RICK @ the RACES (16 April 2011)

Mike Watts Snr Champlain Valley Motorsports Show, Plattsburgh NY

This past week end was the opening night for a number of tracks in my area, and I was hoping to get to my first dirt race of the year. The Brewerton Speedway NY opened on Friday night, but as normal, a late finish at work put a stop to me getting to this one. Carrying on from his domination last year, Stewart Friesen from Niagara on the Lake, Ontario was the man in Victory Lane.

After attending last weeks practice session at the Can Am Speedway ( Lafargeville NY) , my plans were to be at their opener on Saturday night. Mother Nature had other ideas, as rain was forecast for most of our region. As expected, the event got canceled , but luckily I had plans for Saturday morning and afternoon that would not be affected by the weather.

One of the best annual in door car shows in the North East is the Champlain Valley Motorsports Show in Plattsburgh NY, which in previous years had been organized by local photographer Mike Watts and Airborne Speedway promoter, Mike Perrotte.

Mike Watts was a good buddy of mine who sadly passed away last summer, but I’m glad to say, the show still continues in the capable hands of his close family and Mike Perrotte .

The Mike Watts Snr Champlain Valley Motorsports Show took place this weekend at the Crete Civic Center and I went along to take a look.

I was welcomed at the door by Jane Watts, (Mike’s widow) who ushered me inside to see something very special. A wonderful tribute had been done for her late husband on the side of Neil Provost’s DIRT Sportsman car.

From a photo I’d taken in the past , an artist had ‘air brushed’ a portrait of the great man on the cars rear panel. It’s a real work of art and I look forward to seeing Neil in action at the Mohawk International Raceway in the coming weeks.

As usual, the hall was full of race cars and there was something there for everybody. There was plenty to see from both the MIR and Airborne Speedways as well as good display of custom cars and vintage racers.