2014 Mini Outlaw Racing
Tillsonburg Outlaws
Comments on the combined race Sept 9th 2014
Who poked the Hornets nest?
Things were buzzing this week when the racers arrived and discovered the Juniors and Seniors were going to have the experience of racing with a full track by combining the groups for one race, in essence one 1/3 of the night.
In reality we have been doing this every year and sometimes twice but it always surprises me how much resistance there is to try something new.
The detractors, ("the sky is falling") will point out all the bad things that could happen.
The indifferent, ("whatever") deal with it and take it in stride and continue on.
The supporters,( "was that ever fun") will quietly come over later and say that was cool.
I heard all three versions this week.
If you never try anything difficult, the easy stuff becomes the new difficult.
The reality is:
- The race was really exciting.
- It takes a bit longer to line up the drivers after a caution.
- The best drivers place well regardless of the number of karts on the track.
- We have some very good drivers which enabled the 18 kart field.
So just what does the club hope to achieve as a result of occasionally combining the two groups for a single race?
The answer is multi pronged.
For racing to be fun, a driver needs to learn and improve and be challenged each night. A strong point of this club has been our ability to provide this to both the new racers and the multi season veterans. It does take different approaches to achive both though.
Helping the more advanced drivers actually requires making it harder for them to win. As in starting them at the back as a reward for doing well the prior week. Most clubs put their fastest drivers near the front of every start. Our method provides an opportunity to make lots of passes. This system also gives the newer members an easier chance of winning to improve their confidence but does nothing to improve their passing skills. To improve their passing skills we eventually try to blend in some slower drivers when doing so will help both parties.
Further, two things have started to show up in the Senior class. Passing has become infrequent as the speed of the group increased and there are not any racers off the pace enough to create lapped traffic resulting in less passing opportunity. The second, is drivers crashing has little consequence because the karts don't break and the restart position is likely only a couple places back which they likely can recover from. Evidence of this? The Seniors have had multicar pile ups before the race even starts. We can send them to the back, but really it's not much of a penalty with a 6-8 kart field. A full starting grid addresses these two dilemma's, More karts for the Seniors to pass and unneccesary crashing has a larger impact on the restart. ( additional incentive to not crash). The Juniors get something out of it too, namely confidence that they can keep up just fine and the next level is certainly attainable. All around it is win-win situation for both divisions.
Could a race that accounts for 1/36 th of the season effect the outcome of the series? Absolutely! Every race, every pass, every result effects the series. Every racer stands before the same challenges to get to the Championship goal. Since the club is trying to neither assist or prevent anyone from winning a championship, adding a new opportunity for drivers to learn and improve should not be passed over because there are objections. Isn't that the point of having a series, to determine who did best OVERALL?
Whether our current racers go no further than Tillsonburg or move on to faster and likely more expensive racing, they will be better racers from their experiences in Tillsonburg, including a full race track occasionally.
As a result of our high intensity style of racing, our drivers are more skilled than most parents would have ever imagined when they first entered the club.
Initially happy to just have their drivers go around the track without spinning out or hitting the wall or getting in the way.
Last night those same kids put on one heck of a race comparable to any National Event you are likely to come across.
The nights results will follow on a separate email, but the link for this single race is below.
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Sept 9 2014 Race Report
The Tillsonburg Lubricare Center Beginners stepped up to the Junior division for 2 of their 3 races this week. Aubry Smith, who has been beat by Noah Longthorne that last few weeks found that when there is other karts on the track, she can go faster then him. When the other karts were removed, Noah went back to winning with his faster lap times. What I take from this is Aubry needs to work on speed and Noah needs to work on passing. Both did an excellent job of fitting in with the Juniors
The Smale Powder Coat Juniors dropped the Beginners after two races and joined the Seniors in the final race. Nick Sheridan had a lock on the night after winning the first two races but while doing very well in the final, pulled off the track under caution to have his kart inspected and had to restart at the back of the field. Nick is always up for a challenge though and finished 4th Jr in the same race which still kept him 1st overall for the night. Kyle McGlone showed it really didn't matter whether the track was packed or not and garnered three 2nd's for, yep, you guessed it, 2nd overall. Tom Pellizzari who is sometimes known for checkers and wreckers in the same race, had a 3rd and a 5th going into the 18 kart final, showed he kind of prefers a lot of action and finished 4 of 18 for 1st Jr. Averaging the races put him in 3rd overall this week. Gabby Darling, who is poised to move up to Senior next year got her highest Jr results (third) when she had to deal with 17 other karts buzzing around the track. Hmmm, another driver who likes traffic.
Ty Freeman shot out of the gates in the John Costello Seniors this week winning the first two races. Eric McGlone kept the night in reach though with a pair of solid seconds in the same races. With John Smibert and Jacob Sheridan each grabbing a third, the stage was set for the final race to decide the final outcome of the night. Cameron Davidson had his best run of the night finishing 3rd in the 35 lapper which put him 4th overall. Jacob Sheridan, coming back from his Intermediate win at Millbridge Speedway in North Carolina, put in a really solid performance but after a race that ultimately took 26 minutes to complete, was .278 of a second off the win, second by a hair. That was enough to put him in 3rd overall this week. Ty Freeman who went into the final race with the most points, finished 4th Sr in the combined class for 2nd overall. After taking the 18 kart win in the final race, Eric McGlone gathered up 1st overall this week.
So did the combined race effect the series results? Eric McGlone and Jacob Sheridan started the race mid pack near the back of the Seniors who started in front of the Juniors. They worked their way through their division and then went on to lap most of the Juniors. How did the current 1st and 2nd in the series finish in the combined 18 kart race? They took 1st and 2nd.
Finally we are to the Experts, or Opens as they are known in the USA
Less Drama in this group (this week) and the track held up well but was really hard to pass as usual. First race went down as Cody Coburn, Austen Giles and Holly Porter in that order. The 30 lap main was Mark Courtnage, Dave Chesterman and Cody Coburn. The only name you saw twice was Cody Coburn and he took high point for the week. Mark Courtnage was second followed by myself in Third after averaging the two races.
That's all for now.
Next race is Sept 16th 2014
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Race 9 of the 13 Race Summer Series is wrapped up. The top 3 in each series division are very close and in fact, there is a tie in each grouping.
Our club is about much more than championships though and it has been awesome to watch the racing and racers that we currently have.
The Pits are a friendly place and generally Drama free. Keep up the good times.
So how did this week go?
The Tillsonburg Lubricare Beginners continue to trade wins as Aubry Smith and Noah Longthorne hone their passing skills on one another. Keep in mind that these kids are the rip old age of 7 yrs old.
Kyle McGlone came out on top this week in the Smale Powder Coat Juniors edging out Nick Sheridan and Tom Pellizzari.
I just cannot put into words how good this division developed. Hard charging, aggressive racing with rarely the need for a caution, and off the track, the kids hang out together.
Racing is meant to be fun and this group has it figured out. Funny how a group of 8 to 11 yr olds can be so mature about racing.
Although they were a bit slower to learn it, the John Costello & Associates Seniors have pretty well got to the same place. For the most part, they have stopped rubbing and grinding so much and some great racing has followed. I guess when your competition has advanced enough that rubbing is not effective, you have to find another way to get around them. This group is good at what they do and up until this week, no one has put together a 3 win night in the Summer Series. That goose egg was cracked this week with Jacob Sheridan winning all 3 for first overall. Eric McGlone posted second and John Smibert and Colby Bennett tied for third.
Even the Expert's racing is coming together and cautions have been at a minimum. Scott Chesterman won the 20 lap by an inch over Curtis Schultz at the checkers but Cody Coburn finished the 30 lap feature in front of Scott. That left Scott with the best overall followed by Curtis in second and Cody in third. Austen Giles finally bent up a wing after climbing Holly Porters rear wheel and then the wall. Otherwise damage in this group was kept to a minimum which is a good thing because half the group is heading to North Carolina for a Saturday night race at Millbridge Speedway.
After that we are back in Tillsonburg, Tuesday Sept., 09. It's a full moon that night so crazy stuff could happen. Be sure to attend.
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Aug 26 2014 Report
Yes, before anyone can correct me, this morning I mixed up the date for our next race.
Wed. Sept 3rd is the next race night.
Sept 6 is the Race in North Carolina at Millbridge Speedway that several of the experts are attending. My bad.
The Tillsonburg Lubricare Beginners continue to lower their lap times, It looks like Noah Longthorne may break the 10 second barrier soon and was able improve his passing skills this week. Aubry Smith doesn't go too easy on him though and she won Sprint. Noah won the overall.
