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Last week, on June 2nd, the drivers of OSCAAR put on one of the best Super Late Model shows in years. There was fast paced excitement, great passing, and the winner did not run away. Nothing came easy to anyone last week, as all drivers earned their finishes. In qualifying, the fast car was #68 Stu Robinson Jr., who won both of his heat races and looked very strong. Robinson Jr. had run very strong at Flamboro in 2000, and looked even better now in 2001. He would definitely be up front in the feature. The other two heat wins went to two other very strong drivers who have had great success at Flamboro in the past. The #03 Shane McGinnis and the #49 Rob Clarke split the heat wins, and both were to be contenders in the feature. Early after the drop of the green flag Rob Clarke was right to the rear of the leader, #1 Dave Horner. After staying patient a couple laps, Clarke finally got the nose of the #49 inside and went to make the pass in corner four. Horner refused to give Clarke the lane, bringing the #1 down on top of the #49, and in doing so spun to the inside of the track. After the caution, Rob Clarke assumed the lead, was chased by a train of cars lead by #13 Gary Passer. Clarke ran away from the field, and began to lap slower traffic. But when the #49 came up on the #93 of Ron Hollis, he was not given the lane to pass. Hollis fought with Clarke to stay on the lead lap, the cars made contact, and the #49 spun out to bring out a caution. With Clarke now at the back of the pack, forced to drive through the field to reach the front again, the stage was set for a new duel for the lead. #03 Shane McGinnis now held the prestigious top spot, but #68 Stu Robinson Jr. was glued to his rear bumper. The battle started at the drop of the green on the restart. McGinnis on defence, Robinson Jr. on the offence, and neither driver making a mistake. The duel separated from the pack, but was reeled in when #2 John Owen made hard contact with the wall after getting caught in the oil spill from the blown engine of the #9 Tony Calitri. With 20 laps to go, and a beach of speedy dry in corners three and four, the battle recommenced as Stu Robinson Jr. went back to work on Shane McGinnis’ #03. Inside, outside, and even through, Robinson Jr. could not get the #68 around McGinnis. Back in the field, Rob Clarke was working towards the leaders, running in fifth, but met his match with the #04 Trevor Monaghan. The same troubles Robinson Jr. was having with McGinnis, Clarke was having with Monaghan. Great defensive driving was holding these guys back. With two laps to go, Stu Robinson Jr. raced down the back straightaway, dove into corner three, pushed the nose of the #68 inside of the #03 and out of corner four was door to door with McGinnis. Into corner one, white flag in the air, McGinnis pulled ahead and would stay ahead until after they crossed the line. #03 Shane McGinnis won his first feature in the first appearance by OSCAAR at Flamboro in 2001. #68 Stu Robinson Jr. would have to settle for second, while #13 Gary Passer, #04 Trevor Monaghan, and #49 Rob Clarke rounded out the top five. The Super Late Models of OSCAAR do not return to Flamboro until August 18th, for the Don Biederman Memorial night. Mark that date down on your calendar, you won’t want to miss that race!
The week before, May 26, racing was called early for fog. The Thunder Cars had yet to run their feature and were back this night to settle the score. An exciting race, it was #43 Art Nicholas who won, followed by #91 Randy Richard, #03 Jeff Kearnes, #93 Rob Vanderveen, and #6 Jim Ball. After the race, the #03 of Kearnes did not pass technical inspection and was disqualified. So with one feature chalked up for the #43 team that night, their second consecutive feature win, they changed drivers and tried their luck again. Driving for the June 2nd races was #43 Dave Habel, one-half of last years’ championship winning team. In qualifying Habel did not find victory lane, as wins went to #12 Mike Post, #31 Kevin Gallant, #55 Jesse Fair, and #10 Ray Gowan. But come feature time that #43 started to shine, and soon Dave Habel was at the front of the pack. Off the green #91 Randy Richard was quick to put the #2 Bill Cameron behind him and take the lead. Following suit #43 Dave Habel, who was racing in third, pulled under and by the #2 to take second away from Cameron. The #2 continued falling back in the pack as #27 Mark Burbridge lead a train of cars by Bill Cameron. Up in front, Habel was all over the back of the #91, trying to get a three-peat for the #43, and to put the car in victory lane twice in one night. In the closing laps Habel was side-by-side with Randy Richard as they drag raced down the straightaway. Into corner one Dave Habel brought the #43 to the lead and the #12 of Mike Post, who had come from the back to the front, with him. The battle for the lead allowed the mid pack of cars to catch the leaders, but the white flag was already flying before anyone had a chance to make a move. Down to the finish it was #43 Dave Habel winning the teams third consecutive feature, and the second of the night. #91 Randy Richard would be scored as finishing second, followed by #50 John Burdick, #55 Jesse Fair, and #31 Kevin Gallant. The #12 of Mike Post did cross the line in second, but was later disqualified for not passing technical inspection.
