1996 Niagara Speedway Race Results
July 27, 1996 Canadian National Championship at Niagara Speedway
By Kim Gregory
Opening statement from Duncan Luke (CSRA official, photo at right), "Having won
the two previous meetings at Welland this year, John Keyhoe will start as the favorite to retain his National Title.
As last year proved, his experience will be an advantage, but he is likely to be pressed hard by several of the younger riders who are determined to
make this, their year. Leading them are Chris Hesmer, Jeff Orosz and the Muszynski bothers.
However, his main threat may well be Tomaz Drnac who has made the long trip from Slovenia to have another crack at the title. On his
last visit in 1994, he finished second to Len Dillon and intends to go one better this time. Let's give him a particularly warm welcome
and also the Americans, some of whom will have traveled long
distances to race here tonight."
The number one plate this year was won by the current National
Champion, John Keyhoe. Chris Hesmer had the gate and the lead for two laps
before John was able to pass him. Sobec Muszynski got third, Andy Harris was fourth in the final and fifth overall, Bogdan Muszynski finished fifth in the final, fourth overall, and Gary Hesmer sixth, as the first reserve
rider in the final.
Twenty eight riders
competed for the title this year including Tomaz from Slovenia and five Americans. Bad crashes put Tomaz and Patrick Ahlund
out for the night, slowed Gary Hesmer, and Jeff Orosz lost an engine in his first heat, reducing his chances for the night.
Click on photos for full picture
The races are run in four rounds of five heats. The top riders from
the first round qualifies to enter the high point heats in the next
round.
Round 1 -rider- Heat 1 2 3 4 5 Total (next heat)
Chris Hesmer #11 4 4 11
Sobec Muszynski #25 4 4 11
Bogdan Muszynski #18 4 4 11 (7 point max.)
Andy Harris #19 4 4 11
Patrick Ahlund #66 4 4 11
John Kehoe # 1 3 3 10
Gary Hesmer #37 3 3 10 (5 point max.)
Guy Fafard #23 3 3 10
Fred Legault #68 3 3 10
Tomaz Drnac # 7 3 3 10
Biff Waczynski #48 2 2 9
Paul Gradwell #10 2 2 9 (4 point max.)
Greg Comstock #75 2 2 9
Glen Brown # 9 2 2 9
Pat Renolds #11x 2 2 8
Ghetan Carigan #51 1 1 8
Nicolas Fafard # 6 1 1 8 (3 point max.)
Kim Gregory #97 1 1 8
Tim Ford #42 1 1 8
Mark Engel #69 1 1 8
Jeff Orosz #31 DNF 0 9
Joanne Edwards #62 0 0 7
John Busler #16 0 0 7
Al Chisholm # 8 0 0 7 (2 point max.)
Brian Marshall #87 0 0 7
Darren Altmayer # 7x 0 0 7
Ian March #47 0 0 7
Pat O'Connor #65 0 0 7
Round 2 -rider- Heat Qua 7 8 9 10 11 Total (next heat)
4 Chris Hesmer #11 7 11 16
4 Sobec Muszynski #25 6 10 16
4 Bogdan Muszynski #18 5 9 16 (7 point max.)
4 John Kehoe # 1 5 9 16
4 Andy Harris #19 4 8 15
3 Gary Hesmer #37 4 7 16
3 Guy Fafard #23 3 6 15 (5 point max.)
2 Paul Gradwell #10 3 5 15
3 Fred Legault #68 2 5 14
2 Pat Renolds #11x 3 5 14
0 Jeff Orosz #31 4 4 15
4 Patrick Ahlund #66 DNF 4 15
2 Biff Waczynski #48 2 4 14 (4 point max.)
3 Tomaz Drnac # 7 DNF 3 14
1 Ghetan Carigan #51 2 3 14
2 Glen Brown # 9 1 3 13
1 Nicolas Fafard # 6 1 2 13
0 John Busler #16 2 2 13 (3 point max.)
2 Greg Comstock #75 0 2 13
1 Joanne Edwards #62 1 1 13
1 Kim Gregory #97 DNF 1 12
1 Tim Ford #42 0 1 12
1 Mark Engel #69 0 1 12 (2 point max.)
0 Al Chisholm # 8 0 0 12
0 Darren Altmayer #7x q 0 12
0 Brian Marshall #87 0 0 Q
0 Ian March #47 0 0 Q
0 Pat O'Connor #65DNF 0 Q
Round 3 -rider- Heat Qua 12 13 14 15 16 Total (next heat)
