Thank You For 2013 – Here’s To A Great 2014!

By Tim Terry.

Where do I start?

The 2013 season was a pretty big one for Tim’s Corner Motorsports. This website saw just a shade over double the traffic we did in 2012 and saw us attend 50 race cards in 2013. Those race cards took us to ten tracks in four provinces and one state from February to October. As a racing community, we shared in some big moments – from a changing of the guard with young talent beginning to take over the upper ranks of our sport, to a St. Stephen driver setting a record for most track championships at a Geary oval, to John Flemming’s fourth Parts for Trucks Pro Stock Tour title over a hard charging Shawn Tucker. As many great memories we have, we also had some moments that saw our community come together for each other in times of need and mourning. Through it all, tens of thousands came here to get their latest news and information on the racing world in this region – and I thank you for doing so.

Typically I do this kind of article on our anniversary date, which we celebrated two years since launch on October 27th but it got overlooked this year. With the changing of the calendar year this week, I figured it would only be fitting to thank some of the people and partners who help make Tim’s Corner Motorsports what it is, and I hope I don’t forget anyone when I’m going through this (and if I do, I apologize, there are a lot of people who make this happen), so bear with me.

BEHIND THE CURTAIN – THE TRACKS

First of all, the track owners, general managers, promoters, staff and everyone involved in putting on the shows we love to see deserve a ton of credit. Without these race tracks, there are no venues for drivers to run at and fans have no place to go on a Friday or Saturday night to see quality entertainment. You have all been accommodating to me and the Tim’s Corner Motorsports brand this season and I cannot wait to re-visit all your facilities in 2014.

Special thanks goes out to a few race tracks and promoters I worked closely with in 2013 on projects. The big one came on at the end of the year with the Petty International Raceway Fan Choice Awards, which has gone over really well for not only Petty Raceway but also for TimsCorner.ca. Big kudos to Craig McFetridge, Wayne Smith, Brett Benoit and their entire staff for not only choosing us as their home for their year end Fan Choice Awards but for also being so accommodating at the track every race night. I can’t wait to be back up at the track in 2014, and with all the new pit road renovations, I believe I can say the same for the drivers and teams who compete at the tight, high banked oval.

Max and Shawna Roy and Gary and Debbie Foley took on the task of steering the ship at Speedway 660 this season and they did an excellent job in doing so. Something that did not change was the incredible Geary hospitality shown every time I made the approximately four hour trip from Halifax. While rain dampened a few trips, I still made three trips to the track in 2013, which included Speedweekend and getting another opportunity to share the mic with Wade Wilson on the call of the Auto Value 250. Again, I’ve said it before, if you have never experienced a Speedweekend at Speedway 660, you need to do so because it is unlike any other weekend in racing in this region because it’s just that. Four days of activity, including three days of racing and an incredible kickoff party on Friday night. I can’t wait to celebrate in style with your staff, sponsors and race teams at the Banquet on January 25th!

Jason Carnahan of Speedway Miramichi has long been a supporter of the site and the work I do in the region and was honored to get up to his facility twice at the end of the year to cover racing and also share the mic with Mike Skerry, who I must say is one of the best when it comes to announcing in our region. I also got to a trio of events at Oyster Bed Speedway this year, which should have been five or more but rain tampered with that too. The whole ownership group at Oyster Bed is great and always accommodating when I get over there – and to my knowledge they are the only track that has a reserved seat with my name on it saved for me in their outdoor lounge.

A thank you goes out as well to Tim Wile from the CENTRE For Speed for letting me and Tim’s Corner Motorsports be apart of the Atlantic Championships this year. This was my first year as the primary announcer of the event and I had an absolute blast covering the event, which is truly an Atlantic Championship that brings together drivers from all four Atlantic provinces in all major divisions to have some fun at the end of the season.

Without them and the likes of Ken Cunning (Scotia Speedworld), Paul McLean (Riverside Speedway), Rex and Colette at Auburndale Speedway, Terry Roberts at New Smyrna Speedway, Kevin Roberge at Autodrome Chaudiere and Bob Smith from Thunder Valley Speedway, we couldn’t help deliver the news and information we did in 2013. Thanks again!

