October 12th, 2012
South Buxton Raceway founder Joe Atkinson, of Merlin, shakes hands with Kingsville's Rob Young, left, after the two were inducted into the Checker Flag Speedway Hall of Fame last Sunday.
Congratulations to two members of South Buxton Raceway’s family, who were inducted into the Checker Flag Speedway Hall of Fame last Sunday in Windsor.
Joe Atkinson of Merlin, the man who came up with the idea and built South Buxton Raceway (then called Raleigh Raceway) in 1971, as inducted for his success as a driver at the former Checker Flag.
Kingsville’s Rob Young, who races in South Buxton’s Windride Transportation Sport Stocks, was also an inductee for not only his success as a driver, but for his support to fellow racers and the track.
Atkinson and Young were among 12 inductees for the class of 2012, joining Junior Hanley, Artie Sommers, Larry LaMay, Brian Setterington, Larry Jackson, Ron McKeen, John McKeen, Woody Sequin, George Newman and Mike Duffy.
Young is the only inductee still racing.
A full story will appear next week.
October 11th, 2012
Blenheim`s Andrew Reaume was back in familiar No. 88 for the UMP DIRTcar Nationals at Eldora Speedway last Saturday..
Andrew Reaume’s late season prowess continued with a career best finish at Eldora Speedway in Rossburg, Ohio, last Saturday.
The Blenheim driver finished fourth in the United Midwestern Promoters (UMP) DIRTcar Nationals championship race.
And his fourth-place finish was good enough to finish second in the Eldora Late Model points standings.
It has been a series of ‘firsts’ for Reaume over the last six weeks of racing.
Reaume won his first career feature in the United States on Sept. 1 when he took the checkered flag in the American Late Model Series at Oakshade Raceway in Wauseon, Ohio.
One week later, he made history by becoming the first Canadian to ever make the ‘A’ Main at the World 100 at Eldora. Reaume finished 16th after being involved in a crash with eight laps to go while battling for 11th.
He continued his ‘September To Remember’ by making more history at South Buxton Raceway - the first driver to win three UMP Late Model Shootouts.
Reaume led all 35 laps in the ‘A’ Main on Sept. 29 in Kirk Hooker’s car, as his own machine was still under repair from the World 100 crash.
And he started October with an impressive showing in the UMP DIRTcar Nationals.
October 1st, 2012
Jim Fletcher's first career win as a Modified driver came in Saturday's eighth annual Canadian Fall Shootout. He is pictured in the Winner's Circle by team owner Eugene Hoekstra, left, Matt Jenkins from Shootout sponsor Blazin BBQ Ribhouse, and crew chief Scott Ball, on the right.
Everyone at South Buxton Raceway - fans, officials and fellow drivers - knew it was only a matter of time before Jim Fletcher won his first career Modified feature race.
Boy, did he pick the right night to prove everybody right!
Fletcher made history by becoming the first Canadian - and the first driver not named Brian Ruhlman - to win South Buxton’s Modified Shootout championship on Saturday night.
“I still can’t believe it … I honestly can’t believe it,” a jubilant Fletcher said outside of his hauler, about an hour after collecting his $2,000 cheque in the eighth annual Canadian Fall Shootout on Saturday night.
“It still hasn’t sunk in.”
It was Fletcher’s first feature win since 1998 in the Sport Stock class before he took a 12-year break from racing.
October 1st, 2012
Andrew Reaume and car owner Kirk Hooker celebrate his third UMP Late Model Shootout win on Saturday.
Andrew Reaume enjoyed his homecoming in a place he’s made home - Victory Lane at South Buxton Raceway.
The Blenheim native raced on his home track for the first time this year and won his third career Canadian Fall Shootout Late Model championship on Saturday night.
And he did it in a borrowed car.
Reaume drove the No. 38 car of Chatham’s Kirk Hooker to what appeared to be an easy ride, leading all 35 laps to collect the $2,000 pay check.
“It was not easy at all,” Reaume countered.
“I had to work for it. It (the track) got black and pretty slick, I had to really wheel it a few times around the cushion,” he said.
Reaume was prepared to sit out the Shootout as his familiar No. 88 was still undergoing repairs after major damage from a late crash in his 16th-place finish in the World 100 at Eldora Speedway earlier in September.
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