Chewy’s chat
Here we are then with the first Chewy’s Chat in a few issues, just in time for the end of season issue. Apologies firstly to those that have missed me and apologies to the disappointed amongst you that thought you’d seen the last of me.
My absence is mostly due to my new job which sees me in Sunderland during the week and dashing home on a Friday to catch up with my kids and Kelly, oh and also to go to Racewall on a Saturday night (talk about priorities eh?).
As I mentioned, it’s nearly the end of the season and the biggie at Cowdie is the Superbowl for saloons. Saloons are, in my opinion, the pinnacle of Short Oval Motorsport, I know that loads of folk will disagree but we’ll leave THAT debate to another time. Unfortunately this season has seen a chronic decline in car numbers around the whole country. The last 2 weeks at Cowdie have mustered only 12 cars, nothing short of abysmal. Sheffield on the 24th Oct reportedly saw 9 cars turnout and Skeggy has struggled with turnouts in the low teens also in recent weeks. Publisher Dave Rennie could wax lyrical for days about the reasons behind this sad state of affairs, but it looks like there may be light at the end of the tunnel. At Cowdie on 13th November, GMP is running a test night for saloons with ‘standard’ engines, carbs, gearboxes etc. Hopefully a good few drivers will turn out and a few ideas can be adopted into the rule book to put the formula back on top. Reduced costs being one of the main gripes heard from retired and / or irregular drivers. Another complaint more often pointed at Cowdie, is that the cars are ‘too fast to be safe’. Hopefully this can also be addressed with new spec slowing the cars, although, following announcements made by Promoter Gordon McDougall at the driver’s meetings recently, the track layout at Cowdenbeath may not be an issue after 2005. The bombshell (or good depending on how you feel) news is that, subject to ongoing negotiations with Fife Council and a major supermarket chain, Racewall may very well close at the end of the 2005 season with a new track at a new location up and running in time for 2006. Obviously there are lots of bridges to cross before that happens, but it hasn’t half set the rumour mill into overdrive. The questions on everyone’s lips include: Where will the new track be? What will the layout be? What size? And dare we ask…. What surface? No doubt all will be revealed in due course and you can be sure that ORN will bring you the news at it happens.
Going back to the ‘safeness’ of tracks, what a year it’s been for injuries. Gav Robertson F2 182, Paul Reid F2 17 and Russell Taylor Crimond Saloon 16 have all paid for the pursuit of their sport with injuries, plus many others with bumps, knocks and broken bones that have kept them off work on a Monday morning. The incident to top them all though was the crash which saw Mini # 673 Tony Wright break a bone in his neck at Cowdenbeath at the beginning of October, whilst trying to assist the turn 3 marshal deal with the incident, Track Photographer and Race Organiser Paul Brown was struck by another mini and at first we all feared the worst for him. Safe in the knowledge that the worst injury he suffered was a chipped bone in his knee, he was subjected to merciless ribbing from his fellow Track Staff the following week with jibes such as ‘He was bound to be OK he landed on his head’ and ‘He’s got plenty natural padding’. In all honesty he was a very very lucky boy and every one of us is just that little bit more careful before stepping over the inner fence now. As for Tony, he is still very sore and all of us here at ORN wish him a speedy recovery.
Lastly, on my travels to and from Sunderland I can’t help but notice that Sunderland dog track is a very well appointed stadium and well away from any housing. Has anyone ever looking into the viability of stock cars there?? And is there any more news yet on the supposed new track at Hartlepool?
Chewy 102 WTD2005!!
