RICK @ the RACES (27 to 31 AUG)
Website Update
The ‘Retro’ reports have been put on the ‘back burner’ for a while , during this really busy time for me. Once I’ve settled in to my new home, it will become a winter project. Those of you that received these reports by e-mail over the past couple of years will know that I’ve now reached the latter part of 1986. With things being so hectic, I’ve only had time to edit and correct my first edition, but hope to have all of them up loaded on the website before too long.
During the week I got a message from Robert Wilms from Baarlo in the Netherlands. I’ve been corresponding with Robert for quite a while in connection with the gatherings he’s organized in memory of his local, and now defunct track ( The Baarlo Auto Speedway) . I used to visit there at least once a year between 1976 and 1993 and have a lot of fond memories of the place. Robert sent me some photos of some of the Dutch contestants in the forthcoming BriSCA F1 World Final at the Foxhall Stadium (Ipswich UK) on Sept 22.
I also had another message from Phil Elsden (ex 401) a BriSCA F1 driver during the 1980’s . He told me his son Mark is now racing and sent me some photos.
New additions to the Guest book include
Marc from Ontario , friend and race team sponsor
Martin from North Carolina, friend, journalist and photographer
Mike from Connecticut, friend and webmaster www.raceproweekly.com
Rob & Cindy Shaver from Ontario , friends and DIRT racing fans.
Robin from Yorkshire (UK) old racing friend and co-worker
Craig from Ontario, friend and webmaster of www.rickattheraces.com
Thanks for taking an interest
THIS WEEKS REPORT
With it being the Labour Day Holday Weekend, you’ll probably be expecting plenty of coverage from a whole bunch of races. Well, that’s not the case as this week I have only two events to report on.
On Wednesday (27 Aug) I was at the final mid-week show of the season at Ottawa’s Capital City Speedway. To round off the year, the remaining events will be on Friday’s (19/26 Sept) and on Saturday Aug 6 for a staging of the ACT LATE MODEL SERIES.
This Wednesday’s show sponsored by Local Heros , a Stittsville Sports Bar and Eatery had a good turn out of cars and fans.
It was good to see my friend Erin Joyce # 33 back in action with her Legend car after engine problems have kept her away for a few weeks.
She led the feature for a while before succumbing to the might of regular winner Kevin Foisey.
My night at Capital City Speedway was made even more enjoyable working with ‘Trophy Girls’ Kayla and Vicky from ‘Local Heros’.
They joined me in Victory Lane and performed their duties with excellence. Thunder Car winner was Ken Fisher, Mini Stock was Doug Mold, 4 for Fun was Cody Dunham and Tim Dorning won the Late Model Feature.
I wasn’t so disappointed about having to work late this past Friday (29 Aug) when I found out later that my intended destination was canceled because of rain. The final points night at Autodrome Edelweiss was ‘washed out’ , so Laurent Ladouceur became the 2008 track champion for the Modifieds.
On Saturday ( 30 Aug) , there were no racing plans on my agenda.
My destination was the Pierre Trudeau Airport in Dorval ( Montreal) to meet my daughter Carla. She was flying in from Austin, Texas for the Labour Day Weekend. With my forthcoming move from Maxville to Long Sault ( close to the Cornwall Motor Speedway), we thought it would be a good time for her to pay a visit. ( She still has piles of her things in the house that needed sorting ! )
Now you can see why there is a ‘Texas’ link inĀ ‘Ricks Favorites’ on www.rickattheraces.com , and the reason why I only attended two events this week. While we were dining at East Side Marios on Cote Vertu in Montreal, my buddies were at my usual Saturday night choices of the Brockville Ontario Speedway or the Mohawk International Raceway. Early Sunday morning e-mails informed me that Bill Gill won at the BOS and John Lazore won at the MIR.
While Carla was sorting through her stuff , I spent Sunday evening at the Cornwall Motor Speedway where the 358 SUPER DIRTCAR Series was taking place.
While on my Pre Race walkabout, I bumped into a few friends for some photo opps
There were forty seven Modifieds in the pits and it turned out to be a cracker of a show with Danny O’Brien taking the 100 lapper.
Not only was there a 358 Modified SDS race up for grabs, but the Pro Stocks were engaged in a Series race too.
Long Distance traveler Pete Stefanski from the Buffalo area of New York took this one.
Instead of my normal Labour Day Weekend trip to the Rolling Wheels Raceway ( Elbridge NY) for Mondays Big Block ADVANCE AUTOPARTS SUPER DIRTCAR race , Carla and I loaded up my Chevy with her ‘keepsakes’ and set off for Combermere Ontario.
This picturesque little town on the banks of Lake Kamaneskeg, and close to Barrys Bay was the first place we lived after moving to Canada from the UK in 1994. The reason for our trip was to meet up with Pat, ( Carla’s Mum) who was up from Maryland with her partner visiting relatives. We had prearranged this, so we could trans-ship Carla’s belongings into their car for the journey back to the USA.
So now you can see why I only have two race reports this week. Next week should be a lot busierĀ with a full agenda planned for Saturday and Sunday.