Friday 5 Sept Autodrome Granby , Que
Saturday 6 Sept Utica-Rome Speedway, (Vernon) NY
Once the Labour Day weekend is all over , the Dirt racing season moves in to my favourite time of year, when the fall calender is full of special events in the run down to November and the curtain closing ‘World Finals’ at Charlotte.
My plans for this past weekend, got changed several times before the events approached, but before I get to that, I must report on a very happy occasion.
On Thursday 4 Sept ( which happened to coincide with my day off, and having a new roof put on my house) Stewart Friesen and Jessica Zemken, two good friends from the racing fraternity celebrated their wedding. I’ve known them both for quite a few years, 2003 to be precise, at about the time I moved into auto racing media work.
I’d just started writing a monthly column for SHORT CIRCUIT MAGAZINE and they both became early subject matter.
I first met Stew, when he was a fresh faced kid, with obvious talent, who was paying a visit to my local Autodrome Edelweiss for the 358 Super Dirt Series race of 2003. Since then he’s gone on to be one of the top dirt drivers in the North East, winning many big races, which include the coveted SEF 200 at Syracuse in 2011 .
As for Jess, I first met her at the Fonda Speedway in 2003, when as a young girl she was getting plenty of attention for her driving ability in the Dirt Sportsman division. It was excellent fodder for my monthly report, and since then I’ve watched her go from winning 358 Modified Features at my local tracks, to competing in World of Outlaw Sprint Cars.
To show their passion for racing, just two days after tying the knot, they were both back at the track !
Before leaving for work on Friday, I made sure my car was fuelled up, and the cameras were packed, as my plans involved a quick dash up to Autodrome Granby for the evenings 358 Super Dirt Series race. It was day one of a two day show, with the Big Blocks scheduled for Saturday. Originally I’d planned to stay up there for both events, but a good friend needed a ride to Watertown NY on Saturday, and I’d offered to take her there.
I was lucky to get off work by 5-00pm and with the help of the new Autoroute 30 that avoids central Montreal, I was at the track soon after 7-00pm.
It had been dry when I left work in Cornwall, Ont, but I’d driven through plenty of heavy rain for most of my journey up there. Things hadn’t looked good, but the only bit of bright sky, was in the direction I was going. Granby had suffered a bit of rain, but not as serious as the stuff I’d come through, and they were in the process of packing the track.
The good word was, that DIRTCAR officials had decided , that once the track was ready, and after a few hot laps, they would go straight into the big 150 lapper, without time trials or heats. Cars would start in SDS points order.
This was great for the guys that had been following the series, but not so good for those like Brett Hearn, who’d hadn’t . All the cars in attendance, started the race, and he was at the back of the pack. This made for an exciting race, as he gradually worked his way through the field to the front runners Erick Rudolph, David Hebert, Mario Clair and Kayle Robidoux
After the mandatory pit stop, Rudolph dropped back, and then Hearn managed a pass on Clair, to duke it out with Hebert and Robidoux for the lead. 
For the last fifteen laps it was battle between the three of them, with Hearn briefly leading over Hebert until he retook the lead . It was a great race to remember, with Hebert grabbing the checkers from Hearn and Robidoux.
The race was over, before 10-30pm and just as we were finishing the Victory Lane pics, the rain resumed. I made my exit and was back home in Cornwall by 1-30am.
I had to drop my friend Lisa off in Watertown NY, by 11-00 am on Saturday , so left home at 8-15 am, then after picking her up, crossed into the USA at the Cornwall border point, and getting down there by 10-45 am.
It had rained all the way to Watertown, so I was becoming concerned about my evenings racing plans.
I’d decided this would be a good opportunity to attend the Thunder Mountain Speedway (Center Lisle NY ) a track which I’ve never been to and has been on my ‘bucket list’ for a long time.
It was still pouring with rain in Watertown, so didn’t want to go any further south until I found out the tracks status. I hung around until about 1-15 pm when I managed to find out it was still on, and felt safe to set off down I81.
I’d got as far as Central Square when I received a phone call from www.rickattheraces.com web master Craig Revelle , who’d been monitoring the internet for me. He had the bad news that Thunder Mountain had been postponed until the next day. That wouldn’t of been any good for me, as I had to be at work at 5-30 am on Monday morning.
What was I going to do now ?
Well , plan B was put into action. I phoned my friend Dawn Kamff of the ESS Sprint Cars to find out if the Utic-Rome Speedway at Vernon NY was still on. Her answer was affirmative, so she then kindly contacted Dean Reynolds and John Tiff, to get me my photographer credentials. Thanks to these good folks, on my arrival at the Utica-Rome Speedway, my name was on the list.
Headlining the program, was the Cole Cup for Sprint Cars with the addition of the Sportsman division.
I had my usual wander around the pits and had a good chat with Amy Walton and Willy Decker at their parts trailer, before going over to listen to the pre-race drivers briefing.
Well, guess who I bumped into at the briefing? Just two days after their wedding, Jessica and Stewart were their racing their Sprint Cars. I took this opportunity of congratulating them both, and took a ‘honeymoon pit picture’ .
Once the racing began I took up my position on turn one and two , with the my photographer buddies. Regular readers will know I’m not the biggest fan of our localized Sprint Car tours, but I consider the ESS to be the best in the North East, and must admit I quite enjoyed my nights racing.
After intermission , the Sportsman Feature was up first, and my old friend Johnny Scarborough led for most of the race, before losing ground to the eventual winner Jack Miller .
The ESS Sprint Car Feature turned out to be a really good race with a fairy-tale ending !
Stewart Friesen was the winner and dominated the race throughout , while his new bride Jessica, battled past Steve Poirier to grab the runner up spot.
A Husband and wife in Victory Lane ! Yes, Mr and Mrs Friesen, in first and second !
I have to admit, I’ve never seen that happen before ! It sure made some great Victory Lane pics !
The show was over by 10-15 pm and I was soon out of the gate and heading for the 180 , via the 190 Thruway. I got back home about 3-00 am, and once in bed, I slept until 1-30 pm.
I missed out on my Sunday morning TV viewing date with the Italian Grand Prix, that was won by Lewis Hamilton.
With the regular race season now over at my local Cornwall Motor Speedway, they were holding the annual end of season enduro, which luckily I’m not required to work. So, instead I had a lazy afternoon at home, recovering from my weekend of late nights !