Tillsonburg Speedway: May 26, 2009 report

Race results for Tuesday May 26 2009 Tillsonburg Speedway and Outlaw Kart Club

TILLSONBURG, ON - What a difference a week can make as our racers are racing faster and faster trying to charge to the front. Sometimes at the expense of the previous winners, and so should it go. This was the 4th race of the spring series and the rivalries are heating up, not only on the track where they should be but some of the parents (mainly one) lost their composure when things did not go the way they hoped on the track for their team. Let’s just say that being called a Hockey Mom at a race track is not a complement.

On the flip side there are no little kids out picking flowers in the middle of the soccer field. Good racing is an intense sport. Racers young and old want to try for a win but passing someone that wants to win just as bad as you do is not always pretty. Get over it. Do not expect for anyone to get out of the way so your little Johnny can win the race. When Johnny earns it, he will get to the front. If Johnny is already at the front, you can surely expect every racer wants to replace him. With out this challenge, racing would be boring as all get out. In fact we would have to change our name to the Tillsonburg Parade Organization. Ya right—not going to happen. For now we will keep turning up the pressure to provide great racing and a fun atmosphere and hopefully no parents self distruct in the process.

The Beginners races made some great entertainment as they are all convinced they can win and are going about trying to do so. #93 Amber Meyer of Tillsonburg got caught trying to pass on the outside when there was not room to do so and took one off the wildest hoops and bounce that I have seen this year. A bent axle was the result and a drop from being point’s leader to 3rd overall was the net result. #5 DJ Christie from Beachville looked to be the man to beat in the first heat and took the win but when a derailed chain took him out in the next main his results suffered. Never fear as he made the final and grabbed the checkers and moved into a 1st place tie for the season.

#95 Lightning McQueen (Jayven March of London) drove not only a smart race but a very fast one as he won the 1st main and garnered 2nd in the last one. That was enough to grab overall for the night and move also into a tied for 1st position for the season. Also looking sharp after some weekend practice was #17 Brandon Norris from Brantford finishing 2-3-4.  #48 Andrew Marshall of Dorchester got his Kart repaired after some dicing two weeks ago and finished well with a 4-2-5. Once these youngsters figure out just how fast they really can go we will see them at the front lots more.

The Junior Division was missing a couple racers this week but you can bet the racing was no less exiting. #5 Conor Mahoney of Hamilton is determined to prove the worth of his prototype racer and was successful in the 10 lap sprint but had to ultimately settle for a pair of 2nds in the mains 1-2-2. None the less, #30 Josh Beecroft of Ridgetown drove well all night with 3-3-5 but just could not stay with the Mahoney kart. #15 Mitch Anderson also from Ridgetown met a similar fate with a 5-4-3. Not held back however was the # 20 Kart of DJ McRae of London who was denied the win in the 10 lap sprint but the longer mains gave him enough time to make the pass and win both. 2-1-1. DJ ran most of the races glued to the back of Conor’s kart as he tried passing in multiple places and eventually got by just before the checkered flag.

The Seniors finally broke out and provided the action that 11 karts running in a pack just has to result. I was starting to worry that nobody was going to give the #75 kart of Dylan Chesterman of Tillsonburg the race action he deserves. Several capable racers seemed content to follow the leader around like the pied piper but this week the crap stopped and the race was on. As I said at the onset of the season we were going to handicap the point’s leaders and make it hard to win and the fully inverted starting grids is doing just that. #96 Mark Chesterman of (London, Langton, Kitchener- where do you live anyway?)  was out to show he could run a fast pace and managed a respectable 4th on the night.

Also seeded into the field was the #61 kart that was guest driven by last year’s multi track champions Holly Porter and Scott Chesterman. Taking turns running the borrowed kart, they had no intentions of anything less than 1st and with mid pack starts were able to take the wins in each run. 1-1-1. Now I have to wonder how can #81 Cassidy March and #88 Devin Jarvis both of London run so fast in this star studded night and yet not pressure the current points leader more? Devin took 3rd overall with Cassidy grabbing 2nd. I think these two got it figured out that they are capable of running faster than they have been. Also causing commotion this week on his first night out was #79 Mark Courtnage of Harley.

This kart was meant to be driven by his daughter Kate but since she has yet to drive it the team decision (I know dad was dying to race it) was to make use of Kate’s Kart and Pink helmet and let Dad drive. Well ya gotta be tough to wear a Pink lid. Although Mark took a while to figure out where the slick spots on the track were, he drove some really fast laps and was not about to get out of anyone’s way. Can you imagine a racer coming to the track to race?  In the end it was awesome racing with traffic everywhere and a racer had to be on his/her toes to run fast and stay on the lead lap. Let’s see what next week brings.

The Expert class enjoyed the tacky track this week. The unbelievable pull down the straights just has to be experienced. Next week should see the return of the #63 kart which just might give us more entertainment as we beat him up now that we have 3 extra weeks racing under our belts. Time will tell.

If you would like more information on the weekly Outlaw Kart racing at Chesterman's - call 519-842-5977

Chesterman Power Products // Tillsonburg Indoor MX // www.chesterman.ca // 519-842-5977