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Day one of the Flamboro Speedwasy Octoberfest Classic Weekend was Saturday October 13th. Qualifying for the scheduled Sunday features was run for all classes, with the exception of the OSCAAR Super Late Models. As well, a disappointing announcement was made regarding the Action American Race Trucks who were scheduled to race in a 50-lap feature. The Race Trucks sent their regrets that they would be unable to attend the Octoberfest Weekend due to the recent circumstances of the Canadian-U.S. border, and that that they hoped to see everyone out again in 2002. The entire race program was run, including the Go-Four Mini Stock Feature, a full field, but unfortunately the racing action would be postponed another week as the weather was not co-operative on Sunday the 14th, forcing the Flamboro Speedway season finale to be run on Saturday October 20th, with green flag scheduled to drop at 4pm. But to set the stage, here’s a quick look at the major divisions who raced on Saturday:
Street Stock heat winners were #14 Jamie Hall, who won two heats, the latter in the last lap as he got by the #9 of Brian Wilson; #45 Dave Bennett, who stayed away from the three-wide battles to claim his win; and #11 Manfred Henkel. Missing from the field was 2001 Flamboro Street Stock Champion #72 Randy “The Rocket” Rusnell, but it is expected that he will attempt to qualify at the back of the field in the “Last Chance Race” to be run on the 20th.
A whole heap of Thunder Cars arrived, and #76 Ryan Kimball led the first heat to victory lane; #64 Steve Book was able to get by Flamboro regular #38 Randy Rutherford for the second heat win; and #89 Shawn Chenoweth won the third heat. In second round qualifying #73 Darren Wenninger out ran Kimball for the win; #36 Carl McKellar beat the Book and put the year 2000 championship car back in victory lane; and Sunset Speedway regular #16 Amanda Connolly won the final Thunder Car heat. Missing in the action were Flamboro’s top two points men, #12 Mike Post and #31 Kevin Gallant. It’s hoped that both will make an appearance for the “Last Chance Race” and have good luck getting to the front.
In Challenger action, a class that was missing from the Flamboro schedule for the rest of the 2001 season, #57 Kyle Donaldson won the first heat, and #1 Vic Parsons won the second. #16 Lance Sullivan and #10 Steve Ecker won heats three and four. More than a dozen Challengers were on hand for the qualifying event, and more are expected to show for the main event on Saturday October 20th.
For the first time in the 2001 season the All Pro Modifieds made a strong appearance at Flamboro Speedway. #99 Scott Watkins and #29 “Action” Larry Jackson took the heat wins for the All Pros. There was another major All Pro Modified event being run the same day, and now that the feature race date has been moved many more All Pro drivers have expressed an interest on appearing in front of the Flamboro audience.
Going three wide through the corners for more than 3 laps, a task not usually done easily at the tight-turned Flamboro Speedway, the Ontario Challenge Cup Late Models put it all on the line in the first heat trying to qualify for the Twin 50-lap features. #7 Petey Shepherd led the way to the front, with #82 Jason Shaw in tow, but was a denied a second place finish when Shaw made a dashing pass on the final lap. Ahead of all this action, and the winner of the heat race, #7T Les Szawlowski. #57 Rob Maas won the second Late Model heat, and #6 Todd Nagel won the third. The biggest loss was for #77 Ken McNicol Sr., who sat behind the wheel of son Kenny’s race car, his first time driving in three years. In the third heat the #77 lost the right-front tire and shot up the race track, putting #20 Ryan Warris high and into the wall. McNicol’s bad luck, the same luck that had soured the season of the #77 team all year, haunted him again in second round qualifying. Down the front straight and through corner one the throttle stuck on the #77 car, and Ken McNicol found himself hard into the wall in corner two. His luck must have rubbed off on the #20, because in the same heat Ryan Warris was again collected and this time spun and broke in corner one. The winner of that race was Kawartha Points Champion #70 Rob Howard. In the other two heat races, #82 Jason Shaw proved again why he is the “King of Speed,” winning the race, and #48 Gerry Wheaton proved that he can still get it done when he bullied by 2001 Flamboro Points Champion #36 Bill Jackson for the win. They were a great field of Late Models that produced six exciting qualifying races. The 2001 Twin 50’s promise to be some of the most intense racing of the year, and will be run on Saturday October 20th.
In the final Go-Four Mini Stock feature of 2001a full field of cars lined up to go 25 laps. On the first lap they were 3-wide down the back straight and into corner three, and someone had to give. The #5 Clark Hartman and #05 Dave Goodacre got tied up, spun, and brought out a lengthy caution. The wrecking crews went to work trying to separate the two cars, as they were locked together by the bumpers, nose to nose. When the race was restarted the front half of the field spread out, while the back half raced in a tight pack. #18 Jeff Perry made his best showing of the year, running up front for the first portion of the race, holding off #17 Jim Hill. Coming from the back though were #85 Rob Allerellie and #19 Dennis Cremasco. Both cars were quick, and both drivers have a good history with Flamboro Speedway. Cremasco was the winner of the inaugural Mini Stock race at Octoberfest in 1999, and Allerellie was Flamboro’s year 2001 points champion. Allerellie was the first to break into the top three, as Cremasco got stuck behind a hard fighting #22 Ken Turner. Rob Allerellie was in mid-chase of Jeff Perry, trying to close the substantial gap, when the third place runner Jim Hill ran the wheels right off the #17 car. The caution would close the gap at the front, and another caution a lap later for a multi-car mess in corner two insured the close competition at the top. No sooner had the green flag dropped than Rob Allerellie made the pass on Perry’s #18 for the lead. He had brought with him the #19 of Cremasco and a clash of the titans was inevitable. A quick caution for a spun car brought the #85 and #19 bumper to bumper, and once under green it was the Rob and Dennis show. Dueling for the lead with less than 5 laps remaining, Cremasco made the strong pass on the outside to get by Allerellie, and with 2 laps to go the #19 was out of sight. Dennis Cremasco won the 2001 Go-Four Feature, leaving Rob Allerellie behind to finish a strong second. #66 Tony Darmon, who had been fast in traffic but late to the front, finished third, followed by #7 Ben Beacock and #22 Ken Turner. And just outside the top five, runner up in the 2001 points chase, was #77 Bryn Rennie who was saved from going a lap down while stuck in the pits by the caution for the multi-car mess, restarted at the back, and was still able to make his way to the top contenders and be competitive.
More exciting feature action is expected at the big finale, now Saturday October 20th, including the Super Late Models. More to come on the Octoberfest Classic Weekend at Flamboro Speedway, so stay tuned!
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