Napanee, Ontario’s Chris Raabe the Youngest Mr. DIRTcar Champion in DIRT Motorsports History

By Jim Clarke, Clarke Motorsports Communications

October 26, 2008

 

It’s not how his team had hoped things would turn out, but as any driver would tell you – a win is a win.  With more than 20 feature race victories, the Brockville Ontario Speedway, Thunder Alley and Rolling Wheels Raceway track championships, the Eastern Lucas Oil sportsman series championship, a win in the Lucas Oil All-Star Challenge and the DIRTcar Northeast Region sportsman title already part of his 2008 accomplishments Napanee, Ontario’s Chris Raabe obviously knows how to win races.  The 17 year-old looked to the scheduled season finale – Saturday, October 25th at Can Am Motorsports Park – with 1 eye on the title and another eye on a very gloomy forecast.

 

Raabe’s Scott Industrial Services/TyRoute Communications-Telus/ Canadian Tire/ Kingston Hyundai/Kingston RV Centre/Waste Management/Brunet Plumbing/Kwik Load Products/ McColman Media/Len Corcoran Excavating/Finish Line Web Design crew spent most of the week getting their pair of TEO Pro Car sportsman racers ready for the trip to the Lafargeville, New York oval.  The teen sensation’s supporters were busy too, arranging transportation for aunts, uncles, cousins and classmates from Napanee and District Secondary School who wanted to witness a history making event.

 

Chris Raabe would carry a 46 point advantage over Port Colborne , Ontario ’s Greg Panunte into Can Am. With the forecast predicting a 100% chance of heavy rain throughout the day, there was almost more talk about the weather than the championship battle between Raabe and Panunte.  As luck would have it, the call to pull the plug on the day’s event was made near 10:00 Saturday morning.  Track officials were looking to save racers, fans and officials the time and expense of travelling to a show that had already been delayed once before.

 

With the title officially his – even without turning a lap at the final event of the year – Chris Raabe, at 17 years and 7 months of age becomes the youngest Mr. DIRTcar title holder in the sanctioning body’s history.  Waterloo , New York ’s Matt Sheppard earned the 1990 crown just 5 months short of his 19th birthday. 

 

“With the amazing talent coming out of the go-kart ranks these days, the mark might not stand for long,” says team owner Garry McColman.  “For now, it is ours to enjoy.”  McColman was also quick to give a pat on the back to the group of sponsorship partners, crew members, families and supporters to their contributions to the #01 team’s success throughout the season.

 

“We’ve easily been the most talked-about team during our 3 years in the DIRTcar sportsman division,” McColman added.  “Chris has an amazing level of talent for a 17 year-old and there’ll be some big news about our plans for 2009 and beyond coming in the next couple of months.”

 

Photo attachment:

Chris Raabe turns a fast lap at Rolling Wheels Raceway Park .  (Jim Clarke photo)

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Chris Raabe’s Mr. DIRTcar Sportsman Championship Run Comes Down to a 1 Race Shootout

By Jim Clarke, Clarke Motorsports Communications

October 21, 2008

 

Heading into the Orange County Fair Speedway Super DIRTcar sportsman championship series event Saturday, October 18th Napanee , Ontario ’s Chris Raabe enjoyed a comfortable – but not convincing – 75 point cushion over Mark D’Ilario of Smithville , Ontario .  Having raced at the Middletown , New York oval only once before – a 12th place finish in 2006 – the Teenage Tornado wasn’t exactly sure what to expect.  Still, with 3 track championships and the DIRTcar Northeast Regional sportsman title already in their hip pockets, the #01 team was hopeful of a strong run on the hard clay.

 

The day started off well, as the Scott Industrial Services/TyRoute Communications-Telus/Canadian Tire/ Kingston Hyundai/Kingston RV Centre/Waste Management/Brunet Plumbing/Kwik Load Products/ McColman Media/Len Corcoran Excavating TEO Pro Car time-trailed 12th fastest out of 57 entries.  Raabe also had a solid run in his qualifying event, advancing to the 50 lap feature race tilt via a 2nd place finish in the day’s first heat race.

 

From the drop of the green flag, the 12th grader at Napanee and District Secondary School was patiently working his way through the pack.  Never one to take unnecessary chances – especially on unfamiliar turf, Raabe had worked his way up to 10th with less than 10 laps to go.  It was at that moment when his day changed.  The right rear tire came apart and sent the #01 hard into the wall and the car came off the track behind the wrecker.  From a 12th place starting spot, the team was credited with a 26th place finish.  Hardly the result they’d been hoping for.

 

With a pole position starting spot and 3rd place finish in the 50 lapper Greg Panunte of Port Colborne , Ontario has taken over the 2nd spot in the Mr. DIRTcar sportsman series championship hunt.  Chris Raabe continues to lead the standings, but his advantage has slipped to just 46 points heading into the Saturday, October 25th show at Can Am Motorsports Park in Lafargeville , New York .  If there is an advantage for any driver, many expect the pendulum to swing to Raabe’s side of the fence.  The 17 year-old has a strong knowledge of the Northern New York state half mile.  He has turned many laps on the stockcar oval and spent his formative racing years winning championships on the go kart track that sits in the shadow of the main grandstand.  With so much on the line and ‘hometown’ bragging rights at stake, the #01 team can be expected to have all their ducks in a row for the most important event of their 2008 season.

