RICK @ the RACES (& HOCKEY)

27 Nov 2010

At this time of the year, if you’re a race fan and live in my part of North America, you need another sporting interest to get you through the winter. Unlike Europe where I’m originally from, most of the racing around here comes to a halt when the weather turns bad so there’s not much happening.

One of my other sporting interests is ice Hockey which I first started following when I was living in the UK.

I got my first liking for it back in 1990, when the sport was introduced to Milton Keynes in a brand new arena. I think it’s an ideal ‘second sport’ for a race fan to follow because it’s both fast and tough with plenty of action. I soon became a fan of my local team the ‘MK Kings’ and followed them to both home and away games.

When I moved to Canada (Combermere, Ontario) in August 1994 the racing season at the local Golden Lake Speedway, near Eganville was almost over but I managed to attend a couple of races before the winter set in.

 

 

This meant another interest was needed so I started following the nearby Pembroke Lumber Kings Junior A Hockey Team . I was married at this time, and Sean and Darren Staal , the sons of my wife’s cousin Brian played for the team.

Brian was a big fan of the Toronto Maple Leafs, and with me being ‘fresh off the boat’ ( an air plane actually ! ) I knew no better and the Leaf’s became my first NHL favorites. I was only living in Combermere for a couple of years and soon after moving to the Maxville ( and more recently Cornwall) area in 1996 , I became an ardent Ottawa Senators fan.

Even though my life is a lot busier as far as the racing is concerned, I still like get along to the occasional Hockey game.

This past weekend I joined RICK @ the RACES web master Craig Revelle for the ‘Battle of Ontario’ at Scotia Bank Place in Ottawa to see the Sens take on the Leaf’s.

Now, Craig happens to be a life long Toronto Maple Leafs fan and because he is aware of my allegiance to the Senators, he suggested a friendly wager.

If the Leaf’s were to win, I would have to display their logo on the opening page of www.rickattheraces.com. for one week. If the Sens were to win, Craig would have to do likewise with the ‘Sens’ on his website www.finishlinewebdesign.ca .

This Saturday I joined Craig and the rest of his coach party from Kingston to watch the action.

We weren’t the only local race fans in attendance as Will McIntyre a Chris Raabe crew man ( and former Pembroke Lumber King player) was in the party.

Also watching the game, was Selina Simzer the Brockville Ontario Speedway Street Stocker

while Jenn May the Mini Stock driver from Capital City Speedway was there working at Rickards Bar.

Things went very well as far as I was concerned and the Sens made easy work of the Leaf’s with a 3-0 win.

As a man of his word, the Ottawa Senators logo is now displayed on his website.