1980 NASCAR North Tour

Race #21 - Molson Monza 180

The NASCAR North Tour made their 21st stop of 1980 in Laval, Quebec, Canada at the Autodrome de Laval, for the Molson Monza 180.

Kevin Lepage led the field to the green flag but it was Tim Dykman who would lead the first laps around the 0.333 mile short track as Dykman would leas the first sixty two laps around the track before he was passed by Mike Barry, who would have a race long battle with Bobby Dragon, before Barry would win the battle by passing Bobby on Lap 111. Points leader Beaver Dragon would lose an engine in the early laps, so no matter what happened to Bobby, he would leave as the points leader. Barry would dominate the race, leading 87 of the event's 180 laps, but in the last twenty laps, Hector Leclair would work his way up from sixth and soon he would challenge for the lead, passing Barry with three laps to go and would go on to score his first win in over a year.

Other Noticeables:
Hector Leclair scored his 1st win of the year,
Leclair led 1 time for 3 laps, which were the final 3 laps,
It was the 2nd win of his career in the NASCAR North Tour and his first since 1979 at Circuit Deux Montagne; 43 races ago,
Bobby Dragon, who finished 4th, is the new points leader, leading Beaver Dragon by 18 points

1.59-Hector Leclair (3 laps led)
2.8-Mike Barry (87 laps led)
3.5A-Jean-Paul Cabana
4.71-Bobby Dragon (28 laps led)
5.34-Steve Poulin
6.00-Roger Laperle
7.83-Claude Aubin
8.09-Ron Barcomb
9.12-Tim Dykman (62 laps led)
10.04-Phil Gerbode
11.41-Jamie Aube-1 lap
12.11-Claude Leclerc-1 lap
13.17-Kevin Lepage-1 lap
14.48-Robbie Crouch-1 lap
15.3-Laurent Rioux-1 lap
16.35-Langis Caron-1 lap
17.28-Dan Perez-1 lap
18.70-Jean-Paul Larose-1 lap
19.44-Keith Cavanagh-1 lap
20.17-Bob Brunell-2 laps
21.16-Stub Fadden-3 laps
22.08-Leland Kangas-3 laps
23.38-Mike Perrotte-6 laps
24.1X-Gardiner Leavitt-53 laps (Header)
25.03-Milt Wright-63 laps (Header)
26.7-Beaver Dragon-120 laps (Engine)

Kevin Lepage-Pole
Tim Dykman-1-62
Mike Barry-63-81
Bobby Dragon-82-108
Mike Barry-109
Bobby Dragon-110
Mike Barry-111-177
Hector Leclair-178-180

6 Lead Changes among 4 drivers

Caution Flags: 4 for 20 laps
Lap 57 (Car #38 Spin Turn 4),
Lap 108 (Cars #16 and 08 Spin Turn 4),
Lap 125 (Cars #12 and 44 Spin Turn 2),
Lap 140 (Car #38 Spin Turn 4)

Margin of Victory: 0.941 Seconds

Time of Race: 1 Hour, 12 Minutes and 31 Seconds

Kevin Lepage leads the field to the Green Flag.



Tim Dykman passes Kevin Lepage in Turn 1 and would go on to lead the first lap.



The first caution comes out on Lap 57 when Mike Perrotte spins out in Turn 4.



While running in 12th, points leader Beaver Dragon's Engine blows up.



Mike Barry passes Tim Dykman for the lead on Lap 63.



Bobby Dragon passes Mike Barry for the lead on Lap 82.



The second caution comes out on Lap 108 when Stub Fadden and Leland Kangas spin out in Turn 4.



While running in 13th, Milt Wright's Header breaks.



The third caution comes out on Lap 125 when Tim Dykman and Keith Cavanagh spin out in Turn 2.



The fourth and final caution comes out on Lap 140 when Mike Perrotte spins out in Turn 4.



While running in 9th, Gardiner Leavitt's Header breaks.



Hector Leclair passes Mike Barry for the 6th and final lead change on Lap 178.



Hector Leclair takes the Checkered Flag.

Race #22 - New England 300

The NASCAR North Tour made their 22nd stop of 1980 in Milton, Vermont at the Catamount Stadium, for the New England 300.

Steve Poulin led the field to the green flag but it was Jean-Paul Larose who would lead the first laps around the 0.333 mile short track as the fans in attendance were given a great show by the thirty drivers as battles for position and the lead would happen all race long, with championship contender Beaver Dragon being the dominate driver, leading 110 of the event's 300 laps, but late in the going Beaver would be slowed by lap traffic, with Stub Fadden looking to score the win, until Phil Gerbode would chase him down and passed him with twenty laps to go, and pulled away by almost a second to score his first career win.

