Less than a week from starting on the pole in the Indianapolis 500, Alex Tagliani won the Keystone Light Pole Award for the inaugural NASCAR Canadian Tire Series event at Circuit ICAR in qualifying Saturday afternoon.
Tagliani, from Lachenaie, Que., laid down a fast lap of 96.499 seconds (78.828 mph) in qualifying for Sunday’s Grand Prix ICAR on the 15-turn, 2.113-mile road course.
He took time out from his full-time job of racing in the IZOD IndyCar Series to return to his home province to compete in this first series event at Circuit ICAR in his No. 12 Hot Wheels Dodge.
Sunday will mark his 14th start in the series and this was his third career pole. He previously accomplished the feat at Montreal’s Circuit Gilles Villeneuve and Circuit de Trois-Rivieres, both in 2009.
Tagliani will be joined in the front row on Sunday afternoon by Scott Steckly, who logged a time of 97.420 seconds (78.083 mph). The second row will consist of defending series champion DJ Kennington (97.457/78.053) and Kerry Micks (97.532/77.993).
Steckly leads the point standings after posting the win in last weekend’s season opener at Mosport Speedway in Bowmanville, Ont.
The rest of the top 10 qualifiers were JR Fitzpatrick, Peter Klutt, Robin Buck, Don Thomson Jr., L.P. Dumoulin and Jason Hathaway.
Andrew Ranger, a two-time series champion and winner of 12 Canadian Tire Series events including nine on road courses, will start from the back of the field.
He is at Chicagoland Speedway in Joliet, Ill., for the ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards event. He is expected to arrive at Circuit ICAR in his native Quebec early Sunday afternoon.
His car owner and former CASCAR competitor Dave Jacombs practiced and qualified the No. 27 PNH Solutions/Lou’s BBQ Dodge. Series rules mandate a move to the rear of the field in the event of a driver change prior to the start of the race.
Race lineup
1 12 Alex Tagliani, Lachenaie, Que. Hot Wheels Dodge 96.499 78.828
2 22 Scott Steckly, Milverton, Ont. Canadian Tire Dodge 97.420 78.083
3 17 DJ Kennington, St. Thomas, Ont. Castrol Edge Dodge 97.457 78.053
4 02 Kerry Micks, Mt. Albert, Ont. Dickies/Beyond Digital Imaging Ford 97.532 77.993
5 84 JR Fitzpatrick, Cambridge, Ont. Schick Hydro Chevrolet 97.854 77.736
6 42 Peter Klutt, Halton Hills, Ont. Legendary Motorcar Chevrolet 98.054 77.578
7 66 Robin Buck, Campbellville, Ont. Quaker State Dodge 98.159 77.495
8 8 Don Thomson, Jr., Hamilton, Ont. Farmers Feed Families Dodge 98.340 77.352
9 47 L.P. Dumoulin, Trois-Rivieres, Que. * Maskimo/Somavrac Dodge 98.979 76.853
10 3 Jason Hathaway, Appin, Ont. Snap-on Tools/Vortex Brake Pads Dodge 99.196 76.685
11 04 J.F. Dumoulin, Trois-Rivieres, Que. Group Bellemare/GP3R Dodge 99.292 76.610
12 03 Elie Arseneau, Laval, Que. * Monsieur Muffler Chevrolet 99.513 76.440
13 9 Mark Dilley, Barrie, Ont. Rheem/Sylvania Dodge 99.545 76.416
14 71 Patrice Brisebois, West Mount, Que. * L'equipeur Chevrolet 99.709 76.290
15 59 John Farano, Toronto, Ont. * Tower Motorsports Chevrolet 99.932 76.120
16 99 Derek White, Kahnawake, Que. MultiConcepts/Mohawk Market Chevrolet 100.038 76.039
17 21 Jason White, Sun Peaks, B.C. A&W Cruisin' The Dub Dodge 100.167 75.941
18 90 Martin Roy, Napierville, Que. * Veloce Dodge 100.483 75.702
19 60 Ron Beauchamp, Jr., Windsor, Ont. Mopar/Mobil 1 Dodge 101.083 75.253
20 5 Noel Dowler, Sherwood Park, Alta. * EMCO Dodge 101.094 75.245
21 15 Steven Mathews, New Liskeard, Ont. * Bill Mathews Motors Ford 101.390 75.025
22 7 Isabelle Tremblay, St. Hippolyte, Que. * Groupe Beton Brunet/ADF Diesel Ford 101.997 74.579
23 94 Dave Coursol, St. Jerome, Que. * Carquest Canada/Castrol Chevrolet 102.013 74.567
24 55 Dexter Stacey, Kahnawake, Que. WJS Motorsports Dodge 102.432 74.262
25 85 Michel Pilon, Blainville, Que. * Aquacoupe Technologie Chevrolet 103.853 73.246
26 27 Dave Jacombs, York, Ont. PNH Solutions/Lou's BBQ Dodge 131.908 57.667
27 23 Jeff Lapcevich, Grimsby, Ont. Tim Hortons Dodge No Time
* Rookie of the Year Contender
Tagliani, from Lachenaie, Que., laid down a fast lap of 96.499 seconds (78.828 mph) in qualifying for Sunday’s Grand Prix ICAR on the 15-turn, 2.113-mile road course.
