The racing started at 6:30 P.M. The track was hard and unpredictable, and heat ten saw all riders go down in a heap in turn one just off the start. Gary, Paul and Andy were all able to restart. The track was then watered, got worse, then improved steadily. The demo rides put on at the end of the night saw the track at it's best.
Paul Ager and Franz Kursweil from Austria raced at the track. Paul's lay-down Jawa he was riding drew a lot of interest from the other riders. (We only have one other, owned by an Ohio rider). He finished ninth overall last night in the Championship (two seconds, one third and two fourth place finishes), and Franz placed 11th (two seconds, one forth, two fifths). At Paris, he placed second in division one, and Franz finished fourth. Paul says the tire he had was poor for our tracks and started doing better after Len Dillon (13 times Canadian Champion) loaned Paul his rear wheel for the last few heats at Paris. After the races, Paul let Len and Gary Hesmer (winner at the Paris) take the lay-down Jawa for a few laps around the track to try it out. They both agreed it a superior machine.Paul calls the Paris track "a crazy track" and when asked how Welland and Paris compare to the tracks in Europe, he says every track is different. As to the quality of our riders compared to Austria, Paul says our best are still behind his country's best. (editors note: 95/09/01 - Louis Fitch says the Austrians will be back next year with three more as well)