2012 Mini Outlaw Racing
2012 Tillsonburg Outlaws
2012 Thanksgiving 100 wrap up race Report
Twenty two weeks of racing behind us. Where did summer go?
The Tillsonburg Outlaws Summer Series was complete Tuesday, September 25 and the only race remaining was the Thanksgiving 100 on October 6 2012. This is a race that could be best described as an endurance test of both driver and machine before putting the season to rest. Driver conditioning that has developed all season makes this possible. The skills learned over the season come together in one long race. All drivers involved did a great job, (well, except for the Expert class) and the
Kids classes all went without a hitch.
The Beginner division which consists mainly of drivers 6-8 years old went 75 laps caution free. Not only is this a very tiring race. It speaks well of the concentration, determination and skill these very young drivers have developed. It really is something to take a group of kids this young, watch them race and learn all season and then see the finished results and how smoothly a race can go. # 45 Nick Sheridan/Mt Brydges completed his triple crown of racing by taking the win in not
only the 100 lap final but also both series as well. On top of that he set the Beginner track record with a 9.043 lap. 15m Kyle McGlone/Union finished 2nd and # 5 Tom Pellizzari/Tillsonburg ended in third. # 8 Tristen McClay who was absent this week was 2nd in the Summer Series followed by Tom Pellizzari.
The Juniors ran a very quick race as well and except for # 6m Eric McGlone doing an over and easy bringing out the red light, they ran caution free as well. # 66 Colby Bennett/Port Dover finished third today after taking 2nd in the Series in front of # 93 Amber Meyers/Springford. Taking 2nd in the 100 though was # 0j Johnny Miller who improved mid-season and certainly peaked at the end of the year. Johnny qualified with the fastest time to start on the poll. So who was in first
at the end? You have heard this name before. # 52 Jacob Sheridan/Mt Brydges was able to match his younger brother’s achievement. 1st in the Spring and Summer series as well as the 100. Another triple crown for this family. We have lots of racers who are fast on any given night but the Sheridan brothers seem to be fast every week and don’t seem to crash very often while trying to get to the front. Consistency wins championships so there is little doubt that they have that covered on the dirt
in Tillsonburg
The Seniors were all out to prove they had what it takes to win the 100 and in their credit they all finished despite # 87 Brad Perrott going over mid race. After getting beat by her sister in the Summer Series, # 79 Bea Courtnage/Harley had something to prove. Never making a mistake and never giving an inch, Bea edged out her sister Kate after 17 minutes and 100 laps by a whopping 1.21 seconds. Only 1.8 seconds behind that was # 77x Alex Hill who was hoping for redemption after sliding
from 1st to 3rd in the Summer Series. Alex races to the last lap but it just was not in the cards this week. It is not lost on me that in a division that is open to any racer aged 12 and up and to male and female that the top three drivers are girls. Hmmmm. Hats off to the ladies. Maybe next year with an influx of hot shoe young male drivers we can get some guys back in there. Time will tell.
So after 3 races without using the yellow caution flag, what happened in the Experts. Well??? We knew it was coming this year with the introduction of 3 “Senior” drivers who jumped directly into racing in the Expert class. To give credit where it is due, this is a very difficult thing to do and the learning curve very steep. Overall they kept it on the track and provided us with lots of entertainment while they learned the ropes. By the end of the year they were thinking it was time
to show their skills and see if they could run the pace and maybe even win this 100 lap thing. Ha. Driving well and going fast can be two different things and this week seemed that driving without spinning out was not in the cards for the new guys. Eventually things settled down and even with the mid race fuel stop, they knocked 10 minutes off their elapsed time. BUT, the kids got 275 laps in faster then the Experts did 100 laps. We are going to have to work on that. We are getting
very close to having some drivers graduate to Expert that started in this club in Beginner and I am looking forward to racing against some of our home grown racers. Next year the Expert rookies will be in their second year and will likely be ready right from the start. This is going to be a good class next year. Oh yes, who won? # 34 Scott Chesterman did his own triple crown taking each series and the 100 lap race. Despite getting pushed out of the top 3 in the Summer Series I managed
to take 2nd in the 100 only 1.381 seconds behind my son. Certainly a good night for me. # 19 Cody Coburn who took third in the Summer series , did the same in the 100. What happened to # 1 Holly Porter? Despite finishing in 2nd for the Spring and Summer Series, has yet to finish the 100 lap race and pulled off at lap 95 with steering problems. Oddly enough that was still good enough for 4th as the remaining cars had been lapped enough times to hold her there.
What’s left? It’s time to get your banquet tickets for the Year end Banquet and Trophy presentations for the whole season. It is a good night, good food and a good visit with friends who may well not be seen until next May when the new season starts.
Banquet Is October 27 2012. 5 pm start. GET YOUR TICKETS
Tillsonburg Outlaws Summer Series 2012 is complete.
It seems like just last weekend we kicked off the season and here we are winding the summer down. Each competitor has worked his or her way through 33 individual races in the Summer Series alone. Totaling points from each night has determined what drivers were most consistent with top results. We have watched drivers develop and improve all season and often the ones that were clearly superior at the beginning of a series were less noticeable by the end as the group improved with each night’s racing. So how did this week go?
The Beginners continued to learn new things this week as the two new drivers that joined late in the season created two new situations for the kids to adapt to. First, with more karts on the track, there was more “racing” to be done with more traffic to deal with. Also with two new drivers, the status quo of who is fastest is up in the air. This is a great late season lesson for the kids as a couple prepare to move to Junior next year. As for the night, #45 Nick Sheridan was able to claim top spot with three wins with # 5 Tom Pellizzari taking second. As for third place, Rayse Meyer and Paige Smith were Oh so close but # 8 Tristan McClay took the position. Next up for this group is the 75 Lap Thanksgiving race. With this group normally going 20 laps at a time, it will be a long and tiring end to the season.
# 52 Jacob Sheridan continued to dominate the Juniors this week. Despite the track having some rough spots this week the whole group took it in stride and adjusted their lines as needed. No surprise as the majority of this group is poised to get an extra 3 horsepower next year. This week it was #66 Colby Bennett that grabbed second with #0j Johnny Miller solidly in third. Great racing from a group of great kids. Hardly a caution all night from this division.
