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RACE NEWS 2019 |
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| COVER SHOT: 2018 SEMI PRO TRACK CHAMPION TELLING EVERYONE THIS WEEKEND BIG FOR SEMI PRO. | ||||||||
 PIT
BITS JUNE 24/19*OK another weekend behind us with sunshine i might add, for the second time this summer, and now we head into a another two big days and then we take a break for almost all of July. With only a Points race on July 28th prior to the big one, the Bracket Bonanza the summer will soon be over. This coming weekend is a big one for the Semi Pro Cars as they are running for $1000. to win each day, the kind of regular day money we all can only wish for on a regular basis, so lets hope they all come out. This weekend is also the second weekend in a row for the International Dyno Authority Out Law Street Cars, which had more numbers last weekend than their first race and hopes are high for even more this weekend. *We want to remind everyone that Elliot Lake and the First Napa Auto Parts Show Me the Money Tour Race is fast approaching, and is one event this season you don't want to miss. This is of course the 20th year for the race in Elliot Lake and it is going to be very special for sure, and if you have never been take the drive and have the time of your life. We are pleased to hear about everyone that is going, as it looks like there will be a Luskville Dragway invasion this season, with a number of semi pro drivers heading north for the first time ever. Super Pro looks like it will also see some going that have never been in the past which will make for close to 16 super pro cars coming from Luskville Dragway alone. This is an event that you don't want to miss as they celebrate 20 years of being around and celebrating in a big way. |
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| RACERS SOAK UP
THE SUNSHINE IN ANOTHER TWO DAYS OF RACING: JUNE 24/19 We have not seen much nice weather so far this summer, but no one could complain about the sunshine and warm temperatures that greeted everyone this past weekend. Its amazing how the sun has such an affect on everything, and with more than enough rain for the entire season already behind us, lets hope the rest of the summer is just like the weekend past. For Semi Pro Racer Steve Ballantyne it was a great day as he picked right up where he left off at I-Car three weeks ago and went too the finals where he met and defeated Jim Giff, in the Miller and Giff Maverick. Super Pro was pretty exciting as an Ogilvie driver has been in the finals three weeks in a row, and with Mike Ogilvie winning the previous weekends race, and Ashley Ogilvie winning the one before that the pressure was on Vicki. But the pressure was also on Troy Davis who had not won a race in two years, but was in the finals against Vicki Ogilvie. At the green Troy had a 5 thousand better light and at the finish line it was victory by .001. In the Jr. Finals it was Leah Monaghan and Ryan Clarmo who has dominated the class this year. Once again the Luskville Dragway showed their true colors as a number of race teams rallied around Mike Chenier and his dragster as a transmission change had to take place prior to the last round of qualifying, and they did just that. Sunday was an even nicer day as the winds died down and everyone soaked up the sunshine to say the least, Time Trials got underway at 10.30 and into eliminations at 1 right on schedule for day two. The Jr. Final was a repeat of Saturday has Leah Monaghan would take on Ryan Clarmo for the all the Mone  y, but in the semis Leah would break her car and that sent
Ryan to the winners circle for the second day in a row. The Semi Pro Final would see Leah's Dad Eric take on Jim Hewitt in the finals for all the money and here things where very much like the Jr. Final with Monaghan having to settle for second place with his red light start. For former track champion Jim Hewitt it was a good day. The super pro final boiled down to Saturdays winner Troy Davis facing off against Kyle Jessup who was running a high gear only transmission and was putting it to his competitors. In the finals it was Davis though who kept his excellent weekend going, as he slapped a .000 on the tree as he left last to chase Kyle down. And chase him down he did and with the win light coming on, Troy made up for his two years of no wins, with two wins a row.
