What an awesome night in Town as the Tillsonburg Outlaws put on a great show. The experienced drivers are starting to push for championships and the rookies are starting to test their limits as they run speeds faster than they are accustomed to. What does that mean for the spectators? Exciting racing with action that keeps them on their feet. Let's face it, everyone wants good close racing with passing that does not preclude who is going to win, but it is the action that the drivers did not intend that really is what the race fans come to see. Like every week, the races are so close that often it's anyone's checkered flag but for a change up, let's talk about the race manoeuvres that went wrong.
The Beginners always have a trick or two up their sleeves but this week # 93 Rayse Meyer /Courtland was intent on being a front runner. That means running fast and holding a lead. # 45 Nick Sheridan/Mt Brydges has been very successful to date is getting pressured into attempting some harder passes to continue his success. In the process he got under Meyer going into the corner and the two karts locked. Now in most classes the drivers would back out of it and break the karts free to continue on, BUT these are 7 year old beginners and they have one thing on their mind. Go fast. The results? Both karts ran wide and tagged the wall straight in with a broken sheet of plywood as the proof they went in with speed. Sheridan was able to restart the race but Meyer decided he would stop and think about what happened. He was back though the feature. # 8 Tristan McClay/ Burgessville ran smart and had his own perfect night to take the overall win. Rookie # 5 Tom Pellizzari/Tillsonburg finished with his first podium taking 3rd overall. As the race finished, Ontario Hydro dropped the ball for a few seconds and caused our lights to go out and they take 10 minutes to cool down and restart. By the time the lights restarted we had the broken plywood fixed and the Juniors on the way for their race.
The Juniors had their share of drama as well. I had been thinking have not been any roll over's yet this year and we were about due. No less than 4 racers got to experience the thrill this week. In reality an Outlaw kart flip is not much different than a hockey player falling over. We have roll cages and seat belts and crushable wings to soften the blow. Most young drivers come out of their first "flip" thinking it was kind of like a roller coaster thrill ride at Canada's Wonderland and are ready to rejoin the race for the restart. Juniors # 24 John McClay/Dorchester and # 62 Oscar McCormack/Burford managed to go over in the same incident with McClay trying to avoid the McCormack kart and ended up into the wall himself. The big story this week is #01 Jamie Hall/Wilsonville and # 93 Amber Meyer/Springford showed up with their race face and tied for second overall behind # 52 Jacob Sheridan. It was so close that were it not for a pass on the final straight by Sheridan, Hall had the win for the feature and the night. Not to worry, if she can get that close once, she can do it again.
What happened in the Seniors? This could take a while. The start of the feature was wild as half the field got pushed inside on the first straight and rather than lift they elected to run off the far berm and jump onto the track where they all made the hard left and rejoined the race track. No chains off, not wrecks and away we go. Let me just say, these karts were not really designed for jumping but that didn't stop this determined group. We had three drivers that looked like it was going to be their night to win except for they didn't. # 77 Alex Hill/Wilsonville had the field covered and was running some blazing laps when she caught a rough spot and up on two wheels she went. That only has two outcomes, flip or drive high and save it Hell Drivers style. Alex saved it cool as a cucumber but in the process stalled her engine and had to join in the rear of the restart. In a separate incident, Hill ended up on her roof as well. # 20 DJ McRae/London is always fast but after catching a competitors wheel while making a pass took a big bounce. He appeared no worse for wear and continued on his way but later in the race his carburetor fell off. Twice as I recall, no doubt a result of the earlier incident. # 39 Kate Courtnage/Harley looked to have the feature won but after mis-reading lapped traffic spun out while in the lead. To the back she went. While all the "could have" won's endured their bad luck, # 79 Bea Courtnage was busy minding her own business and took two wins and a third for the overall win this week.
The Experts put on their own show that after a couple false starts got underway. Joe Kelly managed to take his turn going up on his side and did not even stall the kart. Bob Townsend got into the mess with Kelly and destroyed a hood after running decent most of the night. Brent Smith finished his first feature and managed a qualifying time that landed him on the pole to start both races. Who was fastest? There were only 3 karts that ran sub-8 second laps all night and if your name was not Chesterman or Coburn, you were not one of them. Coburn had some brain fade while running a strong 2nd in the feature and spun himself out. That bobble dropped him into third overall for the night after Porter and myself benefited from his bad luck. On a whole this group has figured out that these blazing fast and powerful karts are more fun than normally legal. All the drivers climb out at race end tired, dirty and with big smiles while telling their story of what happened on the track. Good job Experts. That's a wrap for this week. Later......
This week's "Little Cutie" award goes to Paige. Notice the matching shoes? LOL
Next race is June 12 2012
Dave Chesterman.
Chesterman Power Products
Tillsonburg Indoor MX
Tillsonburg Outlaw Kart Club
www.chesterman.ca519-842-5977
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