RICK @ the RACES (10 to 15 Aug 2012)
10 Aug Black Rock Speedway, Dundee. NY
11 Aug Watkins Glen Racing Circuit, NY
11 Aug Canandaigua Speedway, NY
12 Aug Cornwall Motor Speedway, Ont
14 Aug Cornwall Motor Speedway , Ont (Karting Club)
15 Aug Capital City Speedway, Ottawa, Ont
It was another busy week for me which all started on Friday 10 Aug. For this particular Friday my local Mohawk International Raceway was taking a ‘night off’ so for this week it offered me the opportunity to head off in a different direction.
My original plans were to gain two new tracks for my TRACKCHASING totals, by attending the Thunder Mountain Speedway at Centre Lisle NY on Friday and then the Watkins Glen Circuit for the NASCAR Nationwide Series on the Saturday.
The big problem was the weather forecast, with rain predicted all over the North East for the weekend. With this in mind, I had figured out a back up plan, and on Friday lunch time I set off from my home in Cornwall, Ontario bound for Central Square in New York. This would be a good spot to check out the status of the, various events that day. My first phone call was to Thunder Mountain , where a recorded message told me they were cancelled . After stopping off in the Central Square McDonalds for the use of their free Wi Fi, I found out that my second option in the area, The Penn Can Speedway was also off.
The good news was, that the Brewerton Speedway, just a few miles from Central Square, was still running. It’s only a short drive from Central Square and I arrived soon after 5-00pm just as a few spots of rain began to fall and the skies became black. As I pulled into the track, the decision had just been made to cancel, and the race car haulers and fans were starting to leave.
This wasn’t good for me, but I still had one last resort. After another quick visit to McDonalds ( this time in Brewerton) , I got confirmation that the Black Rock Speedway, close to Watkins Glen was still running. It was quite a distance away, but it was still ‘do able’. At just after 7-00pm I was pulling into the Black Rock Speedway in Dundee NY.
With it’s close proximity to Watkins Glen, a big night of racing was planned which included some of the NASCAR drivers making guest appearances. Tony Stewart was there with his own 360 Sprint Car, while JJ Yeley was in the loaned 77X car.
Dave Blaney and his son Ryan were also competing in loaned cars for a special celebrity modified race.
The big Sprint Car race of the night was won by Tony Stewart, while Ryan Blaney won the Celebrity race. It was still nice and dry in Dundee, and the nights racing went along smoothly, until the last race of the night for the 4 cylinder street stocks when it started to rain. By this time I had retired to the parking lot for the night and the luxury bed in the back of my HHR !
In the morning I took the short 20 minute drive to Watkins Glen, where Dunkin Donuts were my breakfast and Wi Fi provider.
This trip had been a last minute thing, and I’d not arranged any media credentials, so after buying my ticket, I was happy to be a ‘race fan’ again for the day.
Ever since I was a kid, Watkins Glen was a track I’d always wanted to visit. Back then it was host to the worlds top auto racers when the F1 Grand Prix cars were there for the USA Grand Prix. These days, the highest level of racing at this world famous track, is the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, and on this occasion, the Nationwide Series. It’s a shame this excellent facility doesn’t get to host the Grand Prix anymore.
The weather could only be described as beautiful, with plenty of warmth and sunshine to welcome us race fans. After checking out the attractions in vendors row, I took my seat in the grandstand located at the entrance to turn one, where better than normal photographic opportunities were available. ( there was no catch fencing to spoil the shots). As well as the actual Nationwide race, which I’d gone to see, the Sprint Cup cars were doing their qualifying for Sunday’s race.
It was good to see one of my friends, Dexter Stacey from Kahnawake, Quebec, was in the field for the Nationwide starting grid . The race was for 200 miles and amounted to 82 laps, and like most NASCAR races, the most exciting part was in the closing stages. Brad Keselowski had done most of the early running but with two laps to go he had to fight it out with Carl Edwards. As they raced side by side, Edwards got the better of him to take the checkers. By now it was about 4-50pm and time for me to make my exit and head for my evenings racing.