As for the Seniors, it took them a long time to sort things out. This group had the closest standings in the series and this weeks racing showed it. No one was willing to give an inch but each knew they had to do well in each race and a DNS would drop them totally out of contention for the series. The final 35 lap race was indicative of how hard this group runs. # 93 Austin Giles spun in the first start and was sent to the rear for the restart. Attempted start number two was foiled when the same fate fell onto # 26 being driven by Kassy Streng this week. # 77 Alex Hill, who was hoping to move up a couple positions in the standings was able to win the race but was hounded to the end by #39 Kate Courtnage and # 79 Bea Courtnage. Both wanted past but neither was willing to risk a spin. Earlier in the night Hill’s luck was different though as the team tried a new gear ratio. Part way through the 15 lap sprint Hill’s chain derailed after or before being bumped from behind by Kate Courtnage. While the drivers likely know what happened first, it is hard for the officials to know whether the chain coming off caused the bump from the rear driver or the bump from behind caused the chain to derail. When in doubt, both drivers went to the rear for the restart to attempt to work their way back up through the group. Not mentioned to this point is # 87 Brad Perrott who needed a great night to get back into the top three for the series. He finished second this week behind Bea Courtnage but in front of Kate Courtnage.
The Experts had a rough start in their 10 lap sprint as a first corner pile up caused a delay after # 34 Scott Chesterman’s front wheel got jammed into the #47 kart of Joe Kelly after # 1 Holly Porter tangled with #47 and blocked the track putting #81 kart of Bob Townsend up and over on his lid. A broken spindle took the # 34 out which opened up the night for anyone brave enough to go for the win. With two wins and a second in Qualifying, # 1 Holly Porter finished first overall with # 37 Scott Kelly taking second following last weeks win and starting from the rear this week. # 19 Cody Coburn was looking to take second but after a mid race spin moved him back two spots, he had to settle for third. It took Scott Kelly and Cody Coburn most of the year to get consistency to match speed, but with that behind them, we have a lot of close racing coming up. 1st up is the Thanksgiving 100.
Next race is on Saturday October 6. Sign in starts at Noon. This is a stand alone non point’s race but all rules apply for various classes. Potluck Supper follows the racing action. All spectators and families welcome to participate. See you there.
Sept 18 race report.
The Beginners had two new faces this week and it sure mixed up things. The kids that have been racing all season have learned enough to maneuver their way through traffic more or less so really what we saw was a lot of good racing and you only occasionally had to cover your eyes. Lol #8 Tristan McClay/Burgessville was able to just edge out # 45 Nick Sheridan/Mt Brydges for first overall with # 93 Rayse Meyer/Courtland managing 3rd despite Tom Pellizzari’s best effort. Congratulations to # 14m Kyle McGlone/ Union and # 48 Brandon Murphy/St Thomas on their first race ever. Both went home without needing any bodywork repairs so the night was very successful for both.
The Junior division also had a new racer. Welcome # 6m Eric McGlone/Union making his racing debut, again without kart damage. I am sure Dad was happy about that. # 66 Colby Bennett won the 15 lap sprint while # 62 Oscar McCormack won the 25 lap main and # 52 Jacob Sheridan grabbed the final 30 lap main win. When the points were added it was Sheridan, McCormack and Bennett in that order for the night.
For the Seniors it was # 26 Katherine Summers taking the 15 lap sprint with #39 Kate and # 79 Bea Courtnage trading wins in the mains. # 87 Brad Perrott was able to claim third overall behind Bea and Kate. # 77 Alex Hill who was sitting very high in the Series started the night out upside down after a two wheeled excursion went wrong. Although the kart was damaged, she was able to continue on to salvage as many points as possible. She starts in front of the Courtnage girls next week. Will it be enough to jump back to first and take the Summer Series? One more race night is going to determine the whole series outcome. Stayed tuned.
# 37 Scott Kelly tops the Experts this week. Determined not to let the old guy, (that’s me) beat him, he whopped the whole field in the process. He won the 10 lap sprint and took second in qualifying and the main. Good Job. On a more depressing note, both Joe Kelly and Bob Townsend both beat me in qualifying. Revenge came in the races though as I was able to put them behind me. For the night it was Scott Chesterman and Cody Coburn going two and three overall.
Thankfully that never happened on the scale possible. Non the less, there was a war going on in Tillsonburg. A much friendlier one. but not without some carnage. With the Series Championship race near conclusion, every point counts and several divisions will not be settled until the last main.
This week the racers arrived to see a totally new track surface. To eliminate the annoying bump going into the flag stand corner, the whole track was dug up with the dozer, roto-tilled and watered before repacking. This made for a clay surface with incredible grip. So much grip that a driver could turn sharp enough that the inside wheels come up off the track. What happens next depends on the driver. Relax the turn and bring it back down but mess up your lap or hold the radius and hope, sometimes with interesting results and a kart on its roof.
This week the Beginners saw Aaron Phillipo make his debut in Tillsonburg driving the 07x car for Hill’s Variety. Aaron fit right in and we look forward to seeing him again. Next week the Beginner group may see another new racer again. As for the racing this week, # 8 Tristen McClay was able to outdo # 45 Nick Sheridan by 1 point to take first overall. # 93 Rayse Meyer picked up the pace and was able to edge out # 5 Tom Pellizzari again by a single point to take 3rd.
This week was to be the first time the Juniors and Seniors got a chance to run a Main together and the stage was set for a very exciting full track race. After weeks of watching caution free races and times that were mirror reflections in the Juniors and Seniors, the curve ball was the track changes, namely the grip possible. The Seniors were markebly faster but neither division figured out what their limits were by the end of the second main and we had a couple flips in the process. Additionally, drivers seemed to think this was their night to win and by the time we got to the final main, there was no sign that things were getting better. A last minute decision was made to run the groups separately as per the norm. So what happened in the finals? Caution free professional looking racing. Go figure.
Oddly enough the Juniors actually ran slower lap times than normal. It made for great racing though and #52 Jacob Sheridan, #93 Amber Meyer, # 55s Scott Hall and # 66 Colby Bennett all were determined to win some races. Sheridan managed to take the overall but it was Meyer who edged out Hall and Bennett for 2nd. Third was a tie. For anyone watching the race, the second main saw #24 John McClay try out the up on two wheels idea and it never worked out very well. While running alone, he go up on the outside wheels and then end over end. When he came to a stop, his helmet was laying beside the car. This would be a good time to point out the Andrew Marshall rule. Helmets must properly fit and be properly done up. Andrew was the first one to have a helmet fall off. Either way, although shock up, John appears fine and I am sure he will double check the chin strap from here on.
The Seniors were just as exciting to watch as 77x Alex Hill managed to get on her roof. 87x Brad Perrott, although he saved it, almost did the same thing but in the process # 39 Kate Courtnage tangled with the wall. The whole thing happened without a caution but she went a lap down while trying to get back up to spped and was not able to overtake her sister which would have un-lapped her and with a caution would have been able to catch up. We later found out what was holding her up, she will be racing with a cast next week. Despite this she was able to set another track record with a 8.402 second lap. That is really fast. When the scores were added, it was 79 Bea Courtnage sitting in first overall a scant point ahead of 77x Alex Hill in second. 87x Brad Perrott finished 3rd this week.
