The Roar of Engines

Another Blog Site

2011-12-21T07:39:00.001-06:00

Hey everyone,

While I will continue to post on The Roar of Engines Blog, I have decided to have another blog that will focus on other interests outside of the Emo Speedway and Stock Car Racing in General. Its so I can make this blog more of the niche that is the local market and have those interested in other topics to the other blog. I hope that you will be able to follow both blogs when you have the chance.

Here is the new blog for other topics outside of racing: News Leeks

Here is the latest blog entry: Federal Healthcare Funding to the Provinces

Thanks!

2012 Silly Season

2011-12-13T11:39:00.000-06:00

One of the most exciting times of the year (outside of the racing season) is Silly Season. NASCAR has their own form of the season through www.nascar.com. However, silly season occurs in pretty much every area where there is a race track. There is some very exciting news for silly season throughout the Rainy River District. Below are some of the stories going around:

#20 Dan Hettinga is running full time in 2012 in the Street Stocks. Having taken most of the 2011 season off to prepare for next season, Hettinga is running for a championship. (Probability 90%)

Brody Strachan is planning to run his first year ever in a WISSOTA Midwest Modified. (Possibility 60%)

Jake Rea is rumoured to be racing in the WISSOTA Midwest Modifieds as a rookie. (Possibility 60%)

#09 Steve Nordin is planning to return to racing in 2012, however it is uncertain whether he is running WISSOTA Modified or WISSOTA Midwest Modified. (Possibility 90%)

#95 Matt Mutz is hoping to race more often in 2012 than in 2011 in the WISSOTA Modifieds. (Possibility 60%)

#16 Gavin Paull is considering dwelling in the Midwest Modifieds as well as a Modified in 2012 (Possibility 40%)

Some very interesting developments that may happen in 2012. Obviously, the majority of this is speculation and none of it could happen. But its something to keep all of us interested in who is doing what and how that will play out for the 2012 season.

I want to also wish everyone a VERY Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! Expect more racing related blog entries over the coming months!

Current Feature Winners (As of September 10th Races)

2011-08-22T00:14:00.002-05:00

2011 Feature Winners (Up to September 10 2011)

WISSOTA Midwest Modifieds
3 - Brady Caul
2 - Tylar Wilson
2 - Chuck Lambert
2 - Christopher Leek
2 - Matt DePiero
2 - John Hettinga
1 - Cody Ossachuk

Street Stocks
3 - Scott Messner
3 - Don Bowman
3 - Jeff Wickstrom
2 - Lindsay Bourre
2 - Ron Westover
1 - Carlee Bosma

WISSOTA Modifieds
10 - Gavin Paull
2 - Ward Imrie
1 - Dwayne Pelepetz

June 11th and June 4th Results

2011-06-23T17:33:00.001-05:00

Yeah, WAY behind on the posting of results, but I feel it a bit necessary for people to see it separate from speednet. The first five weeks have been completed and we have only raced two. Yep, that's right, we have raced two weeks of a total of five. The month of May was a complete washout with the exception of the practice, which occurred on May 14th. Hopefully, things will bode well for the rest of the year. :)

Here are the results from the two back to back weeks of Racing on June 4th and 11th:

June 11th Feature Results

WISSOTA Modifieds (Show 6 Cars)
1. #16 Gavin Paull (Fort Frances, Ontario)
2. #99 Glen Strachan (Emo, Ontario)
3. #24 Dwayne Pihulak (Crozier, Ontario)
4. #6 Gary Wilson (Devlin, Ontario)
5. #14 Tyler Brown (Rainy River, Ontario)
6. #41 Ron Korpi (Fort Frances, Ontario) (DNF)

WISSOTA Midwest Modifieds (Show 12 Cars)
1. #55 Tylar Wilson (Fort Frances, Ontario)
2. #50 Brady Caul (Fort Frances, Ontario)
3. #17 Christopher Leek (Emo, Ontario)
4. #60X Chuck Lambert (Fort Frances, Ontario)
5. #14C Cody Ossachuk (Rainy River, Ontario)
6. #19 John Hettinga (Emo, Ontario)
7. #06 Mike Wilson (Devlin, Ontario)
8. #33 Kendal Gamsby (Stratton, Ontario)
9. #11 Anthony Visser (Emo, Ontario)
10. #21D Matt DePiero (Fort Frances, Ontario) (DNF)
11. #18D Cody Drennan (Emo, Ontario) (DNF)
12. #29F Ethan Firth (Emo, Ontario) (DQ)

Street Stocks (Show 9 Cars)
1. #500 Ron Westover (Devlin, Ontario)
2. #38 Don Bowman (Bemidji, Minnesota)
3. #25 Richard Visser (Emo, Ontario)
4. #88 Tyler Wickstrom (International Falls, Minnesota)
5. #17 Jeff Wickstrom (International Falls, Minnesota)
6. #21B Carlee Bosma (Emo, Ontario)
7. #44U Nick Leininger (Rainy River, Ontario)
8. #4U Lindsay Bourre (Rainy River, Ontario) (DNF)
9. #08 Trudy Shine (Devlin, Ontario) (DNF)

June 4th Feature Results

WISSOTA Modifieds (Show 8 Cars)
1. #16 Gavin Paull (Fort Frances, Ontario)
2. #6 Gary Wilson (Devlin, Ontario)
3. #99 Glen Strachan (Emo, Ontario)
4. #24 Dwayne Pihulak (Crozier, Ontario)
5. #51 Randy Belluk (Lorette, Manitoba)
6. #14 Tyler Brown (Rainy River, Ontario)
7. #41 Ron Korpi (Fort Frances, Ontario) (DNF)
8. #66X Denny Trimble (Devlin, Ontario) (DNS)

WISSOTA Midwest Modifieds (Show 10 Cars)
1. #60X Chuck Lambert (Fort Frances, Ontario)
2. #11 Anthony Visser (Emo, Ontario)
3. #55 Tylar Wilson (Fort Frances, Ontario)
4. #06 Mike Wilson (Devlin, Ontario)
5. #18D Cody Drennan (Emo, Ontario)
6. #29F Ethan Firth (Emo, Ontario)
7. #14C Cody Ossachuk (Rainy River, Ontario) (DNF)
8. #17 Christopher Leek (Emo, Ontario) (DNF)
9. #50 Brady Caul (Fort Frances, Ontario) (DNF)
10. #21D Matt DePiero (Fort Frances, Ontario) (DNS)

Street Stocks (Show 9 Cars)
1. #38 Don Bowman (Bemidji, Minnesota)
2. #17 Jeff Wickstrom (International Falls, Minnesota)
3. #500 Ron Westiver (Devlin, Ontario)
4. #4U Lindsay Bourre (Rainy River, Ontario)
5. #88 Tyler Wickstrom (International Falls, Minnesota)
6. #5 Wes Morriseau (Barwick, Ontario)
7. #21B Carlee Bosma (Emo, Ontario) (DNF)
8. #25 Richard Visser (Emo, Ontario) (DNF)
9. #44U Nick Leininger (Rainy River, Ontario) (DNS)

2011 Street Stock Preview

2011-05-22T00:01:00.000-05:00

In 2010, the Street Stocks had some of the highest turn outs in their class in the past five years. There were five different winners with Ron Westover taking the most at seven during the season. Dan Hettinga won his first ever race in 2010, during the Keith McNally Memorial, while Don Bowman and Scott Messner took home three feature wins each. Jeff Wickstrom also returned to victory lane twice. Let’s take a look at what we could expect in 2011:

10. #7 Darien Trimble – Best Finish 3rd, Average finish 8.73 (11 Starts). Trimble returned to racing for the first time in several years donning a black and green street claiming four top 5s and two top 10s. Unfortunately, he was unable to run a full season, but did run the majority of it. He also took one heat win. Hopefully he will return in 2011 and continue to move up the ranks.

