RICK @ the RACES ( 3 March 2013)
3 March Black Lake ( Hammond NY)
My original plans for this past weekend were to pay a visit to the ice races at Beauharnois, Quebec, a place I like to go, at least once a year. So far, I haven’t managed to get there for this ice racing season, and it was probably my last chance.
The plans were rapidly shelved when during the week, I heard of another Ice Racing event taking place, at a different location and only an hour away from home. For the first time, the CNYIRA ( Central New York Ice Racing Association) were holding an event at Black Lake NY , which is near to the Ogdensburg border crossing into the USA.
It was also going to be the first ever staging of the Chump Car Ice Racing series.
March is generally speaking, a bit late for ice racing so it wasn’t until Saturday night, that I heard confirmation that the conditions were OK for racing.
It was due to start at 10-00 am so I left home in Cornwall, Ontario in good time to be there at 9-45 am. Coincidentally as I pulled into the boat launch at Black Lake ( which was the gathering point) I was followed in by three familiar faces.
It was my Pennsylvanian TRACKCHASER buddies Mike Knappenberger, Guy and Pam Smith. We were also joined by Binghamton, New York ‘chaser’ Ed Corrado.
There were about 19 ice racing cars in the pits, that were split into two categories for the three quarter mile road course configuration. 
At the drivers meeting, it was stated that there would be a short delay before racing could take place, while additional track preparation took place.
Once things got under way , we ( ‘the TRACKCHASERS’) stayed long enough to see both categories race before making our exit.
BLACK LAKE. NY . Ice Racing track became track # 208 on my TRACKCHASING totals
