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WEBSITE UPDATE
We're still continuing to add more stuff as time goes by and this week Craig delved into the archives of www.dougsdirtdiary.com to find another interview I did with my good friend Doug Elkins in 2007. This has been added as well as more photos. The additions in 'Rick's Favorites' are a couple from the Thunder Road Speedway at Barre, Vermont. I visited this track a few years back when I met ACT driver Jean Paul Cyr for an article I was writing. He was about to represent the USA in the Brafield staged BriSCA F1 World Final in the UK.
This weeks first new signing in the guest book came from a good friend of mine who's not a race goer. Maggie Wheeler who I've known for a number of years is an accomplished author who's murder mysteries which are based in the “lost villages' of the Seaway Valley ( where I'm about to move to) are all compelling reads. I can thoroughly recommend them. Check out her website www.maggiewheeler.com
Other new signings were
Stuart of Southampton (UK) an old buddy and ex BriSCA F1 driver # 379
Marc of Ontario, a buddy and Brockville Ontario Speedway web master.
I also received a message from my TRACKCHASING friend, ( webmaster of www.trackchaser.net) Will White from Quakertown , Pennsylvania. It appears I wasn't the only one taking a break from racing duiring last weeks Labour Day holiday . See what Will was getting up to at the Allentown Fair in my photo section.
This Weeks Report
6 SEPT CAPITAL CITY SPEEDWAY (RAIN)
6 SEPT BROCKVILLE ONTARIO SPEEDWAY (RAIN)
7 SEPT CORNWALL MOTOR SPEEDWAY
With warm and sunny weather all week, I'd been looking forward to the hectic Saturday ( 6 Sept) I had planned. I was to spend the afternoon at the Capital City Speedway in Ottawa for an ACT Late Model Series event before heading off to the Brockville Ontaro Speedway for the LUCAS OIL CANADIAN DIRT and 358 SUPER DIRT CAR SERIES double header.
Alas, I awoke to grey skies and drizzle in the air. By the time I got to the CCS the drizzle had become more intense and soon after mid day heavier rain began to fall. Around 1-00pm the show was canceled and postponed to Sunday ( the next day) .
I then phoned the Brockville track to find out the state of affairs in that area. It had been dry there all day so I set off in that direction. On arrival at around 4-00pm , sure enough it was dry but the skies still looked gloomy. I did my usual tour of the pits until a light drizzle forced me back to the car. As the rain intensified the dreaded cancellation announcement was made with the remake scheduled for next Friday (12 Sept).
While walking around the pits I met Laurent Ladouceur and his wife Chris who were interested to learn about my forthcoming trip to the BriSCA F1 World Final in the UK (Foxhall Stadium , Ipswich 20 Sept) . Laurent who made history in 2001 when he became the first ever Canadian representative in the event wanted me to say 'Hi' to all the guys he met back then, and made their trip so enjoyable. They commented that it wasn't just the racing part that they enjoyed, but it observing the British culture and way of life.
I guess it must make it easier for them to understand when watching 'Coronation Street' on TV !
On Sunday I was at the Cornwall Motor Speedway for the annual Fireball Enduro. As usual the pits were full and when I arrived the sun was shining. Throughout the afternoon we were teased with a slight sprinkling of rain which turned into drizzle as the races progressed. A little bit of rain in Enduro racing doesn't cause too many problems and the show went smoothly with no delays.
There were four races on the program which included ladies four cylinder, mens four cylinder, six and eight cylinder. There were 113 cars on the track for the mens four cylinder race !
Star of the day for me was Jacinthe Lepage from Hawkesbury , Ontario who was competing in the ladies four cylinder. She flipped her car over at the beginning of the race, and returned fray, only to roll over once again near to the end. After two flips in one race she still walked away smiling.
PHOTO 1 Laurent Ladouceur in the BriSCA F1 World Final at Hednesford (UK) in 2001
PHOTO 2 THE BIG ONE !
