Todd Cresswell captures a hard fought Lucas Oil TQ crown. Harvey Walsh wins feature in new car.

Todd Cresswell #3 has been in our club since 1992. He raced super karts all over North America: Road America, 156 mph at Daytona, Watkins Glen, and Mid Ohio Texas finishing in 2^nd place twice in those series. In an interview he commented that these cars (the Lucas TQs) are the hardest ones to drive. His dad Bill “Superman”, as I call him is mild mannered, kind and helps everyone. Even as cautions flew and the laps ticked away last night he was cool as a cucumber standing at the fence watching. Nothing ever seems to fizz this guy. This was a popular win. Rob Neely and Ken Lorenz, who just missed the championship are full-value for 2^nd place. In this case, they are definitely NOT as said in racing circles, “the first losers”. It was a hard fought battle by two great racing families who are good friends outside of racing.

Heat 1

Harvey Walsh, the wily old veteran, got to pilot the Bat mobile #49 from 3^rd spot. He blew by pole sitter #40 Andy Mackereth, to take the lead, taking Rob Neely #74 with him. Cresswell #3 was glued to Rob’s bumper in 3^rd by lap 5. Harvey dominated the race by leading to the checkers.

Darren McLennan ran 4^th at this time. On lap 8 shock and amazement fell over the crowd as the #3 of Todd Cresswell slowed coming out of corner 2. There was no contact with any other car. This did not look good for Todd. It turned out that the Superman’s horseshoe was working, as a fuel filter that he had used for 10 years came apart. That is the first time I have seen that in 18 years.

Heat 2

Daniel Bois #4, who was driving a Cliff Walsh car this evening, passed David Balych #12 on the get go. Craig Mackereth #43 and Lucas Smith were 3^rd and 4^th in lap 4. In Lap 4 Lucas and Craig brushed wheels in corner 4 but both continued. Lap 6 Lucas was leading. Gray was 4^th after starting from 7^th place. Then one lap later James Gray as 3^rd, Bois was 4^th, Michael McCann was 5^th.

Lucas was way ahead by Lap 9.

B Feature

Graham Kells #75, former super-modified driver led the B ahead of veteran racer Wayne Turnbull #31 with Mike Hooper #17, another former super-modified driver 3^rd and Todd Cresswell 4^th after a 7^th starting position. Paul Smith driving the 00 of Greg Smulders was 5^th.

Lap 5 found the speeding Creswell #3 in first, Wayne Turnbull #31 2^nd, Paul Smith #00 3^rd, Mike Hooper #17 4^th and Earl Caine #69 5^th.

Smith who seems to be able to adapt quickly to someone else’s car was close behind Turnbull on lap 8 and Cresswell was gone. However on the last lap Paul Smith pulled beside Turnbull coming to the flag, and beat him by the margin of a coat of paint on the front bumper for second place.

A Feature

After the driver introduction and a “Gentlemen, crank it up” called by Michael Goodyear of the famous Goodyear brothers, it was time to go racing. With only 23 points separating Rob Neely and Todd Cresswell, it was going to be a barn burner.

Lap 1 set the pace as Lucas Smith #94, Andy Mackereth #40 and Daniel Bois #4 took it 3 wide into corner 3 on the first lap. As the dust settled and the crowds’ eyes opened Lucas had the lead, Bois was 2^nd, Andy Mackereth 3^rd, Darren McLennan 4^th.

Lap 3 McLennan #48 got by the former club champion Mackereth #40 for 3^rd. No easy task there!

Lap 5 Lucas was 1^st with Bois 2^nd.

Lap 6 the 01 of Colin Turnbull, #27 of Michael McCann and Paul Smith brought out the cautions in corner 2.

Lap 6 re-start saw Lucas, Daniel and #49 Harvey Walsh, Craig Mackereth #43 and James Gray #82 as the first five.

Lap 8 Darren McLennan picked debris off the track with the right front , sending it into the radiator in corner 1. The resulting wet track collected 3 other cars, Wayne Turnbull #31, Jared Turnbull #59 and Graham Kells #75. It was a mess so they red flagged the race. These cars do not have big fuel cells and race director Terry Watts did not want the championship decided by fuel mileage.

Lucas remained the leader on the re-start. Meanwhile, “back at the ranch” Todd Cresswell #3 passed Neely who was starting to lose the handle on the race car.

Lap 10 Todd got by Andy Mackereth #40. This put a car between Todd and Rob.

Lap 16 Harvey Walsh passed Lucas Smith, a teammate, to take the lead. Then they were gone.

By lap 20 Todd had a ½ straightaway lead over Rob with Andy, the meat in the sandwich.

At the end it was team Walsh, 1, 2, 3 : Harvey 1^st, Lucas 2^nd and Bois 3^rd.

Then there was a cloudburst of champagne, funnily enough only around the #3 Cresswell trailer. Go figure!