On to the Experts. Except for a couple of the old guys, everyone was under 8 seconds in qualifying so the track was fast. In the final at different points it looked like Scott Kelly, Holly Porter, and Cody Coburn all had a shot at the win. The lead changed multiple times, often twice per lap but one by one , mistakes took each out. Kelly almost claimed the wall, Porter sailed into the infield and Coburn parked it on the track. When the checkered waved it was Scott Chesterman, Dave Chesterman and Holly Porter sitting in the top three.
Tillsonburg Outlaws Race Report for Sept 04 2012
The Kids are back in school (hooray) and our race program ran smoothly to get the kids home in time for bed. At this point in the season the drivers mostly have their acts together making for some almost caution free nights.
Up first were the Beginners as usual. Three different winners in each of the three races. How close is that? # 45 Nick Sheridan/Mt Brydges took first overall with one win. # 8 Tristan McClay/Burgessville won the last of the three races for second overall and # 5 Tom Pellizzari/Tillsonburg won the sprint and took third this week. Interestingly, the group times were a little slow in the sprint but by the final main they were fast enough to fit into the Juniors. Hmmmm, is it time?
The dynamics of the Junior division as evolved somewhat in the summer series and this change was evident last night. # 24 John McClay/Dorchester has struggled with a lose handling kart all season but after some setup changes and a little coaching may have his woes behind him. The light seemed to come on when the race leader got underneath McClay who had been running the line of his choice with clear track but not turning very consistent laps. Once forced to take a higher line, McClay was able to run with the fastest drivers but as soon as he dropped down to his usual line, the leaders disappeared. With that new bit of knowledge, McClay was soon running the fast line around the track which meant the usual line taken by the fastest drivers was being used and if you want to go around someone you have to drive an alternative line. That made for some great race action amongst the whole group as each driver struggled for every inch they earned. # 52 Jacob Sheridan/Mt Brydges took both mains and first overall with # 66 Colby Bennett/Pt Dover winning the sprint and grabbing 2nd overall. The race for 3rd was really close as #0j Johnny Miller/Ohsweken managed to beat out #55s Scott Hall/Wilsonville who finished 4th.
The Senior division battle rages on as the Top 4 drivers are all in a position to take it all in the Summer Series. But wait, there is a game changer that showed up this week. # 26 Katherine Summers discovered the fast way around the track and was mixing it up with the leaders all night. Add to that # 92 Austin Giles putting in some quick laps made for a group that was anyone’s win at stages throughout. How close was it? Well, overall winner #39 Kate Courtnage never won a race all night. Winner of the final main was 87x Brad Perrott who was only a point behind in second overall. # 26 Katherine Summers won the sprint and was just another point off putting her in 3rd overall. Without the computer scoring, at nights end, no one is really sure who took the overall. Great racing!
Holy Cow Batman, the black #19 of Cody Coburn/Mt Brydges was able to put together two wins and a 3rd in qualifying to take the nights overall. That jumps him solidly into 3rd for the series as he sets his sights on #1 Holly Porter who took second for the night and is in the same spot for the series. Finishing 3rd was series leader #34 Scott Chesterman, who had some mechanical issues in the final but managed enough laps to salvage some points.
# 66 Colby Bennett
Tillsonburg Mini Outlaws race report. Aug 28 2012
Seniors pull out the rule book
What a great night racing in all divisions. Drivers were greeted with a very smooth and tacky track. That usually means fast times and indeed two track records were set. Both the Beginners (Nick Sheridan) and Seniors (Kate Courtnage) now hold the records.
The youngest division this week saw some good action. The group is very competitive and this sometimes makes for some overly aggressive driving which is easy enough to curtail once the drivers get into this mode. A little encouragement to get them into race mode and then a little restraint to get them to drive cleanly. All part of the learn to race program as we attempt to get the whole group faster, not just in lap times but also improve their passing ability. When the action was finished, # 45 Nick Sheridan/Mt Brydges and # 5 Tom Pellizzari/ Tillsonburg stood tied for 1st. # 93 Rayse Meyer/Courtland in 2nd and # 14 Paige Smith/Woodstock in 3rd.
The Juniors provided some hot racing this week but most notable was # 93 Amber Meyer/Springford who was determined to win some races. The effort paid off and she finished 2nd for the night. The only driver to one up Amber was # 52 Jacob Sheridan/Mt Brydges who had claimed first overall with # 66 Colby Bennett/Port Dover putting together 3 strong finishes for 3rd overall.
The Seniors had some very close racing this week. # 77x Alex Hill and # 39 Kate Courtnage were jockeying for position when a really grippy track and some side to side contact put them both up on two wheels and then both did a rather exciting end over end roll. The caution light went red as they were both mid air but both landed rubber side down, karts still running and drivers ready to continue racing. Hill needed the kart to be put back on the racing surface but Kate was pointing the right way and wondered whey the red light was on. Both were ready for the restart. Kate was in the thick of it again when she made a last lap charge in the final main on leader #87x Brad Perrott. Brad looked to have the race won but Kate got a good drive heading out of the last corner and was side by side as they crossed the line. Even after checking the video replay it is really too close to call. The transponders say Kate won but according to our rules (I thought) the transponder has to be on the back of the seat and Kate’s is on the side towards the rear. I had warned the Juniors about this earlier and said that if it was almost too close to call you had better have the transponder in the correct location. We have been teaching some very fine racers here and Kate quickly reviewed the online Rule Book and said “where does it say that?” Hmmm, it was in there. Let me see. Sure enough I have been outsmarted by a teenager. So recheck the rules and you will see the clarification on transponder location that will take effect August 29, 2012. Somewhere along the process of condensing the rules that tidbit got left out. So this week the results go, Kate, Alex and Brad in that order. For the Summer series Kate and Alex are tied with 411 points in first place.
The Expert results this week were affected by derailed chains, faulty shifters, a late night at work, a mysterious bog and a fuel pump that didn’t. Suffice to say that the house karts went 1,2,3.
About the time we should have been having the drivers meeting, a cold front passed through and a nice rain fell. The meeting shifted indoors and we continued on.
The track was very fast this week with great traction. One corner had a bump that made driving challenging but despite this, three of the four divisions set new track records. That means Tristan McClay, Kate Courtnage and Scott Chesterman are the current lap record holders in their groupings.