11 John Kehoe # 1 7 18 21
11 Chris Hesmer #11 6 17 21 (7 point max.)
10 Sobec Muszynski #25 5 15 20
9 Bogdan Muszynski #18 4 13 21
8 Andy Harris #19 4 12 21
7 Gary Hesmer #37 3 10 20
6 Guy Fafard #23 3 9 20
4 Jeff Orosz #31 5 9 21
5 Pat Renolds #11x 3 8 20 (5 point max.)
4 Biff Waczynski #48 4 8 20
5 Paul Gradwell #10 2 7 19
5 Fred Legault #68 2 7 19
3 Glen Brown # 9 3 6 19 (4 point max.)
4 Patrick Ahlund #66 DNS 4 19
2 Greg Comstock #75 2 4 19
3 Ghetan Carigan #51 1 4 18
1 Tim Ford #42 2 3 18
2 Nicolas Fafard # 6 1 3 18 (3 point max.)
3 Tomaz Drnac # 7 DNS 3 18
1 Kim Gregory #97 1 2 18
2 John Busler #16 0 2 17
1 Mark Engel #69 0 1 17
1 Joanne Edwards #62 0 1 18
0 Brian Marshall #87 0 0 17
0 Darren Altmayer # 7x 0 0 17 (2 point max.)
0 Ian March #47 0 0 17
0 Al Chisholm # 8 0 0 17
0 Pat O'Connor #65 0 0
Round 4 -rider- Heat 17 18 19 20 21 Total (next race)
18 John Kehoe # 1 7 25 1st Semi
17 Chris Hesmer #11 6 23 2nd Semi
15 Sobec Muszynski #25 5 20 1st Semi
13 Bogdan Muszynski #18 5 18 2nd Semi
12 Andy Harris #19 4 16 2nd Semi
10 Gary Hesmer #37 4 14 1st Semi
8 Pat Renolds #11x 3 12 1st Semi
9 Guy Fafard #23 2 11 2nd Semi
7 Paul Gradwell #10 4 11 1st Semi
9 Jeff Orosz #31 DNF 9 Qualifier
8 Biff Waczynski #48 1 9 Qualifier
6 Glen Brown # 9 3 9 Qualifier
7 Fred Legault #68 1 8
4 Greg Comstock #75 2 6
3 Tim Ford #42 3 6
4 Ghetan Carigan #51 1 5
3 Nicolas Fafard # 6 2 5
4 Patrick Ahlund #66 DNS 4
2 John Busler #16 2 4
3 Tomaz Drnac # 7 3
2 Kim Gregory #97 0 2
1 Mark Engel #69 0 1
1 Joanne Edwards #62 0 1
0 Al Chisholm # 8 1 1
0 Brian Marshall #87 DNS 0
0 Darren Altmayer # 7x 0 0
0 Ian March #47 0 0
0 Pat O'Connor #65 0
- rider - Qua Semi- Semi Tot Final Total
25 John Kehoe # 1 6 31 6 36 1st
23 Chris Hesmer #11 5 28 5 33 2nd
20 Sobec Muszynski #25 5 25 4 29 3rd
18 Bogdan Muszynski #18 4 22 2 24 4th
16 Andy Harris #19 3 19 3 22 5th
14 Gary Hesmer #37 2 18 18 6th
12 Pat Renolds #11x 3 15 15 7th
11 Paul Gradwell #10 4 15 15 7th
9 Jeff Orosz #31 q 6 15 15 7th
11 Guy Fafard #23 2 13 13 10th
9 Biff Waczynski #48 0 9 11th
9 Glen Brown # 9 0 9 11th
8 Fred Legault #68 8 13th
6 Greg Comstock #75 6 14th
6 Tim Ford #42 6 14th
5 Ghetan Carigan #51 5 16th
5 Nicolas Fafard # 6 5 16th
4 Patrick Ahlund #66 4 18th
4 John Busler #16 4 18th
3 Tomaz Drnac # 7 3 20th
2 Kim Gregory #97 2 21th
1 Mark Engel #69 1 22th
1 Joanne Edwards #62 1 22th
1 Al Chisholm # 8 1 22th
0 Brian Marshall #87 0 25th
0 Darren Altmayer # 7x 0 25th
0 Ian March #47 0 25th
0 Pat O'Connor #65 0 25th
I had a good first heat, crashed in turn one of the next heat while in second place, tearing holes in my leathers.
I chased after the pack, but two laps later my rear fender loosens and jams into the wheel, giving my right leg a terrific blow.
My third heat I had the fastest race of my life, finishing second to Tim Ford. We were a half a lap ahead of the rest of the riders!
The last heat, a clutch stud broke at the tapes, and I limped around in last place.
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