Luke Whitteker had a strong run at Brockville Speedway on Saturday night. (Andy Watts Photo)

Luke started his qualifying heat race from fifth place and had advanced to third until a throttle linkage issue sent him to the pits for repairs. He came back out ready for the 30 lap main event, but would have to start from the rear of the 27-car field. Whitteker battled some adversity early, as he ran over a tire in the opening laps, but the damage was minimal, and he was able to continue. The race was slowed by several cautions in the first few laps of the race, but Whitteker was able to move up from the back quickly, moving inside the top ten before nine laps had been completed. Another caution slowed the race on lap 24 and by now Luke had been up to seventh place. When the race resumed, he was able to advance inside the top five and crossed the finish line with a fifth place result.

This coming weekend, Luke will return to Brockville Speedway on Saturday for their second race of the season, then its on to Cornwall Speedway on Sunday for their opening night, featuring a 100 lap Mr. DIRTcar 358 Modified series/Canadian National Series event.

Luke and the Whitteker Motorsports Racing Team would like to thank their sponsors; Rust Check, Toy Storage, Jim’s Performance Plus, ET Performance, C Double J Harvesting, Parcoll Products/Napa Auto Parts, Storm Realty Cornwall, Cohen and Lord Insurance, ERD Engine Research and Development, Bicknell Racing Products, Thompson Tim-Br Mart, Wells & Son Construction, Fence Depot, Mile One Mobile, HW Supplies, Black Dog Tire & Lubricants, Fireball Performance Automatics Inc., L.R. Whitteker Enterprise, Ultramar and Finish Line Web Design. The Whitteker Motorsports Racing Team appreciates your continuing support throughout the 2013 racing season.

For more information on Luke Whitteker and the Whitteker Motorsports team, please visit our website, www.lukewhitteker.com. You will find up to date news, schedule, race results as well as direct links to our sponsor’s websites giving fans easy access to support the companies that support our race team.

Lee Gill in action at Brockville Speedway. He finished fourth on opening night. (Rick Young Photo)

Gill returned to Brockville Speedway for opening night on Saturday, and started off with a fifth place finish in his qualifying heat race after starting from the rear of the field. Lee lined up on the outside of the ninth row in the 18th position to start the 30 lap main event and quickly moved forward. After avoiding multiple on track incidents in the first half of the race, he made his way inside the top ten by lap 12 and was up to fifth just two laps later. After climbing to as high as third place, Gill settled into fourth place in the closing laps, posting a strong finish to start the new season.

“We avoided some of the early wrecks that took place and were able to get a strong top five finish to start the season”, says Gill after the race. “We will work on the car over the next week and see if we can get it a little better when we return next Saturday”.

Lee Gill plans to race at Brockville weekly in 2013 and will be joined later in the year by his son Rylee Gill, who will run in the new Rookie Sportsman division. Lee Gill also plans to run select event at other tracks, to be determined at a later date.

For all the latest news on Lee Gill and the Lee Gill Racing team, please visit our website, www.leegillracing.com.

The forecast leading up to the weekend was constantly changing, and at times during the week, it appeared there would be no racing at all. However, after a light rain ended on Saturday morning, the weather gradually got better throughout the day, and my mid afternoon the sun was out, and Brockville Speedway opened for the 2013 season. Great car counts were on hand in all classes. Both the Modified feature and the Sportsman feature went down to the final laps, as Brian “Slim” McDonald held off a late charge from Stephane Lafrance to take the win. Tim O’Brien had a strong run in third place while Lee Gill and Luke Whitteker rounded out the top five. The Sportsman feature was won by Shane Pecore, making a last lap, last corner pass on Ryan Poole to take the opening night checkered flag. Dylan Breen, Corey Wheeler and Tabatha Murphy completed the top five. Other winners on the night included Guy Regimbald in the Street Stocks, Corbin Miller in the Rookie division, and Aaron Pugh in the all new Rookie Sportsman class.

With Friday getting rained out, and no racing scheduled for Sunday this past week, I enjoyed watching my beloved Toronto Maple Leafs tie up their series against the Boston Bruins. As I write this on Monday morning, the final game of the series is tonight. Go Leafs Go!!

Other tracks in the area were also in action on Saturday night, with Chris Raabe taking the win at Evans Mills Speedway for the third week in a row over Brandon Sweet and Jordan McCreadie. Matt Sheppard won at Canandaigua over Danny Johnson, Justin Haers, Peter Britten and Gary Tomkins. Matt Billings had another solid finish running against the best of the best; scoring his second top ten finish of the season. Steve Baldwin took the win at Brighton Speedway in the Late Model division.

This coming weekend will be an exciting weekend, as Mohawk International Raceway and Cornwall Motor Speedway open for the season. Mohawk has a full program scheduled with Modifieds, Sportsman, Pro Stocks, Mod Lites and Bandits, while Cornwall opens with a 100 Lap Mr. DIRTcar 358 Modified Series/Canadian Nationals Series race, plus Mohawk Racing Parts Pro Stock Series, Sportsman, Semi Pro and Bandits. Brockville is also back in action this coming Saturday night with a full program on Modifieds, Sportsman, Street Stocks, Rookies and Rookie Sportsman. Many of the Modified teams will pack up from Cornwall and make the long drive to Merrittville Speedway for round two of the Mr. DIRTcar 358 Modified Series.

As always, any comments or suggestions can be sent to crevelle@ripnet.com. You can also visit me online at www.finishlinewebdesign.ca, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/crevelle, and on twitter at www.twitter.com/finishlineweb17.

The night kicked off in fine style with the Rookie division. John Stanley and Tyler Markell led the field to the green and it didnt take long for Stanley to take his white #2 to the head of the class with Markell, Ron Day and Corbin Millar giving chase. The race would go caution free for the first 10 laps until the first yellow slowed the field for a cafr stopped in turn 4. On the restart Stanley held the lead but something broke causing his car to go airborne off turn 1. Stanley was able to keep it up right but was done for the night. This left Ron Day and Corbin Millar to battle for the win.

On the final lap Millar made his move to the top side of turn 3 and it would prove to be the best one as Millar drove by the Day machine for his first win of 2013. Day came home 2nd, Tyler Markell, Brandon and Samantha Henderson crossed 4th and 5th.

In the newly formed Rookie Sportsman Class Aaron Pugh and Jamie Young led the field to the green in the 15 lap affair with Pugh grabbing the early race lead. Pugh held a comfortable advantage until lap 5 when something broke on Young’s car sending him pitside. This left Pugh out front and despite a late race challenge from Chris Bakker, the youngster pulled out to a straightaway for his first win of the season in the new Rookie Sportsman class with Bakker, Jasmine David, Jeremy Coulter and Jamie Young completing the field.