Once the racing got underway, it was the Beginners first on the track. This group is moving along nicely. # 5 Tom Pellizzari/ Tillsonburg has gotten fast enough that he now has to learn to choose a line around the leading driver instead of following and sometimes running into the kart. # 14 Paige Smith/Woodstock looked to win her first race but the plan was foiled when she caught up to a lapper and the kart behind her made a pass. Her first win will be here soon enough. Sheridan, McClay and Pellizzari were the top three. Check the results online at www.mylaps.com
The Juniors had some of the best racing of the year, again with hardly a caution. #93 Amber Meyer won two of the 3 races but still did not win overall. Jacob Sheridan won overall with only a single win. # 66 Colby Bennett did not win a race but after starting from the rear every time, managed to move very close to the front and took 2nd overall. That left Amber Meyer and # 0j Johnny Miller tied for 3rd when the results were totaled. This group took every race to the very end. More than once did two drivers racing prevent a driver from the rear from being able to get by. Not by blocking but just by being so darned fast that the 3rd line was not a possible passing lane. I like it!
# 77x Alex Hill challenged the group to keep up and made sure she was going to finish in top spot when the points were totaled. 2 wins and a 2nd was enough to make that possible. Bea and Kate Courtnage rounded out the top 3. Leading the series is Hill but with only a 14 point lead over 4th place, the series is far from over. This is going down to the final race.
It has taken just over a year but # 19 Cody Coburn has finally got a handle on his CR500 powered Outlaw. With both wins and a 3rd in qualifying, he was easily in top spot overall for the night. Scott Chesterman just squeaked into 2nd by a mere point over Scott Kelly/Stratford. With Kelly and Coburn having a good night, they both have managed to overtake the old guy of the group in the series. It is not over yet but I may only be able to lay claim to being the fastest of the OLD guys. That is if I can stay in front of Joe Kelly. Again a reminder to the Experts that weather permitting, we run at Wonderland on Friday Aug 24 2012
Tillsonburg Outlaws “back on track”
After a two week layover for summer holidays, the Tillsonburg Outlaw club raced again on August 14 2012 at Chesterman Power Products. The day started out with a parking lot almost under water but by night the weather had cleared up and the track was ready to go.
The extended rest must have helped # 45 Nick Sheridan/Mt Brydges as he came roaring back with 3 wins for the night. # 8 Tristan McClay/Burgessville was able to pass everyone except Sheridan and finished 2nd overall. # 5 Tom Pellizzari/Tillsonburg was able to squeak out an extra point over # 93 Rayse Meyer/Tillsonburg to take 3rd.
The same rest did something to the Juniors too as there was a lot of caution free races this week. The 15 lap sprint went #62 Oscar McCormack/Burford, # 0j Johnny Miller/Ohsweken and #55s Scott Hall/Wilsonville in that order. In the longer features, # 52 Jacob Sheridan/Mt Brydges was able to make his way to the front and take the overall for the night. Miller beat out McCormack by a point to take 2nd. A lot of great racing this week in the Juniors with some new faces running up front. Look out next week as this new found confidence may be just what the doctor ordered.
I can always count on # 87 Brad Perrott/Strathroy to come out guns a blazing after I poke some fun at him for getting beat by a bunch of girls. Brad took the overall this week with a pair of 1sts and a 3rd. Despite some awesome driving by # 77 Alex Hill/Wilsonville who was trying to make the track as small as she could, a couple miscalculations gave 2nd and 3rd to Kate and Bea Courtnage. It is way too close to call, but one of these 4 are going to be Summer Series Champion.
Experts- There I sat. Within site of the waiving checkered flag. Stalled and watching every one of my fellow racers drive around me to the finish line. Flash back 10 seconds. I had been leading most of the race after passing # 15 Brent Smith/Woodstock on a restart. About mid race #34 Scott Chesterman(my kid) passed me to take the lead but since he was enjoying the smoother and higher line, we were able to run side by side for at least 10 laps. We traded the lead a couple times and occasionally I would see # 37 Scott Kelly/Strathroy show me his front wheels but he was unable to pass. Out came the white flag and I caught my kid sleeping and got in front. Knowing he would be trying to get back underneath me, I stayed low and tried to take away his chance, and give me my first victory of the year. Well, plans are made to be broken and the distraction of his front wheels beside me and me forgetting to drive the car, I got sideways and stalled. Hmmmm. The bright side is, the rest of the field managed to not plow into me so I don’t have any repairs to make. Still, it was a fun race and I will try to not make the same mistake twice. When the points were tallied, # 1 Holly Porter was 2nd and Scott Kelly was 3rd.
And a note to the Experts, Aug 24 is the Wonderland date for us to run.
Next race is August 21 2012 in Tillsonburg
Tillsonburg Outlaw’s Summer Series July 24 2012 race Report.
THAT’S NOT HOW OTHER TRACKS DO IT!
Although the comment was said in frustration and meant to be an insult towards the track and the officials, I took it has a complement. This individual is not the first one who thought because the rules of a different track were contrary, that we were wrong and we should have a rule book that mimics brand “X” track. (Mostly because a different rule would benefit “their” driver at that particular time) First off, let’s make it clear, we are not Delaware, Flanborough, Merritville, Ohsweken, Wonderland, Nascar or WoO and knowing their rules and race procedures does not mean you know our rules. Tillsonburg IS different. Here’s why.
Tillsonburg is one of the few Ontario tracks working with VERY young drivers and developing them as they grow to not only be good racers but hopefully good citizens. Kicking them off the track when something goes wrong does not increase their “seat time”. For kids it is important to have other racers to test their racing ideas against. “Beating” the competition for ultimate bragging rights is not the sole goal and all teams(divisions) have been helping and encouraging other teams for driving well and helping them with tips as needed. Parents that do not buy into this system usually leave “not happy” and are missing the point. Have fun while learning to race.
The other almost unheard of situation that occurs in Tillsonburg, (and this is a good thing) is that crashes rarely take a kart out of commission, meaning for example, if 3 karts are involved in a crash, likely 3 karts restart. At almost any other track a driver involved in a crash, is likely out of commission. There is no call for the officials to make. The cars are broken and leave. In Tillsonburg, we have to make “restart” calls more often with younger drivers, tighter racing and karts that just keep running. (think Energizer Bunny)_ Because calls need to be consistent we needed a “system” to determine who and when drivers were sent to the rear for a restart. The choices were either send EVERYONE involved in the caution to the rear OR try to select the cause of the caution and only put the “causer” to the rear for the restart. The second method takes more officials and requires some judgment to be used. The driver causing the wreck restarts at the rear and the others get their position back. Several years ago, when put this to a vote by the teams and the later system was selected and we have been sending the "cause" of the caution to the rear ever since. Sometimes there is more than one “causer” so multiple drivers may go to the back. Other times a single driver may get the blame and multiple drivers get their spots back. Like I said earlier, at other tracks virtually anyone involved in a crash goes off the track because they are “broken” so there is no call for the officials to make. Regardless, if they choose to do it differently they can. As long as the call is applied consistently, both rules do work. Depending on the rule applied, a given driver may benefit or not from a caution. Last night the leader of the senior main got taken out by a lapper. Using Tillsonburg rules, the lapper got sent to the rear and the leader got his(her) spot back. Who didn’t like the Tillsonburg rule? Well 2nd, and 3rd of course. As long as the rule is applied the same each time it is fair for everyone.
