RICK @ the RACES (17/18 October 2009)
17/18 Oct Brockville Ontario Speedway ,
The 2009 North East Fall Nationals
Usually on the weekend that follows SUPER DIRT WEEK , you will find me, like many other Canadian dirt racing fans heading down to the Eastern States Championships at the Orange County Fair Speedway , Middletown, NY, but not this year !
In the recent past this great event has been the final round of the various Mr. Dirt Series races. Well, in 2009 the OCFS was not part of the DIRTCAR organization, so the weekend became vacant. This year the DIRTCAR 358 Modifieds and the DIRTCAR Pro Stocks had their final points races at the Brockville Ontario Speedway, along with the penultimate round for SPORTSMAN ( their final round is at the Black Rock Speedway, Dundee, NY this coming weekend).
Brockville promoters Paul and Cheryl Kirkland took on the ambitious task of hosting this major DIRTCAR 2009 curtain closer which went under the title of ‘The North East Fall Nationals’ . Not only were there three DIRTCAR divisions on the two day program, but Sprint Cars and Street Stocks too.
My Saturday morning (17 Oct) started with a mandatory safety meeting I had to attend at work in Cornwall (Ont) . These are always a ‘pain’ but thankfully only last a few hours. It was over by 11-00am and I was soon heading down Hwy 401 on the short journey to Brockville. The weather forecast was for sunshine all weekend and on arrival I found the pits were already filling up with race cars. It was a bit chilly, but heh ! What do you expect for mid October?
Saturdays show consisted of a full program for Sprint Cars, a SUPER DIRT SERIES event for SPORTSMAN, plus the qualifying heats for Sundays 358 Modified SUPER DIRT SERIES race.
In the SPORTSMAN 50 lapper, current Mr. Dirt, Chris Raabe made it look easy, taking the checkers after fending off an early challenge by Justin Wright. Up until this point everything was going smoothly, but during the SPORTSMAN race, electric power in the area surrounding the track went out. By now it was late afternoon/early evening and it was almost time to put the floodlighting on.There was still the Sprint Car feature to run but time was running out.
The victory photos of Raabe were quickly done, while he sat in his car on the center, as the Sprints were hastily brought out on the track.
The Sprint Car drivers gave the thumbs up, that conditions were OK and the race was started. It was completed just in the nick of time before it became too dark.
The race was won by Oshweken Promoter, Glenn Styres who was followed over the line by runner up Steve Poirier and Jessica Zemken in third, who’d earlier won the ‘Dash for Cash’.
Now that Saturday’s show was in the bag, it was time for the partying to begin. The field adjacent to the track had been turned into a camp ground and I was staying overnight in my buddy Roger Aubin’s motor home.
Beef on a Bun was on offer to the revelers and a band played aloft a flat bed trailer. To keep everyone warm a bon fire had been lit.
During the socializing it was good to meet up with my old friend Nicole Perault, a former writer for the Gater Racing News. Nicole from Iberville, Quebec has been absent from the Dirt tracks for a while due to work commitments . The little bit of racing she has seen , has been restricted to the paved stuff at the Thompson Speedway in Connecticut.
Sunday, as the weather men predicted, was another sunny day, and a little bit warmer. Power to the area had been restored and we were all set for another great day.
The Sprint Cars and SPORTSMAN, had departed and the 358 Modifieds were joined in the pits by Pro Stocks and Street Stocks. Like Saturday, I stationed myself on the center close to the fourth turn to snap the action.
It was here I met up with my friend Gregg McPherson, editor of INSIDE TRACK RACING NEWS. He was in the area for family function, so took time out to take in some dirt action. He seamed to be enjoying it.
First of the feature races to be run was the 100 lap 358 SUPER DIRT SERIES event.
From the green flag Quebec’s Mario Clair took the lead which he kept until lap 47 when New York’s Dale Planck took over. Clair had been riding the top groove while Planck preferred the bottom, then following a caution on lap 77 the Frenchman regained the lead. Planck’s preferred groove wasn’t as quick, and the high riding Clair went on to take the checkers.
Planck’s second place was enough to clinch the 2009 Smallblock Mr DIRT SERIES.
The Pro Stock feature was next and the sports top two drivers Joey Ladouceur and Pete Stefanski, both drew front row positions.
With this kind of scenario, the 50 lapper as you’d expect , wasn’t too exciting as Ladouceur claimed a flag to flag victory. Dave Bissonnette was second and Dion Oakes was third. Stefanski had slipped back to sixth, but I’m sure he didn’t mind ! It was good enough to claim for the 2009 Mr DIRT Championship for Pro Stocks.
The final feature of the weekend was for the Street Stocks which was won by Steve Billings.
The inaugural staging of the NORTH EAST FALL NATIONALS was a great success and I have to compliment Paul and Cheryl Kirkland for taking on such a big gamble, and making it such a memorable occasion.
