SASKATOON, SK - A large crowd was on hand to watch the final event of the season at Auto Clearing Motor Speedway Sunday, the Ellenn Plastics Ultimate Enduro. 23 cars from Saskatchewan and Alberta registered to start the race, a gruelling 300 laps with full contact.
The Ellenn Plastics Ultimate Enduro is always an exciting race as cars try to be the first to complete each of the 100 lap segments, all the while doing everything they can to stop other cars from passing them or finishing the race. The cars are going full out and it’s quickly apparent which cars are up to the race, quickly dropping out.
As if dodging 22 other cars, parts and spills isn’t enough, Mother Nature often plays a part in the race as well, as she did on Sunday. Several times Sunday afternoon a light drizzle fell, causing track conditions to become extremely slippery. While this would normally stop a race, not an Enduro.
One car that was amazing to watch was the number 17, driven by John Brown of North Battleford. When Auto Clearing Motor Speedway was built it was designed with three clear racing grooves and possibly a fourth.
No local cars have yet mastered the third groove and none have tackled the fourth groove. Yet on Sunday afternoon the number 17 was running the fourth groove lap after lap, in the rain and maintaining a lap time of about 19 seconds. The fourth groove has the car running no further than about five feet from the wall all the way around.
The first segment, the CJWW Radio 100, got under way from a standing start, with the cars lined up three wide. The No. 15 Curtis Family Imapala got off to a quick start, leading the first 10 laps before Trent Seidel got past in the No. 88. Bill Rea took a turn in the lead, then Bill Zubrecki. Bill Rea got the lead back in lap 60 and lead the rest of the way to win the CJWW Radio segment. Bill Zubrecki was second and Brent Duprius from Martensville was third.
It was back to the pits for some fine tuning with sledge hammers and pry bars, before lining up for the 92.9 The Bull segment. This time the cars were lined up for a four wide standing start.
This time Dave Zyler took the No. 21 into the lead. Mickey Pogoda grabbed the lead for 20 or so laps before handing it over to John Brown.
Mike Shroeder from Outlook took over the lead in lap 55. Mickey gained the lead back in lap 59 and hung on for 25 laps, before Shroeder once again took the lead and led to the end of the 92.9 The Bull segment of the race. Brent Duprius was second and Quiven Richardson was third.
More sledge hammer and pry bar work and the cars are lined up for the third segment, the Magic 98.3 segment. This time officials choose to line the cars up in a tight three wide format, bumpers touching and doors touching.
This time Mickey Pogoda jumps out to the lead and leads the first 50 laps before son Ben Pogoda get by. It’s back and forth for a number of laps before Ben pulls ahead. Lap 94 and Bill Rea takes the lead and looks to be heading for victory when he gets spun out in corner three of the white flag lap. Ben Pagoda cruises by and picks up the checkered flag in the Magic 98.3 segment. Bill Rea gets back in for second and Mickey Pogoda comes in third.
Cars are awarded one point per finishing position in each segment. In the end, the Ellenn Plastics champion is declared, based on overall points.
For 2009, the Ellen Plastics Ultimate Enduro champion is the No. 22, with Bill and Doug Rea sharing the driving. Coming in second was Mike Shroeder and Mickey Pogoda is third. Quiven Richardson picks up fourth, while Ben Pogoda and Brent Duprius end with a fifth place tie.
Full results and points are posted at: http://speednetdirect.com/results.php?track_id=8311. Individual lap times are posted at http://members.shaw.ca/acms
With the racing over, all that’s left is to hand out all the hardware. The annual Saskatoon Stock Car Racing Association awards banquet will be held Saturday, November 7 at Prairieland Parks. Tickets are available through various people. Please see the autoclearingmotorspeedway.ca website for more details.
From Richard Woodvine // Competition Director // Saskatoon Stock Car Racing Association // Auto Clearing Motor Speedway
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