The big news in the Smale Powder Coat Juniors is little Paige Smith who managed a perfect night. Not only was she able to hold some front row starts, she made short order of starting 5th and moving up front quickly before the speedsters of the group could work their way through traffic. With a perfect night, you know who came first. That left a royal battle for 2nd and 3rd. How close is our racing? Nick Sheridan put together a 2,2,3 to beat out Kyle McGlone's 4,3,2 . It is these multiple races that really brings to light that the whole group is fast and it is pretty hard to run away with it. Next week as a reward, we will put Paige to the back of each race and see what she is made of . Passing skills wins championships and next week she will have to bring her A game to repeat the victory.
Team Bennett decided the smooth running stock carb setup was not going to win to many more races and joined the others with the big carburetor set up per our rules. You don't have to ask Colby if he wants to win because this week he took the extra 1/2 horsepower and used it to spend lots of time up front. Winning 2 of the 3 races put him in first overall. Scott Hall was able to nail down 2nd and Eric McGlone finished 3rd. There is so much talent in both these groups that it amazes me that they can run so close, so fast and with so few big crunches. Ty Freeman was the only one fixing fibreglass this week.
The Experts on the other hand, well, they run so close and so fast there is usually a crunch somewhere. These karts are crazy powerful and don't always go where you expect them. Just when you figure you have a handle on a line, a rut grabs you and ... well who knows.
Bea Courtnage, after dominating for 3 weeks in a row was finally relegated to mid pack so we no longer have to refer to her as Queen Bea. Curtis Schultz continues to struggle with running gremlins. Not an easy task to figure out why 70 hp is only 40 hp.
Austen Giles struggled with the ruts that were making a smooth slide almost impossible and while being chased down by Cody Coburn, almost went around. Coburn who had been trying to cut underneath Giles decided that it wasn't going to work and moved to the outside after another failed inside attempt only to be squeezed to the wall when Giles appeared to give him some room on the inside. Only problem was, you can't see behind you and Coburn had no intention of letting off after committing to the outside. If you come to the track to see the occasional crash, Tillsonburg is the place to be. When the two races were averaged, somehow I was sitting in 1st place followed by Holly Porter who had some spins of her own. Despite Cody's big crash, he still managed to be only a point behind in 3rd. Of special note, the borrowed kart of Bob Townsend finished 4th which I believe is record for that kart. Go figure.
Next race, Wed, Sept 3rd
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Last weekend Scott Chesterman, Holly Porter and Brent Smith embarked on a serious road trip to North Carolina, home of the Millbridge track and the North Carolina Speed week. They were on a mission to check out the track, with Karts in tow to decide if a return trip was needed for one of their bigger races. After realizing that the majority of our Experts are more than capable of running with their best, a return trip is planned for Sept 6 2014. Certainly contact us if you are interested in joining in the fun.
Now back to Tillsonburg..............................................
Aug. 19 Report
As the Summer Series approaches the 2/3 mark, the racing is as close as ever.
The Tillsonburg Lubricare Center Beginners continue to improve both lap times and I am sure it won't be long before they are eying the Juniors. Noah Longthorne took the overall with Aubry Smith holding the runners up position.
The Smale Powder Coat Juniors is the most exiting division to watch. These kids run two wide most of the race and pressure is always on as fifth and sixth are fast enough to pressure the leaders. This week was typical of the equality of racers with a three way tie for first. Holy Cow. John Jackson picked up the pace this week and his success was not for a lack of trying by the others. Kyle McGlone had the best night going but is one to always press fate by running high and wide to get around drivers. It worked for race 1 and 2 but he had to settle for last in the main after clipping the wall and thus ripping off his front wheel. I don't think he had much intention of slowing down or stopping but after running over his own wheel, his night was down. Too bad because he as set to go out and play in the Seniors with his brother, Eric. Either way, we still had John Jackson, Tom Pellizzari and Kyle McGlone tied in first.
The John Costello and Associates Seniors were also as close as ever this week. While there were not any ties, only a point separated John Smibert in second and Jacob Sheridan in Third. Eric McGlone was the most consistent last night and took overall. Colby Bennett won the Sprint but was not to repeat it in the next two and ended up tied for fourth with Ty Freeman.
I have to ask, is slower faster? After watching a video that Ron Parker posted on facebook of the first Expert Race last night, it appeared that the # 79 Kart of Bea Courtnage was just cruising around and not really drifting as aggressively as the others. No big deal and I assumed she had something wrong with her kart. It was a really hard track to pass on last night as well. After watching the whole video it appeared the # 79 took the checkered flag first.? Hmmm, I thought she was near the back. Quick rewind of the video confirmed she had started last following her performance (she won) last week. I watched more closely and sure enough she looked to just be cruising around the track. Only thing is, she cruised by every other racer and by the 5 lap mark was racing around by herself. Maybe I am going to have to rethink this trying to go fast logic. If you haven't guessed it by now, despite going on her roof in the main (which wiped out Cody Coburn who tried to drive under her) , finished first overall. She was followed by another fast female, Holly Porter. Austen Giles had to represent the guys, taking third.
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Aug 12
You saw it here first. Globe of Death Circus act comes to Tillsonburg.
For those of you who do not know what that is, here is a link and a quick description but in essence is a round globe that several motorcycle riders go inside of and ride around , right side up and upside down and around and around.
What does that have to do with Outlaw Kart racing? Well, small tracks are sometimes called the Bull Ring and that means walls all around.
Tom Pellizzari managed to get up onto the wall and drove away after landing and continued the race. If he can smooth out his transition on and off the wall, it may even be a legitimate pass manoeuvre on the extreme outside. On his first attempt he only lost two positions without a caution coming out. It was not that long ago that a back flip on a motorcycle was not believed possible and now they do double backflips so who knows where this wall running could lead?
In the Tillsonburg Lubricare Beginners, Noah Longthorne entered his new(to him) Qrc kart for the first time and was able to hold Aubry Smith off in two of the three races.
The Smale Powder Coat Juniors are so competitive this year, often only inches between a group of 3 or 4 karts. It's been a while but Rayse Meyer managed to break the strangle hold the top three have had on this class and wins the overall this week. He was followed by Nick Sheridan and Kyle McGlone in that order.
The John Costello Seniors were down a couple of entries but that didn't make the racing any less intense. Somehow Jacob Sheridan finished the night with an almost perfect score and took the overall. Winning the Sprint moved Eric McGlone into second with Cameron Davidson grabbing third by a narrow margin over Scott Hall. This group has become almost impossible to make a pass without someone making a mistake and that almost never happens. Very competitive racing.
That brings us around to the Experts. Her first time back racing since turning 18, Bea Courtnage laid done the law and finished in First overall. Queen Bea was followed by the 3 house karts, Scott and Dave Chesterman and Holly Porter. As a reward, you can start at the back next week Bea. LOL We treat our winners the same as racers who miss a week. Go figure?
A reminder to all teams that the August 19th race is "FREE" spectator night so do your part and invite as many people as you can.
See you Tuesday----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Aug 6th
The August civic holiday pushed our race to a Wednesday night, which allowed
mother nature to take a night off from her usual "rain" on race night.
We have 3 Tuesday races before kids are back in school before the Labour Day
Wednesday race.
We've yet to recieve on update on flagger, Wayne Stainton, but Cathy
Pellizzari stepped up again to run the flags for the Beg/Jr/Sr races. Janet
Hall stepped up the run the computer scoring which allowed Lawrence to go
trackside to be a flag marshall. That allowed David Chesterman to have a
night off from trackside. Some different people in different positions but
the night still went off smoothly.
The Lubricare Center (Tillsonburg) Beginners was missing 50% of the
competitors so Noah Longthorne joined the juniors and held his own. Next
tuesday Noah will be battling for Beginner class supremacy aboard a QRC
shorty next week. Noah(Innerkip) took 1st place for the night running
1st,1st,1st
The Smale Powder Coat Juniors had a couple of teams on holidays this week
but the action was still intense with different winners in each race. With
the Beginner division running at the same time it made for some entertaining
viewing as the drivers had to negotiate a slower class car and continued the
tight racing within their own class. The drivers continue to impress with
driving/racing skills and the younger drivers with less horsepower only run
a 1/10 sec. slower than the seniors. After the dust has settled on the night
there was a tie for 1st between Tom Pellizzari(Courtland)/Nick
Sheridan(mt.Brydges), 2nd was Kyle McGlone(Union) and 3rd was John Jackson
Jr.(Port Stanley).
The John Costello & Associates Seniors are a tight group on the track. Skill
level has raised within all the teams. Scott Hall took advantage of front
row starts and almost had a perfect night. In the final feature race Scott
went high coming out of corner 4 which allowed Eric McGlone to tuck inside
and get the drive to make the pass. That finish was reviewed the next
morning on the camera system - 4 different sets of eyes reviewed the footage
from the different angles available and the finish is now posted on MyLaps.