WHO MOVED THE CHEESE?
If you have not read this book it is worth the read. It is a motivational book that uses mice instead of people and compares different behaviors of mice when their circumstances change. This week we had several “mice” that dealt with some very different track conditions very differently.
To anyone watching the racing this week, it appeared the drivers were more aggressive, even rough and several thought we should have been waiving the black flag all over the place and throwing drivers off the track for various things.
The reality is the majority of drivers found that the fast way around the track was very tight to the inner berm. Traditionally faster drivers find that going inside another kart is the best way to get past but last night that did not work much. The cheese had moved somewhere else and if the driver did not go looking for where it went, they were not going to do much passing (or get any cheese). The mouse that refused to go looking elsewhere the longest was # 48 Andrew Marshall. He was determined that he could pass on the inside and despite his best attempts of cutting the track and sliding down the end of the track over the berm and into his competition, he mostly just wrecked and caused wrecks. Repeatedly he got sent to the rear and after several times I was starting to wonder if the light was ever going to come on or were we going to have to black flag him so we could get the race finished. It took about 20 laps and a lot of rubbed competition but he finally went looking for the cheese on the outside and made some progress.
"One of the hardest things to do is watch someone doing something wrong when you know how to do it right". That is what most “spectators” feel like but unless you were on the track you have no idea what is going on. I got my chance later in the night and found the track very tricky to drive with traction being very different as one tried to get a handle on it. There was no way to be competitive without contacting other drivers. Often “ slide outs” are one kart affairs but with 9 karts in a pack, if there wasn’t contact before, there surely will be after. Interestingly in the Expert division the kart with the fastest lap time in the main had the smallest motor. Hmmm.
The other thing I have said before and I will say it again, the faster the kart is you are trying to pass, the harder it is to pass without “rubbing” so if your driver finds they are getting “rubbed” more than they used to, it is not because your competition doesn’t like your driver, it is likely because your driver is getting faster and harder to pass.
Before this newsletter gets any longer lets get to the racing.
Beginner highlights. # 14 Paige Smith/Woodstock took 2nd overall. What else can I say but she must have been giving her Dad driving tips because as a rookie with the smallest motor he set the fastest lap time in the Expert main. Now if his elbow didn’t knock off his carburetor after leading 25 laps???
Junior highlights. # 55s Scott Hall/Wilsonville drove smart while # 48 Andrew Marshall/Dorchester drove like his throttle was stuck and had no brakes but they both were tied for the night in 2nd place behind # 52 Jacob Sheridan/ Mt Brydges . # 93 Amber Meyer/Tillsonburg was only a point away from making 2nd place a 3way tie. The biggest change I see in this group is the pack no longer lets a kart “bully” its way through. Just another step in the evolution of drivers. The group gets faster and, winning takes more effort both on and off the track.
Senior highlights. Kate Courtnage summed it up best, “ I traded paint with every other driver” . Some of the best action was at the back with Perrott, Summers and Giles battling to the end. It was Bea, Kate and Alex at the front though. All three took a win over the night.
Expert highlights. Track was hard to drive and made great racing. I had more fun than should be legal and finished in the middle of the group. The two teenagers, (you know who you are) FINALLY beat me. I will be back in two weeks with more wax on my hood and we will see who is faster. LOL
This race is followed by our two week summer break.
Next race is Aug 14 2012
Oh no you don’t!
Tillsonburg Outlaws Summer Race Series , July 17 Event.
Severe Thunderstorms, hail and damaging winds were predicted. HOT HOT HOT is what we got.
At nights end I noticed on my way home that the temperature was a cool 29 degrees celcius. After the high daytime heat, it really did feel cool. Now normally if you mix ridicules hot weather with a competition of any kind, you get a lot of whining, complaining and hot tempers. I am here to say that we have such a great group of parents this year that you would never know it was so hot. Everyone had a great time and took the heat in stride. The racers delt with the
heat in fine fashion. I did notice that the regular front runners were having a bit of trouble passing this week. I don’t think it was the weather or that they were having an off night. I think the majority of the field as developed in skill enough that what used to work, no longer does. It is not unusual for a fast driver to “loosen” "announce" his arrival when catching a kart in front of them and if the driver feels they cannot go the pace needed they will move over
ever so slightly, either willingly or sometimes not willingly. Part of the mantra here is for the drivers to “drive the car” and not worry about what the other driver is doing. It came together this week and many of the drivers are now capable of running fast despite or maybe inspite of what is going on behind them. One by one the group is earning their stripes.
In the Beginners #45 Nick Sheridan/Mt Brydges came out swinging with 3 straight wins which ties up the Series between himself and # 8 Tristan McClay/Burgessville who ran 2nd on Tuesday. # 93 Rayse Meyer/Courtland finished up in third but it was oh so close. It is amazing to see how far these 5 to 9 years olds have progressed from just a few weeks back.
I don’t know where you can see better racing than the Juniors. # 66 Colby Bennett/Port Dover ended up in third but he raced with a new found determination that is making it very likely that he has some overall wins coming up. I am seeing help between teams as every parent wants to see every team doing the best they can. Most sports you don’t see competing teams trying to help their competition go faster, but that is exactly what goes on here. If you are lucky enough to
have a fast team, the only way to get better is to have another team behind you pushing your limits. It is working and first through last is getting faster, more aggressive and more confident every time out. # 48 Andrew Marshall /Dorchester took 2nd and # 52 Jacob Sheridan held first. One point different here or there and that order would have changed. Good close racing.
I am amazed that 85% of the Seniors are running sub 9 second laps. Not very long ago that was a decent Expert time using 5 times more power. This week it was # 79 Bea Courtnage coming out on top after her big trip out west. The trip seemed to pay off as she won two of the three races. If it isn’t one Courtnage running up front it is likely the other as sister Kate won the final race to move into second place overall. #87x Brad Perrott was strong all night and finshed
3rd. Series leader Alex Hill, who won everything last week was able to take 4th after three start from the back runs. I think any of these 4 are going to be taking the series trophy home and I predict not settled until Sept 25.
