RICK @ the RACES (30th Sept 2006)

Hippodrome De Quebec, Quebec City, Que

Mother Nature decided she was going to be kind to me this past weekend, when I  joined  TRACKCHASIN Grand Commissioner , Will White to visit the inaugural Dirt Modified race at the Hippodrome in sunny Quebec City.

Normally on this weekend, just a few days before the up-coming SUPER DIRT WEEK at Syracuse, I would be at the Fulton Speedway, NY for the Victoria 200, a classic I don`t like to miss, but this year was different.

Once I heard about Stephan Douchaine`s plans to put on a “Special” Dirt Modified show in Quebec City, I just had to be there.
I met Will , who had driven up from Quakertown, Pennsylvania , at the Flying J truck stop ( with all these mentions they`re getting, I think they should sponsor me ! )   in Veudreuil for breakfast, where we left his car, and traveled the remaining three hours north in my Chev Cavalier.

The sun was shining, and with the roof open for most of the way, we arrived at 12-30am for the afternoon event which was supposed to get under way at 1-30pm.

Quebec City is one of the major tourist cities in North America, due to it`s historic background and “olde world” ambiance, and the last time I was there , was two years ago, in the role of tourist.

My knowledge of Canadian history is limited, but from what I gather,  the “Plains of Abraham” beside the cities old fort, was the location where the British,  in the hands of General Wolfe defeated General Montcalm and his french army ( Any of my Canadian readers , please correct me if I`m wrong) to take control of the country.

The track as the name suggests is a horse racing course , located in the center of the city, and reminded us both of a smaller version of the Syracuse ” Moody Mile” .

Almost all of the viewing area on the front stretch was seated and behind glass, in an impressive three story grandstand complex similar to Coventry, Sheffield and Wimbledon in the UK, with bars and refreshment areas.

Other viewing areas were available from the center for VIPS etc. . A free glossy color souvenir program and poster of the event were given out as you entered .

The width of the track was a bit narrower than what the race cars were normally used to, due to the temporary concrete barriers that had been put in place, but after a later than scheduled start, the racing got under way.
There were 25 Dirt Sportsman and 20 small block Dirt Modifieds in attendance, all from the province of Quebec except for the lone Ontario representative , Joel Doiron from Alexandria, who was driving the spare Clement Therrien car. Joel , who  I know personally, is a former track champion at my local Cornwall Motor Speedway , and his day job , is an officer in the Ontario Provincial Police. 

After time trials and heats, the main events, a 50 lapper for Sportman , and a 100 lapper for the Mods took place.

According to the history books, car racing last took place at this venue in 1983, but todays historic first race ( a heat) was won by Dirt Sportman # 67 Richard Tessier.

Eric Lefebvre # 88 won the Sportman Feature and Alex Fortier # 09 took the 100 lap Best Buy Auto Parts main event which finished shortly before 8-00pm.

The quality of racing suffered a little, because of the narrow track, and the fact it was a day time,  dirt event, but once it got dark and the evening moisture settled in to the track, the big race turned out quite good.

The opposite can be said about the Sportsman feature which was hampered by cautions and had to be stopped half way , for a 15 minute break, as the late afternoon sun going down, was blinding the drivers.
Will, my traveling companion for the day,  made an excellent job of promoting the “TRACKCHASERS” when interviewed by the bi-lingual announcer Brian Mulligan. It was Will`s 666th Track visited, 42nd in Quebec and his 96th in Canada, and for me it was TRACK # 150.

The event , as Will said in his interview was unique, and I tend to agree, I`m glad I was there