 

Photo attachment:

#1:  Car owner Garry McColman (R) and sponsor/crew member Dave Brunet get a Hoosier racing tire ready for action at Orange County Fair Speedway  (Rick Young photo)

 

#2):  Chris Raabe and the #01 sportsman in the staging area at Eastern States Weekend.  (Rick Young photo)

 

Media contact:  Jim Clarke – Clarke Motorsports Communications

clarkemotorsports@hotmail.com

613.968.6410  /  613.922.0654  

 

        

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Chris Raabe Takes a Dip in the Super Dirt Week Pool

By Jim Clarke, Clarke Motorsports Communications

October 14, 2008

2008 has been a season of firsts for DIRTcar sportsman modified driver Chris Raabe.  The ‘teenage tornado’ has made history with nearly every turn of his steering wheel.  His efforts paid off with track championships at Brockville Ontario Speedway, Thunder Alley Speed Park and Rolling Wheels Raceway.  The 17 year-old picked-up more than 20 wins throughout the campaign – including a checkered flag at Cornwall Motor Speedway, during his first visit to the Seaway Valley quarter-mile oval.

Friday and Saturday, October 10th and 11th Raabe and his Scott Industrial Services/TyRoute Communications-Telus/Canadian Tire/ Kingston Hyundai/Kingston RV Centre/Waste Management/Brunet Plumbing/Kwik Load Products/ McColman Media/Len Corcoran Excavating team made a trip to Super Dirt Week at the New York State Fairgrounds in Syracuse, New York.  Despite his travels during the season, it was the teen sensation’s first ever appearance on the oval known as ‘The Moody Mile’.

“I think Brockville actually seems faster,” said Raabe.  “There, you’re on and off the throttle so many times during a race, car control is at a premium.  Here, you hold it wide-open as much as you can and try to back in down in the corners – then you’re right back on the gas.  It’s all about horsepower.”

Even though speed is the key to getting around Syracuse , Raabe’s #01 TEO Pro Car fought a loose condition throughout the weekend.  He time-trialed at almost 105 miles per hour, 18th fastest of 56 entries during the Friday afternoon session, but while on the track during a Saturday morning hot lap session, the team noticed that the car was lying over on the right rear tire.  As much as they tried, the crew couldn’t tighten-up the car. 

When the green flag waved to kick-off the Town Mechanical 30 lap sportsman feature, the 12th grader from Napanee and District Secondary School lined-up along-side John McLelland of Martinsville , New Jersey .  Right off the bat, Raabe knew something wasn’t right with the car.  It was still fast down the straight away, but very tough to turn.  As much as he tried to keep pace with the pack, Chris drifted back.  When a yellow flag bunched the field, he was able to gain a few spots but only made it as high as 11th place.  With a little more than 6 laps to go, the car became impossible to drive and Raabe parked it after 25 laps, with a 21st place finish.  The team later learned that the gaskets had blown on both right-side shocks.

Although the finish wasn’t exactly what they were looking for, the knowledge gained from the atmosphere and on-track experience of Super Dirt Week is irreplaceable.  Everyone – driver, crew members, sponsors and the ownership group – considers their first fall adventure on the Syracuse to have been very educational.

 

Photo tag line:

#1).  Chris Raabe on the grid before the start of the Town Mechanical 30 at the New York State Fairgrounds at Syracuse , New York .

#2).  Chris Raabe’s #01 TEO Pro Car comes off turn 4 on The Moody Mile in Syracuse , New York .

 

Media contact:  Jim Clarke – Clarke Motorsports Communications

clarkemotorsports@hotmail.com

613.968.6410  /  613.922.0654  

 

   

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Chris Raabe Clinches Rolling Wheels Championship – And Pads His Lead at the Top of the Mr. DIRTcar Sportsman Standings

By Jim Clarke, Clarke Motorsports Communications

October 13, 2008

 

It was a nothing to lose – everything to gain event.  Napanee, Ontario’s Chris Raabe visited Rolling Wheels Raceway Park at Elbridge, New York (Friday, October 10th) knowing a strong finish would earn him another 2008 track title and strengthen his position at the top of the Mr. DIRTcar sportsman modified championship trail standings.

 

The talented teen, a 12th grader at Napanee and District Secondary School displays the confidence of a racer twice his age, but that bravado doesn’t translate to a pompous attitude on the track.  Instead, his style is to put the car into a position to win and then let the circumstances of the race do the rest.  At just 17 years of age, Raabe provides excellent feedback to his Scott Industrial Services/TyRoute Communications-Telus/Canadian Tire/Kingston Hyundai/Kingston RV Centre/Waste Management/Brunet Plumbing/Kwik Load Products/ McColman Media/Len Corcoran Excavating #01 team and after working on their baseline set-up during hot laps and their qualifying heat, the crew was able to do some fine-tuning on their old faithful 2006 TEO Pro Car for the main event.

 

Starting 11th and with just 30 laps to work with, Chris Raabe needed to perform some magic to get to the front – or as close to it as possible.  6 caution flags certainly helped his cause.  The team also benefited from the absence of one of their closest rivals, Dan Wiesner.  After staging a tight battle throughout most of the season, the #66 team has dropped out of the hunt and slipped to 11th in the rundown.