He took time out from his full-time job of racing in the IZOD IndyCar Series to return to his home province to compete in this first series event at Circuit ICAR in his No. 12 Hot Wheels Dodge.
Sunday will mark his 14th start in the series and this was his third career pole. He previously accomplished the feat at Montreal’s Circuit Gilles Villeneuve and Circuit de Trois-Rivieres, both in 2009.
Tagliani will be joined in the front row on Sunday afternoon by Scott Steckly, who logged a time of 97.420 seconds (78.083 mph). The second row will consist of defending series champion DJ Kennington (97.457/78.053) and Kerry Micks (97.532/77.993).
Steckly leads the point standings after posting the win in last weekend’s season opener at Mosport Speedway in Bowmanville, Ont.
The rest of the top 10 qualifiers were JR Fitzpatrick, Peter Klutt, Robin Buck, Don Thomson Jr., L.P. Dumoulin and Jason Hathaway.
Andrew Ranger, a two-time series champion and winner of 12 Canadian Tire Series events including nine on road courses, will start from the back of the field.
He is at Chicagoland Speedway in Joliet, Ill., for the ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards event. He is expected to arrive at Circuit ICAR in his native Quebec early Sunday afternoon.
His car owner and former CASCAR competitor Dave Jacombs practiced and qualified the No. 27 PNH Solutions/Lou’s BBQ Dodge. Series rules mandate a move to the rear of the field in the event of a driver change prior to the start of the race.
Race lineup
1 12 Alex Tagliani, Lachenaie, Que. Hot Wheels Dodge 96.499 78.828
2 22 Scott Steckly, Milverton, Ont. Canadian Tire Dodge 97.420 78.083
3 17 DJ Kennington, St. Thomas, Ont. Castrol Edge Dodge 97.457 78.053
4 02 Kerry Micks, Mt. Albert, Ont. Dickies/Beyond Digital Imaging Ford 97.532 77.993
5 84 JR Fitzpatrick, Cambridge, Ont. Schick Hydro Chevrolet 97.854 77.736
6 42 Peter Klutt, Halton Hills, Ont. Legendary Motorcar Chevrolet 98.054 77.578
7 66 Robin Buck, Campbellville, Ont. Quaker State Dodge 98.159 77.495
8 8 Don Thomson, Jr., Hamilton, Ont. Farmers Feed Families Dodge 98.340 77.352
9 47 L.P. Dumoulin, Trois-Rivieres, Que. * Maskimo/Somavrac Dodge 98.979 76.853
10 3 Jason Hathaway, Appin, Ont. Snap-on Tools/Vortex Brake Pads Dodge 99.196 76.685
11 04 J.F. Dumoulin, Trois-Rivieres, Que. Group Bellemare/GP3R Dodge 99.292 76.610
12 03 Elie Arseneau, Laval, Que. * Monsieur Muffler Chevrolet 99.513 76.440
13 9 Mark Dilley, Barrie, Ont. Rheem/Sylvania Dodge 99.545 76.416
14 71 Patrice Brisebois, West Mount, Que. * L'equipeur Chevrolet 99.709 76.290
15 59 John Farano, Toronto, Ont. * Tower Motorsports Chevrolet 99.932 76.120
16 99 Derek White, Kahnawake, Que. MultiConcepts/Mohawk Market Chevrolet 100.038 76.039
17 21 Jason White, Sun Peaks, B.C. A&W Cruisin' The Dub Dodge 100.167 75.941
18 90 Martin Roy, Napierville, Que. * Veloce Dodge 100.483 75.702
19 60 Ron Beauchamp, Jr., Windsor, Ont. Mopar/Mobil 1 Dodge 101.083 75.253
20 5 Noel Dowler, Sherwood Park, Alta. * EMCO Dodge 101.094 75.245
21 15 Steven Mathews, New Liskeard, Ont. * Bill Mathews Motors Ford 101.390 75.025
22 7 Isabelle Tremblay, St. Hippolyte, Que. * Groupe Beton Brunet/ADF Diesel Ford 101.997 74.579
23 94 Dave Coursol, St. Jerome, Que. * Carquest Canada/Castrol Chevrolet 102.013 74.567
24 55 Dexter Stacey, Kahnawake, Que. WJS Motorsports Dodge 102.432 74.262
25 85 Michel Pilon, Blainville, Que. * Aquacoupe Technologie Chevrolet 103.853 73.246
26 27 Dave Jacombs, York, Ont. PNH Solutions/Lou's BBQ Dodge 131.908 57.667
27 23 Jeff Lapcevich, Grimsby, Ont. Tim Hortons Dodge No Time
* Rookie of the Year Contender