RICK @ the RACES ( 29th June to 3 JULY)
29 June Mohawk International Raceway, Hogansburg NY
30 June Brockville Ontario Speedway
1 July Cornwall Motor Speedway, Ont
3 July Cornwall Motor Speedway ‘Karting Club’
HAPPY CANADA DAY
We’ve just had the CANADA DAY Holiday Weekend, and this weeks report starts on Friday morning with a trip to SEAWAY GM in my home town of Cornwall , Ontario. The HHR was in need of an oil change, before my week end racing exploits could begin.
For those of you that don’t know, two of my local race car drivers work at SEAWAY GM, so it’s always a good excuse for a chat. Dirt Sportsman drivers, Tammy Jalbert and Gilles Godard are both employees , and it was good to catch up with their news. Gilles, who after a long career in Pro Stocks, is in his rookie year with the Sportsman and told me of his ambitious plans for next year. In the next few weeks time he is going to borrow the spare Marc Therrien 358 Modified, in readiness for his plans to run in the Small Block Modified division for 2013.
The oil change was done by mid morning and before heading for home, I passed by the ‘Cornwall to USA’ border crossing. Already there was a big line up of cars making an exodus for the holiday weekend. I was hoping it would be less busy , in a few hours time when I planned to cross.
After getting things done around the house I made an early start for the races. The destination was my usual Friday night ‘home’ at the Mohawk International Raceway, just across the border in Hogansburg NY. Lucky for me, by 3-30pm the line up at the border had gone, and I only had a wait of about 5 mins.
After a trip to the Walmart store in Massena and a bite to eat I was at the track at about 5-30 pm , in good time to relax and chat with friends. Once more Billy Dunn was driving the spare MR RAD , Laurent Ladouceur car, and fresh from his win in the 358 Super Dirt Series race, the previous week , he looked like the main contender.
Once the racing got under way I joined my buddy, track photographer Andy Watts in our usual spot on turn four, to snap the action.
As the Modified feature got under way Laurent Ladouceur took the early lead, with team mate Dunn, who started further back, gradually carving his way through the pack. As both MR RAD cars circled the track I was wondering if ‘Team Orders’ would come into play as they diced side by side.
Eventually the ‘hired gun’ got past the owner, and they continued to for a clean sweep at the checkers. It was truly a great night for my good friends, the Ladouceur family, as Laurent’s son Joey took the Pro Stock Feature.
In the Sportsman Feature, we a had a refreshing new name in Victory Lane when Casselman, Ontario’s Adam Rozon got his first big win.
On Saturday I took my regular drive down Highway 401 to the Brockville Ontario Speedway for their eighth night of racing on the 2012 calender. So far, ‘touch wood’ , the B.O.S has had an uninterrupted , rain free season and with scorching hot temperatures forecast for the holiday weekend the envious record looked like it was about to continue.
Before arriving at the track I stopped into the Brockville Walmart ( Oh dear, I will soon be getting my picture on the “Walmart Shopper” web page LOL). While at the check out, I bumped into the B.O.S resident photographer, Henry Hannewyk’s daughter, who let me into a little secret, that it was her dads birthday , that day. I said to her “leave it with me, I’ll get it announced at the track”.
Once at the track I had my usual pre race walk around the pits to chat to the drivers and crews.
When the racing got started, Henry and I were joined on the centre by our friend Dale Calnan of OntarioOval.Com. ‘In quiet’, I mentioned to Dale about Henry’s Birthday and while located on the infield our scheme went into action. Dale, who’s son Gregg was announcing at the Oshweken Speedway was sent a text message to pass on to his friend Steve Young who was announcing up in the tower at the B.O.S. With the help of modern technology that was bouncing through Ontario’s cyberspace, before long we could hear Steve singing “Happy Birthday Dear Henry”.
The race program was the regular format with the edition of the Vintage Mods and a Sportsman Dash For Cash. The Vintage division got off to a lively start when Kristal Comeau rolled on turn one.
As for the Sportsman Dash, Chris Herbison won that one , after a race long duel with Jessica Power.
The Modified Feature gave Dale Planck his third B.O.S Victory of 2012 after passing Danny O’Brien and fending off his returning challenge. Joining Dale in Victory Lane was his wife Lesley, who told me recently, that she never seems to be at the track on the days when he wins. She timed it right this time and it was a great way to celebrate their wedding anniversary.
Sportsman winner was Dylan Evoy , who was bouncing back after a front end failure during the previous nights Feature at the M.I.R.
Vintage winner was Paul Billings, Street Stocks was Kevin Fetterley JR while once again Joe McNicholls was the one to beat in the Rookies.
I must also mention how good it was to see, Ottawa’s , Capital Speedway promoter Todd Gow watching the action at the B.O.S .
On ‘CANADA DAY’ Sunday my local Cornwall Motor Speedway were holding one of their biggest events of the year , as the SUPER DIRT SERIES tour for Big Block Modifieds came to town.
