“I haven’t seen an opening night like that here in a long time,” said one excited race fan as they left the speedway on Saturday night.  “That was awesome.”

Despite a less than stellar forecast, the weather held up for the inaugural event of the 2008 Flamboro Speedway racing season, and the racers at Hamilton’s asphalt arena took full advantage.

The pits were filled with excited race teams, many who were returning and a few exciting new entries.  Most noticeable was the addition of Late Model #34 Jason Tremble who joined the Flamboro roster after a few seasons mastering the ovals of Sunset Speedway (Innisfil) and Varney Motor Speedway (Mount Forest).

Qualifying, Round One

The racing program began with the Mini Stocks, presented by Waterdown Napa Auto Parts, and the first race of the year was won by Dundas driver of the #38 Canadian Tire Ford, Rodney Rutherford.  It was great to see the young driver back in the winner’s circle and finally having a positive start to a season – particularly after a few bad wrecks at the start of 2007.

The two remaining heat races were won by a couple of top rivals from last year, #31 Dave Bailey (of Hagersville) and #15 Leanne Finlayson (of Hamilton).  Both drivers were not showing any signs of race rust as they found the momentum right where they left it last October.

Qualifying for the Midtown Carstar Thunder Cars was next and the two heat races were won by #27 Kevin Albers (Rockton) and #72 Randy Rusnell (Cambridge), respectively.  Also looking strong in these races were the second place finishers, #63 Matt Jackson in heat one, and #02 Erinn Bailey in heat two.  Jackson was a rising star in ’07 and should have a break out season this summer, likely winning at least 3 features.  Bailey was at the other end of the field, struggling with equipment last year, but her new ride looked pretty stout in the first round.  The new #02 is the former #4 of past track champion Paul McIlroy.

Then, ‘the rumble returned’ with Grisdale Late Model qualifying.  Most of the drivers in this field have gone to the crate motor package, including the defending track champion #82 Jason Shaw.  The parity in the field has created some very exciting racing, focused more on car handling and driver ability then on raw engine power.  As a result two less-recognized faces posed for photos in victory lane.  #44 Steve Laking (Guelph) made his first stop in the winner’s circle to show off the new black paint scheme of his Boucher & Jones Fuels-Spira Fire Protection Chevrolet at the close of heat one; and Rockton’s own T.J. Marshall, the 16-year old go-kart graduate, won his first ever Late Model checkered flag in heat two – the first race of just his second season in Ontario’s premier grass roots racing class.

Qualifying, Round Two

All three divisions then posted a Last Chance Qualifier (consi) race where the finish would determine the final starting lineup for the night’s feature events.

In Mini Stocks the race was won by #21 Rick Bentley, but a tech infraction later handed that victory over to #24 Pappy Brown (Hamilton).

The Thunder Car consi was won by #67 ‘Rapid’ Roy Robinson (Hamilton) who, we were told, put many months of effort into preparing that car to race again after a bad accident in 2007.

And the Late Model consi was won by #86 Kenny Forth (Lynden), a two-time feature winner from last summer and former CASCAR star.

 

Waterdown Napa Mini Stock Feature Race

For the first time at a regular race night event, Flamboro Speedway qualified and started 30 Napa Mini Stocks in the feature.  It was a scorer’s nightmare as the track was soon filled with zooming mini race machines.  And it didn’t help that the fastest one of all was weaving in and out of traffic like a cross-stitching sewing needle.

The defending division champion, #31 Dave Bailey, started on the outside of row one beside top qualifier #38 Rodney Rutherford.  It was a brief battle on lap one for Bailey to take the lead, and as the Jay Hewer Racing Ford sped away fans turned their attention to an exciting side by side battle for second.

You may remember the catch phrase painted on the back of Leanne Finlayson’s #15 Honda – it reads, “You just got beat by a pink car.”  Rodney Rutherford was determined to not have to read that sign.

Lap after the lap the two drivers battled around the banks of the third-mile oval, trading lanes, trading spots and even trading paint.  In the end, the #38 was not able to stay ahead and resigned from the fight.  In his place followed a hard charging #01 Mark DaSilva and #43 Richard Watson.

The Watson #43 may have been familiar with race fans who have seen the 2008 printed schedule – where Richard Watson looks more like Richard Petty as the #43 flew through the air along the back straightaway last summer.  This time he was flying again, but thankfully with four wheels still firmly on the ground.

The strength of DaSilva’s #01 was almost surprising as he moved into third, and truly conspicuous sporting a bright new coat of orange paint.  Watching this competitor it’s clear that this is a team destined to win in 2008.  Just not this night.

Out front Dave Bailey was unattainable, untraceable, and in a sense, unnoticeable.  All eyes were on the positions second through fifth where the bumpers sniffed at one another like dogs chasing tails.  In the end, the first five across the finish line were: #31 Bailey, #15 Finlayson, #01 DaSilva, #43 Watson, and #38x Bill Pearsall.

 

Midtown Carstar Thunder Car Feature Race

Once again the top two qualifiers lined up on the front row to lead a field of stock jockeys into battle.  #27 Kevin Albers alongside #72 Randy Rusnell set the pace once the MacMaster Pontiac Pace Truck pulled off to the safety of the infield.

From the drop of the green flag Albers and Rusnell were the show at the front of the 18-car field; and the reason was patience.  I don’t think there was anyone in the grandstand who would have believed that defending champion Randy, The Rocket, would have the patience not to bump and run for the win.

