After concluding another successful season of action, Kawartha Speedway’s drivers, race teams, supporters and sponsors gathered Friday, October 12th to receive the awards for their efforts during the year. Among those honoured with individual or team recognition was the #54 Hasiuk Trailer and Container Rental Mini Stock program, driven by Orono, ON’s Danny Benedict.
The teenaged wheel twister – who graduated to stock cars after a successful tenure with the Kawartha-Durham Kart Club
– scored his first career main event Friday, September 28th during the final show of the year.
Team Benedict endured some frustrating mechanical failures on the way to their first ‘A’ main checkered flag, but hard work and determination by the father and son operation, with a group of friends and crew members helped pave the way to victory lane, a 7th place point finish and the 2012 Dedicated Pit Crew Award.
“We changed the engine 5 times during the second half of the season,” said Doug Benedict. “After the 3rd swap, we discovered the problem was deeper than just the powerplants we’d been getting from the local auto wreckers and showed the problem components to OSCAAR Super Late Model driver John Owen. A little brainstorming with John helped us determine
what was going wrong and he coached us on the installation of pistons and rings.”
Doug Benedict also gave credit to Wallace Auto Supply – Carquest in Bowmanville for their help with parts, along with Max and Mike Beyore who pitched-in with welding expertise, in addition to the long time support they’ve offered Danny Benedict over the years.
“Danny and I accepted the award at the banquet, but there were so many people who played a role in keeping things together and kept us from getting discouraged,” continued Benedict. “Carl Thompson helps us at the track every week. Norm Mayhew’s assistance was never more than a text message away. We also received support and encouragement from fans and other race teams. Derek Lynch gave us the practice time we needed – sometimes as little as just 2 laps – during the week and his words of wisdom and assistance helped us more than he knows.”
Doug and Danny Benedict are the public faces of a family race team that also includes the behind the scene contributions of wife and mother Chris, who keeps things running smoothly on the home front while the boys are out there playing.
Fans and race teams can look to www.kawarthaspeedway.com to keep up to date with the latest off season news.
prepared by: Jim Clarke/ Clarke Motorsports Communications
Discussion about this post