Watkins Glen Racing Circuit became Track # 203 on my TRACKCHASING totals.
Less than an hour away from Watkins Glen, the Canandaigua Speedway were holding a race night that headlined the ESS Sprint Cars and Big Block Dirt Modifieds. I got there just after 7-00pm as the opening Dirt Sportsman race was taking place. The track was packed to capacity and extra space, on the old fairgrounds where it’s located, had to be made available for parking. The reason for this was, the pre race hype, and word that got around, that like Friday night at Black Rock, Tony Stewart would be competing. I guess everyone wants to see the NASCAR super star, ‘kick ass’ on the dirt tracks.
Once again Yelley was there in the # 77x Sprint Car while the Blaney’s were both driving Troyer ‘house cars’. I chose turn three and four to take my pics, where I met up with my good friend and fellow photographer Alex Bruce. For the ‘Four Wide’ Sprint Car parade lap, the intrepid Alex, was lifted high in the shovel of a ‘back hoe’ ( a JCB to my UK buddies) to get better shots. I was asked if I’d like to join him, but politely refrained, saying “not XXXXXXX likely” !
. A fourth place meant that Tony Stewart didn’t quite make it to the podium , but the battle he had between third placed Chuck Hebing was a joy to watch. Lance Yonge was the winner , while Jimmy Phelps took the Modified Feature and Dan Wiesner the Sportsman. After the racing was over , I got my self ready for a second night of sleeping in the HHR. Before going to bed I sat drinking beer and watched as the parking lots gradually emptied.
Early in the morning I was on the move again, heading for home and the evening races at the Cornwall Motor Speedway. After some pretty good weather in New York State, I was greeted with rain as I got back to Canada. Luckily Cornwall was still dry, but the forecast wasn’t good and I had my doubts about whether we’d get the evening show in. Sure enough, we had a down pour at about 4-00pm but it didn’t last long and it soon dried out.
We had a lot of races to get in that night, which included two Pro Stock and Semi Pro Features from a previous rain out. These were won respectively by Stephane Lebrun and Derek Cyderman. The regular nights racing went well and was over at a nice early time of 10-30. The nights winners were , Dale Planck (Modified) Corey Wheeler (Sportsman) Ryan Stabler ( Pro Stock) Wes Bilmer (Semi Pro) Martin Bernard (Mini Stock)
I was back at work on Monday morning to start my regular four day week. On Tuesday I finished work in good time to make another visit the Cornwall Motor Speedway, this time for a night of Kart and Lawn Tractor racing.
I hadn’t booked an early finish at work for Wednesday , but I did drop a big hint to my dispatcher, that I wouldn’t mind one ! The reason why, was for an exciting night they had planned at the Capital City Speedway in Ottawa. Things worked out well, and I was done for the day by 4-15 pm. The HHR had already been fuelled up in readiness, and by 4-20 pm I was heading down Hwy 401 and the 416 towards the capitol. I made good time, and even had time for a bite to eat in Stittsville before the races.
The two big attractions for me, and additions to the normal program were the Vintage Modifieds and two extra special guests. It was Fan Appreciation night and visiting us at the Capital City Speedway on their way to the weekends race in Montreal, we had the pleasure of NASCAR Canadian Tire Series drivers Kerry Micks and DJ Kennington. 
Both bought their cars out on to the track , with Micks doing Hot Laps and a tire change demo on the front stretch. In the nights regular races, Micks loaned the # 88 Al Dickey owned Late Model while Kennington drove the # 2 of Kenny Baird. The nights Features went to Sean Kennedy (Late Models) Steve Lackie ( Vintage) Kevin Foisy ( Legends) , Greg Ogilvie ( Thunder Cars) Casey Cavanaugh (Mini Stock) and Jason Moss (4 for Fun). It was a great night and well worth the effort to be there. I was back to work again in the morning for my final shift day of the week, and before the start of another weekend of race chasing.