Western Speedway shifts into high gear
The Victoria Auto Racing Hall of Fame induction ceremonies are over and it’s time to put the pedal to the metal on the 2017 Western Speedway season.
It officially takes the green flag today at the Langford oval with the Slegg Building Materials Opening Night of Mayhem, which will feature fireworks, total destruction, a camper trailer grudge race, Wilson’s Transportation bus races, Lordco demo series, bombers and Loan Rangers Financial claimers.
To top it off, fans can watch a 10-metre tall fire-breathing dragon tear apart a car and, for added fun, an officials’ team, led by captain Rob (Pigpen) Haslam will face racers’ team captain Wayne (The Train) Hart and Co. in a camper trailer grudge match.
“It’s a big dragon that shoots fire out of its nostrils and stuff. It has a big, strong jaw that’ll rip the roof off of a car,” said Daryl Crocker, manager at Western Speedway.
“It’s one of those draws that you would see at a monster truck show. It’s not quite as big and impressive as those, but it’s still going to be pretty cool.
“Doing this big opening night, with the fireworks, is new for us,” said Crocker. “Everything else is pretty much the same as last year, we’re just always trying to do a better job than we did the previous year.”
They have added a couple of more winged sprint car races for the season. Other highlights for the year will be The Market on Millstream & Yates monster trucks weekend, May 26-28; West Coast Tire & Wheel Strawberry Cup, June 9-10; Used.ca mid-season championship, June 30-July 1; Tire Exchange Eve of Destruction, July 8; Hometown Heroes night on July 15; Seawings Express fan appreciation night, July 22; Wayne’s Trucking monster truck weekend, July 28-29; P& R Truck Centre Daffodil Cup, Aug. 11-12; Island Batteries night at the races, Aug. 19; Wilson& Proctor Big Rig weekend, Aug. 26; Reg Midgley Canada 200 and 2 Burley Men Moving B.C. street stock invitational, Sept. 3; Freedom Rent to Own/Cash Advantage championship night on Sept. 16; and Hydroforce Excavating championship night Sept. 23.
The grandstands open at 4:30 p.m. with qualifying an hour later and racing at 6:30 p.m. Admission prices are $22.50 for adults; $20 for seniors, youth (13-18 years) and military; $14 for children 7-12 years; or a family pass (two adults, four kids) is $65.
Last year’s Western Speedway champions included Brad Aumen, Bombers; Wade Bland, Canada 200 and Late Models; Brian Calderwood, Claimers; Jamie Morgan, Demos; Brandon French, Dwarf cars; Bailey Walker, Hornets; Dave Reside, Invitation Stock cars; Daryn Cahill, MF 8’s; Brendan Moore, Stock cars; and Jeff Montgomery, Daffodil Cup.
Last weekend, Johnny Sutton, Jim McKay, Darren Yates and Scott Aumen, along with pioneers Wally Lum and Ken Osman, were inducted into the Victoria Auto Racing Hall of Fame, the unofficial launch to the local race season.