Eve Of Destruction Humberstone's "Hottest" event In History
By, Amy Pollard, Humberstone Speedway
Port Colborne Ontario, September 27, JC Auto's Eve of Destruction, season closer event brought in the most fans Humberstone has seen in history. With the grandstands full, over 150 cars in the pits and over ten events planned the show was sure to be one of the best.
The events planned for the day were, a 75 lap enduro, a four lap blindfold race, a ten lap backwards race, a ten lap flagpole race, a ten lap school bus race, a 25 lap ladies enduro, a ten lap trailer race, a roller over contest, a long jump contest and a small and large car derby.
The first event to run was the 75 lap enduro. With approximately 160 cars in the event, drivers came down to the flag four wide. As the green waved, cars spun and came together, as parts and pieces flew to the race surface. Cars come to a halt blocking turns three and four causing drivers to slow and weave around the wreckage. Lap 16 red waves, as a fire is spotted under one of the vehicles. Fire is put out and the green is waved. The cars take off and once again run into a traffic once again coming into turns one and two. Drivers work through it and seem to get a handle of things as a red waves on lap 36. Trace crews clear the track, and the cars are racing once more as the green waves. Once again the red flies on lap 61, and the race leaders are announced, first is car number 67, in second car number 74 and in third car number 53. The green waves for a shot time as a red is called out on lap 75, as fire over takes over one of the cars in turn four. As track officials tame the flames, a new race leader is announced, car number 74 of Rick Beales is named the race leader. Green flies with five to go, and their off. With three to go, turns three and four become blocked, forcing the leader Beales to work his way through the mayham. Beales was able to do so taking the checkers, and his second Eve of Destruction win.
The next group of cars that pulled on were the cars in the blind fold race. In this event there are two occupants in the vehicle, the driver has a bag over his head, and the passenger is the navigator. The driver must find his way around the track by just the directions giving by the passenger. Drivers slip bags over their helmets, and they are ready for their four lap event. Green waves, the drivers take off, and cars are everywhere, the top, the bottom, and some riding the wall. The leader comes around, looking promising, as he makes a sharp turn to the inside, and hitfs the turn one wall and drives up and over it, flipping the vehicle. Red is waved, the drivers are ok, and were back green. Cars come out of three and four, it looks like car number 104 forgets to turn as it hitfs the front stretch wall, and gets hung up, and rests there for the reminder of the race. Coming down to take the checkers is car number 36.
The cars for the backwards race pull on to the surface. In the backward race, drivers race around the track in reverse. The drivers line up, and wait for the green to fall to start the six lap event. The green flies and approximately 30 cars let lose. Drivers step on the gas, therefs some bumping and banging, a few parts fly to the track, as drivers race for the lead. Some drivers hitting and bouncing off the wall but continue on their way. Driver manage to complete all six laps without any major incident. Car number 118 is the first to cross the line, grabbing the checkers and the win.
Next out is 30 some cars to run the ten lap flagpole race, which is an event where drivers do a lap and must make their way around the flagpole in order for the lap to count. The green is thrown and the cars are off, all the cars try to go around the tire in place of a flagpole. Cars become backed up, and itfs a fight to get around. With tons of bumping and banging, cars and their drivers make their way around the tire. Red flies on lap six, some of the wounded cars are cleared and the green waves again. Drivers push their way through the traffic, as the number four of Chris Hils is the first to complete all ten laps.
Pulling on to the track next is the school buses for the ten lap race. Three buses take the green, as they fight for the lead using ever inch of the race surface, all three buses manage to race side by side coming down the back stretch. One backs out, its two wide in turns three and four. The buses come together, one spins and makes contact with the wall in turns one and two, disabling the bus, the drivers slowly limps back in the infield. The two buses race hard against each other. They make contact, sending one spinning and stopping facing the wrong way. The bus continues the last 2 laps in racing against traffic. Coming close to hitting one another a few times. The checkers wave, and the race is finished. The winner was undetermined.
