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.

    Jim, Jason, Marty and I got our 2010 season rolling with the stripping of both #9 and #36. Here Jason manouvers the engine hoist as both cars have bodies and drive lines removed. The two cars will head to McColl Racing this week to have repairs and upgrades installed for 2010. The #9 will be converted totally to a coil over strut system. We were going to do the same to #36, but advice from a great racer and friend suggested to save the cost in going coil over/strut and take the 50 pound weight brake instead. We will however make sure the car is the best it can be with the chassis set up we used last season. Jason and Paul were faster than us most nights, but we will explore some ways to pick up lap times and be more competitive. We finished every Flamoro Late Model feature in the top 10 in 2009, the only team to do that. We were beat in the heats, with both Jason and Paul winning 8 or 9 each. This season will be different because a double heat format will be used, the only fair way to count points, otherwise it's luck of the draw and it was obvious with only 20 points separating the top 4 in Flamboro points, heat races had a huge impact. We plan to be ready for the coming season and go after our first ever Late Model title. It won't be easy, that's what will make it special, not to mention winning a Flamboro title period.

    Terry Bauman, a motorcycle dirt and ice racer from Michigan, painted this Cot car in a scheme that will very likely be close to what we use for our 2010 #36. Terry his brother Tom, along with the Larkin family and many others from Ontario and the United States race every week, sometimes 3 or 4 nights in two series. Web sites are 3 Unit. and Rolling Thunder Gaming .com. It's not easy to race these cars competitvely against those who have been doing it for years. I almost always qualify last and the only reason I finish in the top 10 of 20 cars is becasue of attrition. It takes practice to get good. The great thing about on-line simulated racing is that when you wreck or crash badly you just have to push "eascape" and then "return to pits" and a second later your car is like new ready to go. That only works in practice and happy hour, once the game starts you have to be careful because when you wreck bad your spotter comes on and says "we got big-time engine trouble buddy", and when you hear that you know even if you keep racing you will be 60% power at best...some of the kids who race on-line, race go-karts at Flamboro Speedway and they are very good at it. Don't worry, I'm not leaving real racing for computer racing even though it's cheaper, safer, less tiring with unlimited tires and repair budget. However, it is a fun way to pass time over the winter with a great bunch of guys who go out of their way to help making it a great evening of entertainment.