I don’t remember the Experts ever having a caution free Main but this week they were oh so close. #15 Brent Smith did his impression of a beach ball on the first lap but was able to bang straight(er) his wing and join the restart. From there, it was 30 laps of hard fast hot racing. Oddly, the racing seems to be in pairs. # 34 Scott Chesterman’s biggest rival seems to be # 1 Holly Porter, # 19 Cody Coburn and myself seem to tie almost every night, # 37 Scott Kelly is
getting constant abuse from his Dad Joe driving the #47 kart and # 15 Brent Smith and # 45 Ron Parker are always close. Put each of those 4 battles together and you have pretty wild race action everywhere on the track.
That’s it for this week’s report. Next race in Tillsonburg is July 24 and will be followed by a two week summer break.
Race Report for July 10 2012 held at Chesterman Power Products just west of Tillsonburg on hwy 3. Weekly races on Tuesday nights.
This week 4 of our racers were off doing summer time activities. Scott and Jamie Hall were off at summer camp and Bea and Kate Courtnage are out west to check out the Calgary Stampede and their sister’s new residence. That made two less drivers for one team and two guest drivers for the other. I am sure they will have some adventure stories for us when they return.
I am across a quote today from some unknown author that I thought was kind of funny.
“Why is it that everyone driving faster than you is considered an idiot and everyone driving slower than you is a moron?” It doesn’t really apply to racing but it sure does to a trip down the 401.
In the Beginners, # 8 Tristan McClay/Burgessville and # 45 Nick Sheridan/Mt Brydges appear to have this racing thing figured out and manage to get to the front by the end of each race. Third place though is anyone’s guess and this week saw three different drivers in each of the three races grab the spot. Paige Smith, Rayse Meyer and Tom Pellizzari battle it out every night but this week it was Tom who ended up in third overall. Regardless of their finishes, this group is learning the skills that are going to take them into the Junior division and they are going to fit right in.
Speaking of Junior’s, # 52 Jacob Sheridan and # 48 Andrew Marshall continue to battle for the lead most nights. These two thrive off each other and without the challenge, their progress would stall. It goes deeper than what they are learning on the track. At nights end, Jacob thought that maybe it was his fault that he took out Andrew while trying to take over the lead and went over to apologize. It doesn’t get any better than that. Keep up the good attitude guys. Racing is fun when you let it be.
I could write a page about each of the remaining drivers as I have watched their skills both on and off the track progress all season and all of them have made the top three at some point. This week though after being sick and having to start at the back of the field it was # 93 Amber Meyer that went from the back to the front in the final main to take the win. Persistence paid off and Amber finished in third for the night overall, albeit by the slightest of margins, but a win is a win.
With two guest drivers in the Seniors this week you would think the results would have been easy to predict. You would have been wrong. Despite the “guests” having to start at the back, they were driving the proven karts of Bea and Kate Courtnage and they both have raced in Tillsonburg before. # 77x Alex Hill was a roller ball and was not going to be denied the nights victory by taking all three race wins. Second place though went to Dylan Westbrook/Scotland driving the 39 kart. It took the sprint for him to get back in the groove but he followed that with a pair of seconds after starting at the back. Good racing Dylan. Sure would be nice to see you back full time. Third overall went to # 87 Brad Perrott who was more consistant than the others with a 2,3,4 over the night. This weeks bad luck award goes to Kassy Streng. After getting hooked together with another kart on the start of the middle main, her kart started to smoke. Although this is a bit unusual it cleared once she drove around to join the field. After a quick look we adjusted the starting order but it started to smoke again and the team wisely shut the kart off. Turns out it wasn’t some spilled oil from between races or an over filled crankcase but a partially stuck throttle and a smoking clutch. Looks like those “fancy” disc racing clutches don’t take the punishment that the stock economy racing clutches do because she was not able to return for the final main.
On to the Experts. Now I don’t want to brag, but the opportunity to say I won the time trials and beat my 23 yr old son and his speedy girlfriend comes along so rarely that I am going to anyway. LOL The races went down differently though and Holly Porter took the overall after winning the sprint and holding 2nd in the main and set a new track record in the process. (7.539) On down it was Scott Chesterman and Dave Chesterman(that’s me) for second and third overall. Cody Coburn showed some signs of the old fire last night. He hasn’t got every trick in the book mastered yet but as long as he can manage to keep having fun while trying to master them, he will keep getting faster. On another front, we have encouraged the Experts to set the example of how the younger teams should act but there is a driver we will be having a discussion with as to whether they really should be racing here or not. Some people should not put on a helmet as it effects their brains and their thinking process. It happens in all helmet sports and racing is no different than hockey in that regards. One has to wonder what these individuals are wanting to get out of their sport participation and is it really worth getting all that worked up over? One’s worth as an individual is rarely measured by how well they do in amateur sports. Sports are supposed to be a pastime that humans have the luxary of enjoying as their journey through life progresses. One’s head should not “pop” off when things do not go the way you wanted.
That’s a wrap for this week.
70 kilometers. That is the grand sum total that the new Beginners have driven, no, raced in their lives. Some of them barely old enough to attend school and yet they guide an Outlaw kart around the track with the skill and precision that some adults could not muster. Most of them have been in several wrecks, into the wall or even upside down. It is all part of the learning process that every racer goes through as they learn about the Law of Inertia which cannot be ignored. As they acquire skills individually and as a group, each evolves. Last night’s racing in every division was the product of this evolution.
First off, as a reward for doing well in the Spring Series, the Sprint race in each division was started by Series ranking. A victory race so to speak with the fastest drivers showing their skills when let loose up front. Any driver that wins a championship in Tillsonburg spends the majority of the season starting from the back and I witnessed several happy faces, excited about starting in the front. It was back to reality though for both mains in each group as the fastest the week before started at the back. In this way, drivers of different skill levels are each challenged. It is also produces the most exiting racing.
This week # 8 Tristan McClay/Burgessville and # 52 Nick Sheridan/Mt Brydges started the series battling for the lead but it was # 14 Paige Smith/Woodstock who had a break out night to finish 3rd overall. I believe that is her first podium finish and is one of our 70 km drivers I referred to above. Even more interesting, she lead almost half a race and in the process, lowered her lap times by almost a second and is now knocking on the door of busting into the 9 sec range that the leaders run.
The Juniors continue to showcase what racing in Tillsonburg is about. What am I talking about? Look at your watch(phone) and see how long 1 second is. In fact .832 of a second to be precise. In .832 seconds, 5 karts crossed the line, 1st to 5th in .832 seconds. Holy Cow. That was a close finish. Wait, not only did # 55s Scott Hall/Wilsonville get the win, up and comers # 66 Colby Bennett/Port Dover and # 62 Oscar McCormack/Burford were pressing right along with Sheridan and Marshall for the win. We witnessed some of the closest racing ever and hardly yellow flag was out all night. This is going to be an interesting series.