In the Sportsman class Ryan Poole and Dylan Breen led the 27 car field to the green with Poole taking advantage into turn 1. Poole has not won since the 2011 Sportsman opener and was looking to get back into victory lane. The race was slowed by several early cautions but the biggest accident came on lap 11 when defending track champion Chris Herbison made contact with another car while battling in the top 10. Herbison slid off turn 1 onto the pit exit lane and ending up flipping over. Herbison was uninjured but incredibly was able to bring the car back out on the race track and come home 17th. Once the racing resumed the man on a mission was Shane Pecore. After spending a season in the 358 Modifieds he re-dedicated himself to the sportsman ranks and quickly charged from 8th to 2nd passing Dylan Breen with just 10 laps to go. 2010 track Champion Dylan Evoy who was running 3rd just 1 lap afterwards experienced mechanical woes that sent him to the infield and was credited with a 25th place run. On the final lap Ryan Poole did everything he could to hold off Pecore but Shane used the slide job in turn 3 to grab the lead and cruise to the popular win over Poole, Breen, Corey Wheeler and Tabatha Murphy.

In the 358 Modifieds heat winners Luke Stewart and John Mulder led the field of 27 cars to the green with Mulder grabbing the lead in turn 1. Several cautions plagued the event and involved some big names. On a lap 9 restart former Mr. Dirt 358 Modified Champion Mario Clair lost a right front tire spinning him infront of the field collecting Adam Moore and 10 time track champion Danny O’Brien. Moore was able to continue but O’Brien and Clair spent the rest of the night in and out of the pits. Just 2 laps later a major accident involded Quebec driver Daniel Nadeau who was hit hard by Gilles Goddard. both Nadeau and Goddard were ok but their cars were done for the night. Once the racing got going around lap 12 Brian McDonald who hadn’t won a race since 2009 at the BOS was cruising around the top side of the speedway with TIm O’Brien, Bobby Herrington, Stephane Lafrance and Lee Gill completing the top 5. with 10 to go the man on the move was Lafrance. Stephane made his move around O’Brien to pick up 2nd Lee Gill also charged to 4th around Herrington with 5 laps to go. On a late restart McDonald tried to hold off the hard charging Lafrance and despite sveral late race challenges including a bold move off turn 4 “Slim” held strong for his 42nd career DIRTcar 358 modified win in 4 years over Lafrance, Tim O’Brien, Gill and Luke Whitteker.

Next Saturday Superior Cellular and Sound will be on hand at the speedway, racing begins at 7pm!

358 Modified
BRIAN MCDONALD, Stephane Lafrance, Tim O’Brien, Lee Gill, Luke Whitteker, Bobby Herrington, Pat O’Brien, Kyle Dingwall, Laurent Ladouceur, John Mulder, Jeff Sykes, Ryan Arbuthnot, Luke Stewart, Marc Therrien, Bruno Lepage, Adam Moore, Andy Lloyd, Roger Levesque, Joe Banks, Mario Clair, Jason Riddell, Danny O’Brien, Jean Boissoneault, Gilles Goddard, Steve Bilow, Daniel Nadeau, Bryan Rogers

Sportsman
SHANE PECORE, Ryan Poole, Dylan Breen, Corey Wheeler, Tabatha Murphy, Jessica Power, Steve Barber, Jonathan Ferguson, Kenny Polite, Sheldon Hoogwerf, Jon Mills, Mitch Primeau, Jason Powers, Jason Shipclark, Doug O’Blenis, Ricky Thompson, Chris Herbison, Thomas Cook, Dana Aikins, Kevan Bennett, Adam Rozon, Billy Cook, Kurtis Lee, Jason Cummings, Brian Comeau, Bruce Makinson, Ryan Comeau

Rookie Sportsman
AARON PUGH, Chris Bakker, Jasmine David, Jeremy Coulter, Jamie Young

Rookie
CORBIN MILLAR, Ron Day, Tyler Markell, Brandon Henderson, Samantha Henderson, Kurtis Day, Justin Desrosier, Richard Bartholomew, Mike Best, Tyson Slinger, Quincy Roberts, Cody McEroy, Gord Vallier, Josh Kirkland, Colin Tracey, Tim Rhoden, John Stanley, Randy Massey, Eric Snyder, Marc Matthias, Brian Snider

Tabatha Murphy at the Brockville Speedway practice session on Saturday afternoon. (Finish Line Web Design Photo)

Tabatha was able to get on the track this past Saturday afternoon for a practice session at Brockville. They were able to turn some fast laps, ensuring that everything is in top working condition for when they return to the track this Saturday night.

“The car worked well for us today at practice, and we are ready to get the season started”, says Murphy. “It has been a long off-season and Dad has really worked hard getting the car ready for another year. I am optimistic going into the season and hopefully we can achieve our goals of being a consistent top 10 team, and get back to victory lane”.

Tabatha will race at Brockville Speedway weekly in 2013, and will try to venture out to other tracks such as Cornwall Speedway and Mohawk Raceway as time permits.

Tabatha and the Murphy Motorsports team would like to thank King Edward Auto Parts, McGuffy’s News, Brockville Tractor Trailer Maintenance, Reabel’s Plumbing, Splash Well Drilling, Ernie’s Auto Clinic, ET Performance and Finish Line Web Design for their support going into the 2013 racing season.

To stay up to date with Tabatha Murphy and the Murphy Motorsports team throughout the off-season, log on to the team’s website at www.tabathamurphy.net. The website is updated weekly during the racing season and it also contains information on Tabatha Murphy as well as direct links to our sponsor’s websites.

Danny O’Brien at Merrittville Speedway on Saturday night. (Tom Stevens Photo)

O’Brien, a 10 time champion at Brockville Speedway will be looking to re-capture the title this season, leaving a disappointing 2012 season behind him. Although he had two feature wins at Brockville, the rest of the season was full of situations that were a result of being at the wrong place at the wrong time.

“Last season was pretty frustrating for all of us”, says O’Brien. “We had fast cars all season, but several times we had we either be in a wreck, or have some other issue on the track, and we didn’t get the finish to show how good we really were. We have worked hard over the winter, and we hope to get back on top when the season comes to an end in late August”.

After the BOS opener this weekend, O’Brien will have his first full weekend of the season the following week, with a regular night at the BOS, followed by Mr. DIRTcar 358 Modified Series events at Cornwall Speedway and Merrittville Speedway on Victoria Day Weekend.

Danny O’Brien would like to thank 1000 Islands RV Centre, Pat’s Rad, BOB FM, Ponte Bros. Masonry, Morrison Racing Engines, Snap-On Adam Way, Bicknell Racing Products, and Integra Racing Shocks for their continuous support and we look forward to a very exciting 2013 campaign.

For more information on Danny O’Brien and the 17D racing team, please visit our website, www.dannyobrien.ca. You can also follow Danny O’Brien through www.1000islandsrvmotorsports.com, a new website launched by longtime sponsor 1000 Islands RV.

Dylan Evoy in Victory Lane at Can Am Motorsports Park on Friday Night. (Rebecca Eisele Photo)

With 26 cars on hand in the Sportsman division at Can Am on Friday night, and many of the top local teams in attendance, Evoy was well aware that he was going to need a perfect setup under the car to compete for the win. Dylan was up for the challenge, and the qualifying heat was a great indication that Evoy was in for a great night, as he blasted to the lead from his sixth place starting spot to win the preliminary event. In the 25 lap main event, Dylan started from the 11th starting spot, and was fast at the drop of the green flag. By lap five he was up to fourth place, and moved to third before they completed lap 10. A caution slowed the pace on lap 12, and Evoy lined up for the restart on the inside of the second row in third place, and took over the runner up spot just after the race had resumed, and grabbed the lead coming out of turn 3 on lap 14. He was able to pull away over the final 11 laps and cruised to his first win of the season.