Raabe brought the #01 car across the line with a 5th place finish and now has a 75 point cushion over Mark D’Ilario, who finished 2nd at Rolling Wheels.  Greg Panunte is 3rd, 96 points behind heading into this weekend’s stop at Orange County Fair Speedway at Middletown , New York .

 

His 5th place finish officially earned Chris Raabe another championship – the 2008 DIRTcar sportsman modified title at Rolling Wheels Raceway Park .

 

2008 Championships:

Brockville Ontario Speedway

Thunder Alley Speed Park

Rolling Wheels Raceway Park

Lucas Oil Eastern Division Sportsman Tour

 

Photo attachment:

Chris Raabe in the pits at the New York State Fairgrounds, prior to the Town Mechanical 30 DIRTcar sportsman modified event Saturday, October 11th.

 

Media contact:  Jim Clarke – Clarke Motorsports Communications

clarkemotorsports@hotmail.com

613.968.6410  /  613.922.0654

 

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Chris Raabe Survives a Daytime Run at Fulton

By Jim Clarke, Clarke Motorsports Communications

October 7, 2008

Wouldn’t it be great if things always worked-out exactly as you’d planned?  Napanee , Ontario ’s Chris Raabe thinks so.  Friday, October 3rd the 17 year-old DIRTcar sportsman modified driver and his team hauled their pair of TEO Pro Car rides to Fulton Speedway for the latest event on the Mr. DIRTcar trail.  Things were rolling along quite smoothly for the young speedster, and then Mother Nature threw everyone a curve.

With 71 teams showing-up, Raabe knew just cracking the starting line-up for the 30 lap main event would be tough.  Especially when track officials announced that less than 35 cars would take the green flag.  The driver of the Scott Industrial Services/TyRoute Communications-Telus/Kingston Hyundai/Kingston RV Centre/Waste Management/Brunet Plumbing/Kwik Load Products/McColman Media/Len Corcoran Excavating #01 drew a spot in the 3rd qualifying heat – a race that would also include his main championship rival, Dan Wiesner – but only the top 3 finishers would earn a spot in the main event.  Chris Raabe finished 3rd, just behind Wiesner and Matt Billings who is also a regular runner at Brockville Ontario Speedway.

Before the sportsman feature take to the track, the intermittent showers that had been falling through the late evening hours caused Fulton Speedway officials to adjust the night’s schedule.  The Mr. DIRTcar pro stock race was shortened to 22 laps, while the sportsman and street stock features were put over until Saturday, October 4th start.

Chris Raabe, the current sportsman modified championship series points leader took the green from a 17th place starting spot, while Wiesner luckily selected the pole position in the pre-race draw.  On the opposite end of the scale, Greg Panunte of Port Colborne , Ontario needed to use a guaranteed starting spot.  After winning 2 of the previous 3 Mr. DIRTcar sportsman events, he would start 31st and make it only as far as 24th at the checkers.

Wet track conditions delayed the sportsman main event from a planned 11:00 start to a green flag just after 1:00 .  Not knowing exactly what to expect with their early run, the #01 team drew a ‘mixed bag’ set-up from their notebooks.  The track would likely   start-off tacky, but the daytime conditions could cause it slick over and dry out.  With just 30 laps to work with, gaining spots could be hard but their driver has shown all along that he has the ability when the going gets tough.

Fulton ’s high-banked layout offers plenty of room to race.  From the drop of the green flag, teams were using every available groove.  Chris Raabe tried the top – and then the bottom – then went back to the top again.  The sledding was tough at times, but the 12th grader from Napanee and District Secondary School kept his composure.  The #66 or Wiesner was struggling too.  He went from his inside front row starting spot to 31st at the checkers.  Raabe dropped back to 19th at the event’s conclusion, but making the best of a bad situation the Teenage Tornado left Fulton with a 65 point cushion between himself and Wiesner.

Coming up:  Wednesday, October 8th - Can Am Motorsports Park - Lafargeville , New York .  Friday, October 10th - Rolling Wheels Raceway Park - Elbridge , New York .  Saturday, October 11th - New York State Fairgrounds - Syracuse , New York .

Photo tag line:

Chris Raabe and his #01 DIRTcar sportsman modified.  (Jim Clarke photo)

 

Media contact:  Jim Clarke – Clarke Motorsports Communications

clarkemotorsports@hotmail.com

613.968.6410  /  613.922.0654

 

 

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Raabe Rides a Rocket to the Top

By Jim Clarke, Clarke Motorsports Communications

September 29, 2008

After a 3 race weekend that saw him take over the top spot on the Mr. DIRTcar sportsman modified title hunt and score a win (his 21st of the year) in his first ever visit to Cornwall Motor Speedway, Chris Raabe was looking set his sights on another strong weekend with stops Friday, September 26th at Brighton Speedway and Saturday, September 27th at Rolling Wheels Raceway Park.  The teenaged sensation from Napanee , Ontario had already clinched the track titles at Brockville Ontario Speedway and Thunder Alley Speed Park - as well as the DIRTcar Northern Region sportsman modified title and hoped to finish the weekend with another pair of feathers in his cap.

Heading into the Friday night show at Brighton – part of the track’s Applefest Shootout Weekend – the Scott Industrial Services/TyRoute Communications-Telus/Kingston Hyundai/Kingston RV Centre/Waste Management/Brunet Plumbing/Kwik Load Products/McColman Media/Len Corcoran Excavating #01 team was unbeaten in 4 Lucas Oil sportsman series starts.  That 100% batting average earned him a spot in the Dirt Track Digest All-Star Race, for a $2,500.00 payout.  The 17 year-old 12th grader from Napanee and District Secondary School scored a convincing win in the 15 east-versus-west showdown and added another piece of hardware to his trophy case.

