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HomeMy WebLinkAboutTimes Advocate, 1995-03-08, Page 14Page 14 Times -Advocate, March 8, 1995 This Week in Sports... • Irish bean Cents - page 15 • Fundraising idea for ball- page 16 • Grand Bend Motorplex to open May 7 Last year's experiment has grown and it will be a full season of NHRA sanctioned racing A By Fred Groves T -A staff GRAND BEN[) - Auto racing has .officially returned to Grand Bend. Following a 25 year absence, and after a trial season which saw everything from dragsters to mo- torcycles on ice, plans were un- veiled Sunday morning introducing the Grand Bend Motorplex. Beginning May 7 and running all the way until October 8, the Mo- torplex will host not only drag rac- ing but the popular micro -sprints on new facilities which are on the site of racing which made history in the area from 1964 to 1969. Last year several organizers had a few events which were very suc- cessfully run on the paved surfaced of which at one time was the Grand Bend Airport. "We were just testing the waters to see what kind of participation we could get," said Allen Stubbs of last year's interest. "This year we're go- ing to go at it full tilt." Stubbs and three other men, Doug Jennison, Andy Spriet and Don Brooks are the four partners in the venture which hopes to include a massive recreational complex in the years to come. Sunday afternoon at the Grand Bend Legion, over 400 racers, crew members, volunteers, organizers and curiosity seekers attended a meeting which was dubbed a 'sprink chat' but also got down to the basics. The design of the new facilities as well as rules and regulations and even sign up sheets for racing were part of Sunday's announcements. "We have a good strong back- ground in engineering (Spriet) and construction (Jennison). Between the four of us we've got a unique package together. We want to start from the ground up," said Stubbs. Prior to the start of opening race day on May 7, the organizers plan to have the drag strip completed the micro -spring track built and a new entrance created. "We are going to build the facil- ities around the competitors. We want your suggestions," said Stubbs to the Targe crowd. Future plans cover on-site rec- reational plans including four base- ball diamonds and three soccer fields. While those wishes are for the next few years, right now rac- ing is the number one priority and Panthers win first ever Huron -Perth hockey title South Huron came -from -behind to knock off the Redmen • CLINTON - For the first time ever, the South Huron District High School hockey team will be head- ing to the Western Ontario Athletic Association tournament. Thursday in Clinton, the visiting Panthers edged the Central Huron Redmen 7-6 to win the Huron - Perth title and advanced to the WOSSA semi-finals which were South Huron centre Trevor Taylor moves the puck during last Tuesday's game against Central Huron. held yesterday (Tuesday) in Till- sonburg. Against the Redmen in the sec- ond game of the best -of -three se- ries, the Panthers trailed 3-0 before they exploded and won their sec- ond in a row over Central Huron. It was tied 3-3 midway through. the second period but the Redman. jumped ahead 5-3 before the Pan- thers really came to life. Leading the scoring was Rob Ko- bayashi with two goals while sin- gles went to Chris McDonald, Tre- vor Taylor, Matt Godbolt, Blair Moir and Dwight Gingerich. "They didn't quit, they just kept coming," said a very pleased South Huron coach Dave Cox. Last Tuesday in Exeter, the Pan- thers won the opening game of the series, 4-3 thanks to a good of- fensive effort by Gingerich who had one goal and set up two others. Also scoring were McDonald, Brian Richardson and Kobayashi. Geoff Maver had two assists and Jason Glavin picked up the win in net. Heading into the four -team WOSSA tournament, Cox didn't know how the seeding would be done. "They were going to seed us one to four. How they do it is a mystery to me. We've got a good chance." If the Panthers, who took on Lon- don Lucas yesterday did win in Tillsonburg, then they would ad- vance to play for the WOSSA championship today (Wedensday) in Ingersoll at 8 p.m. judging from the Targe gathering it looks to be successful this season. Setting up a race track which will have multiple purposes such as the Grand Bend Motorplex, has taken a lot of time and co-operation, es- pecially with the neighbouring mu- nicipalities of Stephen Township and Grand Bend. "We wish this effort all the best," said Stephen reeve Bill Weber. "We've made these guys jump through some hoops as far as regu- lations and they've been co- operative." Grand Bend deputy -mayor Phil Maguire brought his community's support to the project and said, "we're (Grand Bend) in the business of attractions like • you people are bringing." One reason the turnout was so large on Sunday was that organizers had set up a display at the London Autorama promoting the entire Mo- torplex from its drag and micro - sprint racing to the junior dragster program for the youngsters. "This is a phenomenal turnout," said Brooks as he addressed the crowd. "We have a dream of creat- ing great days of 25 years ago." With a large spectator sport such as drag racing, one which requires a lot of safety features built in and fol- lowed, Brooks went through a pre- liminary standard list of 24 rules. They covered the basics such as no burnouts except in the burnout boxes, keeping the speed in the pits down to 10 miles per hour and any- one entering the restricted areas must sign a waiver form. "We feel these rules are the way to do business. Our wishes are you enjoy your competitive life." Thunder: The Grand Bend