Top-10 Run Ends with GWC Restart
Renee (59) runs Caraway with Tim Brown (02). Cheryl Rhodes McKee Photo.
On Saturday, April 21, the No. 59/UNION Insurance Group backed team again traveled south for the NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour’s ‘Parking Lot Maintenance Headquarters 150’ at Caraway Speedway (Spohia, NC). The fourth race on the WSMT’s 2012 schedule marked Renee’s second trip to the .455-mile track.
Following tech inspection, the team participated in two 20-minute practice sessions, followed by qualifying – where Renee posted the 12th fastest time of the day.
Next up, the teams participated in an on-track autograph session; with Renee being interviewed by the track announcer. With rain in the area – the race start time was moved up – taking place immediately following the meet and greet.
During the Caraway autograph session, Renee is presented with the "Coca-Cola Move of the Race" award from the previous week's (South Boston) event. Mark Whitney Photo.
At approximately 7 PM, the green flag dropped on the 150-lap race. Starting from the outside of the sixth row, Renee quickly made her way into the top-10. But, following a red flag on lap 36, Dupuis began to struggle and the car dropped several positions in the field. Prior to the halfway break, the team pitted several times for adjustments.
“During the halfway break we discovered the front tires were so rubbered over, the guys decided to swap the tires front to rear,” offered Renee. “After the change, the car was much improved.”
As evidence of such, during the second half of the race the No. 59 car continued to move up in the running order – and was up to the 10th spot on lap 136; and into 8th by lap 145. While restarting in the 8th position on a lap 150 restart (the first of what would become three green-white-checkered restarts) Renee sustained significant damage to the left front. Unable to continue, the team ended up 16th in the final rundown. A lap-by-lap replay of the event can be found here.
With a lengthy break in the WSMT schedule, the team will next be in action in an Ed Bennett owned No. 59 in a 150-lap WMT event at New Hampshire’s Monadnock Speedway on Saturday, May 12. For those not able to make it out to the track – please follow along on NASCAR’s Home Tracks website.
Team Opens Season with Top-10 Finish, Coca-Cola “Move of the Race” Award
Renee during driver introductions at Virginia's South Boston Speedway. Cheryl Rhodes McKee Photo.
On Saturday, April 14, Renee’s Kyle Bennett owned/UNION Insurance Group backed team trekked south for the NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour’s third race of the 2012 season at South Boston (VA) Speedway. The ‘South Boston 150’ marked the 2012 season opener for the team and was Renee’s first time competing at the 4/10-mile facility.
After a disappointing showing in practice, Renee posted just the 20th fastest time of the qualifying session.
She explained: “It’s a real fine line between running the absolute daylights out of the car and just plain over driving. We made some changes to the car between practice and time trials, and – in trying to give it everything I’ve got – I just plain over drove the car on the second lap of time trials.” Dupuis’ first lap was almost .40 faster than her sticker time trial run during practice.
Following an on-track autograph session and driver introductions, the green flag dropped at 7:50 PM. On just the 19th lap Renee got caught up in an accident and went down a lap trying to pull away. With damage to the left-front suspension the team pitted several times for repairs. When the green flag again waved the team picked off spots – attempting to save the car while waiting for the lucky dog.
“Even after the wreck we had a really good car,” Renee offered. “It was just torture trying to get back on the lead lap.”
By the halfway mark, Renee was still a lap down (in 17th spot) but was running lap times faster than the lead pack. As such, during the halfway break, the team made only a slight air pressure adjustment.
When the caution waved on lap-90 the team was finally named the free pass car. Back on the lead-lap, Renee began her march forward and was up to 11th place by lap 135. When the checkered flag flew, Renee ended up crossing the finish line in the 9th spot. Full race results can be found here.
Moreover, as Renee advanced 11 positions over the course of her 2012 debut, she won the Coca-Cola ‘Move of the Race Award’ (the honor is given out at each NWSMT race to the driver who advances the most positions during the event).
“After struggling during the day, come race time, the guys gave me a great car. We weren’t really able to show it until late in the race. But it sure seems like we were one of the only cars that was going forward in the late stages. It’s a pretty strong statement when you can pass on both the inside and the outside that late into a run. In the end we were still going forward – we just ran out of laps.”
The Kyle Bennett owned No. 59 at South Boston Speedway (VA). Cheryl Rhodes McKee Photo.
A lap-by-lap replay of the event – courtesy of NASCAR – can be found here.
With a quick turnaround, the team will next compete at Caraway Speedway on Saturday, April 21.
With a lengthy break in the Southern schedule, the ‘Parking Lot Maintenance Headquarters 150’ at Caraway Speedway, is the last NWSMT event on the schedule until the Series returns to Caraway on Friday, July, 6. During the extended break, the team is scheduled to compete in the New England region in several NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour events.
Team Releases 2012 Schedule
For the 2012 season our team has recently announced a limited schedule. As in 2011, for the upcoming season Renee will compete on both of NASCAR’s ultra-competitive Whelen Modified and Whelen Southern Modified Tours in cars proudly carrying the UNION Insurance Group logo and fielded by Ed Bennett III. While the schedule isn’t set in stone (it’s possible it will be expanded upon), we would like to take a moment to update you on some upcoming race dates.
| DATE | FACILITY | SERIES | LOCATION |
| Sat., Apr. 14 | South Boston Speedway | NWSMT | S. Boston, VA |
| Sat., Apr. 21 | Caraway Speedway | NWSMT | Sophia, NC |
| Sat., May 12 | Monadnock Speedway | NWMT | Winchester, NH |
| Fri., May 25 | Stafford Motor Speedway | NWMT | Stafford, CT |
| Fri., July 6 | Caraway Speedway | NWSMT | Sophia, NC |
| Thur., Aug. 9 | Thompson International Speedway | NWMT | Thompson, CT |
| Sat., Sept. 1 | Langley Speedway | NWSMT | Hampton, VA |
| Sun., Sept. 9 | Thompson International Speedway | NWMT/NWSMT | Thompson, CT |
| Sun., Oct. 14 | Thompson International Speedway | NWMT | Thompson, CT |