9. #5 Wes Morriseau – Best finish 4th, Average finish 8.42 (12 Starts). Morriseau made a nice return in 2010 with an appearance of twelve races. While he did not fair too well overall, he did get one top 5 finish and nine top 10s. He is planned to return in to 2011 although on another limited schedule.

8. #38 Don Bowman – Best finish 1st (3 times), average finish 5.09 (11 starts). Bowman has been a strong runner throughout the past few years. Winning three times in 2010 plus four top 5s and three top 10s, gave him a competitive edge. An unfortunate incident during the season finale was the only real trouble he had. In 2011, he will be returning for a full season and is running to be a strong contender for the championship. Expect to see him win a few races again this season.

7. #69 Terry Martin – Best finish 2nd, average finish 6.69 (13 starts). Martin had a solid season in 2010 with seven top 5s and three top 10s. However, he is not returning in the Street Stock this season and is opting to run in the WISSOTA Midwest Modifieds on a part time basis. But the car may still be making some appearances as his brother Dean will make the trip on a few occasions.

6. #44 Nick Leininger (Rookie) – Best finish 3rd, average finish 7.92 (13 starts). Perhaps the most surprising driver of last season is young Leininger who won two heats races during the season and gained one top 5 finish. He took Rookie of the Year honours and will be back at the track for a close to full season. Don’t be surprised to continue to see improvement in this driver as he may have a serious shot at winning a feature race.

5. #500 Libby Wilson (Rookie) – Best finish 6th, average finish 9.25 (16 Starts). Wilson continues to gain experience in the Street Stocks and 2010 was an excellent start. She was one of four drivers that ran a full season and because of that, it gained her a top five points finish. Even though her average finish was not very high, she finished many of the races she started, giving her valuable knowledge. Expect to see her out every week again in 2011 and perhaps get her first top 5 finish.

4. #20 Daniel Hettinga – Best finish 1st, average finish 5.87 (15 starts). There is plenty to mention about Dan Hettinga who took his first feature win in 2010. During the Emo Fall Fair, in dramatic fashion, Hettinga won the Friday night feature of the class, but forgot to scale, giving the win to Westover. But it seemed inevitable that he would win again as he took honours the following weekend at the Keith McNally Memorial. It was a bittersweet moment for a driver who had his share of ups and downs. He will not be returning for a full season and will run limited shows for 2011.

3. #4U Lindsay Bourre – Best finish 3rd, average finish 6.69 (16 Starts). Bourre has shown her share of improvement through the last year or so with seven top 5s in 2010. Finishing third in points is attributed by a solid attendance record and not giving up even when the going got tough. With a new looking race car rebuilt from the ground up, expect Bourre to continue to improve on her average finishes and possibly a runner up finish sometime in the year.

2. #25 Richard Visser – Best finish 2nd, average finish 4.56 (16 starts). The veteran driver of Visser had a drought in 2010, not winning a race for the first time in several years. But, even after twenty-five years of racing, he is still going strong having finished second in point again in the division. A full record in appearances made him the only matchup to the eventual champion of Westover. Visser will return to the track in his pink #25 once again, continuing his march towards a second championship with a win or two.

1. #15 Ron Westover – Best finish 1st (Seven times) average finish 2.44 (16 starts). Westover claimed his 6th ever championship in 2010 with seven wins and many top five finishes. The experienced driver has raced pretty much every class at the Emo Speedway at some point, and that knowledge has led him to many, many feature wins. If he is able to return to a full season again in 2011, expect several wins and a close battle for the championship between him and Bowman.

Notable Mentions for 2011:

#? Jake Rea – While not confirmed, Rea may be making the move from Go-karts to Street Stock in 2011. Coming from a family of racers at the Emo Speedway, expect some great improvement as the year progresses and potentially take Rookie of the Year when it is all said and done. He is one to watch over the summer months.

#88 Tyler Wickstrom – Tyler is planning to run a full season in 2011 and because of that, he has a great shot at finishing within the top ten in points. It will be a great achievement for the driver who hails from International Falls, Minnesota.

#21B Carlee Bosma – With only a 50% appearance at the track in 2010, Bosma was unable to truly show her improvement until towards the last half of the season. In her eight starts, she managed four top 5s and even took runner up on the last night of racing. It is expected she will run the majority of the season in 2011 and I will give the bold prediction of her taking a win. If not, she will get very, very close.

2011 WISSOTA Modified Preview

2011-05-09T17:52:00.000-05:00

The 2010 season in the WISSOTA Modifieds saw nine different winners throughout the season, the most different winners since 2007. This even came off the heels of the lowest average turn out in the Modifieds in about five years. While the low car count has happened in the past, there hadn’t been this many winners in one season with such a count. It was good news for the fans though, who tend to enjoy different winners throughout the year. Let’s take a look at the 2011 potential:

10. #16 Gavin Paull – Best finish 1st (Twice) average finish 4.83 (6 starts). Paull had a banner year with a new car that pulled him to the front not only at Emo Speedway, but at Red River Co-op Speedway in Winnipeg and a few other tracks in the United States. His average finish and two feature wins are a testament to a car that worked well with his driving style. He ran a limited number of shows in 2010 but more than in the previous season of 2009. There is expectation that he will run close to a full season at Emo in 2011 and there is no doubt he will win at least a few races and have a shot at the championship.

9. #12P Dwayne Pelepetz – Best finish 1st, average finish 6.73 (11 Starts). Pelepetz won his first feature event in the WISSOTA Modifieds in a while. He had run fairly limited seasons at the track in the past and this year was no exception. A sore back had him sidelined for several weeks during mid-season. In 2011, Pelepetz will return to the track for close to a full season trying to run for a championship. It is hard to say whether he will get to the winners circle, but he will definitely have a shot to win.

8. #1L Brad Loveday – Best finish 1st (five times), average finish 4.64 (11 Starts). Loveday was a dominate force throughout the year. Untimely accidents led to a few early exits from feature events. However, he took the most feature wins award and had a solid average of a top 5 throughout his starts. In 2011, it is unknown how many races he will run, but expect to see him at the Emo Fall Fair to take a shot at the biggest weekend of the year.

7. #66 Denny Trimble – Best finish 2nd, average finish 6.00 (13 Starts). Trimble had four top 5s in 2010 and eight top 10s. Having missed the first few weeks of racing, he was unable to run for a championship. Hopefully Trimble will return for a full season and take a run at a top 3 in the points and a chance at a win or two.

6. #14 Tyler Brown (Rookie) – Best finish 4th, average finish 7.87 (15 starts). A wedding left Brown with one race short of a full season. But for the rookie, it was a good year overall by finishing in the top 10 in points and getting the seat time he needed. Expect more from the young driver in 2011 as his experience level increases throughout the year.

5. #3 Bill Witherspoon – Best finish 4th, average finish 6.50 (14 Starts). Witherspoon had a rough year in 2010 with mechanical issues and accidents. He even had a shot or two at winning, but transmission problems led to early exits. It is not known if he will race in 2011, but there is hope that he does. He isn’t too far away from his first ever win in the WISSOTA Modifieds.

