BEAUCHAMP PICKS UP TOP-TEN IN MOPAR PARTS DODGE


July 30, 2009. Ron Beauchamp Jr. and the #60 Mopar Parts Dodge Avenger team were looking to continue their strong season as the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series wrapped up its three race western swing with a stop at Auto Clearing Speedway in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. While Beauchamp did show how strong the car can be during qualifying and practice, it proved to be a handful during the 250 lap race.

The #60 Mopar Parts Dodge performed flawlessly during practice and Beauchamp would post the fourth quickest qualifying time and earn a starting position on the outside of row number two. “We were a little bit free but I think everybody was” said Ron Jr. after qualifying but I was pretty happy with the car and thought we’d be okay for the race” he added.

When the green flag dropped on the main event Beauchamp knew immediately he had his hands full with a difficult race car. “I’m not really sure what happened, but the car was really loose at the start of the race” said Beauchamp. “I was doing my best to stay up with the front group but I got a bit high through corners three and four and went back a few spots. We knew that we’d have to make changes” he added.

At the first opportunity during a caution period Beauchamp brought the #60 Mopar Parts Dodge to pit road and the team made handling adjustments. A second stop would get the car much more to the liking of the driver. “I just told Chris Couvillion what the car was doing and the guys did a good job making the changes, and we were much better” said the driver.

During a scheduled pit stop later for tires and fuel the tight pit road at Auto Clearing Speedway proved difficult to handle and a number of cars including the #60 Mopar Parts Dodge went a lap down. But that didn’t deter Ron Beauchamp Jr. He set about racing his way back to the front and taking as many positions as possible in the last part of the race. “I was trying to do it the old fashioned way” smiled the driver, it’s too bad that a bunch of guys got caught on pit road, I thought we were okay and I really had to stand on the brakes to stop when I was instructed to but the car was much better late in the race and I was able to run down some guys”

Beauchamp would complete the race and record a seventh place finish. Quite an accomplishment after the way things started. We missed the set up a little bit I guess” said the driver. “But everybody worked hard to make the changes we needed and get a top-ten finish, this was a real team effort” he added.

After seven races Ron Beauchamp Jr. remains third in the overall championship standings.

The 2009 NASCAR Canadian Tire Series comes back to Ontario for round number eight on Saturday August 8th on the Mosport Oval. Team Mopar will participate in all thirteen events that take place on ovals, road courses and temporary street circuits. You can follow the action all year long with the television broadcasts on TSN. For more information about Team Mopar and Ron Beauchamp Jr. at http://www.beauchampmotorsports.com/ and don’t forget to vote for Ron Jr. as the series most popular driver. Click here to cast your vote.

Photo caption: Ron Beauchamp Jr. in the Mopar Parts Dodge takes off on his qualifying lap at Auto Clearing Speedway.

Photo Credit: Todd Lewis








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