HIGH OCTANE EXCITEMENT FROM CASTROL TOURING CARS - Canada’s biggest auto racing series thrills the fans

June 15, 2009Bowmanville, OntarioThousands of auto racing fans were truly entertained this past weekend during round three of the Castrol Canadian Touring Car Championship presented by Toyo Tires during the Mosport High Octane Weekend at Mosport International Raceway. 24 Super Touring Class & 15 Touring Class drivers brought out their “A” game to an enthusiast crowd.

The Super Touring Class championship points leading driver Nigel Krikorian brought his Subaru WRX STi home a solid win during the Saturday heat race as did Touring Class leader Anthony Rapone piloting his Honda Civic Si during the 30 minute race. On the first lap, Northwest Value Partners sponsored BMW driven by Paul Dalla Lana went wide in turn one that resulted in Dalla Lana slamming into the outside tire wall.

This brought out a full course yellow that held the entire field up for seven of the races 15 laps as the rescue crews struggled to free his car & make repairs to the wall.Fast Wheels Hyundai driver, Lee Chaplin was also involved in a single car “off” in Mosports famous ‘corner two’ that sidelined him for the balance of the race. Rounding out the podium in Super Touring class was AutoAnalyser driver Andrew Wojteczko in second and Quebec driver Mathieu Audette taking third place honours.

Sundays 30-minute feature race was held under ideal conditions. The sun was high the track was warm and 37 of Canada’s best drivers came to the grid. The Betz Pools/Bio Guard sponsored Acura Integra of Frank Blanchet was the only car not able to make the grid after Saturdays race due to a massive engine failure. As the cars lined up on the front straight fans were able to spend a moment taking in the entire field just before they proceeded to do their customary two reconnaissance laps prior to taking the green flag.

Super Touring class drivers Nigel Krikorian & Andrew Wojteczko brought the field in for the green flag start. Third place Mathieu Audette had his hands full as Subaru drivers Richard Boake & Nicolas Krikorian took turns battling and changing positions for the first five laps. Not to be outdone and left behind Lombardi Honda’s Nick Wittmer made his way ahead of Audette from his sixth place position to put himself in 5th place until lap 15 when he ran into slight mechanical problems forcing him back to 11th.

In Touring Class, Anthony Rapone in his Honda Civic Si was joined up at the front by his brother & 2008 Touring Class Champion Andre Rapone with Octane Motorsports, Alain Lauziere in his MINI Cooper close behind. The trio battled hard until lap 11 when the throttle cable broke in Anthony’s leading number 72 car. Handing the lead to Andre as Lauziere tried hard to reel him in. Nigel Heron and his Acura Integra was in the right place at the right time and was right where he needed to be to take the third spot in the class.

Great drives worth recognition were from Paul Dalla Lana coming from 34th place start to finish 12th after his crew made extensive repairs to his BMW after the Saturday tire wall incident and to Jean-Francois Dumoulin who started 33rd and finished 8th in his Lombardi Honda.

Post race technical inspections and outstanding protest judgments are holding up the final results from the feature race and will be posted as provisional until all the matter have been settled.

Introduced this past weekend was a new series partner, NOS Energy Drinks. NOS is sponsoring the Fastest Lap award in both classes. Saturday & Sundays Fastest Lap Awards were given to Nigel Krikorian for the Super Touring class and the Rapone Brothers split the weekends Touring Class awards with Anthony taking one home for Saturday & Andre for the Sunday event. Congratulations to all the drivers from NOS Energy Drinks.