It was a Slamn’ night for Street Stocks, with heat wins going to three guys who have seen victory lane already this year, #02 Jim Mannen, #72 Randy Rusnell, and #4 Brian Davis, while the fourth win went to teenage driver #95 Kevin Benish, his first win in 2001 and also his first as a solo driver. But as good as they were in qualifying, none of these drivers would taste sweet victory in the feature. Gary Slama put the #20 way out in front in the very beginning of the feature, was quickly reeled when the yellow of the caution lights filled the track for the huge amount of oil and debris left by the blown engine of Brian Davis’ #4. After the clean up crew was finished getting the track back to racing conditions, Slama picked up where he left off, way out in front. Coming hard through the field were #72 Randy Rusnell and #02 Jim Mannen, while #11 Manfred Henkel picked off the #68 Mike Laurenssen and took second. Into corner three, a two car battle for third became a three car battle when #72 Randy “The Rocket” joined #68 Mike Laurenssen and #45 Dave Bennett in the corner. Three wide, with Rusnell’s #72 in the middle, “The Rocket” thread the needle to take third, and left the other two to continue their duel, now for fourth. The #72 was flying, closing the half-straight gap to Henkel and Slama, but ran out of time before he could mount a challenge. Gary Slama parked the #20 in victory, winning that teams first feature of 2001. Manfred Henkel finished a strong second, with #72 Randy Rusnell finishing third, and #02 Jim Mannen, and #8 Richard Dyson rounding out the top five.
In recent weeks, the #85 of Robert Allerellie has definitely been the
car to beat. On June 2nd Allerellie once again proved his dominance,
winning his third feature race of the year. Allerellie shared heat
wins with #71 Barry Westman, #77 Bryn Rennie, and #26 Bryan Sweers.
But in the feature it was all the #85. In the beginning it was #17
Jim Hill and #2 John “Crash” Myers battling door to door for the lead,
with a four wide battle behind them. The #77 of Bryn Rennie, along
with #69 Harry Vandenboom, #22 Ken Turner, and #85 Robert Allerellie, raced
four wide through corners three and four and on to the front straightaway.
Finally sorting things out in corners one and two the cars spread out,
and gave fans a chance to grab a quick breath. But then they collected
together again, and two duels became a war. #17 Jim Hill was still
leading, but had the #77 Bryn Rennie right on his tail; while #22 Ken Turner
in third, had #85 Robert Allerellie all over him. Bryn Rennie overcame
Jim Hill, driving by on the outside, and now led the way. Out of
corner four Hill made contact with Turner’s #22, tagged the wall, turned
sideways, then caught air off the front-straight wall before sliding across
the track and into the infield. Moments later, while the field was
still under the caution, Jim Hill re-fired the #17 and drove it into the
pits with a flat tire. On the restart, Allerellie was quick to the
gas and got right up behind #77 Bryn Rennie. With two laps to go
the drivers were door to door, and as they came out of corner four to take
the white flag it was the #85 that pulled ahead to become the leader.
Bryn Rennie tried a last lap attempt to regain the lead, but Allerellie
was too much for him. Pulling into victory lane to pose for photographer
Dave Franks and to wave to the screaming and cheering fans, Robert Allerellie
collected his third feature checkered flag of 2001. Bryn Rennie finished
second, followed by #69 Harry Vandenboom, #26 Bryan Sweers, and #22 Ken
Turner.
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