Racing For Kids visited young patients and their families at Toronto’s Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital in a special outdoor program on Tuesday, July 15. Canadian sportscar racer Peter Hanson & rookie racer Francesco Esposito engaged the young patients, signed autographs, talked about their experiences on the race track, and welcomed all to sit in […]
June 20-22
Atlantic Motorsport Park was an adventure. The track officials and the locals were very welcoming and incredibly thrilled to have us there, claiming the SPC to be the biggest Series to attend in many years. Needless to say the spectator attendance was large. Everyone was super friendly and went out of their way to welcome us.
The track, located in Shubenacadie Nova Scotia and built in 1974 has hosted notable auto racing categories including Formula Atlantic and NASCAR. We arrived on Wednesday since our timeslot for load-in of our transporter was scheduled for early Thursday morning. This granted us time to explore the track unencumbered. An interesting aspect of Atlantic Motorsport Park is the track (created on the side of a hill) hasn’t changed since the day it opened. Entering the facility was like stepping back in time. During my track walk with the Team we couldn’t help but giggle at how unique this place is. Team manager Alan described it as “rustic”. Paved run-off areas? Nope. Track-side barriers? Not really. Just grassy berms and trees. It was refreshing to experience an “old-school” track that has not been altered and sanitized in the way other famous tracks have.
The number of Helping Hands on the bonnet of our car grew this weekend with many signatures of students from the Salaama Vocational Education Center in Uganda plus signatures from the local kids who were thrilled to see their names on a race car. It was wonderful seeing their excitement as they chose their favourite coloured hand to sign; the kaleidoscope ever-evolving as each Helping Hand was applied to the bonnet. We were joined this weekend by two amazing local technicians who were recommended by a friend at Operation Motorsport – https://operationmotorsport.org/
Friday’s practice sessions presented us with challenges. The unique nature of this track exposed a handling issue but our new crew members got to it and through multiple spring changes and damper adjustments we were able to get the car working fairly well.
Qualifying was another enjoyable affair between me and the #7 Hyundai Veloster N. However the #34 Mini Cooper JCW was on pace and sat atop the time sheets in the early going. The three of us traded fastest times as Alan on the radio kept me informed of lap-times and where we stood in the pecking order. In the end the power advantage of the #7 Hyundai Veloster N qualified on pole with me 0.141 seconds behind in 2nd place.
Race 1. I lined-up on the right-side of the narrow race track for the standing start. To the left of me the #34 Mini Cooper JCW, and to the left of him the pit wall. To the right of me, grass.
As the starting lights went green, one of the Super Production cars on the row ahead, faltered. With cars to the left of me I went right and took to the grass to drive around the dawdling car. To my surprise the grass was not as smooth as it looked. Let’s just say there were some bumps! This off-track excursion hindered my progress as the cars on the left-side of the track, with no obstruction, made a clean getaway.
By the time I got back on pavement I had lost several positions but quickly caught the #94 Honda Civic Si and the #34 Mini Cooper JCW which were in 3rd & 4th respectively. We were now a train of three, circulating nose to tail in tight formation. I was the quicker of us three but the #34 Mini Cooper JCW was defending heavily. For the next two laps I noted I could carry more speed through Turns 7 & 8 than the two cars in front of me, so that was where I would make my move.
As I attempted to overtake the #34 Mini Cooper JCW he defended and I was squeezed onto the grass. From there it was like wet trousers on a backyard “Slip ‘N Slide”. There was no stopping! Crunch!
The front-left of the car was severely damaged. Result = DNF (Did not finish).
Back at the Sanders Motorsport trailer I thought our weekend was done; the damage was a sore sight. Fortunately the Sanders Motorsport team had brought spare suspension components. EVERYONE pitched in and this amazing crew replaced the front-left suspension, straightened the body damage as best they could, and did it all in 2 hours so we could make it in time to the grid for Race 2.
Wow!
Race 2. A consequence of the accident was we had to start the race from the pitlane and subsequently not allowed to partake in the formation lap. After the start and the last car had passed the pit-exit I was released onto the track. Given the 2 hour window between the end of Race 1 and the start of Race 2 the team did not have time to do a proper alignment, but that was okay. I was just grateful they got the car running again.
With a crooked steering wheel and a small handling issue we finished a respectable 5th, but more importantly the Team’s grit salvaged our weekend and allowed me to score some championship points today.
Race 3. With a re-alignment and a straightened steering wheel we were hoping to improve on our finishing position from Race 2. From the start we settled into a competitive pace and started overtaking cars, but past the halfway point there was a big wreck on the back-straight which brought out the pace-car and safety crew. We followed the pace-car for several laps but they were not able to remove the wreckage before the clock wound down, so we finished the race in P3 under a full-course yellow/caution behind the pace-car.
So very appreciative the Team did not give up and we were able to finish the weekend on the podium!
Our Subie will be sent to the body shop for a little TLC before a visit with Racing For Kids to the Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital and our next race at the famous Grand Prix de Trois-Rivières.
