Delaware Speedway becoming nemesis for Dave Whitlock

September 30, 2001 – Delaware ON - Dave Whitlock was in a familiar spot on Friday night by again qualifying the Motorcraft Ford Taurus on the pole for the Great Canadian 300, with a time trial run almost two-tenths quicker than the field. But on Sunday during the final event in CASCAR’s 2001 Castrol Super Series, and like so many times before at this, his home track, he dominated the race but came up short at the end due to mechanical problems.

"It’s becoming comparable to Dale Earnhardt’s history of not winning the Daytona 500" said the 3-time Champion, who won lots of Friday night races at Delaware in his early years but never a big one.

"We usually qualify well here and then something happens during the race that’s usually out of my control, and it takes away our opportunity to win. This car was so good today, I could go wherever I wanted on the track and be fast. It’s just a shame because we have so many loyal fans and local sponsors that come to this race to see us. But there will be another chance next year – we’ll get it some time. And just like when Earnhardt finally got his Daytona win, that monkey will be off our backs and it will feel so good."

Whitlock set a blistering pace from the beginning pulling away from eventual winner Peter Gibbons by several car lengths. At lap 60, Both Gibbons and Don Thompson Jr. slipped by in heavy traffic of lapped cars. But the Whitlock Taurus was so good, that when the balance of the front runners pitted for tires at lap 135, he didn’t and assumed the lead again. But on lap 172, while still in the lead, and still on his original tires, and with a strategy firmly in place that would see this day as his first Delaware victory, a big cloud of smoke came out of the right front wheel well as he exited turn 4. The culprit was an irreparable oil leak that became such a mystery the crew still hadn’t found it by the time they loaded the car to go home.

Teammate Mark Dilley also had a great day that ended better than Dave’s. Starting 5^th, the NTN Bearings Ford Taurus ran consistently in the top 5 all afternoon. They chose to make their final tire change when the caution came out with 6 laps remaining and only 8 cars on the lead lap. With no other cautions, he chased down the field quickly, but finished just short of a podium spot in 4^th.

Second place was DJ Kennington who was also fast all day, while third was Scott Steckly in a fine run for that team. Don Thompson Jr. succumbed to clutch problems but was able to stay in the race to accumulate enough points to earn the season Championship title and the Castrol Cup. Congratulations from everyone at Whitlock Motorsports to the Home Hardware team for their outstanding season.

And to Ford of Canada, all the fans, the associate sponsors and especially the crewmembers and families of Whitlock Motorsports, Dave and Corrine express their sincere thanks for all the dedication and commitment throughout this very difficult 2001 season.

Whitlock Wins at Race City Speedway to make it Two in a Row

Dave Whitlock ends winless streak at Cayuga

August 11, 2001 - Nelles Corners, ON -

Starting from 11th, the Petrolia driver ran consistently in the top 10, pitting at laps 72 and 165. But it was his own spin in turn 3 that turned the tables. With only 9 cars on the lead lap, Whitlock pitted for a splash of fuel and a new right rear tire which initiated a charge through the next 25 laps that was clearly a man on a mission. Most laps were a full second quicker than leader Don Thompson Jr., whose lead was quickly vanishing. But it was the final caution at lap 246 that set the drama as the two drivers played out their strategies. And on the final entry to turn 3, Whitlock drove in hard to maintain maximum momentum, then turned down inside Thompson on the exit of turn 4. The two cars wiggled off each other and raced to the finish line, with the #98 getting there first.

"We just knew it had to happen soon" said Whitlock. "We’ve been so fast all year but just kept getting bitten by bad luck. But more than anything, this is a big monkey off our back. The past two seasons have been hard on everybody, as we’ve been building our two-team program. But it’s finally come together, and the efforts are showing results. This year, both Mark and I have each won a race, got a pole and been on the podium twice. Whitlock Motorsports is back."

Teammate Mark Dilley started the NTN Bearings Ford Taurus in 5th and ran consistently in the top 5 all night, led for several laps and ran 2nd for final 1/3 of the race. When Whitlock came through the pack, it bumped Dilley to 3rd, but still good enough to put both team cars on the podium.

During post-race interviews, the emotions were evident as Dave reflected on his late father. "We were so close as a family – this one’s for Dougie." He also reflected on how during visits in the final weeks, his dad had been after him to get these cars named. Since then, Dave had been favouring an old nickname Dougie’s buddies had for him, and the name that was on Doug’s hunting Jeep. While travelling to the track this weekend, Dave’s thoughts again favoured that name, but when the spin happened with 30 to go, he made up his mind. That victory now belongs to the #98 Motorcraft Quality Parts Ford Taurus called "OL SPIN".

As the teams head west for the events in Calgary and Vancouver on starting August 24th and 31st respectively, Whitlock again reflects on his dominant 1997 season where they won 3 out of the last 4 events that year, including Cayuga. "We’ve got momentum now, and although we’re clearly out of the points chase this year, the Ford Tauruses of Whitlock Motorsports should be a force to be reckoned with."

August 4, 2001, Trois-Rivieres, Quebec Although the weather was extremely hot and the grandstands really full and the Motorcraft Ford Taurus very fast, Dave Whitlock again was beaten by fate as the Castrol Super Series made its first ever appearance at the Grand Prix de Trois-Rivieres. The event is one of the oldest and most prestigious road racing weekends on the Canada racing calendar. The challenging street circuit - which is narrow and lined with concrete barriers - is similar to the Toronto Indy track where the CASCAR teams competed in mid-July.

"We were real good in the first practice and qualifying sessions on Friday" said the Petrolia ON driver and 3-time Champion. "So we went out on Saturday in the final qualifying session and had fastest time for the first ten minutes or so. We pitted and put on our best tires and by the time I was into the second lap, I knew I had a good one going – you can really feel it when you get rhythm and the car is handling well on a street course."

But just as the Taurus was entering the fast turn at the end of the high-speed straight section, it turned abruptly and hit the tire wall, damaging the entire front end. A broken steering component was the culprit and the Motorcraft team had only four hours under the sweltering sun to make repairs.

They made the grid for the 42-lap event, starting 8^th. But before 10 laps had been completed, Dave found himself outside the preferred line while entering that same corner that had done all the damage. "I avoided a crash and took the run-off road which was there just for that reason. It’ll usually dump you back on the track further along, but this one didn’t. So I had to turn around and re-enter at that same point., losing about 2/3 of a lap. So now I’m really pushing it and passing a lot of the back markers. But it’s a really tight track with few passing opportunities and fortunately there was no caution until near the end. We were up to 11^th and as the leaders approached, I let them go by – it was their day, not mine. And again we finished first car down a lap, although we could run with the leaders just fine."

