The team rolled into Canadian Tire Motorsport Park last weekend for the final rounds of the Toyo Tires F1600 Championship at the CASC’s annual Celebration of Motorsport.
It was a competitive field of 25 cars that turned out and with Connor Clubine already confirmed as the B Class Champion he was given the green light to try his hand in a Britain West Mygale as a reward.
Gilkes and Clubine were bested to the pole however by speedy teammate Jake Cowden for race 1. Gilkes would join him on the front row and A class rookie Clubine put up an impressive time to put him 5th.
Race 1 was a wild one with an 8-car train battling back and forth at the front. Gilkes would drop to 3rd but took the lead on the final lap and took the win. Cowden made an aggressive outside move in the high speed corner 8 but was forced into the marbles and would end his race in the wall. Clubine emerged from the wild last lap antics to grab 3rd – his first A class podium in his first start.
Sunday morning the drivers were met with rain and fog. Speedy Cowden started on pole again, Gilkes started 3rd and Clubine 5th. Gilkes nabbed the lead and headed up the road leaving his teammates to fight it out behind. The race was shortened with an incident and at the finish it was Gilkes with the victory followed by Cowden with a solid 3rd and Clubine with another impressive run, finishing 5th.
By this point Gilkes had secured the Championship, but he wasn’t finished. He had the fastest lap in race 2 so started on pole with teammate Cowden alongside. Clubine continued to impress with a lap fast enough to have him start 4th. Gilkes cemented his championship effort with yet another dominant win, posting the fastest lap pf the race on the final one. He was joined on the podium by Cowden who had a tough fight for 2nd and Clubine rolled across the line shortly thereafter in 4th.
An incredible season winning both A and B Class in Ontario as well as the Quebec Championships in the same season. David and Laura Clubine would like to thank the organizers of each series, the events, marshals and the circuits for making racing possible this year. A special nod also goes out to our staff, volunteers, drivers and their families that have made this season one to remember.
