Ontario Asphalt Short Track Power Rankings

[Shadowracer]

yes andy farr was 04 always liked his car....how about harmer or steve robblee, not sure if he was running back then i know he was a champion before 1990.

All three of those guys came later.

Remember then in the very early 80s CASCAR/number7/Craven series was super late models. (I believe with 2 barrels) It was a last kick to try and save SLM racing...but it ultimately failed.

Harmer, Robblee et al were all running Street Stocks at Delaware during that period.  It wasn't till 86 when the "CASCAR Late Model Sportsman" came into vogue that all of those guys became stars. (Farr came after...88 or 89)

Linkback: https://www.canadianracingonline.com/smf/index.php?topic=10964.msg78592#msg78592

[Shadowracer]

If you go to post 3 on THIS thread, there's an article I wrote for the Delaware program last year on NCTS day that might shed some light on the timelines...plus pics. (There's even one of Andy Farr and Barry Harmer's cars parked together.)

Linkback: https://www.canadianracingonline.com/smf/index.php?topic=10964.msg78594#msg78594

[Racechaser]

yes andy farr was 04 always liked his car....how about harmer or steve robblee, not sure if he was running back then i know he was a champion before 1990.

All three of those guys came later.
Remember then in the very early 80s CASCAR/number7/Craven series was super late models. (I believe with 2 barrels) It was a last kick to try and save SLM racing...but it ultimately failed.
Harmer, Robblee et al were all running Street Stocks at Delaware during that period.  It wasn't till 86 when the "CASCAR Late Model Sportsman" came into vogue that all of those guys became stars. (Farr came after...88 or 89)

Right on Shadow. '86 champ was Ken Johnson, '87 Harmer, '88 Farr, '89 Robblee. Sportsman wasn't in the name. Late Model Sportsman (without CASCAR) was the class in '85.

Linkback: https://www.canadianracingonline.com/smf/index.php?topic=10964.msg78601#msg78601

[Racing Habits]

If you go to post 3 on THIS thread, there's an article I wrote for the Delaware program last year on NCTS day that might shed some light on the timelines...plus pics. (There's even one of Andy Farr and Barry Harmer's cars parked together.)

Shadow just a little as you as you carry on into to the heros of the old days. I think you will find that when you look them over the majority were the travel guys who ring bells the real blood sweat and tears of it all guys. Some times these guys even if it is 4th place is a real power ranking over a homer just my opinion.

Linkback: https://www.canadianracingonline.com/smf/index.php?topic=10964.msg78615#msg78615

[Statsman]

HINT " The guy that finished 3rd in that Sunset race in 1982 would also be consired a "Maritime Racing Legend".. stay tuned for part 2 of the question....

I believe that the answer you are looking for is Frank Fraser. Got any more in there? BTW I am on the road and can't look any of this up in my files



Linkback: https://www.canadianracingonline.com/smf/index.php?topic=10964.msg78623#msg78623

[midpack]

WOW!! I didnt even know Ron Mace was a Westgate/Peterborough champion.. Any idea on the year of that Tex?? I do know John Eacott won a Westgate title and I believe the year was 1974..I actually think Barrie ceased racing briefly after a few weeks into the 1973 season so John's title might of been 73 as well.. I'm sure STATSMAN could clarify though.. John Eacott also won the 1974 Barrie track title I think. I was only ever at Westgate once, and there was a very scary crash that night involving Gord Wallace and ironically enough Ron Mace.. I think it happened in turn 1 and the cars went through the fence which was alot closer to the track in turn 1 than it is now.. A few spectators got killed I believe..I remember that vividly as people searched the cornfield in behind the track for the bodies..

I was at that race as well. You're right, the crash was in turn one, but people weren't hit when Mace went through the fence (that just went into a cornfield), but rather because they were standing on the outside of corner one as the race was going on. How they got there and were allowed to stay I don't know. As I recall they were members of Gord Wallace's crew including his son, future Peterborough and Cayuga owner, Kim, and were cheering Gord on because of an incident a week or so earlier between Mace and Kim Wallace, that damaged Kim's car and kept him out of this race. I think one person was killed and a few others injured one of them being Kim Wallace.

      PS - I attended Westgate a lot back then and while I can't say with 100% certainty Ron Mace never won a championship there, I certainly don't remember it happening.

Linkback: https://www.canadianracingonline.com/smf/index.php?topic=10964.msg78635#msg78635

[Statsman]

John Eacott won the Barrie title in 1974 in an abbreviated season. After Barrie closed he ran at Westgate but the championship there was won by Barrie's Stu Hunter who had started off the season running Westgate. There was a match race one night between Hunter and the quickest of the local Hobby cars that ended up with Stu getting sucked into that old front stretch guardrail. Tore the suspension off the car but they got it fixed for the feature. Dave Lynch was a top runner in the Hobby cars but I think the guy in the race was named Nesbitt.