Although initial results posted showed Whitlock in 12^th, the scoring system identified his official finish as 11^th.

Teammate Mark Dilley was also again bitten by misfortune. Starting from 6^th, and after moving up several positions, engine failure sidelined the NTN Bearings Ford Taurus on the 3^rd lap.

"It’s really nice to see that Peter Gibbons has turned his terrible season around, as he won his second in a row. Never in my career have I been so far behind at this point in the season. My worst was an 18^th, and here we sit in 20^th with two thirds of the season gone" said the dejected Whitlock. "It’s just a dud season, what else can you call it".

The Castrol Super Series resumes with Event #9 next weekend at the Cayuga Speedway.

July 28, 2001 Eustache, Quebec - Another decent qualifying position was not enough for Dave Whitlock to have a decent finish during the 'Auto Parts Plus 150' on Saturday night on the tight 4/10^th-mile oval at Montreal's Autodrome St-Eustache.

After starting 7^th, Whitlock was running with the leaders for the first third of the race. From the 5^th position, he had been attempting to pass the #99 car for several laps. When Whitlock finally found the opportunity to get the Motorcraft Quality Parts Taurus edged to the inside going into turn 1, Pete Vanderwyst tried to slam the door closed but spun himself, causing a caution flag. It was rumored along pit row that Dave was to get a black flag for causing the spin but it wasn’t until after racing resumed for several laps did the starter clearly indicate Dave was being penalized.

He came in to the pits for a green flag penalty stop when it was communicated, but returned one lap down in 19^th. Dave challenged leader Peter Gibbons several times in an attempt to regain his lost lap, but backed off and settled for 3^rd on the track, but actually 9^th, since the lost lap was never gained back.

But in a post-race announcement, the Whitlock team was advised that 6 lap penalty had been assessed for him supposedly not responding to the black flag within the 3 lap green flag rule. That relegated Dave to a 16^th place finish.

"I couldn’t get a clear answer from my crew; CASCAR had said nothing for several laps after the restart" said Whitlock.. "The black flag was waving, but I was told it was for the car that re-started beside me. Although I felt I shouldn’t have even been penalized for the incident, they needed to make that decision immediately and let us know. Instead, they waited for several laps, and by then the field was strung out. If they had have told me immediately, I could have come in for the stop-and-go on the green flag lap without losing a lap to the leaders."

"It’s just another big disappointment for this season" said the 3-time Champion. "We had a top 3 car, and ran with the leaders for the balance of the race after the black flag. We didn’t put a mark on it really, and yet we end up 7^th from last. This inconsistent officiating has to stop; it just ain’t right for the fans or the teams that put in so many hours to come out here and put a show on. The Quebec fans are great and the place was jammed. And to run so well, then have it taken away… this problem’s got to be addressed". A formal protest has been submitted to CASCAR, and an answer is anticipated on Monday.

Whitlock teammate Mark Dilley also had a great start from the 8^th spot. Moving up 3 spots immediately, his night ended quickly after only 23 laps when the mounting brackets on the rear axle housing broke. "The #64 NTN Bearings Taurus was fast, but we just had a short night" said the Barrie ON driver. "Can’t do anything about it, but we’ll be back next week looking for our second win of the season."

Peter Gibbons became the 7^th different winner in as many events, a mark that Dave Whitlock had hoped to garner that night. The Castrol Super Series resumes with Event #8 next weekend at the Grand Prix de Trois-Rivieres, one
of the oldest and biggest road racing weekends on the Canadian racing calendar.

More frustration for Whitlock at Molson Indy

July 14, 2001 TORONTO, ON After starting a respectable 7th, Dave Whitlock again felt the pain of disappointment in his 21st place finish on Saturday during the CASCAR street course event at Exhibition Place.

"We had a good car in qualifying on Saturday morning, and I just couldn't believe how different it was when the race started" said the frustrated 3-time Champion. "It's just been one of those years when stuff happens - look at Peter Gibbons too. Together we've won the last four championships and here we both sit outside the top 20 in points."

During practice on Friday night, the transmission in the Motorcraft Quality Parts Ford Taurus broke a small part after just a couple laps. The car was good for the 8 am qualifying and Dave was pleased with the 7th fastest time considering he had virtually no practice.

Being the last event on Saturday, everyone was excited by the number of fans still there to see the CASCAR stars. But for Whitlock, it was to be a long race as he was plagued with both clutch and braking problems.

"I couldn't figure it out right away because the Taurus was so good in qualifying. I changed downshifting patterns and kept searching for the best ways to compensate for the problems. At one point, I spun out and that put us further back. We just have to settle with 21st, but it's not nice" he said, but "On the bright side, the #98 came away unscathed and the motor was real strong. It's just these little things that keep biting us. This series is so competitive, you have to be on your game every time out".

Teammate Mark Dilley also had a frustrating day after being tagged trying to get past some spinning cars. The NTN Bearings team made the repairs as quickly as possible and Mark finished 24th, one lap behind the leaders.

The second half of the CASCAR Castrol Super Series season commences in two weeks at Montreal's
Autodrome St-Eustache, and Whitlock Motorsports is ready for that to be the better half.

Whitlock gets closer at new Kawartha oval

July 3, 2001 After qualifying just .002 seconds off the mark, Dave Whitlock started from outside pole and just missed a podium finish at the inaugural event at Kawartha Speedway, near Peterborough.

"It was a really good run for a change this year. We were just a little too loose at race time and a bit concerned with a driveline vibration. But since the 150 lapper had no pit stops, we had to live with what we had. Mark and I had a lot of fun and raced each other for more than half of it. We’ll take a 4^th." said the Petrolia driver of the #98 Motorcraft Quality Parts Ford Taurus.

Whitlock ran third for a while and finished a fender behind teammate Mark Dilley, who started on the pole and finished third. "It was very gratifying to have both of our Ford Tauruses on the front row for the start of this Budweiser 150. I am very proud of everyone at Whitlock Motorsports – they’ve had a tough year so far but this makes everyone smile" said the 3-time Champion.

The drivers praised the high-banked, 3/8-mile Kawartha oval that was built inside the horse race track and has enclosed grandstands. There was a small problem with dirt blowing onto the track early on, but the wide turns made for some great racing.

Race winner Don Thompson was followed by Peter Gibbons, who both finally made it to the podium, marking a season that has had a different winner every race and front runners finding misfortune. Whitlock now sits 22^nd in points, while Dilley is in 5^th.

