Rick Young's 'Rick at the Races' December 10, 2008

As you'd expect for this time of year things have been quiet on the racing front, but web-master Craig Revelle has been very busy with his new project. His web site www.speedwaynostalgia.com has now been launched.

As the name suggests it deals with the 'days gone by' of his local Speedways of Eastern Ontario and the Seaway Valley tracks of upstate New York. The site is still in the construction stages but already there is some interesting content.

As well as many nostalgic photos of yesteryear the histories of the Brockville and now defunct Kingston Speedways are well documented. Keep checking it out for up dates and if you have anything of interest that Craig could use, please get in touch with him. It's a worthwhile project that will bring great memories back to those involved,  and educate people like myself, who are relatively new to the area.

My mail box has also been quiet this week, with a couple of exceptions, from Robert Wilms in the Netherlands and fellow UK media man Jerry Fisher. Jerry is currently touring South America and is taking a look at what ever oval racing he can find. Here's what he had to say.

<<Just a quick e-mail to say I flew down to Bahia Blancia for the weekend on Friday.
I am really impressed with this city and the area. And of course the Midget racing. This is the best racing I've seen in Argentina so far. They have a really good (American style) oval track here. And over 100 Midgets and more than 5,000 fans each week. Photo attached....full story coming in Short Circuit Mag soon>>

I'm looking forward to hearing more about it !

Robert's message was an update of the happenings in his area of the Netherlands. He lives in the province of Limburg where I spent a lot of time from the mid 1970's to the early 1990's. In  future 'RETRO' episodes on www.rickattheraces.com there will be plenty of coverage devoted to the happy times I spent in that area.

Back then, I regularly visited the Baarlo Auto Speedway near Venlo (unfortunately , now sitting dormant and not used) but in recent times the Venray track became popular. Objections and other B/S caused the track to close, but a replacement is under construction.

From Robert....

<< At Venray there is some good news. The new track is already under construction and hopefully there will be races at Eastern.

My PC crashed this weekend where all the pics of the new track were on. When I get new pics , I'll send them over.

Maybe a new tyre, 'Good Year' in 2009 for the F1's ( stock cars)

In our team the second F1 has arrived, so our total will be 2 tarmac ( paved) , 1 shale (dirt) and 8 F2's for tarmac and shale .

With a total of 4 drivers it will be a busy year for me as web-master ha ha. >>

Robert is web master for the Hendriks Racing Team based in Limburg and although we've been corresponding for some time, I met him for the first time during my BriSCA F1 World Final tour in the UK this past September.

Check out www.racingteamhendriks.com

PIC 1   Jerry Fisher photo from the Midget Racing track at Bahia Blancia in Argentina

PIC 2   On the left, Robert Wilms and another of my buddies Dave 'Smiffyman Smith' at Brafield 2008.

PIC 3   The # 57 F1 Stock Car of Theo Van Lier ( Hendriks Racing Team) at Brafield 2008

PIC 4   The # 65 F2 Stock Car of Joep Hendriks almost turns over at Brafield 2008

<<DSCF0041(1) (Medium).jpg>> <<2008_0822Image0212 (Medium).jpg>> <<2008_0822Image0253 (Medium).jpg>> <<2008_0822Image0234 (Medium).jpg>>