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Just got back from the river roar.It was great,The weather was awesome and so was the racing.Jose Mendana won the sst45 final,Chris Shepard won 120 and Tim seebold won in Champ.I will post the rest later.
(after 45 & 120 inspection, before Champ inspection)
SST45 (Champ Lights)
1. Bud Nolman
2. Dan Orchard
3. Jason Nelson
*Mike Beegle - 720 barrel roll
SST120 (Champ2)
1. Chris Shepard
2. Glen Matthews
3. Kevin Ladd
*Bill Rucker & Jay Fox - simultaneous blow over
Champ
1. Tim Seebold
2. Chris Fairchild
3. Shaun Torrente
*Wyatt Nelson - soft barrel roll
All drivers a-ok. Good racing weekend. Awesome town. Huge, must attend event. If you've been there - you know what I'm talking about. If you haven't, you're really missing out.
Hi Kevin,You looked awesome in the 120 final.I wanted to stop in your pits and say hi but your team was very busy.Just wanted to say that you looked very good in the final and good luck the rest of the season.Are you racing in the Soo?If you are i will be their and try to hook up with you their.Talk to ya later.
There are sooo many emotional responses that come to mind. The simple answer is NO, not this year.
A snap shot of the underlying theme:
I just can't bring myself to attend an event with that series until they make right on what happened at that race last year. The 45 class inspection was way out of line, unprofessional, and wrongly tried to ban 2 drivers from the sport for life. Even once the series officials were proven wrong by the OPC commision, instead of an apology, their officials slapped a meaningless 'yellow-card' in the face of the 2 drivers.
I love the Soo - it's pratically a hometown race for me as my dad lives there. And I would like to race the 120's that will be there. But even if I wanted to, I have friends and family that would dis-own me if I went back for more abuse. I left that race last year literally sick to my stomach. I have never felt less welcome at an APBA event in my 23 years of racing.
In fact, the 5 closest 120 rigs in MI won't be there. And needless to say, neither will the all of the MI 45's.
Hi Kevin,You looked awesome in the 120 final.I wanted to stop in your pits and say hi but your team was very busy.Just wanted to say that you looked very good in the final and good luck the rest of the season.Are you racing in the Soo?If you are i will be their and try to hook up with you their.Talk to ya later.
More pictures will be posted on a couple of web sites buy some semi professional photographers I know from bay city. They should be up next week some time.
Thats to bad the the APR has to run a race like that.I didnt know about the way they treated the drivers.I changed my mind and will not be going my self.Us Michiganians have to stick together Are you guys running anymore races in Michigan?Jay,sorry to hear about your bad luck in Bay City.I hope you and your equipment is ok.Tell your dad i said hi.
I am not saying APR treats their drivers badly or generally runs races like that. Many people were approachable and friendly. The weekend was going great, until inspection. I've only heard second hand that hey admitted to the APBA BOD & OPC commission it was mishandled. But they never apologized to the drivers they wrongly and offensively accused in front of spectators, promoters, other drivers, family, and friends. Their slap in the face yellow card was like saying "not only are we not apologizing, but bend over and take another one". The OPC Chairman tried to make it right, but he really didn't do anything wrong. The sport is too small for officials with egos like that. We need more drivers, not less...
The MI contingent of Fox, Ladd, Voisin, Merleau, etc. should all be at Trenton 7/20-22 (but not the Soo the following weekend. Don't interpret this as a boycott - simply a matter of personal preference). See you there...
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