Canadians Invaded Road America Nationwide Race

Photo Credit: Jason Smith/Getty Images

Several Canadian racers were called upon by stock car teams as a weapon of choice for the challenges of road racing competition. Having been on display in various forms of open wheel racing and sports cars, racers in Canada have an aptitude to turning left as well as right in motorsport competition. For the 2011 Bucyrus 200 at Road America, there are four drivers driving a maple leaf flag. Two of those Canadian motorsport representatives who threw an NASCAR Nationwide Series stock car around for the Saturday afternoon event were young, feisty drivers wanting to prove themselves for a full-time ride in the United States. The other two are experienced hands who have successfully demonstrated their talents to a world stage. Together, Ron Fellows, Jacques Villeneuve, JR Fitzpatrick and Andrew Ranger belted themselves into stock cars as part of a 42-car field at Road America.

After an extended Bucyrus 200 event, the Canadian contingent posted one of the best combined efforts for a non-American group of drivers competing on the NASCAR circuit. All four drivers (two from the province of Quebec and two from Ontario) collected a top-10 finishing position with and for their respective teams.


Ron Fellows

One of Canada's greatest chances of victory on the 4.048-mile circuit in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin will be driving in his traditional road racing role with the JR Motorsports racing team. Driving the #7 Chevrolet, 51 year-old Ron Fellows rejoins the race organization for the fourth year in a row on the NASCAR Nationwide Series raod course events. One of the most successful Canadian drivers to compete in NASCAR with multiple victories in the Nationwide Series and Camping World Truck Series. Out of 6 total victories in NASCAR, the highlight was winning the Canadian NASCAR Nationwide series round at Circuit Gilles Villeneve.


Finishing second at the Road America track in Elkhart Lake, the driver of the #7 Chevrolet expressed considerable eagerness in competing for the Bucyrus 200. "Road America is one of my favorite road courses. It's long and fast, and great for racers. And the setting, in amongst lots of trees and rolling hills, is typical of a few great tracks built in the late 1950's and early 1960's. Watkins Glen (International) and Mosport (International Raceway) come to mind as similar tracks." Fellows' appreciation of great road courses was demonstrated in early June near Bowmanville, Ontario. Ron Fellows is part of an ownership group that is purchasing the historic Canadian Mosport complex.


Road America Result:

Requiring a ruling from NASCAR, Ron Fellows once again netted a runner-up spot. After the leader under caution ran out of fuel on track, Fellows' #7 AER Chevy appeared to be the new first place runner. Ruled in making an illegal yellow flag pass on the #32 Dollar General car of Reed Sorenson, Ron Fellows was repositioned in second place. Fellows in post-race expressed firm disagreement with the NASCAR ruling claiming that the #32 Chevrolet ran out of fuel.

Photo Credit: Jason Smith/Getty Images

Jacques Villeneuve

Winning the Indianapolis 500 in 1995 along with the overall CART title, second generation Canadian motorsport pilot Jacques Villeneuve biggest moment of glory was being crowned the 1997 Formula 1 World champion. In recent years, Jacques Villeneuve has been attempting to break through on the NASCAR circuit. Making a debut in the NASCAR truck series in 2007, Villeneuve appeared Sprint Cup series-bound for the 2008 season until prospective funding did not come through for Bill Davis Racing. Hitting a dead end of that deal, Villeneuve remained hungry for opportunities to drive in stock car competitions. Driving a handful of events in the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series, the French-Canadian driver was able to win rides in Nationwide series road races. Driving for Braun Racing for the last two seasons, Jacques Villeneuve returned to Road America in 2011 behind the wheel of the #22 Dodge of Penske Racing.

Villeneuve "I was fighting for the win in last year's race so I have some unfinished business at this event, for sure."


Road America Result:

Rebounding from trouble, Jacques Villeneuve placed the Discount Tire #22 Dodge into a 3rd place finish after 57 laps. At one point of the race, the French-Canadian driver was thrilling the crowd at Elkhart Lake by battling between his former Formula 3 rival Max Papis.

