I’m not sure if it is an age thing or not but time really seems to be flying by. Here we are just a week into summer but given the fact that the last month flew by in a blur, I’m a little worried that fall will be here before I know it. It seems like it was just a few weeks ago that I was eagerly looking forward to announcing three events in three different racing series spread over the course of four weekends. Just like that those three events are now stored in the memories file as I now must look back at them instead of looking forward to them. Even though those events are now only in the rear-view mirror, they were definitely worthy of the anticipation I had prior to attending each event. I have already spoken about the VRRA event I worked at so now seems like a good time to recap a couple of others that have kept me busy in the past few weeks.
The second weekend of June saw the Canadian Superbike Series make their mostly annual stop in Grand Bend. I’m not going to lie I have been wanting a chance to announce in this series for many years, but things have never quite worked out. Apparently 2022 must be my year because a few months ago my buddy Frank Wood called me to say I had been given the tap and would be joining him on the mic for the weekend. The date was instantly circled on the calendar in my brain and the countdown began. Not only was I getting my chance to announce in the series I had coveted for awhile, but I was also getting to renew my working relationship with Frank who I have worked with in flat track, and we always seem to share the airwaves quite well.
As CSBK events are pretty well five days long, I made my way to my hotel Thursday evening. After checking in and meeting my roommate for the weekend, I made my way back outside to where I had seen a small gathering of people from the series. Over the next couple of hours, stories were told that I honestly think I would have paid to listen to. Although some of them were more technical in nature, most of them were just amazing, badass or hysterical racing stories and my insides literally hurt from laughing by the time I retired to my room. This performance would be repeated on Saturday night as well and my guess is it also happened on Friday night but I missed that one. Regardless the stories kept me in stitches so I would like to thank Frank, Don Empey and Rob Eagan for making the guy who is usually trying to make people laugh, laugh his ass off for most of the weekend.
Although I know many of the people in the series. Friday morning at the track I wandered from tent to tent being introduced to people I did not know by Frank who is basically racing royalty there. Shortly after getting outfitted in some fresh CSBK swag, I continued wandering and talking before it was time for us to get on the mics. Although our mic set up wasn’t the greatest, working with Frank gave me an old familiar feeling and I instantly felt like I had worked in the series for years. Friday is Qualifying day and despite no actual racing action on track, I had many conversations with enthusiastic fans who were treated to a couple of new lap records as they watched. When the day was over, I made my way to a camper in the parking lot after getting an invite from a few of the fans. Two of them were former workers at Crown Royal and one was a retired cop but man they had things figured out for their guy’s weekend. They had an extensive list to get ready for the trip which believe it or not also included a new Crown Royal flag for the trailer. They gave me a few pops and a few shrimp skewers and as I was finally leaving, they made me promise I would stop by in the morning for a breakfast Caesar.
The next two days of racing action were amazing, and each day started the same with Frank and I driving to the track together and sharing facts and stories from the day before. We made our usual stop at Timmies where I would get my medium and Frank would get two mediums (you know they make different sizes Frank) and it seemed like he had a coffee in his hand all weekend. My wife and brother-in-law came to the races on Saturday and then joined me for dinner when the races were over. Sunday morning I even got Andre from the series to take me for a couple of laps on the track in an SUV. This allowed me to not only get a better concept of the track, but also to measure the back straight after being asked numerous times how long it was.
Just one week later I was back on familiar turf as the Flat Track Canada Series had its opening round at Welland County Speedway. I renewed acquaintances with many people that I had not seen in almost a year and watched like a proud papa as riders who had made a jump in divisions from the season before put on a hell of a show. I was joined in the booth on this night by Geoff Tait and although we have never worked together before I think we went back and forth pretty well and the banter between us seemed to come quite easily. I also discovered that when you mention the candy shack on the mic and then basically beg for samples, just a few minutes later there will be a delivery of goodies. Wonder if that will work with the beer garden people? As usual the racing was top notch and fans were treated to a hell of a show.
I guess I should say congrats to Ben Young for sweeping the Superbike weekend and to Hunter Bauer for doing the same in Welland. I am thankful to the CSBK series for letting me play in their sandbox for the weekend and I eagerly look forward to doing it again soon. I am also excited that the Flat Track Canada series is now underway and can’t wait to get in the booth at every round this year. Although working the CSBK series was a new experience for me, I guess it wasn’t really that different than what I am used to. Well except for every time the race was paused so a plane full of skydivers could take off from the back straightaway. Don’t think we’ll see that in flat track anytime soon.
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