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Action Front Street Stocks - Canada

Eddy Wong, the winner of round 5 at Mosport on the
10th of Aug. Martin Gray 2nd, Dave Diedrick 3rd.

The Action Front Challenge Series– Think Nissan – Think FUN

When you don’t have horsepower to spare, Momentum Rules! How else would you get a Nissan Sentra around as wide open a track as Mosport? The word you hear the most around the Sentra paddock isn’t horsepower, it isn’t torque – its momentum. Once up to speed, you want to keep the car there, whatever it takes.

Nissan is proud of the Sentra’s motorsports heritage, marketing it as “a car with a pulse”. The company has drawn on its racing heritage to provide the Sentra with an efficient and potent light-weight power-plant, a low-friction drive-train as well as a sturdy stock suspension. This is one reason that Action Front Challenge co-founder Dave Diedrick (#203) selected the Sentra for this single-marque series. Only a small number of minor modifications – such as stickier tires, Lowering Springs, addition of a roll cage and Exhaust/Intake system – were required to prepare this car for the track. However, no unauthorised modifications are allowed so these cars are for all intents and purposes identical. Therein lies the challenge. Since no driver can lay claim to any mechanical advantage, it all comes down to the driver and his or her skills… and sometimes a touch of luck.

The Action Front Challenge is flat out, nose-to-tail racing all the way around the track. There is no room for mistakes. From the exciting standing start to the finish, it is breathtaking to see a train of twenty or so cars snaking through the corners, flying in formation as if attached at the bumper; not one driver daring to lift for fear of being left behind. With such evenly-matched cars, you are likely to see ‘bump drafting’, a technique borrowed from NASCAR that can shave as much as a second off a lap at this track. The lead car punches a hole in the air, which flows over and around the car, leaving a small vacuum. When this space is occupied by a second car, so close that the two are touching, it changes the aerodynamics to such a degree that both cars as a unit may achieve higher speeds than one car alone can manage. Done right, it can result in a huge advantage for the cars involved. Done wrong, it could mean huge repairs next week.

There are several identifiable teams in this year’s lineup. You’ll see Mazdee’s (Blue Cars), Action Front Data Recovery (Yellow/Purple) and Team Scream (Green Cars), if they are running together in the pack, chances are they are drafting.

Being a drivers’ showcase, the Action Front Challenge has attracted some of the best drivers as well as some young talent.

The drivers have different backgrounds, experience and expectations. Some like Ryan Kelly (#206), Jeff Holmes (#212) and Jody Trudeau (#221) come from go-karting, looking for a possible future in professional car racing. Terry Mueller (#220), Ed Wong (#201) and Perry Iannuzzi (#222) came from Solo and track lapping. Others like Dave Diedrick (#203) and Ian Phillips (#202) bring a wealth of experience from many years racing in various series. Some are youngsters with a career in mind. Others are established businessmen, making a dream come true.

Eighteen year-old newcomer Jeff Holmes (#212) would share that feeling. After an intense battle with Ianuzzi, in what was Holmes’ first race, he said “Wow, that was great racing, good clean fun!” Holmes hopes that the Action Front Challenge may be a springboard to a possible career in motorsport. He knows that although there may be some unavoidable bumping and grinding out there, the aim is for clean and safe racing. He expects to learn a lot from this series.

To learn more about us, please visit our website at www.osscc.com. See schedules, photos, race reports and even strike up a conversation with some of the drivers – all brought to you by the talents of Andy Bradley at www.istore4u.com.

2003 SCHEDULE
DATE EVENT LOCATION WINNER
MAY 10-11 BEMC Spring Trophy Races MIR N/A
MAY 16-17 Victoria Day Pro Trans-Am Weekend MIR I.Phillips
MAY 30- JUN 1 CRDA Shootout SMP M.Gray
JUN 14-15 Cascar Super Series Weekend MIR I.Phillips
AUG 9-10 BARC Ontario Grand Prix MIR
AUG 15-17 American Lemans Series Event MIR
SEPT 13-14 BEMC Indian Summer Event MIR
SEPT 27-18 CASC/PMS Celebration of Mosport MIR

MIR= MOSPORT INTERNATIONAL RACEWAY
SMP= SHANNONVILLE MOTORSPORT PARK

AFFSS Provisional Entry List
Car No. Driver Sponsor
200 Team Mazdees Rental Alta Nissan/Team Mazdees
201 Eddy Wong Brutto Consulting/Team Mazdees
202 Ian Phillips Routes Car Rentals/Team Mazdees
203 Dave Diedrick Cockpit Stores
204 Jeff Pacey Kitchenomics
206 Ryan Kelly KelCoatings
207 Deborah Mendonca Nizztex
209 Daniel Courtney
210 Paul Taylor
211 Martin Gray
212 Jeff Holmes Bert N Ernie Rest.
213 Hans Wolter Team Scream
215 Nick Majors Action Front Data Recovery.
217 Rick McMullen
218 Jay Fieger Team Scream
219 Gino Vendittelli Martindale Rentals
220 Terry Mueller
221 Jody Trudeau
222 Perry Iannuzzi Mad Macs Graphics

More Images From Action Front Street Stock Challenge Series Racing

The Action Front Challenge – Think Nissan – Think FUN
By Candace Calder

When you don’t have horsepower to spare, Momentum Rules! How else would you get a Nissan Sentra around as wide open a track as Mosport? The word you hear the most around the Sentra paddock isn’t horsepower, it isn’t torque – it’s momentum. Once up to speed, you want to keep the car there, whatever it takes.

