Ken’s Photos & Recap – Sydney Speedway – October 30

Photos & Recap By Ken MacIsaac

A beautiful late October day with temps in the mid teens was the setting for the soft reopening of Sydney Speedway. A noon time start featuring six divisions including heats and features were run off in just over 5 hours. The highlight of the day was the Sportsman 100 presented by local businesses Saf-Way Auto Parts and Robby’s Towing. Dustin Tucker from N.B. wired the first heat, while local favorite Jerome Kehoe won an exciting heat 2. Tucker and Kehoe lead the 14 car field to green in the 100 lap feature. Almost immediately, Kehoe’s car began to slow on the outside. With a left front tire going flat, Kehoe eventually came to a stop on the backstretch. This brought out the yellow flag, but also resulted in a 2 lap penalty for Kehoe for deliberately bringing out the caution. Once the race resumed, Tucker continued to lead, before Chris Reid took over. Brady Creamer eventually passed Reid and hung on for the win in the 100 lap feature.

“We were really pleased with the car right off the trailer Friday night. On race day we just played with tire stagger feeling like we had a top 3 car” said Creamer. “Being able to finish second in our heat, we had great track position for the feature. I was fortunate to be able to jump out to the lead in the first handful of laps and control the pace. I had some good battles with Dustin and Chris and I felt I had a good car for the long run.” Creamer was last here in Sydney 2 years ago for an October race. “Lynden and Kyle have done a fantastic job with the facility and I can’t wait to see the finished product. It’s a 7 hour haul for us to make the trip from Miramichi, but it always seems worth it with the hospitality from not only the track but drivers and friends down this way.”

Chris Reid finished second in the main and stayed within the top 5 all race. “The car was fast and I felt we had a bit more than any of them. I had a brake problem that started a few laps after I took the lead. The front brakes were sticking on and I couldn’t really use them. I basically just had to ride from that point on and couldn’t really challenge for the win.” Reid also commented on the track’s upgrades “ I was really impressed with the track and how far it’s come. I can’t wait to see it when they are done. Looking forward to getting a pro stock race down there.”

Dustin Tucker was another long hauler from N.B., making his first trip to Sydney Speedway, and a rare appearance in a Sportsman car. “Our race overall went pretty well, we were definitely happy to close the season off with a top three finish. I feel we made a small mistake on our adjustments between the heat and the feature which left us with a car that was far too tight to contend for the win.” Tucker hadn’t raced on a track like this before, but enjoyed it nonetheless. “When we first landed Friday night and got looking at the track, it’s definitely the tightest “bullring” I’ve competed on, but it made for some good tight racing throughout the day, it has lots of character which made it very fun to race on. We actually didn’t have this race on our radar, but with Covid restrictions and other circumstances in New Brunswick, we lost out on the last two events that we were scheduled to run. So Ron (Enkel), Destiny, and I talked it over and came to the conclusion that there are alot of guys we have raced against that are from the Sydney area, and they go to Petty Raceway which is close to home. So we figured it was only fair for us to make the 8 hour drive down here and show these guys some support.” Tucker was quick to add that he plans to come back.

“ What an awesome group of racers, track owners, and fans! If we can make everything come together to make this happen again, we will certainly be back!”

Fourth place in the feature went to Andrew Lively, who competed here once in 2020 in a Legend car. “Love the facility. The boys have done a great job with the track so far and I can’t wait to see what they are going to do with it. Racing was fun, we cut down a RF in the wreck at the beginning of the heat race and lost a lot of pressure as it went. When I came off the track, the tire had only 6 psi in it. In the feature, we figured we would stay out of trouble for the first 50 and hopefully have something later in the race. We were happy with a 4th especially with the long green flag runs.”

Laurie Cormier is no stranger to winning at Sydney Speedway. The Riverview N.B. racer has won the last few October Sportsman specials at the track. Cormier also ran near the front, but had to settle for fifth in the feature. “Car was good in the feature. I ran 47 laps in 3rd just saving it for the last half. But we picked up some debris on the right rear tire and had a slow leak.

