Shannonville - The Day that almost Rained

Firstly, I should start off by saying that in my last blog, I might have sounded more negative about the Calabogie track and its facilities than intended. The track is a great track, but it is comparatively new and clearly a work-in-progress. Done correctly, it has the potential to become a superb facility.

Now, with that out of the way (Is that some kind of record? one blog, one mea culpa), the following week we went to the Sunday racing of the two day Shannonville Shootout meeting at the flat, twisty Shannonville Motorsports Park. Saturday's racing had been cut short by a deluge and a big accident during the first race of the round for the Castrol Canadian Touring Car Championship. Sunday shaped up as looking like it was going to rain most of the day, but surprisingly it held off all day, until the drive home.


With the first race of the touring cars not having been completed on Saturday, Sunday commenced with finishing that race. I spoke to interim leader, Nigel Krikorian, on the pregrid. Nigel desperately wanted more rain, "They'll eat me up if it doesn't rain!" However, maybe it was the still slightly damp track that worked in his favour, but Nigel and his Subaru STI held off the opposition for a fine win. He was not so lucky in the second race later on Sunday afternoon where an off meant he finished second.


Other classes also raced through the day, including the GT Sprint with the Corvette and Viper monsters. Formula 1200 and Formula 1600 also staged fine races. However, it must be said that one of the most interesting and exciting races came in the Group 70 class with the dicing for second and third between Del Bruce in his Porsche and Diane Dale in her 240Z. A fine struggle that lasted to the very end of the race.


All in all a great day's racing. The rest of the pictures can be seen at http://www.competitionimages.com/shannonville_1jun08.html

The following week was the Montreal GP where I put the camera away - one catch fence I can deal, but two; no way. Next report will be for the NASCAR Canadian Tire, Koni Grand Am Challenge, Castrol Canadian Touring Car Championship races at Mosport over the Father's Day weekend.

Neil