After the points were tabulated it was Scott Hall (Wilsonville) in 1st, Eric
McGlone (Union) 2nd and Cameron Davidson (Brantford) 3rd.
The X-Pert division put on an entertaining show in each of their featues as
1st feature had chain derails and front brake failures to make things
interesting. 2nd feature had 3 cars trying for the same inch of track on lap
1. 2 cars into the wall, some bent sheet metal but only 1 car retired for
the night from a shifted seat issue. After the points were tabulated the
night champion was Austin Giles (Aylmer) , Cody Coburn (Mt.Brydges) in 2nd
followed by Holly Porter (Langton) in 3rd
Next race, Aug 12 2014
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Irregular race dates and long weekends. July 31st race
WoO (World of Outlaws) has come and gone for 2014 at Ohsweken Speedway. I know Tuesdays are a great race night because the "Pro's" choose it too. Since it is difficult to be two places at once, Tillsonburg Outlaws moved to Thursday night so that choosing was not necessary. Both could be done with a day to spare for rainouts.
We had one last race, before kicking July to the wayside.
In the Tillsonburg Lubricare Beginners Aubry Smith (Woodstock) managed two out of three wins for the overall by a mere point over Noah Longthorne(Innerkip)
The Smale Powder Coat Juniors had a new racer in attendance, Bailey Heard from Niagara Falls who had a fun night racing the high line. The action up front though was a mix of finishes that when averaged out, put Nick Sheridan in first by a mere point over Kyle McGlone. Tom Pellizzari was able to total to within a point of second for third place overall. Interestingly, the first place driver never won a race this week. Besides Kyle and Tom, Rayse Meyer won the Sprint making him tied for forth with Gabby Darling. To me it looked like checkers or wreckers, or smooth and consistent netted about the same points this week and thus only the 3 point spread from 1st to 5th. I'll let the drivers figure out which driving style they are trying for. LOL
That brings us to the John Costello & Associates Seniors.
Despite nursing a poor running engine, Ty Freeman was able to get things going when it really mattered and took first overall this week with 2 out of 3 wins. Not far off was Jacob Sheridan in second and Eric McGlone in third, again only a point separating them. The Summer Series is shaping up to be one heck of a close battle.
Lastly, the Experts decided to try to use op all our ribbons in one night. Cody Coburn was nice enough to sit solo in First place so we only need one sticker but Bea Courtnage and myself were tied for second and Brent Smith, Austen Giles and Curtis Schultz were tied for third. Nobody left after that. Actually I could have said there was a three way tie for LAST. Sorry, couldn't miss that opportunity.
I guess that's all this week.
Next regular race is WEDNESDAY Aug. 6 2014
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The Night the Lights went out in Tillsonburg..... July 22 2014 Racing
GENERATORS FOR SALE
It's a good thing we do have generators for sale because without the ability to take them off the shelf, we would not have had any timing system.
This was a week that problems just kept flying at us. Ontario Hydro must have sold too much power to the USA and our lights went out around 5pm. Oh Oh. Do we cancel the races because without lights and exhaust fans, we really can't get the show in. About the time we thought hydro was letting us down, the lights came on and the race was on.
Wouldn't you know that during the drivers meeting the power would go out again. I was looking for an excuse to take some pictures anyway and we decided that with some generators we could likely get the kids racing in before dark. Wait, no french fries without power, another generator solved that problem. Just when we were ready to start without power, the lights came on and we thought great, let's get going. Well, we have a two phase system so although the lights worked fine, the exhaust fans were just marginally turning. Luckily with CO monitoring, we were able to work around that.
In the Tillsonburg Lubricare Beginners, Noah Longthorne(Innerkip) got his first win sticker this week. He did it with lots of company too as he ran in with the Junior class for the first time. Good job Noah but get your team to fasten that rear tail a little bit better.
The Smale Powder Coat Juniors did a great job working with Noah and leaving him to run cleanly but that did not mean there was no action. Tom Pellizzari managed to play hide and seek with me. At the exit of the back turn, Tom tried to squeeze between another racer and the wall. An end over end crash followed but before I could get to the scene, there was moving karts to wait for. When I got to the corner the only karts there were on their wheels and idling. Hmmm. Apparently while I was making sure the way was clear, Tom had landed on his wheels and continued on with the race only to be stopped by the waiving red flag that he had caused at the other end of the track. Kyle McGlone, Rayse Meyer and Nick Sheridan all gathered race wins this week with Sheridan winning overall, John Jackson taking second and McGlone in third.
The John Costello & Associates Seniors had less of the crash excitement but certainly good close racing in each of the three races. Scott Hall, Eric McGlone, and John Smibert each took a win but it was Cameron Davidson who won overall with a collection of second's. There have been some concerns that Cameron's engines from Ohsweken club were maybe helping him out but after going down the crankshafts before this weeks racing, maybe it has been his driving all along. Next week will tell the story when he has to start near the back each race. This division is likely the hardest class to make a pass in with drivers and karts being so closely matched.
Holly Molly, I shouldn't have mouthed of last week about Bea Courtnage(In the Experts) needing to pay more attention to her racing and less to her boyfriend. She showed up this week and kicked our butts. Fastest lap times in both races went to.... Bea Courtnage. First race win.....Bea Courtnage, Overall win..... Bea Courtnage. See Bea, boys are nothing but trouble, leave him at home. Scott Chesterman and Holly Porter took second and third. Another record set this week was both Expert races were completed in 3 minutes each, no cautions and no restarts. Amazing how quickly you can do 20 laps at speed.
Well, that's about it for this week.
Next Tillsonburg Race is Thursday July 31 2014
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July 15th race report
Nascar ain't got nothin on Tillsonburg....
Corner 4 of the first lap of the Smale Powder Coat Juniors final was one of those "everyone" was involved wrecks. Two wide and five deep, the lead kart got a bit loose which started just enough dips and doodles to lock the pack together and wedge themselves into the corner. Most of them did not have tires on the ground when the commotion stopped. Amazingly, every kart and driver returned to the restart without issue. Well, maybe a few bent parts but nothing that stopped them from racing.
Paige Smith won the Sprint but it was Tom Pellizzari who took the mains and the overall this week. Kyle McGlone and John Jackson tied for second which put Gabby Darling in third overall.
Aubry Smith and Noah Longthorne continue to keep the racing close and exciting in the Tillsonburg Lubricare Beginners. So close in fact that they managed to get their karts locked together and it took several adults to break the sticky situation. Noah is getting faster but Aubry keeps edging him out.
The John Costello & Associates Seniors are oh so close this season. So close in fact that trying to edge out a competitor often means trying something that may not work. Colby Bennett, Eric McGlone and Cameron Davidson were all doing their best to get by on the very inside line. This tends to put a kart up on two wheels and one might guess what is going to happen next. Colby crunched a wing, Eric destroyed a hood and Davidson had a lucky week and went home in one piece. Best lesson learned this week?. When a kart is on two wheels and heading up the track, go under him, not up to the wall while trying to avoid the chaos. That tip from John Smibert.
Staying out of that action was Jacob Sheridan who took the overall, followed by Eric McGlone(with a borrowed hood) and Cameron Davidson.
The Expert Division saw the return of the winning effort by Cody Coburn who won the 20 lap race and the overall this week. the 30 lap was won by Bea Courtnage who wisely left her boyfriend at home so she could concentrate on racing. Were it not for a first race set back, she may have won the night. Instead it was Curtis Schultz and Scott Chesterman tying for second and Holly Porter in third. Bob Townsend is already staying on the track the whole race. He must have Duracell batteries in his pocket. 47 laps in 14 minutes is likely a record for team Townsend. Moving up two positions he will already be past me. I better get working on my speed.
Next race,
Tuesday July 22 and don't forget
the Last July race is in Tillsonburg on Thursday July 31.
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This week went by fast, it's already race day which is a sure sign I better get the newsletter wrote up.
July 8 Race
Aubry Smith and Noah Longthorne battled it out in the Tillsonburg Lubricare Beginners. This week they had some extra competition as selected Juniors added to the field for some exiting racing. Aubry finished in first this time but Noah claimed the Sprint win.
Speaking of Juniors, this group is getting big. The Smale Powder Coat sponsored class saw lots of action with the Spring Series top three doing it again, just in a different order. Tom Pellizzari was followed by Nick Sheridan and Kyle McGlone. If you have not witnessed the side by side racing in this group, you have missed some of the best racing anywhere. The racers are able to old the inside or outside line which makes for clean passing but some really tense moments for the parents as the outside line is sometimes only inches from the wall. Good job drivers.
Zach Kelly won the Sprint which is a sure sign he is up to speed, consistency comes next. This was Logan Lapierre's first week in Junior with the increased horsepower and he has already shaved almost a second per lap off his times.