Local racer Ronnie MacKay was looking forward to the race, but had trouble throughout the day and managed a 6^th place finish. “Our day wasn’t as good as we hoped for from a competition standpoint, but it wasn’t our worst day. As far as the facility and the support from drivers and spectators, both local and from other parts of N.S. and other provinces, it was absolutely mind blowing for this time of year. But the work and upgrades done by Lyndon and Kyle and crew was the real winner in my opinion and I think most people would agree.”

Shawn Waterfield, another local favorite, held on for 7^th place in the main event. “Weeks ago, we decided to reset the front end and start over. It was obviously the main problem with the car. It felt like the old fast car we had at home in the past. It would have been nice to be on new rubber but the budget was tight and I made the best of what we had. Our heat race was the main test to see if we came back to basics. I started in 6^th, and raced to almost a win. In the feature, we stated 4th and knew the car would have to be adjusted for the laps and track conditions as the day went on. An early track incident however harmed the steering and made the car very loose. With a few cautions we managed to tighten the car up a little and managed to go from the back and find our way up to 7th before the checkers flew.” Waterfield was quick to give praise. “It had to be the most fans in recent years, and the best racing I have seen in over 15 years there. I am so excited to see what this track will be next year with more time to prepare. Racing is very alive in Cape Breton and I’m proud and thankful of these guys.”

Jeff Reid had never driven a Sportsman car before. In fact, he’d never driven any type of stock car in active competition before this year. The closest he came was an Enduro race at the track back in the mid 2000’s. The youngest son of Robby & Mary Lee finished the event in 8^th place. “It was a lot of fun. My biggest problem was brakes. I just couldn’t find the balance of when to brake and when to hit the gas pedal. In the feature I had a right front tire going down, so it was pushing bad. But I’ll be back next year.”

Ross Lewis hadn’t raced since 2016, yet finished a respectable 9^th in the feature. “I wasn’t even planning on racing, but two weeks ago Lynden called me looking for my support. I told him I wouldn’t have time to prepare the car. That night I thought about it. The next day I called Mike (Burns, crew chief). He asked me how much of the car was apart and I told him “alot”. There were no shocks, springs, gears, and the motor hadn’t run in 5 years. It also needed new belts, a window net and the list went on and on. The next day we took it to his garage and started on it. If it wasn’t for Mike and Chris Campbell I would never have made it. The hardest part was trying to find parts so late in the year. I got some parts from Shawn Waterfield, and some from Jerry Hayes who was a big help. Anyway, I drove over some debris in the feature early on and ended up with two tires losing air. I eventually had to pit and change tires.”

Arguably the most popular driver to hit the track last weekend was Jerome Kehoe. Back in 1986, Jerome and Vance MacDonald bought an old beat up street stock to get their feet wet in racing. Several points championships and countless wins later, Jerome returned to the track where he began. “If someone told me 3 weeks ago that I’d be racing a car again at Island Speedway, I’d say they were crazy.” Jerome had a very eventful day in his return to the track. “Lynden called me a few weeks back and asked me if I’d drive his Sportsman. I really wasn’t interested, but thought about it, and decided on doing it. The car did need a bit of work to get it where I wanted, but we worked a lot of long hours in the garage leading up to the race. We took it out to practice and the front end didn’t feel right. It just didn’t steer right. So we took it home and worked on it more. Even Tommy (Hayes) came down and helped with the set up. The car felt good in the heat, but I got into the 94 of Raynes in turn 3 and we spun. Then Shawn (Waterfield) got into me a few laps later. It was all just racing. In the feature, Tucker and I started on the front row, and I was trying to pinch him down and he was trying to pinch me up. That’s when my tire cut and started going down. Just another racing thing. Then they penalised me 2 laps for bringing out the caution. So we were up against it then. Changed the tire, came back and the car was working decent on the short runs, but would go away on the longer runs. Then Ronnie and I tangled going into 3 and that ended our day.” It was a popular return for the former Maritime Pro Stock competitor. “It was fun to get back out there and see everyone, but at the same time it was a disappointing day. Everyone keeps asking me if I’m going to race next year, but I don’t know. I’ll think about it over the winter.”