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| INTERNATIONAL DYNO
AUTHORITY OUTLAW STREET CARS, SATURDAY RESULTS: JUNE 24/19 The  Outlaw cars like the rest of the competitors where
also met with some of the nicest weather of the season, and once again the heads
up boys put on a great show. Dan Tierney headed into the day with the
International Dyno Authority Points Chase lead and definitely had a target on
his back by the rest of the field. Well Dan left the race day with the points
lead, but not the win, as Mike Maxsom took his turbo powered Gremlin to the
winners circle after meeting and defeating Mike Gunn in the finals. Gunn was the
low qualifier as eliminations started but the "Gremlin" took that with his
5:90 blast in the finals. The class has garnered some great response and new
faces as well as some old ones, are surfacing each and every weekend that we run
the class. It would be good to see some of those from the past to make a return,
who knows maybe they will. |
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|
PIT
BITS JUNE 17/19 *For the first time in our 4 years of running the Super Tour, we have had to cancel a weekend of racing. This is not something we ever take lightly, and trust me much time was spend on making the decision to cancel/hopefully postpone this past weekends event at Napierville. Anyone that knows me knows fully well I HATE TO LET THE WEATHER MAN WIN, and will do what ever it takes to beat mother nature. This spring has been the worst EVER, and it certainly has all racers on edge, and has made a situation were everyone is watching the weather and not wanting to travel down the road unless the forecast is perfect. Hopefully with a few weekends in a row with good weather, everyone will get back in a better mood for racing. Its been tuff, and its been tuff on race tracks also, this past weekend saw Grand Bend in Southern Ontario cancel there weekend much earlier than we did, the local Carp Fair Grounds Truck and Tractor Pull was cancelled, the Monkey Joes Car Show Cancelled, yes it is affecting everyone. We will survive to fight another weekend, and as I have said over and over, there has never been a more important time in our history to support your local race track. As we head into this weekend we have 15 Race Days left at Luskville Dragway for 2019, you know we are going to loose some of them to rain, so yes we need you to get out there and support your local race track.  *And with only 15 dates left for racers at Luskville Dragway every weekend is an important one, but none more important for Semi Pro than the Bill Gaw Memorial Weekend coming up June 29-30th. This years race will see Semi Pro run for a guaranteed $1000. to win both Saturday and Sunday thanks to support from Aylmer Performance Auto, Snap On Tools, and Fireball Performance Auto. The race is also a Wally Sunday for the Jrs. as they race for the prestigious NHRA Jr. Wally. Super Pro will not be left out either as they will run both Saturday and Sunday with a 8 car high roller on Saturday Evening. *Last but not least, we could have a special quest this weekend, as got a call from the owner of Mission Raceway in British Columbia a track I had the pleasure of visiting many, many years ago. He is in our neck of the woods and will be around all this week and would like to come out and visit with us this Saturday. Obviously it is a honor when ever anyone from another track comes to visit your establishment, so hope things work out and he can make it. |
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| ASHLEY OGILVIE
AND DARYL JENSEN LEAD EARLY GOING OF POINTS CHASE'S: JUNE 17/19 Yes it is still pretty early, but if your in the lead now its better than not, and it means that everyone else is trying to catch up, that's good also. So for Ashley Ogilvie in Super Pro, Daryl Jensen in Semi Pro and Ryan Clarmo in Jrs. the news this week is good as all three lead the points chase in their respective category heading into this weekend. Ogilvie is no stranger to leading a points chase as she was the winner of the Jr. Dragster class more than once during her time behind the wheel of the small cars. But this is the big cars, and you have those animals like 7 time track champion Derek Malcolm, Former track Super Pro Champion Kyle Jessup, and champion of almost everything in 2018 Brandon Barker breathing down your neck. And that's only a few of the big guns who compete at Luskvil  le Dragway every
single weekend during the summer. Jensen is no stranger to being on top and is
quite happy with long runs each weekend, building points and keeping everyone
else at bay. With his win last weekend in the new Camaro (new last year) look
for this red beast to make the winners circle trip more than once, and Dan
Pillwien will have his work cut out for him repeating his championship of 2018
if Daryl has anything to say about it.Our Jr. Dragster count is small but powerful and so far the wins have been spread around pretty good with almost everyone picking one up, including rookie driver Cole Krottner. So even though Ryan has an advantage and a lead right now he will have to keep looking over his shoulder if he wants to become the Speedy Auto Service JR CHAMP. |
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| OUTLAW CARS,
