RICK @ the RACES ( 4 to 11 July 2012)
7 July Coventry Stadium (UK) BriSCA F1 British Championship
11 July Capital City Speedway (Ottawa, Ont)
I’d originally planned to give this weeks, report a miss, because I had no racing on my agenda. It was the time for me to head back to England and say the final farewell to my father, who passed away on June 21. His funeral was on Friday July 6 and on Wednesday July 4 , I was heading out of the Pierre Trudeau Airport in Montreal, bound for London’s Heathrow. I’d arranged with my long time friend , Colin Herridge to pick me up when the plane landed on Thursday morning. No racing plans had been made, as this was a time to spend with my family. The memorial service at the Chalgrave Parish Church near Dunstable, went well as friends and family paid our last respects.
I wasn’t due to return to Canada until Sunday (8 July) , and with my ‘Mum being Mum’ she turned round to her eldest son, (that she knows only too well) , and said “aren’t you going to the races on Saturday night while you are here, you might as well ! ” Like me, she was only too aware that the first Saturday in every month, means just one thing to UK Stock Car fans.
Since Stock Car Racing first began in England back in the 1950’s The Coventry Stadium , at Brandon in Warwickshire has held monthly races. I’ve been going there regularly since 1969, and my most recent visit, was two months ago, at the May meeting. Once Mum had suggested that I go, It didn’t need me long to think about it ! My old racing friend Mick ‘Blacky’ Black , was at the Church on Friday and he quickly offered me a ride for Saturday.
On this particular night, they were staging the British Championship for the BriSCA F1 Stock Cars. The defending Champion was Paul Harrison who I saw win the 2011 event at Kings Lynn last year.
The good thing about going to Coventry is it’s central location in the country, which means many of my racing friends would be in attendance. I always seem to meet up with so many old faces from the past when I go there.
With this being an unplanned visit, I hadn’t made any arrangements about taking photos, so I have to give a big thanks to my buddy Colin Casserley for coming to my rescue. He loaned me one of his Hi Visibility vests and arranged with the Clerk of the Course for me to join the other photographers
The racing was excellent with lots of ‘hard hits’ just like the old days and ‘definitely the best BriSCA F1 action I’ve seen since my emigration in 1994.
Sharing the bill with the F1’s were the kids Mini Stocks and the V8 Hot Stox .
The big race of the night was a real cracker, with lots of ‘heavy duty’ bumper work. The first three across the line were all familiar names, as their fathers were racing in my era. Taking the checkers was, third generation driver Craig Finnikin (55) , son of Bert (55) , and grandson of the late Charlie (55). Second was Mick Sworder (150) son of Dick (150) , and third was Frankie Wainman Jr (515), son of Frankie (212). Once again my old mate Phil ‘Bootsie’ Chance was handling the Victory Lane presentations and I was able to join the other Photographers in the scrum.
On Sunday morning my sister Anne drove me back to Heathrow, and by 7-30 pm (ET) I’d landed back in Montreal.
I returned to work on Monday morning for a four day shift.
A big Surprise came my way on Wednesday, when I got an unexpected early finish at work. I was able to make a rare visit to Ottawa’s Capital City Speedway. Winners that night were Sean Kennedy (Late Models) Kevin Foisey ( Legends) Craig Ogilvie (Thunder Car) Corey Wilson (Mini Stocks) AJ Dickie (Four for Fun)