Unfortunately for Villeneuve, his podium finish resulted with many NASCAR fans and other drivers citing the 1997 Formula 1 Drivers Championship using less than kind opinions. Maybe or maybe not warranted based on the fact the #22 Dodge Challenger initiated an accident wrecking two front-runners including the #33 Chevy driven by Papis. Happening as the field took the first green-white checker restart attempt, the #22 Dodge dived to the right on the race track creating a three-wide scenario. Initially running on the pit lane exit lane, Villeneuve's right tires would clip the infield grass sending his car into the #11 Toyota of Brian Scott. In post-race, Villeneuve said he knew there was going to be trouble when his #22 Dodge touched the infield grass. Villeneuve said he didn't want to be in the position and made it clear it was not an intentional incident. Nonetheless, criticism following the chaotic NASCAR Nationwide series race would be squarely pointed at Jacques Villeneuve.


Andrew Ranger

One of the many young racing talents who attempted to break into open wheel racing, Andrew Ranger succeeded in this goal very early in his career. Finishing 4th in the 2004 Atlantic Series along with netting a rookie of the year title, Ranger was hired to a full-time Champ car ride in 2005. The Roxton Pond, Quebec native's two series in Champ car resulted with sub-par performances which was highlighted by a 2nd place in the Monterrey road course event in his rookie year. After 2006, the instability of the open wheel racing in North America as well as his less than glorious time in Champ Car caused Andrew Ranger to rethink a still young racing career.

Taking part in the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series, Ranger would claim 2007 and 2009 championship titles. A terror on road course, the driver eventually adapted to short ovals to dominate. Last season, receiving notice from American teams, Andrew Ranger would go on to win NASCAR K&N Series events as well as a more recent ARCA race at New Jersey Motorsport Park.


Road America Result:

The 24 year-old Andrew Ranger drove the #53 Waste Management Dodge for owner Robert Torriere. Ranger's best NASCAR Nationwide Series finish heading into Road America was 3rd in the 2009 race at Montreal. Andrew Ranger could not top that effort in Elkhart Lake but did record a second-career top-10 result in the NASCAR Nationwide Series. Starting 21st, the #53 car weaved to a solid 6th place.


JR Fitzpatrick

The 2006 champion of the CASCAR Superseries (the precursor to the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series) at just the age of 18, JR Fitzpatrick was brought on a fast track to NASCAR success which took him to the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. Driving first for TRG Motorsports, the driver was recruited by Kevin Harvick Incorporated (KHI) for select events. Scoring a best finish at Daytona International Speedway with 4th, funding cuts to KHI had JR Fitzpatrick returning to the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series full-time in 2010. Almost taking the title, 2011 brought Fitzpatrick a new opportunity with a new NASCAR Nationwide team. Go Canada Racing was set up to run select events for the year with plans to run the full schedule in 2012.

Determined to be recognized as a Canadian stock car star, Fitzpatrick has resorted to strategy drivers like Kyle Busch utilize for success. Getting the most possible seat time in stock car competition, a most aggressive 2011 racing season for JR Fitzpatrick includes competing in the United States as well as back in Canada.

Road America Result:

A 3rd start of the year for the #67 Go Canada Racing Ford Mustang, the Road America race could have went very badly for the team early. JR Fitzpatrick needed to take evasive action around the spinning #6 Ford of Ricky Stenhouse Jr. Avoiding contact, Fitzpatrick continued to drive a clean race and was eventually rewarded as lead competition was whittled away in the late laps. Finishing 10th at the NASCAR Nationwide Series at Elkhart Lake on Saturday, JR Fitzpatrick jetted back to Canada in order to contend for the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series event on the 2.54 mile road course at Mosport International Raceway.

Sorenson Conquers Road Warriors and Craziness for Bucyrus 200 Win



Photo Credit: Jason Smith/Getty Images



The first excursion for the NASCAR Nationwide series on the road courses for 2011, the Road America round was a complete change in tone for a stock car tour dominated by oval tracks. A 4.048-mile track in Elkhart Lake, the Bucyrus 200 race is 50 laps of unique fender-to-fender competition.