“The car was great tonight, and the track was in real good condition”, says Evoy after the race. “I really have to thank the crew, and all of our sponsors for their support, and hopefully we will have a great season”.

Evoy has put up some pretty impressive stats over the past few seasons, winning 17 races in 2012 and 14 in 2011. They have also won track and series championships along the way with many of the team’s sponsors having been on board through all of the team’s success. Evoy would like to thank all of the returning sponsors for their support and welcome their new sponsors that are on board for the first time in 2013.

This coming weekend, Evoy will be back at Chapman’s Can Am Motorsports Park on Friday night looking for the back to back bonus, and will open the season on Saturday night in front of the hometown crowd at Brockville Ontario Speedway.

Evoy Racing would like to thank Ogilvie’s Auto & Fleet Service, Plooy’s Plumbing and Heating, 1000 Isands Rv Centre, Renovators Inc., Napa Auto Parts Universal Supply Group, Genesis Racing Shocks, Fireball Performance Automatics, MIE Autobody and Collision, Linde, Canadian Tire, Wurth and NGK Spark Plugs. A special thanks also goes out to ‘Stick’ and ‘Big Block’ for their help and support.

To stay up to date with Dylan Evoy and Evoy Racing throughout the off-season, log on to the team’s website at www.evoyracing.com. The website is updated weekly during the season and it also contains information on Evoy Racing and Dylan as well as direct links to our sponsor’s websites.

Earlier in the week though, I attended the Cornwall Motor Speedway Press Conference, hosted by track owner Ron Morin at Au Vieux Duluth Restaurant in Cornwall. They discussed the upcoming season, some changes at the track, and some of their major events in 2013, which of course is highlighted by the return of the World of Outlaw Late Models on June 23rd and the World of Outlaw Sprint Cars on July 28th. Other special events include the Canadian National Series races on May 19th, August 4th, and September 1st. Another big change will be in the Sportsman division, as they will run a Novice and Expert Sportsman feature each regular race night, with the field being divided by points for both qualifying heats and features. For teams that are running in the Novice Feature, 50% points will be awarded, and the top three from the Novice feature will be given the opportunity to forfeit those points and advance to the Expert feature.

On Friday night, I was back at Chapman’s Can Am Motorsports Park in Lafargeville, New York. Dylan Evoy captured his first win of the 2013 season, crossing the finish line ahead of last week’s winner Brandon Hagan, Taylor Caprara, Marcel Pecore and Jessica Power. Rock Aubin won a spirited Pro Street division battle over Sid Harmer Jr., Glen Forward, David Rogers and Josh Verne. Brandon Kidd was the Late Model winner, Mike Bruce won the Mod Lite feature event, Cory Castell won the Thunder Car feature and Tiger Chapman Jr. won the Novice Sportsman race. Mike Durham won the 30 lap Enduro.

Saturday was an action packed day, as I traveled to Brockville Speedway for their practice day, and once that was over I made my way to Evans Mills Speedway. The weather was picture perfect, and a great field of cars were on hand to shake their cars down in preparation for opening night this Saturday. While track conditions in the hot afternoon sun are not ideal, it is still great for race teams to get some laps in, and to make sure the car is working well before the first race night of the season.

At Evans Mills, I was a little skeptical going to the track. My love of racing is traditionally on the dirt tracks, watching our Dirt Modifieds. I have wanted to get back over to Evans Mills for a few years now, but with the usual Saturday night conflict at Brockville it hadn’t materialized. I was happy to make the trip on Saturday night, and I was very impressed. I am a Modified fan first and foremost, and was a little disappointed with the nine car turnout, but the faithful Evans Mills Speedway fans were ok with it. They had a great turnout of cars in the more affordable divisions, with all the drivers coming from within a very small area around Watertown and the neighboring Fort Drum Army Base. The racing in almost every division came down to the last lap, and I really enjoyed it. Chris Raabe was the winner in the Modified division, while Chris Zieren, Tim Dunn, Jay Sullivan, Ray Bancroft Jr., and Randy Bowman were the feature event winners.

Sunday was a quiet day at home. I did watch the NASCAR race on television, and once again confirmed my dislike for that type of racing at Talladega. Give me a short track any day over that restrictor plate “racing”. Better yet…give me a dirt race track. It was David Ragan picking up a rare win, with his teammate David Gilliland coming in second. It was great to see an under funded team have some success, but it just proves that it is not about the best car or the best team, its about who is lucky enough to be in the right position at the right time. Then you get the big wrecks that are just a part of what restrictor plate racing has become, and that is unfortunate.

Coming up this weekend, I will be at Can Am Motorsports Park on Friday night for their full program of Sportsman, Late Models, Pro Streets, Thunder Cars and Novice Sportsman, plus the return of the Mod Lites and a Late Model Dash for Cash. On Saturday night, I will be at the season opener at the Brockville Ontario Speedway as they open with the 1st Annual Glen Gould Memorial.

For race fans attending the Brockville Speedway opener this Saturday night, The Finish Line Web Design merchandise trailer will be stocked up with t-shirts, hats, and other items for your favorite race teams. Finish Line Web Design t-shirts and hats will be available, plus several driver t-shirts. We will be adding more stock over the first few weeks of the season. We will have driver decals available, and will take pre-orders for 1:16 scale Modified and Sportsman cars. Be sure to visit us behind the main grandstand each and every race night at the BOS!!

As always, any comments or suggestions can be sent to crevelle@ripnet.com. You can also visit me online at www.finishlinewebdesign.ca, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/crevelle, and on twitter at www.twitter.com/finishlineweb17.

Dylan Evoy battles for position at Can Am Motorsports Park on Friday Night. (Rick Young Photo)

By luck of the draw entering the track, Evoy started his qualifying heat race from the front row. He finished with a second place result, locking himself into the 26 car main event. He lined up in fourth place for the 25 lap feature and maintained his top five position throughout the race. He would cross the finish line in fifth place.

“This was the first time on the race track with this car and as expected we have some issues to work out”, says Evoy. “This is why practice sessions are so critical, it was unfortunate they were rained out”.

Evoy will have a busy weekend coming up, with Can Am Motorsports Park on tap for Friday night, and then a scheduled practice session at their hometown Brockville Speedway in preparation for their season opener the following weekend.

Evoy Racing would like to thank all of their sponsors for the 2013 racing season, which includes Ogilvie’s Auto & Fleet Service, Plooy’s Plumbing and Heating, 1000 Isands Rv Centre, Renovators Inc., Napa Auto Parts Universal Supply Group, Genesis Racing Shocks, Fireball Performance Automatics, MIE Autobody and Collision, Linde, Canadian Tire, Wurth and NGK Spark Plugs. A special thanks also goes out to ‘Stick’ and ‘Big Block’ for their help and support.

To stay up to date with Dylan Evoy and Evoy Racing throughout the off-season, log on to the team’s website at www.evoyracing.com. The website is updated weekly during the season and it also contains information on Evoy Racing and Dylan as well as direct links to our sponsor’s websites.

