in the race en route to his 19th series victory and first win of 2013.
Matthew Murnaghan/NASCAR
Interviews:
D.J. Kennington
http://americaneg.vo.llnwd.net/o16/nascar/2013/2013hometracks/ncats/trois-rivieres_081113/ncats_81113_gp3r_dj-kennington_first_place.mp3
Andrew Ranger
http://americaneg.vo.llnwd.net/o16/nascar/2013/2013hometracks/ncats/trois-rivieres_081113/ncats_81113_gp3r_andrew-ranger_second_place.mp3
Jaques Villeneuve
http://americaneg.vo.llnwd.net/o16/nascar/2013/2013hometracks/ncats/trois-rivieres_081113/ncats_81113_gp3r_jacques-villeneuve_third_place.mp3
Lap by Lap Re-Cap
3:28
NASCAR Home Tracks:
GREEN FLAG!
3:29
NASCAR Home Tracks:
Labbe and Stacey dropped to the back for unapproved changes and Ranger to the back for driver change,
3:30
NASCAR Home Tracks:
Lap 1 - CAUTION #1 for Dion-Viens stopped in Turn 1.
3:31
NASCAR Home Tracks:
The
JuliaWine.com 100 is 42 laps.
3:32
NASCAR Home Tracks:
Lap 1 - Without a full lap being completed before the caution, it will be a full restart minus the Dion-Viens car.
3:33
NASCAR Home Tracks:
Lap 2 - Ranger had already moved up a handful of positions, but he will return to the back for the restart.
3:35
NASCAR Home Tracks:
Lap 4 - Coming to the green.
3:36
NASCAR Home Tracks:
Lap 5 - GREEN FLAG.
3:36
NASCAR Home Tracks:
Lap 5 - Tagliani leads through Turn 3.
3:37
NASCAR Home Tracks:
Lap 5 - Fitzpatrick gets out of shape in Turn 10.
3:39
NASCAR Home Tracks:
Lap 6 - The top five as they run is Tagliani, LP Dumoulin, Villeneuve, Roy, Camirand.
3:39
NASCAR Home Tracks:
Lap 6 - Fitzpatrick to pit road.
3:39
NASCAR Home Tracks:
Lap 7 - Left front flat for Fitzpatrick.
3:41
NASCAR Home Tracks:
Lap 8 - LP Doumoulin gets around Tagliani in Turn 6, but Tagliani gets it back in Turn 9.
3:41
NASCAR Home Tracks:
Lap 9 - Villeneuve takes over the lead in Turn 1.
3:42
NASCAR Home Tracks:
Lap 10 - Villeneuve opens up a bit of a gap back to Tagliani in second.
3:44
NASCAR Home Tracks:
Lap 10 - CAUTION #2 - Tagliani, Guenette, Comirand and Labbe make contact in what appears to be Turn 6.
3:45
NASCAR Home Tracks:
Lap 11 - The current top 10 is Villeneuve, LP Dumoulin, Roy, Kennington, Micks, JF Dumoulin, Lapcevich, Steckly, Hathaway and Vannini.
3:46
NASCAR Home Tracks:
Lap 12 - The Comirand car suffered significant front end damage.
3:48
NASCAR Home Tracks:
Lap 12 - Positions 11-20 are Coupal, Scannell, Beauchamp, Ranger, R. Seibert, Theetge, Tremblay, T. Seibert, Brisebois, Stacey.
3:49
NASCAR Home Tracks:
Lap 13 - Tagliani is on pit road making repairs as is Guenette,
3:50
NASCAR Home Tracks:
Lap 13 - The Roy machine has some front end damage, but is continuing on.
3:51
NASCAR Home Tracks:
Lap 14 - Tagliani is back on track in 25th.
3:52
NASCAR Home Tracks:
Lap 13 - LP Dumoulin was directed by NASCAR to go down pit road to clean up some body damage. He has lost a lap and is in 27th.
3:53
NASCAR Home Tracks:
Lap 14 - The new top five is Villeneuve, Roy, Kennington, JF Dumoulin, Micks.
3:54
NASCAR Home Tracks:
Lap 14 - LP Dumoulin is back on the track and was the beneficiary and at the end of the lead lap.
3:55
NASCAR Home Tracks:
Lap 15 - GREEN FLAG
3:55
NASCAR Home Tracks:
Lap 15 - Kennington looks to the outside for second, but can't make it stick and falls back into third.
3:56
NASCAR Home Tracks:
Lap 17 - More damage for LP Dumoulin and he'll head down pit road.
3:56
NASCAR Home Tracks:
Lap 17 - Hathaway into fifth followed by Lapcevich and Micks.
3:57
NASCAR Home Tracks:
Lap 17 - Ranger up to 11th the last time by.
3:57
NASCAR Home Tracks:
Lap 18 - Ranger into the top 10.
3:58
NASCAR Home Tracks:
Lap 18 - Hathaway and Lapcevich having a battle for fifth.
3:58
NASCAR Home Tracks:
Lap 19 - Ranger up to ninth right behind Steckly.
3:59
NASCAR Home Tracks:
Lap 19 - Coupal is off the track in a run-off area.
4:00
NASCAR Home Tracks:
Lap 20 - The top five remains Villeneuve, Roy, Kennington, JF Dumoulin, Hathaway.