GROWING AND TAKING THEIR PLACE AT LUSKVILLE DRAGWAY: JUNE 17/19 A couple of years ago a group of racers asked if they could put a heads up category together for a bunch of them that did not want to run Brackets, but did want to be part of what goes on at Luskville Dragway, their home track.  As
usual we were very receptive to the idea, which we are when ever anyone brings
something to us too try, if you don't try it, you wont know whether it will work
or not. Well work it did, and work it does, and even though it is still in the
growing stages it has a base of good racers who are working very hard to make it
work and grow. This winter Marc Chartrand at International Dyno Authority
stepped up and not only bought advertising at the track but also bought the
title rights to the Outlaw Class giving them a points series to run for. So once
again this coming weekend the Outlaw Cars will invade the track on Saturday and
with comes a whole bunch of Familiar faces that come out to cheer them on. Faces
that were a big part of Luskville Dragway as they sat behind the wheels of some
very fast street cars a decade
 or
so ago. In fact one of those cars which held the track fastest street car ET for
years (9.10 quarter mile), and if my knowledge is correct still does to this
day, The Gerry Otley Camaro. These days the car is owned by one of Gerry's
employees, but it still does the incredible wheel stands like it always did. Dan
Tierney is another of those faces that is part of what is going on today, but
was also part of what we had going on years ago as well. Today there is a large
group of new faces, but what is really exciting is to see many of those original
"Fast Street Car Guys" out helping todays new group, it makes me feel pretty
good when I see all of them at the track, that they played a big part in. This
is the group that was around, as the Fast & Furious Crowd was just taking off,
this is also the group that included names like Chris Tapp, they where all part
of setting a street car turnout one weekend of over 300 cars, boy would it be
great to get back to that these days. |
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|
PIT
BITS JUNE 10/19 * IT IS WITH DEEP REGRET WE HAVE TOO ANNOUNCE THE CANCELLATION OF THE 2ND ANNUAL FOOT BRAKE CHALLENGE RACE THAT WAS TO BE HELD ON JUNE 29. This is not something we are pleased to do, but in the best interest of the track it has to be done. The support by Some Semi Pro Cars has been minimal to say the least and we don't believe the timing is right to reward a class that has shown it does not care if the track survives or not. PLEASE understand this is not a reflection of any of the hard work that Francois Roberge in Quebec City has done or that Lewis Gagne in North bay has done to help make it happen, or on the semi pro guys that have supported Luskville Dragway 100%. However it is those who believe they can pick and choose which events they want to support, and that is their right, just like the track can pick or choose whether they run an event or not. WE WILL RUN TWO DAYS OF RACING ON JUNE 29-30 AND WILL PAY TOTAL PURSES OF $1000. TO WIN EACH DAY. This special purses are made possible by Aylmer Auto Performance, Snap On Tools and Fireball Automatics. We where very proud of what we started and hoped it would become even bigger than year one, but it can not be a ONE WAY STREET, it must run both directions. To the racers from Quebec City, and North Bay, please except my apologizes we have not given up on the idea, but the timing is just not right for this season. *We continue with the bad news this morning with the news the long time Luskville 
Dragway supporter Willie Kovacs passed away this past Saturday of a heart
attack. Willie was famous for his Clock Work Alf Anglia, and was very excited
about the restoration of the car, and his commitment to having it on display for
the 50th anniversary at Luskville Dragway August 17th. Willie was a Valley Boy
and represented the area as many have at Luskville Dragway like many have done
since 1969. So now it will be honoring Willie on the second weekend in Sept.
along with fellow Valley Racer Boyd Hogan who passed away earlier this year.
Kovacs had many a race car over his career but none that attracted the fan base
like "Clock Work Alf".*We can confirm the Northern Ontario Triple Crown Race that will see drivers race for a  $5000. payout in points money by attending
the THREE NORTHERN races, Elliot Lake, Wawa, and Chapleau. The race will be a
separate deal from the Napa Auto Parts Points and you must run all three
Northern Races to qualify. Points will be awarded to everyone in the top 16
spots, you must register at no cost at the first race in Elliot Lake. This is a
tremendous incentive to have everyone attend all three races as we do everything
to keep the airport venues strong and growing. |
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| WINNERS CROWNED
OVER TWO DAYS AND YES SOME SPECTACULAR WEATHER: JUNE 10/19 Well it finally felt like summer had come, as some very warm temperatures and a small stretch of sunny skies which did include Saturday and Sunday blessed us. To say the weather has been retched  for the beginning of this season
would be putting it very, very mildly to say the least, as for 8 weekends in a
row it had rained on either Saturday or Sunday and in some cases both days. With
out question this had put many in a bad mood to say the least, and in some cases