4. #4U Rick Bourre (Rookie) – Best finish 3rd, average finish 7.94 (Full Season). Bourre was one of two drivers that made it to every race during the 2010 season and it paid off with a fourth place points finish. But it wasn’t all sunshine and rainbows as Bourre earned plenty of experienced in his first year in the WISSOTA Modifieds. While he finished the majority of races in 2010, mechanical problems at the fair and early exits during some features had Bourre a little overwhelmed. The good news is that he will return to the class and continue to improve upon his 2010 experience. Expect to see a rejuvenated driver and some real progress.

3. #6 Gary Wilson – Best finish 2nd, average finish 4.93 (14 Starts). A veteran driver, Wilson came oh so close in a couple races for his first Modified win in plenty of years. Having sported a newer car that he bought towards the end of 2009, you could see new life in the classic driver. He had an excellent finishing record, but missing two races kept him out of the hunt for a championship.

2. #41 Ron Korpi – Best finish 3rd, average finish 5.87 (15 starts). Korpi had been in this situation before finishing second in points for the second time in four years. He missed the last race of the year, but the points had already been decided the week before as Glen Strachan pulled off an amazing season. However, the veteran had a solid season with nine top 5s and five top 10s. Expect a full season return from the driver and another top 3 finish in the points.

1. #99 Glen Strachan – Best finish 1st (Three times), average finish 3.44 (Full season). A lot can be said about Strachan in 2010. Coming from a career worst season in 2009 with many mechanical/engine problems and DNFs, there was little good to come from that season. However, 2010 was a complete 360. He took honours as the high point champion for the Emo Fall Fair, the Keith McNally Memorial, the Hard Charger Award, and the point championship. There wasn’t much negativity to go around. Expect a solid return in 2011 and another shot at a points win and several feature wins.

Election Results and NDP Thoughts

2011-05-05T12:05:00.000-05:00

The Conservatives got the majority they wanted on Monday, while two parties that have held strong power for at least the last 20 years were decimated in the wake of it all. The Bloc has basically been destroyed, losing 45 seats (except 4 of them) mostly to the NDP. Duceppe lost his seat and quit on National Television, while Liberal leader Ignatieff didn't have the strength to quit on TV that night, but announced his resignation the next morning.

The big winner out of all of this in terms of opposition was Jack Layton and the NDP. 102 seats is quite the accomplishment for a party that had a previous high record of 43 when Ed Broadbent brought the NDP to a more recognizable party in the 1980s. But with this great accomplishment comes greater responsibility. There is a wide range of MPs now in the House of Commons, even one that is only 19 years old. These MPs are going to have to learn a lot very quickly in order to prove themselves in an environment that will rip your throat out whenever you speak a word. Layton and the crew now have the opportunity to prove to Canadians that they truly represent the people of the opposition.

Even though it is a majority government, where the Conservatives can basically do whatever they want, Canadians will be looking at Layton to make sure he does whatever he can to keep Harper in check. It will be integral over the next four years to prove the position he is now as official opposition.

There are two paths the NDP will take in the next four years. They will either prove to be a strong and evolving party that could have a strong shot at becoming the first NDP government in Canada's history, or it could falter and the NDP will return to its humble roots as the third or even fourth party. The key ingredient to stay in their new position is how they deal with the large increase of seats in Quebec.

However it unfolds, the next four years will be interesting. It is going to be four years of the Conservatives getting their agenda accomplished before the next election, the NDP to prove their ability, the Liberals to find a leader that actually touches the hearts of Canadians, and a Bloc that needs to find focus and goals that actually connect with a "new" Quebec.

Oh, and kudos to Elizabeth May for getting the first elected seat for the Green Party in the House of Commons!

Why this Election is Not a Waste

2011-04-20T23:14:00.001-05:00

I continue to hear from some that this election has been another "waste". I honestly don't believe that this election is a waste. There are several reasons as to why it isn’t:

1. The most simple concept is the fact that the government we have is a form of democracy. That is, when the government is unable to find the confidence in the leading party, there is an election called where the general public of the age of 18 or older vote who they feel will best represent their needs in the House of Commons. When an election is called, Canadians have the right to vote exercising the democratic process. I don't understand how voting is not necessary in a democratic environment.

2. The money that is spent on an election goes to the people that are in this country, especially to those that pick up the part time jobs that help run the election (Returning Officers, poll clerks, etc.). People in Canada can apply for those jobs and help earn some money on the side. The money spent on TV ads, local radio ads, and newspaper help to flow money into communities that can use a little bit of extra dough. In the end, the majority of the money goes back into the Canadian economy and in turn those people pay taxes or at least spent that earned money in the economy and at some point it all ends up back into the system.

3. By giving any party a majority, the average citizen is giving away their influence to control how parliament works. That is, the governing party with the majority can basically pass any legislation, policy, etc. they want with little to no deliberation with others. In fact, majority governments tend to feel invincible over time and try to throw as much weight around as possible. We have seen this with several cases in the past, one of the most recent being the Liberal majority (ex. sponsorship scandal). The governing party doesn't have to call an election until the maximum 5 years are up and that means legislation can be passed whether you like it or hate it.

4. While the NDP, Bloc, and Liberals may have "out voted" the Conservatives on the non-confidence motion, Harper had several chances to possibly avoid an election. One of the main items that could have been done was make some concessions with the NDP as Layton stated that if there were an amendment or two, he would vote for the budget. Several hours later, Jim Flaherty stated there would be no negotiations or amendments.

5. Forming a coalition is not undemocratic as you might think. The total amount of votes by the opposition, as in 2008 was greater than the amount of Harper's Conservatives. If the opposition had put together a coalition, it would represent almost 62% of all representatives that were elected to parliament (giving confidence of the house). This compares to Harper's 38%, claiming it governs for every Canadian.

6. Another issue with the Conservatives being in the minority power is that their platform and goals are so much away from the others. The common goal of the NDP, Liberals, and even the Bloc (on issues not pertaining to Quebec only) are much, much closer than to the Conservatives. Instead of trying to bridge the gap between their party and the opposition, Harper would rather try to widen the gap and try to scapegoat everyone else around him.

7. The whole point of a minority is to find balance. The balance is to have the confidence of the entire house to work together to find answers and valuable results. But it seems that the only cooperation is between the opposition parties, not with the Conservatives. They would rather dabble behind the scenes and tell the opposition later, than to actually stand out in front and work a deal.

8. The Conservatives want a majority because they want to be in "power". They don't want to have to be responsible to others in parliament. Harper is trying to tell people that "you don't want this" and "you should have that". He talks down to people saying that "Canadians don't care about what happens in parliament". I would like to hope we do, because whether we know it not, important things that shape our future happen behind those doors. We should all understand what is going on and pay attention to it. Only then can we really know how our system works and the kind of role we can have to shape our lives.

9. Lastly, minority government can work if all parties work together, especially the party with the most seats. In fact, they are the most important. Because, no matter how much the opposition tries to "bring down the government", in the end it is all up to the Prime Minister to find ways to reach middle ground.

Canadian Politics is EVERYWHERE!

2011-04-04T23:15:00.001-05:00

With the vote of non-confidence by the opposition on March 25, 2011, Canadians will be going to the polls once again to determine who will lead this country. For the past five years, the Conservatives have had a minority government with the Liberals being the official opposition. While the polls may have Harper and his crew towards another win, it will most likely be another minority. Here is hoping for the very least a Conservative minority, anything else without them in power is even better.