The John Costello & Associates Seniors was typically close action with 3 different winners. Taking first overall was Cameron Davidson followed by Eric McGlone and John Smibert. Amber Meyer looked pretty comfortable this week with her new carb setup, even if she was upside down when I asked her. This week will tell the story as I am sure her team will not forget to put gas in two weeks in a row. This group is soo close that there was not a lapped kart in the first two races and only the leader managed to lap anyone in the final race.
The Expert Division saw two changes this past week. First, the race program went to a two race format, a 20 followed by a 30 lap feature. The second change was Bob Townsend made his return after some time off and drove very well and stayed out of the cautions. Now to build up some stamina and he will be all set. When the points were totalled last week, it was Scott Chesterman, Austen Giles and Brent Smith taking the top three. Fastest lap of the night was Cody Coburn with his borrowed motor.
Next race is tonight in Tillsonburg, July 15th
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July 2 race and Spring Series recap
I can think of a couple headlines for this weeks newsletter but the one the comes to mind is...
"Hannah Ferrell finishes season with a Bang"
More on that later.
First off, welcome new Tillsonburg Lubricare Beginner, Noah Longthorne(Innerkip) who made his debut last week.
His first time racing and he took home the win. It was not that easy as he lost a wheel in the first race and had a flagman running during the track mud in, but things improved as the night wore on.
The Smale Powder Coat Juniors saw the top three series drivers take the top three this week. Nick Sheridan, Kyle McGlone and Tom Pellizzari went 1,2,3 when the points were tallied for the night.
Oscar McCormack made his presence felt this week by taking 1st overall in the John Costello Senior division. Oscar has missed some races but when he shows up, he can run with the best. Hopefully he will be able to put together the whole Summer Series. Jacob Sheridan earned a hard fought 2nd and Colby Bennett was 3rd. It's a good thing we have transponder scoring because one race was so close that most people didn't know if the transponder was correct or not. Oddly enough there was a tie for fourth and a tie for fifth this week. The racing is that close in this division.
The Expert division this week was all Scott Chesterman who had to rebuild his motor after a burn down at Wonderland. Winning the Time Attack and both races put him in first for the night but when you start up front, that is easier to do. Holly Porter was in her usual good form and took 2nd Overall. The big news is Hannah Ferrell, who made a last lap charge for the finish line but failed to negotiate the final corner without the assistance of the wall. Afterwards she said her throttle stuck but whatever it was, she picked up an extra point which came into play for the night and the series. Hannah was third for the night.
The Spring Series.
As I sit typing this before our first Summer Series race, the Thunder is rumbling in the background and it is raining buckets outside. The parking lot will be wet tonight so best to stay on the gravel if possible. Either way, the races still go.
Tillsonburg Lubricare Beginners
1st Logan Lapierre-Cassie
2nd Aubry Smith
3rd Noah Longthorne
Smale Powder Coating Juniors
1st Nick Sheridan
2nd Tom Pellizzari
3rd Kyle McGlone
John Costello & Associates Seniors
1st Jacob Sheridan
2nd (tie) Colby Bennett
Eric McGlone
3rd Ty Freeman
Expert Outlaws
1st Holly Porter
2nd Hannah Ferrell
3rd Scott Chesterman
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Race June 24 2014
This week I have included a picture of Aubry Smith(Woodstock) overtaking Aiden Maynard(Blenheim).
LOL, no that is not really them but it does bring to light why we race with roll cages and seat belts. Stuff happens.
This weeks "stuff" was Aubry being distracted for about 1/10 of a second and missed the corner entry point. That was enough to put Aiden up into the wall along with Aubry. Luckily, little girls bend rather then break and she will be back in the kart soon enough. Despite her adventure in the Lubricare Center Beginner class, she still managed 1st overall over Logan Lapierre who is moving up to Junior for the Summer Series.
The Smale Powder Coat Juniors has saw some stellar performances from Miss Paige Smith who has won two weeks in a row in Tillsonburg. This week she did it in style with a perfect score. It's time for her reward and next week she starts dead last every race. See how nicely we treat our fastest drivers. Behind Paige was Nick Sheridan and Tom Pellizzari taking 2nd and 3rd but are actually fighting for the Spring Championship. Pellizzarri lost the lead a few weeks back and is in an all or nothing position next week. He can't mathematically drop to third but he has his work cut out to overtake first. It should be an exiting race.
The John Costello Seniors saw Ty Freeman(St Thomas) take the overall with a win and two seconds. Ty is in only his second year racing but you would never know it on the track. Another second year racer who has been working his way up the standings is John Smibert(St Thomas). Currently sitting in third for the Series, John has a very real chance of taking second overall and that is exactly where he finished this week as well. Rounding out the top three was series leader, Jacob Sheridan. Colby Bennett, currently sitting in second for the series will have the benefit of a good starting position next week which is likely all he needs to hold his spot in the series. One week to go and the final positions are still up in the air.
It's taken over a year from moving up to Expert, but Austen Giles(Aylmer) grabbed the overall this week. Last week Austen asked for some gearing pointers and we gave him a few suggestions. Hmmm, maybe we shouldn't have done that? Second overall was Holly Porter and tied for third was Curtis Schultz and Scott Chesterman. Porter and Chesterman are almost deadlocked in the series and with two races to go, it is anyone's guess who will end up on top. Hannah Ferrell looks to have third locked but mathematically could still find herself in the top spot with a bit of racing luck. Did I mention Hannah is just old enough to have graduated grade 8? Either way, it looks like two of the top three in the series are girls this year.
Experts are in London at Wonderland Speedway on Friday 27th, the weather forecast looks good.
Next Tillsonburg Race is WEDNESDAY July 2nd.
Friday June 20th,
Tillsonburg Junior and Senior divisions invaded the Wonderland Speedway for a nights racing.
I must say that more than a few spectators were impressed with not only the speed the kids get around the track,(only a second off the 70 hp Micros) , but also how little some of the drivers are when they climb out of their karts. Kids get up to speed fast in Tillsonburg, no doubt about that.
The Smale Powder Coat Juniors ran in with the Seniors after first getting a 10 lap sprint on their own. Nick Sheridan from Mt Brydges seemed to have the bases covered in London with a perfect score of 3 firsts over the night. That doesn't happen much in this group. A point gap back, Tom Pellizzari from Tillsonburg finished 2nd overall followed closely by John Jackson (Port Stanley) and Kyle McGlone (Union) who tied for third. I need the calculator for confirmation , but Pellizzari may have just got bumped out of first by Sheridan. It was really close going into the night. Don't worry yet, there is still two races to go before the final math is done.
The John Costello & Associates Seniors put on a great show and unexpectedly to me, stayed ahead of the Juniors the whole race. That bodes well for the group as a whole. So here is the readers digest version. John Smibert, (St Thomas) won the Sprint, Jacob Sheridan( Mt Brydges) took the middle feature and Scott Hall( Wilsonville) won the final 25 lap main. So you would think one of them would have the overall? Nope. Eric McGlone (Union) tallied up the most points for the night and took the win. Consistency pays in a club that takes three races to determine the winner.
Tuesday June 24 we are back to Tillsonburg for all divisions
Friday June 27- Experts only in London(Wonderland)
July 1st----No Racing, Happy Canada Day!!!!
Wednesday July 2- All divisions in Tillsonburg for the final Spring Series race.
June 17 race
The weatherman had us nervous this week with tornado watches, thunderstorms and hail predicted, but in the end, things calmed down in time for a great night of racing.
That doesn't mean there were not any gremlins running around. The just announced Limerock USA special event for this weekend is not going to happen until further notice. I got a call from Tim Ferrrell this morning saying things had changed somewhat and they were going to delay the event.
That's not all bad because the Tillsonburg club already had the Tuesday race plus the Friday Wonderland race in London plus any members who do double duty at Ohsweken on Thursday. That a lot of track time for even the race crazed.
Also this week we had a computer cliché wipe out the lap times and scoring but luckily we already had the results printed out on paper and were able to recapture the scores. You will not be able to find your individual lap times for this weeks race though.
This week Aubry Smith and Logan Lapierre ran in with the Big kids but were scored with the Lubricare Center Beginners. It was Aubry who edged out Logan this week but both are starting to look pretty good in with the faster group.
It was another dynamic dual this week that was completed in the Smale Powder Coat Juniors but this time it was not a pair of brothers. Sister Paige Smith won the overall in the Juniors this week. That is a pretty big deal and it was her first week with the full sized Junior restrictor. Better look out boys, Paige is in town. The top three were very close with Nick Sheridan in 2nd and Kyle McGlone taking 3rd. The season points chase tightened up and the top three including Tom Pellizzari could be switching places before this is done. I don't really remember going on the track more than once in the three races these kids ran which means a night of almost caution free action. Good racing kids.
