D.J. Kennington took advantage of some misfortune by J.R. Fitzpatrick and went to Victory Lane for the second time in as many weeks as he won the EMCO 200 presented by Niagara Plumbing Supply and McKeough Supply in NASCAR Canadian Tire Series action on Saturday at Delaware Speedway.
Kennington, out of St. Thomas, Ont., assumed the race lead on Lap 158 when Fitzpatrick had to make an unscheduled pit stop due to a problem with his brakes after the race was red flagged when the frontstretch lights went out. Kennington led a race-high 99 laps after starting the race from the pole position in his No. 17 Castrol Edge/Mahindra Tractors Dodge. It was his second win of the 2012 season, 13th of his series career, and his third victory in four starts at his home track.
Defending series champion Scott Steckly overcame some early problems to finish second while Jason Hathaway came home in third. Two-time series champion Andrew Ranger finished fourth followed by Pete Shepherd III in the fifth position.
Jason White, Mark Dilley, Joey McColm, Noel Dowler and Louis-Philippe Dumoulin completed the top 10 while Fitzpatrick was relegated to a 14th-place finish.
The race was slowed due to caution four times for 34 laps and the race lead changed hands four times among three drivers.
In the championship point standings, Kennington took over the top spot from Fitzpatrick, who fell to third. Ranger occupies second place – 13 points in back of the leader.
The EMCO 200 presented by Niagara Plumbing Supply and McKeough Supply will premiere on TSN on Sunday, July 8 at 3 p.m. ET and on RDS2 on Wednesday, July 25 at 10 p.m. ET.
The NASCAR Canadian Tire Series embarks on its three-race swing though Western Canada on Saturday, July 14 for the A&W Cruisin’ The Dub 300 at Motoplex Speedway and Event Park in Vernon, B.C.