Spending much of this 2011 season as a driver for a "Start and Park" effort in the NASCAR Sprint Cup series, Michael McDowell was given a golden opportunity to compete for a NASCAR trophy with Joe Gibbs Racing's Nationwide series team. Driving the #18 Toyota, McDowell was fast throughout Friday practice as the young driver polished up on skills acquired through his road racing background. Against the likes of Jacques Villeneuve, Ron Fellows and Max Papis, Michael McDowell accomplished early greatness by taking the Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota to the top in qualifying. Max Papis, Jacques Villeneuve, Billy Johnson and Ron Fellows rounded out the top-5 in a qualifying session occurring just ahead of the actual race.

In the late Saturday afternoon event, the NASCAR Nationwide Series Bucyrus 200 received the green flag with 42 drivers immediately demonstrating their varying levels of road racing experience. Led by McDowell, the past champion of the Star Mazda tour showed staying power at the front. The #18 Toyota Camry led the race's first 6 laps on his way to leading 30 overall laps in the event Saturday. Other vehicles and drivers who would claim an early lap includes the #66 Toyota of Steve Wallace as well as the the #22 Discount Tire Dodge Challenger driven by Jacques Villeneuve. Both Villeneuve and Wallace spent 4 laps out front at Road America.

Deeper in the field, NASCAR Nationwide Series points leader Ricky Stenhouse Jr was encountering a much more difficult compared to the front contenders. Spinning in turn three on only the third lap of the Bucyrus 200, Stenhouse Jr's #6 Ford narrowly averted serious collisions with the #32 Chevrolet of Reed Sorenson and the JR Fitzpatrick's Go Canada Racing #67 Ford Mustang. A rough start for the young Roush Fenway Racing development driver, Rick Stenhouse Jr would receive a lesson in perseverance as the #6 Ford would claim a top-10 finish.

As the race endured, the road race ringers began to assert themselves against the Nationwide series regulars. Jacques Villeneuve was a frequent figure in the top-10 as was the #33 Chevrolet of Max Papis and the #7 JR Motorsports Chevrolet piloted by last year's runner-up at Road America Ron Fellows. Through the latter laps of the Bucyrus 200, Papis and Villeneuve delighted the fans with a fierce battle for what would eventually amount to top-5 positions.

In the last 10 scheduled laps of the Bucyrus 200, the #11 car of Brian Scott played a tight fuel economy gamble only to be quickly overhauled by the leaders. Led by Michael McDowell in the late going, the #18 Toyota driver stormed past Scott for the lead position with the #7 car of Fellows accompanying McDowell. In the lead and pulling away from Ron Fellows, McDowell appeared to be on track to certain victory at Road America until caution flew. The full-course yellow flag was shown on lap 48 after the #41 car of Doug Harrington spun and stopped in the track's 11th turn. Erasing the #18 Toyota's over 6 second lead, the late caution set up what would be a wild green-white-checker battle that burned through NASCAR's maximum three attempts.

Photo Credit: Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images

Positioning a drivers in a situation to easily steal positions, the first green-white-checker on lap 50 gave a textbook example of ultimate aggression heading into a two-lap sprint. Taking the green, Jacques Villeneuve brought his Penske Racing #22 Dodge Challenger into a precarious three-wide into turn 1. Brushing the in-field grass, Villeneuve launched back into the race track pounding into the #11 Toyota of Brian Scott. Sending Scott spinning into the corner's sand trap, the #22 Dodge also clipped the #33 Chevrolet of Max Papis. Becoming a passenger as the #33 Kevin Harvick Incorporated Chevrolet slides, Papis made hard head-on contact with the track's retaining wall. Out of the three cars involved in the incident, Jacques Villeneuve's #22 Dodge would actually end up in the best position at the end of the Bucyrus 200 finishing in 3rd place. However, an angry Scott and an irate Papis would quickly seek out Villeneuve in post-race first explaining their displeasure through gentle but telling bumper tag.

Bunching the field together, the late race caution gave a chance for the Turner Motosports #31 Chevrolet of Justin Allgaier to contend for the win. In the second restart to the checkered flag, Allgaier would effectively muscled his way to past Ron Fellows as the Nationwide regular set sights on McDowell. As Allgaier chased down the #18 Toyota, leader Michael McDowell spun out hading the lead to the #31 Chevy. Taking the top spot at Road America, Allgaier's desire to run to victory lane was defeated by several NASCAR Nationwide cars coming together in turn 6. An incident resulting from McDowell's spin, Steve Wallace, Alex Kennedy, Ricky Carmichael and Eric McClure were caught up.

