Cap City, M.I.R , Edelweiss, B.O.S & Cornwall (30 Jul to 3 Aug 2008)

2008_0702Image018930 Jul         Capital City Speedway

31 Jul          Mohawk International Raceway

1 Aug         Autodrome Edelweiss

2 Aug         Brockville Ontario Speedway

3 Aug         Cornwall Motor Speedway

FIVE IN FIVE DAYS

As you can see, this week was a busy one, so I’ll try to make the report as concise as I can.

Once again the weather played a major part in the proceedings, which started off on Wednesday (30 July) at Ottawa’s Capital City Speedway. There was rain all over the area during the late afternoon, but somehow, it managed to skirt past Stittsville and the weekly evening show was able to take place.006_6 (Medium) 067_67 (Medium) 073_73 (Medium)

There was a big wreck on the back straight in the Thunder Car feature which took out a number of top runners but Ken Fisher # 33 survived the carnage to take the checkers.089_89 (Medium) 092_92 (Medium)Kevin Foisy # 55 once more took the the Legend Car Feature, while Tim Kirby # 10, became another new face in Victory Lane in the Late Models.083_83 (Medium) 095_95 (Medium)

There were a couple of extra attractions in store that night too.

015_15 (Medium)With NASCAR races taking place at the Gilles Villeneuve Circuit ( Montreal) at the weekend Kent Nuhn # 18 dropped in for some demonstration laps.

017_17 (Medium)There was also a dragster on display.016_16 (Medium)

Capital City Speedway has a drag strip incorporated into the front straight, and race fans were treated to a run by a jet powered Funny Car.

On Thursday night (31 July) I dashed across the border straight from work to the Mohawk International Raceway at Hogansburg NY for the first of four LUCAS OILS CANADIAN DIRT SERIES races that were happening over the weekend.

The MIR is so close to Canada ( a five minute drive from the border) that it’s been included in the 2008 schedule for Canada’s premier DIRT series.

Just on cue, as the cars had almost finished time trials, the heavens opened forcing a long rain delay putting the show back at least an hour. That gave me a chance to chat with a few friends in the pits, Dave Heaslip, Jeff Marshall, Jessica Zemken and Todd Stewart.2008_0702Image0186 2008_0702Image0198 2008_0702Image0196 todd

Also , in the pits, I spotted the legendary “Bare Foot’ Bob McCreadie helping out his friend, Pierre Dagenais # 124 in the pits. 2008_0702Image0178

Once the racing resumed, former CDS winner, David Hebert # 1 clinched the 100 lapper after fending off a late challenge from Jessica Zemken # 96z. The race finished shortly before 1-00 am.mir m2

This was when the problems started for Canadian fans. I guess the customs guys were not used to the local race track finishing in the early hours of the morning and not prepared for a huge influx of travelers. Most people had to wait in the line at the border, which stretched across the span of St Lawrence Seaway bridge for at least an hour. Not very nice, when all you want to do is get home !

The next day , ( Friday Aug 1 ) or later that day to be precise, the ‘traveling road show’ of the LUCAS OIL CANADIAN DIRT SERIES moved on to the Autodrome Edelweiss, in the Gatineau Mountains of Quebec. 2008_0702Image0243 2008_0702Image0247 2008_0702Image0255

The rain stayed away for this one, where current 358 SUPER DIRT SERIES Champion , Mario Clair # 22 took the honors.2008_0702Image0279

Denis Gauvreau was the Pro Stock winner .2008_0702Image0271

The weather forecast for Saturday’s LUCAS OILS CANADIAN DIRT SERIES race at Brockville did not look good, and sure enough a late afternoon storm delayed the start time.

I was lucky and heard the news before I arrived at the track , so made arrangements with my buddies Jim Clarke ( Kawartha and ‘occasional Brockville announcer’) and Web Master Craig Revelle to meet up at the China Buffet in the cities 1000 Island Mall. There was no point in hanging around the track waiting for it to dry , when we could enjoy a decent supper !

After a good feed we drove up to the track to find the rain had stopped and the packing was taking place. I wandered around the pits and chatted to friends including Jessica Zemken who is is currently lying second place in the Brockville points , just one point behind Kyle Dingwall # 96 . Her regular ride in the Lasalle Motorsports car had lost oil pressure at Edelweiss the night before so she was going to use the spare Pierre Dagenais # 124 car.0608d0608e0608f

Through out the night Mother Nature continued to tease us with more brief showers, delaying things even more. With the heats in the bag and two support division features completed, the grid for the 100 lapper took to the track just before midnight..

After just a handful of green flag laps and a caution for a wreck, the heavens opened once more. This signaled a premature end, as there was no choice but to abandon the race. All the hard work done by promoter Paul Kirkland and his staff to get the show in, had been in vane.

The race has been rescheduled for October 18 . Unfortunately this clashes with the Eastern States Championship Week End at the OCFS , Middletown NY, which always attracts 100’s of Canadian fans ( and race teams) each year for the annual end of season DIRT Racing finale.

As stated earlier, the NASCAR NATIONWIDE CUP race was taking place in Montreal at the weekend but for DIRT racing fans the LUCAS OIL CANADIAN DIRT SERIES was the place to be. One of my media friends, Sylvain Lauwers was in attendance, and sent me some of his photos. I’ve added one of his shots to my photo section, which shows Jaques Villeneuve # 32 in the pits with the famous Champlain Bridge visible in the background . Ron Fellows took the checkers there.

The sun was shining and it was hot and humid for the fourth and final LUCAS OILS CANADIAN DIRT SERIES race of the weekend at the Cornwall Motor Speedway. The usual touring teams were in attendance as well as a few extras.2008_0704Image00812008_0704Image00982008_0704Image0074

One welcome addition driving the spare Carey Terrance # 66 car was Dale Planck # 66x. Dale from Cortland NY is a former Cornwall Track Champion and is currently having a very successful year in the SUPER DIRT SERIES.

He drew # 12 on the grid for the big race which provided a memorable spectacle for the fans to savor as he weaved his way to the front to take the checkers. Doing likewise, in a near identical car was team owner Terrance who chased him across the line to take second.  A late caution had closed the gap, and I started wondering if , like in F1 Grand Prix racing, ‘team orders’ may come in to play. 2008_0704Image01230608mLuckily they didn’t , and the large crowd in attendance were treated to a great finish to a great race.

Joining the Mods, on the program as usual , were the Pro-Stocks.2008_0704Image0090 Louie Jackson was the feature winner2008_0704Image0131

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