Stewart Friesen Returns to Canada gets a win. (13th July 2026 BLOG)
The last BLOG came to and end on Sunday the 5th of July after having a run of five race days in a row.
Monday became a relaxing ‘day off’ before things got busy again on Tuesday the 7th.
I was back at my local Cornwall Motor Speedway. who were hosting day one of a two day visit to the area of the SUPER DIRTCAR SERIES. Day two would be on Wednesday the 8th ,just across the bridge at the Mohawk International Raceway , Hogansburg , New York.
It was a beautiful day and as usual I was there early .
When the last SUPER DIRTCAR SERIES was at Cornwall (the season opener) , Alex Yankowski was the winner. I wanted to catch up with him in the pits prior to the races.
For the past year or so I’ve been a contributor to Cornwall’s glossy monthly magazine , called The Seeker .
Following the season opener I did a bit about Alex’s win, and wanted to give him a spare copy I had.
I found him at his hauler in the pits, and soon discovered what a nice amiable guy he is. He thanked me for ‘The Seeker’ and posed for this picture.
For the hot-laps I based myself in my usual spot on top of the pit tower.
The headlining Big Block Modifieds , had a Pro Stocks Series race and the Mini Stocks joining them on the program .
‘ On paper’ this looked good for an entertaining, smooth running program , but in hind sight , maybe not .
The 50 lap Pro Stock race was a rain-delayed event from a previous week , and this was the race that started the show . A regular night of racing would then follow.
Don’t get me wrong , I like the Pro Stocks, but I have certain reservations about them .
This is my take…. Firstly 50 laps is about 15 too many for this division .
A 35 lap limit on a big race would make a lot more sense . They are either very good to watch , or very bad , depending on the amount of cautions that occur.
I compare the Pro Stock division to our localized sprint cars. Some of the drivers are just not up to it, as we see the same few causing most of the cautions. That’s just my opinion , and that’s how I see it . Feel free to agree or disagree.
So the rain-delayed Pro Stock race began the night, and after about an hour on the track , Bastien Caron took the checkers.
There were so many stoppages the race director cut it down to 40 laps mid way through .
It was then time for the regular nights format.
The heat races for the SDS Modifieds were first up.
These were followed by the heat races for The Mini Stocks and then the Pro Stocks
After an intermission break for the redraw, and track prep, the feature races were ready to go. Kevin Hamel drew pole.
Earlier on , Stewart Friesen had won his heat race and had drawn 4th (row two) so once past Hamel and Micheael Parent , he went on to dominate the 75 lap main event.
Stewart’s drive to the checkers, was his first win , back in his native Canada, since the terrible wreck I witnessed at the Autodrome Drummond one year ago.
Towards the end of the 75 lapper, Yankowski and Alex Payne had moved up to second and third to complete the podium
Then the nights regular Pro Stock feature began and was won by Dakota Sharp
Then to end the night it was the Mini Stocks.
Pierre Picard made it his third consecutive win.
That was it for night one of the two day northern SDS swing.
While I drove the ten minutes back to my place most of the travelling road show crossed the bridge to the USA for the next nights instalment at the Mohawk International Raceway.
Both tracks take about the same time to get there for me, depending on the border wait times.
That meant there was no rush to get there. Saying that , when there’s a big show taking place, I like to get there early .
I was there by 4-15pm , giving me time to relax and take a wander round the pits as the teams rolled in.
I joined my ‘tog’ buddy Alex Bruce , who introduced me to New Jersey driver Matt Stangle.
I also chatted with friends , Jordon Mc Creadie
and Francois Bellemare.
Once again the SDS Big Blocks were sharing the bill with the Pro Stocks, so I chatted to a couple of my friends from that division. The husband and wife team of Sean and Roxanne Corr .
Roxanne is the daughter of veteran Pro Stock racer Jocelyn Roy, so I’ve know her since she was a young kid.
Now she’s married to New York Pro Stock driver Sean Corr. Normally Roxanne would also be at the wheel , but with their first child on the way , she’s taking a break.
