RICK @ the RACES   (31 Aug to 3 Sep 2007)

Fri 31 Aug        Autodrome Edelweiss

Sat 1 Sept             Frogtown Int Speedway

Sun 2 Sept            Cornwall Motor Speedway

Mon 4 Sept          Rolling Wheels Raceway  NY

After two consecutive weeks of working late and missing out on my Friday night racing, I put in a request to finish early this week.

This was because I had a special supper engagement that night. I was meeting up with the Worlds # 1 ‘TRACKCHASER’, Randy Lewis and his lovely wife Carol who had flown in from their home in San Clemente in Southern California

I first got to know Randy, back in early 1999 when I read a posting he submitted on Roger Venison’s UK Oval Racing forum. Randy was planning a trip to the UK for a TRACKCHASING tour and wanted help in building an itinerary.

I , like many other British race fans got in touch with him to supply some info.

I actually met Randy for the first time, later that year when he visited the Cornwall Motor Speedway here in Ontario.

In the meantime, I got involved in the TRACKHASERS group, ( www.trackchaser.net ) and we met up again in 2004 . Along with Will White of Quakertown PA, the Grand Commissioner of the TRACKCHASERS, we attended Thunder Alley Speedway, (Evans Mills, NY) where he celebrated his 700th track.

We had planned to meet up again two years ago when I attended the Irwindale Speedway , California,  while I was visiting my daughter ( who lived in LA at the time), but a last minute need to drive his son to a work commitment prevented it. We also failed to ‘connect’ when we were both at an Ice racing event at Laviltrie, Quebec early this year. ( the place was so vast, we just never bumped into each other).

So, when Randy ‘messaged’ me to say he and his wife Carol, would be at my local Autodrome Edelweiss this Friday we arranged to meet for supper at East Side Mario’s on St Laurent Blvd , Ottawa , prior to the races.

This was the first time I’d met Carol, and I found her very charming and easy to get along with. Our chat over supper gave me the chance to ask both of them a few questions, I thought would be interesting.

It’s obvious when you look at Randy’s achievements, that he is a very wealthy man, so I asked him, if he’d ever considered buying his own race track. If so, and hypothetically speaking, what would be the surface and what division of racing would he put on ? He has seen all types of racing in his travels, so I was anxious to find out what are his his favorites. There was no real answer to the first part of the question, but he quickly went on to say what kind of racing it would be. He really likes the DIRT MODIFIED racing that we are lucky enough to have here in the North East, and a small DIRT track featuring Modifieds would be his choice. I can’t disagree with that !

I also quizzed him on a television series relating to TRACKCHASING he mentions on his press release. Apparently, a pilot show featuring his exploits was made, but at this time, no decision has been made on what direction the project will take.

I also had a question for Carol, who herself has done 335 tracks. I wanted to know what her ‘girl friends’ thought of her TRACKCHASING hobby.

She said, they’ve got used to it, and when ever she tells them she’s flying here or there,  they always guess it’s for racing.

With supper over, and the time approaching 6-15 it was time for us to head up into the mountains to Autodrome Edelweiss .

This was Randy’s third attempt at adding Edelweiss to his list, as previous visits were rained out.

This was a regular night of racing featuring DIRT MODIFIEDS, DIRT Pro Stocks , as well as the 4 and 8 cylinder divisions.

Laurent Ladouceur won the Modified Feature and clinched the 2007 Track Championship with Dave Bissonnette doing likewise in the Pro Stox . During the Intermission The Worlds # 1 TRACKCHASER was introduced to the fans and interviewed by Yves Paradis the announcer.

AUTODROME  EDELWEISS was TRACK # 1263 for RANDY LEWIS

Randy’s plans for the rest of the weekend were to hit the paved Barry and Sunset Speedway’s near Toronto, while my next stop was at my local Frogtown Speedway for Saturday nights DIRT Modified 50 lap Syracuse Qualifier.

Frogtown Speedway NY , which I’ve heard will be changing it’s name to the Mohawk International Speedway next year, is located just a five minute drive from the USA/Canada border at Cornwall. In recent weeks the line-ups at the customs have really got bad, it used to take, on average ten minute’s, but this week it was half an hour. It’s really annoying to see this ordeal getting worse. After living in Europe for most of my life, where I’ve seen many of the frontiers come down, making freedom of movement easier, it really bugs me to see things going the opposite way over here.

It was the last week of the Frogtown points championship and after last weeks dramatic feature where both contenders Dave Heaslip and Carey Terrance failed to finish, the scene was set for another nail-biter.

The first heat was won by Terrance with Heaslip getting a forth which narrowed the points deficit even more. He looked all set to win the feature too, as he powered his way to almost a quarter of a lap lead. A couple of cautions closed the field up, and it wasn’t long before Heaslip was on his tail. As they approached lapped cars Heaslip made the move and edged past Terrance. A couple more cautions came in the late stages but the positions didn’t change, giving Dave Heaslip the Smiths Falls Ontario veteran the 2007 Championship.

