NEWS PHOTO BRENDAN MILLER
Cars on the track during the season opening races at Medicine Hat Speedway Saturday. This year the not-for-profit is celebrating its 40th anniversary.
bmiller@medicinehatnews.com
The sound of horsepower roared Saturday night as the Medicine Hat Speedway celebrated its 40th season on the track with races in five categories, featuring mini-cup cars to elite street stock racers.
Dark clouds overhead slightly dampened anniversary celebrations as the “racing club” was hoping to have more cars in the event. As well the club had to deflate a bouncy castle for kids due to high winds.
“We thought we were going to get rained out,” said club president Curtis Bigelow. “This was supposed to be a big, big deal today.”
More than two dozen races still competed in the heats and the club was still able to celebrate its anniversary with face painting for the kids and a cake.
Despite the cloudy skies, the real thunder was heard on the track, as racers as young as eight years old competed in races featuring scaled-down NASCARs, hobby, stocks and trucks.
Bigelow says the largest adrenaline rush comes from racing in the Davis GMC elite streets heat.
“The street stocks are the loudest ones out here,” said Bigelow, who placed third in the heat. “We’re running racing tires and these are loud and they’re fast.
“If you get behind the wheel of one of these cars, you’re going to like it, you’re going to want to have one.”
The Speedway is gearing up for a busy 40th season with several events planned, including the S&E Automotive Metal Mayhem demolition derby on June 15 and the Minuteman Press Street Stocks & Hobby Stocks Invitational on August 10.
Bigelow says the Speedway wouldn’t be able to continue hosting racing events without the continued support from people in community who are dedicated to keeping the race track alive.
“We could never keep this going without the volunteers and the sponsors and the community support that we get.”
Main Event Winners
Standard Jeep Ram, Hobby, Stocks
1st place – Jonathan Rissling (#16)
2nd place – Shane Goldie (#21)
3rd place – Jesse Voeller (#2)
Davis GMC elite streets
1st place – Trevor Neigum (#41)
2nd place – Les Neigum (#4)
3rd place – Curtis Bigelow (#47)
Just Smok’n V6
1st place – Feenix Fitzpatrick (#79)
2nd place – David Kerr (#61)
3rd place- Marcus Hieb (#7)
Relay/SJ trucking baby grand
1st place – Dale Edwards (#10)
2nd place- Brian Statham (#44)
3rd place – Mike Green (#8)
Overall Day Point Winners
Standard Jeep Ram, Hobby, Stocks
1st place – Shane Goldie (#21)
2nd place – Jonathan Rissling (#16)
3rd place – Geoff Shoesmith (#17)
Davis GMC elite streets
1st place – Trevor Neigum (#41)
2nd place – Les Neigum (#4)
3rd place – Curtis Bigelow (#47)
Just Smok’n V6
1st place – David Kerr (#61)
2nd place – Feenix Fitzpatrick (#79)
3rd place- Marcus Hieb (#7)
Relay/SJ trucking baby grand
1st place – Dale Edwards (#10)
2nd place- Brian Statham (#44)
3rd place – Ross Statham (#14)
Minicup Cars
1st place – Berlyn McKay (#88)
2nd place – Rhett Pearce (#71)
3rd place – Ryan Statham (#14)
