Dodge-sponsored Avenger driver Mark Dilley bounces back with a second-place result at Mosport Speedway
BARRIE, ON – Mark Dilley ended his run of rough luck in recent NASCAR Canadian Tire Series action with a hard-fought second-place finish in Saturday night’s scheduled 200-lap race at Mosport Speedway.
In a car that had sustained heavy damage in its most recent outing at Vernon, BC’s Sun Valley Speedway, in mid-July, Dilley’s #9 Dodge / Mobil1 / Exide / MOPAR / Leland / Wild Wing / CRS Dodge Avenger was back in fine form for the season’s seventh race. The Barrie, ON driver – who races for Whitlock Motorsports – started second in the field of 20 and battled through the pack in the final laps to finish second to Don Thomson at the checkered flag.
After pitting for tires (from sixth-place) on lap 123, Dilley’s car made quick progress through the field. Running in eighth on lap 160, he tangled with another car as they carved through traffic, sending the #9 Dodge-sponsored Avenger spinning in turn 4.
Fortunately, Dilley’s car wasn’t damaged and he was able to resume the chase, breaking into the top five on lap 185. Three laps later, Dilley was into third. At that point, a flurry of caution flags emerged that would extend the race by an additional nine laps, all of which featured intense racing action at the front.
During one restart, on lap 208, Dilley got into the back of Jim Lapcevich, knocking the #25 Chevy off-strike and securing second-place for the #9 Dodge-sponsored Avenger driver.
“It was a little wild, but that’s the way this racing is right now,” said Dilley, of recent NASCAR Canadian Tire Series races. “The double-file restarts are going to create that. You’re going to make some friends and you’re going to lose some friends; that’s the way it goes. I feel bad for Jimmy [Lapcevich]; he had a good run going. I ran behind him for 50 laps earlier in the race and we didn’t get into him.”
Prior to taking his place on the post-race podium, Dilley complimented his team and his sponsors. “I have to hand it to the crew tonight, they really nailed the tire change during our pitstop. I’m really happy to get this finish for Dodge and all of my sponsors who have supported us all year.”
MOSPORT NOTEBOOK: Don Thomson Jr. won Saturday night’s Full Throttle 200 NASCAR Canadian Tire Series race at Mosport Speedway. The five-time Canadian National stock car champ started third in the field of 20 at the half-mile oval and dominated the second-half of the race to earn his second NCATS checkered flag of the season. Mark Dilley’s #9 Dodge-sponsored Avenger came across the line 0.7 seconds behind Thomson, and just in front of Kerry Micks. Following seven NCATS races, stock car rookie Andrew Ranger leads the points chase by 37 markers over Thomson. Mark Dilley sits sixth in the standings, with five events remaining.
LOOKING AHEAD: NASCAR returns to Quebec
The NASCAR Canadian Tire Series returns to action this weekend for its fourth and final road course race of the season, at the legendary Grand Prix de Trois-Rivieres in Trois-Rivieres, Quebec.
Prepared by Inside Track Communications // For more information about the #9 Dodge team and its sponsors, visit
www.whitlockmotorsports.com. For more on the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series, including complete race results, reports, point standings, event schedules and upcoming broadcast times for races on TSN, see
www.nascar.caLinkback: https://www.canadianracingonline.com/smf/index.php?topic=6513.msg30119#msg30119
