Last Sunday the Festival of the Rolling Arts landed at the Sechelt airstrip as the Sunshine Coast Drag Racing Association (SCDRA) hosted their summer race.
The forecast was for hot, hot, hot weather and racers, spectators and volunteers were not disappointed. In fact, some of the approximately 1,000 attendees reported the weather was maybe just a bit too good.
Racers began arriving long before the sun had cleared the Tetrahedron Plateau and prepared their cars for the big race day. As the morning started to heat up, cars were racing and drivers tuning their engines for the afternoon elimination rounds. The track was sticky, most racers were hooking up nicely, and the breeze helped to keep the conditions from being unbearable.
Recently there had been a lot of chatter about local boys Will McLennan and Simon Kingsley racing in the exhibition class. Earlier this month at Mission, Kingsley was on a 170mph run heading for a high six-second pass, when a fuel leak resulted in an engine fire. Fortunately, everyone was OK, but the engine needed some work and the car wasn't quite 100 per cent for the races last weekend.
With McLennan ready, there will be a couple opportunities in 2013 for these two locals in the exhibition class.
The hot rod class final found the 1970 Camaro of Brian McLennan and Chris Moretto's 1971 Vega lining up side by side. Both drivers were losing traction all day, and the final was no different. McLennan was disappointed with his reaction time and spun way too much. The big Vega figured it out and ran a 7.7 at 94mph for the win.
In the street rod final it was both Dan Gentry in his '86 Mustang and Yancy Bromley with her nitrous powered '87 Malibu putting on the big smoke shows prior to their race. With cheers from the crowd, Bromley won by a margin of 0.08.
Super street eliminations were super competitive and the final two were a 2005 Mustang owned by Al Crane and Peter Stanley-Clarke's 1968 Dodge Coronet. The race was door to door with Stanley-Clarke running an 8.7 after dialing in an 8.6. Crane dialed in a 9.08 and ran a 9.06, but his reaction time cost him the race.
The street machine class had James Florance from Roberts Creek with a classic 1966 Cadillac and White Rock's Bill Morrison in a nice Plymouth Prowler on either side of the tree. With all the excitement, Morrison red lighted and Florance cruised the big Caddy to a 10.47 victory at 68mph.
During the award presentations, the draw was held for the Silver Dart drag racer. With the purchase of a $20 ticket, the lucky winner was Don Enns from Gibsons. Raffle proceeds benefit Kinsmen charities including the Elphinstone Secondary School automotive program.
The executive and members of the SCDRA would like to thank the citizens and business community of the Sunshine Coast for their continued support. See you in 2013.
