ANTIGONISH, NS - The Mopar Parts Dodge team surge in performance over the last few races continued at round number twelve of the NASCAR Canadian Tire series, the Atlantic Dodge Dealers 300 at Riverside Speedway near Antigonish, Nova Scotia on Saturday night. After another total team effort Ron Beauchamp Jr. stepped onto the podium to claim a third place finish in the grueling event.
Right from the opening of practice Team Mopar was on their game. The #60 Mopar Parts Dodge Avenger was among the quickest cars right away. “I like this track” said Beauchamp and Chris Couvillion and I have really been clicking since he came aboard and we’re just feeding off each other”.
Beauchamp would turn in a smoking qualifying lap during time trials just missing the pole position by 1/1000 of a second. While there was disappointment at not claiming top spot in qualifying the team was confident they would perform well for the entire 300 lap race. “It really would have been nice to take the pole” said the driver “but as soon as qualifying was over we were focusing on the race”.
As competition began in the Atlantic Dodge Dealers 300 Beauchamp tried to shoot forward and gain the five bonus points for leading a lap but was unable to do so. “At the start of the race the car was a little bit tight on me” he stated. “The Mopar Parts Dodge handled better on the outside and when we had a couple of restarts in the first part of the race and I was on the inside I got shuffled back a few spots until I could get outside again. But I communicated what was happening to the team and told them what I needed and they made the right adjustments”.
Following the handling adjustments and the scheduled stops for fuel and new tires the strategy was simple. Stay with the leaders and make sure to be in good position for the end of the race. Beauchamp would do exactly that. “The car was really good after the changes and I just cruised around and made sure to stay out of trouble” he explained. “There was still a long way to go and we knew the Mopar Parts Dodge would be near the front at the end of the race”.
In the closing laps of the race as Beauchamp ran in the top-five he was trying to be equally aggressive and cautious. “I knew it was gonna get pretty wild at the end he chuckled “and I wanted to get in there but not too far in and get caught up in something happening. It played out really well for us tonight a couple of other guys got into each other and we were there to grab some spots”.
As the cars in front were pounding on each other Beauchamp calmly maneuvered the Mopar Parts Dodge Avenger forward in the closing laps and crossed the finished line with a third place finish and a spot on the podium at the Atlantic Dodge Dealers 300. “In the last five or ten laps at these races I’ve seen a lot of things go down and this time it worked out for us. Just as important is this Mopar team working really well right now and giving me a great car to be in position for this kind of finish. I can’t wait for next week”.
The NASCAR Canadian Tire Series 2008 season will conclude with the final event this coming Saturday September 27th at Kawartha Speedway. This years schedule will consist of thirteen races on oval tracks, temporary street circuits and road courses. All races will once again be broadcast on TSN. You can read more about Team Mopar and Ron Beauchamp Jr. at www.beauchampmotorsports.com and www.nascar.ca
Attached Photo: 1. Mopar Parts Dodge lined up for qualifying at Riverside Speedway. // 2. Ron Beauchamp Jr. (right) celebrates third place finish in Atlantic Dodge Dealers 300 // Photo Credit: Todd Lewis // This release prepared by TL Sports & Entertainment
<<#60 qualifing at Riverside.JPG>> <<Riverside Podium.JPG>>
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