Dave Bissonnette won the DIRT PROSTOX Feature, with Clayton Benedict taking the 2007 title.

On Sunday morning while banging away  on my computer key board, I was also ‘@ the RACES’.

The wonders of the Internet now allow me to listen to one of my favorite radio stations back in the UK while I’m typing.

If I turn the clock back fifteen or twenty years, I earned a living , driving my SCANIA and other ‘big -rigs’ around the London area for the UK’s leading Frozen Food Store company .

Oh how I miss that SCANIA !

Excuse me while I digress, but for anyone who is interested, … after a career in truck driving lasting for over thirty-three years,  and driving about thirty different makes of trucks from all over the world , I still rate the Swedish SCANIA as my all time favorite with the Italian (IVECO) FIAT as a close second. To make my day more bearable, I’d have my radio tuned to CAPITAL RADIO.

These days while sitting in my home in Ontario, I can still listen to CAPITAL GOLD ( their ‘oldies’ station) on-line, through my computer, and this weekend they were broadcasting live from GOODWOOD.

During the 1960’s the Goodwood Circuit near to Chichester in Sussex was one of the UK’s leading racing circuits ( road courses) . For some reason or other, racing ceased , but in recent years they’ve been having a Goodwood Revival .

It sounded like a real ‘blast’ with famous race cars from the past and the spectators encouraged to attend in ‘period’ costume. The interviewer mentioned one car there that was worth 10 million pounds … that’s over $20 million (Canadian)

Also taking place in the UK , this day was the BriSCA F2 World Final at the Arena Essex track at Thurrock. It’s a track I’ve been to in the past and it was the first time a BriSCA World Final had taken place there. Winner of the big race was  Mick Sworder # 152, son of Dick # 150  who raced F1 and F2 during the 1960’s and 70’s.

Meanwhile, back in Canada, in the middle of the afternoon,  I arrived at the Cornwall Motor Speedway, and already the parking lot was starting to fill up with campers and early arrivals.

There were two DIRTCAR SERIES races taking place, and we were in for some great racing. Top of the bill was the ‘JIFFY 150’ the annual SUPER DIRTCAR race for 358 DIRT Modifieds, complimented by a DIRTCAR PROSTOCKS  and the regular domestic divisions.

If I was put on the spot, and had to name the top three Canadian Dirt Modified drivers at this present time, my answer would be, Pat O’Brien, Pete Bicknell and David Hebert. The 100 lap SDS race was full of drama, and had all three of these guys providing the action.

Hebert who started on the front-outside didn’t take long to get past pole-sitter, Alain Boisvert and soon built up a commanding lead.

At one stage he briefly lapped O’Brien but this was only short-lived, as the Kingston man fought back. A caution or two helped tighten the pack and as the race moved into the mid-stages Pete Bicknell, who’d started mid-field was starting to move up. In the final laps he was on Heberts bumper, while O’Brien using the high groove had moved up to third. As the race drew to a conclusion all three were joined in fierce battle by back marker Lance Willix fighting to stay on the lead lap. As the checkers fell, it was Hebert who took the honors with O’Brien stealing second place from Bicknell on the final lap. A truly great race ! The DIRT PROSTOX event was equally exciting with ‘invader’ Pete Stefanski winning a great battle on the low groove over Louie Jackson who chose the top.

I was up early on Labor Day Holiday Monday for the drive down to the Rolling Wheels Raceway , Elbridge NY , for the Big Block SUPER DIRTCAR SERIES .

It was a nice surprise to have no delays at the border and I was parked up in the Carousel Center in Syracuse at 1-00pm just in time for lunch. The plan was to meet up with friends and dine in ‘Hooters’ prior to the races. This turned out to be my first disappointment of the day when we found it closed down. I have no idea why, as it was always busy.

After making do with an Arby’s sandwich and fries in the food court we made our way to Elbridge.

Joining the Mods, they also had SDS races for Sportsman and Street Stocks.

There were 62 Sportsman cars in attendance to contest the Series race ( meaning six heats and two Consi’s) , plus 37 Big Blocks for their two 50 lappers.

My next disappointment of the day, came when I discovered the second Modified feature would be the last event on the extensive race program. With my need to be at work, the next morning, it would mean,  I’d be unable to stay to the end. I do wish promoters would arrange their weekday programs so that the headline division ( which the long distance travelers come to see) are completed before the local interest stuff like Street Stocks etc.

The first 50 lapper , (which I did see) was a good one where Jimmy Phelps overhauled long time leader Alan Johnson to take a popular victory. I’m pretty sure he was in a brand new car, it certainly looked that way, as the paint-job was definitely different.

The next race was for Street Stocks, followed by the Sportsman, so with the time getting on, I had to leave. In my absence, Gary Tomkins won the second 50 lapper with the Street Stocks and Sportsman races going to Adam Du Puy and Todd Henderson respectively.