The John Costello Seniors came off a rough and tumble week to an almost squeaky clean night this week. That said, there was a bit less contact throughout the night along with a lot less passing. Without harassment from behind, these drivers don't mess up very often. I am sure the team owners liked it though since there will not be much to repair before Fridays race at Wonderland in London. When the final scores were tabulated, Cameron Davidson was 1st, Scott Hall 2nd and Jacob Sheridan and Colby Bennett were tied in 3rd.
The Seniors and Juniors will be running together but scored separately in London and with 16 karts on the track, I am sure there will be action everywhere. It makes for a fun night out under the starts and with the first day of summer being so close, we will have lots of daylight before the lights even have to come on.
The Experts this week put on a really good show with fewer cautions and a quicker completed race. Holly Porter won the Time Attack, Hannah Ferrell won the Sprint and Scott Chesterman took the main. Added all up, Hannah Ferrell was this weeks winner followed by myself and Holly Porter tied for 2nd and Scott Chesterman in 3rd. This group has 4 drivers that could still take the Championship without too much good or bad luck being needed. Porter, Chesterman, Ferrell and Coburn are close enough to strike.
Mark Chesterman has been gathering footage with a go pro to make us a cool video. He slipped us this teaser with a bit of action from the Porter Expert kart. I can't wait to see the full length cut.
That's all for this week.
Juniors and Seniors race in London on Friday June 20th before returning to Tillsonburg June 23rd.
June 10 2014 Race
This week the Lubricare Center Beginners ran in with the Smale Powder Coat Juniors and to be honest, it is getting harder to tell the difference between the two groups of kids.
Logan Lapierre(Brantford) seems to be enjoying the extra traffic now that his kart is handling better but Aubry Smith(Woodstock) still beats him occasionally so there is still pressure improve more. This mixed group put on the best racing show of the night. Racing side by side, there are not the intimidation games that we see in the Seniors and the drivers are skilled enough at this point to trust one another not to blow through a corner. It makes for excellent racing. At nights end it was Tom Pellizzari (Tillsonburg), Nick Sheridan(Mt Brydges) and Kyle McGlone( Union) who took the top three but literally there was a three way tie for 4th,5th and 6th place. Great Racing!
The John Costello & Associates Seniors put on a great show too, but teenagers being what they are, some mind games being played that not all the parents are ready for. For the most part things are getting straightened out on the track and in general, not many parts are being bent in the process. For anyone who thinks the Senior class is easy beginner racing, they would be very wrong. You cannot throw 7 skilled drivers on the track, ask that there only be one winner and expect a friendly game of flower picking to ensue. Do they get bumped around sometimes? Yes, Do they occasionally get bumped and look for retribution? Yes. Do they always play nice? No. Do the spectators always get the call right when we go back and watch the video replay after the fact? No. Hmmmm, sounds like racing to me. Same time, same place next week Batman. (Ok, I likely just dated myself)
Who finished on top when the show was over? Eric McGlone(Union) kept things going the right direction taking his second win in a row followed by Jacob Sheridan(Mt Brydges) and Colby Bennett(Pt Dover)
On to the Experts. I can say first hand, the track was very "racy" this week with a wide groove that let passing attempts come fast and furious. Despite feeling very fast, I had a hard time keeping things moving forward in the direction intended. The first 15 laps were some very good racing but once the track dried down, cautions started and I had my share. Either way, Curtis Schultz(Harley) won his first ever overall followed by Cody Coburn(Mt Brydges) and Holly Porter(Delhi). Although Porter was very close, it was Hannah Ferrell who grabbed the quick time in Time attack this week.
That's all for this week.
Next race is June 17 in Tillsonburg
June 20 for the Juniors and Seniors at Wonderland Speedway London.
June 3 2014 Race Report
It is pretty early in the season for the racing to be this close, but that is exactly where we are.
Anything less than 100% effort on a drivers part to better their position means either cruising around where they started or worse yet, getting passed by someone.
There are no easy passes in this club.
I will take this opportunity to shout out for new drivers in the Tillsonburg Lubricare Center Beginners. Some additional drivers/members are needed so if you know anyone who would consider joining the fun, lets get them going. Logan Lapierre(Brantford) and Aubry Smith(Woodstock) are having great fun but need some new competition to hone their skills further.
The Smale Powder Coat Juniors have no such problem and the competition is awesome. Despite this, Kyle McGlone(Union) had a perfect night going, winning the sprint and first main. He also easily pulled away from the pack in the final main but when he got to lapped traffic, struggled with passing and took the safe route and cruised around in the lead. That was all Tom Pellizzari needed to rope him back in and the last several laps were 1st and 2nd trying to pass each other and the kart about to go down a lap. One final charge down the outside on the last lap managed to get Pellizzari in front by a whopping 1/8 th of a second. It was enough to win the race but not the night. Rookie John Jackson(Pt Stanley) is already on the Podium with a 3rd this week with consistent finishes.
The John Costello & Associates Senior division were just as close. Colby Bennett(Port Dover) also had a perfect night going into the final main but an early exit after getting tangled trying to avoid two other karts cost him the overall win for the night. Really, the only other hub-bub for the night was the aforementioned "other two karts".
Let me be clear about what I think racing is.
Drivers trying to pass drivers who prefer not to be passed. Plain and simple. To be successful, you need to stay out of wrecks but if you never take a chance you never get ahead. Sometimes an attempted pass or an attempt not to be passed does not work out the way the drivers hoped. It's all part of the learning curve. Either way, It is this conflict that spectators come to see. Without it, we merely have a high speed parade.
Honestly, I hope to see lots more conflict out of this group. LOL
Oh, look it here, another McGlone kart taking the overall for the night as Eric McGlone(Union) took the nights win(Seems there is another pair of brothers stepping it up this season), followed by Colby Bennett and Ty Freeman(St Thomas) who rounded out the top three for the night.
The Expert Division is still up in the air as racers seem to be taking turns with wins and crashes. I had a front row seat when Curtis Schultz got loose down the back straight and tested the wall in a rather exiting wreck. Luckily for me the infield transition had been smoothed somewhat this week and I was able to get inside and underneath him on my way by before he landed. Holly Porter(Delhi) managed to narrowly beat out Hannah Ferrell(Windham Center) for fast time in the "time attack" but it was Bea Courtnage( Harley) who won the Sprint. Holly took the 30 lap main as well. What's with all the girls names???????? Come on guys.
Holly Porter took the night followed by Scott Chesterman and Hannah Farrell.
To see just how close the seasons standings are , check out the link below.
Remember to drop each racers lowest score to get the actual standings.
May 27 2014 Race
There is nothing like a good rain and high humidity to make for a very good track.
Low line damp, mid line perfect and high bank line really fast.
What you end up with is racing that is very close, passes that the drivers really have to work for and two and three wide racing lines that don't always work out.
The night started out with The Lubricare Center (Tillsonburg) Beginners inviting in a couple of Juniors to add to the racing excitement. The end result is the Beginners have an extra challenge to go faster and the Juniors don't want to be beat by a beginner and they to pick up the pace and hone their passing skills. I would say a win win.
Logan Lapierre(Brantford) took first overall with a perfect score followed by Aubry Smith(Woodstock)
The Smale Power Coat Juniors have several championship challengers stepping up to the plate. This week it looked as though Kyle McGlone(Union) had the track figured out and was very fast running higher than most of the group, passing quickly any drivers he caught. After winning the Sprint , Kyle was well on his way to winning the first main when he caught and tried passing a driver who was in the process of passing another driver on the high side. Lets see, that makes one, two, three wide and coming out of the corner, that rarely works, someone has to back out of it, but this is Junior and those lessons are still being learned. Nick Sheridan(Mt Brydges) met a similar go fast fate while weaving through traffic and caught another's wheel. It was a very good impersonation of a spinning top as he went backwards frontwards backwards frontwards. He never actually went upside down but it was close. I have to say that these are tough karts and drivers as he was able to rejoin the race and since he had lapped a portion of the field, he did not loose that many positions after going to the back. Tom Pellizzari(Tillsonburg) found the track to his liking and stayed out of the wrecks as I recall to take first overall. He was followed by Nick Sheridan and lookie lookie, Gabby Darling(St Thomas) who only a few short races ago was pretty timid, now is putting the pressure on for third overall. Way to go girl. :)
Gabby was the last podium finish for the girls as the guys picked up the pace in Senior and Expert leaving the girls in the cold the rest of the night.
I have to smile at the action in the John Costello and Associates Senior division. There is racing like you wouldn't believe if you were not there. Nobody, and I mean nobody comes close to a perfect score. There is just too much competition from competent drivers. If I had to describe it though, how about this picture? 3 dogs fighting over a bone. Each of them wants it but are so distracted at keeping it away from the other two that no one notices another dog sneak in and run away with it. John Smibert(St Thomas) stayed out of the battle for the most part and walked away with the overall win. Cameron Davidson(Brantford) did manage a race win and finished 2nd. Tied for third were Scott Hall(Wilsonville) and Jacob Sheridan(Mt Brydges).