that mood was very evident. Most of the spring had not seen many smiles and
tempers where tense on more than one occasion, but that two is part of the game
and everyone will get over it, and we will all get on with it for 2019.Coming off the first race in the Canadian Bracket Super Tour those that had not done well where hoping to turn things around before heading back down the road to the second Super Tour Race of the season at Napierville, June 14-15-16. And for Semi Pro Racer Daryl Jensen he  did just that with a trip to the winners circle on the Saturday portion of the
race, beating upstart Stephan Pichette. The Jr. Dragster winner was Audree
Alaire who was celebrating her birthday in fashion with the win. Super Pro
looked like it was the Bracket Bonanza Finals as everyone was standing on the
line watching in anticipation to see if it would be Ashley Ogilvie or Dave
Silliker in the winners circle. Ashley did not disappoint as you took the win
light and the trip to the winners circle with a very large crowd. This was a
very special and emotional win, and more than one eye had a tear in it for the
former three time Jr. Dragster Track Champion.Sunday would roll around and for the first time this summer we had the second consecutive day of sunshine, but even with the bright skies a cloud hung over the track, with the announcement the long time Luskville Dragway Drag Racer Willie Kovacs had passed away on Saturday. But like the true grit people drag racers are, the show went on, even though for many it was with a heavy heart. Semi Pro would see Russ Fraser of Brockville pick up his first win in a while, Russ has been showing it was ready for a win for some time and this day everything just fell into place. Dan Pillwien who came back on Sunday with his 66 Chevy II was the runner up. There has  been
a number of times during my decades in this sport where I have been so proud to
be part of it, the first time Derek won a race, the first time he drove a big
car, and today was another one of those days, as our Grandson Cole Malcolm
Krottner got his first Jr. Dragster win. Days like this are the ones that make
you so proud, and so glad you are part of this great sport. The excitement
continued as super pro wound down to Ashley Ogilvie going into the finals for
the second day in a row, and this time against her Dad Mike in the other lane.
Dad would not show any mercy and hammered the tree to take the win. Even though
the car count is still not where we would like to see it, it was a step in the
right direction with the good weather, our street car scene was also much bigger
than what we have been seeing and hopes are that, that continues as we move
forward this season. Big Thank you to Gary Smith for helping make this weekend
happen.
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| ADAMS AND
BALLANTYNE TAKE EARLY POINTS LEAD WITH I-CAR VICTORIES: JUNE 10/19 The points have been posted and the early leaders are Russ Adams in Super Pro and Steve Ballantyne in Semi Pro, both Luskville Dragway Racers I might add if I may, but it is early. Russ who has started the season off on the right foot for 
sure with his big $10,000. win last weekend and his runner up spot on Opening
Weekend at Luskville Dragway, has got to be happy with how things are going.
Russ has been quick to point out his thanks to D&D Performance for their horse
power and dependability of his big block Chevy Race Engine. As we head into
Napierville and the second race on the tour, everyone knows there is a month and
a half before the third event the Bracket Bonanza, so coming out of Napierville
in the lead lets you be there for a while. There are a number of drivers who are
clearly in a position to move up and they include the door cars of Darren
Frasso, and ADM Motorsports, and the dragsters of Randy Bellefeuille and Adam
Bitzanis. Look for Super Pro to be a hotly contested series this year, and don't
for get
a door car champ and a dragster champ will be crowned both winning $3000. for
their efforts. Former Semi Pro Track Champion Stephen Ballantyne has also got things going in the right direction with his be $4000. Win at I car also takes a points lead into the second race of the season at Napierville. Steve who had a year when he won the championship where he was pretty much unbeatable feels like he has thinks back on track for another banner season. Jonathan Roy who wheels one of the most popular semi pro vehicles (Jeep truck with Muncie four speed) is only 200 points behind Ballantyne as he two had a great opening race taking the runner up spot to Steve. |
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|
PIT
BITS JUNE 3/19 *One thing has been very consistent so far this spring, and that has been the rotten weather we have had to put up with since the season started back in April. THE RAIN has hit us every weekend since we kicked off the summer of 2019, some have been complete rainouts and others, like this past weekend, the weekend before, AND the weekend before have been rained out one day or the other. Yes the start of this season is enough to have many promoters throwing in the towel, where not ready for that yet. All we ask is that the racers continue to support, whether its the street scene, the Super Pro Cars or the Semi Pro cars, if you want a race track you cant sit at home and pick and choose when you come, or one day you may not have that choice. Our schedule at Luskville Dragway as far as rac  e days go, is