Lap after lap the two were closer than Siamese twins, joined at the bumper, and viewers all around the track waited for the smack that would cost Albers the victory.  It never came.  To be clear, it’s not like Rusnell wasn’t trying; and I am not saying there was a lack of bumper banging all together.  There were a few strong taps in the corner that I’m sure would of alerted Kevin Albers to Rusnell’s presence; but nothing that cost him the racing lane.

To add some information to the review, Randy Rusnell – like Kevin Albers – now runs a crate motor.  It was displayed on the track that Rusnell could stay with the #27, but just didn’t have the power he needed to make a run on the outside like we’ve seen in the past.  Will this be the end of Rocket’s dominance from the high-line?  It’s too early to tell.  The bottom line this night was that there was no room to go to the inside because Kevin Albers was simply not shook.  He ran a sold line around the track, blocked when he had to, and held off probably the best active runner in this division for the first checkers of the year.

A driver who has been in the top five for half decade, but always just under the shadow cast by the championship chase, Kevin Albers told the crowd about the pressure’s of leading a past champion; and when asked about the idea of winning his first track title in 2008 he modestly replied, “I’m not going to make any bold statements. It’s not who I am.  I’m just happy to win tonight.”

The scored top five were: #27 Albers, #72 Rusnell, #63 Matt Jackson, #17 Nick Roth, and #31 Kevin Gallant – who came the furthest to reach the top five after starting tenth.

 

Grisdale Late Model Feature Race

It should be no surprise that the Late Model feature was the best of the night; after all, as the premier class of grass roots racing the Late Models typically boast a roster of the top racing talent in the area.  But a heads-up start – where the fastest qualifiers start at the front – has often turned into nothing more than a glorified practice session.  It’s for that reason that promoters have created handicaps and field inversions; to force racing.  Well on this night, with top qualifier #44 Steve Laking setting the pace from the pole position with #75 T.J. Marshall on the outside, these drivers needed no more incentive than the drop of the green flag.

Despite a strong qualifying effort Marshall soon found himself in trouble, trapped in the outside lane while the likes of #52 Scott Lyons (Westover) and #8 Paul Howse (Hillsburgh) lined up to follow Laking to the front.

One driver didn’t even get the opportunity to start, as former champion #37 David Elliott (Acton) was forced to sit and watch the green flag drop from the infield after the clutch broke in his Pennzoil Chevrolet during the pre-race warm-up.

While Laking lead the fastest fellows to the front of the field, TJ Marshall struggled to get back in line and salvage a top ten spot after starting second.  At one point in the fray Marshall tangled with #56 Jeff ‘the Bull’ Stewart (Erin), and took exception to the shot.  A couple laps later Marshall offered a shot of his own in corner three that sent the Kubota Chevrolet spinning around.   A caution put Stewart to the back of the line for the restart while Marshall was left in the running order.  No further incidents followed as the drivers appeared to agree they were now ‘even’.

Also in the midst of the action, #95 ‘The Hitman’ Anthony Simone (Holland Landing) was drawing attention to himself.  Nicknamed that night for his keen ability to ‘take you out,’ a rough driving penalty put Simone to the end of the longest line.  Unmoved by the penalty, Simone went right back to work making his way through traffic.

At the front of the field there was a first-class exhibition of the Late Model racing talent offered at the Hamilton asphalt arena.  Steve Laking lead a 3-car train of past champions that started with the multi-time winner Lyons and included fellow track title holders Howse and #07 Todd Campbell (Guelph).  The front four put on a true racing show of hard charging pass attempts and classic bumper banging.  Lyons looked strongest in corners one and two, but Howse was the superior runner in three and four.  Laking ran a solid and defensive line out front making sure there was no room on the inside that could poissibly be mistaken as an invitation for Scott Lyons; and Todd Campbell simply kept pace and waited for someone in line to make a mistake.

In the end Laking proved too strong for Lyons, whose attention had been divided as he struggled to hold off Paul Howse.  Standing beside his #44 Boucher & Jones Fuels-Spira Fire Protection Chevrolet during victory lane photos, Steve Laking said, “Scott and I have been friends for a long time and I knew he would run me hard and clean.  There’s a few new marks on the back bumper after that run, but that’s expected when the competition is this close.”

The driver who rounded out the top five: #95 Anthony Simone.

 

Post-Race Notes:

- Next week is the first week of the new handicap system, where top performers will be handicapped behind lower performers in the feature lineup (up to the first 18 qualified positions).  All participating racers at Flamboro Speedway in 2008 will be earning point scores for their performance to put them in the handicap – BUT ONLY THOSE DRIVERS/TEAMS WITH SPEEDWAY MEMBERSHIPS ARE QUALIFIED TO WIN ANY POINT FUND OR OTHER CONTINGENCY PRIZING BEYOND RACE PURSES.

- Anthony Simone is warming up for the upcoming NCATS season this summer and is scheduled to participate in events across Canada as part of the national tour.  We wish him the best of luck in this new adventure.  Look out Donny Thomson, ‘The Hitman’ is comin’ for ya.

- Gary Elliott is celebrating 40 years in Canadian racing this summer and as part of this victory tour will be sponsoring a bicycle giveaway at each event he participates in this summer.  The first giveaway was scheduled for this past Saturday but the speedway’s Kids Club was not open yet – so THIS WEEKEND, Saturday May 3^rd, will be the first draw.