Other Noticeables:
Phil Gerbode scored his 1st win of the year,
Gerbode led 3 times for 43 laps, including the final 20 laps,
It was the 1st win of his career in the NASCAR North Tour in his 29th start,
Beaver Dragon, who finished 3rd, is the new points leader, leading Bobby Dragon by 28 points

1.24-Phil Gerbode (43 laps led)
2.16-Stub Fadden (57 laps led)
3.7-Beaver Dragon (110 laps led)
4.41-Jamie Aube (45 laps led)
5.2-Dan Perez
6.11-Claude Leclerc-1 lap
7.00-Roger Laperle-1 lap (16 laps led)
8.5A-Jean-Paul Cabana-1 lap
9.38-Mike Perrotte-1 lap
10.70-Jean-Paul Larose-1 lap (29 laps led)
11.38-Richard Pinkham-1 lap
12.12-Tim Dykman-2 laps
13.48-Robbie Crouch-2 laps
14.44-Keith Cavanagh-2 laps
15.29-Dave Dion-2 laps
16.1X-Gardiner Leavitt-2 laps
17.11-Darrell Owen-3 laps
18.09-Ron Barcomb-3 laps
19.08-Leland Kangas-3 laps
20.59-Hector Leclair-4 laps
21.3-Laurent Rioux-4 laps
22.0-Dick McCabe-5 laps
23.8-Mike Barry-8 laps
24.25-Randy Corey-49 laps (Header)
25.61-Brad Kennedy-85 laps (Accident)
26.71-Bobby Dragon-86 laps (Accident)
27.35-Langis Caron-120 laps (Accident)
28.34-Steve Poulin-206 laps (Header)
29.69-Brent Hatch-295 laps (Engine)
30.28-Stan Meserve-296 laps (Steering)

Steve Poulin-Pole
Jean-Paul Larose-1-29
Beaver Dragon-30-139
Roger Laperle-140-154
Jamie Aube-155-181
Roger Laperle-182
Jamie Aube-183-200
Stub Fadden-201-216
Phil Gerbode-217
Stub Fadden-218-233
Phil Gerbode-234-255
Stub Fadden-256-280
Phil Gerbode-281-300

11 Lead Changes among 6 drivers

Caution Flags: 6 for 30 laps
Lap 64 (Car #0 Spin Turn 2),
Lap 97 (Car #34 Stalled Frontstretch),
Lap 181 (Cars #8 and 44 Spin Turn 4),
Lap 192 (Car #0 Spin Turn 4),
Lap 216 (Cars #48 and 25 Spin Turn 4),
Lap 256 (Car #25 Stalled Backstretch)

Margin of Victory: 0.984 Seconds

Time of Race: 1 Hour, 50 Minutes and 35 Seconds

Steve Poulin leads the field to the Green Flag.



Jean-Paul Larose passes on the Backstretch and would lead the first lap.



While running in 29th, Stan Meserve retires due to Steering problems.



While running in 27th, Brent Hatch's Engine blows up.



Beaver Dragon passes Jean-Paul Larose for the lead on Lap 30.



The first caution comes out on Lap 64 when Dick McCabe spins out in Turn 2 after contact from Jean-Paul Cabana.



The second caution comes out on Lap 97 when Steve Poulin, who was running in 26th, stalls on the Frontstretch due to a broken Header.



Roger Laperle passes Beaver Dragon for the lead on Lap 140.



Jamie Aube passes Roger Laperle for the lead on Lap 155.



The third caution comes out on Lap 181 when Mike Barry and Keith Cavanagh spin out in Turn 4.



The fourth caution comes out on Lap 192 when Dick McCabe spins out in Turn 4 after contact from Dan Perez.



As drivers make pit stops, Langis Caron is involved in a crash and was knocked out of the race.



Stub Fadden passes Jamie Aube for the lead on Lap 201.



The fifth caution comes out on Lap 216 when Robbie Crouch and Randy Corey spins out in Turn 4.



As drivers pit, Bobby Dragon and Brad Kennedy are involved in a crash and are both knocked out of the race.



Phil Gerbode passes Stub Fadden for the lead on Lap 217.



Stub Fadden passes Phil Gerbode to retake the lead on Lap 218.



The sixth and final caution comes out on Lap 256 when Randy Corey, who was running in 20th, stalls on the Backstretch, due to a broken Header.



