Weekly Report (10 to 16 Oct 2016)

Traditionally since 2009 the week after SUPER DIRT WEEK, has been reserved for the Brockville Ontario Speedway to host the 1000 Islands RV North East Fall Nationals. The various Dirt Car divisions come to the end of their points Championships, and this weekend also decides two of them. (358 Mods and Sportsman)

Over the years, my good friends Paul and Cheryl Kirkland, the promoters at the track, have never had much luck with the weather for this event, but the forecast looked great for this year.

Following my return home from SUPER DIRT WEEK at Oswego, my week was spent relaxing and editing pictures.

I had a midweek appointment with my dentist, who gave me the bad news that I still had to wait before my teeth could be fixed, with a partial. The medication I’m on for my Myasthenia Gravis condition has a number of side effects, and has caused various issues. It is now preventing the work to take place. I guess I will remain ‘Goofy’ for a while longer !

When Friday ( 14 Oct) came around, I’m pleased to say, the weather forecasters got it right.

It was a bright and sunny day when I left my place in Cornwall , and headed down Hwy 401 towards Brockville.

Day one of the weekend, was headlined by the 358 Modified DirtCar Series and had Go Nuclear Late Models and Street Stocks as the back up divisions.

I was there by mid afternoon and soon met up with my other media friends, Jim Clarke, Dale Calnan, Don Simpson, Alex and Helen Bruce.

While walking the pits I chatted with Pete & Nancy Bicknell who were up to watch from their home in St Catherines. As well as being a top race driver Pete and his wife Nancy have other successful attributes. Their daughter is a world -class poker player,

Not only this, they have the Bicknell Race Car and Parts business , and are also part owners of the Merrittville Speedway near to Niagara Falls.

At this time, they have the track up for sale, and I asked them if it was sold yet. The reply was negative, so quickly informed them that if my lottery numbers came up, I would be knocking on their door.

Not long after, the on-track action commenced and it turned a bit chilly, but that didn’t matter, so long as it was dry.

Driving the # 96 car was Dale Planck.

Stewart Friesen was there driving the loaned # 96 F

Stewart Friesen also drew a front row spot on the grid, alongside # R70 Ryan Arbuthnot.

The two of them fought it out for few laps before Friesen took control. He looked all set for an easy win until he overcooked the top lip, and dropped back about six spots.

It didn’t take him long to catch up with new leader Carey Terrance and Erick Rudolph running close second. With a about 10 laps left of the 100 lapper, it looked very ‘do-able’ . Then he made the same mistake again, by going to high, and over the lip.

By now it was too late to catch the leaders.

Rudolph got past Carey Terrance and led to the checkers with Kyle Dingwall coming home third.

During the presentations it was great to see Pete and Nancy Bicknell joining Erick’s dad and sister in Victory Lane.

After this , the 2016 DirtCar Championship for the 358 Modifieds had been decided, so Chris Raabe of Alexandria, Ontario was crowned Champion.

It was now about 10-30 , so instead of watching the Late Model and Street Stocks Features, I made my exit and was back home in Cornwall before mid night.

In the past I have stayed over night at the track sleeping in my car and joining the parties, but not these days. It’s only an hours drive from home and I prefer my own bed.

Saturdays (15 Oct) opening ceremonies were scheduled to get underway at 4-00 pm and I planned to be there a lot earlier than that.

A few years ago Rosie Estevez was the Victory Lane hostess at the track and since she quit the post , we have remained good friends. She lives in the City of Brockville, so before heading to the track, we got together for a coffee at the local Starbucks to do some catching up.

After coffee with Rosie ( actually I had a cup of tea) I was back at the speedway by 2-30 before the warm ups and time trials began.

The Saturday sector of the weekend was the for the SUPER DIRT SERIES for Big Block Modifieds , a DirtCar Series for Sportsman, plus Vintage Mods and Ministocks.

All the Big Shots that follow the series were there and I was out on the middle in the sunshine to shoot the afternoon hot laps and time trials.

The afternoon sunshine was spoiling me, so I took advantage of this fact and took the heat race pictures from turn three and four for a change.

During the front-stretch redraw, we had the opportunity of a picture take of the top qualifying drivers.

The DirtCar staff also got in on the act.

Following the Vintage feature, it was the 100 lap SUPER DIRT SERIES for the Big Blocks.

Front runners Stewart Friesen and Jimmy Phelps made the early charge, but after an early race caution , Erick Rudolph , in the same ‘small block’ he’d used the night before, got passed Phelps.

On lap 27 Rudolph edged passed Friesen, at the same time as Danny Johnson and Matt Sheppard were moving up.

As the race reached the final laps, Friesen was overhauled by both Johnson and Sheppard, with the latter edging passed to chase Rudolph. With just a couple of laps to go Sheppard was on the bumper of Rudolph, but just didn’t have that little extra to get by.

So Erick Rudolph took the checkers to make a sweep of the weekend, with Matt Sheppard second and Danny Johnson third.

Next up was the DirtCar Series race for Sportsman, which was dominated from start to finish by young Louie Jackson Jr, with team mate Briana Ladoucer following him home in second.

Brockville Ontario Speedway 15 Oct 2016 www.rickattheraces.com — Father and son in Victory Lane at Brockville

Just like the small blocks, the night before, the 2016 DirtCar Sportsman Series was to be decided, and this years Champion Shane Pecore of Cornwall , Ontario was crowned.

Finishing off the weekend were the Mini Stocks for a 40 lap race.

I watched the first ten laps until I decided to make my exit and was back home in Cornwall by about 10-30 pm

After logging on to Face Book I found out that my old friend and former F1 Stock Car driver, Willem Boschma over in the Netherlands had been out on the track in a Heritage stock car race at the Lelystad Speedway at the weekend.