Emo Speedway

Tow Truck built for Emo Speedway in 1968. This vehicle was one of the first tow trucks to help at the track.

The 1960s represented a golden age in racing. The interest and support of racing in the community of Emo and surrounding area was on a large high during this period. Famous drivers such as #33 George Oltsher, Mel Jack, #1 Larry Jack, #38 Mike Andrusco, and #25 Richard Visser all had their start during this time.

[edit] 1970s

The decade started out very well, still running off the great seasons of the 1960s. However, strife between the involved organizing bodies at Emo Raceway became a forefront in politics. People from one group wanted the rules and regulations a certain way, and a struggle between who should have control, organizing etc., occurred.

This led to a shut down of the racetrack at the end of 1974. With the exception of a couple races during the Emo Fall Fair in the mid 70's the track laid dormant.

Drivers from this period were #6 Gary Wilson, #9 Ken Anderson and others.

[edit] 1980s

The 1980s started out with a revival in the racetrack, now called the Emo Speedway although referred to the original name occasionally. Originally a letter to the Editor was written to the Fort Frances Times regarding how missed the races were during the fair and that the races were the only real event that kept people coming back.

In response to this letter, Tom Jackson replied, saying that if there was enough support to start the races up again, he and others had no problem getting cars back on the track.

1981 saw the return of racing in Emo and the Rainy River District. Support was tremendous and some of the largest crowds ever seen at the track occurred during this time. Drivers such as #34 Tom Jackson, #21 Dwayne Pihulak, #27(#3K)Peter Leek, #14F Greg Ferris, #43 Darren Ward, #12 Dwayne Pelepetz, #2R Ricky Roche and #5 Wes Morriseau started racing during this time.

[edit] 1990s

The 1990s saw some changes in the way organizing and operations were taking place. Around 1992, Emo Speedway joined the WISSOTA Promoters' Association with their Modified class. This allowed a common set of rules for all tracks in the region permitting more traveling by local and regional drivers.

In 1993, a tragedy happened when #01 Keith McNally rolled over multiple times in his Thunder Street Stock on the first lap of the feature. He did not survive his injuries. In remembrance, the Keith McNally Memorial was created to award the Street Stock driver who goes to the track consistently, works hard at racing, loves the sport, but unfortunately ends up towards the back. This was awarded to #69 Dean and Terry Martin in 2006.