The teams are off this weekend but return to action at the Molson Indy road course in Toronto on July 13-15. The excitement kicks off on Wednesday evening for the third annual Inside Track Race Party at Vinnie’s where the big silent auction, great food and lots of drivers all make it a very fun night.

Whitlock finds another gremlin at Mosport road course

June 24, 2001 Dave Whitlock was forced to park his #98 Ford Quality Parts Taurus during Sunday's Castrol Super Series 'Blue Streak presents the Mosport 250'. A stone punched a two and half inch hole in the radiator with just seven laps remaining on the famous 2.459-mile road course.

Dejected again, Whitlock again praised his crew and the new road course car. "The engine wasn't right during qualifying, so we changed it and started 23rd on Sunday. I had an initial concern with oil pressure so we pitted under green at about lap 5. We were then quick enough to stay on the lead lap and ran just ahead of the leaders until the next caution. With fresh tires and fuel, our Taurus was starting to come around. When everyone else pitted at the next caution, we stayed out and eventually worked into the top 10. I was optimistic of a real decent finish."

"At one point, our lap times were 5 seconds less than the leaders, but a when somebody turfs a stone through the rad, your day ends in a hurry" said the 3-time CASCAR Champion. "Our Motorcraft Taurus was awesome and even though (teammate Dilley) Mark went out early with an engine oil line problem, we're both confident these cars will be great for the next road course event at Toronto's Molson Indy".

A fourth different winner emerged in as many events as DJ Kennington finally put his Dodge Intrepid in the Winner's Circle. DJ started 30th and was just about out of gas crossing the finish line just 1.844 seconds ahead of Jim Lapcevich. Kerry Micks finished third in a Ford Taurus.

The teams return to action this Sunday as the Castrol Super Series makes its first ever appearance at the Kawartha Speedway in Peterborough.

Whitlock’s strategy foiled at Mosport oval

June 9, 2001 Dave Whitlock had a plan on Saturday night in the ‘National Fast
Freight delivers the Exide Batteries 250' at Mosport Speedway, east of Toronto. Starting from the sixth position, he brought the #98 Ford Quality Parts Taurus to pit road for tires and fuel one caution ahead of the rest of the field. Whitlock took the lead on lap 109, surrendering to Mark Dilley on lap 176. The teammates ran together at the front until Dave’s engine failed on lap 211.

"It was another one of those races where you get the high-low emotions" said the 3-time CASCAR Champion. "We had such a good car and our plan to pit early put us out in front before half way. Most teams were worried about brakes failing late in the race but mine weren’t even hot. I feel so bad for the crew when these things happen that are out of our control. I think it was a crankshaft that may have been damaged when I hit the wall so hard at Peterborough two weeks ago. We checked everything but missed that, I guess."

"Actually it’s shaping up to be one of those bad seasons. We’ve been fast and the crew’s been awesome every race. But when you look at the finishes, you’d never know it. That’s when I really feel bad for the team".

However, Mark Dilley never looked back and earned his first victory for the NTN team since joining Whitlock Motorsports in 1999. He stretched out a 5-second lead until a caution with 15 to go, and then held off DJ Kennington and Al Turner through several more late-race restarts. Congrats to all of the #64 team.

Whitlock’s #98 Motorcraft Ford Taurus will be at the grand opening of the new Expressway Motors Stratford location this weekend. The Brenneman family who also owns the New Hamburg location has immaculately designed the brand new Ford Lincoln dealership, which also includes the newest Fast Lane location.. Stop by to say hello and see Dave Whitlock’s CASCAR.

The CASCAR teams have this weekend off but return to action at the Mosport Road Course on Saturday & Sunday June 23rd & 24th

Peterborough not kind to Whitlock

May 28, 2001 There’s an old omen that says when things are going good, there’s no stopping you. But when things start going bad, you can’t stop it. You just ride them out. On Saturday at Peterborough Speedway, Dave Whitlock had a bad one.

The Petrolia ON driver reflected on the day. "The Motorcraft Quality Parts Ford Taurus seemed pretty good in practice, then it soured. We blew a cylinder head apart and the crew had to thrash to get us back together in time for qualifying. Qualifying 12th fastest was decent considering what we’d just been through but I also knew it would put us right in the middle of the action. We know there’s always going to be wrecks here and we could only hope they would miss us".

But inevitably, they didn’t. The #98 pilot ended up against the front wall suffering extensive damage to the rear of the car. Again, the crew was put to the test and eventually returned to finish in 24th spot, down 14 laps. That combined with the controversial disqualification after his fine performance last week at Delaware certainly dampens the team spirit. But Whitlock Motorsports knows adversity and determination and commitment, and the Motorcraft team will bounce back.

Teammate Mark Dilley had a much better day, qualifying the #64 NTN Bearings Taurus second fastest. Starting on the outside pole, Dilley played it cool and only relinquished one spot throughout the 150 lap event, finishing 3rd and netting a current 9th place in the Castrol Super Series points standings.

The CASCAR teams have this weekend off but return to action on June 9 at the half-mile Mosport Speedway oval located near Oshawa, Ontario.

Pole and a podium for Whitlock at CASCAR season opener

May 21, 2001 When time trials to qualify for the opening event in the CASCAR Super Series rolled off on Saturday night, the Motorcraft Ford Taurus bested the 32 other entries to set fast time of 19.499 seconds on the half mile at Delaware Speedway.

The #98 Whitlock Taurus started from the pole for Sunday’s inaugural event, alongside Edmonton’s Kevin Dowler in the Ford Quality Care Taurus. Whitlock caught the back markers by lap 9 and continued to lead the race through 3 restarts until lap 75, when Don Thompson Jr. slipped past under a lapped car to take over. The 3-time Champion maintained a steady pace in second as the two continued to open distance from the field through two more cautions. When the 6th caution flew at lap 123, all the front lead lap cars came to the pits. This became a crucial point in the race for the Motorcraft team, as one impact gun faulted and the delay dropped Dave back to 8th on the lap 129 restart.

It took until lap 210 to get claw forward to 4th place and just after the 10th caution at lap 215, Dave got past the #88 of fellow Taurus pilot Dave Jacombs, but ran out of time to catch Ron Beauchamp Jr. Winner Kerry Micks took the lead from Scott Steckley on lap 168 and was never seriously challenged to the checker flag.

Whitlock was happy with the day, but disappointed with some of the circumstances. "We actually missed the setup a little with that second set of tires. We were a bit quicker before the stop. And then to have the impact gun malfunction after we had practiced probably 80 times, it cost us 4 spots on the restart and that took almost 100 laps to get back. We’re happy with another podium here, it seems we can do that at Delaware anyway."

