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MacDonald-Cadieux finishes in the Top 20

With perfect racing weather as a backdrop, the third stop of the CASCAR Super Series took place at Mosport’s ½ mile banked oval for 250 laps, Saturday June 9^th, 2001.   

The Weather Network Monte Carlo had to qualify twice due to a faulty transponder. But Teri’s qualifying time was not fast enough and she had to run the qualifying race. As it turns out, this race helped The Weather Network racing crew fine-tune the car’s performance resulting in a fourth place finish.  That placed them in the 24^th spot for the main race.  When the checker flag dropped, CASCAR had Teri four laps down and in the 17^th spot. They are having CASCAR take a second look, as her team has Teri in 15^th with only three laps down.

In preparing for the qualifying race, Peter Gibbons, Teri’s coach and car owner, helped to oversee some important adjustments to Teri’s car. 

“I was ready to miss the qualifying race and start last in the main race, just to have a car that would handle well. But CASCAR was willing to wait for us,” explained Teri MacDonald-Cadieux.   “Finally Pete and my crew were satisfied with the way The Weather Network car was set up and I drove out to the track to run the race.  What a difference a few turns on a bar can make and a change in the tire pressures.”

MacDonald-Cadieux started the 250-lap race in 24^th spot.  She knew that this track had a reputation for being hard on brakes – it was even mentioned in the drivers meeting.  MacDonald-Cadieux’s planned to take her time and save The Weather Network Monte Carlo for the last 50 laps. 

During the first ten laps, an out-of-control car came across the grass between turn one and two and hit MacDonald-Cadieux’s car in the rear quarter panel – sending the car spinning. MacDonald-Cadieux quickly gathered it up, doing a 360 on the track and carried on. The only problem was that she was now last and the leaders were on their way.  MacDonald-Cadieux drove as fast as she could trying to put space between the leaders and her. But eventually she went down a lap.

“I really hated going down a lap so early in the race,” said MacDonald-Cadieux.  “It meant trying to get around some of the slower cars while at the same time, not getting in the way of the leaders.” 

The last 25 laps were filled with collisions and MacDonald-Cadieux was fortunate to miss most of them.  CASCAR has a rule that the last five laps will be raced under green flags. It took almost 25 laps to get the last five green laps in. 

“Overall, the race was pretty good,” said MacDonald-Cadieux.  “I was surprised that my brakes held out, but I was trying to be good with them.  I was happy to finish with not much damage on my Weather Network Monte Carlo and in the top 20.”

Next race is in two weeks at Mosport’s Road Course. It has been two years since MacDonald-Cadieux has raced on this track, which at one time was her home track.