The ladies bring out close to 30 cars to the race surface for their 25 lap event. The green waves and the girls are on their way. The cars make their way around the race surface, banging into one another, causing parts and pieces to fly to the race surface. Lap four the red waves, and the action comes to a stop. Car number 109 was announced as the race leader. The green waves and the girls are off once again, working their way around the race surface and into a single file race. The checkers fall on car 109, naming her the winner of the 25 lap event.
Trailer race is the next event. In this event drivers race vehicles with some kind of trailer attached. If the driver loses the trailer theyfre blacked flagged. The driver with the trailer still attached and to complete the event is the winner. A number of cars pull onto the surface for the ten lap event, some towing boats, car trailers, even house trailers. The green is dropped, and the wreckage begins. Trailer pieces fly into air, some drivers lose full trailer, cause them to be blacked flagged. cars come together, trailers get turned over, drivers keep on going. The laps count down, as the destruction continues. Lap by lap the track becomes full of debris. As the checkers wave, cars drive through the house trailer parked on turns one and two, adding to the action. The winner of this event was undetermined.
Next up was the roll over contest. Drivers start on the back stretch and drive to the front, where they will drive up onto a ramp and roll the car. The driverfs who manage to roll and land their vehicle on the wheels will be rewarded 100 dollars cash. Four cars pull up to try to win the cash.
Car number one, comes around and hitfs the ramp, but does not do it. Next is car number two, comes and hitfs the ramp, he lands on his roof. Car number three comes for his attempt, he hitfs the ramp and flies end over end, and lands on his wheels, winning 100 dollars cash.
Next event scheduled is the car long jump. 35 cars try to beat one anther's distance, by gaining speed, coming out of turns three and for, turning in to the in field and driving off the ramp. Driver after driver, jump after jump, the car take their turn. In the end there was one roll over, two drivers tied at 49 feet, and three top jumps of 55 feet, 62 feet and the winner with 63 feet by Matt last name unknown.
Well, Jim Handley managed to find something to wreck this year. He pulls out of the pits driving an old fire truck, he comes around turns three and four, makes a sharp turn to the infield, drives up and over the ramp and into a mini van. Crushing the van, track crews drag the truck out and jims at it again. This time destroying the van and the fire truck.
The mini cars pull on to the track for the small car demo. The green drops, and cars smash and crash into one another. Pieces and parts fill the ring, as drivers drive around hitting anyone still moving. Slowly one by one cars start to die off. Bit by bit the car count drops. Therefs three left fighting for the first place position, as they drive through and around parked dead cars. They find one another, hitting and crushing whatfs left of their already wrecked cars. In the end itfs car number four driven by Chris Hils who survived the crashing and was named the winner.
While track crews worked to clear the track, some decided to come to the infield to destroy the JC Auto bus. Picking up the bus with the claw and dropping it to the ground, then driving though it, over top of it, leaving it as a smoking pile of debris. Minutes later, the bus becomes engulfed inflames. Track officials bring in the water truck and get things under control as the large car demo begins.
The cars for the large car demo pull into the rig. The green is dropped, cars start driving into one another. Crushing their full sized cars. Some losing tires, others bumpers, drivers continue driving and bumping into another. The red flag files for a fire in one of the cars. The track crews make their way over and its out in no time. When the crew clears, the green dropped and the cars begin crashing again. When the checkers drop itfs car number 118 who took home the win.
When all the destruction was finished Humberstone handed out $7000 total in prize money, in what was the biggest event held at the speedway this year next to the Nascar stars. Next on the schedule for the speedway is the 2009 awards banquet. For ticket or for information please call Humberstone Speedway at (905)-834-4002, Cosco Haulage at (905)-935-2886, or visit us at our web site, www.humberstonespeedway.com. stayed tuned to the web site for updates and fro next seasons schedule
@