The new one-team strategy implemented this year by Whitlock Motorsports became evident late in the race when Mark Dilley was sidelined with mechanical problems. Dilley’s crew chief Jeff Wilcox jumped on the Motorcraft pit cart and called the rest of the race with Dave and spotter Craig Chisamore.

The next event sees the Motorcraft team returning to the tough oval at Peterborough Speedway this Saturday night BACK to NEWS page

Whitlock bets on teamwork for 2001 CASCAR success

May 16, 2001 When the back door opens on the Whitlock Motorsports transporter this Saturday at Delaware Speedway, the all-new 2001 Motorcraft Ford Taurus will be ready to rumble.

"We shook her down on Monday at Cayuga. We got lots of laps and I'm real happy" says Petrolia's Dave Whitlock. "We've incorporated several new things in both cars this year and it appears we're headed the right way."

Winning races won't be the primary goal of the Whitlock team this year, but rather the anticipated result. "We've got to get back in Victory Lane. With the competition promising to be even tighter this year, we've spent a lot of effort in areas other than the car itself. Each person on the team must be part of an open communication process and be aware of each other in any given situation. And when you're working with volunteers that can't always be at every race, it adds further complications to the mix" says the CASCAR 3-time Champion who's brought in several key people to assist in the efforts.

"New to our team this year is Jennifer Ward who brings her expertise in performance coaching to enhance overall team performance by improving the way the team works together. And Craig Chisamore will be proudly wearing the Motorcraft colours in retirement as spotter for us. We are also pleased to welcome back Steve Mifsud, who was my crew chief back in 1992 ACT days."

Taking advantage of being a two-car team will also enhance the efforts of NTN Bearings driver and Whitlock teammate Mark Dilley. "I think we'll be writing a new chapter in team work this year. We've got two cars in every race and each team wants their driver to win. But when the laps are winding down, we'll become one team - cause only one driver can win" says Dilley. "It's 'gonna be neat to be a part of this whole new deal".

When Dave recognized road courses will be one third of the events on this year's expanded National series, he decided to step up the driver skills too. He attended an advanced road course at Bondurant's Driving School in Phoenix two weeks ago and feels it was very worthwhile. "Apart from everything learned there, it was also great to have that much seat time in before the season starts. Since I want everyone on the team to be sharp going into every race, I needed to be as ready as I could be too.". And apparently Ford's Rick Rigby was along for some lessons too and but needs to speak with Tiger about sand traps or something!

The 12 race CASCAR National Castrol Cup series kicks off this weekend with qualifying for the 41 registered drivers on Saturday night. The Mopar Parts 250 goes off Sunday at 2 p.m., with the autograph session and pre-race activities starting at noon.

Let's Go Racing

April 5, 2001 - When the CASCAR Castrol Cup National Series hits the tracks this season, the familiar blue, red and white #98 Ford Quality Care Taurus of Dave Whitlock won’t be there. But during the announcement, both Dave and Ford of Canada’s Craig Chisamore were proudly wearing the new colors of Motorcraft Quality Parts Racing.

Bob Galloway, Customer Service Advertising Manager for Ford of Canada, is excited. "Quality Care has, since 1993 been our retail service brand, and our utilization of NASCAR and CASCAR from that point in time as a means to build awareness of this brand has served us well. The brand is now well established. Motorcraft has been one of our parts brands since the early ‘70’s, and up to 1992 was promoted in U.S. and Canadian Motorsports. As a matter of fact, our first sponsorship deal with Dave Whitlock saw him compete in a red Motorcraft car, very similar to the Motorcraft Taurus he will compete in this season. Just as Quality Care became a household name as a result of our involvement in NASCAR and CASCAR, we expect the same to be true as a result of our Whitlock/Motorcraft effort in CASCAR this season."

"This is our new look for 2001" says Dave Whitlock "and since this will be our 10th season with Ford, it’s kind of neat for me that they’ve decided to go back to the original colors we started with on the Thunderbirds we ran from 1992 to 1995 in the ACT series.

Our CASCAR Taurus will look virtually identical to the new car being campaigned in Winston Cup by the Wood Brothers and driven by Elliot Sadler this year –who just got his first win at Bristol two weeks ago."

Galloway praised the Whitlock relationship, saying "It is almost unheard of for a race team to retain the same corporate sponsorship for ten years. The fact that Ford Motor Company of Canada has supported Dave Whitlock for that length of time is a credit to the manner in which Dave and his team have represented our interests both on and off the track. After charging to three National Championships in a Quality Care Taurus, Ford of Canada is pleased to again be part of the Whitlock Motorsports team as Dave goes for his fourth championship in a flawlessly prepared 2001 Motorcraft Taurus."

Over 400 fans, sponsors, media and friends were on hand in December when the actual announcements were made at the official open house for the new Whitlock Motorsports facility. The evening also recognized endless contributions made to the team and to CASCAR racing by Craig Chisamore. Rick Rigby of Ford was on hand to reflect on all the great times and present Craig with a commemorative poster. Although now officially retired from Ford of Canada, we all expect Craig to be seen at tracks frequently this year - enjoying his passion. See glimpses of that great evening, the new facility and the whole new look by visiting the team’s all-new web site www.whitlockmotorsports.com .

Thanks to Bart Garner of NTech Web Design for the superb job of redesigning the site, and incorporating Mark Dilley’s NTN Bearings Ford Taurus team. There are separate sections for each team, including sponsor areas and guest books for fans to communicate with the teams.

Thanks also to Vince Lally and staff of Lally Ford in Tilbury, where the all-new #98 Motorcraft Quality Parts Ford Taurus was on display for the first two weeks of its new life.

Hats off to the Ford & Lincoln Dealers in Western Canada on your selection of Wade Lee as a second team driver for Kevin Dowler’s Ford Quality Care / Fast Lane Apollo Race Team. Welcome Wade, and congratulations Kevin.

With preparation well ahead of last year, Whitlock is enthusiastic about 2001. "We had real good momentum during the second half of last year and I expect we will be able to build on that right out of the box. And all of last year, Mark was real consistent. If we can move his program up a couple of notches, the NTN team will be knocking on the door too."

The season is about to begin. Join us when you can – we’d love to see you. 

Surprises at CASCAR awards banquet...

