By Scott Roblin

Drivers salute spectators on Fan Appreciation Weekend at Speedway

Jul 16, 2018 | 6:25 PM

MEDICINE HAT, AB – A weekend to celebrate the backbone of the local racing community was held at the Medicine Hat Speedway, with the club’s annual Fan Appreciation Weekend.

For the first time this season, spectators were treated to two consecutive days of racing with a number of classes hitting the track.

It was also the season debut for a pair of classes, as the Evolution Mini-Cup and Baby Grand classes hit the track for competitive heats for the first time.

In Saturday’s Mini-Cup final, 12-year-old Douglas Voisey held off the pack to go wire-to-wire to earn his first ever victory at the Medicine Hat track.

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He said it’s a victory that his entire team shares, as it’s been a long time coming after three years of competition.

“My family has been helping me, my friends have been helping me, everyone is cheering me on,” said Voisey. “And then with how the car is set up, all that stuff adds to a first place. Hard work pays off, that’s the moral.”

Noah Banman ended up taking Sunday’s checkered flag in the Mini-Cup division, while Dale Edwards was a winner on both days in the Baby Grands races.

A heated final race on Saturday in the Elite Street Stocks division, as a pile up forced a lengthy delay before Mitch Stovka ended up crossing the finish line in first.

Winning three races so far this season, Stovka said he was able to keep his beat up vehicle driving despite being sandwiched in the earlier crash.

“I knew I had to keep it tight so I wouldn’t spin it sideways,” said Stovka. “There’s pretty good vibration in the steering now from being bent. But, it ran pretty good still so we were pretty good.”

Stovka had to settle for second place on Sunday however, as Wil Voth grabbed gold on the final day of the weekend in Elite Street Stocks.

Two different winners in the IMCA Modified division, with Chad Malone and Jesse Fitzpatrick each taking home checkered flags.

Stovka said they wanted to put on a show for their fans who religiously attend races throughout the summer months.

“The fans are why we come out here and race,” said Stovka. “Without the fans, it’s pretty boring just racing around the track by yourself. So, it just shows some appreciation from us that we appreciate them coming out, supporting us, and watching us.”

Drivers return to the Medicine Hat Speedway over the weekend of August 11 with the annual Darryl Adams Memorial Weekend, featuring races in the Baby Grands, Mini-Cup, Elite Street Stock, and Hobby Stock classes.