Raabe finished 3rd in the night’s second heat race and advanced to the 35 lap main event.  After starting

mid-pack, he was advancing nicely through the field but got collected in someone else’s wreck on lap 13 and damaged his favourite piece, the team’s 2006 TEO Pro Car.  The car was hurt badly enough that it needed to be taken from the track on the rollback.  With another show in less than 24 hours and a 4 hour drive from their home base, it was time for the crew to really show their stuff.  The old faithful racer was hauled back to Smith’s Kwik Load race shop where it was carefully taken apart. It was there that they learned the damage looked worse than it actually was.

By 2:AM, the car was in pieces on the floor.  Parts were changed.  The body work was hammered back into place and just after 5:AM, the trusty steed was back to looking like the championship winning piece it is.  After a few hours sleep in the motor home (parked just outside) the crew scaled the car, loaded it into the Kingston RV Centre hauler and headed for Rolling Wheels.  Team owner Garry McColman says this is what championship winning runs are made of.  “The team takes their lead from Chris and his Dad (Mike Raabe) and never complains”, explained McColman.  “We all knew it was worth the effort to give the driver what he wanted.  Without the 150% effort of Greg and Chris Hale and Dave Brunet, the weekend would have had a very different result”.

With valuable Mr. DIRTcar sportsman modified championship trail points up for grabs, the team entered the Saturday show at Rolling Wheels with a ‘cautiously aggressive’ race approach.  They’d do the best they could with what they had to work with and hope to come away with at least the same point’s lead cushion they entered the weekend with.  After winning the night’s 4th and final heat race, the crew staged an informal meeting and decided to throw the ‘cautiously’ term out of their strategy.

Chris Raabe took the green flag in the Taylor Rental 30 lap sportsman main event from 5th starting spot, while his closest competition Dan Wiesner went away from 11th on the grid.  A strong run saw the Teenage Tornado cross the line 2nd, chasing race winner Greg Panunte who won for the 2nd time in 3 starts.  Wiesner finished 11th and is now 60 points in arrears to Raabe, while Panunte – on the strength of his current hot streak – is 3rd, just 69 markers off the pace.

With his 2nd place showing, Chris Raabe officially clinched the 2008 Rolling Wheels Raceway Park sportsman modified championship.  His 3rd track title of ’08.

Coming up:  Friday, October 3rd – Fulton Speedway, Fulton NY .  Wednesday, October 8th – Can Am Motorsports Park.  

Media contact:  Jim Clarke – Clarke Motorsports Communications

clarkemotorsports@hotmail.com

613.968.6410  /  613.922.0654  

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3 Shows in 3 Days Pays Off!  Chris Raabe Earns the Mr. DIRTcar Sportsman Series Points Lead and Win #21 for 2008

By Jim Clarke, Clarke Motorsports Communications

With files from Tom Skibinski, DIRTcar NE Public Relations Director  

September 24, 2008

 

If the old saying ‘3rd Time is the Charm’ is really true, it only makes sense that DIRTcar sportsman modified driver Chris Raabe was excited about heading back to Humberstone Speedway.  With the Trevor Wilkens Memorial 50 Mr. DIRTcar sportsman series event delayed twice by rain, the #01 team loved the forecast for the

make-up date of Friday, September 19th.

 

A strong field of 31 was on hand to challenge the Port Colborne , Ontario oval promoted by the Cosco family, former car owners of the DIRTcar 358 modified campaigned by the late Trevor Wilkens, who passed away in the early 1990’s.  Heading into the latest stop on the tour, the 17 year-old from Napanee , Ontario trailed Geneva , New York ’s Dan Wiesner in the overall standings – but had run 1 fewer event.

 

Raabe earned his starting spot in the 50 lap main event by finishing 3rd in the 4th heat race.  He charged to the runner-up spot on the feature race grid following a lap 13 re-start, but slipped to 4th at the checkered flag.  His championship rival Wiesner crossed the line 18th and left Humberstone 31 points behind the 12th grader from Napanee and District Secondary School .  Greg Panunte of Port Colborne won the event and moved to 4th in the overall standings.

 

The next night – Saturday, September 20th – the Scott Industrial Services/TyRoute Communications-Telus/ Kingston Hyundai/Kingston RV Centre/Waste Management/Brunet Plumbing/Kwik Load Products/McColman Media/Len Corcoran Excavating crew hauled their pair of TEO Pro Car sportsman modifieds to the wine country of New York State for the Labatt Ice 45 at Canandaigua Speedway.

 

With a layout similar to Can Am Speedway at Lafargeville , New York – a track he is somewhat familiar with – Raabe was confident going into the 45 lapper at the Land of Legends .  After running 5th in the night’s 2nd heat the talented teen started the main event from 18th position.  Wiesner, looking for a better performance than the night before took the green from 10th starting spot.  With 2 nights of action on the surface, most expected the track conditions to deteriorate, but just the opposite proved to be the case.  During the Friday night preliminary show, ruts developed and produced a large number of cautions.  Saturday’s track was much different and the clay remained fast and tacky throughout the 45 lap distance.

