RICK @ the RACES   (6/7 Sept 2008)

www.rickattheraces.com

WEBSITE UPDATE

We’re still continuing to add more stuff as time goes by and this week Craig delved into the archives of www.dougsdirtdiary.com to find another interview I did with my good friend Doug Elkins in 2007. This has been added as well as more photos. The additions in ‘Rick’s Favorites’ are a couple from the Thunder Road Speedway at Barre, Vermont. I visited this track a few years back when I met ACT driver Jean Paul Cyr for an article I was writing. He was about to represent the USA in the Brafield staged BriSCA F1 World Final in the UK.

This weeks first new signing in the guest book came from a good friend of mine who’s not a race goer. Maggie Wheeler who I’ve known for a number of years is an accomplished author who’s murder mysteries which are based in the “lost villages’ of the Seaway Valley ( where I’m about to move to) are all compelling reads. I can thoroughly recommend them. Check out her website www.maggiewheeler.com

Other new signings were

Stuart of Southampton (UK) an old buddy and ex BriSCA F1 driver # 379

Marc of Ontario, a buddy and Brockville Ontario Speedway web master.

I also received a message from my TRACKCHASING friend, ( webmaster of www.trackchaser.net) Will White from Quakertown , Pennsylvania. It appears I wasn’t the only one taking a break from racing during last weeks Labour Day holiday . Here’s  what Will was getting up to at the Allentown Fair in PA

This Weeks Report

Sat  6 SEPT       CAPITAL CITY SPEEDWAY  (RAIN)

Sat  6 SEPT       BROCKVILLE ONTARIO SPEEDWAY (RAIN)

Sun  7 SEPT        CORNWALL MOTOR SPEEDWAY

With warm and sunny weather all week, I’d been looking forward to the hectic Saturday ( 6 Sept) I had planned. I was to spend the afternoon at the Capital City Speedway in Ottawa for an ACT Late Model Series event before heading off to the Brockville Ontaro Speedway for the LUCAS OIL CANADIAN DIRT and 358 SUPER DIRT CAR SERIES double header.

Alas, I awoke to grey skies and drizzle in the air. By the time I got to the CCS the drizzle had become more intense and soon after mid day heavier rain began to fall.

Around 1-00pm the show was canceled and postponed to Sunday ( the next day) .

I then phoned the Brockville track to find out the state of affairs in that area. It had been dry there all day so I set off in that direction. On arrival at around 4-00pm , sure enough it was dry but the skies still looked gloomy. I did my usual tour of the pits until a light drizzle forced me back to the car.

As the rain intensified the dreaded cancellation announcement was made with the remake scheduled for next Friday (12 Sept).

While walking around the pits I met Laurent Ladouceur and his wife Chris who were interested to learn about my forthcoming trip to the BriSCA F1 World Final in the UK (Foxhall Stadium , Ipswich 20 Sept) .

Laurent who made history in 2001 when he became the first ever Canadian representative in the event wanted me to say ‘Hi’ to all the guys he met back then, and made their trip so enjoyable. They commented that it wasn’t just the racing part that they enjoyed, but it observing the British culture and way of life.

I guess it must make it easier for them to understand when watching ‘Coronation Street’ on TV !

On Sunday I was at the Cornwall Motor Speedway for the annual Fireball Enduro. As usual the pits were full and when I arrived the sun was shining.

Throughout the afternoon we were teased with a slight sprinkling of rain which turned into drizzle as the races progressed. A little bit of rain in Enduro racing doesn’t cause too many problems and the show went smoothly with no delays.

There were four races on the program which included ladies four cylinder, mens four cylinder, six and eight cylinder. There were 113 cars on the track for the mens four cylinder race !

Star of the day for me was Jacinthe Lepage from Hawkesbury , Ontario who was competing in the ladies four cylinder. She flipped her car over at the beginning of the race, and returned fray, only to roll over once again near to the end.

After two flips in one race she still walked away smiling.