Away for a few days in Quebec (13th Sept 2021)

Away for a few days in Quebec (13th Sept 2021)

The past few days I’ve been spending some time in Quebec.

It all started on Thursday the 9th of September when I paid a visit to the Paille Team of David Hebert and Mario Clair in Sorel .

My buddy Don Simpson had one of his portrait assignments, so I tagged along with him for the ride. I’ve known David and Mario for many years so it was a great opportunity to see their HQ .

Don picked me up at my place in his Chevy Cruze around lunch time and off we went. I had a diecast pick up to do on the way,  in La Prairie.

A guy was selling a couple of rare French Dinky Toys , that I was interested in.

His place was just off Autoroute 30, so picking up the  Peugeot 403 Estate Car and Opel Rekord  , didn’t add too much time to our journey.

Once we arrived in Sorel, we quickly found the race shop and were shown around by some of the team members.

It was like a museum up stairs on the second floor , with memorabilia and trophies dating back many years .

Not long after we got there, both Mario and David arrived.

These guys sure know how to have fun. We had more laughter when it came to the arranged photo shoot.

Mario came without his race suit, so he had to use one of Dave’s.

There is a difference in size between them, so clamps had to be fitted to the back, to make it fit snug.

It all worked well, and the shoot went along as planned.

Thanks to the team for the hospitality, Don, my designated driver is tee total, so I took advantage of a can or two.

My original plan was to give the Friday night Sportsman show at Autodrome Granby a miss and and go with my friend Chanty to the R.P.M Speedway at St Marcel on Saturday and the nearby St Guillaume Speedway on Sunday . 

After hearing the weather on Sunday looked iffy, we decided to do Granby and R.P.M , and would decide about  St Guillaume , once we were up there.

There were no Modifieds at Granby that night and the headline event was a 100 lapper for Sportsman.

A few of our locals were racing including  Cedric Gauvreau  , Jarratt Herbison, Thomas Cook, Gabriel Cyr and his brother Justin in the loaned Eric Loyer car. 

David Hebert and Francois Bernier were there too , racing among the Sportsman.

Dave was driving the loaned # 6 car of Felix Murray and Francois had fitted a Sportsman motor to his Modified.

Also on the program we had the Sport Compacts where  Alexis Charbonneau got the win.

To complete the menu there were Mod-Lites , Pro Stocks and Slingshots

Long distance traveler Jeff May from the St Cathrines, Ontario area, won the Mod-Lite Feature.

It’s been a while since I’ve seen Jeff, he was regular winner at the Mohawk International Raceway, before the border closures.

 Robert Larocque # 07  won the   Pro Stock feature.

During the intermission the Sling Shots were racing on the inner oval.

Dave’s daughter , Daphne Hebert was taking part so I  had to go over to take a look.

The big race for Modifieds  then got under way, and as it moved towards the closing stages , there were three main contenders, Cedric Gauvreau , David Hebert and Francois Bernier. It got very exciting as it neared the end with Gauvreau and Hebert exchanging places at the front.

When the checkers fell , it was Dave in the Loaned # 6 that took the win.

After a good nights sleep at the Best Western in Drummondville I was ready for Saturdays action.

After lunch I met up with Don, for another race shop visit.

We ‘d been invited to the Bernier Brothers place, so we dropped by to say hello before heading to the races  . Steve and some of the team were preparing a car for the nights show at R.P.M .

We left them , still busy  , and headed for the track located, at St Marcel about a 30 minute drive away. 

On arrival I had my usual pit wander and spotted a number of my locals. Gage Morin, Chris Raabe , Shane Pecore, Brianna Ladouceur and Luke Whitteker.

My buddy Ron Morin was there to watch his grandson  Gage. 

My friends from the Bruno Cyr Pro Stock team were there and so was Josee Fortier in her Mod Lite.

The evening started with the Slingshots on the inner oval  and then moved to the regular program on the main track.

The big race of the night was a 100 lapper for 358 Modifieds, with Pro Stocks , Lightening Sprints, Mod Lites , Mini Modifieds and Sling Shots as the support.

The races began at 6-00 and with the big schedule in front of us, things thankfully moved  along quickly. 

Jeff May the previous nights Mod Lite winner got a third place on this occasion, and my good friends Kathy Caldwell and Chris Craft were so impressed they bought his T shirt and joined him in the front stretch presentations.

Alex Therrien # 21  won the Lightening Sprint feature.

The 100 lapper for the Modifieds ended up as a three car battle between Steve Bernier, Michael Parent and Steve Bernard.

They all looked good for the win at one time or another, but when the checkers fell , that was the order they finished.

The final race of the night was the 60 lapper for the Pro Stocks.

This went the distance with few cautions and was won by Pascal Peyeur.

Bruno Richard was second and my good friend Stephane Lebrun from Gatineau was third.

I got a nice shot of the Lebrun family during the front stretch celebrations.

Racing was over by about 11-00 and it was back to the Best Western.

While I was at R.P.M on Saturday, back in the UK , the BriSCA World Final was being held at the Odsal Stadium , Bradford , England.  I would of been there, if the COVID travel restrictions to and from the UK had been lifted earlier.

Canada became a ‘GREEN’ country on the UK  COVID list two weeks ago , but it was too much short notice for me to arrange something. I had a ticket for the World Final , that had been kindly given to me by my friends,  the Peck Family. Like me they were were very close to the late Mick Black , and they wanted me to use his ticket. I had to unfortunately decline because of the restrictions .

In my absence, Tom Harris formerly from Banbury, Oxfordshire, who now resides in Manchester, won the big race.

Thanks to my buddy Colin Casserley for the pics.

Back now  to Canada,  and after waking up in Drummondville on Sunday morning , it was obvious there had been a lot of overnight rain . I was very tired and with two days of hospital I.V.I.G appointments coming up at the beginning  of the week,  we decided to head for home.  I will try to get to St Guilluame next year.