November 11, 2000 Team owner Dave Whitlock made a surprise announcement in mid-season naming crew members Derek Noble and Kris Reddick as co-crew chiefs. It was a task that both took seriously and with diligence. And throughout the balance of the season, the performance of the #98 Quality Care Ford Taurus reflected that focus. It was with real pride that the two of them, affectionately known by most as Big D and Hopper respectively, walked to the stage at the London Convention Center on Saturday evening to accept their 3^rd place award for Snap-On Tools Crew Chief of the Year – Eastern Series. Congrats guys from all the Whitlock teams, sponsors and friends.

Another surprise also befell the Whitlock team as Bruce Clark of Lincoln Electric drew Dave’s name from among the Top 20 National Super Series finishers. The award of a Daytona 500 Trip includes lodging, tickets and hospitality as provided to guests of Lincoln Electric. Thank you Bruce, and since Dave and Corrine will just be returning from a Caribbean cruise in celebration of their 10^th Anniversary, there is much debate amongst the ranks as to who will actually be there with you.

In other awards, Dave also won a set of connecting rods from Manley in a draw among the Top 20 Ford finishers. And three companies graciously awarded every Top 20 finisher with $500 cash; many thanks for your support go to NTN Bearings, Holley Performance Products and Elf Racing Fuels.

President Bill Darmon was emphatic in his praise for everyone involved in this past ‘first’ season at the helm of CASCAR for he and his brother Al and their families. And his excitement continued as he sketched out the preliminary 2001 schedule. He is striving for an 8-race National Series, an 8-race Eastern Series and a 7-race Western Series. The National events will carry more prestige, as CASCAR moves away from Delaware Speedway Park on Labour Day (after 19 years) and becomes the support series for CART at the Vancouver Molson Indy.

The tentative 2001 CASCAR Castrol Super Series schedule looks like this: May 20, Delaware; June 9, Mosport (road course); July 1, Peterborough - Kawartha Downs; July 14, Molson Indy Toronto; Aug. 4, Trois-Rivieres; Aug. 26, Calgary; Sept. 1, Vancouver, and Sept. 30, Delaware. "Racers want to race, fans want to see our races, and the sponsors want the exposure," Darmon said of the reason behind expanding the National Series and adding new races in Vancouver and Trois-Rivieres, Que.

CASCAR may also have an Eastern Series race at the new Niagara Falls International Speedway. Senator Trevor Eyton, who also attended Saturday night's dinner, is spearheading that multimillion-dollar venture. Ground has been broken on the combined stock car/drag racing facility. "They're putting large amounts of dollars into what they feel is a very strong industry in Canada," Darmon said of Niagara Falls. "Racing in Canada has never been better.

In other news, CASCAR will have a new TV deal with The Score (Headline Sports) next season, and fans will see a mixture of live and taped racing.

Getting back to the banquet - of course, the racers partied well into the next day enjoying their final get-together of the new millenium season.

Season ends with podium finish for Dave Whitlock

September 3, 2000 With another record crowd for the CARQUEST 500 weekend at Delaware Speedway Park, Petrolia’s Dave Whitlock ended a grueling season with a smile. "We really wanted to finish the season with a win here today and the car was good on long green flag sessions. But two late cautions prevented us from mounting a challenge. We’re real happy to have finished 3rd and put this Quality Care Ford Taurus on the podium. And we’re also happy for Al Turner’s victory, for all he’s been through this year. It was his day, and he earned it."

Whitlock qualified 7th fastest during Friday time trial session and started the Autoplace 100 qualifying event from 4th. He advanced to 2nd and hounded eventual winner Pete Vanderwyst for many laps, but a tag in turn 3 spun Whitlock with 5 laps remaining yet he was able to muster a 9th place finish. Unhappy with the overall performance, the Quality Care team changed motors on Saturday to line up for Sunday’s 300 lapper in 17th position.

By lap 50 Dave was 9th, by lap 100 he was 7th and at lap 138 was 2nd. When the ninth caution came out at lap 158, Whitlock pitted with the leaders for tires and fuel. He remained in the top 5 throughout five more cautions and moved to 3rd with 15 to go. Two more restarts during the last five laps prevented any further challenge on the leaders. The unofficial National Points tallies for the CASCAR Castrol Super Series indicate the #98 team moved up one spot to 4th. Congratulations to Champion Pete Gibbons, 2nd Don Thomson Jr. and 3rd Kevin Dowler – a great season for all.

TEAM NOTES: Mark Dilley started from the 6th spot and remained in the top 6 all day, until being forced to the pits with a flat at lap 295. The NTN Bearings #64 recovered for 6th at the end, but had a real strong day, running as high as 2nd and 3rd from laps 196 to 230. Dilley also moved up from 8th to unofficially finish 6th in National Points.

Misfortune again pelted Dave Jacombs with a day-ending crash on lap 49. After starting 21st, the #88 Speedy Auto Service Taurus was hot, moving to 14th by lap 17 and into the top 10 when the turn 1 accident collected him, damaging both ends of the car. Unofficially, Jacombs ended up 10th in National Points.

We also welcomed Dick Bear of LUGFASTS from Winston-Salem, NC as well as Jeff & Lisa Roethlisberger of TURN 1 Steering Systems from Saginaw, MI for the weekend. These two great Whitlock Motorsports sponsors saw a fantastic race and met many of the other teams during Sunday morning activities. And Dave’s parents again hosted the annual post-race ‘appreciation barbecue’ feeding well over a hundred crew, friends, sponsors and fans. As always, a great feast – thanks Doug and Janet., from everyone.

I trust you have enjoyed sharing this season with us. Please drop us a line on our web site guestbook and add your feelings about the team and the year 2000. Each of these reports is archived on the News page for you to review anytime. Check the CASCAR site for Speedvision air times of the 2000 events, starting November 5th. And as for next year, we hope to be back to you soon with some exciting news. Thanks for listening… BACK to NEWS page

Good run at Mosport keeps Whitlock on stride...

August 28, 2000 With a strong sixth place qualifying position and a sixth place finish during the UAP / NAPA Presents the Mosport 250km road race yesterday, Dave Whitlock accomplished his goal.

"That first National event in Edmonton really set us back. We were 13^th in points then and our 4^th place in Calgary brought us up to 8^th. This good run today moves us to 5^th; that was what we wanted to do" said the 3-time National Champion.

A mid-race incident saw Whitlock and several others off the course in turn 3, but he quickly restarted and got back in the hunt suffering body damage only. And during his only pit stop for fuel and four tires during a caution at around 40 laps of the 64 lap event, the Quality Care team were awesome, getting their #98 Ford Taurus back out ahead of the leaders.

With many teams electing to not pit, it required several laps for the leaders to work through the field. The final restart came with 7 laps remaining and caused a great shoot-out as the lead-lap cars again had the other cars to contend with. Peter Gibbons held off Don Thompson, Jr. and western Quality Care driver Kevin Dowler finished 3^rd.

