The Jim Oshvalda Memorial Drag Race opened the racing season at Sechelt airport in Wilson Creek on Sunday, May 24. The Sunshine Coast Drag Racing Association (SCDRA) has been spreading the love of fast cars and loud engines for the last 20 years.
According to retiring SCDRA vice president Dave Marshall, it’s a multi-generational calling.
“We’ve got several two generation racers here, dad racers and son racers,” Marshall said. “I guess it’s not unlike a lot of other sports. What dad is interested in sometimes becomes what the kids are interested in. And we have a number of second-generation girls. Peter Stanley-Clarke’s daughter is a very capable racer.”
Rebecca Stanley-Clarke was on the track in her ’79 Camaro. She agreed, her dad did get her into racing.
“[My dad] has always had muscle cars his whole life. I’ve always loved them,” Rebecca said. “Give me a choice between a new shiny car and an old rusty car that’s loud and goes fast, that’s the one I’m picking.”
On the track a car count of 55 gave racers lots of seat time to prepare for the mid-afternoon eliminations.
Once again in Street Machine, Levi Stanley-Clarke continued to dominate this large class as he advanced to the final against Pamela Messner. With a Camaro on either side of the tree and both dialing in 10.6, everyone knew it would be a great race. Stanley-Clarke had a quicker 60’ and Messner slowly reeled him in. At the finish Messner wanted the win a bit too much and ran too fast at 10.571, giving the win to Stanley-Clarke. This was his third win in a row, dating back to the spring race of 2014.
The Super Street final had Grant Gunn from Roberts Creek in his 1973 5.0 powered F100 and Sechelt’s Tom Leech driving a 1968 Camaro with a 407 under the hood. Gunn dialed in 8.460 and Leech 8.350. With a better reaction time and 60’ result, Leech pulled away from Gunn and finished with a [email protected]. Gunn settled for second place with a time of 9.026. After a four-year absence from drag racing on the Coast, Leech reported his car and new 700 R4 tranny performed perfectly.
Gerry Diggins of Sechelt has his rare 1970 Maverick running really nice as he went to the Street Rod final against the 1969 Vauxhall Viva owned by David Boyce. Boyce hasn’t been racing on the Coast for nine years and had a great run. For Diggins it was business as usual as he squeaked out a win over Boyce by 0.001, making this race the best of the day.
Dave McCrae from Powell River lined up against Ron Bolick for the Hot Rod final. Bolick dialed in a 7.450 and McCrae a 6.640. With a clean start, Bolick had the lead. McCrae and his 1967 Chevy II were pulling hard trying to catch the Studebaker. It was so close at the end, but with Bolick breaking out, the win went to McCrae. McCrae also received honours for best reaction time in eliminations with a .509.
The best ET in eliminations went to Will McLennan with a [email protected] in his Ford Ranger.
Tim Cartwright in a 454 powered 1964 Acadian with the best burnouts of the day had the crowd cheering.
The next SCDRA event at the airport is a test and tune on Sunday, June 21. For information on this event and the upcoming August 9 race, contact Richard at 604.230.5067 or email [email protected]