Mo- torplex has already come up with several attractions which will draw racers to the new facility. One of those is a point series which they are calling 'Thunder By the Beach'. This seems to be the slogan which will become syn- onymous with the motorplex. Registration fee for this series is $90 per driver and co -drivers will be allowed. Four points will be awarded for registered attendance and one point for a win. Year-end prize money is very in- viting as, for example, the top fin- isher in the super pro class will take home $2,500. Pro class winner gets $1,200 and $750 for the street class. Prizes will go to the top 10 finishers in those three classes while those racing bikes will have five top money winners with the top racer collecting $1,000. Since racing at the motorplex will be sanctioned by the California based National Hot Rod Associa- tion (NHRA), the top 10 per- formers in the super pro, pro and street class also qualify for the Di- vision Three Bracket Finals in In- dianapolis. The Grand Bend Motorplex, which will have action on both Sat- urday's and Sunday's will have awards to the Driver of the Year, Rookie of the Year plus a Sports- manship Award. Organizers and operators of the Grand Bend Motorplex fielded questions during Sunday's meeting. t Hawks sweep Bombers By Fred Groves T -A staff LAMBETH - The Exeter Hawks learned Sunday night that the Lambeth Lancers will be a little tougher to beat than the team they just swept in four straight. A 5-2 loss puts the Hawks one game back in their best -of -seven OHA Junior Development League semi-final series against the Lancers. Last Tuesday Exeter eliminated the Belmont Bombers in the quar- ter -finals. "We've got our work cut out for us," said Exeter coach Dave Revington following Sunday's loss. "I think they'll be the one to beat," he said in specula- tion of who could win the league. Last night (Tuesday) the Hawks attempted to get back on the winning side of the scoreboard at the South Huron Recreation Centre. Game Three is also in Exeter, Friday night at 8:30 p.m. The series continues Sunday in Lambeth at 8:15 p.m. and then if necessary it's back in Lambeth again on Wednesday at 8 p.m. In the five meetings of the two teams, the scores have been lopsided leans both ways. Exeter won the first time they met, 12-3 but the last two times were 10-5 and 8-5 victories for the Lancers. Continued on page 15 Heywood joins Western Mustangs at national finals Exeter's Jason Heywood is heading to a national champion- ship. Over the weekend, Heywood and the rest of the University of Western Ontario Mustangs hockey team beat the Guelph Gry- phons to win the Queen's Cup which is awarded to the winning OUAA hockey team. It was Westerns first win in nine attempts. .Heywood scored the winning goal in double overtime to send the Mustangs to the national title which will be played be- ginning Friday at Toronto's Maple Leaf Gardens. For Heywood, it's a chance to play hockey at a very high level. Despite being a freshman (rookie) and despite being the only player on the Mustangs roster to play Junior 'B' hockey, he's a regular for Western. "I'm the only Junior 'B' player that has come in and played on a regular basis," said Heywood who said Exeter's Rick Boyle was instrumental in bringing him to the London school. An Exeter Minor Hockey Association product who played with the local Junior 'D' Hawks and then went on to star with the St. Marys Junior 'B' Lincolns, Heywood isn't overly dis- appointed he didn't land a big scholarship to Colgate University. Joining his buddy Steve DuB at the New York school would have been nice, but things hapen. "It didn't workout. I just didn't do well on the SATs," said Heywood of the academic entrance exams. Forget about that. Look what he has done and what he still has a chance to accomplish. Of course the nationartitle looms brightly in his horizon but just because he didn't go to university in the U.S. doesn't mean his hockey career has hit the final plateau. "I'd like to get a degree (he's taking kinesiology) and take it from there. I'd like an NHL tryout." A National Hockey League tryout, from university? It's been done and if fact, Heywood's roommates have had a shot at mak- ing an NHL team. And then there is Steve Rucchin. He's the player from last year's Western team that caught the eyes of the Anaheim Mighty Ducks where he is playing now and recently popped in his first NHL goal. "We (the Mustangs) have four Memorial Cup champions," 4 said Heywood in describing his current team and some players who have excelled at the Major Junior 'A' level. "It's different hockey, they enjoy it." What's different? How about no red line. It certainly opens the game up. It's a lot faster and a chance to play with older and very talented players. School is important and there are no scholarships. Going to class and getting good marks are a requirement. "It's (kinesiology) like phys ed. We have 450 in each class. 1 guess I like the sports part of it." When he was the Lincolns he was the number one centre on the top offensive line. "Now I play (right wing) on the checking line. Next year they're going to play me at centre on the second line, I think." Despite playing a defensive role, Heywood put some very im- pressive numbers up on the scoresheet in his first year of OUAA hockey. He had 17 goals and 17 assists in 35 games. "I was kind of wondering what I could do better. I hope I can play on special teams," he said of being used more to kill pen- alties and getting a shift or two on the powerplay. While many spectators may think that playing university hock- ey is a step down, for Heywood is looks as though it could be a step towards a future.