After a lenghty effort to get the Crate engine accepted as an alternative engine in the CVM, the members voted to allow the engine at the rules meeting. A few years ago there was strong resistance, but over the past season the members wanting to try the engine grew to being a majority. Our 33 Chev Coupe will run the new engine this season, a 350 cu. in. 350 HP mill. We ran one night in 2009, vowing not to spend another cent in fixing the inline if it blew up. If? That threat was tested on opening night when a rod went through the side of the block about 5 laps into the feature. The threat was fulfilled when the car sat for the balance of the season. Things will change in 2010 with the installation of the much more reliable V8. The Crate engine cost $3900 with tax and the inline is more like $9500 by the time it's assembled with the best money can burn up. The Crate has a good history showing it will last 3 years. My shrink states, "it's time to, heal, forgive and move on". No kidding, instead of recovering engine parts off the race track, we can recover mentally knowing we should be able to compete competitively and not worry about detonating our engine.....Ron Easton of Oakville trailers is redoing our car, he does awesome work, along with fellow racer Steve Trendell. We hope to run the full (what?), somewhat light, CVM schedule in 2010...PS...there is a cardboard cover under the carb, don't worry.

    Though it's only early March, we need to hustle to be ready for practice day. There's still lots to do in preparation for the coming race season. Our goal is to win the points title at Flamboro Speedway. Our crew have worked hard since Christmas. Once the body is finished the car will go out for paint. Then we head to McColl's for a day of setting up our suspension. Then Steve Lyons will perform his art work on the car and we'll be ready in time to do some testing at Flamboro and possibly Delaware. For the first time in the history of Flamboro, Late Models will not be racing on opening day, or the next two weeks following. Flamboro has decided to elimiate the class from it's early schedule as well as the final few weeks of Flamboro, but we will be there for Octoberfest....once we start on May 15th we'll run every Saturday night until the 2nd week of September.....we're excited about the coming season with hopes of running consistent enough to win our first Championship.

    On Tuesday February 2nd, our good friend and racing competitor for close to 20 years, lost his courageous battle with cancer. Doc, as he was called by his racing friends, leaves us with many great memories and a racing legacy of caring for every aspect of our sport. Soon after joining the CVM in 1988 he blazed a trail seeking to win the coveted Hobby club Championship. During that journey he provided opportunities for many other racers to drive very fast and competitive cars. He owned as many as 4 cars at one time. Doc was a hard competitor always fighting for every spot on the asphalt, until the drop of the checker. After the race, like many of us, he relived the race bantering with those he had dueled in the very tough feature races. In 1995, the year this picture was taken, Arnold and I made a bet on who would win the most races, the winner getting a night out. We had our best year in 1995 winning 4 features and 11 heats. It was an awesome year for Doc as well, winning a dozen races and finishing 9th in the Overall points chase. If we were playing “pool”, he would’ve smoked me badly. Nonie and I went to dinner with Arnold and Wendy, and he picked up the tab, but he would have win or lose, he was generous and gracious to everyone, and always good to me. Arnold occupied the leadership role as President of the Hobby Club in 1991, bringing us through some very tough times. On opening day in 2004 Doc made history by being the "most senior" Hobby driver, at 60 years old, to win a feature. He won the main event at one of the fastest and hardest tracks to compete, Delaware Speedway. His history making race would last until Ray Hughes made his way into the winners circle one more time at the age of 62'. As a club sponsor, "Oakville Chiropractic Center" and the “Alliance Health Center”, he gave excellent treatment and advice to the racers and their families who suffered from back problems. We joked at times saying he ran into us to get more work, he laughed, but the irony was that he never charged his racing friends for the treatment they received. Doc was a racer, multiple team owner, sponsor, President and negotiator for many years with the CVM. His efforts didn't go unnoticed, he was inducted into the Hobby Hall Of Fame on November 7th 2009. He was so much fun to be around, always adventurous in all he did. I know you’re without pain now, but I’ll miss you a lot my friend. I thank God that I got to know you and your lovely wife Wendy, and to enjoy you're beautiful caring ways on and off the track.

    Okay, we know I don't like the dirt, but actually I am having fun with the on-line Sim Racing at Rolling Thunder Gaming and 3-Unit Racing. Both organizations race as much as 7 nights a week, (perfect) and one of the series is the "358 Mods", in this pictures. Terry Bauman, a motorcycle racer from Michigan and a very good on-line racer painted this Mod making it look like our #9 from 2009. Terry does an amazing job in the paint shop creating and preparing cars for every series. We will race at least 7 different classes between the two series, but I will be limited to one or two nights a week once real racing starts. All the people I race with are awesome and help me try to learn this craziness. Some of the best racers are the kids, 12 to 15 years old. We should have a late series so they have to be in bed....wait, Nonie would be calling me to get to bed as well so kids and old people are in the same boat....as for 2010 real racing, our two Late Models are at Mike McColls and the CVM heads to Ron Easton this week....Happy New Year to everyone.