THE VOICES

Many announcers in the region also helped spread the word of TimsCorner.ca this season. Mike Skerry in Miramichi, Jerry “JerBear” Lawrence at Riverside, Mike Kaplan on the Maritime League of Legends Tour, Cyril Hall at Petty International and Jeremy MacDonald at Oyster Bed Speedway have all been incredible at the track sliding in those TimsCorner.ca promotions. Wade Wilson has been great with not only at track promos but also with web presence through Wade’s Weekly on Speedway660.com, which even included a conversation piece with myself prior to our Tour stop there in July.

One guy I want to give a lot of credit to this season is John O’Shea, and it’s not only for the mentions of this site but for what he has done for the sport in this region over the last year. Not only is John the Voice of the Eastern Super Mini Cup Series, he hosts Miramichi Racing Radio and is a host on 99.3 The River, which not only plays Miramichi Racing Radio every Monday afternoon at 5:04pm during the season but also promotes and supports stock car racing in their region like no other station I know. John had me into the studio in September during the Coors Light 125 weekend and on the air in October to promote the Monster Eliminator Demolition which, again, goes to promote the sport in the Miramichi region. He’s one of the busiest men in our sport and works hard to promote it. From fans and teams around the region – thank you John!

John can be heard on the Weekends on 99.3 The River. You can listen in online at www.993theriver.com – support a station that supports your favorite sport – I do every chance I get. (Photo from 993theriver.com)

 In addition to Miramichi Racing Radio, we also have some great media partners that plug the site in their shows and publications. Auto and Trucking Atlantic, The Chronicle Herald Wheels, Inside Track, Nick Storey’s Energy Hour and Race Time Radio are great at throwing a link or two down at times. If you read this piece last year, you’ll remember that it was Joe Chisholm from RTR that planted the seed at Autumn Colours in 2011 for all this we see here today and I’m glad he did. Thanks again Joe!

Before we leave voices, a personal thank you to Adam Ross and the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series for letting me be a part of their Wilson Equipment 300 event at Riverside as a pit reporter. Probably the coolest thing I’ve done so far in my racing career and I hope the opportunity presents itself again in the future!

 OUR PARTNERS

What can I say about those who helped towards making Tim’s Corner Motorsports what it was in 2013?

I had some great advertising partners over the past season, new and old, that helped me get to the track, helped me with a place to lay my head, found me a great place for a meal and much more. The three major advertisers on the website in 2013 included Days Inn Oromocto, Imagint Designs and Mackinnon’s Trucking. Days Inn Oromocto was our first advertiser when we began seeking partners in January 2012 and serves as our Fredericton Area Accommodations Partner for TimsCorner.ca. Even when I’m in the area and not on business, I find myself staying a night in the beautiful village of Oromocto. When I’m in town for the races at nearby Speedway 660, I’m seeing more and more race fans and teams, which is great for the village and for the hotel. Be sure to get a leg up and book your 2014 rooms now by going to DaysInnOromocto.com.

Imaginit Designs in the Dartmouth Burnside Industrial Park provided our stickers this season and we went through hundreds of them. Without the support of Aaron Nauss and staff, we wouldn’t have made so many cars look fashionable with the TCM Canadian Flag in 2013. Thanks again guys!

MacKinnon’s Trucking came on in a big way in 2013 as a two race sponsor and as our sponsor of Opening Weekend presented by MacKinnon’s Trucking in May, which featured a tri-province Triple Header of coverage between Petty Raceway, Scotia Speedworld and Oyster Bed Speedway. Yes, the weather worked out that weekend but it bit us a bit in September when we tried to return for the final two races but we did get over for the Labour Day show to see the guys and girls of Oyster Bed put on a show. Huge thanks to Jeff MacKinnon and MacKinnon’s Trucking for all the support this season and congrats to his team and drivers Stephen Gass and Darren MacKinnon for driving the #88 Street Stock to a championship in 2013.