There are several reasons as to why the Conservatives do not deserve to be at the top. Below are several links you may find useful:

http://creekside1.blogspot.com/2011/04/known-country-for-old-men.html

Who be kicking people out?

Tories sorry after student turfed from rally

Undemocratic?

These are just a few tidbits of some of the weird stuff going on with them. Not only that, the vote of non-confidence had the attachment of saying that they were in contempt of parliament! CONTEMPT! Meaning they did things that were undemocratic and against the proper procedures. It is unfortunate that many Canadians will not do the research to learn many of the things that are going on.

Now, I am not a big fan of Iggy either. He should have come back to Canada about 10 or so years ago and then established himself with the Liberals. This would have allowed him ample time to connect with Canadians more. This election, however is less of who will be in power, but rather, who shouldn't be.

It is not right to be in contempt of parliament. In fact, it has never happened in the history of Canada before. But Harper would rather not talk about it:

Harper Avoids the Tough Question

Should Harper have the ability to be re-elected? This site doesn't believe so:

Harper in Contempt

We all know Harper is seeking re-election though. So what do we need to do?

We need to make sure that the Canadian people understand the importance of not letting someone who has been in contempt of Parliament to be re-elected. By voting on May 2, you will be exercising your right to elect someone who will at least speak to Canadians and not talk down to them.

Rick Mercer says it best:

Rick Mercer On the Election

Earthquakes and Civil War

2011-03-13T00:44:00.001-06:00

The last few weeks has had a torrent of news, especially as of Friday morning when the large 9.0 earthquake ripped through the northeast of the main island of Japan. One report I read says that the whole island has moved over 8 feet and that the earth's axis moved 4 inches due to the quake. I have spent most of my time today watching videos and waiting to read updates of what is going on over there. The nuclear power plant issue is a scary one as well. My girlfriend watched some of the stuff with me, but had to stop because she felt it was too emotional for her. I agree with that.

It is quite disheartening and sad to see those people suffer. It is a crude reminder that no matter how much we try to conquer our environment, Mother Nature can strike back and put us back dozens of years in a matter of minutes. I wish the best to everyone in Japan and hope that things improve quickly for all. It is a daunting task no doubt, but if the whole world helps out, we can work past this tragedy and prepare for the next one.

In Libya, the situation is still tense. Gadhafi forces have retaliated and are starting to take back territory that the opposition had claimed earlier. The anti-government demonstrations, turned violent, turned civil war situation is a delicate one and the international community is very weary of what to do to help out. I can understand this as the West does not want to be seen as the bad guy here. We are all seeing something probably not seen in the Middle East ever, where the general public has risen up against governments. In the past, there have been military coups, and strong individuals taking over, but this time, things are different.

I am surprised that there has not been a strong single leader in the opposition to stand out and find focus for the opposition. This is a good thing because that means there are people that want to share roles and responsibility with other citizens, which hopefully will lead to a dynamic and properly representative government. However, in terms of being able to remove Gadhafi from Tripoli and the western side of the country, the lack of military leadership or some kind of strong leader, has made it more difficult. Everyone seems adamant to change things over, but there is no real central command to organize and execute military force. This is where outside support could come in.

Understandably, however, the United States, NATO, and the U.N. are edgy as they do not want to cross over the lines of what is acceptable intervention to the leaders of the Middle East and Africa. Good news this evening that the Arab league has approved a potential no-fly zone (Two countries, Algeria and Syria were against it).

While I have no idea what may happen for the near future of Libya, I do see that there is currently two countries. West Libya, controlled by Ghadafi, and East Libya, controlled by a transitional council that is quickly building its structure to govern what they currently reign over. If Eastern Libya can establish a strong central system of government before Ghadafi pushes to the opposition headquarters, then there is a real fighting chance for change. The longer the new government stays in control in the east, the more likely the rest of the world will acknowledge their existence as a state (France was the first country to do so).

The issues in Libya are a tense one and I hope that in the end, the causalities are not too severe and that the people may soon get back to normal life.

Both the situations in Japan and Libya are examples of how humans try to persevere. Even with a natural disaster or a civil war, people are sacrificing themselves to help others to rebuild lives that may have been lost. In Canada, we are lucky to live in a relatively peaceful and beautiful country. What is happening in other parts of the world is a prime example of just how fortunate we are. So, then next time you go out to see your friends, family, or even a complete stranger, be sure to hug them and appreciate what we have.

Curling... What I Have Learned

2011-02-24T17:05:00.000-06:00

This past fall, my family and I decided to curl for the winter at the Emo Curling Rink. There wasn't much experience on the team, with the exception of my father who used to play the sport like a religion in the 1970s. I myself had some recent experience teaching kids how to play, but other than that, I have little experience. My mother had some experience and my younger brother had NONE. Suffice to say, the first couple months of playing was terrible. In the first seven games we were able to score eight points, while our competitors scored well over twenty. Games usually finished at 10-1 or 10-2. We then made a switch with the Skip (my mother) shooting first and myself going to shoot last. We won the next two games (one of them single handily) and the last four games we have played were really close, only losing by 7-5 twice and 8-5 twice. Let's just say the scoring game has improved on our end.

Yesterday was a big game in the world of curling (at least in Canada) as Jennifer Jones and Cathy Overton-Clapham went head-to-head in the Scotties Tournament of Hearts. Overton-Clapham used to play for Jones until recently where Jones and the rest of the team decided that she was too old and they let her go. Now playing for Manitoba, Overton-Clapham took their team against Jones (Team Canada) in a barn burner of an event.

We happened to curl last night when the game was on, and it seemed the entire building, including those playing on the ice were watching the TV screen. Everyone seemed to be cheering for Manitoba, disgraced at the decision that Jones had made. The game was quite exciting as some very important and difficult shots were made by Manitoba taking the game 8-6 with Cathy having a 95% shot percentage... considered probably her best ever... Disciplined anger goes a long way in performing.

While watching the game and hearing people cheer and such, and to listen to such detail about what happened, I realized that curling in Canada is a very tight community. People take things personally and when everyone feels a certain way it spreads across the country. The deal between Jones and Overton-Clapham is a prime example of that. It adds more entertainment than I ever thought possible.

I have really enjoyed my time playing the game and hopefully we will do it again next year.

NASCAR: Camping World Truck Series and Predictions for 500

2011-02-19T00:51:00.001-06:00

Friday night's race for the Camping World Truck Series race at Daytona was interesting enough. TWO big wrecks, taking 31 trucks with damage to the finish line. Not many were left by the end of the race which was won by #15 Michael Waltrip. Good on Mikey too. He has not had the greatest time in the past several years and it was great to see him in victory lane. Whether a truck race or not, he made a bold move that worked out well and he deserved the win for that. I wish him the best for the next two races.

The race itself had some spectacular crashes as the two "big" ones took out much of the field before it was all said and done. It was interesting to see Jennifer Jo Cobb get a little pissed at Kyle Busch. I am not sure what for, but I will probably find out soon.

Predictions for the Daytona 500:

I expect the racing to be similar to the Shootout and Duels, which means most middle aged fans will hate the race since it won't be pack racing. To me, it is Daytona, which basically means that the race will be decided on the last lap coming out of the last corner. So, no matter how it happens, the race will have a winner, and it will be exciting because, well, it's always exciting to see who wins the Daytona 500.

Not every race can be exciting straight from start to finish, and I have had my fair share of boring Daytona races whether it was pack racing or not. In the end, the whole point of Daytona is tradition, the start of a new season, and that feeling you get when the winner pulls into victory lane for the first time of the year and has the emotion that makes grown men cry....