You might be saying these Sentras don’t look much like race cars. It’s true – their elegant sedan styling might mislead you into thinking it would not make for exciting racing. But after one or two laps, you are likely to change your mind. This is real grass roots racing at its best.

Nissan is proud of the Sentra’s motorsports heritage, marketing it as “a car with a pulse”. The company has drawn on its racing heritage to provide the Sentra with an efficient and potent light-weight power-plant, a low-friction drive-train as well as a sturdy stock suspension. This is one reason that Action Front Challenge co-founder Dave Diedrick (#203) selected the Sentra for this single-marque series. Only a small number of minor modifications – such as stickier tires, racing brake pads, addition of a rollcage – were required to prepare this car for the track. However, no unauthorised modifications are allowed so these cars are for all intents and purposes identical. Therein lies the challenge. Since no driver can lay claim to any mechanical advantage, it all comes down to the driver and his or her skills… and sometimes a touch of luck.

The Action Front Challenge is flat out, nose-to-tail racing all the way around the track. There is no room for mistakes. Series veteran Ed Wong (#201) describes it as “You sneeze and you’ve lost three positions.” Without huge mechanical differences, lost ground is difficult to make up, so drivers are constantly watching for the slightest errors in the cars in front of them, while carefully avoiding mistakes themselves.

Wong says: “Perhaps 126 horsepower isn’t enough for some people. But with two cars in front of you, a car on either side of you, and who knows how many more behind you, charging up the back straight at 180 feels more like 280. It’s really about being on the edge.”

It is breathtaking to see a train of twenty or so cars snaking through the corners, flying in formation as if attached at the bumper; not one driver daring to lift for fear of being left behind. Nick Majors (#215) says that “when you’re sailing through a corner with a fraction of an inch between you and the cars around you, you are making a hundred judgments a minute, as are all the other racers. So you really have to trust in the ability of the driver beside you, as well as your own.” The upside of this ‘close-quarter’ racing is that you are in a position to take advantage of any mistake a racer ahead of you may make. The downside is that you are close enough to risk being taken out too.

With such evenly-matched cars, you are likely to see ‘bump drafting’, a technique borrowed from Nascar that can shave as much as a second off a lap at this track. The lead car punches a hole in the air, which flows over and around the car, leaving a small vacuum. When this space is occupied by a second car, so close that the two are touching, it changes the aerodynamics to such a degree that both cars as a unit may achieve higher speeds than one car alone can manage. Done right, it can result in a huge advantage for the cars involved. Done wrong, it could mean huge repairs next week.

There are several identifiable teams in this year’s lineup. You’ll see Mazdee’s, Action Front Data Recovery and Team Scream and if they are running together in the pack, chances are they are drafting. You may see ‘unrelated’ cars form an impromptu team, working together for a few laps, trying for some slight advantage over the rest of the pack. However, look out for the last few laps when it’s every driver for him or herself.

Now, if that isn’t enough in itself to make for exciting racing, the organisers have added one more wrinkle: Based on their qualifying results, the top six positions on the grid are inverted, fuelling a spirited dash from the drop of the starter’s flag.

Being a drivers’ showcase, the Action Front Challenge has attracted some of the best drivers as well as some of the newest. Nick Majors (# 215), founder and president of series sponsor Action Front Data Recovery Labs, got tired of spending large sums of money on his vehicles to go faster, only to find that he himself wasn’t moving up the learning curve. The equality of the cars gives Nick the perfect platform to gauge his progress. “Building a winning car doesn’t give you the same level of satisfaction as putting together a winning drive.” He explains: “There are no excuses, no alibis. I’m racing against some of the best amateur racers in Canada as well as novices and weekend warriors. This series gives you a great benchmark.”

The low maintenance required by the almost stock Sentra is a major attraction to most of the drivers. Perry Ianuzzi (#222) explained that most race series consist of 90% wrenching and 10% racing. He would much rather “concentrate on his driving ability, not worrying about whether parts were about to fall off”. Ed Wong would rather be able to bench race with clients and friends between his races. It was important to him not to have to sacrifice family, career or budget in order to go racing. Hot off his first race win two weeks ago, Ed is still pumped. “Few things in life can make you feel this good,” he says. “When you start racing at 40, you don’t expect this level of success. For me, it’s just about going out and having fun.”