 

With just 3 yellow flags to bunch the field, Chris was only able to get as high as 6th at the checkered flag.  Wiesner, who had started 8 spots higher on the initial grid was 5th and cut 4 points off the Teenage Tornado’s point lead.  Kevin Ridley, the 2008 Canandaigua sportsman track champion claimed the win.

 

Without a Mr. DIRTcar tour event on their Sunday night schedule, the #01 team ventured to Cornwall Motor Speedway for a sportsman modified invitational show.

 

In his first ever visit to the Seaway Valley quarter mile, Chris time trialed 5th fastest of the 21 entries.  Later he won his heat race and during the feature, he turned his best lap of the event (just under 16 seconds) on the 17th circuit.  Since the sportsman teams run Cornwall just once a year, there isn’t an ‘official’ track record at the facility.  Even though it was his maiden voyage, Raabe proved he wasn’t intimidated by the unfamiliar surroundings and claimed his 21st win of the season.

 

Next up:

Lucas Oil sportsman series event at Brighton Speedway Park – Friday, September 26th.  Mr. DIRTcar sportsman tour shows – Saturday, September 27th at Rolling Wheels Raceway Park ( Elbridge , New York ) and Friday, October 3rd at Fulton Speedway ( Fulton , New York )

 

Photo tag line:

Chris Raabe parked the #01 in victory lane at Cornwall Motor Speedway.  It was the 17

year-old’s first ever visit to the track.  (Sylvain Lauwers photo)

 

Media contact:  Jim Clarke – Clarke Motorsports Communications

clarkemotorsports@hotmail.com

613.968.6410  /  613.922.0654

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17 Year-Old Turns 20 at Brockville Speedway

By Jim Clarke, Clarke Motorsports Communications

September 16, 2008

 

With all the talk about hurricanes and tropical storms, it was a Teenage Tornado that stole the headlines at Brockville Ontario Speedway.  His initial weekend plans included a pair of Mr. DIRTcar sportsman modified tour stops at Ransomville and Genesee Speedways, but when those shows were rained-out Napanee , Ontario ’s Chris Raabe and his crew made a b-line for their regular Saturday night home.

 

With the #01 Scott Industrial Services/TyRoute Communications-Telus/Kingston RV Centre/Kingston Hyundai/Waste Management/ Brunet Plumbing/Kwik Load Products/McColman Media/Len Corcoran Excavating haulers already in Batavia , New York when news of the Genesee Speedway date being cancelled was received, getting back to Brockville was no easy feat.  Thanks to today’s communication methods, they were able to notify the promotional team at The BOS that they were on the way and hoped to arrive just in time for hot laps.

 

With the rain-delayed (from August 2nd) Lucas Oil series sportsman modified feature the first item on the night’s agenda, Chris Raabe was happy to be at Brockville and try to add a 19th 2008 feature event win to his resume.  At the drop of the green flag, inside front row starter Adam Turner and Raabe led the pack through the first turn.  The #01 TEO Pro Car was in the top spot as the field of 21 completed the first lap.  Raabe had encountered lapped traffic by the 7th circuit and had built-up a commanding lead that evaporated with a lap 17 caution flag brought-out by Ryan Buzzell.

 

On the re-start, Turner took to the high side of the racetrack and was closing ground on Brockville ’s 2008 sportsman point’s champion.  With his car running hot and another feature event still to come, Turner took the #92 car to the infield on lap 22.  Then, veteran Randy Gaudet made a charge for the top spot.  The pilot of the #32 car got close, but close was as close as he’d get.  He chased Chris Raabe across the line, with Cole Dingwall, Dylan Evoy and Shane Pecore rounding-out the fast 5.

 

With Brockville ’s ’08 point championships already decided, the night’s second sportsman modified feature event was a 25 lap dash for cash.  By winning the first 2 qualifying events, Cole Dingwall and 2007 sportsman champion Randy Earl started on the front row.  Chris Raabe started 6th, after finishing 2nd in the 3rd qualifier.  It didn’t take long for the fireworks to get started.  Mike Mainse and Earl paced the field early, but when Randy Earl’s #20 pitted, Cole Dingwall assumed the lead.  His time at the point was short-lived, as the #15x of Shane Pecore charged into the top spot.  All the while, everyone was watching the #01 of Chris Raabe.

 

The car seemed to be struggling and that forced the 12th grade student from Napanee and District Secondary School to adjust his driving style.  It took a few laps and some hard running to get past Dingwall, then the youngster set his sights on Pecore.  With only about 5 laps remaining, he mounted a charge that would see him get close in the straightaway, but lose ground in the corners.  Coming into the 3rd and 4th turn, Raabe took the car in hard and carried enough momentum to nip Pecore by less than half a car length at the line.  Dingwall was 3rd.  It was Chris Raabe’s 20th DIRTcar sportsman modified win of 2008.

 

A release issued Friday, September 12th by DIRTcar Racing NorthEast Public Relations Director Tom Skibinski confirmed Chris Raabe as the 2008 Northern Regional sportsman modified champion.

 

This weekend, the #01 team will check in for Mr. DIRTcar sportsman modified tour events Friday, September 19th at Humberstone Speedway and Saturday, September 20th at Canandaigua Speedway.