However you watch the race on Sunday, make it a good one. :D

NFL Superbowl Over... Now It's Time for the Good Stuff...

2011-02-11T18:58:00.000-06:00

Okay, maybe NASCAR isn't the "GOOD" stuff. But it is a heck of a lot better than waiting for the four feet of snow at the track to melt in April so we can watch local/live racing. Besides, a local favourite is racing ARCA and possibly the Camping World Truck Series over the next several months before our tracks get geared up.

I had the chance to watch the Superbowl and thankfully cheering for the Green Bay Packers actually worked in my favour! It actually was a pretty good game, much better than last year. Luckily, as one season ends, another one starts... Tomorrow night is the "unofficial" start to the NASCAR season with the Bud Shootout. Even though the race is an exhibition, it will give us first hand taste of what the new track is like and give us a small preview of what may come for the Duels on Thursday and the eventual Daytona 500. Tomorrow (Saturday) is the season opener for the ARCA series as well, and I am sure there will be PLENTY of people watching Steve Arpin run for a win. He qualified 3rd, giving him track position that will probably be very important tomorrow.

A sure sign of spring is the NASCAR season. Even with temperatures hanging around the freezing mark for the next week in the Northwest of Ontario, it is much too cold to think about racing here... so, at the very least, we can get excited about the local season by prepping the big screen. :)

NASCAR's New Point System

2011-01-27T14:19:00.002-06:00

I had known for a few weeks now that NASCAR was planning to make a change in their point system for the 2011 season (I say the 2011 season because I am sure if this system doesn't work out they will make another change for 2012), but I didn't realize how much of a change it would be. I don't normally go out of my way to check out www.nascar.com and I had totally forgot when they were planning announce the changes. I found out that the organization had moved to a 43 point system through one of the blogs I regularly go to at The Rest of the Dirt. I was shocked to see such a change since the 185pts for a win was eraticated and in its place is a 43pts to win and one point less per position back. 3 bonus points will be awarded for a win (Meaning the winner actually gets 46 points) and the previous bonuses, one for leading a lap and one for the most laps led, will be reduced to one point each. This is to aim towards a tighter points championship at the end of the year.

Not only that, but now start positions will be determined either by qualifying OR practice speeds. If qualifying gets rained out, they will go by practice times. In terms of the playoff Chase, the final two positions of 11th and 12th will be wild card positions where the drivers that are positioned from 11th - 20th will get the chance for a berth through wins. For instance, McMurray and Kurt Busch would have been the the two wildcard drivers in 2010 since they had the most wins outside of the top 10. I am not sure how they will determine a tie, but I would assume whoever is higher in the points will take the berth.

The system reminds me a bit of the WISSOTA point system. There is a basic one point separation between positions to keep the championship chase fairly close. This rewards those that are consistently doing well in their finishes. If you take the 35 points for first compared to the 33 for second, the extra point is like a bonus point for the win. Positions are then decreased by one point each. I know in several cases at the Emo Speedway of drivers that never won a race, but won the championship. #33 Kendal Gamsby in 2006 in the WISSOTA Midwest Modifieds and #85 Jamie Davis in the WISSOTA Modifieds in 2004 are two off the top of my head. I am sure there have been several tracks in the region that have had the same experience.

NASCAR's idea is actually a fair one, especially in the fact that it simplifies a usually complicated point system. Whether it will actually make the chase better will be anyone's guess. I feel that it will promote consistency again, more so than winning. In the last several years, NASCAR has increased the points for a win to try and get drivers to take more risks at the end of the race to take the glory at each race. Even with the 3 bonus points for a win, if you are consistently staying in the top 5/10, a chance for the championship will be greater compared to the last few years. It will most likely increase the fights for position further in the field itself, but for the wins, I think we will see drivers getting what they can and not always pushing the limit (especially in the top 10). The good news is, drivers that are not consistent or have a bad night will be punished brutally for ending their race towards the back. 30-40 points can be difficult to earn back when one position is worth only one point. Just ask people in WISSOTA country that have lost championships due to one DNF.

Will Winter Ever Be Over?

2011-01-21T10:08:00.000-06:00

Okay, I think we can all agree that winter is a terrible thing in Northern Minnesota/Northern Ontario. This morning, at a low of -41C, all school buses were cancelled. That isn't surprising considering it is also the first time this winter since we reach -40C/F which is pretty intense when you think about it. I remember the "good old days" when -40 to -30 was the normal daily temperature for at least a month or two.

Last year today, it was -1.6 C (30F)... a balmy difference from this year. Luckily, Monday is looking beautiful. I am hoping that is a trend that will continue to increase as the days go on.

Anyway, instead of making you freeze your body AND mind, lets think about the warmer and greener times of the year.

Several tracks have released their official schedules, including Deer Creek Speedway, North Central Speedway, and I-94 Speedway. The addition of weekly Modifieds at I-94 will be a great addition for them. It is nice to see that the controversy surrounding that sanction was calmed down and sorted out. Princeton is adding Mod-4s to their regular schedule with racing starting in Mid-April. I have never been to that track, but I am seriously considering a trip there this season.

I am also hoping to get to Madison Speedway at some point this year because I have met some great individuals that are very passionate about racing in that area and nothing beats showing support when you can. I will also be taking the usual trips to Bemidji Speedway, Grand Rapids Speedway, Greenbush Race Park (If they open in 2011), and probably for the first time this year, to the Labor Day Shootout at Hibbing Raceway. I may even have the chance to go to Proctor for the first time this summer. Oh, Red River Co-op Speedway in Winnipeg will be another yearly attendance. The big one I am looking forward to there is the All Star Race.

As you plan your 2011 racing season as either a fan or driver, be sure to check out the schedules at tracks nearest to you.

For the Emo Speedway, the season opener is on Saturday, May 14th. Stay tuned over tweaks for events that will be occuring throughout the summer. The schedule will be more finalized in the next week or two with some poentially exciting announcements.

Also, the Emo Speedway will be running on Friday, July 1st for Canada Day. So, if you rarely have had the chance to come to the speedway before, this might be a good chance. You can check out the schedule at Official Website of the Emo Speedway

Anyway, have a great weekend and stay WARM!

Review: the racing life

2011-01-09T22:40:00.009-06:00

The worst part about winter is that there really isn't much of racing going on. Where I live, winter grabs a hold and doesn't let go until early March and even then it is hit or miss. There is some Dirt Track racing in the lower parts of the United States where its rarely winter at all, but for the majority of us, we are in the deep freeze. Luckily, "the racing life" gives us a regionally local perspective of the life and times of drivers, their families, as well as other people involved in the sport.

The first episode came out not too long ago and today I had the chance to check it out and enjoy the excellent production value it has. The first part of the show is about the life Corky Thomas has had when it comes to racing. Thomas raced at the Emo Speedway on occasion in the Mid-1990s. The show really brought out his personality; someone that loves the sport and wants to do the best he can. His stories were very down to earth and there was plenty of reminiscing; the stories were very intriguing. Mixing in the racing shots while he talked really created a connection between the man and the car.

Nick Skalicky is someone that really cares about the future of the sport. His assistance in helping to get kids into go-karts to learn the ropes as early as possible is admirable and you can see that he wants to be a good mentor. Making sure that they have good etiquette both on and off the track builds a foundation of sportsmanship in the future.

