REPORT  (26 Sept to 2 Oct 2016)

This past week I was back in the Cornwall Hospital for two days of IVIG  transfusions as part of the treatment for my MYASTHENIA GRAVIS condition. This took place on Tuesday and Wednesday (27/28 Sept)

On Friday and Saturday ( 30 Sept and 1 Oct)  it was the annual OUTLAW 200 WEEKEND at the Fulton Speedway NY. This event is always a great show, and considered by many as the ‘kick start’ to the forthcoming SUPER DIRT WEEK.

I thought I’d give the Friday show a miss and give myself more time to rest, following my I.V.I.G sessions.

One disadvantage of not being there, was missing the appearance of visiting British driver, Ryan Harrison, in the Mod Lite races. Ryan is the son of Murray Harrison # 97 who won the BriSCA F1 World Championship at Coventry in 1999.

 

Since I took that picture in 2008 his son Ryan has joined him on the track, firstly in BriSCA F1, and more recently in Mod Lite’s.

 

In Britain, they call them  ‘UK Modifieds’ for some reason .  I don’t know why , it seems a bit daft to me. It makes things a bit confusing, especially as most race fans of today are well educated on motor sport, and will know what their real name is.

Earlier in the year the Harrisons were racing with the Mod Lites at the Merrittville Speedway, Ontario,  and are currently over here for Fulton ( 30 Sept) and the Utica-Rome Speedway on Tuesday 4 Oct.

 

I got a picture of Ryan in action at Fulton from my photographer buddy,  Joe Johnson. Thanks Joe

Another of my photographer friends, Josee Fortier from Granby, Quebec, was at Fulton , racing her Mod Lite # 7 with team mate Rejean Lemeiux # 30.

I still wasn’t feeling 100% fit , following my transfusions during the week, but I did not want to miss the big race at Fulton on Saturday, so decided to leave early and take a slow drive .

After crossing the border at my nearby Cornwall, border, I drove down to Adams, near Watertown, and met my racing friend Dawn, for lunch. After saying good bye, I drove the remaining  45 minutes to the track.

Hot Laps were originally scheduled for 3-30, but with rain in the forecast , the show had been brought forward. When I arrived at 2-15 pm, the cars were already on the track and hot laps had just begun.

I took this opportunity to take some pics from the pits grandstand.

While there I bumped into my old friend Claude Hutchings, who I’ve known for many years, from AMEC Ice Racing and ( what is believed to be) the first ever ‘European’ Style Rally Cross in the USA , at Corinth NY  back in 2006.

His son Claude Jnr  # 84 was out there racing a Big Block Modified, after serving his dirt racing apprenticeship in Street Stocks, Sportsman and 358 Mods.

Once the Hot Laps were over , I joined the gang of photographers at my usual spot on turn 3 and 4.

As mentioned, there was rain in the forecast for the early evening, and the management team were pushing ahead with the show as quickly as possible.

As well as the OUTLAW 200 for Big Block Mods, the Sportsman cars were there for a DirtCar Series race.

The Sportsman heats had been run on Friday night but the Consi’s were being run on the Saturday.

      The Modified heats and Consi’s  followed these.

 

By now , I’d been out on the middle for quite a while, and needed a break for , food, drink and of course the washroom.

At this stage, while trying to beat the expected rain, the field for the 50 lap Sportsman feature were brought straight out.

I made my exit, and realized I’d have to sit this race out.

I watched it from the grandstand and saw Ronnie Davis 111 take a convincing win.

I then walked down on to the track via the starters rostrum, to Victory Lane.

While there Rocky Warner treated us all to a Champagne shower.

 

Once back on the middle , I rejoined the gang on turn 3 and 4, for the start of the OUTLAW 200 . It turned out to be a great race with multiple grooves, providing three, four and even five a side action.

Early leader was Billy Decker, until he was sidelined with mechanical issues.

 

The next ones in contention , were Larry Wight and Matt Sheppard , while  Billy Dunn , Mike Mahaney, Alan Johnson and Jimmy Phelps all looked good.

A surprise exit from the race, was Sheppard with mechanical problems , five laps before the half way point, and the mandatory 15 minute pit stop.

Larry Wight had been leading from Phelps, after 101 laps, when the race was put on pause.

From the restart Phelps grabbed the lead from Wight, and once passed, Lightening Larry, just couldn’t catch him, and in fact, started slipping back.

Mahaney and Johnson moved up, and as the race got to the closing stages, it looked like we were in for an epic battle.

Chris Hile had moved up, and there were also some great battles taking place further down the field, especially between Brett Hearn and Mike Maresca.

With 185 laps in the books, Mike Mahaney was now challenging Jimmy Phelps, and things looked interesting.

Another couple of laps went by,  and a few spots of rain began to fall.

The drops quickly got heavier, and as we reached lap 188 , the yellow flags came out. The cars circled for a few more laps as the track got wetter, until the inevitable yellow/checkers were displayed.

Would Mahaney of got by Phelps in the remaining 12 laps ?  We will never know, but one thing is for sure, it was a damn good race.

The Victory presentations were done in the rain as worried photographers struggled to keep our equipment dry.

The smart moves and efficient way the track put on this event, in order to beat Mother Nature, must be complimented. To get the show in, all bar, 12 laps was a great achievement by all involved.

A bonus for me, with a night finishing before 8-00 pm, meant I was home nice and early.

I never expected to be back in my house in Cornwall, Ontario before 11-15 pm.

I took advantage of getting back early, and decided not to stay up to late, to ‘silly o’clock’ to watch the F1 Grand Prix , live from Malaysia.

The time difference meant a 3-00 am start, for Eastern Time, so went to bed and waited until the morning to find out the result.

My mother, who is in her 80’s and still an F1 Grand Prix fan, messaged me with the details.

1st Verstappen, 2nd Riciardo, 3rd Rosberg, and apparently Hamilton had engine issues.