At the start of the night I told the boys in the Senior division that if they didn’t pull up their socks and start representing, I was going to change the name of the division. Well Brad Perrott took it to heart and guess who was sitting in the top spot at nights end? # 87 Brad Perrott showed the girls he still had the “stuff” to run up front. BUT, he will not be going unchallenged as the top 5 each are just as likely to win on any given night. Besides the regular contenders, recent graduate, # 9 Kassey Streng/Courtland looked way more comfortable racing in Seniors who are more predictable in driving style (“read” you can trust them) and finished the night in third behind # 77x Alex Hill/Wilsonville. The most knock down aggressively battle of the night though has to go to #26 Katherine Summers and # 92 Austin Giles, both of Aylmer. These two spent most of the night trying to get in front of one another. A lot of paint swapping happened in the process. This is good news for both these drivers. Why? Because in the process of trying to out do one another they will push each other and in the process will soon be running the speeds the leaders do. Stay tuned on this one as the Senior division dynamics adjust in the new group.
Last night the Experts looked like their name suggests. This group has been a challenge to get all on the same page since really there are not any drivers that are a graduate of the Tillsonburg Outlaw system. In fact there are only two, Holly Porter and Cody Coburn who have been racing since they were little Tim Bits. That leaves the rest to have started in their teens or later, so really what we have been dealing with is a group of Beginner Experts. And beginners make beginner mistakes. Unassisted spins, karts that won’t run, crashes on the start or first lap. All things that make one wonder when it is going to come together. Well last night was the night. A fine 10 lap sprint race without the yellow being needed and followed by a 30 lap main with only a couple cautions. Not bad considering we had over 650 horsepower circling the track. The series looks like it is going to have multiple winners. Cody Coburn had the night won but while leading the final race at a pace no one was catching him, spun out unassisted. A lapper behind him and 2nd place behind the lapper. Despite making his way back up to third, it was not enough to beat Chesterman or Porter for the night. It was also mentioned last night that all the divisions do a better job of the starts then the Experts but I will point out that unlike all the other groups, the Experts starting line is one full straight BEFORE the finish line and therefore it is not required for the Experts to hold formation down the last straight.
During the nights racing I know it started to rain and lightening because the racers all started bringing their karts to the inside pits. Picture taken at nights end when most had left for home.
The Beginners are set to have one heck of a barn burner for the Summer Series. This week it was # 8 Tristan McClay/Burgessville who left with a perfect night winning each of his three racing tests. That left him second in the series behind 2nd place (this week) # 45 Nick Sheridan/Mt Brydges who took the Series Championship in his first attempt. Running 3rd this week was # 5 Tom Pellizzari/Tillsonburg. Tom has made some drastic improvements in only a few weeks and looks to be a threat in the Summer Series. Coming in third for the series however was # 93 Rayse Meyer/Courtland who was able to put together a more consistent season overall. We are hoping to see another Beginner join the Summer series and along with the steadily improving Paige Smith, we have some kids who are improving head over heels in a short time.
Juniors. I witnessed the best cat and mouse race of the year in this group. # 93 Amber Meyer/Springford and #48 Andrew Marshall/Dorchester finished the night tied for second. Meyer did it with consistency. Marshall with a blazing final race charge. Sitting in first is # 52 Jacob Sheridan/Mt Brydges who was close to perfect except for a 2nd place in the final. So what was the cat and mouse race? Marshall and Sheridan have been able to consistently run 2/10ths of a second faster than their peers. Never was it so evident as the two raced from the back of the grid to the front, often making passes on opposing sides of a racer making 3 wide happen often. Once free of the field they were able to get around to the back of the group, (remember it is 9 second laps here) are charge through the group again like they had been shot out of a cannon. Sometimes Sheridan in front, sometimes Marshall in front. As I recall neither got caught up in any cautions and both put on an exhibition of all or nothing racing. Does that happen all the time? Certainly not, as usually someone spins out and the charge is over, but this week it went great for both and we witnessed racing that just has to put a smile on your face. As for the series, it was Sheridan, Marshall and # 66 Colby Bennett/Port Dover who rounds out the top three for this series.
As for the Seniors. Well, this is where racers are introduced to the real world of racing, both the good and the bad. Drivers need to be consistent. They need to be able to hold their own when another racer tries to rattle or nudge them. They are older and more likely to have to deal with the scrutiny of officials, parents and spectators. Most of them have been around long enough to know a trick or two or seven. Critical to our program is to ensure that the winners are doing it of their own doing and not have a mechanical horsepower advantage over their competition. This time around it was series leaders that had their motors inspected for unfair advantages. We could inspect everyone's engine,but seriously, unless you are going to gain Championship bragging rights, is it necessary? Spring Series Senior leader at race 7 was DJ McRae and his engine was put under the microscope so to speak. That in itself is no big news and after tech it was confirmed to be 100% legal based on the items checked. In fact, the engine is likely getting time for a refresh if anything. It has over two years use since being done. Move forward to race night on June 26. McRae really needed to do nothing more than appear in all three races to win the title. I refrained from even mentioning that last week for fear of Jinxing his luck. Here is how his night went. Race one, drives safe to a 4th place finish. Race two, line up and receive the starters command to start the engines. Oddly 3 karts would not start which is kind of unusual. After persistent attempts to start all three, McRae and Kassy Streng get pushed off the track. # 92 Austin Giles team got his to fire to start the race and just before the group went green the Streng team got her kart to fire and she joined in the back of the pack. McRae continued out of the building and from what I was told onto the trailer and home. Hmmmm. If I was in the championship position and only needed to hit the track to win it all I sure would have been trying to get that motor running. Heck, there was time to put a beginner motor on it and drive a couple laps. Frustration and pride ruled and the team went home feeling the "track" did them in and stole their championship. Whoa, did you read that right? Yep, that is the teams view. Now I am a reasonable person and stealing a kids championship is just not reasonable. Is it possible that something came loose after tech? Unlikely,but possible. The team was given 48 hours to find why it would not start despite leaving the track on race night without letting us get to the bottom of it. In short, they had no interest determining what the problem was, despite the offer to make it right if indeed it was something we did. That leaves us with no choice but to publish the results as they occurred. Please read the "tech inspection procedure" below to see what could or could not have happened and draw your own conclusions.