Phil Gerbode passes Stub Fadden for the 11th and final lead on Lap 281.



Phil Gerbode takes the Checkered Flag.

Race #23 - Fall Final 100

The NASCAR North Tour made their 23rd stop of 1980 in Stafford Springs, Connecticut at the Stafford Motor Speedway, for the Fall Final 100.

Claude Leclerc led the field to the green flag but it was Phil Gerbode, who would pick up right where he left off at Catamount, who would lead the first laps around the half mile track as Gerbode and Leclerc would be the class of the field, with Gerbode having control of the event, losing the lead briefly to Leclerc for a few laps before Gerbode would take the lead back and would easily go on to score his second win in a row.

Other Noticeables:
Phil Gerbode scored his 2nd win of the year, and second in a row
Gerbode led 3 times for 98 laps, including the final 14 laps,
It was the 2nd win of his career in the NASCAR North Tour and his first since Catamount; 1 race ago,
Frank Sapowsky(4th), Tom Bolles(16th) and Bob Timmons(17th) made their NASCAR North Tour debuts,
Beaver Dragon, who finished 22nd, kept his points leader, leading Jean-Paul Cabana by 28 points

1.24-Phil Gerbode (98 laps led)
2.11-Claude Leclerc (2 laps led)
3.34-Steve Poulin
4.50-Frank Sapowsky
5.16-Stub Fadden
6.59-Hector Leclair
7.8-Mike Barry
8.08-Leland Kangas
9.28-Stan Meserve
10.48-Robbie Crouch
11.0-Dick McCabe
12.69-Brent Hatch
13.5A-Jean-Paul Cabana
14.09-Ron Barcomb
15.41-Jamie Aube
16.76-Tom Bolles
17.77-Bob Timmons
18.17-Kevin Lepage
19.03-Milt Wright-1 lap
20.35-Langis Caron-1 lap
21.51-Skip Cahill-1 lap
22.7-Beaver Dragon-1 lap
23.61-Brad Kennedy-1 lap
24.70-Jean-Paul Larose-1 lap
25.4-Wes Rosner-1 lap
26.12-Tim Dykman-1 lap
27.17-Bob Brunell-1 lap
28.1X-Gardiner Leavitt-1 lap
29.73-Jerry Marquis-2 laps
30.71-Bobby Dragon-2 laps

Claude Leclerc-Pole
Phil Gerbode-1-72
Claude Leclerc-73
Phil Gerbode-74-85
Claude Leclerc-86
Phil Gerbode-87-100

4 Lead Changes among 2 drivers

Caution Flags: 0 for 0 laps

Margin of Victory: 0.969 Seconds

Time of Race: 45 Minutes and 46 Seconds

Claude Leclerc leads the field to the Green Flag.



Phil Gerbode passes Claude Leclerc in Turn 1 and would go on to lead the first laps.



Claude Leclerc passes Phil Gerbode for the lead on Lap 73.



Phil Gerbode passes Claude Leclerc to retake the lead on Lap 74.



Claude Leclerc passes Phil Gerbode to retake the lead on Lap 86.



Phil Gerbode passes Claude Leclerc for the 4th and final lead change on Lap 87.



Phil Gerbode takes the Checkered Flag.

Race #24 - Maine Open 100

The NASCAR North Tour made their 24th stop of 1980 in Oxford, Maine at the Oxford Plains Speedway, for the Maine Open 100.

Beaver Dragon led the field to the green flag but it was Langis Caron who would lead the first laps around the 0.333 mile short track as a rash of cautions would cause more then half of the race to be held behind the pace car, allowing for Caron to keep the lead. When the race reached the original scheduled distance of 100 laps, the race was extended an additional fifty laps, as Dave Dion would briefly drive past Caron and would lead for two laps before Caron was able to take the lead back, while Dick McCabe, who rode around in the top ten all race long would make a move for the lead with sixteen laps to go and would hold off the determined Caron to score the first win of his career.

