May 13, 2014 Vol. 1, Issue 1
Rodney Houze ‘65 Ford Falcon Photo: thephotoguys.ca
1
MASSIVE
ADMISSION $7:00
SOMETHING FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY!
RACING ALL WEEKEND TOO! Event Sponsor
CLEAN OUT YOUR BASEMENT OR GARAGE!
WE STILL HAVE SOME SPACES LEFT! BOOK YOURS TODAY! 20’ X 40’ SPOT = $25 CALL 519-775-0001 2
Everyone’s a rock star
I’ve had the pleasure of knowing Jay ‘Moto’ Morse and Michelle McNabb for just a short time, but their friendly, familyoriented nature and generous spirit has made me feel as though I’ve known them for decades. Their tireless efforts, hard work and unlimited enthusiasm for the sport makes running a drag strip look easy. But don’t let that fool you; it takes a great deal of planning, organization and time to keep St. Thomas Raceway Park running the way it does; long hours, week after week, month after month, with no chance for a break until October. They wouldn’t have it any other way. They love the sport and they love the racers. It’s like a huge extended family. Jay likes to say that everyone is a rock star, and it’s clear that he means it. He’s also famous for pronouncing that ‘Drag Racing is back’, and if anyone every doubted that statement, they just have to spend a day at the track to know that it is back with a vengeance - thanks to people like Jay and Michelle. If the season opener for 2014 is anything to go by, imagine what 2015 and the coming years will bring.
Welcome to Track Life, your weekly race resource covering St. Thomas Raceway Park. You can experience this useful magazine on your computer, tablet or smart phone, and you can even download and print it. And it’s all free. Whether you’re a racer, a spectator or drag racing enthusiast, this is the publication to turn to for the latest news on The Go Fast Capital Of Canada. Each week, we’ll share exciting news, events, schedules and valuable information with you over the coming season and years to come. Track Life is more than a newsletter. It’s a full-featured digital magazine which offers the quality and readership value of a printed publication with the superior convenience and interactivity of a website. I invite you to participate - I’m always open to suggestions or potential contributions. Jim McHarg Publisher
stthomasracewaypark.com ..at home or on the go. 3
2014 Season Opener:
Big, Bad and unforgettable
which certainly got everyone’s attention throughout the weekend. In addition to their race efforts, MaryAnn and Lyle were promoting the upcoming Hardcore Horsepower weekend, which features drag racing legend John Force as Grand Marshall. This once in a lifetime opportunity takes place on June 7 and 8. Full details can be found in this issue. Now that the 2014 racing season is under way, we can all look forward to enjoying the sport we love, at Canada’s first pupose-built Drag Strip. Yes folks, drag racing is back!
St. Thomas Raceway Park’s ‘Biggest Baddest Season Ever’ kicked off Saturday, May 10th with some thrilling race action. It’s been a long winter; everyone was anxious to get out and take their inaugural run down that track - and spectators were treated to thrills too. Bikes, Dragsters, Pro Mods and Street Cars were eager to warm up those tires and entertain the crowds, and no one was disappointed. MaryAnn and Lyle Williams of HURA (Heads Up Racing Association) brought some exciting Pro Mods and Dragsters,
[Continued on next page]
Photography by Mike Seguin, thephotoguys.ca
4
The Sloppy Joe Camaro met with some technical issues, but still managed to makes some excellent passes.
Dan Klein showed that Kawi who’s the boss, and made some great passes.
[Above]The ever-popular Frank Berlingieri of FTP Racing
Blanes Racing turned heads with every pass.