Looks like that “new driving style” worked out this year after all, eh?! Stephen Gass drove Jeff MacKinnon’s Street Stock to a Stella Maris Credit Union Street Stock crown in 2013. MacKinnon’s Trucking was a huge supporter of Tim’s Corner Motorsports in 2013 and I look forward to getting back to the Island in 2014 to see the 88, and all the other Oyster Bed Speedway drivers, put on a show on the high banks! (Photo by Mike McCarthy)

Shannon Brake and Cannon Security Inc. came back on board with us in 2013 along with partnering with some great race teams at Speedway 660. While “The Cannon” hung up the helmet (for now, at least) after his Street Stock championship in 2012, he and his company’s logo are still visible at the track and we patiently await that return to the oval. If any driver can put on a show, it’s Shannon Brake – and if you are looking to get a camera in your car to capture the show you put on, or a new security system or another product or service Cannon offers, visit them at ProtectYourFort.ca and tell them you saw them on TimsCorner.ca.

RacingTrader.ca also came back on board in 2013 as a promotional partner at our booth for Radical Speedsport and a T-Shirt supplier at the end of the season. Mark and Lori Williams are huge race fans and great supporters of the community through Racing Trader and their new venture in StickerFool.ca. Be sure to check their website out at RacingTrader.ca – RT is Canada’s Racing Marketplace.

Speaking of Radical Speedsport, I want to send thanks out to Greg Turner and his staff at Speedsport for the opportunity to bring Tim’s Corner Motorsports to their crowd in 2013. We will be back in 2014 and we hope you are too! If you are a race team, head over to the show website at speedsporteast.com and get your car in the show. You never know when that potential sponsor will be walking the floor that could get you to a race or two in 2014! In addition, the show is celebrating 40 years in 2014 and will feature the 50th Anniversary of the Mustang – you will not want to miss it!

We had some great new coverage sponsors on board this season as well, including Tom Nicholls and Big Poppas 63 Motor Sports, Modified Champion Kris Fournier and Totally Tile, Keith Wood and KCS Buy and Sell, NAPA Sportsman Series, Pizza Delight Amherst and Springhill, St. Louis Bar and Grill Moncton and Martin’s Home Heating. These are the folks that kept the wheels turning in 2013 and I thank you for all that you do to help deliver the coverage our drivers, teams and fans deserve! If you find yourself in need of the services of any of these fine companies, please support them and tell them you saw their name on TimsCorner.ca.

Note: TCM is always looking for new partners to hop on board. If you want to promote your product to tens of thousands of race fans, send us an email to get our advertising packages.

TEAMS AND DRIVERS

While the race track owners and promoters give us a place to watch racing, without the drivers and the teams that compete on those ovals, those tracks are just plots of land.

A big thank you to all of those drivers that took time out to talk to me throughout the season, whether it was in a time of victory or a time of defeat. Whatever the case, I don’t remember any driver declining an interview, which speaks volumes for the professionalism of drivers in this community. While I still have most of the audio from this year, I will be picking away at it over the off-season when I get time to and release it. I did have some issues with my primary recorder and did receive a new-to-me one from JerBear at the end of the year, which I’m still working kinks out of. I can tell you I have lots of clips from your favorites – I’m pretty sure if I put together all my Emily Meehan and Ken Mackenzie Jr audio, I could make a show out of just the two of them! Em and Kenny are two interviews I look forward to cutting the most at the track and it will show when I unload this audio.

I also need to send a special thank you out to all the teams that ran decals on the cars. Hundreds of cars from here to Florida and in between ran the TCM Maple Leaf on their car and I couldn’t be more honored that you would give up space on your chariot for my logo.

Pit crews – you guys and gals are what makes this thing go ’round. Without your dedication to the sport and your respective team, it would be pretty hard to do what I do, because there wouldn’t be as many quality cars racing in this region. When you show up to a race track in Atlantic Canada, most divisions have a (half) dozen cars or more that could win each night and it goes back to all the hard work in the shop, in between practices and during the race that makes it happen. You have all welcomed me into your pit time after time, given me your thoughts on the race and are accommodating should I need to get any information. While I cannot name all the great crew members in this region, because there are hundreds of them, I do need to say a special hello to Greg Grant. Grant works on the Meehan Racing pit crew and is a big supporter of the site and at track work. His hard work paid off this year too as he saw Adam Meehan drive to six wins and a championship at Scotia Speedworld this season. Congrats again guys!