The Hot Rod Classics vintage racers made their debut at Sydney Speedway with Stacey Clements grabbing the win. “It’s been 20 years since I last raced here and I couldn’t quite picture the track at first, but when we got there it all started to come back to me.” Stacey raced the Snap-On Tools Sportsman Tour event at Island Speedway in 2001 where he finished 2^nd to Jackie Tanner. “It wasn’t hard to tell that they were spending money and trying to get this track back to its former glory. We were a little nervous about our gear selection and when we finally got there on Friday to practice, it was apparent I didn’t have enough gear. I couldn’t find any so we had to run what we had. I’m glad we went Friday. Jeff Ainslie lent us some softer tires but unfortunately we ended up with two flat tires. We hadn’t touched the car in weeks other than stagger. This time we had to make some bar changes on the front and the pan hard bar on the rear, then the car started to come around. “

Although it’s been 20 years between races, Clements enjoyed racing on the Sydney oval. “The people in Cape Breton are the most incredible fans and I think we put on an incredible show. Patty and I were neck and neck. One of the best races I think we’ve had all year. Hopefully they’ll have us back next year and we’ll know a little more about set up before we leave.”

Hot Rod Classics president Pat Lawrence finished second. “I want to extend a sincere ‘thank you’ to Lyndon and Kyle for having the series down for their soft launch. It was remarkable to see the facility improvements and goes to show their commitment to revitalizing stock car racing on Cape Breton. Their welcoming staff couldn’t do enough for us and the crowd was treated to some old school side by side Hot Rod racing! The Hot Rods are optimistic that Sydney Speedway will be on their 2022 schedule.”

Longtime Mopar drag racer Jim Rankin placed third.

Louie’s Cosy Corner Restaurant in St.Peter’s sponsored the 50 lap Legends feature, with Cory Hall taking the win. A multi winner in Bandoleros and Legend cars, Hall has been successfully campaigning a Pro Stock for the last few seasons in select maritime events. “It was great to get back behind the wheel of a legend again. Hadn’t drove one all year and I just finished building the car last minute when I heard there was a race in Sydney.” Hall was pleased with the track’s upgrades. “ Very happy to see all the work that’s gone into the track. I know Kyle and Lynden are working really hard to build the track back up again and make the racers feel welcomed and appreciated.”

Owen Mahar and his dad Daryl have been bringing a 2 car Legend team to Sydney Speedway for the last year. Owen placed 2^nd in the feature while Daryl came in 4^th.

Danny Chisholm, another previous winner at Sydney Speedway in 2020, placed 3^rd.

Two local racers were in the 7 car field with Barry Cusack placing 6^th, and rookie Brandon MacMillan finishing 7^th.

The debut of the all new V6 Thunder class saw former mini stock racer J.T. Turnbull win both his heat and feature. “The car is an ‘08 Ford Fusion that I started building back in May. It’s been pretty well ready to go since then. I couldn’t wait to get back out and race in this new thunder division. My heat race went awsome chasing down a legend like Jamie Peach. It was a highlight for sure. In the feature, I started up front and got the lead right away. I held onto it for the whole thirty laps. Can’t wait to get back at it next year with hopefully more cars,”

Sam Burke came out of retirement to place 2^nd in the feature, while another former racer Jamie Peach returned to the track with a 3^rd place finish. Both Peach and Burke are former V8 Thunder class competitors who haven’t competed in over a decade.

Wayne & Ellen Smith of Petty Raceway in N.B. sponsored the Bandolero twin features with Campbell Delaney winning the first half, and Caden Tufts taking the second feature, and overall win. “We had a great start to the day and won our heat race then in the feature things got a little messy between me and the #71. It’s a tough track and I understand he didin’t mean to get into me. Racing deals happen.” Tufts made quick repairs to get out for the 2^nd feature. “ We had a huge amount of time to get it in the pits and fix the car up enough to get back on the track. Thanks to Owen Mahar, Nathan Blackburn, Clint Delaney and my grandfather for the help.”

