RICK @ the RACES ( 16 -20 July)
Wed 16 July Capital City Speedway
Fri 18 July Brighton Speedway
Sat 19 July Autodrome Drummond
Sun 20 July Cornwall Motor Speedway ( rained out)
On Wednesday night (16 July) I was in action at the Capital City Speedway in Ottawa in my newly acquired role as ‘track photographer’. After witnessing the seasons opening races, I was so impressed with what promoter, Arnie Malcolm was doing there, I went back for more.
He is definitely turning the ‘place around’ and it’s clearly evident the facility is returning to it’s former glory.
Plenty of cars and good crowds are coming out on Wednesday nights to the track situated on Hwy 7 at Stittsville.
This weeks winner in the Late Models was Kenny Baird # 2 while
Chad Windsor # 5 , broke Kevin Foisey’s unbeaten run in the Legends.
Ken Sproule # 99 took the Thunder Car feature,
Chris Lynch # 95 the Mini Stock’s and
Amanda Blair # 20 won in the 4 for Fun class.
Regular readers will have noticed that lately I’ve found it difficult finishing work early on Fridays to go racing. This week it was different.
For the past three years I’ve been part of the media team involved with the LUCAS OILS CANADIAN DIRT SERIES and with the opener taking place at Autodrome Granby in Quebec (18 July), this was my planned destination.
I was lucky to finish work by 3-45pm and all set to head off in that direction. With the weather being a bit ‘iffy’ I first phoned one of the organizers to check on the conditions before leaving. I got the answer I didn’t want to hear.. It had been rained-off.
My next phone call was to Angie Rinaldi, of the Brighton Speedway where a LUCAS OIL SPORTSMAN SERIES race was taking place. She confirmed that the weather was good in her area and racing was ‘on’. In stead of dashing up to Granby, I booted it down Hwy 401 to Brighton.
I don’t get to Brighton very often but I always enjoy my visits and I’m made very welcome. I soon met up with Angie, and my media buddy Jim Clarke
One of the guys I’m regularly taking Victory Lane photos of this year is Chris Raabe # 01 of Napanee , and once again he showed his class by taking a win from New York challenger Brandon Sweet # 24 .

As well as SPORTSMAN and the regular divisions, school bus racing was an addition to the program. The first time I saw this type of event was at the Susquehanna Speedway in PA a few years ago, and it never ceases to amaze me how quick these buses go . Brighton’s event had media personalities at the wheel which included a friend of mine, Rick Kevan and his Belleville ROCK 107-1 Radio promotion girl Stephanie Barbosa.


Something new to me at Brighton was the Mini Van racing. I guess the nearest thing I’ve seen to this in the past is van banger racing in the UK.
After arriving home in the early hours, I grabbed a few hours ‘shut eye’, before Saturdays excursion to Drummondville in northern Quebec .
Autodrome Drummond was staging their round of the LUCAS OILS CANADIAN DIRT SERIES (19 July) . With Granby canceled the night before, this became the opening round and the pits were full with eager competitors.
One of the long distance travelers was Kingston (Ont) Todd Stewart # 72 who had a night of mixed fortunes. In the opening lap of the first heat a gaggle of cars in front of him spun out of control and with ‘no where to go’ he ended up getting locked together with Martin Cagne # 6G.
Although both cars looked worse for wear, after a quick visit to the pits ,Todd and Martin returned to the race. In the consolation Todd was un-catchable and took the checkers. In the feature, he rolled over ( which I missed) and once again after pitting, he returned to the fray. Although a few laps down, he pressed on, until collecting another errant car that spun in front of him. This time, his luck had ran out and never returned from the pits.
The 100 lap Feature was a real classic with David Hebert #1 and Clement Therrien # 39 trading positions at the front. It was former CANADIAN DIRT SERIES Champion, Hebert who took the honors. Once again the promotional team at Drummond must be congratulated for putting on a such a spectacular show with fireworks and razzmatazz, that were stage managed to perfection.
On Sunday (20 July) I should have been ‘in action’ at the Cornwall Motor Speedway, but for the second week running, rain caused a cancellation.