Race Time Radio
'Canadian Auto Racing News'
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July 27th 2010
July 27, 2010 (London, Ontario) London's Mark Sammut's fortunes are turning around for the 2010 season which started with a few rough patches and until last weekend, not one top-5 finish. Sammut is in his 12th year of racing in the International Super Modified Association's series which comes to Delaware Speedway August 6th and 7th, its only Canadian stop this year. His first series win came in 2009 and this past weekend he had a win and a top-10 finish at Sandusky Speedway in Ohio. “Well, we wrecked a couple of times this year. Had engine trouble one time, too. But last weekend we won the 100 lap feature and came seventh in the 40 lapper so it was a good weekend for us. We were 8th in points going into the weekend so we should have notched up a couple of spots.” (At the time of this interview, ISMA points standings had not yet been updated to reflect the July 23/24 weekend.) ISMA cars are unlike virtually anything else on a racetrack. They're small, need a push-start and have wings on the front and the back. Each tire is also a different size. Sammut says the big thrill is that they pack more than 800 horsepower in their low-slung bodies. “They're the fastest short track cars on asphalt. They're loud and they're fast.” In his previous career racing in Canadian Midgets, Sammut won many features and championships. Last year he finished second at the ISMA event at Delaware Speedway and a win this year would be sweet. “Delaware is a lot like the other short tracks we stop at on the tour but of course it means a lot more with more local people there, people we know.' The ISMA racing season is brief - between 12 and 18 races, with competitors from all over the Northeastern U.S. “Oh there'll be guys from New Hampshire, Maine, Michigan, Ohio”, says Sammut. “There's nothing else like it out there.” For more information on ISMA:
www.ismasupers.com
Mark Sammut Ready for the Delaware Classic Weekend! ISMA's Only Canadian stop in '10 presented by PATCO Transportation
Mike Watts, 58, track photograph at Mohawk International Raceway (MIR) in Akwesasne, N.Y. and Airborne Park Speedway in Plattsburgh, N.Y., passed away on Sunday morning, July 25, after suffering a heart attack earlier in the week. The staff, racing teams, fans and sponsors of MIR would like to express their deepest sympathies and condolences to his wife Jane and sons Mike Jr. and Andy, their family and their many, many friends.
Calling hours will be held at Browns Funeral Home, Broad Street in Plattsburgh on Tue. July 27, 2-4pm & 7-9pm. Mass will be held at St. Peters Church, Plattsburgh, on Wed. July 28, at 10am with Burial at St. Peters Cemetery immediately following mass.
A celebration of Mike's life will be held at Airborne Speedway following burial services. Anyone wishing to make a donation of food may do so by bringing a dish to Airborne Speedway on Wednesday morning. The food can be dropped off at the main concession stand to Brenda or Allan Fuller.
Watts had been involved in racing his entire life, first as a fan at Airborne Park Speedway as a child and then picking up the camera and taking photos of the racing action at the age of sixteen in 1967. He covered racing action at Airborne on a weekly basis from the 1960s through the late 1980s and returned again to Airborne on a weekly basis in 2005 when his close friend Mike Perrotte became promoter and brought DIRTcar 358-Modifieds back to the track on a weekly basis. He was thrilled to "come home" to the track he grew up at and see his friends in action on the speedway.
Mike joined Mohawk Int'l Raceway in its second season, in the late 1980s, when the track was named Frogtown Int'l Speedway and ran on Friday nights, drawing one of the toughest weekly 358-Modified fields in the Northeast. Mike and his family covered the racing action at MIR every week for over twenty years and Mike and Jane's photo stand was the first stop on race night for so many fans, drivers and officials, not just to get photos and racing newspapers and other souvenirs, but to hear stories, tell jokes and renew friendships.
Mike Watts and Mike Perrotte started the Champlain Valley Motorsports Show in the late 1990s and in the past decade, the show has become a huge success. The annual show has become the kick-off of the racing season for most Champlain Valley racing teams and fans, and it is a time when everyone can get together after a long, cold winter to look forward to the excitement ahead in the summer months.
Mike and Jane Watts have been so committed to racing and in many respects, their family life revolved around the sport. Mike proposed to Jane during a racing show at Airborne Park Speedway. Their sons Mike Jr. and Andy grew up at the races and are still deeply involved in the sport.
Mike was known throughout the Northeast as he traveled to many other speedways to cover the action, in addition to covering the weekly action at Mohawk and Airborne. His photos were prominently featured in racing newspapers such as Gater Racing News and Area Auto Racing News, in local news coverage, and on many racing websites.
Mike played a special role in racing: His photos document the history of five decades of racing in the North Country. When our memories fade and the old newspaper clippings are brittle, we will always have Mike's amazing photographs to stir our memories and tell the story of the sport we love so much. For that and so much more, we are thankful.
