Jim's Journeys: 2011 Review/2012 Preview
By Jim Clarke, Clarke Motorsports Communications Belleville, Ontario: After some still undiagnosed medical issues kept me from doing too much travelling during the 2010 campaign, it was great to come back up to speed last year and give me something to shoot for with a new short track racing season just around the corner. |
2011: My regular ‘gig’ at Kawartha Speedway got rolling for a 5th year with master of ceremony duties at the annual award’s banquet, followed by a couple of days at the Canadian Motorsports Expo and the Long John 200 endurance event. Some down time before things got underway at the end of May didn’t mean I was glued to the couch. In March, there was the chance to help Frontenac Mall in Kingston promote the annual racing preview show and an early season trip to Can Am Motorsports Park, where Danny O’Brien won the DIRTcar modified feature and I was at Brockville for Bobby Herrington’s opening night win, before an e-mail message put a little extra on my plate. Over the past few seasons, the promotional team at Mosport Speedway had asked doing some fill-in work for their regular announcer, but my timetable and theirs prevented things from coming together. This time around, circumstances were different. Glenn Butt had asked me about doing the opening night duties at Mosport because of a scheduling conflict with their usual voice. From there came the invitation to spend the entire summer at ‘Canada’s Fastest Half Mile’ and after juggling some commitments with my main employer, I was able to accept. Late in the year, I was asked to emcee the Mosport award’s banquet where Jim Rossiter, John Baker Junior and Kevin Hinds collected championship hardware for their efforts in the late model, sportsman and pure stock divisions respectively. Kawartha’s 20-11 Friday runs left the starting blocks June 3rd and it was a memorable season for a number of reasons. Ken Donaldson Junior’s Better Carpet Thunder Car main event win on opening night was his first of 5 and paved the way for the first year chauffeur to earn a track championship. On the subject of titles, Dan McHattie claimed his 7th NAPA Auto Parts ACT Late Model crown, while popular Hasiuk Trailer and Container Rental Mini Stocker ‘Too’ Moroney took a seat at the champion’s table for the first time in his career. 4 shows into the year, Bryan Mercer became the first track regular to win the late model Summer Sizzler and pocketed $3,000 for is efforts. 2011 was also a season with no rainouts at the 3/8th mile Fraserville oval. On a pair of off nights from K-D, I managed to get to do some travelling and took-in the inaugural World of Outlaws Sprint Car event at Brockville (won by Paul McMahan) and had Kawartha thunder car driver Andy Ford as company for my first ever trip to Ransomville Speedway to witness Todd Burley’s impressive victory at the Alex Friesen Summer Nationals. 2012: Unless my employment situation necessitates a change in plans, I’ll start my 6th consecutive year as media/public relations coordinator at Kawartha Speedway when the regular season opens Friday, June 1st. Print and electronic media outlets provided the track with some excellent coverage during 2011 and I’d like to keep that going. Some of Kawartha’s highlights include the late model Summer Sizzler Friday, July 6th, OSCAAR’s Don Biederman Memorial, August 10th and the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series finale Saturday, September 22nd. The Mosport situation is currently up in the air, but I’d be open to returning there as well. I also write and distribute media material for teams at a variety of tracks. If you’d like to get the word out about what you’re doing, send me an e-mail anytime: clarkemotorsports@hotmail.com. Photo attachments: Jim Clarke – Clarke Motorsports Communications 1). Luke Stewart’s #19 machine was part of the 2011 Kingston Racing Preview Show at Frontenac Mall. The Sydenham, Ontario racer will compete in the DIRTcar 358 modified division in 2012. 2). Elginburg, Ontario’s Bobby Herrington kicked-off Brockville’s 2011 season with a DIRTcar 358 modified feature win. 3). Jim Rossiter captured the 2011 Mosport Speedway late model track championship. It was the 5th consecutive season he had earned a Mosport title. 4). Five trips to victory lane in his first season earned Ken Donaldson Jr. Kawartha’s 2011 Better Carpet Thunder Car track championship and rookie of the year honours. Prepared by: Jim Clarke – Clarke Motorsports Communications |
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