|
3 Shows in 3 Days Pays Off! Chris Raabe Earns the Mr. DIRTcar Sportsman Series Points Lead and Win #21 for 2008
By Jim Clarke, Clarke Motorsports Communications
With files from Tom Skibinski, DIRTcar NE Public Relations Director
If the old saying ‘3rd Time is the Charm’ is really true, it only makes sense that DIRTcar sportsman modified driver Chris Raabe was excited about heading back to Humberstone Speedway. With the Trevor Wilkens Memorial 50 Mr. DIRTcar sportsman series event delayed twice by rain, the #01 team loved the forecast for the
make-up date of Friday, September 19th.
A strong field of 31 was on hand to challenge the Port Colborne, Ontario oval promoted by the Cosco family, former car owners of the DIRTcar 358 modified campaigned by the late Trevor Wilkens, who passed away in the early 1990’s. Heading into the latest stop on the tour, the 17 year-old from Napanee, Ontario trailed Geneva, New York’s Dan Wiesner in the overall standings – but had run 1 fewer event.
Raabe earned his starting spot in the 50 lap main event by finishing 3rd in the 4th heat race. He charged to the runner-up spot on the feature race grid following a lap 13 re-start, but slipped to 4th at the checkered flag. His championship rival Wiesner crossed the line 18th and left Humberstone 31 points behind the 12th grader from Napanee and District Secondary School. Greg Panunte of Port Colborne won the event and moved to 4th in the overall standings.
The next night – Saturday, September 20th – the Scott Industrial Services/TyRoute Communications-Telus/ Kingston Hyundai/Kingston RV Centre/Waste Management/Brunet Plumbing/Kwik Load Products/McColman Media/Len Corcoran Excavating crew hauled their pair of TEO Pro Car sportsman modifieds to the wine country of New York State for the Labatt Ice 45 at Canandaigua Speedway.
With a layout similar to Can Am Speedway at Lafargeville, New York – a track he is somewhat familiar with – Raabe was confident going into the 45 lapper at the Land of Legends. After running 5th in the night’s 2nd heat the talented teen started the main event from 18th position. Wiesner, looking for a better performance than the night before took the green from 10th starting spot. With 2 nights of action on the surface, most expected the track conditions to deteriorate, but just the opposite proved to be the case. During the Friday night preliminary show, ruts developed and produced a large number of cautions. Saturday’s track was much different and the clay remained fast and tacky throughout the 45 lap distance.
With just 3 yellow flags to bunch the field, Chris was only able to get as high as 6th at the checkered flag. Wiesner, who had started 8 spots higher on the initial grid was 5th and cut 4 points off the Teenage Tornado’s point lead. Kevin Ridley, the 2008 Canandaigua sportsman track champion claimed the win.
Without a Mr. DIRTcar tour event on their Sunday night schedule, the #01 team ventured to Cornwall Motor Speedway for a sportsman modified invitational show.
In his first ever visit to the Seaway Valley quarter mile, Chris time trialed 5th fastest of the 21 entries. Later he won his heat race and during the feature, he turned his best lap of the event (just under 16 seconds) on the 17th circuit. Since the sportsman teams run Cornwall just once a year, there isn’t an ‘official’ track record at the facility. Even though it was his maiden voyage, Raabe proved he wasn’t intimidated by the unfamiliar surroundings and claimed his 21st win of the season.
Next up:
Lucas Oil sportsman series event at Brighton Speedway Park – Friday, September 26th. Mr. DIRTcar sportsman tour shows – Saturday, September 27th at Rolling Wheels Raceway Park (Elbridge, New York) and Friday, October 3rd at Fulton Speedway (Fulton, New York)
|
|