Mike Watts made as many friends as he took photos...and he took a lot of photos over the years. Mike gave so much to the racing community -- he gave us great photos, yes, but he also gave us great memories, great stories and jokes, great times and conversations. He was a great friend to all of us and we will miss him deeply.
Our thoughts and our prayers are with Jane, Mike Jr. and Andy in this very difficult time.
Thank you, Mike, for being our friend. You will be in our hearts forever.
Remembering Mike Watts, Mohawk Int'l Raceway Track Photographer
Akwesasne, NY - July 26, 2010 - Bill Smith, MIR Public Relations Director
“This is an event brought together by the support of the local community. Several businesses throughout the Rainy River District have come together to help provide some great entertainment from a unique class of racing vehicles.” Promoter Anthony Leek explains.
Included in this special event for sponsorship is Norlund Oil Ltd. (2003), Green’s Barbeque Bar, Jim Strachan, Vern Thompson, Strachan Trucking, Darren Blattner, Glen Jackson, Barwick Service, Nestor Falls Marine, Dimit Bus Lines Ltd., Visser Auto, and Harold McQuaker Enterprises.
“Without their generous support, it wouldn’t be possible to continue to bring high quality family entertainment through the sport of racing. This is definitely an event no one would want to miss since it is an addition to the usual program.” Leek continued.
The night’s evening will also feature the weekly racing of WISSOTA Midwest Modifieds, WISSOTA Modifieds, and Street Stocks. Racing has been extremely competitive this year especially in the WISSOTA Midwest Modified class as there have been eight different winners in almost ten weeks of events.
“This is the time of year where the competition is stepped up to a whole new level. Getting a win is more important now than ever.”
Fans can not only expect to see some great local drivers tear up the track, but the Winnipeg Super Trucks will definitely be a special treat that is rarely seen.
“The Winnipeg Super Trucks have some of the most exciting racing I have ever seen. There has been several races at Red River Co-op Speedway and Greenbush Race Park of three wide racing and bumper to bumper wins at the finish line.”
Not only are the Super Trucks fast and have close side-by-side racing, but are unique in their appearance. Compared to their car counterparts, the body of the trucks resemble those of a pick-up truck on the street but are run by Bert racing manual transmissions and are lower to the ground.
“One of the coolest things about these racing vehicles are the style. They are nothing like a car in appearance and are a special treat to see. We get to watch cars every week at the track, and August 7th will add a dynamic that most people don’t usually get to see.” Leek concluded.
Be sure to mark on your calendars that the Winnipeg Super Trucks will be arriving at the Emo Speedway on August 7th starting at 7pm for hot laps and racing at 7:30pm. Tickets are $10 for Adults, $6 for Students/Seniors, $4 for Ages 6-12, with 5 and under free. Family packages are available for $25. For more information, please visit www.borderlandracing.com
Winnipeg Super Trucks are back at Emo Speedway August 7
By Borderland Racing Association Press Release
The heat wave of the previous week finally let go on Saturday as Southwestern Ontario was pounded with rain. With the speedway soaking wet, a full pit area of race cars and drivers anxiously awaited the decision to 'go' or 'go home'. The touring Pro Challenge Series was on hand this night for their second scheduled event of the 2010 season. After the first date was cancelled due to rain back on June 12th, the ruling finally came down that speedway officials would wait out the rain and dry the track.
The rain would ease and, with blue skies on the horizon, the Varney Motor Speedway track crew proceeded to dry the track. Brimming with confidence that this night would yeild some very competitive racing, the Pro Challenge drivers began to unload their cars as speedway regular series cars took to the track to assist with the drying. The hard work paid off and, the green flag dropped on the night's first race just before 8:00pm.
The 3/4 scale late model Pro Challenge cars ran the highbanks in 2009 as an exhibition race but, based on the success of that experiment, Varney Motor Speedway secured two points races for the touring series. All things considered with the weather and all, the grandstands were still half full as #10 Bob Hopton of Kitchener and #77 Patrick Freel of London brought the field to green for Saturday night's feature race.
Hopton would take the early lead from his pole position and Freel would stay close before making a challenge for the top spot in turns three and four. Protecting the lead, Hopton would slip up the track in turn four making contact with Freel's car sending the London driver up into the unforgiving turn four wall, bringing out the first caution flag of the race. Freel would end up in the pits while Hopton found himself at the back for the restart.
Coming back for the restart, #40 Owen Smith of Holland Landing led the way with #60 Scott Fletcher and # 66Josh Nicholson of Brantford; last year's feature race winner; in pursuit. Smith would lead briefly before Fletcher dove to the inside in turn four. Fletcher would take over the top spot as #99 Ken Nicholson of Brantford and Pro Challenge points leader #02 Dennis Thompson of Dundas fllowed through into second and third respectively.