Photo Credit: Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images

Justin Allgaier led the double-file field to green for the third green-white-checker restart with Ron Fellows starting alongside. By the time cars passed the start-finish line, Allgaier's Turner Motorsports teammate Reed Sorenson in the #32 Dollar General Chevrolet stormed past Fellows for the second place. just as the #31 stock car of Justin Allgaier was pulling away from his competition, the #88 Chevrolet of Aric Almirola became stuck in a off-track safety trap.
As Almirola's stricken car brings full course caution for the third and final time, the Bucyrus 200 would be settled with Justin Allgaier as a winner. However, in a plot development fitting for all the wild action on track, Allgaier's #31 car began to lose power on the final lap. In the NASCAR rulebook, a leader must maintain a reasonable pace in order to stay in position. Ultimately losing the race on fuel, Allgaier lost due to less than a gallon of racing fuel.

With the #31 Chevrolet coasting ever so slowly, the second place car inherited the race lead as well as the prized victory of the Bucyrus 200 at Road America. Though the #7 Chevrolet of Ron Fellows appeared out front of the competition, NASCAR deemed his pass to occur under caution. In second place prior to the caution, Allgaier's Turner Motorsports teammate Reed Sorenson took the win of the Bucyrus 200. Sorenson's first NASCAR Nationwide Series win since Gateway in 2007, the #32 Chevrolet ducked the early race mishap with Ricky Stenhouse Jr's #6 Ford.

After getting roughed-up by other drivers through the final laps, Canadian Ron Fellows road racing skill kept him in the runner-up position (the second year in a row at Road America). Behind 4th place Jacques Villeneuve, Elliott Sadler driving the #2 Chevrolet collected an important 4th place finish. With the race result, Sadler is still 2nd in the NASCAR Nationwide series drivers standing but only 5 points ahead of Sorenson.

Mike Wallace's #01 Chevrolet rounded out the top-5 of the Bucyrus 200 with Andrew Ranger, Michael Annett, Ricky Stenhouse Jr, Ricky Carmichael and JR Fitzpatrick composing the top-10 in the first NASCAR Nationwide Series road course event. Though Canadian drivers did not capture victory after a strong showing at Road America, the North American country can celebrate a very impressive feat. Fellows, Villeneuve, Ranger and Fitzpatrick together provided a rare opportunity to have 4 Canadian racers finish in the top-10 for a major NASCAR touring series event (may be a record but I can not confirm).

NASCAR Nationwide Series cars return to oval racing on Friday night at Daytona International Speedway.




2011 NASCAR Nationwide Series
Bucyrus 200 Presented by Menards
Race Results

1. 32 Reed Sorenson Dollar General Chevrolet
2. 7 Ron Fellows AER Chevrolet
3. 22 Jacques Villeneuve Discount Tire Dodge
4. 2 Elliott Sadler OneMain Financial Chevrolet
5. 01 Mike Wallace Cowboys & Aliens Chevrolet
6. 6 Ricky Stenhouse Jr. RickyvsTrevor.com Ford
7. 53 Andrew Ranger WM Recycling Dodge
8. 62 Michael Annett Pilot/Flying J Toyota
9. 30 Ricky Carmichael Monster Energy Chevrolet
10. 67 J R Fitzpatrick Go Canada Racing Ford
11. 15 Timmy Hill New Orleans Voodoo Ford
12. 18 Michael McDowell Pizza Ranch Toyota
13. 39 Josh Wise Cajun Industries Ford
14. 81 Blake Koch DAYSTAR.com Dodge
15. 19 Mike Bliss SheboyganAuto.com Chevrolet
16. 11 Brian Scott Shore Lodge
17. 28 Derrike Cope MAXelence.com Chevrolet
18. 70 Dennis Setzer ML Motorsports Dodge
19. 31 Justin Allgaier Florida Gulf Safe Chevrolet
20. 38 Jason Leffler Great Clips Chevrolet
21. 23 Alex Kennedy St. Baldrick's Dodge
22. 88 Aric Almirola TaxSlayer.com Chevrolet
23. 33 Max Papis Rheem/Menards Chevrolet
24. 87 Kevin Conway AM/FM Energy/Wood & Pellet Stoves Toyota
25. 52 Tim Schendel TRX Software Development, Inc. Chevrolet
26. 66 Steve Wallace 5-Hour Energy Toyota
27. 14 Eric McClure Hefty BlackOut/Reynolds Chevrolet
28. 09 Kenny Wallace Toyota Toyota
29. 13 Jennifer Jo Cobb DriverBoutique.com Ford
30. 41 Doug Harrington New Orleans Voodoo Ford
31. 16 Trevor Bayne RickyvsTrevor.com Ford
32. 51 Jeremy Clements racedaysponsor.com Chevrolet
33. 60 Billy Johnson Fastenal Ford
34. 64 Jason Bowles Fuel Doctor Toyota
35. 89 Morgan Shepherd Victory in Jesus Chevrolet
36. 75 Carl Long Lilly Trucking of VA Ford
37. 40 Charles Lewandoski # Key Motorsports Chevrolet
38. 44 Jeff Green TriStar Motorsports Chevrolet
39. 03 Scott Wimmer R3 Motorsports Dodge
40. 46 Chase Miller Key Motorsports Chevrolet
41. 42 Tim Andrews Key Motorsports Chevrolet
42. 55 Brett Rowe Imperial Bedding Chevrolet

