BOWMANVILLE, Ontario, Canada – J.R. Fitzpatrick ended a 20-race winless streak to pick up his first win since July 25, 2010 – and it wasn’t easy as he held off D.J. Kennington in the final turn at Canadian Tire Motorsports Park to win the Vortex Brake Pads 200 in the season-opener for the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series Sunday. For Fitzpatrick, out of Cambridge, Ont., it was his seventh career win in the series and his third at the Bowmanville 2.459-mile road course. On the day, he led a race-high 39 laps behind the wheel of his No. 84 Equipment Express Chevrolet. Despite leading all those laps, he was consistently being hounded by Kennington, Scott Steckly and Andrew Ranger. “I made some contact with Steckly and I’m sorry about that, but I was going for the win just like he was,” said the 24-year-old. “I was expecting a lot of things, but I was pretty sure (Kennington) would race me clean after the way we raced here last year when he beat me.” In his mind, Fitzpatrick was game planning around where Steckly, who started the race from the pole and had the fastest car on the track all weekend, was on the track.

After I changed tires I was kind of saving my stuff because I knew that 22 car would be coming and coming fast,” Fitzpatrick said. Replacement Cushions For Sears Patio Furniture“It was really insane in those last few laps. Used Laptops For Sale In TurkeyWe’re happy to get the win today and ride this momentum.”Pottery Barn Vintage Drapery Hardware Even though Kennington finished as the runner-up he was happy with the results. “I’ll take a top-three finish on a road course anytime,” said the driver of the No. 17 Castrol Edge/Mahindra Tractors Dodge. “That was really a great race. Who wouldn’t like that one? It was hard-fought battle all day long.” Steckly, on the other hand, was not as pleased with his finish as he began his quest for a third series title in his No. 22 Canadian Tire Dodge.

“We should be happy with a third-place finish, but it’s really not what we were looking for after having the fastest car all weekend,” said the defending series champion. “It was good, hard racing. We just can’t seem to get a win on a road course.” Two-time winner at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park Andrew Ranger finished fourth followed by fellow Quebecer Louis-Philippe Dumoulin in fifth. Jason Hathaway, Kerry Micks, Jeff Lapcevich, Robin Buck and Peter Klutt completed the top 10. The race lead changed hands nine times among six drivers including four times between Fitzpatrick and Kennington in the final 10 laps. The field was slowed due to caution just three times for 11 laps. The Vortex Brake Pads 200 will air on TSN on Sunday, May 27 at 4:30 p.m. ET and Wednesday, June 13 at 10 p.m. ET on RDS2. The NASCAR Canadian Tire Series with two road-course events to open the season will be back on the track on June 2-3 for the Lucas Oil Grand Prix at Circuit ICAR in Mirabel, Que.

DJ KENNINGTON RUNNER-UP COMMENTS | SCOTT STECKLY THIRD-PLACE COMMENTS J.R. Fitzpatrick (84) leads Scott Steckly en route to his Vortex Brake Pads 200 victory. At TDot Performance, we want our customers to have the best driving experience possible. We care about both the car enthusiast and the average car owner, which is why we strive to educate all vehicle owners on why brake pads and rotors are so important. Most people think that to maintain a healthy vehicle, all you need to do is a few routine checks: change the oil, check the tire pressure, check the coolant and brake fluid level, and occasionally change the brake pads. These are all very important, but brake rotors are just as important. The brake rotor is the metal disc that sits inside the wheel of your car. When you apply your brakes, the pad comes down and clamps onto the rotor. This creates the friction needed to stop the wheel and thus the vehicle. So if the brake pads wear down, then so do the rotors. Your car probably has drilled rotors.

This means that the disc underneath the wheel of your car has holes drilled into them. These holes allow heat from the braking system to escape. It also clears out any liquid, oils, or debris caught in the wheel. However, drilled rotors wear out faster than aftermarket slotted rotors and they pale in comparison to a high-performance rotor. High-performance rotors feature slots along the rotor face. These slots channel heat, debris, and moisture away from the wheel. These slots give the rotor a lot more surface area, which allows the brake pad a lot more friction for stopping. They also give the rotor a more robust makeup so it won't wear down, even under extreme Canadian conditions. High-performance rotors are a must for a high-performance vehicle and they are a solid lifelong investment for the average car owner. Brake pads need to be changed a little more regularly, but they are just as important. We carry EBC brake pads, an entire line of brake pads highly regarded in the industry.

