Each year for the past two years I have looked forward to the Ted Powell Memorial Races at Calabogie Motorsports Park as a sort of personal Super Bowl. It's my home track, my family and friends come to watch the races, and there are always big fields.
This year, I looked forward to the TPMR even more because for the first time we would be using the 'full' track at CMP, and a bumper field of 20+ Formula Libre cars were registered, including 6 (!!!!!) Radical SR3s.
As with every race weekend, there is always a little drama, and this was no different. Towing up to the track with Keith and Greg, the 1991 F800 they bought last year to tow their 45' trailer (with 3 SR3s inside) decided to spring an impressive fuel leak from one of the fuel filters. Diesel everywhere. By some miracle, the truck stop in Arnprior had the right fuel filters, and we only lost an hour of time. Luckily this was Wednesday evening anyway. By the time we got parked (paddock space at CMP is at a premium) and sorted, and back to our accomodations, it was well past midnight. Our extended race weekend started with a late night.
Thursday, the Motorsport Club of Ottawa put on a 'lapping day' at CMP, and I volunteered to instruct newbies, as I do every year. I rode around in a Corvette C6 Z06 and a Chevy Cobalt (which, interestingly enough, had been modified to almost the same HP as the C6) on a rain soaked track all day with neither of my charges putting a wheel wrong. At the end of the day I decided to put on some rain tires and make sure the car was in good shape for the race weekend, doing about 10 laps in the wet. Car felt good, and nothing fell off, so I declared the entire kit ready for the weekend.
Friday was a test day, and since I had gone out on Thursday, and had plenty of laps at Calabogie, I decided to skip the test day and just 'hang out.' It rained much of the day, and fellow Radical drivers JR, Huw, Greg, Keith and Bill all showed up. Huw had never driven in the wet, and never raced before, but was coming up to speed nicely. JR had never been to Calabogie and spent the day figuring out which way the track went. Keith was having issues with his newly installed motor, and spent much of the day trying to figure out the motor. By the end of the day, Kim and the kids showed up, and we all went to registration to get our credentials for the weekend.
Saturday dawned cloudy but dry. The forecast threatened rain, but none came. By the time we went out for the first practice, combined with Formula Vee, it was a sunny day. The track was crowded in the practice session, and I had put on junk tires anyway, netting a best time of just 2:08. Quickest time in the session was Greg in his Radical, followed closely by Mike in his WF1, both in the 2:02s. The rest of the Radical crew were behind me, and Keith was still having engine troubles.
The drivers meeting at lunch time ran long, making our qualifying session, just after lunch, a bit of a mad scramble. Along with the WF1 and the 6 SR3s were the usual gaggle of misfit wings 'n' things cars in Formula Libre. A nice sized field of 18 cars qualified. Putting on new tires helped the times quite a bit, and I ran a 2:03.7, good enough for 2nd on the grid behind Mike in the WF1 at a 2:01.7. Keith was behind me at a 2:04, but still having engine problems. Greg was 4th, Huw 5th, JR 6th and Bill 8th, putting SR3s in 6 of the top 8 spots.
As always, we were scheduled for 3 20 minute races, the first of which to go off on Saturday afternoon. I was gridded 2nd, with Mike beside me on pole in the WF1, and Greg and Keith behind me in SR3s. Keith missed the 3 minute board at grid, and had to start from the back, but Greg was there. When the green flew, Mike lept away in the WF1, but not too far, Greg following suit. I managed to duck back inside both of them at turn 2, but Mike pulled away down the first straight. I slotted in to 2nd, and kept Greg behind. We had a good battle for about 5 laps, until we came upon a back marker on the Rocky Road straight. The back marker swerved just as I was about to go by him, and I had to take evasive manouvers not to hit him. Greg spun avoiding me, and that was the end of our battle. I brought the car home in 2nd behind the WF1 with Greg in 3rd, Huw 4th, Bill 6th and JR 7th. Keith's engine troubles returned, and the car just shut off about half way through the race.
Sunday dawned more threatening, and the forecast rain look almost certain. Our morning race, however, was dry. Mike one again held the lead from pole, but I managed to hang with him for about 3 laps before he put the hammer down and drove away. By this time we had both gapped Greg, and with no chance of catching the Stohr, I simply cruised home to a 2nd straight 2nd place. Greg again finished 3rd, with Huw in 4th, and JR in 5th . Keith had yet more engine trouble, this time terminally, as did Bill's crew guy, Clive, who had taken over the car for the Sunday races.
The final, trophy, race on Sunday look even more threatening, but as we drove to grid, the track was dry. However, lightning moved in and caused a delay for the safety of the corner workers. Not long after the ligtning delay started, the rains came. Huw and I drove back to our pits and put on rains. Greg elected to stay on dries. Mike in the WF1 and JR decided to simply not go out. The first start was waved off, and the second start had only 3 cars on the front straight, as all but the 3 remaining Radicals weren't able to keep up, despite my efforts to back up the field to them. When the green finally flew, Huw and I had made the rigth tire choice and sprinted away from Greg. With this being Huw's first year in the SR3, first race weekend, and first race in the rain, I expected to drop him quickly. However, he showed himself to be the "rain king" and stayed with me the entire race. I finished just 1.4 seconds ahead, pushing as hard as I dare the entire time.
So a successful weekend for me. Two second place finihes, and a win in the trophy race. The car seems no worse for wear as well, which is excellent. Travel and family commitments will keep me off the track until one of the Mosport rounds in September.
-Matt
