Former CASCAR Sportsman Series racers come together to form the Ontario Sportsman Series

INSIDE TRACK EXCLUSIVE

We’re going to have a full story on this in the next issue of Inside Track, but here is some information about some recent events involving the former CASCAR Sportsman Series.

When it was announced by NASCAR that there would be no equivalent of the former CASCAR Sportsman Series in 2007, many of the competitors felt they would be on the sidelines this season with equipment that didn’t conform to any existing division or series.

Faced with this, a group including Ron Lethbridge, his father (Ted) and Sunset Speedway owner/promoter Glenn Lloyd decided to test the waters to see if there was any interest in creating a new series to give these drivers and cars a place to race.

This past Saturday in Milton (ON) a group of racers met and formed the Ontario Sportsman Series (OSS). According to Ron Lethbridge, they already have several confirmed dates (Sunset, Mosport & Peterborough) and within days could be in a position to publish an eight-race schedule for 2007. Other facilities in the mix are reported to be: Cayuga, Sauble, Grand Bend, Varney, Delaware, Capital City and Barrie. Only Kawartha and Flamboro have outright declined (said Lethbridge).

The series’ rulebook will be based on the 2005 CASCAR Sportsman Series, omitting the 2006 additions (HANS device, firesuits for ‘over the wall’ crews, etc.). Lethbridge believes these rules were largely responsible for the decline in car counts in 2006.

The cars will race on the 8” Hoosier tires that are the tire of choice for most of the short tracks being considered.

Although the details haven’t been worked out, Lethbridge says it’s likely that NASCAR Canadian Tire Series cars will be able to participate in OSS races if they remove their 4-barrel carbs and replace them with the 2-barrel models used by the Sportsman division.

On the tone of the Milton meeting, Sunset’s Glenn Lloyd said, “Everyone was happy to pitch in. Everyone was co-operative. Most felt it could be a better series with them controlling their own destiny then when it was a ‘feeder’ series under the CASCAR banner. They’re the show now… The positive attitude and the determination to make it work has been great to see.”

The OSS will hold its next meeting on March 31 (details TBA), at which point they will elect an executive committee. The group is looking for a Tech Director and a Race Director.

Ron Lethbridge can be reached at (705) 739-4686. Ted Lethbridge’s cell # is (705) 321-1207.