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Sometimes we just can’t catch a break. Last week, May 26, it was bright and sunny in the morning, but then it rained at midday. But by 4 o’clock the skies were clearing up, and as the track dried it looked as though racing would go on. Then it rained just after hot laps. But then the skies cleared again, and after a half hour of drying the track conditions were raceable, and the show went on. Mini Stocks, Street Stocks, Thunder Cars, Late Models, and the Action American Race Trucks all took to the 1/3 mile asphalt oval, in fast-paced excitement, as old faces returned to victory lane, while others ended up hidden.
Street Stocks kicked off the qualifying action, with #11 Manfred Henkel winning the first heat of the night, as he made his return to both the speedway and victory lane after a couple weeks sabbatical. In the second heat Randy Rusnell, a.k.a. “The Rocket,” ran away with lead early and grabbed a checkered flag. Earlier in the night Rocket was heard saying that he, “wanted to win so badly.” Up to that night the defending champion had yet to put the #72 in victory lane come feature time, and felt that tonight would be his night. “I just want to win so I can do my Earnhardt salute lap, with three fingers out the window.” Well, in the feature, Rusnell started top five, amongst some heavy competition. #02 Jim Mannen and #4 Bill Barfoot had both already claimed feature wins in 2001, and both were right on the #72 of Rusnell. Jeff Bean in the #5 was the leader, while Craig Albers held his #57 on the outside in second, fighting desperately to hold his position. He lost that battle and fell to the back of the lead pack when Mannen, with the #72 of Rusnell in tow, got under and by. Now up to third “The Rocket” was in good position to contend for the lead. Using that outside groove that he called home in 2000, and used so frequently to gain his many wins, Randy Rusnell blew around the #02 of Jim Mannen, and set his sights on fellow Dale Earnhardt Tribute car, the #5 of Jeff Bean. The stars and stripes on the #72 could soon be found at the front, as he quickly got by Bean and took the lead. With 2 laps remaining Randy Rusnell had the race well in hand, and by the white flag it was almost a sure bet that “The Rocket” would get his chance to pay respect to “The Intimidator.” Out of corner four and down the front straightaway Randy Rusnell brought the #72 back home to victory lane, winning his first feature race of 2001. Following him was the #02 of Jim Mannen, #4 Bill Barfoot, #57 Craig Albers, and #11 Manfred Henkel. After having his photo taken with the checkers, Rusnell did do his victory lap, paying respect to one of the greats, Dale Earnhardt, as he drove around and back to the pits with his arm outstretched from the window in a three finger salute.
There wasn’t as much drama in the Mini Stocks that night, but there was just as much excitement. In the first heat #77 Bryn Rennie would claim victory over the #22 of Ken Turner, looking even stronger than he had the previous week. In the second heat another return to Flamboro was made, this time by the #7 Ben Beacock. Beacock won the first Mini Stock feature of 2001 on opening night and had not been back since. His return showed that he had not lost anything while being gone, as he quickly brought the #7 to the front and claimed the checker flag. In the second round, Bryn Rennie won again in heat three, while #85 Rob Allerellie, who in the absence of Beacock had been one of the dominant cars along with the #66 Tony Darmon, beat the #7 to the line for the win. The surprising show in the heats was the poor performance of Tony Darmon’s #66 which had been so fast in previous weeks. Questions were being asked about why all of a sudden he was so slow. But in the feature those questions of mechanics became questions of strategy, and of whether Darmon may have been holding back and playing possum. The Mini Stocks, as in “Go Four It” fashion, raced hard into corner one, on the first lap, three abreast. #85 Robert Allerellie, #77 Bryn Rennie, and #7 Ben Beacock were all trying to make it to the front in a hurry, but all they did was cause congestion, but was it ever exciting. After a caution for a spun car the pack was brought back together, and guess who was at the front. #66 Tony Darmon, who had performed so poorly in qualifying, was leading the field and running as fast as ever. But as the Mini Stocks took the green flag for the restart a phenomenon, which I had never witnessed until that very night, took place. A wall of fog rolled across the racetrack. Slowly, moving in from the highway, coming across the parking lot, through the pits, and then blanketing the track from corners three and four to corners one and two, the fog moved in. To use an old expression, it was as thick as pea soup and peanut butter. Even from the tower atop the grandstand we could not penetrate the fog to see the cars on the track. The race had to be called, and the win was given to the #66 Tony Darmon. The cars on the track were not at all visible, and the fog did not let up or burn off. The only thing to do was to end the night. So there we were, after rain delays and perseverance, Mother Nature still found a way to end racing early. As a result, Double Features for Thunder Cars will be held tonight, June 2; and Double Features for Late Models will be held on June 30.
After Qualifying: In the Thunder Cars, wins went to #31 Kevin Gallant and #10 Ray Gowan. In the Late Models, wins went to #48 Gerry Wheaton, #49 Drew Spicer, #5 Rob Munday and #57 Rob Maas. A strong field of Late Models turned out last week, and we hope that they will return to finish what was promising to be an exciting event.