The second caution would come out for a spin in turn two involving #37 Larry Majuery of Niagara Falls. The pack bunched up quickly as Fletcher hoped to protect his lead. Moving up through the field quickly were #88 Tim Norris of Dundas and #71 Dario Valente of Stoufville who both started near the back and now found themselves flirting with the top five.
Green again as Fletcher led the way but, heading into turn four, K. Nicholson would move to the bottom of the track and make the pass for the lead. Then, battling for third, Thompson and Smith would run out of real estate as Smith; unassissted; would spin in turn four to bring out the third caution. K. Nicholson, Fletcher and Thompson led the pack back to green and, over the next several laps, K. Nicholson would build up half a straightaway lead as Fletcher and Thompson raced for second. Fletcher would eventually relinquish the position just as Norris would spin in turn two bringing out the fourth caution of the race.
After another caution flag as #00 Ken Lilycrop finds the turn four wall, Fletcher's night would also come to an early end. After taking the green on the restart following Lilycrop's incident, Fletcher's car would start to lose power from the thrid position and the winner of one of the early heat races would quickly drop back in the pack before parking it for the night.
Varney Speedway Race Recap, Photos and Results for Saturday July 24, 2010
Pro Challenge Series Take Varney By Storm
Race Results For Saturday, July 24, 2010
Pro Challenge- FEATURE
Pos Driver Car #
1 Ken Nicholson 99
2 Dennis Thompson 02
3 John Nicholson 66
4 Tim Norris 88
5 Tim Forbes 04
6 Dario Valente 71
7 Jason Podewils 7
8 Dave Wilson 8
9 Larrry Majerie 37
10 Rick Sealy 16
11 Owen Smith 40
12 Scott Fletcher 60
13 Bob Hopton 10
14 Ken Lillycrop 00
15 Patrick Freel 77
16 Kyle Batty 38
Heat races won by: Hopton, Fletcher
STOCK 4 - FEATURE
Pos Driver Car #
1 Clark Hartman 51
2 Tim Tolton 35
3 Britton Lundy 09
4 Luke Freeman 28
5 Nick Clarke 86
Heat races won by: Lundy, Clarke, Freeman, Tolton
STREET STOCK - FEATURE
Pos Driver Car #
1 Bill Cole 93
2 Brian Wilson 19
3 James Hunt 99
4 Bill Keill 06
5 Tanya McDougall 26
Heat races won by: Wilson X2
Varney Late Model - FEATURE
Pos Driver Car #
1 Justin McLellan 12
2 Christopher VanDusen 81
3 Tyler Williams 76
4 Jeff Lotspeich 85
5 Tommy Robb 89
Heat races won by: Lotspeich and Van Dusen
Meanwhile, K. Nicholson would maintain the top spot and, after one more caution for a second spin involving #40 Owen Smith, Nicholson and Thompson would engage in a fierce battle for the lead as the two drivers would pull away from the rest of the pack. Positions two on back were certainly up for grabs as J. Nicholson, #04 Tim Forbes of Barrie, Norris, Valente and #7 Jason Podewils of Barrie all remained in contention.
With five laps to go, Thompson would close in on K. Nicholson as he was looking for his fifth win of the year but, Nicholson would not be denied and after watching his son take the checkers one year ago, Nicholson would indeed hang on for his first win of the year keeping the Nicholson streak at Varney intact. After winning the first five of the year, Thompson watched the second in a row slip away as he settled for the second spot. J. Nicholson, Norris and Forbes rounded out the top five with Valente, Podewils, #8 Dale Watson of Kitchener, Majuery and #16 Rick Seeley completing the top ten.
While the Pro Challenge series highlighted the night, they weren't the only show in town. Varney regular racing divisions also ran on this night. In the Stock 4's, #51 Clark Hartman of Waterloo was able to break through and into the lead early to speed on to his second feature race win of the year. Street Stock #93 Bill Cole got his season back on track by shutting down last week's winner, #19 Brian Wilson, enroute to another feature race win. In the Late Models, #12 Justin McLellan took advantge of the caution flags to work his way to the front holding off #76 Tyler Williams for the win and, #85 Matt Clarke of Mt. Forest clinched the Super Street feature.
This coming weekend will be another action-packed long weekend double header as all regular divisions will see time on the track inlcuding the Annual All Pro Modified Rick Woolner memorial on Sunday night. Green flag drops both nights at 7:00 pm. For more information, visit
www.varneymotorspeedway.com
Jody Buschlen - Track Announcer/Varney Motor Speedway