TEAM NOTES: Mark Dilley came from 15^th and had his best finish of the season as he brought the #64 NTN Bearings Taurus home in 4^th, after an unexpected pit stop on lap 2 saw the Barrie driver running by himself until the first caution got him back in sequence.

Dave Jacombs struggled with his new ‘replacement’ #88 Speedy Auto Service Ford Taurus during the first two days and decided to make several changes just prior to the race. Jacombs steadily worked forward from his 17^th place start, and reported it perfect after stopping for fuel and new tires. But the motor failed at lap 41 ending his day and finished a disappointing 26^th.

Next weekend, the final event of the season, the legendary CARQUEST 500 Weekend at Delaware Speedway Park (London) sees the two 100-lap qualifying events Friday evening, practice and last-chance race Saturday and the big 300-lapper on Sunday.

Whitlock talks about the great Canadian race…"Mathematically, it is possible for us to win a 4^th Championship. We were running right up there with Gibbons at Ste. Eustache, and this week I’m going for the pole again - and the win. They’d have to wreck pretty bad for us to get enough points to win the Championship, but we’ll be there leaning hard on those guys, and be real happy to end up 3^rd in points by Sunday night."

Whitlock feels Mosport critical to season...

August 24, 2000 As the CASCAR Castrol Super Series heads into the eastern leg this weekend at the world-famous road course at Mosport, Dave Whitlock is confident of a decent finish and a significant improvement in the National point standings.

"Even though lots of unexpected things can happen on a track like Mosport, this Quality Care team has been put to the test during the last three events, but they kept me in the hunt every time" says Whitlock. He’s referring to the Edmonton and Ste Eustache races where the Ford Taurus finished with no body panels ahead of the windshield. In Calgary, several pit stops were required to try and diagnose an engine misfire, yet the team never went off the lead lap.

Whitlock sits 8^th in points at this mid-point of the National series, but feels very good about moving up this weekend. "With the performance improvements we’ve had over the last month, I’m really hopeful we’ll have the Quality Care Taurus inside the top five as we head into the season finale at Delaware next weekend. We have two third-place finishes to bring into the National standings, so that should help us too." Teams are allowed to add points from their two best finishes in their respective eastern or western series to their points earned in National events.

TEAM NOTES

With the loss of the #88 Speedy Auto Service Taurus and equipment in Montreal, Whitlock Motorsports has been extra busy preparing another car for Dave Jacombs to finish out the National series. Jacombs sits 9^th currently after a disappointing western swing, finishing 15^th and 18^th. He does bring forward a 2^nd and 3^rd from eastern events, so good finishes in the next two events could catapult him forward in the final tally.

Mark Dilley could be the sleeper right now as he sits in 11^th. This NTN Bearings #64 team has had 7 top 10’s this year, led several laps in Montreal and has really gelled as a team all year. Look for them to move forward.

Congratulations to the Turner family. They announced this week that Al Turner would be returning to the wheel of the Blue Streak Intrepid this weekend at Mosport after missing the last two events to be with his son James at Toronto’s Hospital for Sick Children. James, who has recently returned home with his parents and sisters to recuperate, has stated his desire to attend the race event this weekend.

The close relationship between Dilley and Turner prompted Mark to organize the RACING WITH JAMES TURNER FUND golf tournament on October 3 in Barrie. For more info, contact Mark Dilley at 705-733-8849.

Racing this weekend kicks off with practice and qualifying both Friday and Saturday with the two 25-minute qualifying heat races on Saturday at 3 p.m. The UAP/NAPA Mosport 250 km goes off Sunday at 2 p.m.

Podium finish for Whitlock; 88 team stolen at Ste Eustache...

August 6, 2000 It was a feeling of total intrusion as Dave Whitlock looked at the empty spot where the #88 Speedy Auto Service truck and trailer had been parked at the Laval Quebec motel just 6 hours earlier. Everything was gone, including the race car, spare engine, tools, equipment, tires and much more. Whitlock Motorsports immediately posted a $10,000 reward for information leading to the return of the missing goods.

Not withstanding the loss, driver Dave Jacombs was instantly without a car to drive for that final race of the Eastern series, in which he was sitting 3^rd. A big thanks from the team and the crowd went to Jason McLellan and the Arctic Clear / Thistletown / TD Smith Dodge team for loaning their road-course car to Jacombs for him to complete enough laps to unofficially retain his 3^rd place standing.

Dave Whitlock unleashed a great qualifying time for the UAP NAPA Autopro 200 that earned a 3^rd place start behind pole sitter Don Thompson Jr. and Peter Gibbons. The trio broke away from the field until Thompson spun at lap 39. Gibbons and Whitlock again pulled away until both cars were heavily damaged as a lap car spun in front of them on lap 53. Both started from the rear of the 29-car field and charged around the 4/10-mile oval. By lap 80, the Quality Care Taurus was 14^th. But another incident at lap 115 sent Whitlock to the pits to remove the damaged RF fender and grill. And another caution two laps later allowed the team to remove the left fender leaving the radiator totally exposed and very vulnerable.

But that didn’t stop Whitlock from running high or low as he again made a charge for the front. By lap 150, he was 12^th, by 165 was 9^th, and on the lap 195 restart was 5^th. In a controversial final dash by Thompson, Neil Fair and Kerry Micks for the checker flag, Dave Whitlock followed Thompson through to bring the #98 team home in 3^rd, it’s second podium finish of the season.

Whitlock was elated. "The team did an awesome job in getting the car repaired while staying on the lead lap, and we were really hooked. I could go anywhere but knowing that Thompson and Gibbons were in a fight for the Championship, I wasn’t about to get in the middle of it. We were right there and if they both messed up, that race was ours. But third is just fine, considering all the other hassles this morning with the Jacombs team problems."

TEAM NEWS Mark Dilley started right behind Whitlock in 5^th and took the lead for 7 laps after the lap 53 incident. Dilley kept the NTN Bearings #64 Ford Taurus in the top 5 for most of the 200 laps but had to pit with a flat tire near the end. They managed to stay on the lead lap but finished a disappointing 13^th.

The CASCAR Castrol Super Series teams go to Mosport next on August 27^th for the final road-course event on the National Series tour.

Piece of rubber denies Whitlock a podium in Calgary...

July 31, 2000 A little gasket in the carburetor deteriorated and restricted fuel flow in the Quality Care / Paradise Canyon Ford Taurus during the second stop on the CASCAR Castrol Super Series National tour yesterday on the high-bank half-mile oval at Race City Motorsports Park in Calgary, Alberta. "It’s too bad. We had a third place car for sure, and maybe better. We were actually faster than the leaders just before the problem surfaced," said the 3-time National Champion.

