2003 Predictions

03/26/03

 

Well, the car and racing shows are about over, the snow is about gone and spring is upon us. The racing season up here in the North Country is nearly ready to begin. We got an early taste this year as a couple of our regulars went out to Phoenix and ran the Grand National Series opener with the Winston West guys, but now April is here and our season is going to start. Before the first green flag unfurls there are a few things that have to be taken care of. The tracks have got to be cleaned up, swept and made ready for racing. The cars have got to be freshened up and tuned up and made ready to race. The drivers have to be whipped into shape physically and mentally and made ready to handle long laps in sometimes ill-handling racecars, and I have to make my annual predictions for the BNS season. I don’t know why this has become a tradition, but someone, somewhere is looking forward to reading them. (Thanks, son).

I predict that although Bill Penfold says they can’t run the full BNS season, they’ll do it anyway. It’d be a shame not to see Bill on the track each week or in the drivers meeting each week keeping the officials honest.

I predict that if Paul Wolfe takes some pointers from his new teammate, Jimmy Spencer, that he’ll become even more exciting to watch.

I predict that we’ll see Joe Bessey in a BNS car sometime during the season. Maybe just to adjust the seat for Andy, but he’ll be in there.

I predict that by the time the media all get used to spelling and pronouncing ‘Charles Lewandoski’ he’ll have either moved up to another series or run out of money and quit.

I predict that there will be a very fast and competitive Tic-Tac car on the track all season just as there has been for quite a few years.

I predict I’ll get e-mails and phone calls now to ask whom I predict will be driving that Tic-Tac car.

I predict that at some point there will be a two car, two sex, two Aubuchon, crash on the track. When it happens, I’m going to run to the garage area just to hear the comments from the two teams.

I predict that Mark Durgin will jump out of his car during a pit stop and try to make adjustments on Eddie MacDonald’s car just out of habit.

I predict that the next first time winner will be Paul Wolfe. Yeah, I know, I’ve predicted this for three seasons now, but this year is different. C’mon Paul, help me out a bit here, will you?

I predict that Roxanne Moore will spend part of her season playing mediator as Kelly and Ryan, both being hard chargers, are bound to get together more than once on the track. Oh, boy, to be a fly on the Moore’s wall the first time that happens…

I predict that Matt Kobyluck will not have a hotter car all season than he had at Phoenix, and that’s a good thing!

I predict that Speed Channel will televise exactly twelve BNS races this season. I further predict that due to not having Speed Channel, I’ll see exactly zero of those broadcasts. I was fortunate enough to be walking by a well-equipped campsite at Bristol Motor Speedway the other night and caught the last 25 laps of Tracy Gordon’s first ASA race of the season live on Speed Channel. Not only did Tracy have a damned respectable 12^th place finish but also the owner of the TV and satellite dish didn’t seem to mind us standing and watching over his shoulder cheering for some northerner that he’d probably never heard of.

I predict that before the season is over, I’ll buy a satellite dish to go with the TV and generator that I already have. Yes, racing is an expensive sport!

I predict that the 2003 Busch North Champion will be a former BNS champion

I predict that I’ll be served a nice cold frosty beer in a New Hampshire restaurant this season… Well, one of my predictions has to be a stretch, doesn’t it?

As always, send Questions, Comments, Hate Mail, and Indecent Proposals to, Fish c/o Busch North Scene or e-mail them to fishy@gwi.net