 

Photo tag lines:

#1)  Chris Raabe (R) and Adam Turner (L) share a story at Brockville Speedway’s drivers meeting Saturday, September 13th.  (Jim Clarke photo)

 

#2).  Chris Raabe in Brockville Speedway’s victory lane, following his 19th DIRTcar sportsman modified win of 2008.  (Rick Young photo)

 

#3).  Chris Raabe celebrates his 20th DIRTcar sportsman modified win of 2008 with car owner Garry McColman.  (Rick Young Photo)

 

Media contact:  Jim Clarke – Clarke Motorsports Communications

clarkemotorsports@hotmail.com

613.968.6410  /  613.922.0654 

 

       

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Chris Raabe’s Racing Road-Trip:  A Weekend on the Mr. DIRTcar Sportsman Modified Tour

By Jim Clarke, Clarke Motorsports Communications 

September 10, 2008 

It wasn’t exactly the weekend he had planned, but sometimes you’re the windshield and sometimes you’re the bug.

Chris Raabe and his #01 Scott Industrial Service/TyRoute Communications-Telus/Kingston Hyundai/Kingston RV Centre/Waste Management/Brunet Plumbing/Kwik Load Products/McColman Media/Len Corcoran Excavating team hit the highway Friday, September 5th planning to run 3 events in their quest for the Mr. DIRTcar sportsman modified title.  As the loaded their pair of TEO Pro Car rides into the haulers, the Teenage Tornado was tied for the overall point’s lead with Geneva, New York’s Dan Wiesner.

The first event of the weekend’s trifecta at Ransomville Speedway was cancelled due to rain.  The next night at Merrittville Speedway, Raabe was put in the unfamiliar position of running the consolation race to make the starting field.  The only positive in that scenario was Wiesner needing to use his ‘guaranteed starter’ status to advance to the feature.

Raabe had run Merrittville Speedway in the past, but doesn’t have a patented set-up for the Thorold , Ontario oval in his notebook.  Luckily, most of the drivers on the tour are willing to share some of their secrets – but not all of them.  Once the green flag dropped, Chris began working his way through the field.  The 50 lap distance didn’t give the 2008 Brockville and Thunder Alley sportsman division track champion a lot of time, his driving style has never seen him ram his way to the front.

Raabe was looking for a fast lane around the unfamiliar Merrittville turf, when the car developed a push.  Just like the week before at Rolling Wheels, there were brake problems and the car wasn’t turning well.  Drifting up into a higher line allowed others to work past on the bottom groove. At the checkered flag, Merrittville Speedway regulars made-up the top 9 positions.  Brad Rouse led from start to finish and took home the $1,000 winner’s cheque.  Raabe was 20th at the event’s conclusion, while Wiesner finished 15th and now enjoys an 8 point cushion atop the standings.

The scheduled Sunday, September 7th stop at Humberstone Speedway was also cancelled due to rain and will be re-scheduled for Friday, September 19th.  This weekend, the sportsman tour will give the Ransomville Speedway event another try Friday, September 12th before heading to Genesee Speedway in Batavia , New York Saturday, September 13th to conclude the weekend.

Photo tag lines:

#1).  Chris Raabe’s 2006 TEO Pro Car at the start of Brockville Speedway’s 2008 season.  (Jim Clarke photo)

#2).  The #01 team re-skinned Raabe’s favourite piece for the Mr. DIRTcar sportsman modified tour events.  (Jim Clarke photo)

 

Media contact:  Jim Clarke – Clarke Motorsports Communications

clarkemotorsports@hotmail.com

613.968.6410  /  613.922.0654

 

       

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Chris Raabe’s Race Winning Runs are the Perfect Championship Clinching Prescription

By Jim Clarke, Clarke Motorsports Communications

September 3, 2008

 

Heading into the final weekend of point chasing in the DIRTcar sportsman modified division, Chris Raabe had the possibility of clinching 3 track championships.  He was leading the standings at Thunder Alley Speed Park in Evans Mills, New York and at Brockville Ontario Speedway.  At Rolling Wheels Raceway Park in Elbridge , New York the 17 year-old from Napanee , Ontario trailed Dan Wiesner by less than 20 points.  All 3 venues were part of the “Teenage Tornado’s” weekend agenda.

 

Friday, August 29th:  With remnants of tropical storm Fay cancelling events throughout Canada and the United States , Thunder Alley Speed Park was one of the few tracks to put a complete show in the books.  Before the cars had even turned a lap on the track, the entire pit area buzz was about Chris Raabe.  The driver of the Scott Industrial Service/TyRoute Communications-Telus/Kingston Hyundai/Kingston RV Centre/Waste Management/ Brunet Plumbing/ Kwik Load Products/McColman Media/Len Corcoran Excavating #01 TEO Pro Car already had 16 wins on the season.  Many wondered if he’d ‘play it safe’ or look to add another checkered flag to his resume.  After watching Raabe follow 14 year-old Luke Whitteker for a number of laps, they got their answer.  He took the lead with a last lap pass, clinching the championship and putting feature race win #17 in the books.

 

Saturday, August 30th:  The final Saturday of the month dawned bright and sunny.  A beautiful Labour Day Weekend forecast was the icing on the cake for Raabe’s ‘Championship Saturday Night’ at Brockville Ontario Speedway.