The drivers have different backgrounds, experience and expectations. Some like Ryan Kelly (#206), Jeff Holmes (#212) and Jody Trudeau (#221) come from go-karting, looking for a possible future in professional car racing. Terry Mueller (#220), Ed Wong (#201) and Perry Iannuzzi (#222) came from Solo and track lapping. Others like Dave Diedrick (#203) and Ian Phillips (#202) bring a wealth of experience from many years in racing. Some are youngsters with a career in mind. Others are established businessmen, making a dream come true.

A high level of professionalism is demanded of these drivers by the strict regulations as well as the community spirit of the series. Ianuzzi is proud to say that “We are all amateurs in the series, but everyone that I’m racing against is a true professional.”

Eighteen year-old newcomer Jeff Holmes (#212) would share that feeling. After an intense battle with Ianuzzi, in what was Holmes’ first race, he said “Wow, that was great racing, good clean fun!” Holmes hopes that the Action Front Challenge may be a springboard to a possible career in motorsport. He knows that although there may be some unavoidable bumping and grinding out there, the aim is for clean and safe racing. He expects to learn a lot from this series.

To learn more about us, please visit our website at www.osscc.com. See schedules, photos, race reports and even strike up a conversation with some of the drivers – all brought to you by the talents of Andy Bradley at www.istore4u.com.

Race One Report - May 10 -11 BEMC Spring Trophy Races

May. 10th 2003 Qualifying (Sunny/Dry) Mosport International Raceway
Qualifying for the first race of 2003 at Mosport International Raceway provided some new names in the top of the grid. Mike Boekdrukker in a class of his own, put the ex Tony McGrath Sentra on pole, with a time of 1:45.857. Dan Courtney followed in, almost a second slower at 1:46.596. Series veterans Eddy Wong, Martin Gray, Ian Phillips and Dave Diedrick Followed in order all in the 1:46’s. American newcomer Zacery Mazzotta surprised all with a 7th place grid position in the Jeff Pacey Racing Sentra, considering his lack of seat time in these cars. Mazzotta comes into the series with impressive credentials in such notable race series as the Indy Lights and Speed Vision Touring Car Series. Paul Taylor with a fine run and Deborah Mendonca filled in the number eight and nine spots.

May. 10th 2003 Race 1 (Sunny/Dry)
Mike Boekdrukker opened a sizeable gap from lap one, over team Mazdees Teammates Eddy Wong and
Ian Phillips, who were no more than 3 inches apart the whole race. Boekdrukker held on for five and a half second victory over Eddy Wong and Ian Phillips. Martin Gray who hounded the Team Mazdees drivers all race finished 4th. A very impressive run from second year driver 19 year old Ryan Kelly followed by an equally impressive drive through the field from Zacery Mazzotta. 2002 series champion and team Mazdees owner Dave Diedrick struggled with handling problems to a 7th place finish. Deborah Mendonca put up the 3rd. fastest race time in route to her 8th place, Dan Courtney after some on track contact slipped to 9th. Hans Walter rounded out the top ten with the very loud looking “Team Scream” Sentra.

May. 11th 2003 Race 2 (Rain/Fog)
Because of an on track ten second penalty, Martin Gray was moved from his 4th place race 1 position to 10th place. This moved Dave Diedrick up to 6th in the race 1 results, which worked as a bonus for him as the top six positions from race 1 are inverted for race 2. The top six start positions for race two were, Diedrick, Mazzotta, Kelly, Phillips, Wong and Boedrukker. With heavy rain for the race start, Diedrick rocketed off to a turn one lead followed by Kelly, Mazzotta, Wong, Boedrukker and Phillips who was slow off the standing start. The most exciting corner in racing to watch the start of a race did not disappoint. Ryan Kelly got it side ways in corner 2 and a helpless Mazzotta with nowhere to go made contact with Kelly. Eddy Wong trying to avoid them spun 360 degrees and continued on only loosing three positions. Numerous drivers slipped off track during this incident. Positions after lap one were Diedrick , Phillips, Boedrukker, Iannuzzi (from 15th place to 4th in one lap), Mendonca and Wong. Team Mazdees drivers Diedrick and Phillips pulled out a bit of a lead but behind Wong was putting together a courageous charge after his spin moving up to 3rd. within three laps. The team Mazdees drivers swept the top three positions with Boedrukker 4th. And a very quick and impressive Iannuzzi 5th. Iannuzzi and Wong both deserve the hard charger award for their performances in these very demanding conditions. Steady smooth driving garnered Mendonca and Walter 6th and 7th place. Gray and Courtney rounded out the top ten. First year drivers Jay Fieger and Ontario 2002 GT Champ. Jody Trudeau showed good form for 11th and 12th respectively. At the time of this posting these results remain unofficial pending post race tech. Keep checking the web site added updates and in car coverage of “Fast Eddy Wong’s” spin in corner two.

2002 CASC-OR Annual Awards Banquet

Winding down for another Regional Racing Season, the CASC-OR held its' Annual Awards Banquet at the Sheraton Parkway North on November 9, to honor all those who had worked tirelessly and enthusiastically throughout the entire season. But the day did not begin with Cocktails & fancy dresses, oh no, the day began with the Annual General Meeting and then the Driver's Meeting in the afternoon; just to warm everyone up for the evenings' festivities.

