Valle-Jonction, QC, Sunday June 25, 2017 – After twice being postponed due to inclement weather, the CRS Express 300 finally took place today at Autodrome Chaudiere in Valle Jonction, QC. This was race number three of the 13 race NASCAR Pinty’s Series 2017 schedule.
Practice saw the #22 Circuit Acura/Le Soliet/L’Antidote Media Dodge of Donald Theetge post the fifth quickest time while the #18 EpiPen/Lowes/St-Huberts entry of Alex Tagliani was tenth fastest.
Next up on the schedule was qualifying. Quebec rookie, Theetge would notch his second NASCAR Pinty’s Series pole in only four starts, the first being at the season finale at Kawartha last year. Tagliani would qualify in the seventh position which would line him up on the inside of row four.
At the start of the CRS Express 300, Theetge would lead all but a handful of laps up until the mandatory competition caution at lap 150. A position he would give up to Lapcevich, the eventual winner on the restart. Theetge battled in the top five for the final 150 laps and took the checkered flag in 5th place.
Tagliani would settle into seventh at the start of the 300-lap race but the car was still not handling as well as he had hoped. At the caution on lap 150, the team made more adjustments and Tagliani was able to make his way up to fifth. But with several more caution periods, Tagliani would settle for a seventh place finish.
“Not as good a finish as we wanted,” said Tagliani after the race. “Our team, our history is very successful so nothing less than a podium is as good as we want. But never the less with the short schedule today between practice, qualifying and race we started with the car being too tight. The team did a great job with the time they had to try and fix it and give me a more competitive car. We ran as high as fifth and thought we could finish in the top five but I got hit hard on a restart and that changed the handling of the car.”
Next on the schedule will be Circuit ICAR at Mirabel Airport on Saturday July 8 for the Ecko Unlimited 100.
The NASCAR Pinty’s Series is made up on 13 events across Canada from May 21st to September 16 with television coverage on TSN and RDS in Quebec. For more information please visit www.hometracks.nascar.com or follow on Twitter @NASCARHomeTrack.
About 22 Racing:
22 Racing is owned by four-time NASCAR Pinty’s Series Champion Scott Steckly and is based out of Milverton Ontario in a new (2014) 7,500 square foot race shop. They have fielded teams for drivers such as Christopher Bell, Jacques Villeneuve, James Buescher, Jeb Burton, Kaz Grala, L.P. Dumoulin and many others. 22 Racing provides turnkey solutions for drivers looking to compete in the NASCAR Pinty’s Series. The 22 Racing Team is supported by the following sponsors: Erb Group of Companies, AW Millwrights, Sturdy Formed Concrete, Castrol, Wendell Motors, Twin City Graphics, Auto Glym, Mechanix Wear, Great Dane Glasvan, Safety Kleen, Dupli-Color & Permatex.
Follow the 22 Racing Team on Twitter @22RacingTeam & @ScottSteckly22, Facebook Fan Page 22racingteam and Instagram 22racingteam
For more information please contact:
Linda Jones
Driven Motorsports/22 Racing
ljones@drivenmi.com
(705) 730-4044
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