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Local oval racing season hosts opening
night Saturday
DARREN STEINKE
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Darrell Adams may be gone, but he will not
be forgotten.
While that may be a commonly used
cliché, it perfectly fits opening day for the Medicine Hat
Auto Racing Association season. The MHARA season begins today, and
this will mark the local circuit’s first race without the
veteran driver.
Adams passed away due to a long battle
with colon cancer last September about two weeks after he had
officially won the mini stock points title.
“When Darrell had his car set up
there, it was impossible to get by him,” said veteran driver
Jerry Sabine. “He protected his lead. That is all there was
to it.
“Once he had it, he kept it, because
he was good driver.”
Over the past three seasons, Adams engaged
with Sabine and Kevin Cooper is a series of entertaining and heated
mini stock races. As the top drivers always start at the back of
the pack in the MHARA, this threesome would quickly overtake the
other cars and jockey for that key front position.
The driver that took the lead almost
seemed impossible to pass. When that driver was Adams and his car
was tuned up good, he was gone.
The trio was almost always in the top
three of the points standings. Sabine won the points title in 2005,
Cooper in 2006 and Adams took his place on top in 2007.
This season’s July 19 circuit race
has been dubbed the memorial race for Adams. The majority of the
tributes will happen at that time.
During the national anthem at
today’s race (7 p.m., Medicine Hat Speedway), cars will make
a lap in the missing man formation to mark Adams’s
passing.
As for Sabine and Cooper, they get to
fondly think back to the races they had with Adams telling tales
like they were talking about long ago.
“They were a lot of fun,” said
Cooper before breaking into a big laugh.
“He was a tough competitor. You just
didn’t go out and beat him. You had to work long and hard to
beat him.”
The 1976 Toyota Celica Adams used to win
the mini stock title was sold to him by friend Vince Walker. Walker
used that same car to win the 2004 mini stock title and figured
Adams would have some success with it.
“That car was such a good car, and
it handled so well,” said Walker. “Darrell was a good
driver.
“There was no question about him
winning championships. It was bound to happen.”
Darrell’s son, Justin, is slated to
drive his father’s car this season. Due to the fact he has to
attend a wedding, Walker is stepping into the driver’s seat
at Justin’s request today.
“I helped out Justin and Darrell
more than anybody else,” said Walker, who has raced casually
the last two seasons, but mostly assisted drivers in the pits.
“It is going to be different with Darrell not being
there.”
Sabine, Cooper and Walker all figured out
at different times last season that Adams’ health was not
good. Sabine said he knew something was up when Adams
wouldn’t get out is his car anymore for autograph sessions.
He also took rest breaks in his reclining lawn chair between
races.
Walker said Adams tried to keep his
failing health under wraps for two reasons. Firstly he didn’t
want people to worry about him, and secondly he didn’t want
other races to allow him to win due to pity.
In the end, Adams went out on his own
terms with a championship, and for that, he will always have the
respect of his rival racers and friends.
“He raced until he couldn’t
race no more,” said Sabine. “You have to give the guy
credit for that.
“That (championship win) was good
for him. He needed that. He wanted that. It was real
cool.” |