Being the 3rd largest Club out of 25 affiliated, we had a substantial amount of voting power. Unfortunately there was only 1 position (Treasurer) which required a vote this year. All other positions were uncontested. Here is your 2003 CASC-OR Board of Directors as of November 26: *Newly Elected

Many discussions took place during the Directors' Reports, but the most prevalent was an affiliation with the Rally Sport Ontario Club. A large number of members within different Clubs have an interest in Rally, and through their Club they affiliate together and split the CASC-OR affiliation fee down the middle. There will be much more discussion about how many members actually participate in Rally, and the continuing affiliation with them.

The other most pressing and interesting discussion was regarding a new series. Since the demise of Ontario Challenge Cup & Canada GT Challenge Cup at the end of the 2002 Season, several enthusiastic Club members got together to form a new series to keep the interest of the people who have lost out by the unfortunate end of these two series'. The CASC Touring Car Championship introduced its' preliminary Rules & Regs at the meetings and held an open discussion to find out what drivers thought about it. It will be comprised of 3 classes; Touring - 4 cylinder & low HP 6 cylinder cars, Grand Touring - 6 cylinder & mild 8 cylinder cars, & Super Grand Touring - really fast guys who want to run on slicks. The T & GT classes will run on DOT approved non-R-rated shaved tires. The people involved have approached several tire companies for sponsorship or contingency programs, and are still in the discussion process for a comparable tire for all competitors. They are also hoping to secure the 3 pro races at Mosport, to run as a semi-professional series and to entice new drivers, Solo guys, and lapping day drivers to become involved in Regional racing. Stay tuned for more information about this series. Have a look at the rules at www.mco.org/download/roadracing/2003CASC_touringcar.pdf and tell all of your friends.

This discussion about tires, classes, & events was the main focus of the Drivers' Meeting as well. Other matters discussed were the Working Committee's findings regarding the future of CASC-OR & the Office (after a year's hard work), centralized registration, a possibility of new transponders for the weekends, and standardizing the weekend schedule. Thankfully the 2003 Racing scheduled dates will be as plentiful as it was this year. After many hours of spirited reparte, everyone seemed enthusiastic about the upcoming season and left to get ready to party!

The 225 + people were dressed to the "Nine's" and everyone seemed glad to be part of the festivities. A packed room with beautiful people and shining trophies is always a joy to see. Tom Hnatiw was our MC as usual, and did not seem to be as long-winded as last year. As the evening progressed and all the winners received their trophies, the guest of honor and recipient for the 2nd year in a row was announced. RON FELLOWS, winner of the North American Cup for best overall driver & his contribution to Canadian Sport, Racing, Competitors and overall nice guy. He was unfortunately (for us) in Florida testing for the upcoming endurance car season, and was unable to attend. He did send his sincere thanks, and regrets that he could not attend. Last year he was very eloquent in his thanks and praise for Canadian drivers in all facets of the Sport. A very kind and generous man, well deserving of this award. Thanks to Ron!

And then the fun for the evening, the ActionFront Street Stock Challenge Series Awards.
It began with an introduction from Laurence Polley, administrator of the Series, then a video presentation of the action packed, close racing that excites the crowds every weekend. The winners were; in 3rd place - Tony McGrath, in 2nd place - Ian Phillips, and the Winner was Dave Diedrick. Ryan Kelly also received the Rookie of the Year Award, and a Special Presentation to Nick Majors of ActionFront Data Recovery Labs as the Major Series Sponsor was given for all of his help, efforts and generous contribution in the first full season of the Series. On a special note, Perry Iannuzzi #222, who ran in the Series, GT, Solo I and is a Board member, received the Driver Development Fund award for $10,000 for his efforts in all facets of Racing.

There were many other special awards given out, too many to list, but will be available on the CASC-OR website soon enough. All recipients were very deserving and thankful.

Now for the bad news - we didn't win the Club Newsletter Award!
And this is very disturbing, both personally and professionally (as a writer).
I have contacted the CASC and am going to personally see that the correct people get every issue of our newsletter, and any other information they require. We must regain our prize, we must win next year!
On that note, I hope that both the Executive and all involved on a more personal level will see that as many people submit articles, quotes, funny stories, pictures, etc. starting this issue as is humanly possible. We need to band together as the OZC Club of strength that we are and put together the best newsletter in Ontario for 2003!

See you next year!
Melanie Irwin

AFSSC WRAPS UP FOR 2002
Melanie Irwin - Administrator/Promotions Coordinator

As the 2002 Ontario Regional Racing Season comes to an end, the AFSSC Drivers were excited to put on one last "show" for the spectators. Mosport, September 28, 29 was the venue and Celebration Weekend was the title. In years past, this weekend was held in Mont. Tremblant, for all of Canada as a National "Runoffs", and dubbed "Turkey Weekend" as it always fell on Thanksgiving weekend. Well, the "Turkey Weekend" still sticks, and CASC/PANOS offers a Saturday evening feast but the ski hills are far behind us.

