Thomson Wins Delaware Thriller

Don Thomson Jr. won at Delaware Speedway on Saturday night. Matthew Murnaghan/NASCAR

 

DELAWARE, Ont., Canada -- Don Thomson Jr. held off Scott Steckly in a late-race dash to the checkered flag to win the Keystone Light 200 Saturday at Delaware Speedway.

It was seventh career NASCAR Canadian Tire Series win for the driver out of Hamilton, Ont.

Thomson took the lead from Steckly on Lap 155. A spin by Kerry Micks on Lap 188 set up an eight-lap sprint, with Thomson holding on for his first victory since August 2010 as he beat Steckly to the line by just .185 seconds.

DJ Kennington, who won the two previous races at Delaware, made a late pass of rookie Steven Matthews to take third. JR Fitzpatrick led a race-high 49 laps and rounded out the top five.

Micks held on for sixth, followed by Brad Graham, Jason Hathaway, Ron Beauchamp Jr., and Jason White. Peter Shepherd III won his first career Keystone Light Pole Award earlier in the day but ended up 17th after a mechanical issue.

The race was slowed due to caution five times for a total of 36 laps and the lead changed hands four times among five drivers.

The win allowed Thomson to close the points gap on first-place Steckly to 20 points. Fitzpatrick is third, 68 back of Steckly, and is followed by Kennington and Lapcevich.

The Keystone Light 200 will be telecast by TSN on Sunday, June 26 at 1 p.m. ET.

The NASCAR Canadian Tire Series takes next weekend off before heading to Mosport International Raceway on Sunday, June 26 to take on the 10-turn, 2.459-mile road course in the Vortex Brake Pads 200.

NASCAR CANADIAN TIRE SERIES-Keystone Light 200 Results

Saturday

At Delaware Speedway

Delaware, Ont.

Lap length: 0.5 miles

(Start position in parentheses)

1. (9) Don Thomson, Jr., Hamilton, Ont., Dodge, 200 laps, 70.423 mph.

2. (3) Scott Steckly, Milverton, Ont., Dodge, 200.

3. (2) DJ Kennington, St. Thomas, Ont., Dodge, 200.

4. (6) Steve Mathews, New Liskeard, Ont., Ford, 200.

5. (4) JR Fitzpatrick, Cambridge, Ont., Chevrolet, 200.

6. (8) Kerry Micks, Mt. Albert, Ont., Ford, 200.

7. (13) Brad Graham, Glencoe, Ont., Dodge, 200.

8. (5) Jason Hathaway, Appin, Ont., Dodge, 200.

9. (10) Ron Beauchamp, Jr., Windsor, Ont., Dodge, 200.

10. (18) Jason White, Sun Peaks, B.C., Dodge, 200.

11. (14) Mark Dilley, Barrie, Ont., Dodge, 199.

12. (19) Kenny Forth, Lynden, Ont., Dodge, 196.

13. (12) Jeff Lapcevich, Grimsby, Ont., Dodge, 194.

14. (15) Dave Connelly, Arnprior, Ont., Dodge, 194.

15. (11) Dexter Stacey, Kahnawake, Que., Dodge, 178, rear end.

16. (17) Hugo Vannini, Repentigny, Que., Ford, 100, oil leak.

17. (1) Pete Shepherd, III, Brampton, Ont., Dodge, 99, rear end.

18. (20) Doug Brown, Brantford, Ont., Dodge, 99, electrical.

19. (7) Donald Chisholm, Antigonish, N.S., Ford, 72, accident.

20. (16) Derek White, Kahnawake, Que., Chevrolet, 26, engine.