PHOTO 3 A rainy Capital City Speedway pits
PHOTO 4 TRACKCHASER Will White and his Mother at the Allentown Fair (PA)
PHOTO 5 Driver registration at the 358 SERIES races at the Brockville Ontario Speedway
PHOTO 6 The Todd Stewart crew unload at the Brockville Ontario Speedway
PHOTO 7 The Pierre Dagenais 'double decker' at the Brockville Ontario Speedway
PHOTO 8 The Mario Clair 'double decker' at the Brockville Ontario Speedway
PHOTO 9 ENDURO action at the Cornwall Motor Speedway
PHOTO 10 Jacinthe Lepage flips for the first time at the Cornwall Enduro
PHOTO 11 Jacinthe Lepage back racing after her first flip at the Cornwall Enduro
PHOTO 12 Jacinthe Lepage rolls for the second time in the Cornwall Enduro
PHOTO 13 Jacinthe Lepage is still smiling after rolling for the second time at the Enduro.
PHOT
O 14 Eight Cylinder action at the Cornwall Enduro
RACES ATTENDED IN 2008
1 JAN 19 ARENA ESSEX (Thurrock UK)
2 JAN 27 LAC MORIN (Que)
3 JAN 27 ST EULALIE (Que)
4 FEB 16 KAHNAWAKE (Que)
5 FEB 17 CLARENCE CREEK (Ont)
6 FEB 24 BERTRAND FABI CIRCUIT . Sherbrooke, (Que)
7 FEB 24 BEAUHARNOIS , (Que)
8 MAR 21 WILLIAMS GROVE SPEEDWAY (PA)
9 MAR 22 LINCOLN SPEEDWAY (PA)
10 APR 19 CAN AM SPEEDWAY,Lafargeville, (NY)
11 APR 20 CAYUGA COUNTY FAIR SPEEDWAY,Weedsport, (NY)
12 APR 26 MERRITTVILLE SPEEDWAY (Ont) 358 SUPER DIRTCAR SERIES
13 APR 27 HUMBERSTONE SPEEDWAY, Port Colborne (Ont)
14 MAY 3 MOHAWK INTERNATIONAL RACEWAY , Hogansburg (NY)
15 MAY 9 CAPITAL CITY SPEEDWAY , OTTAWA (Ont)
16 MAY 10 MOHAWK INTERNATIONAL SPEEDWAY , Hogansburg (NY)
17 MAY 17 BROCKVILLE ONTARIO SPEEDWAY, (Ont)
18 MAY 18 CORNWALL MOTOR SPEEDWAY (Ont)
19 MAY 24 MOHAWK INTERNATIONAL RACEWAY , Hogansburg (NY)
20 MAY 25 CORNWALL MOTOR SPEEDWAY (Ont)
21 MAY 29 CORNWALL MOTOR SPEEDWAY (Ont) KART TRACK
22 MAY 30 AUTODROME EDELWEISS , Cantley, (Que)
23 MAY 31 BROCKVILLE ONTARIO SPEEDWAY, (Ont)
JUN 1 AUTODROME ST EUSTACHE, (Que) RAINED OUT
24 JUN 6 AUTODROME EDELWEISS Cantley, (Que)
25 JUN 7 FULTON SPEEDWAY (NY) SUPER DIRTCAR SERIES
26 JUN 8 CORNWALL MOTOR SPEEDWAY (Ont)
27 JUN 11 CAPITAL CITY SPEEDWAY , Ottawa, (Ont)
28 JUN 21 BROCKVILLE ONTARIO SPEEDWAY (Ont)
29 JUN 22 CORNWALL MOTOR SPEEDWAY (Ont) WORLD OF OUTLAWS LATE MODELS
30 JUN 28 CAPITAL CITY SPEEDWAY, Ottawa (Ont) RAINED OUT
31 JUN 28 MOHAWK INTERNATIONAL RACEWAY, Hogansburg, (NY)