I was at the track nice and early , ( at 1-30 pm) and relaxing in the tower when DIRTCAR officials Joe Skotnicki and Shane Andrews arrived. Announcer Shane told me of his hectic last 24 hours. He’d been doing a televised show at the Learnerville Speedway in PA the previous night, he’d then flown back to Syracuse early Sunday morning before making the drive up to Cornwall.
The weather was baking hot and the pits soon began to fill up with haulers. Originally there were no plans to use the centre of the track, but as the pits became full, a few of the late arrivals had to be parked on the middle. The grandstands were packed for this holiday weekend spectacular.
Most of the regular ‘Big Block’ Modified SUPER DIRT SERIES stars were there to do battle against our local 358 Modifieds. There were over 40 Mods in attendance so four heats and two Consi’s were required to determine the line up for the 100 lapper.
Before the action got under way a tribute and interview was made in honor of local veteran driver Ovide Doiron who had recently been inducted into the DIRT HALL OF FAME.
Bobby Herrington drew pole position with Justin Haers along side him. On row two we had Chris Raabe and the ‘Doctor’ Danny Johnson. Once the green flag dropped, just as you’d expect , the ‘Doctor’ soon got up front before coming to grief in a first turn crash involving several other cars, that included Haers and Tim Currier. There was no serious damage for Danny but it meant starting at the rear.
From the restart Chris Raabe forged away from Bobby Herrington, with fellow ‘small blocker’ Mario Clair in hot pursuit. As the laps wound down Raabe increased his lead, as Herrington dropped back and Clair crept up. When the checkers dropped it was Chris Raabe from Mario Clair with the Carey Terrance not far behind in third. It was a excellent drive by the talented young man from Napanee , Ontario and a great day for the 358 Modifieds against the invading Big Blocks. The first five cars across the line were 358’s with ‘Big Blocker’s Johnson and Matt Sheppard coming in sixth and seventh.
Feature winners in the other divisions , included Corey Wheeler (Sportsman) George Renaud ( Pro Stock) Junior Delormier ( Semi Pro) and Michael Blais ( Min Stock)
It turned out to be a great days racing and a perfect way to end the CANADA DAY celebrations.
My week wasn’t over yet, because on Tuesday night I returned to the Cornwall Motor Speedway for the Kids Karting Club. It gave me a chance to watch the latest in the Ladouceur family to take to the track. Joey Ladouceur’s young son Tristan made his karting debut this year. Not only were the Karts out on the program , but the Lawn Tractors too. Once again the Ladouceur Team were in the news with MR RAD Modified crew members Emily Marleau and Shane Bourgon taking Lawn Tractor Feature wins.
I was at the track nice and early , ( at 1-30 pm) and relaxing in the tower when DIRTCAR officials Joe Skotnicki and Shane Andrews arrived. Announcer Shane told me of his hectic last 24 hours. He’d been doing a televised show at the Learnerville Speedway in PA the previous night, he’d then flown back to Syracuse early Sunday morning before making the drive up to Cornwall.
The weather was baking hot and the pits soon began to fill up with haulers. Originally there were no plans to use the centre of the track, but as the pits became full, a few of the late arrivals had to be parked on the middle. The grandstands were packed for this holiday weekend spectacular.
Most of the regular ‘Big Block’ Modified SUPER DIRT SERIES stars were there to do battle against our local 358 Modifieds. There were over 40 Mods in attendance so four heats and two Consi’s were required to determine the line up for the 100 lapper. Before the action got under way a tribute and interview was made in honor of local veteran driver Ovide Doiron who had recently been inducted into the DIRT HALL OF FAME.
Bobby Herrington drew pole position with Justin Haers along side him. On row two we had Chris Raabe and the ‘Doctor’ Danny Johnson. Once the green flag dropped, just as you’d expect , the ‘Doctor’ soon got up front before coming to grief in a first turn crash involving several other cars, that included Haers and Tim Currier. There was no serious damage for Danny but it meant starting at the rear.
From the restart Chris Raabe forged away from Bobby Herrington, with fellow ‘small blocker’ Mario Clair in hot pursuit. As the laps wound down Raabe increased his lead, as Herrington dropped back and Clair crept up. When the checkers dropped it was Chris Raabe from Mario Clair with the Carey Terrance not far behind in third. It was a excellent drive by the talented young man from Napanee , Ontario and a great day for the 358 Modifieds against the invading Big Blocks. The first five cars across the line were 358’s with ‘Big Blocker’s Johnson and Matt Sheppard coming in sixth and seventh.
Feature winners in the other divisions , included Corey Wheeler (Sportsman)
George Renaud ( Pro Stock) Junior Delormier ( Semi Pro) and Michael Blais ( Min Stock)
It turned out to be a great days racing and a perfect way to end the CANADA DAY celebrations.
My week wasn’t over yet, because on Tuesday night I returned to the Cornwall Motor Speedway for the Kids Karting Club. It gave me a chance to watch the latest in the Ladouceur family to take to the track. Joey Ladouceur’s young son Tristan made his karting debut this year. Not only were the Karts out on the program , but the Lawn Tractors too. Once again the Ladouceur Team were in the news with MR RAD Modified crew members Emily Marleau and Shane Bourgon taking Lawn Tractor Feature wins.