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Super Can-Am Competitiveness
Bruce Biegler - October 28, 2009
 On Sunday Oct. 18th the Eastern Canadian based Can-Am Stock/Super Stock series wrapped up it's 2009 racing season with a date at TMP's Cayuga Dragway.
The final race of the season was a dramatic one with no less then six different drivers entering the event with a mathematical shot at the overall 2009 points championship.
An excellent field of 44 cars showed for competition and when the smoke had cleared after 6 rounds of racing Gianni Cantusci (Stittsville,ON) claimed the event win
while Victoria Smith emerged as the 2009 Can-Am points champion.
For Victoria, who is daughter to legendary Canadian race car builder F.J. (Fred) Smith, the Can-Am Championship was her second -- she also won the title in 2006 driving her potent Pontiac Sunfire.
All season long the series displayed absolutely amazing competitiveness. In fact the 11 season races produced no less then 11 different winners and 20 different finalists (!)
Victoria Smith's lone event victory came at Cayuga Dragway during mid-August -- however she combined that with some consistent late round finishes to earn the title by 3 points over runner-up Kirk Vanni.
 "This was the tightest points battle the series has ever had," Victoria confirmed. "I was nervous going into the last race, knowing so many racers would be ready to take advantage of any mistake I made. I knew I had to race my own rounds, and just hope that the right people would get taken out at the right times. That’s what makes drag racing so interesting. You only have control over the rounds you are racing in."
"Our series has gotten incredibly competitive," she added. "So it really came down to how many rounds a racer had -- not just wins."
Victoria was quick to cite the talents of her father/crew chief/engine builder/chassis builder, Fred Smith, her #1 crew guy Murray Daniel, and of course her mother and popular fixture on the circuit, Betsy.
Victoria will be honored for her victory during the upcoming Can-Am Stock Super Stock Series Awards Brunch which goes Sunday, Nov 15th at the Coach House at Ruthven Park, Cayuga.
For addition information including the complete final points listing visit the series website: http://www.smithperformance.com/can_am.html
(Bruce Biegler Photos)
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