Age and experience usually wins out over youthful enthusiasm and that certainly was proven this week in the Experts. Or put another way, if you ask your Dad to put gas in your kart, you should check he actually did it. Otherwise you might run out of gas before the race is over and hand the win over to your Dad. Smile. So what else is going on in the Experts? Hannah Ferrell (Windham Center) continues to set blazing times in the Time Attack but is having a hard time staying off the infield and found ramping off the exit chute likely is not the best thing to do. Bea Courtnage(Harley) has adapted to her new ride very quickly and figures to be on the podium often once she can get her kart to start for every race. So here it is for the guys.
Dave Chesterman(Langton) first, Cody Coburn(Mt Brydges) second and Brent Smith(Woodstock) winning the main and taking third overall. Oh wait, there was another girl on the Podium who tied for third after her last lap heroics passing me in the main. Holly Porter( Delhi )
That wraps up the May racing. June is a new month and with it comes 4 home races, all on Tuesday nights and one on Friday night in London at Wonderland Speedway. Weather permitting, the Juniors/Seniors on Friday 20th and the Experts on the 27th.
That's all for this week. See you June 3rd
May 21 Race
Having a Wednesday week sure makes the newsletter late.
Despite some controversial starts, the racing was as close as ever with several cautions playing into the results. The track had a very slippery inside line on the straights and
with the slick tires, more than a few drivers got a surprise when they pressed the throttle and the wheels spun but they really didn't move forward much. The outside line had great
sticky traction and was very fast. Generally even with a mixed up mess of a start , the fast drivers get to the front.
The Seniors were even worse at pre race speed and seemed unable to drive in a two by two formation without bumping side to side and getting out of place. They did pull of some "miracle" starts though where they all came together on the final straight and were in place when they had to be by some "miracle"
Another Interesting turn in this class is we are starting to see some smarter driving. The old push and run technique is falling short when the defending driver "drives" their kart and the rear driver either needs to change their line or remain behind the kart they want to pass. Nothing like real race conditions to force a driver to "mature' on the track.
And the really big news is the Experts have gotten so close, it is anybodies race. Hannah Ferrell showed she belongs with the Experts and won the night. Curtis Schultz in his Rookie season was a very close 2nd. With the inverted field, a lot of eyes will be watching to see if they can do it again.
Juniors
1st Tom Pellizzari
2nd Nick Sheridan
3rd Kyle McGlone
Seniors
1st Jacob Sheridan and Colby Bennett
2nd Cameron Davidson
3rd Oscar McCormack and Amber Meyer.
Experts
1st Hannah Ferrell
2nd Curtis Schultz
3rd Holly Porter and Cody Coburn
That's all for this week, Next race is Tuesday May 27,
7 pm race start
May 13 2014 race
Usually I get to watch the races I write reports on but this week I have the task
of reporting based on others observations and some score sheets.
The Tillsonburg Lubricare Center Beginners had a couple guest drivers this week from the Junior division.
The mixed group helped the youngest drivers pick up the pace as they tried to keep up with the faster kids.
That's a good sign that Aubry and Logan are getting more confident and capable. Logan Lapierre took the overall win with a perfect score
I can only smile at the Smale Powder Coat Juniors because we basically had a tie from 1st to 5th.
Tom Pellizzari was king this week by one point over Rayse Meyer and Nick Sheridan who sit in a tie for second. One further point behind were John Jackson and Gabby Darling. Every racer stayed on the lead lap of every race. This is going to be a tough championship to win. Glad I am not in this group.
Normally the Juniors can run the same speed as the Seniors but this week there was so much traction that the extra horsepower the Seniors have, was getting to the track.
Despite the very close racing, the over all win in the John Costello and Associates Senior division went to Eric McGlone. Colby Bennett was a very close second and Ty Freeman was third for the night. Three different winners over the night. In fact the winner of the main, John Smibert, was pushed out of the top three. If having a deep field and very tough competition is a sign of success, we most certainly are there with the Seniors.
This next group certainly makes me smile as well. We have two new drivers who have honed their skills in the lower divisions. I expected them to adjust to the jump from 11 hp to 70 hp pretty quick but never dreamed they would be so fast so quickly. Every week we start the Experts with a Time Trial which is just a test of how fast can you get around the track without traffic or passing coming into the equation. Well top time this week went to 14 yr old Hannah Ferrell. Bea Courtnage in only her second appearance grabbed the third. Smack dab in the middle of the roses was thorny old Scott Chesterman in second. Holly Porter may find she is slipping from top female to 3rd fastest female. Hmmmmm, I see some gritty racing from the girls coming up. I just hope the guys can hold their own when the girls get trying to beat each other. Oh and Rookie Bea won the Sprint as well. Curtis Schultz hung on for third in the Sprint. So where in the heck are the fast experienced drivers? Well, Scott and Holly and Cody did manage to go 1,2,3 in the main but when we added up the nights points? Lets just say Bea and Hannah will be coming up during presentations to get their ribbons.
Well, that's about it for this week. Please remember with the long weekend, next weeks race is moved to Wednesday night.
Have a good time and drive safe.
May 6 Race report
Somehow, the weather Gods gave us a break and delivered a beautiful evening with blue skies and warm temps.
The pit atmosphere seemed more like a family reunion then it did a race, as teams caught up with friends not seen since last fall.
The drivers meeting was mainly a safety session and then the racing got underway.
The "Lubricare Center Tillsonburg" Beginners were first up. The winter off seemed to effect this group the most but it wasn't long and they were zipping around fearlessly. Logan Lapierre looks to be the guy to beat and once his team figures out his push into the corners, may prove to be ready for the Juniors soon. Aubrey Smith is still a little peanut and is just too fun to watch racing. Zach Kelly made his racing debut this week and quickly surpassed the rest of the Beginners. Watch for Zach to be with the Juniors soon enough.
Speaking of Juniors, The "Smale Powder Coat" Juniors did not lose any of their speed over the winter layoff, in fact, some of them came back faster than ever.
Rayse Meyer won the first sprint of the series but it was Nick Sheridan who won the over all this week. Coming in second was Kyle McGlone, but the key here is Kyle got faster every time he went on the track. If he can hold the improvement, Nick is going to take some heat from Kyle. Tom Pellizzari is sure to figure into the Championship knowing how he ran last year. Tom rounded out the top three this week.
The Senior division picked up a sponsor this week as one of the racing supporters stepped to the plate. Next week you get to find out who.
While being interviewed by "Inside Track" about our up coming season, I was asked who I thought would be strong in the Senior division. In short, my answer was you might as well throw a dart at the class list because every one of the drivers could win on any given night and everyone already has done so. On top of that, two of the Senior Seniors are no longer in the group which means 2014 will crown a new champion(s). This week it was Jacob Sheridan who did his best to make that name be his. Jacob has a way of wiggling through a hole when there really isn't one. Scott Hall made the best of his first time with Senior horsepower and finished second overall. Scott got faster over the winter as did Amber Meyer who showed she means business this year and took third overall. With a lot of experience, both these drivers have always raced "nice" and as a result have not been able to get to the front as often as their skill level says they should. If they have matured enough that their racing attitude has some grit to it, you will be hearing their names often enough. The rest of the field? You will likely hear about them next week in the top three.
Still un-sponsored, the Experts have a track full this year.
Lookie lookie, Time trials winner was Cody Coburn but a no start in the sprint cost him in the overall.
Hannah Ferrell was second with her 250F followed by Holly Porter(man). to round out the top three in TT. Being fast while not in traffic is the first step to being fast in traffic. That makes what follows very important. Curtis Schultz, Bea Courtnage and Brent Smith all beat me in time trials too. I better work on my speed a bit more.
Scott Chesterman managed the overall win followed by Holly Porter and Cody Coburn. Fourth and fifth went to Hannah Ferrell and Brent Smith. Consistency is so hard to attain in this class but once Bea Courtnage and Curtis Schultz experience the things that mess you up during the night, they have to speed to go top three already. This is going to be a really fun year to drive in the Expert division.
On another note, for those who notice the times are a bit slower than last year, hold on, we made the track longer and when standing trackside, the higher speeds are noticeable but it takes longer to go around a bigger track.
Next race is Tuesday May 13th.
You can see the lap by lap results at
Practice Day Saturday May 3 2014
The season is just around the corner. Racers are either eagerly waiting for the first time back on the track or they are scrambling to make the first race in time after a long winter with the kart in the corner. All I can say is it is a good thing for Last Minute because that applies to track building as well. The Outlaw Oval is going to be ready just in the nick of time for the first practice. We could use a hand erecting the red steel wall panels on Thursday night for any strong individuals willing to lend a hand.
