LABOR DAY WEEKEND REPORT 7th Sept 2021

Labor Day Weekend  2021

It’s been a busy week, with a lot going on during the lead up to the Labor Day Weekend. Normally, in  Pre Covid days, I would be at  tracks both sides of the border , from Friday to the holiday Monday, but not this year.

My week started with a trip to Ottawa on Monday 30th of August, when I noticed a  vintage diecast for sale at a good price on Face Book MARKET PLACE  , 

A Dinky Toy Foden, that was made in Liverpool , England before I was even born.

On Monday night there was a DirtCar 358 Modified Series taking place, less than a mile away from my house at the Mohawk International Raceway, but with the COVID border restrictions in place , I had to be content to listen to the racing engines  from my front porch.

KYLE CORYEA PHOTO

My friend Kyle Coryea sent me a picture of Billy Dunn in Victory Lane,

On Tuesday 31st of August, I made my usual trip across town for the races at the Cornwall Kart Track.

There was a large turn-out for the final night of racing before the kids go back to school.

On Wednesday the 1st of September, I decided to head to Brockville for their Kart night. 

Just like Cornwall , it was their final points night and a good turn out was on hand.

The races are run by 358 Modified driver Steve Barber

I met up  with  Ron Ridge in the pits, the former starter at Ottawa’s Capital City Speedway , who was there with Jeff Wallace and his daughter Madie .

In my opinion she is one of the top prospects to do well later on down the road, at  the larger tracks.

I also met up with my good friends, the Revelle Family from Gananoque . Randy Snr, wife Diane and Randy Jnr who has been racing karts for quite a few years.

His brother , the late Craig Revelle was a good friend of mine who was the instigator of Rick @ the Races , and the web master until he sadly passed away.

Thursday was a day of rest before Friday’s regular trip to Granby with Don Simpson.

For this trip we were joined by my good friend  Chanty .

Once again , I have to thank Bruno Cyr for the use of his trailer  to store my camera equipment. 

The Labor Day weekend is the traditional end of the season for earning championship points and Granby was no exception.

Going into the final night the Modified points were a close thing between David Hebert and Francois Bernier.

The first of the Feature races , was for the Sport Compact.

This was won by Alexis Charbonneau ,.

After the intermission it was the Modified Feature where the Championship would be decided.

The race was a very exciting one , where Michael Parent and Steve Bernard had a cat and mouse battle at the front, while Hebert and Bernier played it safe further back.

The lead changed a few times between Parent and Bernard, but when the checkers fell it was Bernard who took the win, with Mathieu Boisvert taking third.

The track championship went to David Hebert.

 

The Sportsman feature followed this where William Racine took the race win, and Steve Turcotte won the Championship.

The last race of the night was for the Pro Stocks,

This was a fiercely fought race that had to be red flagged after a bad wreck with one lap to go.

After the restart it was Bruno Richard who got the victory as well as the Track Championship

Racing was all over by the 11-00 pm curfew , and it was then time for a bit of socializing.

Saturday was the final points night at the Brockville Ontario Speedway and that was my destination.

On arrival I did my usual wander around the pits and did a photo shoot with one of my local Cornwall youngsters .

Daylon Ezard who is in the Rookie Sportsman division .

As well as crowning the various championship winners, a special presentation had been arranged for intermission.

In recognition of his 50 Years of of racing, ‘Stock Car’ Steve Bilow was being presented with a special award. A plaque and a giant poster of his car. It was going to be a surprise for Steve, but I knew about it along time ago, as I was asked to supply the photo.

 

 

Drivers from past and present were going to sign it.

Following the heats races, where another Cornwall neighbor,  Sandy McFarland got the Rookie Sportsman win, the features began.

The Minis Stocks were first where Jarrod Galoway got the win as well as the Championship.

The Rookie Sportsman were up next where McFarland once again had a good run, coming home second behind Eric Loyer.

Justin Cyr was crowned Track Champion.

Up next were the Street Stocks

After a number of stoppages and controversial actions by certain drivers on track, Todd Raabe got the win and Brock Cullen the Championship.

There were two winners in the Vintage division because there are two different classes.

Josh Power was the winner in one and Pete Stapper in the other.

 

Stapper was driving the car owned by resident Brockville Photographer, Henry Hannewyk.

It was then intermission time, and we all moved to the front stretch for ‘Stock Car’ Steve’s award.

The Sportsman Feature followed and once again it was Bobby Herrington in Victory Lane.

During the 2021 season he has won 7 out of the 8 Sportsman features, so it shouldn’t take much guessing who this years track champion would be.

The final race of the night was the 358 Modified feature, where ‘soon to be retiring’ Flag Man, Gary Vandermeer was doing an old style ‘middle of the track’ start.

My buddy Don Simpson was asked to be on-track behind him to get some pictures (rather him than me LOL ). 

He looked like a prancing ballerina as he followed Gary,  who was skipping backwards and waving the flags

We had a good laugh about it afterwards, as Don said it was one of the scariest things he’s done.

Once the racing got under way, Kyle Dingwall took control and went on to get his second B.O.S Victory of the year.

Ryan Arbuthnot got the Championship.

It was now gone mid-night and another late night getting home.

The weather didn’t look good for Sundays races at the Cornwall Motor Speedway. Heavy rain was forecast for early afternoon , and sure enough we got it.

By 4-00pm it had eased off and Speedway management began their great effort to drain the track  and dry it out.

Scheduled start time was at 6-00 pm , a bit earlier than usual because of the big program of events, By 7-00 pm  the track had been packed and things looked good.

When the pits dried out , I had my wander, and it was good to see U.S driver Mike Maresca making a visit.

Mike was driving the spare Brianna Ladouceur car.

It took me a bit longer to get my car on the middle, due to the attention the track was getting.

The original plans for an on-track pitstop for the 125 lap Modified Canadian Nationals  had to be scrapped due to lack of time.

Just like the other tracks this weekend, it was the day the various track titles got decided.

The Mini Stock Feature was won by Skylar Ladouceur and Alexis Charbonneau won the Track Championship.

The Rookie Sportsman Feature  was next and Elliot Gamache took the race win while Tristan Ladouceur got the Championship.

Intermission followed this where more track prep took place.

The 125 lapper for Modifieds was after this, and was domnated by Brian McDonald . Luke Whitteker  was on his tail for a while but was no match for ‘Slim’.

Corey Wheeler  looked good for a challenge as did Carey Terrance, until he flipped on turn one.

When the checkers fell, it was Brian McDonald still up at the front for the big win.

Corey Wheeler got the Championship

Daniel Coulombe Photo

It was after 11-30 pm that the Sportsman feature got under way.

Mathieu Laramee got the race win and Ryan Stabler took the track championship.

It was past midnight when the Pro Stocks took to the track for the last race of the night.

This was a lively event , where Dave Suguin the points leader, flipped on to his roof. After being put back on all fours , he went back to the pits for a quick check, then  returned to rejoin the race.

He kept going long enough to finish the race, retain his points lead  , and win the Championship.

Race winner was Bruno Richard.

Another late night, I think it was after 1-00am that I left the track.

Unlike previous Labor Day Weekends, I had nowhere to go on the Holiday Monday . 

Under normal circumstances I would of been down in the States at the races, but not in COVID times. Back in the distant past I would of been at the now defunct , Rolling Wheels Raceway , Elbridge NY.  but with that’s now  gone, This year , I would of been at the Utica-Rome Speedway, if border rules allowed. 

 

 

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