 

The evening began with Chris Raabe, Randy Gaudet and Cole Dingwall locked in a tight, 3-way battle for the championship.  In his heat race, Raabe finished 3rd behind Kenny Polite and Dingwall.  At the start of the sportsman modified feature, Dingwall, Gaudet and Raabe started in positions 13th through 15th respectively.

By lap 6, Dingwall was 7th, Raabe 8th and Gaudet 10th.  The #01 car had moved to 4th by lap 7 and when a yellow flag bunched the field with 15 laps in the books, Chris was 2nd with Dingwall right on his tail.  On the 17th circuit, he took the lead and the fat lady started singing.  Chris not only won Brockville ’s sportsman modified championship for the 2nd time in his young career, he also racked-up feature win #18 on the season.

 

Monday, September 1st:  After a day off – from racing at least – Chris Raabe and his crew made the tow to Rolling Wheels Raceway Park .  While the half-mile at Elbridge , New York may not be his favourite place to race, Raabe approached the night’s 30 lapper the same way he does every event.

 

After finishing just outside of a qualifying position in his heat race, the #01 team was forced to run the first of a pair of ‘B main’ last chance qualifiers.  Wheeling the freshly re-skinned 2006 TEO, Chris took the win in the consolation event and started the feature from 21st spot.  His main rival for the Rolling Wheels track championship, Dan Wiesner was 18th at the drop of the green flag.  While Raabe charged toward the front, Wiesner appeared to be ‘points racing’.  The #66 car ran a careful race, while Chris did everything he could to gain positions.  Early in event, he developed a brake problem which made the car hard to control on the bottom of the track.  For every 2 spots he’d gain on the straightaways, he’d give back 1 in the corners.  At the drop of the checkered flag, Raabe had finished 13th.  Wiesner was 20th, earning the 2008 track title by just 4 points.

 

As they say, 2 out of 3 ain’t bad.

 

In the sportsman modified Super DIRTcar Series points, Chris Raabe trails Wiesner by 20 markers – 449 to 429 – but has made 1 fewer start.  Jeremy Pitcher is 3rd with 385.  He is unbeaten after 3 Lucas Oil sportsman series starts.  Leads the way with 720 points in the DIRTcar NE northern region standings and his 18 feature race wins are 7 more than his nearest competition.

 

Photo tag lines: 

#1:  Chris Raabe turned some fast laps at Rolling Wheels Raceway Park   (Jim Clarke photo)

#2:  Chris Raabe’s crew – including car owner Garry McColman – gets the #01 ready for action  (Jim Clarke photo)

 

Media contact:  Jim Clarke – Clarke Motorsports Communications

clarkemotorsports@hotmail.com

613.968.6410  /  613.922.0654    

 

       

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Chris Raabe Finds Strength in Numbers

By Jim Clarke, Clarke Motorsports Communications

August 26, 2008

 

If there really is strength in numbers, then it would only make sense to see Napanee , Ontario ’s Chris Raabe participating in the next World Strongman Competition.  When it comes to DIRTcar sportsman modified racing, no one has better numbers than the young 17 year-old driver.  The 3rd year chauffeur, who’ll take his 95% average into grade 12 at Napanee and District Secondary School in just a couple of weeks scored the 15th and 16th victories of his 2008 season Friday, August 22nd and Saturday, August 23rd at Thunder Alley Speed Park and Brockville Ontario Speedway respectively.

 

Heading into the final ‘points’ weekend of the year, the Teenage Tornado is in the running for track championships at Thunder Alley, Brockville and Rolling Wheels Raceway Park .  On the strength of his 3 race unbeaten streak, he has already clinched the eastern swing of the Lucas Oil sportsman modified tour.  Raabe currently leads the DIRTcar northern regional sportsman points and sits 2nd in the chase for the overall Mr. DIRTcar sportsman modified season championship.

 

Friday, August 22nd the driver of the Scott Industrial Service/TyRoute Communications-Telus/Kingston Hyundai/Kingston RV Centre/Waste Management/Canadian Tire/Brunet Plumbing/Kwik Load Products/

McColman Media/Len Corcoran Excavating TEO Pro Car staged one of his patented parades through the pack at Thunder Alley Speed Park in Evans Mills, New York to claim the win.  The next night, he started his qualifying heat 8th and had advanced to a commanding lead with just 3 laps in the books to take the win.  Come feature time, Raabe survived a pace-lap stare-down from Cole Dingwall, one of his closest competitors in the points and an early race red flag (that blocked the track) on his way to victory.

 

In the winner’s circle, Raabe was his typical, modest self.  “Lapped traffic was pretty dicey out there, but I’m glad we were able to work our way through it,” he said.  “I have to thank our sponsors and I’m especially grateful to the people you don’t see.  The guys who put in the long hours in the pits, at the shop and behind the scenes are the reason this car wins”.

 

The #01 team faces a very busy weekend of action, with 3 shows in 4 days.  The team will make their regular stops at Thunder Alley and Brockville – then tow to Elbridge , New York ’s Rolling Wheels Raceway Park for a Labour Day Monday event, in companion with the DIRTcar big block modifieds.

 

For more information, see www.chrisraabe.com.

 

Talkin’ ‘bout the Tornado:  Chris Raabe is scheduled to be interviewed in an upcoming issue of the Napanee Guide newspaper and will be profiled in a future edition of Inside Track Motorsports News.