[Above] Lyle & MaryAnn Williams of HURA [Below] Lyle Williams thunders down the track
[Continued on page 7]
5
A Force to be reckoned with John Force has won more rounds, more races and more championships than anyone. He’s sold more souvenirs, given more motivational speeches and delivered more memorable one-liners. Furthermore, with Castrol, his sponsor since 1986, he’s closing in on the record for the longest continuous marketing relationship in sports. Nevertheless, the one thing that sets John Force apart from those who have dominated in other fields, from sports to business to politics, is his longevity. He has been a Top 10 finisher for 28 consecutive seasons, an NHRA record, and has won a tour event in 25 of the last 26 years, failing to do so only in 2009, two years after surviving a potentially fatal accident at Dallas, Texas. Today, he makes no concessions to his age. He insists, especially after undergoing ACL reconstruction before last season, that he’s in “the best shape of my life.” Of course, if he never won another race, his legacy would be secure, but the affable veteran is more determined than ever to remain in the cockpit as teammate to a spectacular assembly of young drivers that includes his two youngest daughters, Brittany, 26, and Courtney, 24. “It’s all about these kids now,” he said. “I’m still going to race as hard as ever to win the championship. That won’t change. But my main job now is to continue to train (these young) drivers so that they won’t have to go through what I went through.” Source: www.johnforce.com
Heads Up Racing Association, Kopp Motorsports, Elgin Chrysler and Finch Chrysler are bringing John Force to St. Thomas Raceway Park, June 7 and 8 for a meet & greet and autograph signing. See page 2 for full details.
6
Big, Bad and unforgettable ...Some more scenes from St. Thomas Raceway Park’s Season Opener [Continued from page 5]
HURA introduced us to their newest dragster - gotta love those rail cars
Dan Storms; a study in concentration.
You might call this a ‘1/4 Mile Smile’. She‘ll be racing before we know it.
“Rambunctious” made some very quick and memorable passes all weekend
[Above] Rodney Houze had a very successful weekend, turning in some terrific E/Ts
“Check’er Out”... Metzeler Morse in her newly wrapped Jr. Dragster
Sincere thanks to Mike Seguin of the Photoguys for his generous permission to use his photography in this issue. You can purchase the photos through Facebook or website:
A couple of future racers enjoying the fun and excitement of the big season opener.
7
You’re never too quick to beat his click
Mike Seguin of thephotoguys.ca likes to be where the action is, which makes him a familiar face around many tracks and major sports events. His keen eye and quick reflexes result in stunning photographs which not only capture memories, they freeze a moment in time that is gone quicker than the blink of an eye. This innate ability has earned him the coveted position of Official Photographer for organizations like Heads Up Racing Association and St. Thomas Raceway Park, to name a few “It’s not enough to just stand at the tree, point and shoot, “ he explains, “You have to be in touch with every subtle twitch and sound of the cars at launch.” For almost two decades Mike has been creating photography that gets noticed, but don’t let his creative talent fool you; he’s a capable bike racer too, although he admits he’s usually way too busy behind the camera to jump on a bike for a quick pass or two. Mike’s easy to find at St. Thomas Raceway Park - just follow the action or go to thephotoguys.ca and see what he can do for you.
8
Concrete Barrier Program kicks into high gear
Sparta Small Tire Shootout is just weeks away
Since their introduction, steel guard rails have performed reasonably well as a safety measure, but in their ongoing efforts to provide the safest possible racing environment for racers and fans, track owners have begun installing concrete barriers. It’s an expensive but necessary move. There’s no question that Armco barriers have been instrumental in preventing the propogation of accident damage and have certainly saved lives, but you only have to spend a few minutes on YouTube to see that these rails aren’t always as reliable as we like to think. The superior strength, durability and impact resistance of concrete race barriers is beyond question, however, the cost of ripping out all the old infrastructure and replacing it can be prohibitive. Track owners are caught between a rock and a hard place. After all, it’s not easy to come up with the kind of investment required for such a plan. At St. Thomas Raceway Park, for example, owner Jay Morse has implemented a sponsorship program, which invites racers and fans to invest in their own safety and support the oldest purpose-built track in Canada. Which large sections of concrete barrier already covered by generous sponsorship, Morse expects the program to kick into high gear once regular racing begins at the track. He asks that anyone who wants to show their support by sponsoring sections, should call him at 519-775-0001 or visit the track website at www.stthomasracewaypark.com
Open to any small tire domestic or import with stock suspension, this inaugural one day event is a clocks off 1/8 mile contest that’s guaranteed to be a favourite with everyone. With no restrictions beyond the chassis and tire requirements, the racers will compete head to head all day long, Saturday, May 31. See the ad on page 10 of this issue, visit St. Thomas Raceway Park’s website under upcoming events or go to smalltireracing.wix.com/ssts2014 for full details on participation and other details.