The documentary has several things going for it right now. There is an entire sub-culture when it comes to Dirt Track Racing. Corky Thomas mentions how it becomes something of a family dinner, if you miss it, everyone wonders where you were.

"the racing life" is something that is long overdue in an area that has had fairly limited exposure when it comes to the media. The show really brings out its production value through its in car cameras and action shots. Having some of the voice overlay while watching those scenes really gets you into the show.

I found one issue that didn't deter from the show overall but hearing the interviewer say things in the background was distracting, especially in the garage with echo. It is a minor issue that hopefully isn't too prevalent in the upcoming episodes.

All in all, the first episode was quite excellent and I recommend it to anyone, including those that have never seen dirt track racing before. It gives insight for those that do not understand the real aspect of racing. It isn't just about the car, the glory or the guts. It is about family, it is about tradition, and it is about the love of the sport. I hope that this is something people will share for years to come.

Kudos to the entire crew for all their hard work at Sailer Productions, a young television production company that has made a great head start with this program. Please support their cause on bringing high quality stories of racing from our region.

Please visit their website at the racing life and their Facebook Page

Rating: 4.5/5

Ideas? And Other Cool News

2011-01-05T16:35:00.000-06:00

This is a shout out to have you comment some ideas for the potential podcast in 2011. What should be the extent of the cast? What are some of the topics that should/could be talked about?

You will be seeing a lot more photography, video and voice interviews on youtube, flickr, facebook, etc. In 2011 we will finally have a full time/close to full time photographer at the Emo Speedway. Jason will be doing both photos and video throughout the upcoming season. He hasn't had much experience with racing photography but has been very good with some of the work he did when watching the races at Red River Co-op Speedway in 2009. A big thank you for his future dedication.

I will also be doing more driver interviews from the Emo Speedway and may be expanding to other tracks such as RRCS, Grand Rapids Speedway, and Proctor Speedway. Every track I go to in 2011 will have the voice recorder with me.

I will post some of Jason's photography in a future blog post.

Thanks for reading and looking forward to your ideas.

2011... What Could Be in Store?

2011-01-03T19:48:00.000-06:00

Sometimes, opportunities may come your way that may or may not completely change the way your life could be. Decisions can be hard to make, especially when several potential choices come your way at once. It comes to having as much foresight as possible with the information at hand.

Greg Cybulski is a man that has dreams. Dreams that can come true with the right dedication and head strong passion for the sport of racing. Even though it may seem that I am letting the rabbit out of the hat, I will keep details limited.

I have known Greg for about five years now. Our meetings usually involve a stop off at the Dairy Queen on Pembina Hwy by the University of Manitoba. The conversation tends to last a few hours... much longer than the existence of the DQ Blizzard I ate. We have been good friends for a long time and I am very humbled by many of the nice things he has said about me. His ideas for the coming year are building a foundation right now...

Some have said in the past that I have a "great" radio voice. As usual, my own voice feels awkward to me but I will just go with what people say. Because of that, I have considered Greg's proposal to start up a podcast with him and we have been batting ideas back and forth to see what we can do to contribute to the region of racing. I am very excited about the chance to do this and I hope that you guys feel the same way.

Whatever Greg decides to do, I will support it the best as I can. Racing in all its forms is still about family, community, and striving to do your best. We can all be proud that there are people out there that really care about the sport and will do anything possible to give the recognition everyone deserves.

Stay tuned for some exciting things to come out of Greg's dreams for 2011. You can check out his twitter, facebook, and blog below:

Prairie Dirt on Facebook
Praire Dirt on Twitter
Dirt From the Stands Blog

Christmas Season

2010-12-17T23:31:00.000-06:00

Sometimes, I tend to forget about the Christmas season since it is more like a routine these days than something special. I get caught up with not liking the cold, the snow, and having to put on a million clothes before going outside. But it seems when the day gets really close, I reflect on all the Christmas' of the past and it does create a bit of a sentimentality that I tend to have with other things.

It is a time to spend with family and friends and to look back over the past year and years before it.

The biggest thoughts I have are the racing season, watching videos and remembering the days of green and warmth. Christmas allows to gather my thoughts again after the hustle and bustle of the last few months of school.

The commercialization of Christmas doesn't bother me, and the whole Happy Holidays versus Merry Christmas thing doesn't hit the care radar. Whether it is right or wrong, Christmas is a special time of year for all of us, no matter how we celebrate it.

Its December 17th, and I still haven't got my father a gift, but I am hoping that I will get it by Thursday (Just a couple days before Christmas). He told me just to get something for the Shop... but I think he has enough tools already. Maybe I should buy him some new shocks for the race car! :)

One thing I definitely have to do is send out my e-cards for Christmas. I have old friends that are all over the world and I think it is a great way to let them know I still think of them and consider our friendship true.

There are plenty of things I am thankful for, my girlfriend, who puts up with my obsession of racing and computer vegging, the town of Emo for putting their trust in me for town councillor, my parents for putting up with my random visits to their house, and to all my friends and relatives that have been there when I needed them whether if it was just a chat or something more deep.

Christmas is when you can let time stand still for one day. You can take a deep breath, let it out slowly, smile at all of those around you and say "I love life".

Have a Merry Christmas everyone. Thank you for reading.

WISSOTA 3-link Rule Letter

2010-12-15T17:43:00.000-06:00

Dear Promoters, WISSOTA Board of Directors, and Drivers

This letter is intended to bring to light the real issue that has come up with the 3-link rules for the Midwest Modifieds.

During the Annual General Meeting, the topic of the 3-link came up during the transmission issue. Del Arneson said that one way to help reduce this occurrence is to limit the ride height on the cars and that going to a 3-link may help. In the long discussion that followed, it was a general consensus that the easiest, simplest, and most cost effective way to limit the ride height on the Midwest Modifieds was to clamp/weld the birdcage and drop the two upper links.

What we have seen in the result of the meeting is a rule that is so complicated, so limiting, and will force a lot more change than we intended as promoters. The cost will be much more than any of us thought it would be because we all thought we wanted clamped birdcages and dropped links. It was mentioned in the minutes of the Annual General Meeting,

“Bob Timm stated that the tech committee should clarify that they could clamp their current bird cages.”

This is all the promoters asked for from the tech committee to do as everyone had the idea of an effective way to start limiting the ride heights. Rather, the final rule has thrown back many people and has left most of us wondering why we didn’t even get a chance to see the final rule and vote on this just like the shock package. Instead, we received an FYI and no justification or explanation as to why the rule became as large as it has. Why would the board/tech committee decide it was important enough to re-vote on the shocks with the clarified rule and not the 3-link decision?

The transparency of WISSOTA continues to be murky on this decision as it seems some of the Board feels that they are not answerable to the promoters that helped to develop and shape the organization itself. Our mission statement of having a democratic environment does not apparently apply to the 3-link rule that was released.

Based on the new rule presented, teching will become a nightmare. Many tracks have a hard enough time as is looking and teching the cars that finish the race, let alone an entire class of anywhere from 10-30 cars at one track. Measurements will have to be done on link lengths as well as angles. On the other hand, by dropping the upper links, a visual inspection is all that is needed since the birdcages automatically have to be welded or clamped in order for the suspension to work.

It is bad enough that we have forced a change in shocks and a brand new tire package. There is enough for drivers to swallow already in an economy that is staggering.

The purpose of this rule was to make it easy for 4-link and z-link cars to convert their cars to a three link. The difference between the 4 and the 3 is the two extra links and the birdcage itself, nothing else. All the other regulations in the new rule are to reduce speed and traction which is nowhere near the original purpose of the rule passed in November.