 

Photo tag line:  Chris Raabe wheels his favourite ride – the 2006 TEO Pro Car – at Brockville Ontario Speedway Saturday, August 23rd.  (Jim Clarke photo)

 

Media contact:  Jim Clarke – Clarke Motorsports Communications

clarkemotorsports@hotmail.com

613.968.6410  /  613.922.0654

 

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Teenage Tornado Could Audition for Canadian Idol

By Jim Clarke, Clarke Motorsports Communications

August 22, 2008

He wasn’t even born when the song first topped the charts – in 1977 – but if Napanee, Ontario’s Chris Raabe has anything to say about it, he’ll soon be treating his crew members to lively rendition of Queen’s ‘We Are the Champions’ – in 6 part harmony.

With just a few weeks left in the season, the 17 year-old DIRTcar sportsman modified driver is in the running for no less than 6 titles.  He currently sits second in points at Brockville Ontario Speedway, Rolling Wheels Raceway Park and on the sportsman Super DIRTcar Series Tour.  Raabe’s #01 TEO Pro Car leads the way at Thunder Alley Speed Park at Evans Mills, New York .  He’s unbeaten – after 3 starts – on the Lucas Oil sportsman tour and leads the pack of sportsman drivers in the DIRTcar North East Region.

It could be just a matter of time before the pilot of the Scott Industrial Services/TyRoute Communications-Telus/Kingston Hyundai/Kingston RV Centre/Waste Management/Canadian Tire/Brunet Plumbing/Kwik Load Products/McColman Media/Len Corcoran Excavating ride adds another group of trophies to his mantle.  A raw rookie at the time, Raabe earned his first DIRTcar sportsman title at the age of 15, running the same 2006 TEO Pro Car he still campaigns today.

Whether it’s a chorus of ‘We Are the Champions’ or another 70’s hit, ‘Celebration’ by Kool and the Gang, championship winning runs are music to Chris Raabe’s ears.

 

Media contact:  Jim Clarke – Clarke Motorsports Communications

clarkemotorsports@hotmail.com

613.968.6410  /  613.922.0654

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Chris Raabe Gets His Marching Orders

By Jim Clarke, Clarke Motorsports Communications

August 19, 2008  

If he were a football player, he’d a be a running back looking for a hole in the defensive line that would allow him to pick-up an extra yard or first down.  In hockey, he’d be the slick, playmaking centre.  Always knowing where the puck was and just waiting for it to touch his stick, before depositing the game winning goal.  But Napanee , Ontario ’s Chris Raabe is a racecar driver.  Every weekend, he pilots a DIRTcar sportsman modified at Evans Mills, New York ’s Thunder Alley Speed Park and Brockville Ontario Speedway.

After an uncharacteristic 8th place finish just a week earlier, Raabe and his Scott Industrial Services/Tyroute Communications-Telus/ Kingston Hyundai/Kingston RV Centre/Waste Management/CanadianTire/Brunet Plumbing/Kwik Load Products/McColman Media/Len Corcoran Excavating race team was back at the Kirkland family promoted 3/8th mile Brockville Speedway for a regular night of action.  

Wheeling his personal favourite – a 2006 TEO Pro Car, while the 2008 model sat in the shadows of the race hauler – Raabe started 8th in his qualifying heat race.  By the end of 1st lap, he’d advanced to the runner-up spot and once the field had put a pair of circuits into the scorer’s log, he was leading the way.  As the qualifier wore on, ‘The Teenage Tornado’ had built-up more than a straightaway’s advantage over Dylan Evoy and Peter Stapper, the cars finishing in the 2nd and 3rd place positions respectively.

When the DIRTcar sportsman teams took to the track for their feature event, Raabe’s #01 ride was slated to start from the 12th position.  Again, he was marching toward the front.  It wasn’t a bull in a china shop mission, but smooth and calculating.  Looking for a spot and seizing the opportunity to advance just one more position.  He was 4th by the end of lap 6 and in the runner-up spot, just 4 turns later.  When the field took the green flag following a lap 8 yellow flag, Chris launched his race rocket from the outside and into the lead.  When the back was slowed again for Tabatha Murphy’s stopped car on the backstretch, Raabe was working his way through the back markers and had nearly half a track’s advantage on Stapper and Evoy, who finished the feature race 2nd and 3rd. 

Chris Raabe scored his 14th DIRTcar sportsman modified win of 2008 Saturday, August 16th and built a bigger cushion between himself and Cole Dingwall, who was involved in an early race incident and credited with a 23rd place finish.

For more information on Chris Raabe’s career and his 2008 racing season, see www.chrisraabe.com

Photo attachment (by Jim Clarke):  (L to R) Car owner Garry McColman, with Chris and Mike Raabe along-side the team’s race hauler at Brockville Ontario Speedway.

 

Media contact:  Jim Clarke – Clarke Motorsports Communications

clarkemotorsports@hotmail.com

613.968.6410  /  613.922.0654  

 

 

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Raabe and the Rain – The Summer’s Biggest Racing Stories

By Jim Clarke, Clarke Motorsports Communications

August 13, 2008

 

Everywhere you turn, weather has been the biggest motorsports story of the summer.  Close behind has been the history making on-track performance of Napanee , Ontario ’s Chris Raabe.  The 17 year-old speedster has already entered the record books on the strength of his 13 wins behind the wheel of his #01 DIRTcar sportsman modified racer.  Raabe and the rain cont