By Pat Monsigneur
Special to Black Press
Saratoga Speedway channelled ‘Jurassic Park’ throughout the Victoria Day holiday weekend living up to a reputation of fuelling fun and excitement since 1969.
Meagsauras, the fire-breathing car-rending mechanical beast thrilled kids young and old as The Malicious Monster Truck Tour was joined by the Capital Drift Demo Team to invade the Black Creek Oval for an amazing three-day event.
You couldn’t help but notice the excitement and smiles all weekend long when the clouds finally lifted to serve up perfect “speedway weather” after a record-breaking cold-wet spring! Thousands of families came out to have some fun and watch six massively powerful monster trucks as they crushed down and leapt over cars, performed gravity defying tricks, and competed for bragging rights as judges scored their performance and skill.
19-year Monster Truck Tour veteran Bill Payne, the highly energetic truck and jet-car operator was at the helm of the outfit’s main attraction: the car-eating “Megasaurus.” Also the tour’s owner, Payne made sure the trucks and their prized possession, “Teed Off” - a jet-engine powered golf cart complete with golf clubs and drink-holder - were ready for every show no matter how much punishment they took to the enjoyment of the over 4,000 spectators who came out to the track for some family fun.
The “Capital Drift Demo Team” a fan favourite at Saratoga Speedway showcased incredible driving skills with performances akin to a high-octane figure skating competition on asphalt; sometimes in pairs close enough for the drivers to shake hands, other times pushing their high-horsepower cars to the limit with all seven cars drifting the oval track and dodging Monster Truck Crush cars, bringing the crowd to its feet over and over again.
Next weekend the Winged Sprint Cars are back for a two-day battle that’s not to be missed as they open up the first race in the new “Northwest Sprint Car Tour” series, which will see sprint cars visiting tracks from Vancouver Island to Penticton. Don’t forget that Wayne “Crazy Train” Hart will be at Saratoga Speedway to perform a thrilling death-defying car-jump on June 11. Tickets available online at saratogaracing.ca
Pat Monsigneur is the general manager at Saratoga Motorsports park in Black Creek.