There’s an age-old expression about going from the frying pan into the fire. Another says that if you can’t stand the heat, you should get out of the kitchen. Dave Landles’ kitchen is the interior of his 1981 Chevrolet Monte Carlo. Each spring, summer and fall he survives the heat of the Better Carpet Thunder Car class at Kawartha Speedway. The 53 year-old from Ajax, Ontario is excited about the start of the new season and feels like he’s set some very attainable goals for the upcoming campaign.
“To be honest, I’d have to say I’ll be disappointed if we don’t finish the year in the top 10 in points,” admitted Landles. “We were 15th in 2009 and I’m sure there wasn’t a single night where we weren’t capable of doing better. It wasn’t a bad season, but we didn’t run with enough consistency to be a factor when it mattered. With only 10 races on the schedule, we need to make sure we do our homework before we come to the track.”
With just one top 5 finish – from the 2008 season – on his resume, Landles and his crew of Matt Spence, Mike Poulton and Donny Beatty have already started putting in some long hours to get the #53 Durham Furnace Heating and Cooling machine ready for Kawartha’s 10th Anniversary season. He says his first checkered flag in a heat race was one the biggest thrills of his 8 year driving career. With so many great drivers in the thunder car field on a regular basis, he knows it will take a solid team effort to make it to the next level.
“We had a really hard hit last season, but needed to be ready for the next week of action,” said Landles. “The impact was so severe that it even cracked the motor. We did everything we could to make sure the car would run up to speed, but there might have been something we missed. That’s the beauty of the off-season. You get the chance to go over everything. Right after the season ended, we took off the body panels, checked the frame and cage and made sure that everything was in good shape.”
With his wife Julya, children Krista, Matthew and new grandson Dominic cheering his every move, Landles – an HVAC technician and facilities specialist – says he enjoys the competition of racing hard and the friends he has made at the track. He feels this could be the year he gets a shot at the winner’s circle. The thunder car division has some tough runners, but being in the right place at the right time could make all the difference. It’s a sure bet that the #53 Chevrolet will be up to the task.
Kawartha Speedway’s 2010 season kicks-off Friday, June 4th as the OSCAAR Outlaw Super Late Models join a night of mini stock, thunder car and late model action. The year wraps-up Saturday, September 25th with the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series finale. For a look at everything in between, see the complete 10th Anniversary season schedule at www.kawarthaspeedway.com.
PHOTO: Dave Landles says his heat race win late in the year was the highlight of his 2009 Kawartha Speedway season.
Release and Photo by Jim Clarke – Clarke Motorsports Communications
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