RICK @ the RACES (16 to 20 July 2014)
Wednesday 16 July Capital City Speedway, Ottawa, Ont
Friday 18 July Mohawk International Raceway, NY
Saturday 19 July Autodrome St Eustache, Que
Sunday 20 July Cornwall Motor Speedway, Ont
This past week was a busy one, and my first port of call was the Capital City Speedway, at Stittsville, near Ottawa for a regular weekly Wednesday night show. A few years back, my work shifts allowed me to be there every week, but in recent times, my shifts have changed, and it’s now a lot harder to attend.
So far this year, work and other commitments have kept me away, so I was determined to make it there this week. I loaded up my car on Tuesday night and was ready to leave from Cornwall, just as soon as work was over. I was all done, a few minutes before 6-00 pm and figured I’d just about make it for the 7-30 pm start time. Unfortunately, I’d got my times wrong , and it wasn’t until I arrived soon after 7-30 pm, that I discovered , start time was 7-15 pm. Instead of missing one of the heat races, I missed three !
It was pretty obvious on arrival, that there was a far better crowd than normal, as there were a lot less spaces in the parking lot, close to the pit gate (where I like to park). I quickly got inside and soon started taking pics from the outside wall on the exit of turn two.
During the intermission I wandered over to the start line where the induction ceremonies were taking place for the Capital City Speedway Hall of Fame. Motor Mouth Brian Goudge, introduced the latest worthy recipients, Steve Yendall and Julio Passinetti .
Once racing resumed I took a few more pics before watching the majority of the Features from the stands.
Race winners were Sara Megan Sproule (Four For Fun), Jason Moss (Ministocks), Denzil Billings Jr (Vintage Mods), Steve Munro (Late Models), Kevin Foisey (Legends), and Casey Cavanagh (Thunder Cars)
Thursday was my day off from work, so there were no worries about getting home late, and after a good ‘lay in’ that morning, I had plenty of ‘non racing’ things to attend to at home.
Although it was a ‘race free’ day for me, I must mention young Brandon Revelle, the nephew of www.rickattheraces.com web master Craig. He was racing the Finish Line Web Design kart at the Can Am Speedway (Lafargeville NY) that night and scored his first Feature win.. Congrats !
I was back to work on Friday, and was lucky enough to be finished by 5-45 pm, so had plenty of time, to get home, wash, change and head over the border. I was even early enough to do a quick bit of Walmart shopping in Masena NY before heading to the Mohawk International Raceway.
I joined my photographer buddy Andy Watts on turn four to take in the action. The program went quite smoothly and was very pleased we got another early finish to the program. The nights winners were Randy Whiting (Bandits) Dan Desnoyers (Mod Lites) Corey Wheeler (Sportsman) and Billy Dunn (Modifieds)
On Saturday I had a change from my usual routine, and instead of heading down Highway 401 to the Brockville Ontario Speedway , for their regular program (plus the Patriot Sprint Cars), I decided to head to somewhere a bit different.
The paved , Autodrome St Eustache, just north of Montreal, Que had added ‘dirt style’ 358 Modifieds to their program and I was anxious to see how they performed. The cars taking part were regulars from the Airborne Speedway at Plattsburgh NY, who were taking a weekend off , while Tom Curley’s ACT show’s visited their track.
I got there nice and early, and was surprised at how many familiar faces I bumped into.
In the pits I chatted with my buddy and former Airbone promoter, Mike Perrotte who was driving the # 49 car of Richard Tessier. Other visitors from south of the border included Leon Gonyo and Jesse Mueller while the majority of the other racers were Quebecers.
There were also a few of my Media friends there to chat with, 360 Nitro, and photographers, Mario Shink, the formerly editor of SMAC magazine,
and Chantal Boisvert who’s son Marc Antoine Demers races in the St Eustache # 422 Sportsman (Late Model) division. Marc also races in the pavement Truck Series along with my good friend and Dirt Sportsman driver Joey Ladouceur.
I have to mention the ‘crows nests’ vantage towers they have for the photographers at St Eustache, and wish more tracks had them. I occupied one of these with Mario and Chantal to take my pics , and what great opportunities they offer.
The divisions on hand that night were 358 Modifieds, Sportsman (Late Models), Legend Modifieds, plus two four cylinder classes. It was the Modifieds , I was there to see, and they were scheduled as the penultimate Feature, which consisted of two back to back 25 lappers, where the total points from each, decided the winner.
First over the line in the first one was Pat McGrail while Jesse Mueller took the second. McGrail’s points tally from both, gave him enough to take the overall win.
The trophy presentations were over by around 10-00 pm and after giving the Sportsman (Late Model) Feature a miss, I was on my way home to Ontario.
The alarm clock was set for 7-45 am on Sunday morning, so I could watch the live TV coverage of the German Grand Prix from Hockenheim. With Nico Rosberg starting on pole, the stage was set for a historic, first ever German driver win, in a German car at a German track. It had never happened before in the long history of F1 Grand Prix racing and as the Silver Arrow Mercedes crossed the line to take the checkers, a new page in the history books was written.
It was almost a Mercedes first and second, but Lewis Hamilton didn’t quite have enough laps left in the book to edge past the second placed Williams of Valtteri Bottas. The actual race, wasn’t the most exciting one I’ve ever seen, but it did have its moments, and even produced an opening lap roll-over by Felipe Massa in the other Williams.
The Grand Prix was over before 10-00 am Eastern Time, and the rest of my morning was spent relaxing before my next racing escapade.
Sunday night means Cornwall Motor Speedway night, and as usual I was there at about 2-00pm. I was able to work on the first part of this report, in the peace and quiet of the control tower, before the action began.
It was a regular show, with the addition of two extra six lap ‘dash for cash’ events for the Modifieds and Sportsman.
The show got under way in good time and the Ministocks and Semi Pro heats were soon over and in the books. Just as the Sportsman came on to the track for theirs, we got a few spots of rain, which soon turned heavier and caused a stoppage. The rain didn’t last for long, but things were put on hold until the track was repacked. We didn’t lose too much time and the show was soon up and running.
The Sportsman Dash was won by Corey Wheeler , while Stephane Lafrance took the Modified.
Feature wins went to Steve Morin (Mini Stock) Todd Raabe (Semi
Pro) Dave Bissonnette (Pro Stocks) Corey Wheeler (Sportsman)
and Todd’s nephew , Chris Raabe (Modifieds) , and it was all over before 11-00 pm, which I thought, was pretty good, considering the rain delay.