WEBSITE UPDATE

We've now had over 2000 hits on www.rickattheraces.com and the new entries in the Guest Book include the following.

Jim from Belleville (Ont),  buddy, media man and track announcer.

Brooke of (Ont), grandson and web master for 358 DIRT MOD driver Dave Heaslip # 84

Colin from Herts (UK) friend, photographer, former BriSCA F1 driver # 176 .

Phil from (Northants) UK, old friend, and former BriSCA F1 driver # 401

Nick Trapp,  a new reader

thanks guys

My free time is starting to get scarce as my forthcoming house move approaches, but since last week we've managed to add some more photos . In Ricks Favorites there are some shots from the East Bay Speedway (Tampa) in Florida, taken in 2007 when I met up with Steve Arpin. There's a few more additions in 'Pretty Faces' and in Ricks Race Cars, there is a shot from 1983 that shows me with my daughter, Carla, who was just a few months old at the time.

www.rickattheraces.com

Now on to this weeks report

20 Aug Capital City Speedway

21 Aug Mohawk International Raceway.

23 Aug Brockville Ontario Speedway

24 Aug Cornwall Motor Speedway

As usual this weeks report starts off at the Capital City Speedway in Ottawa, for the regular Wednesday night show (20 Aug) . It was a nice sunny day and the weather stayed dry for the large crowd in attendance. Race fans saw some different faces in victory lane that night with Ricky Rump # 96 as the Late Model winner and Norm Lynch # 66 in the Legends who broke Kevin Foisy's long run of wins. Derek May was a first time winner with his tidy # 00 Pontiac Sunfire in the 4 for Fun division.

Intermission entertainment was provided by over 50 street rods and custom cars that paraded around the track. It was an impressive display . For some reason, a few of the guys decided to pull up on the front stretch and do burn outs ( smoking their tires) . I'm afraid I seem to have 'lost the plot' with this particular activity, I can't see the point of it. Are they trying to impress people ? Not me !  Maybe the teenagers thought it was cool , but most of the adults amongst us were left a bit bewildered.

On Thursday night (21 Aug) I crossed St Lawrence Seaway straight from work to the Mohawk International Raceway at Hogansburg NY for a staging of the 358 Modified SUPER DIRTCAR SERIES. The last time the Series was attempted there ( a few years back ) , rain put an end to things just prior to start time, but for the second night running, I was greeted with good weather.

There were many of the top names present for the incident filled 100 lapper , that produced a carnage of wrecked cars. Those of Danny O'Brien # 17 D and Brian McDonald # 151 KB received very severe damage and Roy Delormier's # 27  (which barrell rolled several times) looked completely 'totaled' .

Quebecer , Mario Clair # 22C crossed the line to take the checkers with Danny Johnson # 55 second and Jessica Zemken # 19Z third. Clair was later disqualified after a post race tech inspection found an infringement (a carburetter issue , from what I heard )

Once again, there was no racing for me on Friday ( 22 Aug) due to work commitments, but on Saturday I traveled to the Brockville Ontario Speedway.

Full credit must be given to Danny O'Brien and his crew who spent many hours repairing the damage after Thursdays Mohawk International Speedway wreck. Not only were they back in action at Brockville, but they took the feature race too.

Chris Raabe # 00 won yet another SPORTSMAN Feature

Well ! guess what the intermission entertainment at Brockville was ?

It was a spectator tire burn out session similar to what the custom car guys had been doing 'unscheduled' at Capital City Speedway . This time a selection of vehicles, including pick up trucks smoked their tires ( until some blew completely) on a piece of sheet metal placed by the front stretch. Again, I looked on thinking to my self , what is the point of this of all this ?

On Sunday (24 Aug) I was at the Cornwall Motor Speedway for the 'Race for the Children' charity fund raising night. Although rain had been predicted, it stayed dry and the night went smoothly without any delays. Laurent Ladouceur # 23 won the Modified Feature and his son Joey # 92 took the Pro Stock win.

My week of tire burnouts hadn't ended yet !

 After Joey took the checkers he placed his car against the front stretch wall and smoked his tires as celebration gesture.  I do see the point in this case as it's done during the moment of excitement, following a win .....  I guess, much the same as doing donuts.

BriSCA F1 WORLD FINAL UPDATE

This past weekend the second semi final of the BriSCA F1 World Final took place at Skegness and was won by Andy Smith # 391 . My buddy Colin Herridge from the UK sent me a photo of the winners car.

It's getting closer and closer to World Final time, and in just a couple of weeks I'll be heading across the pond for the 'Big One' at Ipswich. I'm already looking forward to the trip and hoping to catch up with a few of my old buddies for a beer or three

PIC 1   Ricky Rump # 96 Capital City Speedways Late Model winner

PIC 2   Norm Lynch # 66 Capital City Speedways Legend winner

PIC 3  Danny 'the Doctor' Johnson # 55 at the Mohawk Int Raceway 358 SDS show

PIC 4  Jessica Zemken # 19Z at the Mohawk Int Raceway 358 SDS show.

PIC 5   Victory lane at the Mohawk Int Raceway 358 SDS show.

PIC 6   Danny O'Brien # 17D and his crew after Brockville Ont Speedways  Mod feature win

PIC 7   Chris Raabe # 00 after his Brockville Ont Speedway SPORTSMAN feature win

PIC 8  358 Mod driver Joel Doiron presents a check from his sponsor on Cornwall Motor Speedways Race For the Children Night.

PIC 9    Laurent Ladouceur winner of the Mod feature at the Cornwall Motor Speedway  

PIC 10  Joey Ladouceur winner of the Pro Stock feature at the Cornwall Motor Speedway

PIC  11   The BriSCA F1 of Andy Smith # 391 , winner of the Skegness BriSCA W/F 'Semi'