There were however, a great variety of car classes this weekend. Along with the usual suspects of Open Wheel and GT cars, the CGTCC, Vintage, and Grand Am cars were present as well, making for a very exciting and action packed weekend of racing.

Both days were fabulous for weather, sunny but cool, a little overcast at times, but the rain held off and t-shirts were required, not winter coats and boots. The mood however, was a little on the dark side. After the September 15th tragic death of fellow GT driver, Julio Haig, drivers and crew were still pensive about the track and racing this weekend.

With only one absent competitor, the full field took to the track on Saturday morning for a 22-minute session. The green #213 of Hans Wolter took the Pole for the Saturday afternoon race and the margin between 1st and 14th positions was only 4.021 seconds. As the 22 minute Heat Race got under way, it was nose to tail for the entire field for most of the race as "Fast" Eddy Wong was certainly living up to his name and having a blast. The crowds were on their feet cheering as they rounded corner 10 each lap and they were bumper to bumper, just trying to get that nose ahead. But as in true Sentra fashion, nothing remains the same for long, the checkered flag was thrown and the winner was Ryan Kelly #206, followed very closely by Ian Phillips #202, Tony McGrath #214, Kevin O'Hara #205 & Dave Diedrick #203 rounding out the top 5.

There was, however some damage in this race. Hans Wolter who started out on the Pole position, ended up into the wall at corner 9. He spun, hit his right rear corner, and spun into the wall further down head on. We thought for sure that Hans was done for the weekend. He wasn't. What happened next was truly incredible and makes regional racing all worth while.

The competitors all came over to Hans, starting with Jeff Pacey, "what can I do to help?". "You could find me a really BIG crow bar", said Hans, and he did. As Jeff was out searching for heavy equipment to pull out the front end, the other competitors started coming over one by one, with tools, very big, heavy tools, to help out, and get Hans out for Sunday's race.

An incredible effort of the entire AFSSC Series was pulled off, and only 2 hours later Hans was pulled out, taped up, and driving around the paddock as if nothing happened. This effort was the most selfless display of camaraderie I have ever seen, and it was a joy to be part of it.

Sunday rolled around and everyone was ready to go. After a good nights sleep the AFSSC Series was ready to take the track for the Feature Race. We were only delayed for 10 minutes or so. The competitors all took the track, stopped, and got out of their cars. All other competitors, crew, family and friends gathered at pit wall as Glenn, the Mosport announcer read a beautiful and touching speech in memory of Julio Haig. There was not a dry eye on the track as they got back into their cars, ready for action.

A very exciting 15 lap race with Perry Iannuzzi #222, Dave Diedrick #203 & Kevin O'Hara #205 leading the pack for the standing start. Perry did his best to hold off the pack and they all came charging at him through the first corner. The train stayed together through the first half of the race then began to separate into 2 groups. A great race from start to finish as they came across the finish line for the last time this season.

This was certainly a fast paced and exciting season all around. The competitors learned from each other, some new friendships were formed, and we look forward to seeing everyone back next year as we already have 1 new competitor with his car on order.

Thanks to all of the competitors and crews for making the 2002 Regional Racing Season a successful one and we look forward to a competitive & exciting 2003 Season.

A Special Thanks to all of the Sponsors and Supporters of our Series for this Season:
ActionFront Data Recovery Labs & Nick Majors
Nissan Canada
Toyo Tires
Motul Lubricants
Istore4U.com for the website - www.osscc.com
O'Brien Motorsports
E&R Sign Shop
Alta Nissan
Mazdee's Performance

See you at the Track in 2003!

ONTARIO STREET STOCK CHALLENGE SERIES CLAIMS MAJOR SPONSOR

Series Sponser Nick majors

Ontario Regional Racing at its' best. The OSSCS is proud to announce the major sponsor for the 2002 Season - Action Front Data Recovery Labs. Its' owner and computer genius, Nick Majors is not only a drag car & Solo Competitor, but he now has joined in the fun with a Nissan SentraXE. Nick is certainly no rookie to the racing scene, and whether he is in 1st or last place he claims, "I'm just here to have a great time." This IS evident of Nick, for every time he emerges from his black #215 beast, he has got a grin on his face from ear to ear.

The AFSSC Series is a street stock spec series, running CASC Ontario Regional Racing Events from April until October at Mosport & Shannonville. This Series features the newly designed 2001 & 2002 Nissan Sentra XE with a 126hp, 1.6litre, DOHC engine with a polished micro-finished camshaft and a sealed engine. Eibach Race springs and Hawk Performance Brake Pads complement the stock brakes and shocks. The Toyo RA1 Competition Tires match perfectly with the BSA 15" rims. The JSP rear spoiler ads downforce as the custom Ractive exhaust system adds a little more punch to the performance of this car. Strip out the interior, put a full racing rollcage, seat and harness and it's off to the races! All for one incredible price of $22,000. Points are scored each day of the event weekend, and a $1750 first prize is awarded each weekend, $1000, $750, $500, and $250 paid out down to 10th position, as well as Toyo Gift Certificates. Not bad for regional racing! Check us out on our website for driver bios, published articles, pictures, weekend results, and information about our sponsors @ www.osscc.com .

