“Britain West Motorsport’s newest driver Matthew DiLeo delivers Can Am Cup on his first trip to Mosport International Raceway”
Brantford, Ontario – July 5, 2011 – Britain West Motorsport, Canada’s leading Formula Ford competition group, was finally able to capture their first Can Am Cup after chasing the title for five straight years. Matthew DiLeo, the newest member of the multi time championship winning Formula Ford team, was able to take the Sunday win and capture the coveted Can Am Cup trophy. Joining the Britain West squad for the first of four races in the Ontario Formula Ford Challenge, the karting standout has been running in the hotly contest USF2000 Series with Brian Stewart Racing, who orchestrated this four race program with Britain West Motorsport. A strong three-car battle had DiLeo going wheel-to-wheel with five-time Can Am Cup winner Shane Jantzi and Saturday race winner Trent Hindman. With just a few laps remaining and DiLeo in the lead, contact with a back marker in corner one sent Jantzi into the tire wall bringing out the red flag and ending the race.
“It was great to finally win the Can Am Cup. However, I think everyone involved would have been happier had it ended under the checker flag instead of the red flag,” comments David Clubine, owner of Britain West Motorsport. “I was relieved to talk to Shane (Jantzi) on Monday morning and find that other than a lots of bruising, he is fine.”
All four Britain West Motorsport cars ran well on the weekend with Gord Ross hitting the track as the lone entrant in B Group cars with Sergio Pasian and Sofina Foods Driver Development member Garett Grist running in A Group cars with DiLeo. Turning to Saturday action it was Grist quickest in morning warm up with DiLeo in fourth, Pasian in sixth and Ross in 13th. In timed qualifying Grist would take pole position with DiLeo in fourth, Pasian in ninth and Ross in 12th. Skies threatened all day as light showers came and went in the hours leading up to the OFFC race one, the last session set for the day. Teams scrambled to make last minute changes as cars sat on the mock grid waiting to go out. From pole Grist was on the wrong side of the track for the wet start and lost four spots going into corner two. In the slippery conditions Ross would run wide hitting the tire wall and ending his day on lap one. Grist battled back to the lead group, moving into second place in the closing laps. A late race excursion in turn eight had Grist brush the turn nine wall, moving him back to tenth. DiLeo would keep on track moving forward to take second with Pasian in eighth. After a dash into the pits Grist would keep going to cross in seventh, fourth in class.
Saturday would bring nicer weather to the Vortex Brakes race weekend as OFFC drivers looked to capture the Can Am Cup. Grist was again fastest in warm up with DiLeo in sixth and Pasian in fourth, while Ross clocked through in tenth. In quali it was Grist with the fastest lap, but a one-position penalty for speeding while exiting pit lane put him off pole. DiLeo crossed in third with Pasian in fifth and Ross in 12th. A great start had DiLeo slot into second with Grist in fourth heading through the first lap. Up the back straight heading to turn eight, Grist’s car lost power with an electrical failure. DiLeo went to the lead by mid way as Pasian moved up to sixth place. Ross battled hard for tenth in a three-car fight. Just past halfway of the event the race course went red as a crash in the lead group had Jantzi hard into the turn one wall. The race as ended with DiLeo getting the victory, Pasian in sixth and Ross in 12th.
“The whole team ran really well on the weekend. Garett’s run of four straight poles is great,” continues Clubine. “Sergio steadily improved over the weekend and is starting to be a force to be reckoned with, Gord did a good job after a two month layoff and Matthew’s win capped it all off.”
Up next for the Britain West Motorsport squad is rounds five and six of the OFFC taking place at Shannonville Raceway near Bowmanville, ON, on July 15-17. A fixture in the Canadian motorsports scene for nearly two decades, Britain West has been supplying road racers and British Car Collectors since 1976. As the exclusive Van Diemen Chassis and Dunlop Tire importer for Canada, they also represent AimSport Mychron Data Systems, Penske Shocks and HANS Device. Britain West are also known as the leading engine builder for the popular Formula Ford power plant making use of an in-house machine shop, tooling and test dyno. The staff at Britain West has an eye for detail and put customer service first. For more information on Britain West Motorsports and this news release please contact Dave Clubine at dclubine@sentex.net or call 519-756-1610.