It is the intent of this letter to request that the Board of Directors either have the membership vote to accept or decline the tech committee’s proposed ruling, or to pass within the board the original purpose of this rule:

All MW Mods are to have 3-link rear suspension. Current 4 link or Z link cars may become 3 link cars by removing both upper links and welding/clamping birdcages.

This rule can be worded better of course, but this is the basic rule that was originally intended.

The future and stability of WISSOTA is at stake here. The decision to pass the rule as it was created by the Tech Committee has the potential to crack the very foundation of this organization. There comes a point where the membership itself needs to intervene to preserve the integrity of Dirt Track Racing in the region when they feel that the very fabric of their organization could be torn.

Thank you for your time,
Anthony Leek
Promoter
Borderland Racing Association
www.borderlandracing.com

Reflections: Stock Car Racing

2010-10-10T23:00:00.006-05:00

The feeling you get from jumping into a stock car for the first time is a sensation only for the strong of heart. Once you slide into the cockpit of a car like that, a flood of emotions overtakes your mind. As the belts are buckled, the helmet goes on and the window net goes up, the world becomes so much smaller. Sitting inside, pacing around the track before the green flag waves, there is a sense of unity between the car and the driver.

The rumble of the engine, the bumps on the surface and fellow competitors in front, beside and behind you grow the anxiety inside your soul. A deep breath is drawn in but limited by the tightness of the belts. Riding the gas pedal waiting for the wave of the flag, there is an instant set of calm before the noise becomes a volcano.

There is awareness like no other as you steer through the first corner. The wanting urges to become the fastest car out there. The engine roars and the speed increases as the straightaway takes you to the next corner. Your mind and the car work together as you try to hold a line and not cause an accident....

Read the Rest of it Here

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2010 Emo Speedway Fun Facts and Trivia

2010-10-05T16:41:00.001-05:00

Below are some cool trivia and facts that happened in the 2010 season at the Emo Speedway:

1. #15 Ron Westover won his sixth championship in eighteen years of racing, making him the most championships won by a single driver, the most won in one class, and the best championship to career years ratio.

2. #99 Glen Strachan has now won almost every award possible at the Emo Speedway except "Most Feature Wins in a season" and "Rookie of the Year". Previous he has won the Rollover Award, Most Sportsmanlike Award, the Hard Luck Award, Fans Favourite Driver, Mid-Season Champion and Best Appearing Car. In 2010, he won the Rea Memorial Weekend Championship, Keith McNally Memorial Race, Hard Charger overall, and the Track Championship. He also made a personal record at three feature wins in one season.

3. For the first time in at least six years the average car count was greater than 10 in all three classes. WISSOTA Midwest Modifieds had the highest average at 14 per week, while the Street Stocks and WISSOTA Modifieds had about 10 per week.

4. The WISSOTA Modifieds had nine different winners in 2010 even though the car count was the lowest in five years. It was the most diversity of winners since 2007 when nine different winners also happened.

5. There were no local rollovers in 2010, the first time since 2005. The only rollover took place on August 7th, when a Winnipeg Super Truck (Wayne Grosky) rolled over coming to the checkered flag.

6. For the first time since 2003, Street Stocks had the highest weekly car count of the three classes. This happened twice in 2010. It was also the first year since 2003 when the Streets had an average of over 10 cars a week.

7. There were a multitude of returning drivers that last raced at Emo at least a few years ago or more. These included: Alex Gamie, Darien Trimble, Nolan Olmstead, Rick Delaine, Rick Dennhardt, and Dave Rea.

8. Also, there were drivers that had never raced at the Emo Speedway before that attended in 2010. These include, #10 Ward Imrie (Modifieds), #27 Mike Wilson (Streets), #80 Jesse Peterson (Streets), #39 Shawn Teunis (Streets), #44U Nick Leininger (Streets), #20 Glen Godin (Midwest Mods), #38J John Owen (Midwest Mods), #60 Jamie Smart (Midwest Mods), #14C Cody Ossachuk (Midwest Mods), #18D Cody Drennan (Midwest Mods), and #11R John Reini (Modifieds)

9. There were thirteen weeks of straight racing at the track, a definite record in the past 25 years. The season ran uninterrupted from June 19th to September 4th. 2010 also had the most amount of races in a season since 2006 at 16. (2006 also had 16 races) 2009 had 13 weeks completed and 2008 had a record low of 11 races in the season.

10. The Street Stocks had a record of four women racing throughout the season. Streets continue to be the only class that has full time female racers and continues to grow as a developmental class to build a new generation of drivers.

2010 Emo Speedway Season In Review: WISSOTA Modifieds

2010-10-05T13:55:00.000-05:00

WISSOTA Modifieds in Review

The WISSOTA Modifieds had an interesting year to say the least. It had the most volatile amount of cars going anywhere from seven one week to as high as fourteen the next week. The car count would have been decent throughout the whole year if all drivers had attended at the same time. Instead, there was a balance between those that showed up one week and those that didn't the next week.

Even with less cars on a weekly average, there managed to be nine different winners throughout the year making it the most since the 2007 season.

Below is a list of the feature winners in 2010:
#1L Brad Loveday - 5
#99 Glen Strachan - 3
#16 Gavin Paull - 2
#12 Dwayne Pelepetz - 1
#9EH Jason Anderson - 1
#22G Kyle Gavel - 1
#4N Nolan Olmstead - 1
#14F Greg Ferris - 1
#01 Joey Galloway - 1

Even with the lower car count, there was still plenty of action. #99 Glen Strachan had the best year of his career taking the Rea Memorial Championship weekend, the Keith McNally Memorial, and the 2010 Track Championship.

The biggest surprise of the year was Glen Strachan's breakout into winning the biggest nights of the year. Last year was his worst with engine failures, transmissions, and plenty of bad luck. It all disappeared for 2010. Even when things seemed to be finishing at the back, Strachan worked his way through the field. Hard work and dedication throughout the entire year gave him top honours.

There were two rookies in the WISSOTA Modifieds, #14 Tyler Brown and #4U Rick Bourre. Both had a steep learning curve but made it through the season without too many problems. Bourre claimed fourth in points while Brown claimed sixth. There were no rookies in 2009.

The most consistent driver was Glen Strachan with three wins, ten top fives, and three top tens. Him and Rick Bourre were the only two drivers that completed the entire 16 weeks of racing.

