TWO MORE WINS for Arbuthnot, and one each for Hebert and Bernier. (19th July 2024 BLOG )

This weeks Blog begins once again on a Friday , the 12th of July to be precise.

My original plan for that night, was to visit the Can Am Speedway at Lafargeville NY, but heavy rain during the week and on the Friday morning , caused a late cancellation.

I saw the posting at 11-30 am , which was adequate time for me to make alternative arrangements. 

So, once again , I was heading up to the Autodrome Granby in Quebec . My friend Chanty who enjoys going to this track ,  joined me for the trip.

The Autoroute 30 around Montreal wasn’t too busy and we got to the track around 5-00 pm.

As usual , we based ourselves at the 124 team haulers of Luke Whitteker and Mario Clair.

There were only two divisions on the program for on this occasion , as the special Defi Vision race was taking place.

Modifieds , Sportsman and Sport Compact (Ministocks) 

The Defi Vision race  is an annual event for the blind or partially sited.

They drive enduro type cars with a co-pilot beside them, relaying which direction to turn the wheel and when to brake or give it gas.

This always attracts large crowds and the grandstands were packed.

The winner was the first car to complete 10 laps .

This was won by the pilots of the car # 911 . I didn’t catch their names as my French language is very limited.

As for the regular nights racing, the Sportsman feature gave a win for Karl Letendre

The Modified feature was up next.

Once again it was a victory for track expert, David Hebert after passing , early leader Francois Bernier.

It was now 10-15, so after saying the goodbyes to our friends Chanty and I were on our way.

On Saturday Morning (13th July) I had a car show to attend , with the Thunderbird.

This was at the Bonville Lions Club , just outside Cornwall, and it was a show I attended last year.

Two friends from the Cornwall Motor Speedway were there with their vehicles, Announcer , Hugh Primeau with his Camaro and Andy Lubbers with his Ford truck.

It was also nice to see another 1978 Thunderbird in attendance.

It’s not often I see another like mine.

From Bonville, I returned home for a couple of hours before switching cars and heading to my evenings races.

My local Mohawk International Raceway , were taking a night off , so instead, I was heading to the Brockville Ontario Speedway.

They had a regular show of Modifieds, Sportsman, Rookie Sportsman , Sprint Cars and Street Stocks.

The first of the features was for the Sprint Cars. 

It didn’t take long before we got a race stoppage, after the Bruno Richard car ‘fell over’ .

After the restart, the race winner was Josh Verne Jr.

The Rookie Sportsman were next .

Nicholas Merkley took this one .

The Modifieds then took to the track for their big race of the night.

Matt Billings took the early lead , but was chased hard and passed by Kalen Draper .

Ryan Arbuthnot then came through to challenge Draper, and after a caution had closed things up, he got by and stayed there until the checkers.

It was another win for the current B.O.S track Champion.

The Sportsman feature then followed.

Not long into the race a serious wreck occurred involving several cars.

The race came under red flag conditions for nearly an hour while Safety crews and paramedics extricated Madie Wallace from her car.

After the restart Tyler Stevenson took the win.

The final race of the night was for the Street Stocks and this was won by Dakota Sharp 

As for the condition of  injured Madie Wallace.

She was taken to hospital, and a later posting stated, that she was released the next day , with a broken rib.

Get Well Soon Madie

The Cornwall Motor Speedway were taking a day off on the 14th of July , in preparation for Wednesday’s Summer Sizzler that was taking place just a few days later.

I did however , get to one event that day, just a couple of miles from my house.

A car show was going on at the Canadian Legion on Second Street.

Brian McDonald , one of our local Dirt Modified drivers was also there, with his SS Camaro.

On Monday night , I drove the Thunderbird down to the Morrisburg Cruise Night , beside the banks of the St Lawrence.

While it was taking place I managed to capture a shot of a ship passing by.

As mentioned earlier, Wednesday night was the big midweek show at the Cornwall Motor Speedway,  entitled the Summer Sizzler.

The program consisted of a 100 lapper for Sportsman , a 55 laper for 358 Modifieds, and the Ministocks were there for 25 laps,

I was there nice and early and had plenty of time to have a wander. I took a few pre race pit shots.

 

 

There were a few long distance invaders in attendance too.

From the Niagara Region , Mat Williamson, Cody McPherson, and Erick Rudolph.

There were over 30 Modifieds in the pits , 50 plus Sportsman and around 20 Ministocks.

Once the racing started I shot my hot lap and heat race pictures from the pit tower.

Then I moved to the middle, for the main events.

The Sportsman 100 lapper was the headliner of the night and their feature was up first.

Shane Pecore dominated this one but had to fend off late race challenges from Cody McPherson and young Elliot Gamache.

Next up was the Modified feature.

Once Ryan Arbuthnot in the R 70 found his way to the front after passing his buddy Corey Wheeler 47s , there was no stopping him.

Mario Clair and Mat Williamson weren’t far behind , but couldn’t match the pace of the Renfrew, Ontario driver.

 

The Ministock feature ended the night.

Winner of this , was Christopher Cordeau.

That was it for the night, and I was soon back home doing my editing.

Thursday night was a regular weekly show at the Airborne Park Speedway , in Plattsburgh and I joined my buddy Don Simpson in his car for the drive to this one.

The program was the usual Modifieds , Sportsman , Renegades and Mini Stocks.

The Modified division had a few regulars absent as a Short Track Super Series event at Utica-Rome clashed on this date.

Since Mike Bruno took control as the promoter, the track name has changed from the Airborne Speedway  to the Airborne Park Speedway , and the control tower now has the new logo.

During the intermission some fun took place with bike races for kids and drivers on the front stretch.

The Modified feature followed the break, with Steve Bernier having an unchallenged run to the checkers.

Felix Roy and Justin Sone followed him home.

The Sportsman were up next, and the race went quite well until six laps from the end when it got plagued by a bunch of cautions.

Mike Phinney was the eventual winner.

It was over by about 9-45 pm, so Don and I , made our exit, deciding to miss the Renegade and Mini Stocks features.

There are a lot of races coming up over the next , so an early get away was what we needed. Next Stop Friday night at Can Am