Road America Charts Different Course for 2011 NASCAR Nationwide Series on Friday

Photo Credit: Jason Smith/Getty Images

For the second year in a row, the 4.048-mile Road America awakes with the sound of 700-plus horsepower stock cars of the NASCAR Nationwide Series. Situated in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin, the scenic but renowned race track of Road America has been most recognized as a site for open wheel and sports car battles. The site of a fantastic road race last season, stock car regular Carl Edwards won the inaugural NASCAR Nationwide Series event by outperforming some of the best road racing ringers such as Jacques Villeneuve and Ron Fellows.

Due to the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series holding a road course race in Sonoma, California, the high-profile stock car regulars (many of whom competed in the last event at Michigan International Speedway last Saturday) have elected not to pull the weekend double-duty. Due to the distance between the weekend's NASCAR races and top placement in NASCAR Sprint Cup points, even the reigning 2010 race winner Carl Edwards is foregoing the event (ending a continuous NASCAR Nationwide starting streak dating back to a June 2005 race at Kentucky). For Road America, Edwards' #60 Ford Mustang for Roush-Fenway Racing will be wheeled by development driver Billy Johnson.

Making the most of a four-time winning car in 2011, Billy Johnson posted a fastest time lapping the 4-mile race track in the NASCAR Nationwide Series' first practice session. Posting a time of 2 minutes, 14.871 seconds around the 14-turn road course, the 24-year old Johnson was immediately quicker than Jacques Villeneuve and Michael McDowell. Confident on the #60 Fastenal Ford's performance, Billy Johnson and the #60 team did not participate in the NASCAR Nationwide Series' final practice. Roush-Fenway Racing teammate Ricky Stenhouse Jr also sat out the second prep session for Saturday's Bucyrus 200 race. Stenhouse Jr posted a 7th fastest time in his #6 Ford Mustang during the earlier practice at Road America.

Photo Credit: Jason Smith/Getty Images

A weekend without the typically strong Sprint Cup competitors, a less known but no less talented crowd of drivers are given a chance to claim the spotlight. For this event, Michael McDowell his been granted the ride that Kyle Busch often wheels in selected NASCAR Nationwide Series events. Driving the #18 Toyota for Joe Gibbs Racing, McDowell draws upon his Star Mazda and Grand Am road racing series experience to preside in the top-3 for both practice sessions at Road America. NASCAR Nationwide Series title contenders like Reed Sorenson, Elliott Sadler and Trevor Bayne showed competitive pace as they take a break from left-only turns. Sadler posted a top-10 time in both sessions driving the Kevin Harvick Incorporated #2 Chevrolet eager to gather important driver championship points in Saturday's Bucyrus 200 race. Elliott Sadler is only 2 points behind current championship leader Ricky Stenhouse Jr.

