Analyzing The Velocity Prairie Thunder 250 At Auto Clearing Motor Speedway
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (July 15, 2014) – The 2014 NASCAR Canadian Tire Series presented by Mobil 1 will conclude its annual western swing with the Velocity Prairie Thunder 250 on Wednesday at Auto Clearing Motor Speedway in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. Below is a statistical look at the performance of the series and selected drivers at the track:
Saskatoon Setup:
- D.J. Kennington and Scott Steckly, with two victories apiece, have combined to win four of the five all-time NASCAR Canadian Tire Series presented by Mobil 1 events at Auto Clearing Motor Speedway. Neither has a win through four races this year.
- J.R. Fitzpatrick and L.P. Dumoulin share the season points lead entering Saskatoon. Fitzpatrick is the two-time defending pole winner at ACMS while Dumoulin recorded his best career oval finish last week.
- Winner of the previous two events this year, Andrew Ranger heads to Saskatoon with an opportunity to take checkers three races in a row for just the second time in his career.
At Auto Clearing Motor Speedway:
- Opened in 2006.
- Has played host to the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series presented by Mobil 1 each year since 2009.
- That 2009 inaugural event was the first appearance for the series in the province of Saskatchewan.
- Scott Steckly won the inaugural 2009 race, and was victorious again there last year.
- The previous five events have produced three different pole winners and three different race victors.
- Six drivers have participated in all five previous events, and four are expected to extend the streak this week.
- Dodge has been the winning manufacturer in all five previous events.
Auto Clearing Motor Speedway Data
Race #: 5 of 11
Track Layout: .333-mile asphalt oval
Banking/Turns: progressive from 5-11 degrees
Race Length: 250 laps (83.25 miles)
TV Coverage: TSN – Sat., July 26, 3 p.m.; RDS2 – Sun., Aug. 3, 5 p.m.
Qualifying/Race Data
2013 Race Winner: Scott Steckly
2013 Pole Winner: J.R. Fitzpatrick
Qualifying Record: J.R. Fitzpatrick, Chevrolet, 81.801 mph, 14.665 secs., July 25, 2012
Category Leaders at Auto Clearing Motor Speedway:Wins
1. D.J. Kennington … 2
Scott Steckly … 2
3. Pete Shepherd III … 1
Poles
1. J.R. Fitzpatrick … 2
D.J. Kennington … 2
3. Don Thomson Jr. … 1
Top Fives
1. D.J. Kennington … 5
2. Scott Steckly … 4
3. Mark Dilley … 3
Top 10s
1. D.J. Kennington … 5
2. Mark Dilley … 4
J.R. Fitzpatrick … 4
Jason Hathaway … 4
Scott Steckly … 4
Laps Led
1. D.J. Kennington … 336
2. J.R. Fitzpatrick … 281
3. Scott Steckly … 170
Laps Completed
1. D.J. Kennington … 1,250 (all)
2. Mark Dilley … 1,247
3. Scott Steckly … 1,219
Select Driver Highlights:
Mark Dilley (No. 02 Johnsonville/Leland/BDI Ford)
- Has three wins, 28 top fives and 46 top 10s in 79 career NASCAR Canadian Tire Series presented by Mobil 1 starts.
- Won the series’ inaugural race at Riverside International Speedway in 2007. All three of his wins have come on ovals.
- Has competed in three of four races this year, highlighted by a runner-up finish at Autodrome Chaudiere.
- Has three top fives and an average finish of sixth in five starts at Auto Clearing Motor Speedway. Was the runner-up there in each of the last two years.
L.P. Dumoulin (No. 47 WeatherTech Canada/Bellemare Dodge)
- The 2011 NCATS Rookie of the Year has two wins, a pole, 13 top fives and 21 top 10s in 41 career starts.
- Both of his career triumphs came at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park in a 2013 season sweep of events at the road course. He became the first back-to-back winner there in series history.
- Is tied with J.R. Fitzpatrick for the points lead with top-five finishes in all four races.
- Has finishes of seventh and 12th the last two years at ACMS. Last week’s runner-up finish at Edmonton International Raceway was his best result in 19 career oval starts.
J.R. Fitzpatrick (No. 84 Autism Speaks/Equipment Express Chevrolet)
- Has nine wins, share the series record with 14 poles, has 39 top fives and 57 top 10s in 82 career starts.
- Won the 2014 opener at CTMP to extend his series record for wins at the road course to four.
- Is tied with Dumoulin for the championship lead. Has the CTMP win and three additional top 10s.
- His first career win was the inaugural event at Motorplex in 2007. It remains his lone oval victory.