A local rookie made his very start in Bando competiton. Twelve year old Brett Biron is the son of John Biron who’s no stranger to Sydney Speedway. John Biron started in Enduro cars before running successfully in Street Stocks. Moving up to the Napa Sportsman Tour at Riverside for several years, John eventually sold his racer to focus on son Brett’s deveoplment. “We got the bandollero this year from Greg Dowe in hopes of building a class down here for them.” John was pleased with the day. “Brett had an awesome day driving and I can’t wait until next year. He surprised me how fast he was for his first time racing a car. I think he is gonna do really well racing.”

A 75 lap 18 car Mini Stock feature, presented by The Deadly Welder was certainly one of the highlights of the race card. Kody Quinn continued his streak of feature wins, as he collected his 15th straight checkered. “I struggled early in the day. The track changed after the Sportsman and Vintage cars put down rubber. But after a few changes it was awesome. Kyle and Lynden did a fantastic job organizing the event. Looking forward the the future of racing here in Sydney. “

Brian Axworthy from Florence, C.B. crossed the finish line in 2^nd, but a tire infraction in post race tech disqualified him from the finish.

Donnie Pratt Jr. returned to the track where he started and officially finished second. “I bought the car off Ryan Price and had it half apart 2 weeks ago with no plans on making it out this year. Laurie (Cormier) got a line on a trailer that would hold the 2 cars and talked me into putting a drive on it and getting it ready.” A former point champion at the track, Pratt almost didn’t make the race. “I finished the night before we came. Then I broke a right front hub and lost the wheel Friday in practice. I had Petty tires that were too big for here, so not enough RPM’s. Got it fixed, and here we are. Thanks to Josh Benac who loaned me 14” tires and a hub to fix the car.”

Darell Hulme scored a 3^rd place finish. “We made a lot of changes to our car due to the new rule package. We spent a month preparing the car, renting the track for practice, worked on making the car faster and faster. We came from the back to the front in our heat race to cross the finish line beside Kody Quinn. We never ever stopped working on handling and it’s paying off.”

Ryan McKnight hauled from Sussex, N.B. and placed 4^th. “I really enjoyed running the track. The turns seemed different from most tracks I’ve run in the past with the turns be tighter. My car seemed to like the turns and I really could get around good, was just was missing the drive out of the turns.” This was McKnight’s first time in Cape Breton. “ I really wanted to come down for many reasons. It was my first trip to Sydney. It didn’t disappoint. Really beautiful spot to visit. I also want to show some support from our track. It’s always appreciated when cars from away come to race with us at Petty. It’s nice to return the favor. I also enjoy running on different tracks to educate myself as a driver. You always seem to learn something that you can use back at home to improve on as driver and on setup in the car.”

Steven Matthews, a regular at Scotia Speedworld, finished fifth. “I have ties to Sydney and surrounding areas with family and friends so it was great to finally race in front of them. I remember coming here as a teenager and watching Jerome and Jerry in the street stocks. Those were the days and this past Saturday had that same vibe and energy I remembered.” Matthews was pleased with his car’s performance. “We tested the car as it came from Scotia Speedworld and it was decent, but gearing and springs were an issue since Sydney is banked more with tighter turns and less straightaway. We went back the following weekend and tested with the changes and car was way better. We went to the track Friday night for the open test and soon as we got the car off the trailer and into gear we broke an axle. We didn’t have a spare with us and had to head back to Jerry Hayes’ to fix it. We got parts from Mann’s Auto Recyclers and Joey Campbell that we needed. We came Saturday with high expectations to run well. The car got tight on us early on which really hurt our drive. We kept grinding away and came home with a 5th place finish all said and done. We found some issues after the race which caused our tight condition and will be back better in 2022.”

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