Other Noticeables:
Dick McCabe scored his 1st win of the year,
McCabe led 1 time for 16 laps, which were the final 16 laps,
It was the 1st win of his career in the NASCAR North Tour in his 20th start,
Beaver Dragon, who finished 7th, kept his points leader, leading Stub Fadden by 26 points

Heading into the final race of the season, mathematically four drivers still have a shot of winning the champio
1.7&37-Beaver Dragon: 1,182 points
2.16-Stub Fadden-26 points
3.5&5A-Jean-Paul Cabana-30 points
4.11-Claude Leclerc-32 points

1.0-Dick McCabe (16 laps led)
2.35-Langis Caron (131 laps led)
3.29-Dave Dion (2 laps led)
4.16-Stub Fadden
5.38-Richard Pinkham
6.11-Claude Leclerc
7.37-Beaver Dragon (1 lap led)
8.23-Frank Fraser
9.4-Dick Glines-1 lap
10.5A-Jean-Paul Cabana-1 lap
11.24-Phil Gerbode-1 lap
12.09-Ron Barcomb-1 lap
13.12-Tim Dykman-1 lap
14.17-Kevin Lepage-1 lap
15.61-Brad Kennedy-1 lap
16.07-Tom Rosati-1 lap
17.94-Skip Hodgdon-1 lap
18.00-Roger Laperle-1 lap
19.1X-Gardiner Leavitt-1 lap
20.72-Dan Perez-1 lap
21.08-Leland Kangas-1 lap
22.71-Bobby Dragon-1 lap
23.62-Larry Pottle-1 lap
24.5-Mike Rowe-1 lap
25.40-Jim Brown-1 lap
26.88-Mike Barry-2 laps
27.48-Robbie Crouch-2 laps
28.9-Harvey Sprague-2 laps
29.10-Ralph Nason-2 laps
30.59-Hector Leclair-2 laps
31.22-Reggie Gammon-58 laps (Accident)
32.7-Bob Gerry-64 laps (Accident)
33.34-Steve Poulin-102 laps (Accident)
34.27-Jimmy Burns-107 laps (Engine)
35.13-George Babb-107 laps (Accident)
36.44-Jeff Stevens-138 laps (Accident)

Beaver Dragon-1
Langis Caron-2-100
Dave Dion-101-102
Langis Caron-103-134
Dick McCabe-135-150

4 Lead Changes among 4 drivers

Caution Flags: 12 for 63 laps
Lap 11 (Car #1X Spin Backstretch),
Lap 18 (Car #22 Spin Frontstretch),
Lap 36 (Car #59 Spin Frontstretch),
Lap 43 (Cars #22, 48 and 23 Accident Turn 1),
Lap 49 (Cars #34 and 48 Accident Backstretch),
Lap 60 (Car #12 Spin Turn 1),
Lap 69 (Cars #11 and 37 Accident Frontstretch),
Lap 76 (Cars #11 and 37 Spin Turn 1),
Lap 85 (Cars #59, 00 and 39 Spin Turn 1),
Lap 94 (Car #22 Spin Turn 2),
Lap 119 (Cars #88 and 62 Spin Backstretch),
Lap 137 (Cars #07 and 17 Accident Backstretch)

Margin of Victory: 0.485 Seconds

Time of Race: 1 Hour, 19 Minutes and 47 Seconds

Beaver Dragon leads the field to the Green Flag.



Langis Caron passes Beaver Dragon to lead the first lap.



The first caution comes out on Lap 11 when Gardiner Leavitt spins out on the Backstretch after contact from Skip Hodgdon.



As the field stacks up, Jeff Stevens runs into the back of another car, damaging his radiator and knocking him out of the race.



The second caution comes out on Lap 18 when Reggie Gammon spins out on the Frontstretch.



The third caution comes out on Lap 36 when Hector Leclair spins out on the Frontstretch.



The fourth caution comes out on Lap 43 when a three car wreck breaks out in Turn 1.



While running in 12th, Jimmy Burns's Engine blows up.



The fifth caution comes out on Lap 49 when Steve Poulin and Robbie Crouch wreck on the Backstretch.



The sixth caution comes out on Lap 60 when Tim Dykman spins out in Turn 1.



The seventh caution comes out on Lap 69 when Claude Leclerc and Beaver Dragon wreck on the Frontstretch.



The eighth caution comes out on Lap 76 when Claude Leclerc and Beaver Dragon spin out in Turn 1.



The ninth caution comes out on Lap 85 when a three car spin breaks out in Turn 1.



The tenth caution comes out on Lap 94 when Reggie Gammon spins out in Turn 2.



Dave Dion passes Langis Caron for the lead on Lap 101.



Langis Caron passes Dave Dion to retake the lead on Lap 103.



The 11th caution comes out on Lap 119 when Mike Barry and Larry Pottle spin out on the Backstretch.



Dick McCabe passes Langis Caron for the 4th and final lead change on Lap 135.



The 12th and final caution comes out on Lap 137 when Tom Rosati and Kevin Lepage wreck on the Frontstretch.



Dick McCabe takes the Checkered Flag.