Practice will run from 9am to 3pm and racers are welcome to arrive anytime but should be finished what they need to do by 3pm.
Practice is free for 2014 members. Memberships may be purchased Saturday for $75 per racer.
Non members are $35 for practice.
This is also the time to get Mom AND Dad to sign the parental waivers for under 18 drivers. Please bring the form with both signatures if both will not be attending.
Yes I am aware that a 17 yr old is allowed to drive him/her self to the race but is not allow to race without their parents waiver but the rules are the rules.
Double check your gear before leaving. ALL required Safety gear is needed for practice, test and tune.
Certainly not limited to but includes- Helmet, googles, fire rated gloves,neck collar and driving suit, wrist restraints, seat belts in good condition,
Race Day Tuesday May 6
First lets mention two of our early bird sponsors.
Lubricare Center Tillsonburg will again be sponsoring the Beginner class. www.tillsonburg.lubricare.ca
Smale Powder Coating will be the Junior Class sponsor. www.wrsmales.com
We still have openings for the Senior and Expert Divisions
Race night schedule will be the same as 2013.
Always check the weekly schedule as most nights are Tuesdays but not all.
Practice starts at 6:30
Drivers Meeting at 7:00
Racing follows
Go away winter, It is time to talk racing. Summer racing that is.
Speculation generally runs high going into the season. After a few phone calls, this is what we know for the coming season.
24 Races over a 6 month window means there is a LOT of racing in Tillsonburg. It's little wonder our drivers develop so quickly. They race a lot.
The action starts in Beginner's where we actually get the kids racing in a class without too much pressure or congestion on the track.
We have enough drivers in this group to start but a couple more kids would be great. If you know of any aspiring young drivers, lets get them going this season.
Yes, they can start when they are 4 but will turn 5 sometime during the season.
The Juniors have some new names to add to the group. We have Zack Kelley and John Jackson joining returning drivers, Tom Pellizzrri, Gabby Darling, Rayse Meyer, Aiden Maynard, Nick Sheridan, Eric McGlone, Paige Smith. That's a good start with 9 drivers in Junior.
There will be some happy drivers in Senior to hear that reigning Champion, Bea Courtnage is moving up to Expert. That means the Senior class is up for grabs.
This group is going to be the best race action ever with at least 9 full time racers and likely 3 part timers.
Colby Bennett, Scott Hall, Brad Perrott, John Smibert, Jacob Sheridan, Eric McGlone, Ty Freeman, Amber Meyer, and Oscar McCormack will be the majority of the group but we generally have a few surprise entries as the time gets closer..
I would also expect to see some Ohsweken regulars for the Spring Series before their track gets going in July. It makes sense to me anyway.
The Experts are also in good shape despite team Kelly moving on. The addition of Bea Courtnage and Curtis Schultz holds the class size until a couple more drivers move up.
Currently we have used and new karts available for teams who wish to get a start in 2014.
That's the dirt for now.
2014 Schedule set
We will run races every week. Long weekends and the World of Outlaws week may see racing on a different week day so take a good look at the schedule once we post it.
A road trip to Wonderland is going to be on the schedule.
Racers will be able to drop one Spring Series race and two Summer Series races. This should suffice for sick days and family holidays. Again, there will be a race every week from May 6 to Sept 30 2014. The Enduro 100 ,and the banquet dates will be choosen soon.
If you have any items sell, pass the info and pictures on so we can post it. Used karts are in short supply again this year. We have a new program to put first year racers in a leased kart to see if they like the program. Call for details on that one.
Watch for more info to follow.
2014 Tillsonburg Outlaws
Season end wrap up
First off, the banquet was a blast this year. Not only did we have great food, good company, a lot of trophies, jackets for everyone, but we also had entertainment. A jeapordy style game show kept everyone young and old entertained. Mixed in was balloon blowing, donut eating and leap frog. Although it may sound a bit corny, you had to be there. LOL
With the Banquet behind us, it is time to start planning for next year. We will be selecting race dates shortly but look for a couple extra skipped dates as the older members make some significant road trips to some big events. If you have any unusual items needed for next season, please give us a heads up. The QRC factory actually got flooded out this fall with a lot of rain and the local river overflowed. That will no doubt have them behind in production.
Here is the best video we have to give a feel for what racing in Tillsonburg is like.
Watch for web and email updates to follow shortly.
Banquet and Trophy presentation, Saturday Oct 25 2014
Courtland Community Center.
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Oct 4 Fall 100 Classic in the History books.
Qualifying is something we only have occasionally and it is interesting to see who can record fast times without the pressure of trying to pass someone.
Noah Longthorne was the man in the Lubricare Center Tillsonburg Beginners putting his Subaru powered QRC to good use. In the Smale Powder Coat Juniors it was Kyle McGlone that had the "stuff" but interestingly, Paige Smith was a very close second. The John Costello Seniors saw Jacob Sheridan lead the way with Eric McGlone hot on his heals. The Experts saw the return of Bea Courtnage from College to take the fast time away from the rest of the group. Cody Coburn followed Bea.
That set the stage for who got to start on the Pole of each division.
The Experts started the show knowing they had a pitstop about 1/2 way through the 100 laps for fuel. Around lap 42 Brent Smith pulled to the infield and the officials had to stop the race. It was a break for a couple of the teams who needed more than fuel. Bea Courtnage was pooped out and tag teamed with her dad who had been driving Curtis Schulz's Sprint Kart. That took one out of the field. Smith who we thought was out of fuel had a fuel linkage separation and was able to get it fixed while the rest of us fuelled to continue on. Cody Coburn, who led most of the race before the pit stop, went on to lead the rest of the race for all but the most important final laps. He had to settle for second when Scott Chesterman wiggled by with only a few laps to go after Coburn had gotten loose a few corners earlier.
When the Experts finished, the track was a dried out rough mess. Luckily we had a way to shave the high spots, water and mud in the track while the racers waited patiently in hopes of having better conditions. It worked as most drivers dropped 2/10ths off their times. This virtually eliminated karts dropping out with bad chains etc. The Juniors were first back on the track.
Kyle McGlone was a force in the Juniors that just could not be roped in. Tom Pellizzari and Nick Sheridan both had some mid race setbacks that had them needing to work back up through traffic a couple times. McGlone had to deal with the same traffic as he lapped them but was able to cut his way through like a hot knife in soft butter. Kyle McGlone was fast enough that he even lapped Tom Pellizzari in second and Nick Sheridan in third.
The Seniors were the final race of 2014. After qualifying one two , you knew it was going to be another close race between Jacob Sheridan and Eric McGlone. The pair were in the process of picking off a lapped kart when the three of them jammed up in the back corner but only McGlone got hung up causing the caution. That gave Sheridan some breathing room despite being roped back in with a couple later cautions. Meanwhile, Ty Freeman and John Sheridan had a battle of their own going on which held up McGlone who was trying to work his way back up. Eventually Ty Freeman ran part way up the wall and while he did not crash, he lost enough speed for Smibert to rope him in and eventually pass. On the lead lap, they finished, Jacob Sheridan, John Smibert, Eric McGlone and Ty Freeman.
If you are old enough, you will remember a rental car company that advertised they "try" harder because they were number two. There must be something to that because in the Junior, Senior and Expert 100 lap races, the winners were number two in the Summer Series. I guess they all had something to prove. LOL
When all the racing was done, we all over ate and had a great time rehashing the long season. Thanks to all the great cooks in the club. Thanks to all the parents who make things happen every week. Thanks to the officials who volunteer their time so we can race and have a good time. And thanks to the racers who come every week so we have somebody to race with.
The next "official" event is the Banquet, (also an indoor event) on October 25th in Courtland.
Please get your tickets ASAP. Besides everyone getting their trophies, racers will also be getting their new jackets, plus there is some mid evening entertainment. Don't expect to get out of there before 10 PM this year.
The week before the banquet, we have set the Test and Tune date of October 18th to try the new outdoor track. Make sure you keep the date free and hope the weather co operates this time.
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Sept 30 race report
Once again rain threatened the racers. A few moved inside to get the best spot but it was for not, as the rain stayed away and the night was quite pleasant.
In fact, it was very nice not to climb out of the kart sweaty after a tiring race.
This week the Tillsonburg Lubricare Beginners ran with the Juniors and Noah Longthorne is feeling quite at home with them to hold Aubry Smith off in each of the three races. Don't worry, Aubry still got second.
Her sister, Paige Smith though, was very quick this week, winning the first two races of the Smale Powder Coat Juniors. Her luck ran out though in the third race as she was working through traffic with Kyle McGlone in hot pursuit. Paige got a little sideways and the pair were tied up on the berm, causing them to restart at the rear of the field. The setback was not enough for Nick Sheridan to catch her for the night but he did manage to win the final race. John Jackson Jr, who has been quietly working his way forward in the very competitive Juniors this year was third when the points were tallied .
