RICK @ the RACES (12/13 Oct 2012)
12 Oct Brockville Ontario Speedway
13 Oct Brockville Ontario Speedway
As we head towards the end of October the available racing opportunities get fewer, with just a handful of special events left on my schedule. One such event was this past weekends 1000 RV DIRTCAR North East Fall Nationals at the Brockville Ontario Speedway. During the regular season, the ‘B.O.S’ had been one of the few tracks to have a 100% record of no ‘rain outs’ . Could their good luck continue for the high profile end of the year ‘curtain closer’ ?
The weather forecast wasn’t good as I set off on Friday afternoon down Highway 401 from my home in Cornwall , Ont. to the weekends opening night. While driving along, I encountered snow flurries, the first I’d seen as the winter months get closer.
Friday nights headlining event was the final race of the year for the Pro Stocks Mr Dirt Series , who were joined by the dirt Late Models for a race in their ‘Go Nuclear Series’. I was looking forward to the Pro Stocks, but was a bit apprehensive about this particular group of Late Models, because from past experience , they tend to have too many ‘cautions’ for my liking. Long delays and stoppages was definitely something I didn’t need on a cold and bitter night.
It stayed dry , but the frigid temperatures and damp weather made it a challenge for me to get any decent action pics. I remained on the center for the heat races, then relocated to the grandstand for the Features.
The Late Models weren’t as bad as I expected, and after a few early cautions they settled down to some decent racing. Dale Caswell took the checkers with former 358 Modified driver , Adam Turner coming home as runner up.
The Pro Stock race would also decide the 2012 Mr Dirt championship, as two of my buddies Joey Ladouceur and Rob Yetman were the far ahead points leaders.
The 50 lap Feature was led from start to finish by Stephane Lebrun, while Joey and Rob decided their fate, behind him. Joey’s second place was enough to clinch the Championship.
When the racing was all over I moved over to the camp ground for my over night accommodation . www.rickattheraces.com Web Master Craig Revelle had the use of a 1000 ISLANDS RV caravan trailer , there was plenty of room for ‘yours truly’ so I had no need to use the HHR this time. Like I said, it was a really chilly night, and although many race fans were having fun ( as you’d expect) drinking around camp fires, I was ready for an early night.
I was awake early in the morning and soon on my way to the nearest Tim Hortons for breakfast and the ‘free WiFi’. There had been a frost overnight, and when I arrived back at the track the sun was trying to appear. It was still a bit cold, but not as bad as the previous night, so I wandered over to the DIRTCAR trailer in the pits to chat with the gang. Gary Spaid was inside doing the drivers draw, while Scott Fremouw was making a pot of coffee… thanks Scott, I needed that !
From there I did my tour of the pits. The Saturday schedule included a 358 Modified Super Dirt Series, Sprint Cars and Mod Lites, so the pits were quite full.
My first port of call was to see Sprint Car driver Sammy Reakes, who’d offered to put some www.rickattheraces.com decals on his car. He did this for me and posed for a ‘Sticker Buddy’ pic. Then I approached Mike Payne , owner of the Danny ‘the Doctor’ Johnson Modified, with a couple of my stickers. These were also attached during the day , as well as one to the Brett Hearn car. ( I have to thank my photographer buddy Alex Bruce for arranging this).
With rain expected in the early evening, I’m glad this was an afternoon show. As a racing photographer I always enjoy taking pics at day time events, as it make the job that much easier. Normally at the B.O.S , Henry Hannewyk and I are the only photographers, but as this was a special event, we were joined by quite a few others. As well as my good friend Alex Bruce from St Catherines (Ont) we were joined by another buddy , Dale Calnan from Brantford (Ont) .
I have to thank Dale for taking a nice pic of me with trophy girl Rosie Esteves.
I’ve never really been turned on by the Sprint Car racing we see in my area, but have to admit, the Patriot Sprints put on a pretty good show. Joining them as rookies in loaned cars, were the Quebec duo of Mario Clair and Martin Roy. Mario and Martin are both long time Modified drivers, and the latter has recently embarked on a NASCAR Canadian Tire Series career. 
The Sprint Car Feature provided another win for fellow Qubecer, Steve Poirier.
There were over 40 small block Modifieds in attendance, so following the heat races, a consi was required.
Starting on the front of the 100 lap Feature race, there were two of our local drivers, Stephane Lafrance ( on pole) and Joel Doiron beside him, then behind them on row two we had Brett ‘the Jet’ Hearn and Danny ‘the Doctor’ Johnson.
Lafrance led the early laps followed by Hearn, but as he started to drop back, Johnson passed both of them to take the lead. The man to watch was Watertown NY’s , Billy Dunn, who’d moved up the field, and in the closing laps, was duelling with ‘the Doctor’. Dunn looked slightly faster but as the checkers approached the Johnson car got ‘wider’ and attempting a pass may have meant disaster !
That’s how they finished, with strong running Joel Doiron in third. 
This was also a Mr Dirt Championship finale and this years winner , Dale Planck was presented with his award on the front stretch.
After the 358 Modifieds , it was the Mod Lite Feature, where another of my photographer friends was taking part.
Patrick Leclerc from Drummondville , Quebec was driving the # 44 Mod Lite. Their big race was won by Derek Wagner which so concluded the days racing.
At around 6-00 pm, just as we were finishing off our Victory Lane pictures the first spots of rain could be felt. The weather forecast and radar stats, indicated that the rain would last all night and into the morning.
No one, including me, really expected the Sunday show to survive, so after joining a bunch of the track staff for supper at the Boston Pizza, I headed home to Cornwall. I figured that if the weather men were wrong, I could easily drive back to Brockville the next day.
After a good nights sleep at home, I awoke at 8-00 am on Sunday morning, wondering if I’d be returning to Brockville or not. Within minutes of turning on my computer , I heard the inevitable bad news. Brockville’s Big Block Modified and SPORTSMAN SUPER DIRT SERIES races for Sunday had been cancelled due to rain.
So on the final race day of the 2012 B.O.S schedule, their 100 % record had been lost.