Welcome to the very last issue of Capital MotorSport News.
There certainly was some talent - in this instance Cody Mackie - riding around at Fairbairn Park last Sunday. Image courtesy of OzEvent Photos.
CMSN started off as a fortnightly online magazine, with Issue 1 published on Ground Hog Day, 2nd February 2005 (co-incidentally my 41st birthday). In September of that year CMSN went weekly (thanks very much Dave LaMaitre!), and it's stayed that way ever since; and this final issue brings it up to #117....
I would like to thank the following people and/or businesses, who helped make a difference at various times over the past three years:
all the photographers who have contributed images to CMSN; but in particular I would like to mention Peter Norton (Epic Sports Photography), and Roger and Leanne Gordon (OzEvent Photos). A website without photos is pretty lame, and these guys have gone out of their way to help me out (often at the last minute) each and every time I needed images;
all the businesses who have seen the value of advertising to a targeted local motorsport audience; including Darren Jeffery (Canberra Motorcycle Centre); Bob Faulkner (ACT Car Recyclers); Mark Tarrant (Tuggeranong Transmission and Brake Services); Shane Moore (Electro Plating Technology); Aksel Martinsen (Axle Motorcycles) and Peter Dimmock (Canberra Creative Trailers);
all the regular (or irregular...) columnists and contributors; including Graham Jacobs (Motor Torque), Bob Ridley (The Ridley Reflections), Dereck Crook (Keep it on Track), Daniel Powell (Redline Media) and last, but by no means least, Lizzy Ferme (Lizzy Writes on Speed);
individuals and officials from some of the local motorsport clubs who went out of their way to assist and provide me with results, information and access to competitors; including Donna Luff, Melissa McCoy, Leanne Gordon, Barbara Bennett, David Ault, Doc Bailey, Tony Kranitis, Judy Ellacott, Barry Eland, Allan McNeice, Ray Day, Lindsay Scullin, Allan Garvey, and Neal Bates, Coral Taylor and Darryl Bush from TRD.
Darren Saillard: 2007 Australian Touring Car Challenge champion. Image courtesy of Daniel Powell.
And for what it's worth, here is a list of some of the stand-out moments I can recall from the past three years:
watching Luke Gough race anything with two wheels; but in particular seeing him win his first Australian Long Track title at Bathurst (remind me again who it was that tried to fence you Luke!); and his unique ability to drift his Honda CRF450 Speedway-style around the Wagga Wagga Showground track. Sublime....
Ashley Cooper's final race in Round 1, 2005 Commodore Cup series at Wakefield Park. He refused to be beaten, and basically forced (without resorting to making contact) reigning champion Geoff Emery into making an error on the last corner, to take the race and round victory. This is what motor racing is all about.
Jason Crump looking for traction and speed by riding UP the wooden boards at Newcastle Showground, in the 2007 Australian Speedway Series. A champion at the very top of his game...
Troy Herfoss' efforts to run down Rodney McDonald in the final of the 2005 Kings and Queens meeting at Fairbairn Park; and Michael Sulcs style in winning at the Wagga Wagga Long Track meeting in 2006;
the three-day battle between two local Aussie Racing Car drivers - Tim Monte and Jeff Davy - at the Oran Park round in 2005. These two were the quickest all weekend; and it came to a showdown in the final race of the meeting. The light was fading fast, track temperature was falling, and these two put on a great show. Tim came out on top (and eventually won the series at Symmons Plains later in the year) after Jeff backed it into the wall at BP;
my ride alongside Geoff Portman in a replica of his works Datsun Stanza; which was on a par with going out with Allan Simonsen onto a very wet Phillip Island track in a Porsche 911 Cup Car;
watching those drivers and riders - male and female, junior or senior - who were prepared to have a real dig, and race on the limit. Not everybody who pulls on a helmet can do that; but it's always a thrill watching the good ones; and
meeting people who are as passionate about their chosen sport as 'The Fossil' - Alan Garvey - and his wife Elaine Garvey; and blokes like Kevin Patton. It's been a real privilege.
Here we go again: those crazy Hillclimb folks trying to get onto the front page of CMSN... Image courtesy of Mal Dunning.
Anyway, I thought I might dredge up a few of my own personal favourite stories from the past...
Not much on this weekend. Still, you may wish to get out and watch a bit of the following:
Combined Speedway (cars) and Dirt Track (bikes) meeting at Sapphire Speedway this Saturday;
Dirt Track practice day at Fairbairn Park (Sunday).
And for those interested, I will still be involved in local motorsport, but in the Media and Public Relations side of the game, with Revved Up Media. Feel free to contact me should you wish to discuss anything further.
Anyway, in the words of Johnny Cash... "Don’t call my name out your window, I’m leavin' I won’t even turn my head. Don’t send your kinfolk to give me no damn talkin' I’ll be gone, like I said."
Buenas noches.
Michael (Mac) Carscadden Editor/Publisher Capital MotorSport News m: 0401 888 719 w: 02 6282 9952 e:
Capital MotorSport News: Covering all forms of motor sport in Canberra and south east NSW.