shorter than it has ever been in the history of the race track, so being there
when races are being
held is not to much to ask. *The "Iceman" coming to Luskville Dragway, Martin Lassiseraye of Quebec City is the final piece too the puzzle for team Quebec and the Footbrake Challenge June 29th at Luskville Dragway. How good is this Ford driver, well how about Super Tour Semi Pro Champion from 2018, over close to 100 of the best Semi Pro drivers in the country. Driving another Ford Mustang small tire car, Martin brings experience and the ability to win big race to the event, and will once again make this team a force to reckon with. |
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| SUPER TOUR
KICKS OF BIG BUCKS SEASON IN CANADA: JUNE 3/2019 With the running of the Big Bucks Super Tour Race this past weekend, the beginning of the Big Dollar racing season has gotten underway, and there is much more to come before we pack it in in October. Two $5000. Super Pro races this past weekend will be followed up with another Twin Fives at Napierville in two weeks as the second of the five race Canadian Bracket Super Tour races takes place. The Super Tour will take a small break as the Napa Money Tour kicks off the season in Elliott Lake for the 20th. Annual North Shore Challenge event which will see the Super Pro drivers run of "TWIN TENS", yep $10,000. both Saturday and Sunday. Semi Pro drivers are also running for some bigger dollars at all of these events where the boys with the foot brake cars run for $2000. to win each and every day. The one race where these guys run for even more than that is the 2nd Annual Foot Brake Challenge race which is held at Luskville Dragway June 29-30 and here the boys run for $2500. to win each day. Things also heat up for some big money action at the Grand Daddy of all BIG Dollar Bracket Races, and an event that started the big dollar events in Canada The 39th Annual Bracket Bonanza. |
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| THE WEATHER MAN
CONTINUES TO REEK HAVOC ON THE DRAG RACING WORLD LOCALLY: JUNE 3,19 OK ENOUGH I  S ENOUGH, another drag racing weekend, and
another weekend with less than ideal weather conditions, no matter what part of
the country you where racing in. Heading into our first Super Tour Race at I-car
this past weekend the drag racing community was fully fed up with Mother Nature
and all the CRAP they have had to deal with this spring. In fact there has not
been a weekend yet out of 7 that has not had rain in, on, around one or more of
the days and yes everyone has had enough. So as we headed down the road to
I-car and the first Super Tour race, the forecast made it very clear that some
changes would have to be made as by Thursday Night they where calling for up to
40 mm of rain on Sunday. So early Friday Morning with the forecast still a
disaster for Sunday, it was decided to double up th e purse on Saturday and get
it all done before the rain came on Sunday which every forecast was showing us
it would.Friday saw things get off to a slow start as no one was allowed in until 12 noon, do to a schedule mess up that had the Montreal Police Department also scheduled to use certain parts of the facility as well as the Super Tour??? However, we worked around it, worked around the weather and by 9.00 pm Friday Night Russ Adams had his first place prize money in his pocket with Terry Miron putting his $700. in safe keeping for now. So with the race over, some bench racing going on, many just took it to the motorhome as with out question it was more like October than June. Saturday, the day of  reckoning, most where just
watching to see what the weather would be, as even on days that they had called
for sunshine, the weather was mostly rotten, and that didn't change this
Saturday either. Racers where met with cloud cover for most of the day and less
than June 1st. Temperatures for sure. But race we did, for double the purse and
for Stephan Ballantyne and Russ Adams it was a pretty good pay day. But first we
will give you the winner in Jr. Dragster where Trevor Monahan beat Felix
Ballebey for the win. Close to 60 Super Pro Cars would start the day with only 3
heading to the Semi Finals where Russ Adams would be Al Ray for a spot in the
finals, and Randy Bellefeuille would single for his spot in the big go. In the
Finals Russ would come out on top and top his weekend
off with a $10,000. Pay Day, but to say the least it was a good day for both
Randy and Russ. In Semi Pro Another Luskville Dragway regular and past track
champion would go up against Jonathan Roy for the $4000. first place prize money
with another Luskville Dragway racer taking the win. Top Sportsman something we
are trying this year did not have many entree's but was very entertaining,
veteran racer Michael Bastien was the winner here. With the day in the books,
the party began, and with Sunday Morning rolling around the rain also began,
making the decision to run everything on Saturday that much more the right
decision. With the first tour race under our belts we now look back to Luskville
for a two day event, and then back on the road for Napierville for the second
Super Tour race. |
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| MAY 2019 | ||||||||
