Hieb captures inaugural rumblebees title at Medicine Hat Speedway

Racing in his first season at the Medicine Hat Speedway, Hieb was able to best 10 other drivers to end his season as the best rumblebee racer in the city.

“I got into the season strictly just for fun to go out and have fun,” said Hieb. “After the first four or five races I was in contention for the championship and it’s like it turned on a dime. All of the sudden the nerves were flowing and it’s pretty dramatic out there.”

Hieb entered Saturday’s final heat tied in points with 15-year-old Emma Fitzpatrick, whom he had been jockeying with for most of the season for the divisional lead.

Fitzpatrick held the lead for much of the early part of the race, however she was involved in a crash that saw her vehicle hit multiple times and knocked her to the back of the pack.

She was able to challenge Hieb entering the final lap for second place, however the elder Hieb was able to hold her off to win the overall championship by a mere two points.

Hieb said it was disheartening to see Fitzpatrick’s season end in that way and added he learned a lot from her in his first year behind the wheel.

“She’s a fantastic driver and you can tell on the track,” he said. “I was just trying to not so much be like her, but race like her. You know clean, try to pass the guys, don’t go through them, go around them. So, she’s a class act up and down and she gets a lot of that from her dad and her grandpa too.”

Levi Sergeant meanwhile saved his best race of the season for last, winning Saturday’s final heat to take his first checkered flag of the summer.

Ready to get back in his rumblebees car next season, Hieb said he’s excited to try to go back-to-back in 2020.

“I just feel so proud that I was able to accomplish what we’ve done this year,” he said. “The first year of racing, I’m a pretty stone-cold rookie at this. So, to come out number one out of all these people, it’s really great.”

James Dumont raced to yet another weekend championship in the hobby stock division on Saturday and won the overall championship by 40 points over Trevor Stratton.

Elite street stocks supremacy went to Ross Statham, who was victorious Saturday over Mitch Stovka and Thomas Payne to also take his summer title by 40 points.

Jason Woicichowski was the fastest driver in the renegade trucks and almost caught Curtis Bigelow in the points race, however Bigelow’s third place finish on Saturday was enough to give him the overall championship.

A second place finish on the podium for Faith Luther was enough for her to secure the summer baby grands title, while Sarah-Jo Paquette earned her first weekend win of her season on Saturday.

As for the evolution cup cars, Rylan Malone’s championship season was capped off with another weekend crown to win his division by 43 points over Ethan Skolarchuk.

The Speedway officially wraps up the season on Saturday with their street and hobby stock invitational races.

by Scott Roblin

Hieb captures inaugural rumblebees title at Medicine Hat Speedway

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