As the 1st race of the season gets underway in late April, the weather forecast is tentative, calling for cold temperatures, rains, and lots of wind. However, every race track does seem to have its' own weather system, and we might just get a surprise this year. And what a surprise we got! SNOW! 10cm of wet, slushy snow covering the track and the entire pit area. Those who left their awnings and tents up on Saturday night were shocked to find them laying on top of their cars, bent up and twisted with over a foot of snow that collapsed them during the night. When such a serious "force of nature" occurs, the weekend is called off due to "force majeur" and only the points are counted from the Saturday's events. What an exciting start to the season.

The May 11 & 12 BEMC race brought a little more favorable weather, it did not snow! But the rain pelted down with a vengeance and the Sentra's gave the crowd a show, complete with slides, spins, and a little bit of "lawn mowing" from most of the drivers around the entire track. It was a good weekend to "get to know your friendly competitors" up close and personal. By the end of the weekend, everyone knew each other's sponsors colours by heart.

By the June 3 & 4 Mosport race with CRDA as the organizing club, the spectators were becoming familiar with the Series and its' drivers.
Dave Diedrick & Ian Phillips - friends and racing partners for years, they are the "old guys" of the Series, 2 of the original 3 drivers that made this Series what it is today.
Eddy Wong - the "rookie" as he refers to himself, the 3rd wheel of the group who started it all, learning all that he can from his fellow Mazdee's Team Mates.
Jeff Pacey - the boy from North Bay and former RX7 driver, knows what it takes to get the job done in a tight racing crowd.
Martin Gray - a young man with many years of Formula & GT experience, who leaned under his fathers' tutelage.
Deborah Mendonca - the woman among men, Canadian GT Champion in 2000 in an NX2000, brings her to the track with winning experience.
Dan Courtney - one of Durham Regions finest on and off the track.
Ryan Kelley - the young rookie from go-karts, a father and son team with lots of enthusiasm.
Kevin O'Hara - the quiet, shy type with a ton of track time, will surely give everyone a run for his or her money.
Hans Wolter - the distinctive forest green car with a determined newcomer to the stock car scene is at every race making it a pleasurable family experience.
Paul Taylor - another RX7 experienced driver who has come over to stock racing for a "quieter" ride.
Rick McMullen - with plenty of go-kart experience for this young man, he is moving up the field quite nicely.
And then there are the Solo Drivers, who wanted to see what it was like to drive in traffic.
Perry Iannuzzi - CASC Solo I director has plenty of experience on and off the track with his Corvettes.
Tony McGrath - Solo I, Solo II, Ice Race, Race and now a Nissan Sentra, a hard charger.
Nick Majors - ActionFront Data Recovery Labs Series Sponsor for 2002 and hopefully beyond, he is pushing through the field at every event and always with a smile on his face.
Good Luck to all the Competitors in the 2002 Season!

So it is the beginning of June and you would think that the terrible rainy weather would be over, well you were right. Finally a great weekend for shorts, t-shirts and a decent track temperature for the cars. As the drivers still had to practice and qualify with the GT cars, there were 40 sedans driving around the track, vying for the best spot and fastest times.

Even though there were many GT rookies also, everyone got through the track time unscathed and with a good qualifying time for the upcoming race. Now with a few races under their belts and many lapping days also, the Series has begun to separate into a few distinct packs. Dave, Ian, Eddy, Tony and Jeff up front. Martin, Ryan, Deborah, Rick Kevin & Paul in the middle and Hans, Perry, Dan & Nick were pushing the sandwich together for a nice, neat package.

The results from each weekend prove it, not only can you see the driving skills of the competitors improving, they are all driving a tighter, more exciting race. At the BARC race in April, there was 5.55second difference in the qualifying results and a 52.78second gap after the race. It has consistently improved and as of the June MCO event, the qualifying difference was only 2.60seconds, and both Heat and Feature Races were only 1.20seconds apart. That is quite an accomplishment for a group of stock cars.

The groups are changing each weekend as well, so the leaders are still up front, but now they are being joined by different competitors each race weekend. They have closed the gap significantly and there are barely 2 distinctive groups anymore. For half way through the season, I believe that all of those who are watching are quite impressed.

The CASCAR 250 @ Mosport was quite an event. Over 50 CASCAR teams were present with their huge rigs, large sponsors, and famous drivers. They put on quite a show with opening ceremonies, drivers' autograph session, and a weekend filled with action packed racing. Of course the most exciting part was the Feature Race on Sunday, in the rain. As you might know, CASCAR does not race in the rain. Well, they decided to give it a try. They had a new compound of rain tires they wanted to try out, and try they did, sliding around the track like GT cars, it was a very exciting race, all the spectators and crews enjoyed it (mostly). For a Series in only our 1st full year with a full compliment of competitors, it was an honour to be a part of this weekend. Thank you MOSPORT!

