Racing, rain and rescheduling

The second race of the season at the Goldpan Speedway was postponed a day due to rain.

Last Saturday’s beautiful, hot weather broke into heavy rain as the QARA drivers were starting their races, setting the race back to Sunday.

A sprinkling of rain at five pushed back the time trials half an hour, but a clear sky and a few drying laps had the oval dry enough for the cars to get out on the track by themselves.

The sky, however, opened up just after, wetting the track until the cars spent as much time sideways as pointed in the proper direction, once again delaying proceedings.

Despite a noble attempt to dry the track after the showers let up, a downpour shut down the Saturday races completely.

With plans to start up again at 1 o’clock on Sunday, a disappointed stream of drivers left the pits.

Sunday had no such watery arguments with the organizers, instead offering perfect race weather, allowing the drivers to finally stretch their right legs.

In the Iron Street Stocks, Henry Peterson posted the

fastest time in car #11.

That wasn’t good enough to take first, though. Derek Christianson, of Williams Lake, ran away with the ‘A’ dash in car #18 and #96 Chris Closson stayed ahead of the pack to take the ‘B’ Dash.

Kelly Morgan made a return to Iron Stocks as a substitute driver after an 18 year absence. An engine problem in the Mustang he was driving, however, stopped his racing early in the day.

Derek Christianson took both the ‘A’ heat as well as the main event in #18.

Blaine Clarke posted the fastest time in the Mr. Mikes Mini Stocks in car #44.

Eric Farnsworth took the top spot in the ‘A’ dash in car #3. Mark Farnsworth took the checkered flag in the ‘B’ dash in his #5 car. In the ‘C’ dash, a family rivalry put the daughter above the father, as #19 Terry Braman beat her dad, though a crash in her heat took her out of the running later on in the races.

Mark Zacharias led the field in  the ‘A’ heat, taking first. Terry Braman took the ‘B’ heat.

In the main event, Eric Farnsworth took the top honours.

Mark and Eric Farnsworth dedicated their wins to Terry Drega, their Grandmother and mother-in-law, respectively, who passed away on June 23. They ran a black flag lap in her honour.

The next event up at the oval promises to be an exciting one, as door-to-door racing meets bumper-to-bumper smashing for the annual Crash to Pass on July 19. Time trials start at 5 p.m. with Crashing at 6 p.m.

Quesnel Cariboo Observer