This weeks report starts on Monday Aug 1, and an early start from my home in Cornwall , Ontario.
With another two SUPER DIRT SERIES races coming up in the Niagara region , that’s where I was heading.
On Monday, it was a public holiday in Ontario and races were scheduled at the Merrittville Speedway, just a twenty minute drive from Niagara Falls. On Tuesday , just across the border in New York State, and about the same distance away, the Ransomville Speedway were running one.
Once again , I would be sharing my accommodation with my racing friend, Ron Morin, and we were booked into the Blackstone Inn, my usual Niagara Falls motel.
When settled into the motel, the short trip to the rack was made.
It was a sweltering hot day, and one of the first people I met, during my pit wander, was my photographer buddy, Alex Bruce who lives at nearby St Catherines. Not long after meeting up with Alex another of my fellow photographer’s Dale Calnan of Brantford turned up.
I have to thank my good friend and driver Gary Tomkins , who put some of my RICK AT THE RACES stickers on his cars. He had both his cars there in the pits , but had chosen to drive the # 93 in preference to the # 84.
After chatting to the DirtCar officials at the pit trailer I wandered over to the other side of the track. One of my favorite things about the ‘August Monday’ races at Merrittville are the charity pasta suppers they put on , prior to the races. I went along to enjoy some Rigatoni, Meatballs , salad and a soft drink, all for 12 bucks.
After this, I went back to the pits and sat and relaxed until the on track action began.
When it was time for the cars to start hot laps, I moved to the middle.
Merrittville is one of my favorite tracks for photo opps. I like standing close to the wall on the inside of turn three and four, and getting the cars coming at me.
At intermission time , the redraw was done on the home straight, where Tim Fuller , drew pole.
In true Merrittville tradition, the drivers and cars of the big race were paraded in front of the grandstand for the fans to see up close.
Which was followed by Clinton Jeffery singing the anthems
The 100 lapper then got under way , and it wasn’t long before Matt Sheppard had another Super Dirt Series win under his belt.
Once the Victory Lane pics were done, it was back to the Motel . It had been a hot and dusty night and my throat was in need of a cold beer.
There was no rush to get anywhere the next day (Tuesday 2 Aug) so after a buffet breakfast along Lundys Lane, we set off on a slow drive over the border crossing at nearby Lewiston.
We arrived at the track mid afternoon, (far too early) so we decided take a drive up to Youngstown , Fort Niagara and along the water front of the lake to the harbor at Wilson.
Once back at the track , I met up with my photographer buddies , who were there in abundance. It was good to meet up with Michelle Mullen, the track photographer, who I hadn’t seen since I visited the Genesee Speedway NY in 2009.
It’s been a long time since I’d been to Ransomville, and I’d never shot pictures from the middle before. My previous visits had been , prior to owning a good SLR camera.
I chose to shoot from turn one and two
Once the cars began hot laps, Danny Johnson put his car into the wall at the other end of the track.
There was extensive damage to the 27J car and Danny would end up borrowing a spare Vic Coffey car for the big race.
The redraw was done on the front stretch , and the cars lined up for all the fans to see.
Peter Britten drew inside pole, with Brett Hearn getting the outside.
The big race then got under way , with Hearn leading for the first part.As Hearn started to drop back around the mid way point, Matt Sheppard and Stewart Friesen moved up to take center stage.
As they battled at the front, the focus was also on Danny Johnson , who had fought his way up to the top six , from the rear of the grid in the Coffey car. As the checkers fell, it was Friesen just a head of Sheppard, to take a win at the track his family , formerly owned .
Following home Friesen and Sheppard , was Peter Britten in third.
With Victory Lane ceremonies over, Ron and I headed back across the border to our motel in Niagara Falls.
Wednesday (3 Aug) meant a leisurely drive back home to Cornwall, Ontario.
On Thursday (4 Aug) I had an appointment with my MYASTHENIA GRAVIS specialist doctor , at the Ottawa General Hospital. This was my first visit, since my relapse and subsequent blood transfusion in June. The doctor has ordered further treatment , and I have another appointment scheduled for December.
On Friday (5 Aug) , I made my usual short trip across the border to the Mohawk International Raceway, on a night that looked doubtful from the offset. A big down pour of rain was forecast late in the evening, and the big question was, “would the show be completed before this occurred” ?
After having supper at Twin Leaf with my buddy Don Simpson, we arrived at the track around 6-00 pm , in perfect sunshine.
I wandered the pits and bumped into , another photographer friend, Josee Fortier, who had put aside the camera for the night, and was taking part in the Mod Lite division.
She was driving the 7J
With no rain in sight the racing got under way, and I began picture taking
Just prior to intermission, the clouds approaching were starting to look evil, and before too long we got the first spits of rain. 
Everyone was hoping we’d miss the worst of the storm, but alas , we didn’t . Within minutes, the spits turned heavier, and the night was doomed.
I was soon out of the gate and back home soon after 9-30 pm.
Saturday (6 Aug) meant another visit to my local Brockville Ontario Speedway.
It was another round of the Ogilvee Series.
As usual I took pics on the infield during the heat races before moving to one of the booths for the Features.
The first up of the features was for the Rookie Sportsman, where former Street Stock driver Derek Cryderman took another win .
Following this was the Sportsman Feature , which gave fans an exciting finish . Leader , Steve Barber was being challenged by Shane Pecore on the last lap, when a bit of ‘Rosberg and Hamilton’ manoeuvres came into play. Barber getting the win.
The 60 lap Modified Feature was dominated by Kyle Dingwall after early leader , Dale Planck retired with car problems.
By now the time was getting on, so I decided to miss out on the Mod Lite, Street Stock and Mini Stock Features, and head for home.
Sunday (7 Aug) was the weekly races at my local Cornwall Motor Speedway, where the Mini Mods were the addition to the program.
I spent the first part of the evening in my new ‘usual’ spot on top of the Pit Tower, taking in the action with my long lens .
The big event of the night, was a 100 lap race ‘Race for a Cure’ cancer fund raiser , for the Sportsman . 
That amount of laps for this division was a scary thought, but they managed it with only 8 cautions ( that surprised me ). Winner after a hard fought battle with Shane Pecore was Robert Delormier from Akwesasne, 
Following the Sportsman, it was the turn of the Mods, where local hero, Brian McDonald took the honors.
With time getting on, I chose to miss the last feature, which was for the Pro Stocks. In my absence, it was Roch Aubin who made it to the winners circle.