Excitement is building for R&L’s Dash For Cash Touted as the richest race in Soutwestern Ontario, Roffelsen and Lindsay’s Canada Day Weekend Dash for Cash is generating a great deal of excitement in the world of drag racing. With $12,000 in cash and prizes on the line, fan interest is at its peak and the racers are carefuly preparing their cars to meet the gruelling challenges of such a heated contest. If this isn’t enough, it all takes place on a Win A Wally weekend. It’s all part of St. Thomas Raceway Park’s ‘Biggest, baddest season ever’, and judging by the buzz around the Dash For Cash, there is no reason to doubt that claim.
Drag Racing is Back There is no comparison between the cars of 1962 and the high-tech machines we see today, but the changes are not limited to the equipment. Over the past few decades, the popularity of drag racing drifted, at least at the grassroots level; costs escalated, tracks closed, and that long tradition of running your street car at the track on the weekend seemed far out of reach for the average driver. But thanks to tracks like St. Thomas Raceway Park, race fans and racers alike have rediscovered the excitement of the sport, and they’re coming back in droves every weekend. Drag Racing is not limited to the big money Pro Stock, Pro Mod and Top Fuelers; backyard mechanics, drag racing enthusiasts and future John Forces strut their stuff at the Performance Unlimited’s Friday Night Street Legal races. They often return on Saturday afternoons to do it all over again. Camaros and Civics, Hyabusas and Harleys - they all gather in a community that eagerly welcomes all newcomers to a weekend of friendly, enthusiastic competition, regardless of what you drive.
It would be an understatement to say that a lot has changed in the 52 years that St.Thomas Raceway Park opened to race fans.
Those who remember the ‘good old days’ of the sport will appreciate the inviting atmosphere, the sights the sounds and the friendship of a family-operated track. As a fan, you can’t beat the thrills and excitement of watching the grassroots conmpetition. If you’re a driver, or want to be, St. Thomas Raceway Park is the ideal track to provide the experience and the challenges that will cultivate your skills and racing ambitions. Yes, drag racing is back, and it’s better than ever. 9
www.stthomasracewaypark.com
May Special Events
Saturday, May 17, Sunday, May 18 EVERY FRIDAY NIGHT 6:00 - 10:00PM
STREET LEGAL DRAG RACING EVERY SATURDAY NIGHT MID MAY TO MID SEPTEMBER 6:00 - 10:00PM
ThrottleFest
RUN WHAT YA BRUNG!!
EVERY SATURDAY 11:00AM - 4:00PM AND EVERY SUNDAY, FROM NOON - 4:00PM:
TEST ‘N’ TUNE SATURDAY NIGHTS 6:00PM
STEAK ‘N’ CHICKEN DINNER Events subject to change without notice.
Make sure you check back here every issue for the latest on what’s coming up at St. Thomas Raceway Park. If your Race Series, Team or Group wants to post information about an upcoming event at the track, please email us today. This a free and convenient way to keep fans and racers updated on your event(s) 10
PitPatter Each track has it’s own “sweet spot” for tire pressure, but the following steps can help you locate where to have your cars tire pressure. Start low, keep increasing until there’s spin. This technique will take a few test passes to get the right amount. Start with a low amount of tire pressure. For slicks, this may be around 7 lbs of tire pressure. Provided the rest of the car is set up correctly, you should plant the tires with no spin, and be on your way. However, to improve your 60 foot times, up the tire pressure by .5 increments and make a new test pass until you get tire spin. Protip: A camcorder and slow motion can help spot tire spin. Once you have found where the car wants to spin the tires, back the pressure back down .5-1 lbs of pressure. Now you have set your tires to the optimal pressure!
Having less wheel stand is better, again, to a point What race fan doesn’t like to see a bumper-dragging, spark flying wheelie half way down the track? It’s one of the coolest things a race car can do. drag racing wheelie However, when it comes to safety as well as E.T., that front end needs to stay down. A good amount of crashes or mishaps on the tower side of the track happen due to drivers not controlling the car during a wheelie. It’s hard to steer with rudders on a race car! Wheelie bars will help unload the car and prevent wheel stands, but they do just that, unload the energy that was lifting the car and let the rear tires spin. If all you can see is sky when you launch, and fast E.T.s are your goal, tuning should be done to lower the amount of power the car is producing during launch.
Since 1972
behance.net/mcharg
DIGITAL PRINT AND LARGE FORMAT • Brochures • Business Cards • Flyers
11
• Banners • Pop Up Stands • Signage...
12