Danny O’Brien with his 2013 colors on display at the Frontenac Mall last month. (Rick Young Photo)

Before the 2013 season starts, there are still a couple off-track events scheduled to take place this weekend. First up on Saturday is the 2nd annual Brockville Ontario Speedway Fan Fair from 10am to 1pm at Walmart in Brockville. This event will be a great chance to meet Danny and some fellow Brockville Speedway competitors and see the cars up close before the season begins at the BOS next month. The event will have live entertainment from a local band called Texas Tuxedos and there will also be a charity BBQ taking place in support of the CHEO (Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario) Foundation.

On Saturday night, O’Brien will attend the Mohawk International Raceway awards banquet, where they will honor the top finishing drivers from the 2012 season. O’Brien will be awarded for his fifth place finish in points.

Once these events are over, O’Brien will shift his attention to Merrittville Speedway for their opening race next weekend. O’Brien has had some great finishes at Merrittville in the past, including an early season win back in 2011.

Danny O’Brien would like to thank 1000 Islands RV Centre, Pat’s Rad, BOB FM, Ponte Bros. Masonry, Morrison Racing Engines, Snap-On Adam Way, Bicknell Racing Products, and Integra Racing Shocks for their continuous support and we look forward to a very exciting 2013 campaign.

For more information on Danny O’Brien and the 17D racing team, please visit our website, www.dannyobrien.ca. You can also follow Danny O’Brien through www.1000islandsrvmotorsports.com, a new website launched by longtime sponsor 1000 Islands RV.

Matt Billings made his 2013 debut this past weekend at Canandaigua Motorsports Park. (John Meloling Photo)

Billings struggled a little on Friday night, as he had his Kevin Enders Big Block Modified out for the first time. He was 14th out of 22 in the first practice session, and dropped to 18th on the speed charts in session number two. They arrived back at the track on Saturday, and were determined to get the car handling better before they went out for their heat race. A poor draw coming in through the gate meant that Billings would have to start near the rear of his heat race, but before the end of the 10 lap qualifier, he was challenging for a transfer spot into the main event. He finished just outside of the top five, and would be forced to run the last chance consolation race. He started the consi from third place, and quickly moved to second at the drop of the green flag. After a great battle for the lead, Billings made a pass for the win on the final lap, earning the top spot, and a 23rd starting spot for the 64 lap main event.

“Our main goal for the day was to make the race, and we have done that”, says Billings. “Now we want to get out there and run every lap and see where we stack up against this great field of cars here”.

Billings moved up through the field cautiously at the drop of the green flag. By lap 21 he had cracked the top 15 and continued to run strong, battling his way up to 12th place before they completed lap 30. Over the next 20 laps, Billings had battled up to seventh place, and was holding his own against some of the best drivers in the business and future Hall of Fame racers Danny Johnson and Billy Decker. Billings continued to run strong as the final laps of the race counted down, until an untimely mechanical failure ended the day just two laps before the checkered flag.

“We had an issue with the fuel pump”, says a disappointed Billings after coming back into the pit area after the race. “Although we didn’t get the finish we wanted, we proved that we can run well here, and I cant wait to get back next week”.

Billings will take part in the Brockville Ontario Speedway Fan Fair this Saturday from 10am to 1pm at Walmart in Brockville, before setting off the Canandaigua for week two of the 2013 season.

Billings Motorsports would like to thank Billings Automotive, Pastime Motors, Stealth Racewear, Snap On Tools, Integra Shocks, Enders Racing Engines, Finish Line Web Design and Babe Design for your support as we look forward to a very exciting 2013 season.

For more information on Matt Billings and the Billings Racing Team, please visit our website, www.mattbillings74.com.

It was a cold evening on Friday night, but the racing action was hot, with great racing in all classes. The sportsman division had some local flavor as Brockville Speedway regulars Jessica Power and Steve Barber both made the trip. Power qualified for the main event with a great second place finish in her heat race, and Barber also made the main event which was a great accomplishment with more than 40 Sportsman teams on hand. The action up front was pretty intense as Dave Marcuccilli and Sam Reakes IV traded the lead back and forth in the second half of the race. Marcuccilli took the lead for good with just five laps remaining and went on to win the $1000 winner’s share. Reakes had an impressive run to finish second after making a rare start in a Sportsman since making the move to a 360 Sprint car, which he also had on hand for some practice laps. Rob Bussey, Karl Comfort and Mike Prentice rounded out the top five. Former Modified start Charlie Donk won the 305 Sprint Car main event over Darryl Ruggles and Ken Peworchik. Eric Chapman was the Pure Stock Feature winner. The Big Block Modifieds also took to the track for some practice with Vic Coffey setting the pace in session one, and Peter Britten in the second round.

Saturday was a much warmer day, but as the sun went down, it become another cold evening at the track, but that didn’t stop Jeremie Corcoran and his staff from putting on another excellent show. The Big Blocks were the center of attention with the 64 lap Jan Corcoran Memorial on the card. “Lightning” Larry Wight was the class of the field for much of the night, leading 47 laps, and Peter Britten and Jimmy Phelps also had strong cars, but it was legendary Alan Johnson, using lapped traffic to his advantage taking the lead with just eight laps remaining and cruising to his 117th career win a the track they call ‘Land of Legends’. Larry Wight finished second ahead of Jimmy Phelps, Matt Sheppard, and Billy Dunn, who had a strong run coming from his 17th starting position. I must give a shout out to Matt Billings, who was making his first career Big Block start. He started the race from 23rd after winning the consi, and stormed up through the field and was running in 7th place before suffering a mechanical failure in the closing laps. It’s a shame he didn’t have the finish to go with such a strong performance at a very tough race trace with some of the best drivers in the business on hand. Rick Miller won the Late Model feature over Sean Beardsley and Alan Fink, while Mike Welch took top honors in the Street Stocks.

It sure was great to get that first racing weekend of the season in. Thanks to Jeremie Corcoran and the Canandaigua Motorsports Park staff for putting on a great event despite the cold temperatures.

Looking ahead to this weekend, I will be at the 2nd annual Brockville Ontario Speedway Fan Fair on Saturday from 10am to 1pm at Walmart in Brockville. Several racecars will be on display and drivers will be available for autographs. Local band Texas Tuxedos will be playing, and a charity BBQ will be taking place in support of CHEO (Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario). Scheduled to attend the BOS Fan Fair so far are, Danny O’Brien, Pat O’Brien, Kyle Dingwall, Lee Gill, Ryan Arbuthnot, Matt Billings, Chris Herbison, Jessica Power, Dylan Evoy, Ryan Poole, Brian Comeau, Steve Barber, Darrick Eaton and possibly more. Many teams will also be making the trek across the border on Saturday and again on Sunday, as Chapman’s Can Am Motorsports Park opens up for practice on both days, in preparation for their season opener on Friday, April 19th. Mohawk International Raceway will also host their annual awards banquet on Saturday night, completing a very busy day.