Once the cars took to the track , I based myself in my usual position on the inside of turn four.
The Big Blocks and Pro Stocks were joined on the program by the Limited Sportsman and Mini Stocks.
The Heat races then began .
The Limited Sportsman feature took place before the intermission and was won by 11 year old , Mason Rogers
Once the redraw and track prep was done , the main event was up first. Jimmy Phelps drew pole.
At the drop of the green , Michael Parent charged in front , but it wasn’t long before Phelps got the better of him.
As Parent slipped back , Phelps stayed up front and had no problem fending off the challenges from Stewart Friesen.
Tim Fuller was lying in third place for a while until Mat Williamson edged past.
That’s how they continued to the checkers.
It was a popular victory for Jimmy , a long time SDS regular , who hasn’t had a big win for a while.
Mat Williamson wasn’t far behind in third , to complete the podium.
The Pro Stock feature then followed, with Zack Daniels getting the win after a good battle with Dakota Sharpe.
The Mini Stock feature concluded the night with Felix Lavictoire taking the checkers
That brought the northern swing, of the Super DirtCar Series , to a short break !
It returns to Canada , on the 20th/21st of July with two back to back shows at Autodrome Drummonfd.
On Thursday morning I joined many other people from the racing fraternity in St Albert, Ontario to pay our respects to Stephane Lafrance who recently passed away .
As mentioned in my last BLOG , I’d known ‘Steph’ a local race driver for nearly 30 years.
R.I.P Stephane ‘the little hammer’ Lafrance.
My plans for the evening were to attend the Airborne Park Speedway, at Plattsburgh, NY. but a lunch time (weather related) cancelation shelved that idea.
On Friday the 1oth of July , the Mohawk International Raceway were taking a night off, so I headed down to the Can Am Speedway at Lafargeville.
It was a regular night , with 358 Modifieds, Sportsman , Limited Sportsman Sprint Cars and Thunder Cars.
I had an early morning car show to attend on Saturday, so had already decided to leave Can Am by 10-00 pm or as soon as the Modifieds were done.
First of the features was for the Limited Sportsman , and this was won by Mike Durham.
Next up it was the Sprint Car Feature.
This was won by Tiger Chapman. As I expected , there were a few wrecks that slowed things up , but the headline event was coming up next.
Andy Howard took the early lead, but it wasn’t long before Tim Fuller got passed him.
Fuller stayed in command for a few laps until Billy Dunn homed in . Once Dunn had made the pass , there was no stopping him.
Lance Willix was up there challenging too, but went off the track causing a caution.
Towards the end of the 25 lapper , Jackson Gill got passed Fuller , and that’s how they finished.
It was a record breaking night for Billy Dunn, with his 74th Can Am feature win, making him the most winningest driver at the track .
By the time Victory Lane was over , it was almost 10-00pm. I was hoping I’d see the Sportsman feature too, but that didn’t materialize , as I needed to leave.
In my absence Jessica Power took the Sportsman checkers.
Jock Symonds went on to end the night with a Thunder Car win
As mentioned, I had an early morning car show to attend , with the Thunderbird on Saturday.
It’s one of the shows I always enjoy , held at the Lions Club in Bonville, just outside Cornwall,
I stayed there until about 1-00 pm, before heading for home .
I had plans for the afternoon and evening, and it didn’t involve racing.
It doesn’t matter where you ‘hang your hat’ in this world , when it comes to the Football World Cup , peoples loyalties are usually with their roots.
The England team had reached the quarter finals and were playing Norway at 5-00pm in Miami .
I decked the porch with flags to have a night at home watching the game, with steak on the barbecue and a few cold ones.
It was a great nail-biter of a game with England coming off tops with a 2-1 win .
They now advance to the Semi Finals against Argentina , Wednesday night in Atlanta.
Decisions , decisions ! do I go on a two day racing trip , or save my money , and watch the game on TV.
I also had a ‘day off’ on Sunday the 12th . The Cornwall Motor Speedway had a pre planned blank in the schedule.