SPECIAL THANKS

There are many fine folks that have lent a helping hand throughout the year. When it comes to making the website look good, JD Laird and JDR Graphics has been instrumental in helping out with graphic and design work. From the buttons you see on the side, to the Award Banners for the Power Performer of the Year, Imaginit Designs Best Looking Car and the upcoming Short Track Draft, to logos like the Petty Fan Choice Award banner and other work “around the house.” When it comes to my sim racing efforts, like many do, I have JD do all my race cars and he’s even done some very recognizable real life schemes too, one you can see below. Need a new design for 2014, get a hold of JD – his work will definitely surprise you!

You may have seen JD Laird’s work before. Laird of JDR Graphics, who does quite a bit of graphic work for Tim’s Corner Motorsports, designed the #88 Diet Mountain Dew car for Dale Earnhardt Jr., among other real life scheme. (Photo: Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images)

While we’re on the subject of graphics, another gentleman that has been instrumental in making Tim’s Corner Motorsports look good in 2013 is Mike McCarthy. Mike, the official photographer of Scotia Speedworld and the Maritime Pro Stock Tour, has let me use many of his amazing shots on this website over the year and if it wasn’t for Mike, this thing would look pretty bland. I invite you over to www.mccarthyphotographic.com to take a look at and purchase a few of your favorite pictures. Michelle Roy of Speedway 660, Ken MacIsaac of Ken’s Racing Photos, Matt Jacques of Matt Jacques Photography and Lukas Lamrock also had photos on the site this season and I thank them for getting me out of jams if I got into them.

Our Florida trip in 2013 was one to remember, but it was one that couldn’t have been done alone. The trip down and the week in Davenport wouldn’t have happened for me without Mike Boudreau, Jack Tanner, Cy Harvey, Scott MacLean and their race teams. The combination gave me a place to work over the week to get you pictures, audio and updates from Auburndale Speedway. Tony Stevens was also a key part in that for finding me a 3G card to use. When the week was over and the team went home, I stuck back and went to New Smyrna and the Daytona 500 the next day with 2012 Scotia Speedworld Thunder champ Kyle MacMillan. Not sure how we can top 2013 in this year’s trip but you better believe we’re going to try! Can’t wait to get it going in February with Scott and Cory Hall along with the rest of the Chris Woods Racing and Repair team.

 It’s not a race event in the summer in Atlantic Canada if you do not venture out to at least one campfire throughout the season. I had the chance to venture out to a couple in 2013. When it came to Petty Raceway at the end of the season, I ended up with the #30 Mini Stock team and their post race celebrations following the final two events of the season in River Glade. Chantel, Nick and the crew also adopted me in November for the Scotia Speedworld banquet, which turned out to be one of the best Scotia banquets I can remember in a very long time. We had some great times in 2013 and I cannot wait to do it all again this coming year.

I also need to give huge thanks to the team for getting brakes on my car prior to Speedweekend in Geary in September. My poor Maxima sees about 40,000kms a season and while it is getting tired, the powerplant still has some miles left in her that she’ll see if we can work her past inspection. Also a tip of the cap to Kirk Mullane for putting a lower control arm on my car after the season. Without your help, I can’t get to the track, thanks again!

Like the #30 team, I also got invited to be a part of celebrations with some other race teams post-season as well. Lonnie Sommerville Racing and Carnahan Motorsports welcomed me into their shops at the end of the year for their post season get togethers and I couldn’t have been more honored that they would include me in those events. Also a thanks to Larry Sommerville and Tracy Foster who gave me a place to lay my head after the parties were over. Thanks again, I had a blast!