As mentioned, Can Am will be the first of my local tracks to open, on April 19th. Evans Mills Speedway opens up the following night, Saturday, April 20th. Brockville Speedway is set to open for practice on Saturday, May 4th, where their season opening night scheduled for Saturday, May 11th. Mohawk International Raceway opens for business on Friday night, May 17th, while Cornwall Motor Speedway will open on Sunday May 19th.

Another season is now officially underway, and nobody is happier about that than I am. I look forward to another busy season at the track and with a little luck, and a little co-operation from Mother Nature, I will hit the 100 event mark before the end of 2013.

As always, any comments or suggestions can be sent to crevelle@ripnet.com. You can also visit me online at www.finishlinewebdesign.ca, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/crevelle, and on twitter at www.twitter.com/finishlineweb17.

Matt Billings will make his 2013 debut this weekend at Canandaigua Motorsports Park. (Billings Motorsports Photo Collection)

Billings and his team will leave for Canandaigua on Friday, and will participate in a couple practice sessions on Friday night. Saturday will be their first race of the 2013 season with the 3rd annual Jan Corcoran Memorial event, with a 64 lap $6400 to win main event. This will be Matt’s first start in the Big Block, but has raced at Canandaigua in the past following the Sportsman DIRTcar Series, and is excited about being a full time competitor in 2013.

“We are really looking forward to seeing how we stack up against the best of the best”, says Billings on his transition to Big Block Modifieds and the stellar field at Canandaigua Motorsports Park. “The track is a big half mile, and we have had some success on the big tracks in the past. It has been a long winter and we are ready to get the season started”.

Billings will have a busy 2013 schedule. He will compete at Canandaigua weekly in 2013, and plans to follow the Big Block Modified Super DIRTcar Series schedule. He will also have a 358 Modified ready for action, with a weekly program tentatively set for Mohawk International Raceway on Friday nights, and a few special events at other tracks.

Matt Billings will soon be launching a brand new website over the next couple weeks from Finish Line Web Design. Stay tuned to MattBillings74.com as we revamp to a more interactive website that we think everyone will enjoy.

Billings Motorsports would like to thank Billings Automotive, Pastime Motors, Stealth Racewear, Snap On Tools, Integra Shocks, Enders Racing Engines, Finish Line Web Design and Babe Design for your support as we look forward to a very exciting 2013 season.

For more information on Matt Billings and the Billings Racing Team, please visit our website, www.mattbillings74.com.

If weather does become a concern for this weekend’s events, I have a backup plan in place, and that will be attending the Cornwall Motor Speedway banquet as they honor their champions and top finishers of 2012. The banquets are always a great time, and it is nice to see everyone once again after a long winter.

The following weekend will be another busy weekend, as Chapman’s Can Am Motorsports Park opens for practice for all divisions on both Saturday, April 13th and Sunday April 14th. Brockville Speedway is also hosting their 2nd annual BOS Fan Fair, which will be held at Walmart Brockville from 10am to 1pm on Saturday, April 13th. If the day wasn’t busy enough already, Mohawk Raceway will be hosting their 2012 awards ceremony that night.

This past weekend I attended the Brockville Speedway awards banquet. It was a great time, and again nice to see everyone from the track after a long winter. It wont be long now and we will be back at the track, and I’m looking forward to another exciting season. Some changes that were talked about was the addition of the Novice Sportsman class, as well as a three race series for the 358 Modifieds and Sportsman with sponsorship from Ogilvie’s Auto & Fleet Service. This series will be known as Ogilvie’s Triple Crown. The rookie division will also have a new mini series this season at the BOS.

Other tracks further south were able to open up, with Big Diamond Speedway in Minersville, Pennsylvania hosting an event with Jeff Strunk taking the victory. Bridgeport Speedway in New Jersey also raced, with Bobby Varin picking up the win.

One of the things that I look forward to the most this year is watching the development of the Sportsman division. Both Can Am and Brockville are anticipating a rise in car numbers, and are having a novice class for newcomers. This will make for an easier transition to racers that are new to the class, and I am happy to see it.

In just a few weeks, we will be back into the swing of another busy season of racing. Hopefully the weather will co-operate at all tracks this year, and we get another great season in. My schedule for the year will be Friday nights at Can Am Motorsports Park with the occasional switch to Mohawk International Raceway, Saturday nights I will be at Brockville Speedway and Sunday nights at Cornwall Motor Speedway. We will also be at Brockville on Wednesday nights as my nephew races the Finish Line Web Design go kart.

Now, if we can just get Mother Nature to be nice to us, and get a few nice days this week, we can get back to racing. Good luck to all teams that will be in competition at Canandaigua Motorsports Park this coming weekend.

As always, any comments or suggestions can be sent to crevelle@ripnet.com. You can also visit me online at www.finishlinewebdesign.ca, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/crevelle, and on twitter at www.twitter.com/finishlineweb17.

My first pre-season car show took place this past weekend at the Canadian Motorsports Expo in Toronto. I always look forward to this event, and was fortunate enough to take part in a media conference with NASCAR driver and car owner Michael Waltrip. It was nice to see some racecars, and visit with some racing friends, and certainly makes me even more anxious for the start of a new season. Meeting Mr. Waltrip was a highlight of the weekend, and was very candid in describing his newfound love for our Tim Horton’s Restaurants. He also discussed his views on his team’s chances in 2013 and the excellent season that his drivers Clint Bowyer and Martin Truex had in 2012. The CME is a great event, and a must see for any race fan to break up the racing withdrawals of the winter months.

There are a few other pre-season events that I am looking forward too. The annual Gater Racing News Motorsports Expo will take place on March 9th and 10th at the New York State Fairgrounds in Syracuse. Finish Line Web Design will have a booth setup once again this year, and will have a car on display. Who that will be has yet to be determined. The Frontenac Mall car show in Kingston will take place March 21st to March 23rd as well. The 2nd annual Brockville Speedway Fan Fair will take place on April 13th at Walmart in Brockville. The Texas Tuxedos band will be playing, and a charity BBQ will also take place in addition to the car show/autograph session of the 2012 Brockville Speedway Modified and Sportsman top five drivers.

Before we get into the 2013 season, all local tracks will honor their champions and top finishers at the 2012 awards banquets. Chapman’s Can Am Motorsports Park will have their banquet on March 16th. Brockville Speedway banquet is tentatively set for March 30th, while Cornwall Speedway will host their annual banquet on April 6th. Mohawk Raceway Banquet date has not been announced as of yet.

When the new season does get underway, there are several marquee events that are circled on my calendar. Cornwall Speedway has the World of Outlaw Late Models on Sunday, June 23rd, and the World of Outlaw Sprints taking center stage at Cornwall on Sunday, July 28th. Cornwall has not yet released their full 2013 schedule, but the three-race Canadian Nationals Series is expected to return bigger and better then ever. I am also looking forward to the second annual St. Lawrence Seaway Sportsman Series, which will have one race each at Cornwall, Brockville, Mohawk, Autodrome Granby and Autodrome Drummond.

Brockville Speedway will host their own three-race series for both the 358 Modifieds and Sportsman cars with series sponsorship from Ogilvie’s Auto & Fleet Service. The 4-cylinder Rookie division will also have a two race series of their own. The annual 1000 Islands RV DIRTcar Northeast Fall Nationals is also planned for October 18th to 20th. Brockville will be bringing in a Novice Sportsman division in 2013 with the anticipated increase in cars for this class in this year.