They are ranked by a colour coding system that lets you know just how much stopping power each brake contains. They are made ready for daily wear-and-tear or high-end sports racing performance. At TDot Performance, we understand the need for a variety of high-end brake pads and rotors. These aftermarket parts work well on any vehicle, and are a must-have for the high-performance driver. Our passion for high-end aftermarket parts is exhibited in our extensive line of brake parts from top brands like EBC, Hawk Performance, and StopTech. You can get the best brake parts that the world has to offer with free shipping to anyone ordering from a Canadian address.With the ever increasing technology in today’s vehicles and with the speed at which it is developing, most drivers would be excused for leaving the hood closed and the owner’s manual shut when it comes to preventative maintenance and repairs. The majority of us simply focus our time and efforts on other areas and prefer to leave wheel-related things to others.

But there’s more to being able to take care of some routine auto services than just satisfying an ego, or saving some cash. Having the ability to crack a wrench can mean the difference between stranded and on-schedule when it comes to minor roadside breakdowns. In many cases, DIYers can benefit from increased selection in replacement parts and more competitive pricing, along with the freedom from not being tied to someone else’s schedule. Here’s a short list of what anyone with a driver’s licence should be able to do for their ride. Change the wipers: No matter how expensive or well engineered your daily driver is, it will need new wiper blades, often before the first oil change. Even the best blades seldom last more than a year in our climate extremes. The overwhelming majority of vehicles on the road today use a “J-Hook” wiper arm (indicating the shape of the hook on the end of the arm where the blade attaches). By lifting up the arm off the windshield and inserting one of your fingers into the open side of the “J”, you can feel a spring release tab, which, when depressed, will allow the blade’s attachment bar to slide out of the “J” into your hands.

A video is worth a thousand words, and there must be a thousand YouTube videos on the topic. Blades are specified by length in inches, so measure them from tip to tip before heading into the parts store. When reinstalling the new blades, keep your ears close to the action to hear that light click noise, which indicates the blade’s retainer has locked into position. Check tire pressure: Many would ask, “Why, with automatic tire pressure sensing systems, would you ever want or need to manually check your own tire pressure?” It’s exactly because of the designs of those systems that regular checking is needed. Many tire pressure sensing systems use aluminum valve stems with brass check valves inside (rubber-coated brass stems are starting to take over). When two different metals are in contact in our climate, it doesn’t take long for corrosion to occur. If a check valve seizes, you won’t be able to add air, and if the valve sticks open it will deflate the tire in a matter of seconds.

By regularly checking tire pressure with a simple pencil-style gauge, you reduce the risk of this happening. Always remember to check tire pressures when the tires are at ambient temperatures (not yet driven for the day) and to check the vehicle’s info label on the driver’s door/door-frame or owner’s manual for the correct PSI. Check and replace the air filter: Most, but definitely not all, automakers make this a tool-free affair. Owners’ manuals and YouTube can point out the details. If you drive primarily in urban settings with little travel on unpaved roads, your vehicle’s air filter should be checked quarterly. For dustier environments, checking it every other month isn’t overkill. For those who think their vehicle’s engine control computer will let them know when it’s time to change the air filter, think again. You can lose up to 20 per cent of your fuel mileage due to a dirty air filter without the check engine light coming on. Check the breather box where the air filter is housed for any foreign debris, especially anything that looks like dinner leftovers from a squirrel/chipmunk/mouse.

This is a favourite nesting/food storage area for our neighbouring critters and it can mean very expensive repair bills if their appetite turns to engine wiring or fuel lines. If you suspect an infestation, mix an ounce or so of peppermint oil with eight ounces of warm water in a spray bottle and lightly spritz the mix under the hood. Checking and replacing the cabin air filter: More vehicles are equipped with this option than you’d think, and when the filter gets clogged it can reduce the volume and speed of the air coming through the HVAC system. While a dirty filter isn’t a major inconvenience in the summer, it can make defrosting windows in the winter a very slow process. Some autos have an access to replace this filter in the engine bay, while most locate it in the dash just behind the glovebox (you know, that cubby where the owner’s manual collects dust). Changing a flat tire: While automaker roadside assistance programs and the CAA can make this an effortless affair, they do take time to arrive on site and, as Murphy’s Law dictates, you’ll need them the quickest on their busiest days.

While some vehicles have eliminated spare tires to increase space and reduce weight, many still have the trusty spare located on board. A recent Kal Tire survey found over 90 per cent of passenger vehicles have a spare tire and 35 per cent of drivers reported having a flat in the last 12 months. Remember to check the spare for tire pressure whenever you check the other tires and, if your vehicle is older than eight years or so, check the tire for weather cracking. Any cracks deep enough to expose the tire’s reinforcement cords mean the tire should be replaced. If your vehicle is equipped with locking wheel nuts (one of the biggest pains ever invented) make sure you know where the key is and keep it located with the jack/tool kit. Better yet, unless you live in a wheel-theft prone area, replace the locking wheel nuts with regular ones before you need to change a tire. One of the best step-by-step instructions for safe roadside tire swaps can be found on the Popular Mechanics website.