The 2021 QwickWick Can-Am Midget series presented by Miller Office Trailers season got underway finally this past Saturday, July 3rd. We had a car count of 16 to start the day with unfortunate fuel pump issues on the #81 in practice, ending their day. Best of all, we had fans back in the stands at 25% capacity. What a feeling that was. Welcome back race fans!
We started heat #1 with Craig Pitchell (6) and Brody Rickwood (83) taking the first green flag of 2021. It was Rickwood with the jump out to the lead on lap #1, but that didn’t last long with a hard charging Daniel Hawn (42) right behind him and claiming the lead on lap #2. Heat 1 going caution free, Hawn kept the lead for the remaining 8 laps and taking the first checkered flag of the Can-Am Midget season.
Heat #2 got underway with Cory Whittam (55) and Luc Munsie (26) on the front row coming to the green flag. Jeff Blackburn (7) had a rocking start, taking the lead from his third place starting spot on lap #1 and never looking back. David Mathers (54) had some more issues from practice, pulling off on lap #1. Heat #2 also went caution free with Blackburn taking the win.
With a big break in between other classes, the QwickWick Can-Am Midgets were under the lights for their 25-lap feature event. Cory Whittam (55) and Brody Rickwood (83) led the field to the 4-wide salute to the fans before
leading the field to the green flag. Cory soared to the lead for the first 5 laps before giving the lead up on lap #6 to the hard charging Jeff Blackburn. Caution #1 came out that same lap for the #55 of Whittam and #42 of Daniel Hawn getting together and spinning in turn #4. The field came back to green until Craig Pitchell’s #6 car came to a stop going into turn #3 halting the race for him to be pushed off the track by officials. The field went back to green and Dominque Smith (49) took the lead from Blackburn. Jeff did not make it easy for her though. They were side by side for 4 laps before Blackburn took the lead back on lap #12. The 2nd caution of the night flew on lap 14 for the 29 of Paul Harrison spinning in turn #2. Smith was amazing on restarts, claiming the lead back until lap 17 when Rickwood (83) spun going into turn 1 and blowing a rad cap and starter issues ended his night. Dom Smith led the field back to the final restart of the night and leading for 5 more laps before Blackburn took the lead from her with 2 laps to go and going on to win the first race of the 2021 season.
Finishing order: Jeff Blackburn (7), Dominique Smith (49), Darren Mclennan (2), Adrian Stahle (53), Cory Whittam (55), David Miller (11), Paul Harrison (29), Daniel Hawn (42), Paul Jorgbensen (68), Luc Munsie (26), Bob Bailey (46), Mike Coleman (44), Brody Rickwood (83), Craig Pitchell (6), David Mathers (54).
Stay tuned for highlights of race #2 of our double header weekend!