RICK @ the RACES
FLAMBORO SPEEDWAY (2 NOV 2008)
I had no plans, originally, for this past weekend , and was expecting to be sitting at home getting my next RETRO report completed and watching races on TV once more . This wasn’t to be, as circumstances changed as the week unfolded !
On Tuesday night ( Oct 28) my part of Eastern Ontario suffered an unexpected, and earlier than normal winter storm which delivered about four inches of heavy wet snow. Thankfully, it didn’t stay around long as the warmer temperatures of Thursday and Friday soon got rid of it.
Since the storm my Satellite TV system hasn’t worked properly and I was told by the Technical Support department that an engineer wouldn’t be out to me for several days. That ruined any thoughts I had of watching the DIRT TRACK NATIONALS ( Lowes Motor Speedway NC) , Lewis Hamilton’s big F1 race in Brazil or the NASCAR race from Texas.
On Thursday I happened to be checking out the INSIDE TRACK RACING NEWS website ‘Blog’ and discovered a piece of news concerning the weekend. The Flamboro Speedway, west of Toronto and a five hour drive away, was holding their late season ‘Frost Fest’. I mentioned it to my buddy Roger Aubin and he fancied making the trip. I followed that up by e-mailng ‘webmaster’ Craig Revelle, who also decided to join us.
The press release advertised the show would begin at 2-00pm on Sunday, so an early start was required. Luckily the clocks were ‘turned back’ on Saturday night so setting off at 5-30 didn’t seam so bad.
Roger picked me up from my place in Long Sault and we met Craig at the Gananoque Tim Hortons. Roger had contacted his brother Gerald who lives in Mississauga not far from the Flamboro Speedway, and we’d arranged to pick him up too.
Gerald who is now retired, worked at the nearby Ford Motor Plant at Oakville for many years, so had many tales to tell of his time spent there. Both Roger and Craig are big ‘Ford Fans’ and before leaving Geralds place we watched some factory videos of his former work in the ‘Shake and Rattle’ department. This was where the new vehicles were checked for annoying ‘shakes and rattles’ before being allowed to leave the factory. It was all very interesting stuff, and it was great to hear about some of the classic vehicles of the 60’s that he helped to produce.
From Mississauga we drove the last few miles to the track, arriving about 1-00pm.
This wasn’t my first visit to Flamboro, I’d been there four or five years ago. I remember it well, as I went with a female friend. At that time I was involved in the ‘internet dating’ scene , and I was accompanied by a lady that lived localy . ( You’ll have to wait until the RETRO reports reach that year to hear the story behind it ! )
The Flamboro track is very tidy in appearance, paved and about a third of a mile in length. The program consisted of Thunder Cars and Mini Stocks, akin to the divisions raced at my local Capital City Speedway (Ottawa). The sun was shining and there were plenty of cars in the pits. Things looked good for a winter day at the races.
One attraction for race fans was the guest appearance of former CASCAR SUPER SERIES and now NASCAR CANADIAN TIRE SERIES driver JR Fitzpatrick .
He was driving a lovely looking (loaned) SS Chevelle # 13X.
On my pit walk about I met the resident track photographer Dave Franks who I accompanied to the center to capture the action. I have to mention Dave’s personal set of wheels. Unlike most of us track photographers who turn up at the races in either an S.U.V. , a Minivan or in my case a humble sedan, Dave arrived in an immaculate classic 1957 Ford Thunderbird , and what a beautiful car it was !
I spent most of the afternoon on the center snapping pictures before retiring to the Grandstand for the features. Actually, it was just one feature that we saw. 
With time pressing on, a five hour journey ahead of us and darkness starting to fall we decided to hit the road after the first 50 lapper.
After various stops on the way back , I was home at mid night, with an unexpected additional late season race ‘in the bag’.
As for the TV and other stuff I missed.
Josh Richards who won the WoO Late Model Race at the Cornwall Motor Speedway (Ont) this summer clinched the big race at the VAULT DIRT TRACK WORLD FINALS (Lowes Motor Speedway NC)
In the WoO VAULT Sprint Car World Final held at the same place, it was Donny Schatz in Victory Lane once more. I met Donny’s father Danny at the Rolling Wheels Speedway (NY) a few years back and he’s been on my RICK @ the RACES mailing list ever since. So Danny, please pass on my congrats to your son. I enjoyed the chat and the few beers we had that night, it’s good to see you guys doing so well.
In Brazil Britain’s Lewis Hamilton clinched the F1 Grand Prix Series, and once again it gives me great pleasure. Being an ex Pat Brit it’s good to see one of my fellow countrymen winning auto racing’s premier division.
In Texas, it was Carl Edwards taking the checkers again, narrowing the gap between him and points leader Jimmy Johnson. With just the Phoenix and Homestead (Miami) races left to run, I sure hope my TV soon gets fixed !