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Luskville Season Finale Report
Arnie Malcolm - September 5, 2007
HARLING & PAYNE DOUBLE UP, JESSUP AND SILIKER TAKE $5000. EACH
 With the Weather Man cooperating in fine fashion, Luskville Dragway staged its final race in the 2007 season, the second last event in the Benson Auto Parts Show Me the Money Tour. Yes other than little freak rain fall Friday afternoon things went off with out a hitch in what was with out question one of the nicest races and weekends in the tracks history. For some drivers the weekend was a whole lot sweeter also as a lot of money went home in many directions making many drivers very happy. Things kicked off Friday afternoon with the traditional evening gamblers race, this can some times give you an indication of who is hot and who is not, and there was a small sign on Friday night who might just be one driver to look out for. Rodney House of Southern Ontario was the ultimate winner, but more for warning was the fact that Gord Harling of Sudbury, Ontario was the runner up and Glen Tandy of Toronto was the lone semi finalist. Harling would go on to Saturday where he would take his Semi Pro Coupe to the winners circle over Jim Hewitt and the Hewitt Bros race team, John Sullivan of North Bay was the lone semifinalist. Heading into Sunday no one would have expected what was about to happen and certainly not that Harling would be a repeat winner something that is usually un statistically unheard of. And then when Gord busted the rear end in his race car on what looked like his last qualifying effort everyone breathed a sigh of relief, but not for long. You see Gord's son Bill was also in competition and he quickly knowing that Dad must make a qualifying run in the car he begins eliminations in put his ride back in the lanes which where still be run and had his father quickly suit up and make a qualifying effort in the Grand Am. That being done the stage was set for Gord to now begin eliminations, however in a car that he had only made one run in all weekend, that didn't seem to make much difference though as he waded his way through the field to meet Pat Kohl in the finals. In the finals the better light like it does so many times was the difference in the race as Harling made it two days two wins and two $2000. pay days. Roger Leclair and Jessica Tandy where the semifinalist in what was a great Semi Pro Field of 50 or more cars. Kenyon Payne and his Jr. Dragster was doing something very similar also as he two made it a two for two weekend taking both Saturdays Jr. Dragster race over Jacob Wilson and Sundays event over Kyle Reynolds.
 In The Super Pro Action things where quite a bit different as the money here was spread around pretty well with Kyle Jessup winning the Saturday's race and Tillisonburg, Ontario's Dave Siliker taking the Sunday's race in a car that he too had not ever before driven. First though lets talk about Saturdays race which began first round at 4:00 pm in order to run right into the night and finish the show under the lights, so her the drivers had to make some major adjustments as the day progressed. Kyle Jessup seemed to do that just well as he waded through a strong field of cars to meet Jamie Tupper and his similar rear engine dragster in the finals for the $5000. Again reaction time was the major factor as Jessup slammed the tree giving him the win light and the victory, Belleville Ontario's Bob Gauley was the lone semi finalists. So now things shifted to Sunday and once again a driver with a broken car "Dave Siliker" but again another driver comes forward and offers his ride to a fellow racer, Jamie Tupper the runner up from Saturday lets Siliker do a double up with his Race Tech Dragster allowing Dave a chance at the money, and Siliker did not let them down as he waded through a even larger field than Saturday to meet veteran racer Charlie Kenopic in the Finals. Once again the emphasis of how important the reaction time is in any drag race played its eye as Dave whacked the tree giving him plenty of room to take the stripe and the win light over Kenopic and his gorgeous Brogie Street Roadster (cover shot). Derek Malcolm who was a non player in Saturdays show made a statement that he was not out of the running for the Championship in the series by making his way to the Semi's with a live run moving to with in 3 rounds of points leader Kevin Morrow.
So things are not set for the final race in the Benson Auto Parts Show Me the Money Tour with all class championships still up for grabs as the series shifts to Shannonville Motorsports Park Dragway Sept 15-16 just outside Belleville Ontario, BE THERE.
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