The #98 team struggled during practice sessions on Friday until they found a suspension problem. Dave managed to earn 3^rd fastest in time trials and therefore a 2^nd place starting position for the qualifying race Friday night. But without enough time for adequate adjustments after finding the culprit, the car was not perfect for the 100-lap sprint. "We just got too loose and had to hang on for a 7^th place finish" said Whitlock.

With a scheduled appearance at Universal Ford in Calgary on Saturday, the team utilized the shop to change engines, much to the delight of the staff and customers. And the late afternoon practice session provided enough time to make the final adjustments.

Whitlock started 15^th and was up to 5^th by lap 100 of the Mopar 300 main event, on a very hot and sunny afternoon. During the third caution at lap 115, the #98 team took on tires and fuel and resumed in 4^th. But at lap 145, Dave radioed his crew with the bad news, "I’ve lost a cylinder boys". The next caution came out at lap 194 and Dave brought the car in several times for the crew to chase down the problem, each time returning to the track without losing a lap. Not knowing exactly the cause at that time, plug wires were changed but to no avail. Dave did a tremendous job of driving for the remainder of the race, managing to hang on to 4^th until the end.

Ford entertained staff from winning dealerships in southern Alberta and Saskatchewan and during Dave’s autograph session at their hospitality area, Andrew Lernowich of Festival Ford in Red Deer was selected as the guest technician to join the Quality Care Pit Crew for the race. It was his first time attending a race and he was ecstatic to be there on pit row, in full uniform, holding the pit sign and being part of the action - especially on this busy day for the #98 team.

Other highlights of the week included three glorious days at Paradise Canyon Golf Resort in Lethbridge, although repairs to the car after the previous event in Edmonton consumed most of the time. On Thursday, the annual parade and pit stop contest in downtown Calgary drew a large noon-time crowd to witness the Quality Care team proudly earn 2^nd in the competition.

Teammates Mark Dilley and Dave Jacombs both had strong runs going. Jacombs, in the Speedy Auto Service Taurus started 7^th and was as high as 3^rd by lap 125, but green flag stops for tire problems and a broken wheel stud relegated a disappointing 18^th place finish. Dilley’s NTN Bearings Taurus charged from 21^st to 11^th by lap 37 and after being in an incident and going down two laps, recovered well for a 6th place finish. The unofficial National points standings have Dave Whitlock in 8^th with 845, Dave Jacombs in 9^th with 842 and Mark Dilley in 11^th with 816. The race was won by Peter Gibbons, followed by Don Thomson Jr. and DJ Kennington.

Next Sunday, the final event in the Eastern series takes the teams to Ste. Eustache north of Montreal.

Fixed-Right First-Time benefits Whitlock in Edmonton...

July 24, 2000 The Ford Quality Care team of Dave Whitlock made hasty and effective repairs to their Ford Taurus during the early laps of the initial CASCAR Castrol Super Series National event held yesterday on Edmonton City Centre Airport temporary road course circuit. But teamwork and attention to detail paid off.

Whitlock recalls, "After spinning on my own in the last tight turn before the main straight, I was facing the track and waiting for a group of others to pass when the 99 car unfortunately went in too hard and hit me broadside across the grill. The crew carefully removed the damaged body panels, repaired the shrouding and sent me back out. Fortunately, the rad was not damaged in the crash - or the pits, and we were able to recover from 25^th at that point to a respectable 16^th at the end. They did a great job." It was a prime example of taking the time to do things right, even in the heat of the battle and the crowd cheered as the wounded Quality Care / Paradise Canyon #98 returned to the track.

Whitlock had struggled from 18^th fastest in first-day practice to 10^th fastest on Saturday. A 7^th place finish in the 20 lap qualifying race yielded a start position of 14^th in the Bumper to Bumper 250 Sunday feature. The incident happened on lap 12 of the 86 lap event.

Teammate Mark Dilley had been strong through practice, but some dirt in the carb knocked him out of the qualifying race. But the debut of his new NTN Bearings sponsored road course #64 Taurus was spectacular as he charged from last to finish 7^th, earning the nickname "Chargin’ Charlie". The Speedy Auto Service #88 of third teammate Dave Jacombs was also strong through practice and qualifying. Starting 11^th, unscheduled pit stops for tire issues caused the loss of 7 laps and he finished 15^th. With teams adding points from their two best finishes in the Eastern Series, the National Points chase has Jacombs in 9^th, Whitlock in 13^th and Dilley in 14^th.

Thanks to the hospitality of the Edmonton Ford Regional staff, winning technicians of Koch Ford Lincoln were hosted at the race and toured the Whitlock Motorsports transporter and pit area.

The western swing continues this week as teams move to Round #2 of the National Series in Calgary. Activities start Thursday with a parade and pit stop downtown mid-day and a benefit function for the Children’s Wish Foundation Charity at Schanks in the evening. Practice and qualifying goes Friday and Saturday, with the 300-lap feature race on Sunday at Race City Motorsports Park. Dave Whitlock and the Quality Care / Paradise Canyon #98 Taurus will be at Universal Ford Lincoln on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

All three teams will spend Monday to Wednesday readying the cars at Paradise Canyon Golf Resort in Lethbridge. Words cannot describe the beauty of this unique golf environment, which also offers retirement villas, investment condos, lots and homes. Many thanks to Howard Campbell and staff for their hospitality. Visit the ultimate golf resort in Western Canada at www.paradisegolfresort.com

Whitlock adds golf resort to Western swing...

July 20, 2000 When the CASCAR Castrol Super Series hits the Edmonton area for the first National Series event this weekend, the #98 Ford Taurus of Dave Whitlock will be sporting additional visibility for a brand new destination resort in Lethbridge Alberta.

"We’re the new crown gem here in LA" (the western reference to Lower Alberta) says Howard Campbell of Paradise Canyon Golf Resort in Lethbridge, just an hour or so south of Calgary. "With all the rain in the northern parts of the province, our course is very desirable right now – it’s perfect. And we’re very excited to be a part of Whitlock Motorsports and the CASCAR tour as they come to Alberta. All three teams will be staying here during the week between the Edmonton and Calgary events and special activities are being planned to celebrate their arrival."

Mark Dilley, team driver of the NTN Bearings Ford Taurus, loves golf. "I’m not a golfer, so I don’t really know how good he is" says his father Dave Dilley. "But some people have told me he should have been a pro golfer instead of a race car driver". Dilley, who played a few courses in Alberta with team spotter Brad Moran during last year’s western swing, has requested two tee-times daily at Paradise Canyon.