There is not another Smith sister in the Seniors but there are McGlone and Sheridan brothers and that is where the story continues in the John Costello and Associates Senior division.
Jacob Sheridan found the track to his liking this week and ran fastest lap times in each of the three races. No surprise that doing so means you are going to have a good night and he put together another perfect score. Was it enough to catch current leader in the series, Eric McGlone? You will have to wait for the next email to find the answer. Scott Hall, who had some early running issues, managed to overcome them and finish the night in third.
Coming off a so-so week, Cody Coburn put to good use some front row starts and ran away before anyone could catch him. Was his perfect score enough to win the Championship? Stay tuned. This week, Holly Porter was second overall and Mark Courtnage was third.
Next event is the annual Fall 100 on Saturday October 4 2014. New this year, we have an outdoor track to hold it on. Problem is , the weather man is suggesting we are going to need a retreat to the Indoor track. Either way, inside or outside, the race is Saturday and sign in starts by Noon. For spectators, the racing starts at 2:30. They should come earlier if they want to see qualifying.
Stay tuned for which location.
Tillsonburg Outlaws Summer Series
Here are the series results of 13 summer events.
3 races per night,
Lowest two scores dropped.
Beginners
1. Noah Longthorne
2. Aubry Smith
Juniors
- Nick Sheridan
- Kyle McGlone
- Tom Pellizzari
- John Jackson Jr
- Gabby Darling
- Paige Smith
- Rayse Meyer
- Zach Kelly
- Aiden Maynard
- Logan Lapierre-Caissie
Seniors
- Eric McGlone
- Jacob Sheridan
- Scott Hall
- tied Colby Bennett and John Smibert
- Ty Freeman
- Amber Meyer
- Cameron Davidson
- Oscar McCormack
Experts/Open
- Cody Coburn
- Scott Chesterman
- Bea/Mark Courtnage
- Holly Porter
- David Chesterman
- Austen Giles
- Curtis Schultz
- Brent Smith
- Bob Townsend
- Jacob Sheridan
- Hannah Ferrell
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Tillsonburg Outlaws
With all the activity going on, I forgot to mention this at several drivers meetings.
Included in the Fall 100 on October 4, several of the drivers were hoping to have a HeroCard, Autograph night.
If members could take a digital picture and go to their local Wal-Mart/Zehrs developing section,
it is easy to add your drivers name and description and print off enough copies to pass out to the other racers/fans.
What ever size you want will be fine.
See you Tuesday
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Sept 23 race Report
Racers got some big news this week. We have been working on an Outdoor track to add a bit of variety to our race program.
Although most of the details are being kept low key until we can actually use the track, it does offer up some cool options for the 2015 Series.
Certainly the majority of races will remain at the Indoor track but having the option to run some laps on a different track is pretty cool.
There are no intentions of having more races, but rather a substitute location occasionally. Further updates will be reported at next weeks drivers meeting.
This week the Lubricare Center Tillsonburg Beginners ran their own program with the three kids. Noah Longthorne was victorious over Aubry Smith and Daris Hill this week
The Smale Powder Coat Juniors continue to mix it up and for the most part, the top three in the series get to the front of each race. Tom Pellizzari who was so strong in the early season continues to be very fast but Kyle McGlone had him covered this week and took second overall, with Nick Sheridan scoring higher than both. I am not sure who is in the lead in this series but it is one of those three. One race to go and then we add up the points.
The John Costello and Associates Seniors also seem to be able to mix up the results enough that you need a calculator to figure out who won. Eric McGlone was strong right from the get go and managed a 1-1-2 night which is hard to do. He was followed by Jacob Sheridan who had an engine shift in the second race but still totalled enough points to hold second. Third went to Scott Hall who earned his position by doing well in all three races.
In the Expert division it was the 3 house karts that took the top three. Scott, Dave and Holly in that order. It was nice to see Hannah Ferrell back, she started the night with hopes that her new 450 engine would be the ticket but on going gremlins forced her to return to the 250. Either way it was enough to tie Mark Courtnage for fourth.
As I browse over the results this week I noticed an unusual thing. Most divisions show that the race finish order works it's way down starting with the drivers that have the fastest best lap and each position is just ever so slightly slower. Makes sense, right? Despite often starting at the back, the drivers capable of going around the track a 1/10th of a second faster, find a way to make a pass and move up until only the faster drivers are in front of them. That held true for the Experts and the Seniors. The Juniors somehow had a driver that posted lap times that say he should be mid pack at best and yet he often finished the race in first place? Handy cap start order? Driver skill, passing skill? , Interesting.
That's all for this week.
Next race is Indoors , Sept 30 2014
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Speed Sport must have aired their television show because it is now on YouTube.
Tillsonburg was represented on Saturday night in Millbridge. It is about a 9 minute video and fun to watch. Holly Porter and Scott Chesterman got the best drive by but Scott also managed a short interview clip.
If you know what to watch for, the final race actually shows Scott finishing in front of Karson Elledge but the camera was watching for the leader. Karson is about the age and size of our own Hannah Ferrell. Since Karson's Grandfather was Dale Ernhardt (Sr), she tends to get more press.
Holly and I actually had to duck for the loose wheel that they show after it flew in the air for awhile.
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Sept 16 Race
The Good and the Bad
Let's start out with the Good.
Welcome new drivers, Daris Hill of Mount Pleasant and Keller Dallaire of Stratford. Daris has run at Ohsweken a few times and Keller made his racing debut last night. Comments heard from both teams were great welcome and what a friendly group of racers. They will certainly be back for more. Both drivers fit in great with the "experienced" beginner group and got to mix it up with 4 in the Tillsonburg Lubricare Center Beginners.
The Smale Powder Coat Juniors put on an action packed event this week. Racing two and three wide most of the race makes for more action than you can believe, and they are only 10 yrs old for the most part. Paige Smith had a so so start last night but put up a pair of wins in the mains to take first overall this week. At one point she was on her side after running out of track in the middle race. Two karts had tangled and were up by the wall blocking much of the track. Not the end of the world until the next driver stopped in front of the only way around the wreck, happy to have missed the crash but effectively blocked the rest of the track and there were still 7 karts coming at race speed in formation. It looked a little like a traffic jamb on the 401 but only Paige didn't keep the rubber side down. Speaking of rubber side down, Gabby Darling has a new trick up her racing sleeve. While racing in tight quarters on the inside, she managed to get part on the inner berm and against the kart beside her. When her front bumper dug in, Gabby managed a front flip as the Kart went up and over without her wing touching the ground. She landed on her wheels and stopped for the Red light that was now shining. Her toe out was a bit off but she finished the race, Wow.
Back to the racing, Kyle McGlone strung enough top 4 results to take 2nd overall with Tom Pellizzari just behind in 3rd. Great job kids. We should be charging a higher admission to watch this group.
This week the John Costello & Associates Seniors were, well, interesting. This group is old enough to stand up for themselves, right or wrong and the results that follow are predictable for anyone who has watched with an impartial eye long enough. Blocking a racer from passing by running them up to the wall or pushing them on the berm is going to make the other driver upset. You can only try to pass cleanly for so long and if there is zero cooperation, the driving is about to get rougher because two can play most games. For the most part they figure it out and things get settled on the track. Now if we can just stop the parents from taking it so personally, we will be all set. Colby Bennett and Oscar McCormack each won a race to start the night off but it was the winner of the last main that really had a really good week. Eric McGlone, had a good week last week also which means he started at or near the back for each of the races last night. (funny how nobody says a peep about treating last weeks winners like dirt and starting them at the rear, LOL). Any ways, from the back, Eric pulled off a 3rd, 2nd,and 1st for first overall this week. Good job. Colby Bennett finished second, Jacob Sheridan and Oscar McCormack were tied for third.
The Experts had to endure Curtis Schultz starting up front and not sharing, going flag to flag for first overall in both mains. Holly Porter and Cody Coburn tied for 2nd and Brent Smith, yes I said Brent Smith finished 3rd. Not too many cautions and the racing was very tight without the big crashes. Overall a great week.
So what is the bad?
Mostly nothing but I do have a tip for the parents.
This was a great group this year and everyone won in some way. Whether it be friends made, time spent with the kids, good racing and learning more about life every week. All great things.
But ---- The Championship becomes important at the end of the season, sometimes too important and "teams" loose sight of why they are really at the track racing.
Winning a Championship is a wonderful goal but it is really nothing more then a report card summing up who made the most passes over the season. The day after winning or not winning a Championship, things really don't change much. Same driver, same team. You either had fun, or you didn't.
Please enjoy the journey. The destination is much further out then this series.
