|
 Rough & Rainy Start for PMRA
Bruce Biegler - May 10, 2008
Unfortunately, the highly anticipated 2008 season opening event for the Eastern Canadian-based PMRA fizzled last weekend after Mother Nature would not offer her co-operation. After completing two of three scheduled rounds of qualifying on Saturday evening at Toronto Motorsports Park, PMRA event organizer Bruce Mehlenbacher was forced to pull the plug about noon on Sunday after rainstorms and a gloomy forecast forced his hand.
The event did have the makings for a strong show with a good field and mix of Pro Modified talents on hand for the Victoria Day 1/8 mile feature race.
 Carl “Big Dog” Spiering, from nearby Jordan Station Ontario, had set the early pace in qualifying driving his formidable new Eaton Cutler Hammer sponsored ’63 Corvette. Making only his 2nd competitive event appearance of the season so far, Spiering sped to the two quickest times overall, stopping the 1/8th mile timers with back-to-back consecutive runs of 3.99 and 3.97 secs to earn the provision pole.
 The abbreviated event did include some serious and rather excessive excitement. 2nd year Pro Mod class driver Scott Wildgust, who was piloting the ’67 Pro Mod Camaro which Carl Spiering raced last season, was involved in a very nasty incident. Driving the
the now Torco Race Fuels /Wild Boar Gear-sponsored Chevy Camaro, which is owned by Kirk Silbermann, Wildgust had just completed a run of 4.12 secs when his car darted hard into the left hand guard wall before the crossing over and collecting the right wall at high speed. Wildgust was cut from the car and taken to Hamilton General Hospital for observation but otherwise did not receive any major injuries. Silbermann’s Chevy Camaro was however effectively destroyed in the crash. The incident had come after Wildgust had made a spectacular “save” during his first qualifying round attempt and it cancelled the remainder of scheduled qualifying in Pro Mod.
 A rescheduled date for the event is now under negotiation and will be announced later this week.
DragRaceCanada’s event photo gallery can be viewed: Here
(Photos by: Bruce Biegler and Rob Potter)
| 