Practice for the Bucyrus 200 at Road America also saw a set of notable but part-time competitors lapping the 4.048 mile track. Drivers often chosen by teams only for the three road courses on the 2011 NASCAR Nationwide Series calendar (so-called 'Road Ringers'), talents joining the stock car tour at Road America includes a number of successful stars of sports car, Indy-style car and even Formula 1. Second-fastest in the first practice and third highest on the second session's time sheet, 1997 Formula 1 champion Jacques Villeneuve returns to NASCAR this season in the Penske Racing #22 Dodge Challenger. Last season in this event, Villeneuve fought hard for Braun Racing until a late-race mechanical problem concluded a chance at a top-5 finish.

While Jacques Villeneuve will be driving a car commonly competed by Brad Keselowski, the #33 Chevrolet owned by Kevin Harvick Incorporated is also calling on decorated road racer Max Papis. An expatriate of sports car and open wheel driving, Papis last time competing a NASCAR stock car on a road course almost ended with victory. Battling to win the Napa Auto Parts 200 at Montreal's Circuit Gilles Vileneuve in 2010, the Italian native Papis was narrowly beaten by Boris Said on the last lap. On Friday, Max Papis and the #33 Chevrolet topped the second practice chart. Other Road Ringer talents present at Road America includes Ron Fellows, Andrew Ranger and Alex Kennedy.

With qualifying and the race set for Saturday, the NASCAR Nationwide Series Bucyrus 200 Presented by Menards will take place as a 50-lap affair starting at 4:30 pm.

2011 NASCAR Nationwide Series
Bucyrus 200 Presented by Menards
Entry List

1. 01 Mike Wallace Cowboys & Aliens Chevrolet
2. 2 Elliott Sadler OneMain Financial Chevrolet
3. 03 TBA R3 Motorsports Dodge
4. 6 Ricky Stenhouse Jr. RickyvsTrevor.com Ford
5. 7 Ron Fellows AER Chevrolet
6. 09 Kenny Wallace Toyota Toyota
7. 11 Brian Scott Shore Lodge
8. 13 Jennifer Jo Cobb DriverBoutique.com Ford
9. 14 Eric McClure Hefty BlackOut/Reynolds Chevrolet
10. 15 Timmy Hill New Orleans Voodoo Ford
11. 16 Trevor Bayne RickyvsTrevor.com Ford
12. 18 Michael McDowell Pizza Ranch Toyota
13. 19 Mike Bliss SheboyganAuto.com Chevrolet
14. 22 Jacques Villeneuve Discount Tire Dodge
15. 23 Alex Kennedy St. Baldrick's Dodge
16. 28 Derrike Cope MAXelence.com Chevrolet
17. 30 Ricky Carmichael Monster Energy Chevrolet
18. 31 Justin Allgaier Florida Gulf Safe Chevrolet
19. 32 Reed Sorenson Dollar General Chevrolet
20. 33 Max Papis Rheem/Menards Chevrolet
21. 38 Jason Leffler Great Clips Chevrolet
22. 39 Josh Wise Cajun Industries Ford
23. 40 Charles Lewandoski # Key Motorsports Chevrolet
24. 41 Doug Harrington New Orleans Voodoo Ford
25. 42 Tim Andrews Key Motorsports Chevrolet
26. 44 Jeff Green TriStar Motorsports Chevrolet
27. 46 Chase Miller Key Motorsports Chevrolet
28. 51 Jeremy Clements racedaysponsor.com Chevrolet
29. 52 Tim Schendel TRX Software Development, Inc. Chevrolet
30. 53 Andrew Ranger WM Recycling Dodge
31. 55 Brett Rowe Imperial Bedding Chevrolet
32. 60 Billy Johnson Fastenal Ford
33. 62 Michael Annett Pilot/Flying J Toyota
34. 64 Jason Bowles Fuel Doctor Toyota
35. 66 Steve Wallace 5-Hour Energy Toyota
36. 67 J R Fitzpatrick Go Canada Racing Ford
37. 70 Dennis Setzer ML Motorsports Dodge
38. 75 Carl Long Lilly Trucking of VA Ford
39. 81 Blake Koch DAYSTAR.com Dodge
40. 87 Kevin Conway AM/FM Energy/Wood & Pellet Stoves Toyota
41. 88 Aric Almirola TaxSlayer.com Chevrolet
42. 89 Morgan Shepherd Victory in Jesus Chevrolet