NASCAR Canadian Tire Series race weekend at St Eustache was a wash out!

'Rain, rain, go away, at least come back after the race!' Perhaps similar chanting was heard throughout the weekend inside the St Eustache paddock area for the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series race. For the second time this weekend, the second event of Canada's premier stock car racing league will be delayed. This time, NASCAR and the short track of St Eustache, Quebec has been forced by weather to relinquish the #2 race of the season to the Mosport road course race for June 14th. According to the Autodrome St Eustache's website and http://www.flagworld.com/news/?p=1283, July 5th is tentatively scheduled as substituting for the activities on this weekend's rain out.

The rain postponement of the National Kodak 250 came with extreme opposition from a hardworking crew at Autodrome St Eustache. As rain stopped falling later Sunday morning, track officials succeeded in drying the 4/10 paved oval for the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series cars only practice section. Jason Hathaway in his #3 Dodge Avenger clocked the fastest time with Alex Tagliani(committed to running his first full-time for Jacobs Racing as teammate to Andrew Ranger) and Cayuga winner Scott Steckly behind him. However, the rain returning following this track section rendered the National Kodak 250 cancelled for the weekend.

Scott Steckly wins Crown Jewel 200 at Cayuga

Scott Steckly fought much as last season for his first NASCAR Canadian Tire Series win, finally obtaining it at the season ending race at Kawartha Speedway. 8 months since that last event, this past Saturday's race at Cayuga International Speedway allowed him to extend a two-race winning streak. Proving that he was not a one-race wonder, Steckly took his #22 Dodge to victory as a hard-charging Kerry Micks challenged through the closing laps. Micks, who had plotted to use a late race pitstop for tires as a key to the trophy, finshed 2nd respectively. Ron Beauchamp Jr., Mark Dilley, and Peter Gibbons rounded out the top five.

On the other hand, 2007 NASCAR Canadian Tire Series champion Andrew Ranger has yet to find his competitive form in this season opener. He finished two laps down in 17th position in the Tide/Walmart Ford Fusion. Other notable competitors wishing to forget this first race of the 2008 season include Alex Tagliani and DJ Kennington. Open-wheel immigrant Alex Tagliani, driving a second Jacomb's Racing Tide/Walmart Ford stalled out on Saturday night with electrical problems, competing 151 of the 200 laps and finish 21th. While DJ Kennington had gained several races of experience already this season racing in the Nationwide Series, an engine problem to the #17 Castrol Dodge ended his race after only 17 laps, amounting in a 23rd(last) place position.

With the season started, NASCAR Canadian Tire Series teams only have one week to turn around their race vehicles for another Saturday show at Autodrome St. Eustache for a 250-lap affair. St. Eustache race, having been a mainstay to the late years in the CASCAR schedule, returns 2008 under the Canadian Tire Series moniker.