Saturday, January 1, 2011

A Few of My Favorite Things about 2010

Greg Cybulski, WINNIPEG, MB (January 1, 2011) This list of some of my favorite things about 2010 is in no particular order. Each holds it's own distinct significance and is equally as important. The only common thread is that they all involve racing. Here we go...

Inaugural Big Al Delaine Memorial Wissota Modified race, Red River Co-op Speedway, Winnipeg, MB. Pat Mooney and the Delaine family carried on the legacy and paid tribute to one of the biggest supporters of the local racing community. This race was created and promoted for all the right reasons.

Ricky Weiss of St. Francis Xavier, MB: 2010 Wissota National Late Model champion. Weiss won 29 of 85 shows he competed in this season, At 22, Ricky is the youngest Canadian driver in the history of Wissota to win the National Late Model championship.

Dana Brandt's IMCA Hobby Stock winning streak at Estevan Motor Speedway, SK. In 11 starts, Dana won 10 Heats and 10 Features!

Chris Unrau's #27 'Harvest for Kids' Lightning Sprint. A beautiful car campaigned for a worthy cause.

Being a part of the Harvest for Kids event in Winkler, MB. When community comes together, good things happen. We need more of this in our society.

Gerald Balcaen Memorial, Red River Co-op Speedway, Winnipeg, MB. The best part of this night was seeing Amber Balcaen pick up the Northern Lightning Sprint Association feature win and deliver an emotional victory lane speech.

Amber Balcaen's Lightning Sprint run for the 2010 NLSA points title. Amber spent the rain-shortened NLSA season inching her way to within striking distance of the reigning NLSA champion. Misfortune on the second last points race would prove to be her undoing and be the difference that gave Roland Bernard his second consecutive championship.

Danny Schatz takes over Red River Valley Speedway in Fargo, ND. The half-mile in Fargo was one of my favorite stops. With the attention it will be getting from Danny, something good will be that much better.

2010 Wolff Pack Run weekend, IMCA Modifieds at Speedy Creek Raceway, Swift Current, SK. $40,000 in prize money. For that kind of money, I would build a car!

Continuing support of the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame and Museum. These folks are awesome in every sense of the word. Support is a two way street and I have seen this first-hand with the NSCHoF in Knoxville, Ia.

Working with the Northern Lightning Sprint Association. The NLSA went through some sophomore growing pains in 2010. Year 3 will be much better. The on-track product will continue to grow and be awesome for Winnipeg's open wheel fans.

The opening of ALH Motor Speedway in Morden, MB. The locally proclaimed 'Miracle in Morden' ran a few late race dates in 2010. The track is still a work in progress but has a lot of potential. There's something about the atmosphere of a rural community race track that has always been enjoyable.

Super Truck special at Emo Speedway, Emo, ON. Anthony Leek IS the true definition of a promoter. If he wants something, he goes out and he gets it. It isn't easy, but he always appears to find a way to get things done. The Saturday racing community culture that he has helped create in Emo should be a model for others to learn from.

Being invited on to Marty Gold's The Great Canadian Talk Show on 92.9 KICK-FM. I got my first taste of radio from inside the studio. What an awesome experience.

Writing and voicing the Prairie Dirt Racing Report on 1570 CKMW radio in Winkler, MB. I'm going from every Friday at 9:45am in 2010 to a weekly Monday to Friday time slot at 9:45am in 2011. I am so grateful for this opportunity.

HAPPY NEW YEAR