Chapman’s Can Am Motorsports Park also has some huge events planned in 2013, as they headline their weekly shows with the Sportsman division. They will compete for a weekly prize of $750 to win, and will have several $1000 to win events, and a few $2000 to win shows and will end the season with a $2500 to win race on September 6th and a $3000 to win Sportsman race on September 13th. The Street Stocks, Late Models and Thunder Cars will also race weekly at Can Am, as well as their own Novice Sportsman division for new Sportsman teams.

Mohawk International Raceway has not released their full schedule yet, but the Frenchie’s 358 Modified and Sportsman series events are expected to return in 2013. Mohawk will close out their 2013 with the annual Mohawk Nationals on September 13th and 14th featuring all four major DIRTcar Series races.

Other races that I look forward to this season include the Applefest Weekend at Brighton Speedway in September, the Outlaw 200 at Fulton Speedway in October, Super DIRT Week in Syracuse in October, and the first ever Asphalt Assault at Evans Mills Speedway for the Empire Super Sprints in June, as they race on a paved track for the first time in the 30 year history of the club.

It may still be cold outside, and the snow is knee deep, but the 2013 racing season will be underway before long, and I can’t wait to get back to the regular summer routine of racing four nights a week or more.

As always, any comments or suggestions can be sent to crevelle@ripnet.com. You can also visit me online at www.finishlinewebdesign.ca, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/crevelle, and on twitter at www.twitter.com/finishlineweb17.

Tabatha Murphy celebrating her win at Brockville Speedway earlier this season with her father Ralph. (Henry Hannewyk Photo)

During the early part of 2012, Tabatha Murphy traveled to Denver, North Carolina on a few occasions to participate in the Race 101 class. She also attended online classes that were held during one night each week discussing everything from chassis setup and working with shocks to self-marketing, and communication skills that are so valuable when working with marketing partners.

“I really can’t thank Adam and Tony and all the Race 101 staff for everything they have done for me this past year”, says Murphy. “It was a great experience and I highly recommend the program to any aspiring young racer”.

On the track, Murphy achieved one of her goals this season, capturing her first career feature win in the very competitive Sportsman division at her home track, Brockville Ontario Speedway on July 14th that brought the crowd to their feet. It was definitely a career highlight for Murphy, who had been racing in the Sportsman class for seven years.

“I will never forget that night. It was very emotional, and the reaction of the crowd was something I will always cherish”, says Murphy explaining the memorable night. “We worked very hard to accomplish that goal. We had a good season all around, and we cant wait to get started again in 2013”.

In this latest trip to North Carolina, Tabatha tested the Race 101 pavement car at the famed Hickory Motor Speedway under the guidance of Tony Blanchard. Although driving the pavement car was extremely different then what she is used to, the test went very well, and Tabatha really enjoyed the experience.

“Testing here at Hickory was an amazing experience. It is very different then racing on the Dirt”, says Murphy of her experience. “I really enjoyed being part of the Race 101 family, and I am looking forward to coming back down here again early next year for the Graduation and Awards Presentations”.

Tabatha and the Murphy Motorsports team would like to thank King Edward Auto Parts, Raxx Bar & Grill, McGuffy’s News, Brockville Tractor Trailer Maintenance, Reabel’s Plumbing, Splash Well Drilling, Ernie’s Auto Clinic and Finish Line Web Design for their support during the 2012 racing season.

To stay up to date with Tabatha Murphy and the Murphy Motorsports team throughout the off-season, log on to the team’s website at www.tabathamurphy.net. The website is updated weekly during the racing season and it also contains information on Tabatha Murphy as well as direct links to our sponsor’s websites.

While I haven’t been at a track since Brockville Speedway closed out their season a month ago, I have still been busy with websites, and getting ready for the 33rd annual Parts Peddler Trade Show and Auction this coming weekend. Although in marks the end of the season, it is also the start of a new season in many respects, as manufactures, and suppliers unveil their new equipment and showcase what they have to offer for the 2013 season.

For the first time, Finish Line Web Design will be part of the show that starts on Friday, November 16th and runs through Sunday November 18th. We will have Jessica Power’s DIRTcar Sportsman in our booth and Jessica and the Power team will be on hand throughout the weekend. We will be there to discuss website packages, hero cards, sponsorship proposals, and will also have t-shirts and decals available for purchase of many top drivers from the Brockville Speedway area. We will also be promoting our association with Arizona Sports Shirts. We will be offering a 10% discount on all of our services throughout the weekend, (excluding t-shirts).

The National Parts Peddler Trade Show will have plenty to offer for everyone in the racing community. If you are a driver, crewmember, work at a racetrack, involved with the technical side of this sport, or just a fan with an interest of learning more about these cars, attending this show is a must. The Parts Peddler show opens up on Friday at noon. A special Johnny Cash tribute concert will set the tone with Terry Lee Goffey giving the ultimate Johnny Cash performance beginning at 6:30pm. Friday night’s show will end at 9pm before opening back up at 10am on Saturday morning until 8pm and back on Sunday from 10am to 3pm. For more information on the Parts Peddler show, please visit their website, www.partspeddler.us. Admission prices for the show are $15.00 for one day, $25 for 2 days, or $30 for all three days.

As mentioned earlier, Black Rock Speedway held their final race of the 2012 season. DIRTcar points champion Matt Sheppard completed his great season by winning the $6000 to win 77 lap Empire Finale. Stewart Friesen finished second with Eldon Payne Jr., Tyler Siri and Alan Johnson rounding out the top five.

It was a big night for all the champions on Saturday as they attended the annual DIRTcar Awards Banquet. Big Block Modified Champion Matt Sheppard, 358 Modified Champion Dale Planck, Sportsman Champion Cody McPherson and Pro Stock Champion Joey Ladouceur were all recognized for their accomplishments along with other top finishers from each division.

For the rest of the off-season, this column will be done on a monthly basis. We thank everyone for reading. For everyone that is going to the Parts Peddler show this weekend, stop by the Finish Line Web Design booth. We will see you at the show.

I hope you continue to enjoy my weekly column, as always, any comments or suggestions can be sent to crevelle@ripnet.com.

Matt Billings had three feature wins in 2012 and finished top five in points at Mohawk Raceway and Brockville Speedway. (Rick Young Photos)

Billings started the year off with a return trip to North Carolina after being named an Ambassador for the Race 101 School that he attended in 2010. When the racing season began, he started off at Merrittville Speedway for the first two weeks of the season, and although they didn’t get the finishes they had hoped for they did gain valuable experience on a very tough track to figure out.

When the season opened at their own local tracks, Matt started the year off with seven straight top ten finishes, including a win at Brockville to close out the month of May. They opened up June with a hard crash that resulted in their first DNF of the season, but bounced back to post another string of top ten finishes towards the end of the month. In early July, Matt posted top ten finishes in a streak that included a big 50 lap Frenchie’s “Chevy Runs Deep” Series win at Mohawk. The end of July through mid-September was the best run of consistency for the Billings team, posting 14 consecutive top ten finishes, that also included another win at Brockville and a couple strong finishes with the Mr. DIRTcar 358 Modified Series. In late September, Billings hit a streak of bad luck, having a mechanical failure while leading the race at Brighton, followed by two disappointing performances at Cayuga County and Rolling Wheels. He got back on track at Syracuse with his career best finish in the Gander Mountain 150 with a sixth place result.

