Weekly Report (17 to 23 Oct 2016)
There was no racing for me this week, and to make things worse, I had to miss out on one of my favorite events of the year.
I had just one doctors visit to make during the week , when on Wednesday I had a follow up relating to the various treatments I’m undergoing. It’s these treatments that forced me to scrub my plans to attend this years edition of the Eastern States Weekend at the Orange County Fair Speedway in Middletown, NY.
This is one of the best weekends on the Dirt racing social calendar and takes place over a three day period. ( Friday, Saturday and Sunday) .
After a weekend of late night partying, the big race and final event ( the 200 lapper) usually finishes around or after, 6-30 pm on the Sunday night.
I had two days of I.V.I.G transfusions scheduled at my local Cornwall Hospital first thing on Monday morning, so three tiring days, prior to this was out of the question.
There were also races taking place on Friday and Saturday at the ‘Outlaw Speedway’ the latest name given to the Black Rock Speedway at Dundee, NY. but the Modified show that interested me, was put back to the Sunday, so that was a ‘no go’ too.
As well as these events , an early start was being made to next weeks Dirt Track World Finals at Charlotte NC , giving fans a pre-taster of the action , by way of the Sportsman and other lower budget divisions.
So, my weekend racing diet consisted of following the dirt racing happenings via social media and the USA F1 Grand Prix from Austin, TX live on the TV.
It’s also the start of the hockey season, so Saturday night was spent watching ‘my team’ The Ottawa Senators go down to the Tampa Bay Lightening.
Saturday night winners in the Sportsman races were,
Tyler Boniface at the Eastern States
and at Charlotte , it was Ronnie Davis III, who’s been winning lots of races in the Sportsman of late, and the hottest new name to emerge this year in that division.
On Sunday, there was some local racing taking place, an Enduro at Autodrome St Eustache ( near Montreal) but I much preferred the option of watching the F1 Grand Prix on TV, going out live from the Circuit of the Americas , just outside Austin, TX. where my daughter Carla lives.
I’ve been lucky to have visited that track on two occasions, once in 2014 when I had a ‘one on one’ guided tour, a few days before Carla’s wedding
, and again this past March when we ( Carla and Grandson Benji) attended the Pirelli World Challenge Sports Car races
Praise is often not given, to the media , when it is deserved, so I’m going to give it now. The TSN coverage given to Grand Prix racing is excellent, from the build up to the race until they are packing the cars up ready to go home afterwards. All good stuff with great front men that include former race drivers, Martin Brundle, Damion Hill and Johnny Herbert.
The actual race turned out to be pretty boring , with Lewis Hamilton dominating from start to finish with fellow Mercedes driver Nico Rosberg tailing him through out. It could of been a more interesting race had Max Verstappen not have parked his stricken car in such a place that required a caution, and spoiling the chances of Daniel Riciardo who looked likely to have challenged Rosberg.
Even so, it was an important win for Hamilton, in his quest to catch Rosberg in the points championship.
1st Hamilton, 2nd Rosberg, 3rd Riciardo
While I was watching the TV, down in Middletown NY, Brian Krummel won the small block race at the Eastern States , after Brett Hearn , who took the checkers, got DQ’d for being too light.
I watched the last 6 laps of the 200 lap Eastern States Big Block race, live by an on line Face Book feed , and to say it was exciting , would be an understatement ! Stewart Friesen got passed Brett Hearn , the leader on turn three and four of the last lap.
I have to thank my friend Boris Rudzinski and his good lady, Laurie Lewis for the Eastern States pics.
Meanwhile over at ‘Outlaw’ ( I still prefer to call it the Black Rock Speedway) it was that man again , Erick Rudolph taking the Modified checkers