Emo Speedway in the Late 1990s In 1995, the Borderland Racing Association (BRA) changed hands to a private promoter named Sonny Ferris. Ferris, who had been the announcer, promoter, and track president for the past few years, decided the track might do better without a Board. Emo Speedway Inc. came into being, abolishing the BRA. However, decreasing car and fan counts in 1996 and 1997, led to Ferris quitting as private promoter. The Borderland Racing Association returned in 1998 with Ed Rea and others leading the new Board of Directors. As quoted in the Fort Frances Times on March 18th, 1998: Ed Rea, who has been a fixture with the Emo Speedway since the mid-1960s, will become the track’s new promoter, taking over from Sonny Ferris, who held that job for the past two seasons. Rea said the track simply could not be maintained under the private ownership of Ferris and instead will now be run as a non-profit organization. “They thought that by switching to a private owner, they could do better, but you just can’t make money [that way], you need free help,” Rea stressed yesterday. Original Article The race dates were also changed from Friday nights to Thursday nights to try increasing car and fan turnout. This, however, didn't work out well and race nights were subsequently changed in 1999 to Saturday. The 1990s also saw the introduction of the Super Stock class and the Mini-Sprint class. The Super Stock class never caught on and counts remained low from 1995 to 1997, resulting in its drop. The Mini-Sprint class was unstable. The class increased and decreased on a week to week basis, but invitationals brought in a higher count of about 14 to 16 cars. But the Mini-Sprints fell to average only a few in 2004 and the class was dropped before the 2005 season. Many invitationals ran during the 1990s, especially around the period of 1995 to 1997. Sonny Ferris hoped the larger payouts would draw in larger crowds and car counts. While car counts were larger because of the higher payouts during special events, fans seemed to get saturated by the sheer number of special events and as a result, regular nights saw decreasing numbers. As a result, large amounts of money were being offered, but little was returned for the track. The 1990s saw drivers such as #15 Ron Westover, #18 Chris Shine, #16 Gavin Paull, #00 Steve Arpin, #2X4 Ken Perry, #11 Anthony Visser and others started their racing careers during this time. [edit] 2000s to Present Emo Fall Fair, Sunday Afternoon race in 2002 The success of the late 1990’s began to return in the year 2000 since the reinstatement of the Borderland Racing Association.The beginning 2000 saw much of the success that had been taken While low attendance from fans had traditionally occurred during the opening few races, 2000 saw more than average crowds. Although not highly noticeable, it seems that 2000 was a more successful year. Invitationals were canceled for the 2001 season. This was mainly due to the fact that more money was being lost than earned, and the latest Modified Invitational that took place on June 30th and July 1st of 2000 saw only a few traveling cars, and less than satisfying fan counts. At the end of 2001, new clay was added in the corners of the Speedway. 2001 saw the talented Steve Arpin dominant the WISSOTA Modified class. It was in this year where his talents became fully known to the community. During the summer, he won 13 of the 15 races that took place. It was his second championship title in 3 years. His career in the Modifieds took off soon after and in 2003, Steve raced a more limited schedule in Emo and raced abroad. His last visit to Emo was during the NOPA Super Truck Special which took place on June 17th, 2005. 2004 saw the introduction of a new class. Midwest Modifieds were created to make a cheaper alternative for open wheel racing such as the Modifieds. This allowed the older motors and chassis' that were used on Modifieds during the 1990s to be raced again. During the year, the Borderland Racing Association ran Street Stocks, Modifieds, Midwest Modifieds, and Mini-Sprints. 2004 also saw the placement of a new lighting system for the racetrack. A dozen or so halogen lights replaced the older lights which had been in place since the mid 1980s. It also featured underground wiring that required less poles, which in turn, allowed an increase in fan view ability. A new pit canteen was also built in that year. Three Mini-Sprints race during the 2004 Emo Fall Fair. It was one of the last times Mini-Sprints were seen at Emo Speedway 2005 was a down and up season. Firstly, the season got off to a rough start as the opener was canceled due to rain and the first two weeks of June were also rained out. The weekend of June 17th brought the first real sunshine and blue skies. The first invitational to be scheduled since 2000 took place on June 17th. NOPA Super Trucks from Winnipeg, Manitoba visited Emo Speedway for the first time. Seven trucks made the long trip and a higher than usual turnout was seen in the grandstand. The rest of the season turnout very well in terms of weather, with the exception of Friday night of the Fall Fair, when two inches of rain two days before and rain all day race day made for a mess. 2006 started out much better than in 2005 as the season opener on May 20th took place as scheduled. The BRA decided to include rain dates set for 1:00pm on Sunday if the races were canceled on the Saturday night. The season only saw one rain date used which was on Sunday, August 13th. 2006 also saw the return of Super Stocks to Emo Speedway in almost a decade. The Special took place on July 22nd 2006 with 15 cars traveling from Thunder Bay, Ontario, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Bemidji, Minnesota, and Ashland, Wisconsin. The winner was Gary Nelson Jr. out of Blackduck, MN. 2007 will have the season opener in the third weekend of May. [edit] Special Events [edit] Emo Fall Fair Special (Rea Memorial) WISSOTA Midwest Modifieds race hard into turn one in 2006 The Emo Fall Fair Special is a two day event that takes place during the Rainy River Agricultural Fall Fair scheduled for the third week of August. The race dates are usually Friday and Saturday, with the exception of 2002 where it was Saturday Night and Sunday Afternoon, and in 2000, being only one day. It is a two day points event. At the end of night two, drivers are awarded the Rea Memorial Trophy. Each class winner receives an award. 2006 Rea Memorial Champions WISSOTA Modifieds - #18J Chad Jonson (International Falls, Minnesota) WISSOTA Midwest Modifieds - #00 Chuck Arpin (Crozier, Ontario) Street Stocks - #15 Ron Westover (Devlin, Ontario) [edit] Keith McNally Memorial Invitational The Keith McNally Memorial is an invitational for Street Stock drivers which usually takes place in September, the month in which McNally passed away. 2006's winner was #21B John Bosma. [edit] Canada Day The Township of Emo and the Borderland Racing Association join together to celebrate Canada Day at the races. Cake is served during the event with fireworks after the races. [edit] Mid-Season Summer Shootout Started in 2005, the Annual Mid-Season Summer Shootout (Mid-Season Championship) sees bonus money awarded to the drivers in each class and also a trophy for the winner of each class in the feature event. The event takes place around Mid-July. 2006 Winners WISSOTA Midwest Modifieds #86 Don Smith (Grand Rapids, Minnesota) Street Stocks #15 Ron Westover (Devlin, Ontario) WISSOTA Modifieds #8 Curtis Kamm (Dryden, Ontario) [edit] Championships Drivers are awarded points from showing, racing in a heat race and the feature. These points go toward a championship which is completed on the last week of August. 2006 Track Champions WISSOTA Midwest Modifieds #33 Kendal Gamsby (Atikokan, Ontario) WISSOTA Modifieds #8 Curtis Kamm (Dryden, Ontario) Street Stocks #25 Richard Visser (Emo, Ontario) [edit] External links [edit] Sources/More Information The Official Website of the Emo Speedway WISSOTA Promoters' Association WISSOTA's Official Newspaper "All The Dirt" Official Newspaper of the Emo Speedway Township of Emo