4:01
NASCAR Home Tracks:
Lap 21 - The Villeneuve lead the last time by was 1.146 seconds.
4:02
NASCAR Home Tracks:
Lap 22 - Fitzpatrick is back up to 12th after the early tire issue.
4:03
NASCAR Home Tracks:
Lap 22 - Kennington around Roy for second.
4:03
NASCAR Home Tracks:
Lap 23 - JF Dumoulin around Roy for third.
4:05
NASCAR Home Tracks:
Lap 24 - The Villeneuve lead is over two seconds on Kennington.
4:06
NASCAR Home Tracks:
Lap 25 - CAUTION #3 for Stacey making contact with the wall in Turn 6.
4:07
NASCAR Home Tracks:
Lap 26 - LP Dumoulin is the Free Pass car and will get back on the lead lap.
4:08
NASCAR Home Tracks:
Lap 26 - The top 10 is Villeneuve, Kennington, JF Dumoulin, Roy, Hathaway, Lapcevich, Micks, Ranger, Steckly, Scannell.
4:09
NASCAR Home Tracks:
Lap 26 - The LP Dumoulin damage was all cosmetic, but he lost a lot of track position.
4:10
NASCAR Home Tracks:
Lap 27 - The Stacey damage doesn't look awful. Cosmetic in the front end.
4:11
NASCAR Home Tracks:
Lap 27 - Stacey has been called out of the race due to the accident. Opted to save car.
4:11
NASCAR Home Tracks:
Lap 28 - GREEN FLAG
4:12
NASCAR Home Tracks:
Lap 28 - Theetge has been penalized with a drive-through for jumping the restart.
4:12
NASCAR Home Tracks:
Lap 28 - Villeneuve looks smooth on the track, but Kennington is right there.
4:13
NASCAR Home Tracks:
Lap 28 - Ranger up to seventh followed by Fitzpatrick.
4:14
NASCAR Home Tracks:
Lap 29 - Micks gets turned around in Turn 10 and suffers front end damage that looks severe.
4:15
NASCAR Home Tracks:
Lap 30 - CAUTION #3 - Coupal and T. Seibert get together in Turn 6.
4:16
NASCAR Home Tracks:
Lap 31 - Micks may have gotten some help from Fitzpatrick, but hard to tell from my perspective.
4:18
NASCAR Home Tracks:
Lap 31 - The top 10 is Villeneuve, Kennington, Roy, JF Dumoulin, Lapcevich, Hathaway, Ranger, Fitzpatrick, Tagliani, Scannell.
4:19
NASCAR Home Tracks:
Lap 32 - Ranger has turned the fastest lap of the race so far.
4:20
NASCAR Home Tracks:
Lap 32 - Positions 11-20 are Steckly, Labbe, R. Seibert, White, T. Seibert, Coupal, Dowler, Brisebois, Tremblay, Courtemanche.
4:21
NASCAR Home Tracks:
Lap 33 - Still under caution. The Ranger fact was just a report from a question.
4:23
NASCAR Home Tracks:
Lap 34 - Coming to the green.
4:24
NASCAR Home Tracks:
Lap 35 - Green Flag.
4:26
NASCAR Home Tracks:
Lap 35 - Ranger around Roy and into third.
4:26
NASCAR Home Tracks:
Lap 36 - Ranger picked off three cars on that last lap.
4:27
NASCAR Home Tracks:
Lap 37 - Ranger looks to the outside of Kennington, but thinks better of it.
4:27
NASCAR Home Tracks:
Lap 38 - Five to go.
4:28
NASCAR Home Tracks:
Lap 38 - The top four are nose to tail through the turns.
4:29
NASCAR Home Tracks:
Lap 38 - Kennington around Villeneuve in Turn 9 for the lead.
4:29
NASCAR Home Tracks:
Lap 39 - Ranger is looking to get around Villeneuve, too.
4:30
NASCAR Home Tracks:
Lap 40 - Kennington continues to lead Villeneuve and Ranger.
4:32
NASCAR Home Tracks:
Lap 40 - CAUTION #5 - Tremblay and Coupal get together.
4:34
NASCAR Home Tracks:
Lap 41 - The top 10 under caution is Kennington, Villeneuve, Ranger, JF Dumoulin, Hathaway, Lapcevich, Roy, Tagliani, Steckly, Labbe.
4:35
NASCAR Home Tracks:
Lap 42 - The first attempt at a green-white-checkered will be coming up. There will be up to three attempts at a green-white-checkered finish.
4:38
NASCAR Home Tracks:
Lap 42 - Track workers are getting the Coupal car off the track.
4:38
NASCAR Home Tracks:
Lap 44 - The field is getting the one to go signal.
4:40
NASCAR Home Tracks:
Lap 45 - GREEN FLAG!
4:40
NASCAR Home Tracks:
Lap 45 - Ranger around Villeneuve for second.
4:41
NASCAR Home Tracks:
Lap 45 - Kennington keeps lead.
4:41
NASCAR Home Tracks:
Lap 46 - White flag for Kennington.
4:42
NASCAR Home Tracks:
Lap 46 - Ranger is looking for any opportunity.
4:42
NASCAR Home Tracks:
CHECKERED FLAG - Kennington wins the
JuliaWine.com 100.