I got to take my first trip to Autodrome Chaudiere in August and if it wasn’t for Mike Boudreau and Frank Fraser, that would have never happened. It was neat to hear all the stories going up and back from Vallee-Jonction, something that I would do again in a heartbeat. Chaudiere is a racy, tight little track and I would suggest that if you have a free weekend and want to vacation about a half hour south of Quebec City, don’t think twice about taking the trip to Chaudiere.

It’s no secret I like food and I had my share of delicious creations over the past season, which I included in my By The Numbers Year in Review. Haven’t seen it yet? Take a look!

From the good, bad, ugly and everything in between – Mike McCarthy captured a lot of memorable moments in this 2013 campaign. (Photo by McCarthy Photographic)

2014 OUTLOOK

Where do we go from here?

Well, the audio was a bit behind this season when it came to Unplugged episodes and the goal is to produce and give you a podcast once every two weeks at minimum throughout the season in 2014 (late April to late October). Our goal is also to have all the Florida audio we cut this year up by mid-March, so we can get that wrapped up as a transition from the off-season to the new 2014 Maritime campaign.

Expect more local content in 2014 from teams and drivers. The most popular articles last year were team based stories – Greg Fahey’s move to Sportsman, Sarah McKay’s jump to Pro Stock, our Year in Review, etc., and we hope to carry that into 2014. Our Hot Laps Audio was popular as well with the three currently released featuring Craig Slaunwhite, Travis Roma and Emily Meehan. We have some more cut and ready for 2014, while we will be cutting more with New Brunswick drivers at the two upcoming banquets for Speedway 660 and Petty Raceway.

Some have asked for more technical pieces and we are also looking into that for this coming season. I’m not a car guy when it comes to changing parts or setup on a race car but we all know some guys and gals who are, so I may be ringing your phone or knocking on your door for info if we do get a couple of technical articles up in 2014.

I’m also going to work on getting some pages updated more efficiently. With content on the site being a “one man band,” it’s hard to do it all and sometimes a page or three will fall through the cracks to get updated. The TCM Atlantic Canadian Short Track Draft is another, which will come in January, I promise. If there’s a New Years Resolution for me for the site, trying to keep on top of everything may be it.

Other than that, it will be full steam ahead for 2014. As they say, if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. By the numbers we got in Year Two as compared to the first year it appears that something is being done right. Do you have an idea or three that could make this place better? Feel free to email me, I’m always looking for ideas.

Again, to the tens of thousands that visit this website – thank you, thank you, thank you. I couldn’t have done it without you and hope you can continue to be with me in 2014 and beyond!

4EVER IN OUR HEARTS

While 2013 may have been the most successful year for TCM in our short two year existence, it was also one of the worst after we lost not only a great supporter of the site but a great racer and even better friend in Mikey Stevens. Mikey was a fierce competitor on track, giving his all on every lap in search of that checkered flag while off the track he was the first willing to help if anyone needed a hand. More often than not in the past couple seasons, I would have car troubles in Moncton and Mikey was the first to check up on me to see what was wrong. I wrote a column for MaritimeProStockTour.com in the days following, spotlighting the man he was on the track and how kind he was off and away from the track. If you missed it on your treks around the internet this year, feel free to check it out here.

Mikey usually wasn’t one for interviews but he would let his driving do the talking. I miss those pre-race and dash chats with Mikey. (Photo by Scott Sinclair)

Just over a week after we lost Mikey, we lost Louis Boudreau. Louis and his wife Olive rarely missed a Parts for Trucks Pro Stock Tour race and Louis was also a familiar face on Friday night’s at Scotia Speedworld. I make it a part of my routine on a Pro Stock race day to make my way over to where Louis, Olive, Bob, Shirley, Roger and Cathy are sitting to talk about the race and general chit chat during Time Trials or during the support classes. We lost Olive in September, around the same time we lost Charlie Thompson. Chaz was an official at Scotia Speedworld and on the Tour, including a role as the Bandolero Director at Scotia Speedworld. We had lots of great times on the road, including the trip to North Carolina for the $100,000 to win “The Race” at North Wilkesboro a couple years back.

We miss you guys!

Until 2014, keep the hammer down and we’ll see you at the track!