- Has an average finish of fifth and a best result of second (2010) in four previous ACMS starts.
- Earned the pole at ACMS in each of the last two seasons and set the track record in 2012.
Jason Hathaway (No. 3 Pro Point/Rockstar Energy Drink Chevrolet)
- Has four wins and 55 top 10s in 91 career starts. Is one of three drivers to compete in every race in NCATS history.
- Ranks fifth in points this season, highlighted by a win at Autodrome Chaudiere and a podium at EIR.
- All four of his career wins have been earned on ovals, including three of his last five such starts.
- Has four top fives, an average finish of eighth and a best result of third (2013) in the five previous ACMS races.
D.J. Kennington (No. 17 Castrol Edge/Mahindra Tractors Dodge)
- The 2010 and 2012 NCATS champion. Maintains series record for career wins (tied-19), top fives (64), top 10s (76) and is one of three drivers to start each of the 91 all-time events. Also ranks second in series history in laps led (2,754) and fifth in poles (10).
- Holds the NCATS record for most career oval victories with 16. Has won at eight different circle tracks, including ACMS. All 10 of his career poles have been earned ovals.
- Has a streak of 54-consecutive races without at DNF. Last DNF came at Riverside International Speedway in 2007.
- Ranks fourth in points after four events with a best result of fifth in the CTMP opener as well as last week at EIR.
- Has two wins (2010, `12), two poles (`10, `11), an average finish of second and 336 laps led in five races at ACMS.
Steve Mathews (No. 48 MidWest Combustion/Bill Mathews Motors Chevrolet)
- Has three poles and nine top 10s in 27 career starts. All nine of his top 10s have come at oval tracks.
- Has started three of four races this year. Tied his career-best finish with a third-place effort at Chaudiere after he captured the pole and led a career-high 64 laps.
- This will be his first start at ACMS.
Andrew Ranger (No. 27 Mopar/Exide Dodge)
- The 2007 and 2009 champion is tied for the series all-time lead in both wins (19) and poles (14). Has 40 top fives and 56 top 10s in 65 career NCATS starts.
- Of his 19 career triumphs, 15 have come on road courses. Earned his fourth oval win last week at EIR. The first three circle track wins came in 2009.
- Has jumped from 12th to third in points with wins the last two times out. He’s won three starts in a row once before in his career, in 2010.
- In his only two previous ACMS appearances he finished eighth in 2009 and sixth in 2012.
Scott Steckly (No. 22 Canadian Tire/Mobil 1 Dodge)
- Has a series-leading three championships (2008, `11, `13) through the first seven years of NCATS competition.
- Owner of 15 wins, 12 poles, 55 top fives and 68 top 10s in 91 career starts. His top fives and top 10s totals rank second all-time while his wins and poles sit third in the record book. Is the all-time leader in laps led at 3,319.
- All 15 of his career triumphs have come on ovals. He’s won at eight different circle tracks, including ACMS.
- Ranks sixth in points after four races, highlighted by a fourth-place finish at Chaudiere.
- Has two wins (2009, `13), an average finish of sixth and 170 laps led in five ACMS races. Only finish outside the top five was 20th in 2011.
Alex Tagliani (No. 18 EpiPen/Dicom Express Dodge)
- Has a win, five poles and seven top 10s in 19 career NCATS starts. The victory was earned at Edmonton City Centre Airport in 2008.
- Missed the CTMP opener to compete in Indianapolis 500 qualifying. Finished 14th at Chaudiere, fifth at ICAR and led the first 268 laps from the pole last week at EIR before a wreck relegated him to 13th.
- Best finish in seven career oval starts is seventh at Barrie Speedway in 2008.
Up To Speed:
- The 2014 season is the eighth for the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series presented by Mobil 1.
- The 2014 schedule features 11 races at 10 different tracks across five provinces.
- J.R. Fitzpatrick opened the campaign with a dominant victory at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park on May 18. Andrew Ranger set the track record in qualifying.
- Steve Mathews earned his third career pole and Jason Hathaway took the checkered flag for the fourth time in his career on June 15 in the series’ inaugural visit to Autodrome Chaudiere. The race was postponed one day due to rain.
- Ranger swept the weekend at Circuit ICAR with his second straight pole and third win in a row in the event on July 6.
- The western swing began on July 11 with the series’ inaugural visit to Edmonton International Raceway. Alex Tagliani earned his fifth career pole and Ranger took down a second straight victory.
- Following the Velocity Prairie Thunder 250, the series will return to Quebec on July 26 for the National 250 at Autodrome St. Eustache.
