RICK @ the RACES
17 May Mohawk International Raceway, NY
18 May Brockville Ontario Speedway,
19 May Cornwall Motor Speedway, Ont (RAIN)
Every so often my place of work, find it neccesary to change my shift pattern, and for the past couple of months it’s been very challenging for me. Instead of the four day week, (Monday to Thursday) starting at 7-30 am in the morning , that I’d been happily getting used to, I now have to start at 5-00 am and work a five day a week ( Monday to Friday) .
This past week was a busy one and by the time I started my shift on Friday, I’d already put in 53 hours. Lucky for me, ‘overtime’ rates kick in at 60 hours, and by 10.00 am , I’d been given an early finish ! That was good by me, because it meant my racing weekend would also start earlier.
At 3-00 pm I crossed the bridge from Cornwall , Ontario in to New York State for the season opener at the Mohawk International Raceway at Hogansburg. By crossing early, I was able to do a bit of shopping and then relax in the sunshine before racing got under way.
There was a good turn out in the pits and one of the first people I chatted to, was the legendary Bob McCreadie.
He was there with his youngest son , Jordon who recently began a 358 Modified career, and looks set to follow in the footsteps of his famous father, and big brother Tim (T MAC). With their local Can Am Speedway, not running 358 Modifieds this year, they were about to give the MIR a try. Fellow Watertown racer Billy Dunn was also there, piloting the Laurent Ladouceur car once more, in an attempt to retain the track championship he won last year.
Once the racing got under way I joined track photographer, Andy watts on the middle.
Winners that night were Chris Raabe ( 358 Mods) ,
Dylan Evoy (Sportsman) ,
Rock Aubin ( Pro Stocks) ,
Jean Marc Larose in the Bandits
Scott Waldorff (Mod Lites) .
On Saturday it was the Brockville Ontario Speedways second night of the season and my plans were to get there nice and early. It didn’t work out that way as I suffered a ‘senior moment’ just before I was about to leave home. I couldn’t find my wallet, and I must have spent nearly an hour searching my car and house before it eventually turned up ( In the old pair of shorts I’d worn at MIR for the earlier part of Friday night, before changing into my warmer long pants) . It was quite stressful, wondering if I’d lost it somewhere . Once it was safely with me again, I took off down highway 401 to the BOS.
I got there at about 5-15 pm, and still in good time to chat amongst friends in the pits. As usual I had a natter with my good friends Ralph and Tabatha Murphy, as well as the Bruce Makinson crew. It was a SEAWAY Sportsman Series round, and as you’d expect there were a few visitors.
It was a chilly night, so after taking pictures on the middle for the heats, I watched most of the Features with the lovely victory lane hostess , Rosie Esteves in the media booth. I’m glad I did, because both the Sportsman and Street Stocks Features, went on for a while, as the yellow flags were in abundance.
Shane Pecore recorded his second Sportsman BOS feature win of the year while Steve Kearney won the Street Stocks race. 
Aaron Pugh also got a second win in the Rookie Sportsman.
I decided to return to the middle for the Modified Feature, which was also became a victim of delays. This time the red flag was needed after a massive pile up on the front stretch took out about ten cars. Luckily no one was hurt, but there was a lot of expensive damage, and it took a little while to clean up.
Once things got going again, Danny O’Brien took control and although Stephane Lafrance appeared to be gaining on him, the ‘Pocket Rocket’ held on to take the checkers.
I never stayed for the Rookie Feature, which was the last race of the night, so missed my buddy Rob Ray get a win.
On Sunday it was the much awaited season opener at the Cornwall Motor Speedway, with a stellar program that featured a combined CANADIAN NATIONALS / 358 SUPER DIRT SERIES race as well as 40 lap Mohawk Race Parts Pro Stock race.
It was overcast but dry at around 1-30 pm when I made the short journey from my house to the track. Already the camping field was filling up with early arrivals and there was a line up of race car haulers at the pit gate. With big races on the program, there were quite a few long distance visitors, including Danny Johnson and Brett Hearn in the Mods, and my buddy Rob Yetman in the Pro Stocks.
All week, the weather forecast had been good, but soon after the pit gates opened at 3-30 pm the overcast skies turned into a slight drizzle. Radar pics on the computer, indicated it wouldn’t last long and things pressed on, including the new ‘CORNWALL Live On’ , pre race interview session to entertain the fans, on the newly erected stage behind the grandstand. First guests to chat with announcers Hughie Primeau and Brian Mulligan, were Modified driver Joel Doiron
and Shane Bourgon. Shane is the guy behind the exciting new DIRT DEMONS that will be appearing on the Kart track this year.
Hopes that the drizzle would end , began to fade, and by around 6-00pm the unwelcome news of a postponement was relayed. It was very disappointing for everyone, and by 7-00pm I was back home.
I guess ‘every cloud has a silver lining’ as I was able to lay on my couch and watch the exciting NHL playoff game between ‘my’ Ottawa Senators and the Pittsburgh Penguins . The ‘Sens’ won 2-1 in marathon game that extended into two periods of overtime.
Mother Nature struck again on Tuesday night ( 21 May) when the Cornwall Motor Speedway Kart Track was scheduled to open. Wet grounds and even more rain, forced an early cancellation.