In 2012, the Canadian NASCAR series was in its sixth season. With Canadian Tire as the primary sponsor, NASCAR had developed a successful format that attracted competitors and fans.

There were some changes to the 2012 schedule – mainly the order of the race weekends early in the season.  The title chase started on the Victoria Day Weekend at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park (CTMP).  There would be an additional event held at this facility – a race on the oval track in June. The championship would end in late September at Kawartha Speedway. A significant change saw the high-profile event at Toronto’s Exhibition place dropped from the calendar. It was replaced with a temporary circuit in Edmonton.  In total, there was twelve race weekends and the series would visit twelve different tracks in six provinces.

The cars competing in the championship are constructed to specifications and rules common to most stock car series. The chassis is a steel tube frame design covered with a fiberglass body and is required to weigh no less than 3000-lbs. Body styles are from manufacturers such as Dodge (Avenger, Challenger and Charger), Ford (Fusion) and Chevrolet (Monte Carlo and Impala SS). Engine type and displacement are dictated by the make and model of the vehicle. The carbureted eight-cylinder motors produce approximately 650-horsepower. Depending on the gearing, these cars are estimated to have a top speed of 160-mph.

Round ten was held at Barrie Speedway a 0.333-mile oval track located in Ontario.  Drivers would compete for 300-laps in a race sponsored by Wahta Springs.

The event at Barrie was originally scheduled for Saturday, September 8th but heavy rain caused it to be postponed until the following day.  Twenty-two competitors line-up on the grid for Sunday afternoon’s event.  On the pole is the No. 15 Ford Fusion driven by Steve Mathews.  Sharing the front row with Mathews is Ron Beauchamp, Jr. in the Mopar/Exide/Mobil 1 sponsored Dodge Challenger.
Steve Mathews was the fastest qualifier for the Wahta Springs 300.  This was Mathews’ second career NASCAR Canadian Tire Series pole-position, he earned his first a Kawartha in 2011.  He led the first three laps before being passed by Scott Steckly.  Always in contention, Mathews made contact with race leader,  Steckly on lap-294.  The incident dropped the pair down the order with Mathews finishing fourth.
Despite a mid-race issue with the jack, Peter Shepherd III was in third place as the contest came to a conclusion.  When race leaders J.R. Fitzpatrick and Steve Mathews tangled, Shepherd moved the No. 7 National Exhaust Dodge Challenger to the top spot and held on for the win.  This was his third NASCAR Canadian Tire Series career victory.  Shepherd’s previous wins were at Kawartha in 2010 and Saskatoon in 2011.
Quebec driver, Andrew Ranger was gridded mid-pack for the start of the Wahta Springs 300.  The driver of the GC Motorsports Dodge Challenger never led a lap but ran with the leaders most of the day.  The incident at the green-white-checker between J.R Fitzpatrick and Steve Mathews promoted Ranger to second.  He maintained the position to the checkered flag and finished 0.729-seconds behind the winner, Peter Shepherd III. 
Another beneficiary of the late-race incident between J.R. Fitzpatrick and Steve Mathews was Noel Dowler.  Dowler started sixteenth in the EMCO-Kohler/Rheem Dodge Challenger and was able to avoid much of the contact that his fellow competitors experienced.  The incident between Mathews and Fitzpatrick elevated him to a third-place finish – this was Dowler’s best result to date.
Turning a qualifying lap just 0.010-seconds slower than the pole-sitter, Steve Mathews was Ron Beauchamp, Jr.  Gridded on the outside of the front row, Beauchamp drove the Mopar/Exide/Mobil 1 Dodge Challenger.  He finished on the lead lap but was unable to match the pace of the front-runners and was seventh at the checkered flag.
The local favourite, Mark Dilley drove the Leland/BDI/PartSource Ford Fusion and was the fifth-fastest in qualifying.  Dilley led a total of twenty laps during the event but it would not be his day.  The Ford developed a mechanical issue and on lap-282 he retired with a transmission failure.
In Sunday morning’s practice session, Scott Stecky was second quickest just 0.051-seconds behind J.R. Fitzpatrick.  The driver of the No. 22 Canadian Tire sponsored Dodge Challenger recorded the third-fastest time in qualifying.  Steckly was in the lead with six laps to go when contact with Steve Mathews caused him spin.  Last year’s champion dropped down the race order and finished ninth.
Peter Shepherd III and the National Exhaust crew celebrate in victory circle at the Wahta Springs 300.  This was Shepherd’s third career NASCAR Canadian Tire Series victory in three years.  He scored his first win at Kawartha in 2010 which was followed by another in 2011 at Saskatoon.

FINISHSTARTDRIVERSSPONSOR / CARLAPSRETIREMENTS
18Pete Shepherd IIINational Exhaust Dodge307-
211Andrew RangerDodge/GC Motorsports Dodge307-
316Noel DowlerEMCO-Kohler/Rheem Dodge307-
41Steve MathewsBill Mathews Motors Ford307-
520Dexter StaceyWJS Motorsports Dodge307-
64J.R. FitzpatrickEquipment Express Chevrolet307-
72Ron Beauchamp, Jr.Mopar/Exide/Mobil 1 Dodge307-
87Jason HathawaySnap-On Tools/Rockstar Energy Drink Dodge307-
93Scott StecklyCanadian Tire Dodge306-
1018Larry JacksonRC Trailers Dodge305-
1113L.P. DumoulinWeatherTech Canada/Bellemare / Dodge303-
129Jeff LapcevichTim Hortons Dodge301-
1312Joey McColmEspar Dodge300-
1417Dave ConnellySchneider's/Metro Dodge299-
1522Mike ScholzJiffy Car Wash/Watchfinder.ca Chevrolet298-
1615Isabelle TremblayFrank Lyman Design Dodge298-
1714Jason WhiteBowers & Wilkins Dodge297-
1810Martin RoyVeloce/Battery Expert Dodge286-
1921Ray Courtemanche Jr.Porto Cabral/Const. Danam Bonzai Dodge285-
205Mark DilleyLeland/BDI/PartSource Ford282Transmission
216D.J. KenningtonCastrol Super Clean Dodge280-
2219Hugo VanniniVTI Motorsports Ford132Accident


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