At nights end it was # 77x Alex Hill/Wilsonville, a rookie in the Seniors who took the nights win and jumped into the Series Championship position. Alex steadily improved this year and stuck out a few rough nights of her own and certainly deserves the title by racing 8 out 8 nights. I said it at the beginning of the year, consistency was going to win this series. Winning two of the three races this week was # 79 Bea Courtnage/Harley leaving her in second by only a point and also second in the series. Rounding out the top three was her sister, # 39 Kate Courtnage/Harley who ran well taking 3rd. Despite his troubles in the final night, # 20 DJ McRae/London still took third in the series. An enviable spot for anyone scoring below him. And that is how the Spring Senior series finished in 2012.
This week's track was challenging to drive. There were some rough spots and varying traction consistencies. Most noticeable in the fastest division as the karts spend most of their time sideways. After the rough qualifying it was #34 Scott Chesterman and # 19 Cody Coburn who set fast times and the sprint race went to # 34. Before the final race of the night, the track had the high spots shaved and the track watered. In the lower classes it takes some time to get the track to come around after that process but for the Expert division by the time all the karts have been started the track is almost ready to go. It made a big difference and much of the race went caution free. Not ones to be immune to controversy, the starter had to decide which race lap to score after using the white flag by mistake for the finish flag, effectively making a double white finish and then a checker. There is another one that needs an asterisk beside it because depending on the call you make it is either Cody Coburn or myself that gets third for the night and the season. Too bad the position does not pay money, it would be worth fighting for. Scott Chesterman and Holly Porter went 1-2 on the night and the series.
Subaru Tech inspection. What does it involve and how invasive is it?
It is not really that difficult to verify the stock condition of a motor if you have a known test motor to compare to.
Cam timing and valve lift can be confirmed by removing the valve cover. Visual inspection from there.
Bore and stroke and piston style and head thickness and correct gasket thickness can all be verified by removing the spark plug. Comparing to the "known engine and a small camera inserted into the spark plug whole to confirm no specialty parts had been added. Ignition timing can be verified by removing the recoil cover only but in this case we know the flywheel was replaced after a crash last year and there was concern that the replacement may have been lighter. The only way to verify correctness was to remove the flywheel, inspect it for extra machining and for correct weight by weighing. Both checked out fine. Correct non offset flywheel key was also confirmed when the flywheel was off. No reason to remove ignition, carburetor, head or camshaft unless customer requested a refresh while it was at the shop. That was not requested or done.
In summary, this engine had the following things done at tech without removing the engine from the kart.
Remove valve cover.
Remove spark plug.
Remove exhaust pipe
Remove recoil housing.
Remove flywheel.
Install flywheel
Install recoil assembly.
Install exhaust
Install valve cover and spark plug.
While the team did not witness the measuring or camera spying, they arrived in time to see the covers being reinstalled and we had a good conversation. Home went the kart. The kart returned the next week and ran for practice and the first race. Something could have gone wrong with the reassembly BUT there is not much that would make a motor not start. The only two items are: the flywheel nut came loose and sheared the key or the kill switch wire got pinched under the blower housing and grounded out.
It is a short list.
Did either of these possibilities happen? We do not know because the kart was taken home after failing to start in the second race and not looked at despite our request to know what was found the next day.
Could either item have been fixed quickly? The short answer is yes. Spark can be confirmed quickly. The coil ground wire can be pulled off in seconds to test the ignition. If the flywheel had spun it would take a few minutes to remove the cover and see if the nut was loose.
There are other reasons that we have occured causing karts not start, all unrelated to the tech inspection?
Fouled spark plug
vapour lock in fuel lines
fuel cap plate laying in bottom of fuel tank
team forgot to put fuel in it
flooded engine
high humidity and temperature jetting problems
stuck needle and seat
dirt in carb
water in gas
old gas.
the list goes on but has nothing to do with the tech inspection
Here is the situation the track must balance. If we delay the race while racer, regardless of his/hers points standing attempts to start his kart, (and remember it could end up being nothing to do with the week earlier tech inspection in this case) we are giving him an advantage that the other competitors were never given all year. Hardly fair. If it was indeed something that got reassembled incorrectly than that is not fair to the team with the problem either. HOWEVER, we do expect the teams to make some effort to get the kart running or at least attempt to. There was 30 minutes to troubleshoot to get it running for the final. To load it on the trailer and say "you screwed us over and we are going home" is not fair to either the driver or the track. This from the Father of a very winning driver. At this point, that is where it stands and the standings will be published for the Seniors.
Summer Series starts July 3 2012
Race held June 12 2012
While a race track may not be the safest place in the world to be, it certainly is one of the best places someone could hurt themselves if they require assistance. Steve certainly gave us a scare after head butting the retaining wall but I guess what better place for it to happen? Not only are the St John's attendants on scene, we also have the fortune of having 3 nurses, two fireman and an OPP officer at the track every week. Additionally, there are on duty professionals only a phone call away and generally can respond quickly because of our close proximity to the response center. This is a fact that has helped several of our motocross riders in the winter but generally not needed for the Kart Club. Still it's nice to have. Anyway, Steve got to the professionals at the hospital and was thoroughly checked out by the guys that know what they are doing. As we were wrapping things up and heading out the gate at 10:30pm, Steve's racer, Brent Smith was just coming back and reported that Steve had checked out good and he was already released and on his way home. Certainly a good ending to the story.
Track being reworked ready to take water.
Race update for May 22 2012
I can honestly say I have some old muscles telling me they have not been used much until last night. After my first full length feature I am walking a little sore.
The Stars came out in Tillsonburg. May 5 2012 race report
Sheridan after taking 3 wins.
Next race. May 15 2012
April 25 2012 Update
March 15 2012 Update.
The annual order has arrived for teams waiting for booty. Any racers that grew out of their race suits, there is a fresh supply now in. Four new karts are waiting for their new owners to come and take them home. We just got word that Matt Anderson is playing football this year and Josh Beecroft will not be driving their second kart so looks like there are two good used ones up for grabs. I will get them listed asap. I also would like to welcome John McClay who will be campaigning # 24 in the Junior class and his cousin will be starting out in the Beginners for the Spring Series. If you have not recieved your membership application in the mail, please call in as a couple came back. Katherine Summers says her kart just got out of the paint shop and will be ready shortly. Nick Sheridan was in and got his motor changed over to Beginner specs and says his kart fits him like a glove. Joe Kelly has his new hood which was his only hold up and will be ready to go for the first practice. Oscar McCormack just has to set his peddles and get a paint job to be set to tear up the Juniors. Cassidy March's Expert kart has been sold and the new driver went straight to the Honda shop to get that CR 250 Honda engine sorted out so it will actually run. Let's hope he has success this season. Rick Coburn is putting training wheels on his kart so to speak and is going to test his skills in Senior before putting back on the Expert motor.