With half of the 2002 Ontario Regional Racing Season complete a crowd has gathered to watch every event, and we hope you will join in the fun and be a part of it. Stay tuned for more exciting coverage of the AFSSC Series @ Mosport coming August 10 & 11.

A special thank you to all of our generous sponsors:
ACTIONFRONT DATA RECOVERY LABS
NISSAN CANADA
TOYO TIRES
TOUCAN (RACTIVE)
MOTUL

See you at the track!
Melanie Irwin

NISSAN SENTRA'S JOIN CASCAR

CASCAR weekend 2002 June 15 & 16 at Mosport International Raceway in Bowmanville, Ontario brought out 36 of their own and invited a few friends along for the ride. The Ford Mustang powered Formula 6000 cars were dominated by the 3-car Mexican Team. The Canada GT Challenge Cup cars had a 9-car contingency this weekend, and the all-new ActionFront Street Stock Challenge Series was out in full force (minus 1).

Typically of any racetrack, the weather was unpredictable and wet. Saturday began as cloudy and overcast yet warm, considering that it is JUNE. Lunchtime brought thunderstorms for an hour, and then cleared up as if nothing happened. The track dried up quickly but remained slower than usual for both days.

Apples & Oranges. CASCAR's & Sentra's.
The only similarity was the colourful cars. Walking through the paddock of the CASCAR teams reminded you of watching NASCAR racing only on a smaller scale. With their National Sponsors, large rigs & trailers, these cars are truly impressive. Any commercial you can think of was plastered colourfully across a car, rig, truck, motor home, crew clothing & trailer. The Snap-On Tools 2 car team even went so far as to bring their own Tank. They are supporting the Canadian Armed Forces and brought a Personal Armed Vehicle, complete with military personnel and attitude. This truly had the feeling of a NASCAR race with the Tank driving down pit lane, driven by 2 young men in fatigues, and the crowd at its' feet cheering! It certainly was an eye catcher!

Now that everyone has set up, it's time to go racing!
The ActionFront Street Stock Challenge Series took to the track for both a 30 minutes practice and qualifying session on Saturday. This was more time than any other regional weekend so far this season. The track was still greasy in spots and generally 1 second off the pace from previous weekends. Both sessions were incident free as everyone got in clean sessions, sorted out their cars for the conditions, and tested the waters once again of the other drivers. They certainly put on a good show for the crowds for the start of the weekend. As the track did clean up a little bit, the qualifying times got faster, and Team Mazdee's; Ian Phillips, Dave Diedrick, and Eddy Wong completed the session with the top 3 fastest times for the Feature Race on Sunday morning.

The moment of truth, the Standing Start. 14 cars staggered along the front straight with the drivers anxiously revving their engines, anticipating the green light. And they are off! A great start for the three front runners, Phillips, Diedrick, and Wong, also in the mix were last weekends winner; Martin Gray, and rookie; Ryan Kelly. These 5 put on a great show and battled it out for the entire 15-lap race. They traded positions, drove into corner #1, 3 abreast and flailed around the track fighting for every inch of track they could get. The remaining 9 drivers began the first few laps as a very large train. As they started to get into their grooves, they separated a bit, but never falling far behind the front 5 runners. They race continued with the clouds threatening overhead, but stayed at bay for the entire race.

This was a very special weekend to all the drivers as it was Father's Day. Everyone brought someone special to the track with him or her. Parents, grandparents, children, dogs, and all the friends they could gather. Just to make it a truly special day for everyone, Glenn, the Mosport announcer made a special effort to announce family members and loved ones over the P.A. system during the race. This had an emotional effect on Nick Majors, the Series Sponsor. His wife, parents, sister and brother in law were all at the track for the first time, and although Nick was at the back of the pack, he still drove past them at every lap, threw his hand up with a big wave for them and had the biggest smile on his face at the end of the race.

At the end of the racing day, Nick found me and could not stop thanking me for the effort I made to do a little extra PR for him and his family. "My parents have never been to the track before, and because it is Father's Day, it was an extra special treat to hear a speech about me and to hear their names over the loud speaker. I just wanted to genuinely Thank You for that. I really do appreciate it, my mom & dad will never forget this day."

Nick Majors - Series Sponsor - all around great guy!

There was also a very special guest from Nissan Canada. Mike D'Angelo, Eastern Region Fixed Operations Manager. Mike joined the Sentra's for the Sunday Feature Race Day, and everyone was very pleased to have him watch the Series for the first time. Mike was very impressed by the Show that the 14 cars put on and enjoyed handing out the 1st, 2nd, 3rd place trophies to the winners. Mike said that he would be back, and would bring some friends the next time. We all look forward to seeing Mike again! Thanks for coming Mike and Thanks to Nissan Canada for their support!