“Looking back, we had a pretty good year, but there were some frustrating times as well”, recalls Billings of his 2012 season. “We had a few wins, and some really good finishes, but we had quite a bit of bad luck as well. We will continue to work hard over the off-season on our program and will be back stronger then ever in 2013. We are not sure exactly what we have in store for next year just yet, but we are looking forward to getting back to the track”.

Billings Motorsports would like to thank all of their marketing partners for their support during the 2012 season. Billings Automotive, Pastime Motors, Stealth Racewear, Snap On Tools, Integra Shocks, Enders Racing Engines, Finish Line Web Design and Babe Design are an integral part of the team’s success, and we thank you all for your support as we look forward to the 2013 season.

For more information on Matt Billings and the Billings Racing Team, please visit our website, www.mattbillings74.com.

Lee Gill had a pair of feature wins at Brockville Speedway in 2012 (Henry Hannewyk Photo)

Lee opened the year at Brockville with a seventh place finish at Brockville on May 12th, but he let everyone know that he had a fast car, and it wouldn’t be long before he would be contending for feature wins. He followed that with five consecutive top five finishes, and was establishing himself as a contender. Although he missed a race in early June because of a mechanical failure before the heat races even started, Gill was able to battle his way back into contention late in the season with the help of his three feature wins.

“We had a strong season here at Brockville and it really was great to come back here and see some old friends that we used to race with up here”, says Gill. We had some good finishes, and we just came up a little short at the end of the year, but that’s racing”.

Gill finished the season second in the point standing for the 358 Modifieds by just two points at Brockville Speedway. Although it is a little disappointing to lose by such a narrow margin, Gill was happy to come back and be a contender as quickly as he did.

“We had been out of the Modified for quite a few years. The cars changed a bit, the technology has changed some and we are up against different competition then we were back then”, explains Gill. “We adapted fairly quickly, and now we are looking forward to the 2013 season”.

For all the latest news on Lee Gill and the Lee Gill Racing team, please visit our website, www.leegillracing.com.

The 2012 season started out with a win on opening night at Mohawk Raceway, but much of the year was a struggle for Danny O’Brien. (Andy Watts Photo)

O’Brien opened the season in late April with an 11th place finish at Merrittville Speedway and the following week posted a fourth place finish at Chapman’s Can Am Motorsports Park before opening the season at Mohawk Raceway and Brockville Speedway with wins at both places. After a great start to his season at his own weekly tracks, O’Brien struggled over the most of the season. He posted another win at Brockville on July 7th and again on August 11th, but the rest of the season was difficult for the O’Brien team. He had fast cars on many nights, but was the victim of being at the wrong place at the wrong time on plenty of occasions.

“It wasn’t a good year to say the least, but that is behind us now and we are working towards next season already”, says O’Brien. “I really have to thank all of our sponsors and everyone that works on the car during the week at the shop and at the track. There support is appreciated”.

Marketing opportunities are available with Danny O’Brien Racing for the 2013 season. Please contact Danny at dannyobrien17@hotmail.com and he will be more then happy to discuss how your company can benefit by advertising with a successful race team with a strong following like Danny O’Brien has.

Danny O’Brien would like to thank 1000 Islands RV Centre, Pat’s Rad, BOB FM, Ponte Bros. Masonry, Morrison Racing Engines, Snap-On Adam Way, Wurth, Bicknell Racing Products, and Integra Racing Shocks for their support during the 2012 season and we look forward to the 2013 campaign.

For more information on Danny O’Brien and the 17D racing team, please visit our website, www.dannyobrien.ca. You can also follow Danny O’Brien through www.1000islandsrvmotorsports.com, a new website launched by longtime sponsor 1000 Islands RV.

Billy Dunn drove the Glen A. Gould Estate Construction car to a second place finish at Syracuse just two weeks ago. Mr. Gould will be missed by everyone in the local racing community (Outlaw Photos)

Dunn was fast right from the beginning of the day, posting the second fastest speed of the time trial session and locking himself into a front row starting spot for Sunday’s 200 lap main event. Dunn maintained a top five position through the opening laps. After narrowly missing a multi car wreck on lap 79 that brought out the red flag, Dunn struggled and fell out of the top ten. His problems increased with 30 laps remaining in the event when suspension issues in the left year sent him to the pits for repairs, leaving him with a disappointing 19th place result.

“We had a good start to the weekend timing second overall, but we just struggled during the race”, says Dunn. “We will get back to the shop and begin to prepare for Charlotte in a couple weeks and hope to end the season on a good note”.

Away from the track, this weekend was very tough for Dunn and the Number One Speed team after hearing of the passing of longtime friend Glen A. Gould. Glen was a great ambassador to our sport, had a passion for it like no other, and will be missed by everyone that had the pleasure of meeting him. Gould was the car owner of Billy’s 358 Modified Syracuse car that Billy drove to a second place finish just two weeks ago. The racing community lost a great friend in Mr. Gould.

Dunn will have this weekend off, as he prepares for the final weekend of the 2012 season at the Peak World Finals in Charlotte, North Carolina on November 1st to November 3rd. On Thursday, November 1st is qualifying heats for both Friday and Saturday’s events, with feature races scheduled for November 2nd and November 3rd.

Dunn would like to thank Number One Speed, FastLube of Watertown, SUNY Canton, Glen A. Gould Estate Construction, Frosty’s Ice Cream, American Traditions Motorsports, Finger Lakes Auto Machine, Jiffy Dumpster and Bicknell Racing Products for their continued support for the 2012 racing season.

For more information on Billy Dunn and the Number One Speed race team, please check out our website, www.billydunn49.com.

Although there was no racing on my schedule, we did have our Brockville Speedway Kart Racing Banquet on Saturday afternoon. My nephew, Brandon Revelle finished his first season of Kart racing in fifth place in points in his division and received a trophy for his accomplishment. This year’s champions were Braxton Dalessio, Matthew McIntosh, Madison Mulder, Ryan McIntosh, Jarrett Herbison, Jesse Hudson and Logan Rayvals in the karts, while Nick Trotman and Jason Dowdall claimed championships in the Lawn Tractor divisions.

There was a big event in Middletown, New York this weekend as Orange County Speedway hosted their annual Eastern States Weekend. Brett Hearn was the winner of the 358 Modified race on Saturday night that had to be shortened due to track curfew. Tim McCreadie finished second with Stewart Friesen, Pat Ward and Billy Decker rounding out the top five. The Eastern States 200 was held on Sunday afternoon and the winner was Brett Hearn once again, completing the weekend sweep. Billy Decker finished second, with Tim McCreadie Jimmy Phelps and Justin Haers rounding out the top five.