Paradise Canyon bills itself as the ultimate golf resort in Western Canada and also offers retirement villas, investment condos, lots and homes. Visit them at paradisegolfresort.com

Dave Whitlock will have his #98 Quality Care / Paradise Canyon Ford Taurus on display today at Koch Ford Lincoln in Edmonton, with an autograph session planned for this evening from 5 to 9 p.m. "We’ve got the front lot all cleared off for the big Whitlock team transporter, flashing signs and ads in the paper and on the radio" says Koch vice-president and General Manager Wayne Chesney. "We’re excited about CASCAR coming to Edmonton and look forward to entertaining Dave, his Quality Care crew and many fans and customers on Thursday".

The CASCAR Castrol Super Series kicks off its National championship chase this weekend in Edmonton, AB with the Bumper to Bumper Motorsport Classic at the Edmonton City Centre Airport. The July 21-23 road course event is the first of two Super Series races to be held in Alberta on consecutive weekends.

And a dandy Street Fight it was in Toronto...

July 15, 2000 The air was tense and the future of CASCAR at Indy was being questioned by everyone as they waited out the long delay after a massive pile-up on the second turn of the very first lap. But once resumed, the stars of the CASCAR Castrol Super Series put on such a great show that officials and CTV extended the live broadcast of the Exide 99 Street Fight for an extra 10 minutes. Four drivers dueled throughout but Alberta’s Kevin Dowler took the win in his Quality Care Ford Taurus, leading twice for 25 of the 30 laps around the 1.755-mile temporary street course on the streets in and around Exhibition Place.

Eastern Quality Care counter-part Dave Whitlock qualified off the mark in 19^th but was happy with his 15^th place finish. "Our Ford Taurus was strong enough for a top-ten finish but apparently the pan hard bar came loose causing me to be extra cautious entering the turns. I was super glad I could find a hole to get through that lap 1 crash and finish the event unscathed. We’ll take this finish and head out west in one piece" said the 3-time National Champion.

The #98 team leaves Tuesday afternoon for an appearance and autograph session from noon to nine on Thursday at Koch Ford Lincoln in Edmonton. The first event of the 2000 National Championship - the Bumper to Bumper 250 km - is this weekend at the Edmonton City Centre airport. Additional sponsorship for the Whitlock entry comes from Paradise Canyon Golf Resort in Lethbridge – a brand new destination facility with condominium lifestyles for retirement or investment and a golf ranking of Alberta Top 7 and Canada Top 60. Visit them at paradisegolfresort.com

Whitlock also announced a crew change effective immediately. Crew chief Terry Simpson has been released and long-time members Derek Noble and Kris Reddick will become interim co-crew chiefs. "Our other two teams have advanced well in terms of communication and team work. I’m not pleased with our #98 performance this year. We need to step up this team and return to the form that won us championships in 97 and 98. This is the next step…" said driver and team owner Dave Whitlock. Simpson had previously been with Whitlock in 1993.

TEAM NEWS Mark Dilley had another decent run, qualifying the NTN Bearings Ford Taurus in 16^th and finishing 11^th. "We finished the first road course in 4 attempts and came home in one piece – that’s great. We were as high as 8^th but had to back off as brakes went away" said Dilley, who moved up one spot to 4^th in Eastern standings.

Dave Jacombs had another good run coming from 17^th to 9^th. "The Speedy Auto Service Taurus was faster than I expected – it was a pleasure to drive" said the newest Whitlock Motorsports driver. Jacombs maintains his 3^rd in Eastern points, only 80 back of the leader Don Thomson Jr.

Street Fight time in Toronto...

July 10, 2000 Dave Whitlock believes that when the green flag falls this Saturday on the streets of the Molson Indy, his #98 Quality Care Ford Taurus will be in prime shape. "We’ve been trying many different things over the last couple of years on all the road course events. And with all three of our team cars being virtually the same, we will benefit from that additional input. There’s getting to be a lot of good road racers in this Series, but I think we’ll be better than we ever have been."

The Exide ’99 Street Fight marks the second appearance of the CASCAR Super Series as part of the Molson Indy weekend. Whitlock remembers well last year. "We had a top five car and unfortunately got into a tangle near the end. But it was exciting just being there and representing CASCAR as the defending National Champion. This year, it’s exciting to be back for all the Toronto fans. It’s so nice being in the air-conditioned garage area and having time to visit with so many people over the weekend. And, we’re looking forward to being part of the first-ever LIVE-TV broadcast of a CASCAR event."

Most CASCAR teams will be joining hundreds of fans, media and special guests at Vinnie’s in downtown Toronto this Wednesday evening for the Inside Track / CASCAR / Exide ’99 Celebration. There will be giveaways, video games, door prizes, and a huge silent auction with proceeds to Make-A-Wish Foundation. The #98 Quality Care Ford Taurus will be out front on the street for all to see.

Move-in for teams will be completed Thursday and the practice session Friday at 8 a.m. Qualifying goes off Friday afternoon, with the race on Saturday at 3 p.m. Remember CTV Sportsnet LIVE.

SPORTSMAN This past Friday evening, it was BOC Gases night at Delaware Speedway Park near London for the third 100 lap CARQUEST Sportsman Series event. Representing his long-time sponsor, Dave Whitlock had the BOC Gases Ford Taurus heading for a top five finish when a cloud of smoke indicated an internal engine problem, ending his night. But it was a great race with Steve Roblee taking yet another win, and earning a five day welding course at the Motorsports Welding School in Cleveland, courtesy of BOC supplier Lincoln Welders. BOC Branch manager Bill Hilton presented various welding and related awards to all class winners. "We’ve been a part of Delaware for a lot of years. This night is a way for us to help many racers, entertain our customers and staff and just have a lot of fun. And tonight, we had a great time." Hilton concluded.

TEAM NEWS Mark Dilley had mechanical problems prevent him from finishing in all three road-course races in 1999. Whitlock says, "Our first goal at Indy for Mark is to ensure a finish. We know the #64 NTN Bearing Taurus team had good runs going last year in every road course but mechanical problems robbed them. He’ll be strong. Dave Jacombs had a great race in Toronto last year, starting 12^th and finishing 8^th. We look for him to continue his great season this year with a top-five in the Speedy Auto Service / Raybestos #88 Ford Taurus." Going into this event #7 of the Eastern Series, Jacombs sits 3^rd in points, with Dilley 5^th and Whitlock 7^th.