As the last few laps were completed, the fight continued throughout the field. The end result was a close call for the top 5, and certainly a crowd pleaser. Here are the results:
#202 Ian Phillips
#203 Dave Diedrick
#208 Eddy Wong
#211 Martin Gray
#206 Ryan Kelly
#217 Rick McMullen
#204 Jeff Pacey
#210 Paul Taylor
#207 Deborah Mendonca
#222 Perry Iannuzzi
#213 Hans Wolter
#205 Kevin O'Hara
#215 Nick Majors
#209 Dan Courtney
The next race is this coming weekend, June 22 & 23 at Shannonville Motorsports Park in Belleville. See you all there!
Stay Driven!
Melanie Irwin - Administrator/Coordinator AFSSCS

2002 ONTARIO STREET STOCK CHALLENGE SERIES STEALS THE SHOW!

Mosport International Raceway, May 11 & 12, 2002.
Not only is the OSSCS the largest Regional Racing Group at local racing venues, they now have a major sponsor - ActionFront Data Recovery Labs.
Aptly renamed the "ActionFront Street Stock Challenge", this Series is causing a stir within the Racing Community!

The creation of a new Series is always a compromise between the creators' intentions: are they creating a Series for the "glory" for themselves or for the love of the sport and the competition. The second case applies here. Dave Diedrick and Laurence Polley are personal friends and longtime racing partners. They have spent countless hours and personal finances to get this Series up and running during the past 4 years. Coordination of suppliers, potential sponsors and drivers as well as Nissan Canada has become a personal quest. They created this Series to give an opportunity to veteran and rookie drivers alike, trying to get into the regional racing scene at a reasonable price. The cars are sold for $15,000 (approx), with another $7,000 (approx) in modifications and you are ready to rock and roll on the track. The Series has a $1,000 registration fee, and a Prize Fund, from which every weekend, there is PRIZE MONEY paid out, 1st through 10th.

Diedrick and his administrative team have been tirelessly soliciting sponsors, advertisers and promoting the Series through every available avenue. The administration is dedicated to delivering you the highest quality of advertising and promotional service possible. This Series is the up and coming new leader within the automotive and racing communities.

The 2002 Season has begun and the Series will practice and qualify with the GT class, but run its' own Heat Race on Saturday and Feature Race on Sunday of each Regional weekend. As well as the regular Regional Season of 9 races, the AFSSC has also been invited to the June 14-16 National CASCAR weekend at Mosport.

As the Heat Race on Saturday got underway with a standing start, the crowds were lining the fences, the corners and the officials in the timing tower were all at their feet. As the light turned green, the pack roared to the inside of corner one, taking every advantage to hold on to their positions for the race. Only a minimal amount of "kissing" among the cars allowed for a very exciting and colourful race. The race continued the same way as the crowds gathered and cheered at every corner. The rookies and the veterans mixed it up and gave the crowd what they were looking for - ACTION! This race truly did steal the show as the 2002 Action Front Street Stock Challenge. An appropriate name for the Heat & Feature Races of the weekend.

Sunday racing was wet and cold, but everyone put on their rainsuits, changed tires, and decided to give it a go! A very exciting and action packed race with the top 6 of Jeff Pacey, Ryan Kelly, Eddy Wong, Tony McGrath, Ian Phillips & Dave Diedrick leading the pack. The second group of drivers were certainly not lacking in power or excitement, they were all fighting for each inch of track through the entire race. This always makes for great spectating. The racing radios were filled with enthusiastic comments from the Marshalls rather than incidents and spins. Not to say that a few "minor" off roading excursions didn't take place, but all drivers came through the weekend unscathed.

Being the largest racing group of the weekend, the Winner of the Sunday Feature Race also won the BEMC Spring Trophy, with 52 years of past drivers who have coveted this prestigious trophy, Ian Phillips was the Race Winner and couldn't have been happier with the extra prize.

The ActionFront Street Stock Challenge is certainly becoming a challenge as each weekend the drivers are becoming more used to each other on the track and what limits they can take their cars to. This is a great beginning to a fantastic 2002 Racing Season.

Stay Tuned - Stay Driven!
See you at the Track!
Melanie Irwin

THE ONTARIO STREET STOCK CHALLENGE SERIES WOULD LIKE TO WELCOME AND GIVE A BIG THANK YOU TO OUR 2002 "STEAL THE SHOW" SERIES SPONSOR:

ACTION FRONT DATA RECOVERY LABS

We would like to officially Welcome our new Series Sponsor - Action Front Data Recovery Labs & Nick Majors, who is also a competitor for the 2002 Season. The Series will now be known as the ACTION FRONT STREET STOCK CHALLENGE. We hope this will be the beginning of a great season and a complimentary year for both the Series and Action Front. We hope that the 2002 Season will be exciting, invigorating, and just plain fun. Let's work together to make that happen ! ! !

2002 Season Drivers To Date:
Dave Diedrick Ian Phillips Eddy Wong
Nick Majors Jeff Pacey Deborah Mendonca
Paul Taylor Martin Gray Hans Wolter
Daniel Courtney Kevin O'Hara Tony McGrath
Ryan Kelly Perry Iannuzzi Rick McMullen
Robbie McMullen Adam Peschilido

The 2002 CASC Regional Racing Schedule is listed on the website as is all information, rules, pictures, bios, sponsorship information at: www.osscc.com

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