Race Report - Results

Pre Race Report

Whitlock looks to defend 2004 CASCAR season opening Mopar 250 at Delaware

NTN with Dilley for sixth year at Whitlock Motorsports

Whitlock’s Hard Charge Comes Up Short

 May 29, 2004 - Delaware - As the CASCAR fans settled in on a beautiful spring evening at Delaware Speedway Park Derek “Rock” Botton drew the crowds attention to the fact that 6 CASCAR National Championships would lead the field to the green flag for the 2004 running of the Mopar 250 at Canada’s Hometown Track. With Don Thomson and Dave Whitlock on the front row the fans were charged with anticipation of a great race, not just for the season opening race but in the quest to be the first 4 time CASCAR National Champion.

 Following the pre-race festivities, which included a parade of vehicles from Glassford Chrysler’s Dodge Truck Superstore, (official vehicle supplier of Whitlock Motorsports) Bill Steele, Mopar Marketing Manager gave the drivers the command to start their engines.

 Thompson was off to a quick start and an early lead while Whitlock’s Avenue Motor Works / NMT Dodge slipped to 3’rd and Mark Dilley moved his NTN Bearings Dodge from his 6’th place starting position to 5’th where they stayed until the caution flew on lap 29 for Josh Wood’s trip into the outside wall in turn three.

 When the green flew again on lap 40, Thompson suddenly slowed off of Turn 4 with a flat trapping #55 Rob Graham behind him while the whole field dove low and freight-trained past. It took nearly two laps before either car could get to the bottom line, Thompson to pit and Graham to get back in the groove. While Thompson lost 2 laps pitting, Whitlock sensed opportunity, getting his nose under the 17 of DJ Kennington briefly on the front stretch and driving hard into Turn 3 of the next lap in a furious charge to take advantage of Thompson’s misfortune.

 The next 20 laps were some of the best racing you could find anywhere as Whitlock made several determined attempts at getting around the #17 of DJ Kennington while Thompson, only 3 cars back, desperately fought to regain his lost laps. You could have thrown a blanket over six of the best cars in CASCAR as they fought for position, changing spots several times per lap. Lap 60 saw Thompson get around Peter Gibbons and charge to the outside of Whitlock off of 2, only to have Whitlock dive deep into 3 and get under Kennington. By the time they hit the front straight, Thompson had slipped back behind Gibbons and Whitlock had finally taken the lead. Dilley maintained steady pressure in 4’th, ready for any of the top 3 to slip.

 Thompson made several attempts on Whitlock over the next 10 laps, deploying the proverbial chrome horn on more than one occasion. The AP Racing engine was strong off the corners though, allowing Whitlock to hold off Thompson until they caught lapped traffic again on lap 73.

 Gibbons took advantage of slower traffic to trap Whitlock and Kennington, briefly gaining the lead, but allowing Don Thompson to get around him and make up one of his two laps. Whitlock came back around Gibbons on lap 74 but could not catch Thompson before the caution flew again on lap 97. Dilley was still slotted 4’th. Thompson took the opportunity to take a right front tire.

 As the green flag flew again on lap 106, Peter Gibbons in 2’nd slowed suddenly off of turn 4 giving Whitlock a huge jump on the field. The big start was short lived however as Whitlock had to brake hard off of 3 on the next lap to avoid a wide swath of oil through turn 4. As the field checked up in reaction behind Whitlock the inevitable occurred with several cars mid pack getting sideways in the oil and stacking up on the front straight. With Gibbons dropping back and ultimately pitting, Dilley moved to 3’rd.  cont'd

Team MOPAR Race Reports

 The green finally flew again on lap 120 but the yellow was out once more on lap 137 when the 11 of Ron VanEs got into the 43 of Bob Merrifield, spinning both cars. Whitlock, Kennington and Dilley all pitted for right side tires and the Whitlock Motorsports crews busted off some great stops, getting Whitlock off pit road first and moving Dilley past Kennington. They restarted in 11’th and 12’th respectively. Thompson meanwhile gained his second lap back when the leaders pitted and restarted the race at the tail end of the lead lap, just ahead of the 77 of Pete Vanderwyst. Another caution on lap 155 for #3 Mark Swain’s second spin of the evening gave Thompson the free pass he needed to rejoin the field at the back of the lead lap cars. Whitlock had moved to 9’th, with Dilley still in 12’th.

Steve Roblee took his #28 around Peter Vanderwyst on the restart and crossed the line on lap 163 with the lead. Another quick caution found Whitlock up to 7’th and Dilley in 10’th.

 On lap 187 the #14 of John Fitzpatrick got into the #86 of Kenny Forth, putting Forth into the wall and bringing out yet another yellow. Vanderwyst elected to pit, moving Jeff Lapcevich in the #23, who started dead last, into second. Whitlock took the green in 6’th spot. Dilley chose to pit again for a right rear and rejoined the field in 17’th position, ahead of Vanderwyst.

 The ensuing restart was smooth until they hit the back straight where the #81 slowed dramatically and the field went 4 wide into turn 3. Dilley took advantage of the melee to move up 3 spots. Amazingly there was no wreck.

 Roblee soon found that he had a mirror full of Lapcevich as the determined ‘road racer’ furiously worked on getting around Delaware Speedway’s all time win leader. The performance was even more impressive because while Lapcevich was beating on Roblee’s back bumper he had Peter Gibbons, the all time CASCAR Super Series win leader beating on his own. With fewer than 60 laps to go, this was a classic Saturday night shootout as the three of them diced it out at the front of the field.

 With the three of them racing so hard it seemed something had to give and it finally did around lap 210 with Lapcevich getting so far sideways off of four that the fans in turn one could read the Tim Hortons logo on his right rear quarter. In a gritty show of talent the former road racer gathered it up again but as the field bunched up behind him the 14 of John Fitzpatrick spun and hit the protective barrier at end the of the pit wall. Lapcevich had slipped to 3’rd. Whitlock was still patiently awaiting his opportunity in 6’th. Dilley, who had pitted again on lap 205 restarted in 14’th.

 Eight laps of caution, from 221 to 229 severely hampered Whitlock’s efforts to get back to the front. When the green finally flew Gibbons rooted Roblee out of the way to take the lead. Roblee faded fast due to suspected ignition problems. As Whitlock was mired behind the #60 of Ron Beauchamp he could see Gibbons pulling away. Finally an opening presented itself on the back straight. Whitlock cut hard left to take the bottom going into three and got under Beauchamp. With the laps fading fast and Gibbons on a clear track Whitlock pressed the issue off of four moving the lapped car of Rob Graham out of the way. Unfortunately Graham went around on the front straight bringing the caution out again and allowing Beauchamp to get his position back.

 The track was clear but it took 7 laps to get things restarted. The single file restart on lap 244 found Whitlock in 6’th and Dilley in 11’th. Both drivers got a huge jump by moving to the outside as the green flew moving Whitlock to 4’th and Dilley to 9’th. The final caution of the evening flew almost immediately. With the final 5 laps guaranteed to be green flag laps the tension was high in the stands.

 Whitlock again got a big jump on the outside when the green flew with 5 to go. He worked the Avenue Motor Works / NMT Dodge to the outside of the 22 of Steve Steckly but could not hold it in turns one and two and slipped back. Trying again in 3 and 4 he slipped high allowing Beauchamp back by. Not to be deterred Whitlock made runs up the outside of nearly every turn, even edging ahead of the 22 on the back straight with only two to go, only to be held high and fade back in each turn. He ended the night in 5’th with teammate Dilley in 8’th. (Bart Garner, NTech)