In 1975 Ron Mace and John Eacott had an epic battle for the title at Westgate that went down to the final week. Mace won by a small margin. One night the two collided and it was John getting sucked into that unforgiving armco.

The accident you refer to was at an invitational race in 1976 and I was also there in the pits. I was scoring at Barrie that summer and was watching the race with Gerry Watson. We were standing at the pit entrance behind the ambulance. They guys that got hit were in front of the ambulance. We'd been talking to them just before and someone said they'd been going to the races at Westgate for years and they had all the angles covered. A car could never get in there they said.  It was one of those things you never forget. Several were hit and one was killed and Kim Wallace had a limp for years after.

We came back to Westgate to run for points in 1978 and John Eacott was the champ in a season long battle with Dave Lynch in his Hanley Camaro. Both were fast but Lynch was faster and John was consistent enough to get the title.  Had a chance to win again in 1979 but Mike Shane kind of did the same to John as John had done to Dave the year before and took a well-deserved title.

Linkback: https://www.canadianracingonline.com/smf/index.php?topic=10964.msg78639#msg78639

[blkflagagain]

HINT " The guy that finished 3rd in that Sunset race in 1982 would also be consired a "Maritime Racing Legend".. stay tuned for part 2 of the question....

I believe that the answer you are looking for is Frank Fraser. Got any more in there? BTW I am on the road and can't look any of this up in my files

Correct again STATSMAN.. It was indeed Frank Fraser that finished 3rd in that first Craven A series race at Sunset.. The top 3 were:: 1st Jack Cook, 2nd Larry Lemay, and 3rd Frank Fraser.

Now onto part 2 of the question:: Who were the top 3 in the 2nd ever Craven A Series race in that same 1982 season at Sunset?? A couple of hints:: One of the podium drivers from the first race also finished in the exact same position in the 2nd race.. And the other two that made the podium in the 2nd race have already had their names mentioned in this thread at some point earlier on.. Can you come up with the top 3 in the correct order??

Back to Frank Fraser.. He just retired from driving I believe 2 seasons ago and apparently his grandson (also Frank Fraser) has picked up the family name and is racing at some level down in Nova Scotia currently ( not sure if he races Late Models yet or not but I will find out)

And thanks to both STATSMAN and MIDPACK for filling us in on a little history of Westgate Speedway and that fateful crash in 76..I was almost positive it was turn 1 that it happened, so glad to see the memory still works a little bit even though I was only 6 years old at the time it occured.. ... One thing I'm having trouble recalling is:: Did they finish the race after the spectators were injured?? And if so anyone recall who won it?? I seem to think the racing went on, but I could be very wrong on that..

Linkback: https://www.canadianracingonline.com/smf/index.php?topic=10964.msg78641#msg78641

[Statsman]

I don't remember who won the other race at Sunset that season.

On that crash night at Westgate, John was the first one to load up after that crash and did so before the races were called for the night but I am pretty sure they eventually cancelled the show at that point.

Linkback: https://www.canadianracingonline.com/smf/index.php?topic=10964.msg78644#msg78644

[blkflagagain]

Well if you dont know this might prove tough for everyone then STATSMAN!! I'll expound a little on my hint:: It was Larry Lemay that finished 2nd in both the Sunset Craven A races in 1982.. Any guesses on the 1st and 3rd place finishers for the second race?? As I say both guys were mentioned a little earlier in this thread.

Linkback: https://www.canadianracingonline.com/smf/index.php?topic=10964.msg78645#msg78645

[Thunder6]

Thanks Rod for clearing that up...

Now will you build me a model of that '75 winning car? I've seen your work, it's AWESOME Or teach me how to do it myself? I wouldn't build a Dave Doucette model after all, LOL...

If you have reference pics of Ron's '75 car I'd love to have them

Linkback: https://www.canadianracingonline.com/smf/index.php?topic=10964.msg78646#msg78646

[Statsman]

Pretty simple one to build as there wasn't anything special about the graphics just some silver and black 99s on that Mace blue 69 Chevelle body. It is a sedan rather than a hardtop so you'd have to fab the posts. Still lots of AMT Chevelle kits kicking around, a set of Plastic Performance  slotted wheels &  LMS tires and maybe their roll cage and you'd be set to go.





Linkback: https://www.canadianracingonline.com/smf/index.php?topic=10964.msg78678#msg78678

[Thunder6]

I have the top secret Mace paint code... I'd be willing to part with it for $1.5 million LOL

Thanks again Rod, you're all that AND a bag of chips

Linkback: https://www.canadianracingonline.com/smf/index.php?topic=10964.msg78761#msg78761