The Emo Fall Fair was a big show for the class as 17 and 16 cars entered for friday and Saturday racing respectively. Here are the feature winners of the Rea Memorial Weekend:

Friday Night
#4N Nolan Olmstead

Saturday Night
#01 Joey Galloway

Overall Rea Memorial Champion
#99 Glen Strachan

2010 Rookies
#4U Rick Bourre
#14 Tyler Brown

Longest Haul Drivers:
#71 Derrick Big Eagle (Manor, Saskatchewan)
#2 Scott Splittstoesser (Cottage Grove, Minnesota)
#51 Randy Belluk (Winnipeg, Manitoba)
#23 Shawn Hnatiuk (Winnipeg, Manitoba)
#1R Rick Delaine (Stony Mountain, Manitoba)
#10 Ward Imrie (Winnipeg, Manitoba)

Most Heat Wins
#99 Glen Strachan - 8
#1L Brad Loveday - 5
#16 Gavin Paull - 3
#41 Ron Korpi - 1
#71 Derrick Big Eagle - 1
#85 Jamie Davis - 1
#12P Dwayne Pelepetz - 1
#1R Rick Delaine - 1
#6 Gary Wilson - 1
#21P Dwayne Pihulak - 1
#3 Bill Witherspoon - 1
#2 Scott Splittsoesser - 1

Car Counts (Total Shows: 16)
Highest Car Count: 17 Cars on August 20th (Emo Fall Fair)
Lowest Car Count: 7 Cars on September 4th (Season Championship)
Average Car Count Attendance: 10.4375

2010 Emo Speedway Season In Review: Street Stocks

2010-09-27T20:04:00.003-05:00

Street Stocks in Review

The Street Stock class had the largest amount of growth throughout the season starting in the single digits at the beginning and moving to the double digits in count by mid-summer. Plenty of rookies handled the field as well as plenty of veterans. There were a couple returning drivers after a long hiatus such as Alex Gamie and Darien Trimble. Daniel Hettinga claimed his first ever win in his second year of racing, Ron Westover cleaned up the standings and wins, while Bemidji driver Don Bowman and Scott Messner took three feature wins each.

Bowman had his best year ever since he started racing. His three wins and seven heat wins boosted his standings even when missing a few races in the year.

Below is a list of the feature winners in 2010:
#15 Ron Westover - 7
#38 Don Bowman - 3
#18M Scott Messner - 3
#17 Jeff Wickstrom - 2
#20 Daniel Hettinga - 1

With the point average in place the faster cars had to work harder to win races. This was especially true when the car count increased to the high teens. Many of the wins represented above were a valiant effort by the drivers.

The Most Improved driver for 2010 was Lindsay Bourre, who only had two top fives in 2009, sprang to seven top fives for 2010. She even finished third in points due to consistent attendance. Her and three other drivers ran the entire season which paid dividends by the end of the year. She also claimed seven top 10s.

The top rookie of the year in points was Libby Wilson in the points, but in terms of overall development, Nick Leininger had an impressive year. Starting out three weeks late, Leininger claimed two heat wins by the ends of the season as well as a top five finish. He seems to be getting the hang of it, even in a big crowd. His sophomore year will be something to look forward to as more seat time will improve his skill set. As for Wilson, the speed was up by the end of the season and she was really starting to get mixed in with the crowd. More seat time in 2011 will improve her skills as well.

The most consistent driver in 2010 was Ron Westover. He won his sixth championship of his career and claimed seven wins, eight top 5s and one DNF (on the last night). After eighteen years of experience, Westover continues to dominate the field overall.

For the first time in five years, Street Stocks outnumbered the other two classes in car count, two weeks in a row.

The Emo Fall Fair was a big show for the class as 17 and 18 cars entered for friday and saturday racing respectively. Here are the feature winners of the Rea Memorial Weekend:

Friday Night
#15 Ron Westover

Saturday Night
#18 Scott Messner

Overall Rea Memorial Champion
#15 Ron Westover

2010 Rookies
#500 Libby Wilson
#44U Nick Leininger

Longest Haul Drivers:
#27 Mike Wilson (Manor, Saskatchewan)
#80 Jesse Peterson (Winnipeg, Manitoba)
#39 Shawn Teunis (Winnipeg, Manitoba)

Most Heat Wins
#38 Don Bowman - 7
#18 Scott Messner - 6
#20 Daniel Hettinga - 4
#15 Ron Westover - 4
#44U Nick Leininger - 2
#7 Darien Trimble - 2
#17 Jeff Wickstrom - 2
#80 Jesse Peterson - 1
#85 Darryl Desserre - 1
#69 Terry Martin - 1
#88 Tyler Wickstrom - 1
#25 Richard Visser - 1

Car Counts (Total Shows: 16)
Highest Car Count: 18 Cars on August 21st (Emo Fall Fair)
Lowest Car Count: 7 Cars on May 29th
Average Car Count Attendance: 10.875

2010 Emo Speedway Season In Review: WISSOTA MWM

2010-09-20T14:55:00.005-05:00

WISSOTA Midwest Modifieds in Review

There were plenty of surprising and exciting moments at the Emo Speedway in the WISSOTA Midwest Modifieds this past year as the class was once again very competitive. There was a different winner every week for eight weeks, and unprecedented amount. Last year there were five weeks of different winners, until #99 Tridell Champlin won his second.

Below is a list of the feature winners in 2010:
#55 Tylar Wilson (R) - 3
#33 Kendal Gamsby - 3
#50 Brady Caul - 2
#06 Mike Wilson - 2
#60X Chuck Lambert - 2
#9A Ken Anderson - 1
#19 John Hettinga - 1
#21D Matt DePiero - 1
#224 Cody Wolkowski - 1

Nine different winners and an average of about 15 cars a week. Just goes to show you how close these drivers run.

The biggest surprise in 2010 was #06 Mike Wilson taking his first and second career victories ever. Even with several nights of accidents and early retirements from the feature, he rose above the occasion and led the field to the checkered flag twice. It was a polarized year for Wilson who only finished in the top 5 with the two wins, 8 top 10s, and the other six races outside of that or a DNF. He did complete the year with a respectable seventh in points.

The top rookie of the year was #55 Tylar Wilson. While the guy is no stranger to dirt track racing at Emo, this was his first year in an open wheel Midwest modified. His skill set transferred well from Street Stocks during the season with three wins, five top 5s and one top 10. A couple bad nights took him out of the chase for the championship, but did finish third in points. A great way to finish a rookie season.

The most consistent driver in 2010 was the #50 of Brady Caul. He won his first championship ever with two wins and nine top 5s. He also had three top 10s. Only two nights did he finish outside of that.

Most improved from 2009 was #19 John Hettinga. The past year or two has been a struggle as Hettinga was winless in 2009 and 2008. His consistency changed in 2010 as he took the WISSOTA Amsoil Qualifer feature in mid-July and claimed second spot in the standings only eight behind Caul.

The Emo Fall Fair was a big show for the class as 23 cars entered for two days of racing. Here are the feature winners of the Rea Memorial Weekend:

Friday Night
#60X Chuck Lambert

Saturday Night
#224 Cody Wolkowski

Overall Rea Memorial Champion
#224 Cody Wolkowski

2010 Rookies
#55 Tylar Wilson
#18D Cody Drennan
#20 Glen Godin
#14C Cody Ossachuk
#21A Dave Rea
#38J John Owen

Longest Haul Drivers:
#21A Dave Rea (Thunder Bay)
#224 Cody Wolkowski (Thunder Bay)
#20 Glen Godin/Rick Dennhardt (Thunder Bay)
#3D Kevin Monteith (Thunder Bay)
#71 Scott Bruce (Thunder Bay)
#61 Jamie Smart (Thunder Bay)
#47 Don Craig (Thunder Bay)
#88 Paul Veert (Winnipeg)

Most Heat Wins
#17 Christopher Leek - 6
#50 Brady Caul - 4
#33 Kendal Gamsby - 4
#19 John Hettinga - 3
#88 Paul Veert - 3
#55 Tylar Wilson - 3
#06 Mike Wilson - 2
#60X Chuck Lambert - 2
#3D Kevin Monteith - 2
#47 Don Craig - 1
#9A Ken Anderson - 1
#224 Cody Wolkowski - 1

Car Counts (Total Shows: 16)
Highest Car Count: 23 Cars on August 20th and 21st (Emo Fall Fair)
Lowest Car Count: 9 Cars on September 4th (Season Championship)
Average Car Count Attendance: 14.623