Top Five for Steckly in Season Finale

Top Five for Steckly in Season Finale

Late charge to the front cut short by rain

KAWARTHA, ONTARIO – The No. 22 Racing/Canadian Tire/Tow Truck in a Box Dodge Avenger of Scott Steckly was soundly in the top five of the Z-Line Designs 250 presented by the Dodge Dealers of Ontario and Coca-Cola at Kawartha Speedway on Sunday afternoon when rain cut the event short on lap 204 of 250 laps.

“We were coming,” Steckly said of his fourth place finish. “My No. 22 Racing/Canadian Tire/Tow Truck in a Box Dodge Avenger – I think – was going to be the car to beat at the end. We were on the right pit strategy, and we were good on the long runs. The rain ended all that, but we’ll take a top five finish.”

Qualifying sixth on the grid for the Saturday night finale showed that Steckly had the pace to run at the front. With the postponement of the event until Sunday, Steckly was still confident in his ride. “I think we’ll still be at the front. It is the same for all of us, and I expect that our car will be good on the green track.”

Steckly was right as he started to move up the order then had a titanic battle with 2009 Champion Andrew Ranger for fourth place. “I tried and tried,” Steckly said “But he was really, really tough on the outside. We must have gone 10 laps door-to-door.” Finally, Steckly was able to dispose of Ranger and move forward onto the tail of the top 2 by halfway point.

Pit stops would have a determining factor in the race as some stopped on early cautions, but they would have to stop again. Steckly would be caught behind these drivers, and when the rain came, that sealed his fate.

“It was just that one quick shower, and that killed us,” Steckly said. “We had moved up well, and the No. 22 Racing/Canadian Tire/Tow Truck in a Box Dodge Avenger was well positioned for the run to the finish. Sadly, it was called because of rain just after lap 204 and that was that.”

It has been an exciting year for Steckly and he is looking forward to 2010 already. “I can’t wait for next year, but first, I have to thank Canadian Tire, Tow Truck in a Box, Exide, Motomaster, Mobil Super, Erb, Marks Work Warehouse and Reefer Sales. I also want to thank the #22 crew for a solid job all year, and thanks to all our #22 Racing Canadian Tire fans, especially those who stuck it out for two days here in the rain.”

Steckly finished 4th in the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series points battle.

The 2009 NASCAR Canadian Tire Series final event from Kawartha Speedway can be seen on TSN on Saturday October 17th at 2PM

For more information on the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series please visit www.nascar.ca

About 22 Racing

Scott Steckly and the No. 22 Racing Team are supported by a large group of sponsors including: Canadian Tire, Tow Truck in a Box, Motomaster, Exide, Erb Transport, Mobil Super, AW Millwrights, Marks Work Warehouse, Reefer Sales and Twin City Graphics.

Scott Steckly and his 22 Racing Team are a familiar face in top level stock car racing in Canada. Steckly in his second season with the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series in 2008 went on to win 4 events, place 2nd in four more and overall post 9 top five finishes on their way to claiming the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series Championship. The team is based out of the small town of Milverton, ON just outside of Stratford, ON.

About Canadian Tire

Canadian Tire Corporation, Limited (TSX: CTC.a, CTC) operates more than 1,200 general merchandise and apparel retail stores, gas bars and car washes in an inter-related network of businesses engaged in retail, financial services and petroleum. More than 57,000 Canadians work across the Canadian Tire organization from coast-to-coast. Canadian Tire Retail and its Associate Dealers together form one of Canada's best-known and most successful retailers with 475 stores in communities nationwide. Canadian Tire stores offer a unique mix of products and services through the leadership of three specialty stores under one roof - Automotive, Sports and Leisure, and Home Products.

For more information on the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series please visit www.nascar.ca

For more information on Scott Steckly and 22 Racing please contact: For more information on Canadian Tire please contact:

Linda Jones Joanne Elson

Wide Open Motorsport Solutions Canadian Tire, Manager, Media & Public Relations

(705) 730-4044 416-544-7778

Email: ljones@wideopensolutions.ca Joanne.Elson@cantire.com