32 JUN 29 CORNWALL MOTOR SPEEDWAY (Ont)
33 JUL 3 CAPITAL CITY SPEEDWAY Ottawa, (Ont)
34 JUL 5 BROCKVILLE ONTARIO SPEEDWAY (Ont)
35 JUL 6 CORNWALL MOTOR SPEEDWAY (Ont)
36 JUL 9 CAPITAL CITY SPEEDWAY ,Ottawa (Ont)
37 JUL 10 BROCKVILLE ONTARIO SPEEDWAY (Ont) SUPER DIRTCAR SERIES
38 JUL 12 ICAR CIRCUIT, Mirabel, (Que)
39 JUL 12 AUTODROME DRUMMOND (Que)
JUL 13 CORNWALL MOTOR SPEEDWAY(Ont) , RAINED OUT SUPER DIRTCAR SERIES
40 JUL 16 CAPITAL CITY SPEEDWAY,Ottawa (Ont)
41 JUL 18 BRIGHTON SPEEDWAY (Ont)
42 JUL 19 AUTODROME DRUMMOND (Que)
JUL 20 CORNWALL MOTOR SPEEDWAY (Ont) RAINED OUT
JUL 23 CAPITAL CITY SPEEDWAY,Ottawa, (Ont) RAINED OUT
JUL 26 MOWHAWK INTERNATIONAL RACEWAY, Hogansburg (NY) RAINED OUT
43 JUL 27 CORNWALL MOTOR SPEEDWAY (Ont)
44 JUL 30 CAPITAL CITY SPEEDWAY, Ottawa, (Ont)
45 JUL 31 MOHAWK INTERNATIONAL RACEWAY, Hogansburg NY (LUCAS OILS CDS)
46 AUG 1 AUTODROME EDELWEISS, Cantley (Que) (LUCAS OILS CDS)
47 AUG 2 BROCKVILLE ONTARIO SPEEDWAY (Ont) (LUCAS OILS CDS POSTPONED)
48 AUG 3 CORNWALL MOTOR SPEEDWAY (Ont) (LUCAS OILS CDS)
49 AUG 6 AIRBORNE SPEEDWAY PARK , Plattsburg ( NY)
50 AUG 9 CAPITAL CITY SPEEDWAY, Ottawa, (Ont) (ACT SERIES RACE)
AUG 10 CORNWALL MOTOR SPEEDWAY (Ont) RAINED OUT
51 AUG 13 CAPITAL CITY SPEEDWAY , Ottawa , (Ont)
52 AUG 16 CAN AM SPEEDWAY, Lafargeville, (NY) SUPER DIRTCAR SERIES
53 AUG 17 CORNWALL MOTOR SPEEDWAY (Ont) SUPER DIRT CAR SERIES
54 AUG 20 CAPITAL CITY SPEEDWAY Ottawa (Ont)
55 AUG 21 MOHAWK INTERNATIONAL RACEWAY , Hogansburg (NY) 358 SUPER DIRTCAR SERIES
56 AUG 23 BROCKVILLE ONTARIO SPEEDWAY (Ont)
57 AUG 24 CORNWALL MOTOR SPEEDWAY (Ont)
58 AUG 27 CAPITAL CITY SPEEDWAY , Ottawa, (Ont)
59 SEP 1 CORNWALL MOTOR SPEEDWAY (Ont) 358 SUPER DIRTCAR SERIES
SEP 6 CAPITAL CITY SPEEDWAY, Ottawa, (Ont) ACT SERIES RACE (RAINED OUT)
SEP 6 BROCKVILLE ONTARIO SPEEDWAY (Ont) 358 LUCAS OIL CDN / SUPER DIRTCAR (RAINED OUT)
My RICK @ the RACES (RETRO) reports are a little different, as they are an ongoing account of my times spent at the races through the years. Some time in the future, once they have been tidied up and edited, I may look into getting them published. I still have a long way to go before I'm up to the present day, but in the meantime, please contact me for consent before before using ( websites or publications) Thanks Rick