Black Rock Speedway was also in action this past weekend for their annual Dutch Hoag Memorial Open. Ryan Susice claimed the win over Alan Johnson, Chris Hile, Brady Fultz and Ray Bliss. Boyd MacTavish won the Sportsman race over Greg Martin Brad Rouse, George Bosse and Fran Hilton. Bryce Davis won the BRP Late Model/Crate Late Model Challenge race over AJ Kingsley, Billy VanPelt, Greg Belyea and Shayne Tenace.

The final racing event of my season will take place on November 16th to 18th in Syracuse for the 33rd annual National Parts Peddler Trade Show and Auction at the New York State Fairgrounds. Although this show marks the end of a season for some, it also begins a brand new season for many of the vendors as they display their 2013 cars and equipment. The event will kick off on Friday November 16th as they open the show to the public at noon. Friday night, everyone will be treated to the sounds of Johnny Cash as Terry Lee Goffey performs live on stage. Goffey is a nationally known and is the ultimate Johnny Cash tribute artist. The show will resume at 10am on Saturday morning for another day of buying and selling and will close out on Sunday for the final day from 10am to 3pm. Finish Line Web Design will have a booth setup in this year’s National Parts Peddler show with Jessica Power’s DIRTcar Sportsman on hand. Finish Line Web Design will offer some Parts Peddler Trade Show specials, and will be on hand to discuss websites, hero cards, sponsor proposals, t-shirts and much more for your race team. For more information on the National Parts Peddler Trade Show, please visit their website, www.partspeddler.us.

I regretfully end this week’s column on a very sad note, as the local racing community lost a great friend this past weekend with the passing of Glen Gould, of Alexandria Bay, New York. Glen was a big part of Dana Aikins Sportsman team, but also sponsored several other racers and was a huge contributor to the Brockville Speedway Kids Club. Just two weeks ago at Syracuse he watched Billy Dunn drive to a second place finish in the 358 Modified race in a car that he owned. Mr. Gould will be missed by everyone.

I hope you continue to enjoy my weekly column, as always, any comments or suggestions can be sent to crevelle@ripnet.com.

Matt Billings in action at the BOS during 1000 Islands RV DIRTcar Northeast Fall Nationals. (Rick Young Photos)

It was a great start to the afternoon for Billings, setting fast time in his time trial session. His speed ended up fourth fastest out of the 42 cars on hand. He backed that up with a second place finish in his heat race, earning a redraw spot, guaranteeing a top ten starting position for the 100 lap main event. Matt would draw position number nine, and started the race from the inside of row five. At the drop of the green flag, Billings inched forward and was up to sixth by lap 20. Over the next few laps, Matt was able to climb into the top five and held that spot through lap 45 when contact from another car folded up the front end on his car, ending his afternoon just shy of the halfway point.

“We had a great car, and we were in position to ride around for a bit and conserve our tires for the finish”, says a disappointed Billings after the race. “I really thought we had a great chance in this race, and we were all pretty optimistic going in, but it wasn’t meant to be I guess”.

Despite the way the final race ended, Billings still had a solid 2012 season. He was the only driver that finished in the top five in points in both 2011 and 2012 at Brockville Speedway. He finished the season with three feature wins and ended up fourth overall in the Mr. DIRTcar 358 Modified point standings.

Billings Motorsports would like to thank all of their marketing partners for their support during the 2012 season. Billings Automotive, Pastime Motors, Stealth Racewear, Snap On Tools, Integra Shocks, Enders Racing Engines, Finish Line Web Design and Babe Design are an integral part of the team’s success, and we thank you all for your support as we look forward to the 2013 season.

For more information on Matt Billings and the Billings Racing Team, please visit our website, www.mattbillings74.com.

With Saturday being a rare afternoon event at Brockville Speedway, time trials started early, and O’Brien struggled through his session, posting the fifth fastest speed in his group. He lined up in that fifth position to start the qualifier and needed to gain one spot to solidify his spot in the 100 lap main event. Handling issues continued to plague him during the heat race, and he would remain in fifth when the checkered flag was displayed at the end of the eight lap race. After making some adjustments to the car, O’Brien returned to the track for the last chance qualifier, and he led every lap and took home the win. He started the main event from the 19th position, and hoped that they had hoped they had all their troubles behind them. Like his luck has been for most of the season, Danny lasted just two laps into the race as cars piled up in front of him leaving him no room to escape, ending his day 98 laps before the finish.

“It hasn’t been a great season for us. We really hoped that we could end the season here on a good note, but it wasn’t meant to be”, claims O’Brien after the race. “We have a great team, great sponsors and great fans here that support us each week, and we look forward to a much better season next year”.

Danny O’Brien would like to thank 1000 Islands RV Centre, Pat’s Rad, BOB FM, Ponte Bros. Masonry, Morrison Racing Engines, Snap-On Adam Way, Wurth, Bicknell Racing Products, and Integra Racing Shocks for their support during the 2012 season and we look forward to the 2013 campaign.

For more information on Danny O’Brien and the 17D racing team, please visit our brand new website, www.dannyobrien.ca. The website just received a new look this week. You can also follow Danny O’Brien through www.1000islandsrvmotorsports.com, a new website recently launched by longtime sponsor 1000 Islands RV.

Joel Doiron battles for position in the Mr. DIRTcar 358 Modified Series event at Brockville Ontario Speedway. (Rick Young Photo)

The first order of business on Saturday afternoon was time trials, and Doiron posted a great lap, placing him second in his group, earning a front row starting spot in his qualifying heat race. Doiron finished the eight lap qualifier in second, picking up a valuable spot in the redraw for a top 10 starting spot in the 100 lap main event. By luck of the draw, Joel picked starting spot number two, and started the race from outside the front row. By lap 25 he was maintaining a top five position, and continued to battle alongside the sports best drivers throughout the race. Over the final dozen laps of the race, several drivers had tire issues, but Doiron was able to maintain his position, and climbed back up to third before the checkered flag. After the race, Doiron’s right rear tire had no tread remaining, making his run even more remarkable with no grip towards the end of the race

“We had a great day today here at the BOS. This is a strong way to finish out our 2012 season”, says Doiron after the race. “We had a lot of fun battling up front with these guys that race for a living, and it sure gives us a great feeling going into the long off-season”.

Our racing efforts for the 2012 season would not be possible without the assistance of our great partners. Mike Sauvé Construction, Au Vieux Duluth, Doiron Auto Inc., Mister Sew and Sew Custom Embroidery, W.H. MacSweyn Inc., Garage Le Specialiste Dicaire, Gauvreau Transport, Walker Climate Care/Go Geo, NAPA Cornwall, Glengarry Windows & Doors, Group Express, Richard Ranger Carpet, Alexandria OK Tire, Alexandria Home Hardware, SB Transport, Boutique Lafleur, Garry McDougall Electric, Marc Rouette Maintenance, SM Painting, Finish Line Web Design, Gouttieres SD Eavesthroughs and Bicknell Racing Products have all been an integral part of the success of our team.

“I really can’t thank our sponsors, everyone that helps work on this car all year long, and my family for all of their support”, adds Doiron. “We look forward to coming back as strong as ever in 2013”.

For more information on Joel Doiron and the team, please check out our website, www.joeldoiron.com. The website will be undergoing a major facelift over the next few days, so please check back often as we continue to work on the site.