Saturday night speedway

Saturday night speedway

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Dressed as a princess, Jennifer Knoepfel stands in the pits waiting for the next race during the Saturday night stock car races at Agassiz Speedway.

The speedway was built in 1971 and holds approximately 12 races a season from April to October. Every two or three weeks competitors and spectators gather on Saturday nights to watch or take part in the races for prize money, points and local honours.

"No multi-million dollar cars and egos, just down to earth folks who love to race."
Andy Clark, Reuters Photographer

Built in 1970 the Agassiz speedway is a quarter mile oval track nestled into the side of Agassiz Mountain about 90 minutes drive east of Vancouver, British Columbia. Owned and operated by the non-profit Kent Raceway Society the track hosts about 12 races a season beginning in April and running through to late October.

Once the gates open for competitors at 3 o’clock sharp, the empty grass and graveled infield pits filled up and sprang to life as everybody got to work preparing their cars for the evenings races. The air is soon filled with the sound of high torque power ratchets and revving engines - followed soon after by the first warm ups on the track. There was so much activity going on that at first I didn’t know where to turn my attention or camera. So during a break I crossed to the outside of the track and spent about an hour just observing. The sunlight at that time of day was horrible as it always is so it was not time wasted.

Just after dusk with qualifying over, now began the racing under lights located around the side of the ring. The police had donated many of the overhead lights to the speedway. Apparently the lights had been used by those running illegal indoor marijuana operations and had been confiscated by the police after the premises had been raided.

There were many characters and stories around the track. One example was the O’Reilly family. The father, John, had raced at the track for many years and now carrying on the tradition was his 14-year-old daughter Chelsey. Driving the same 1968 Chevy Chevelle her dad had used, Chelsey bravely took to the track racing against drivers twice her age and experience. Race nights were a family affair for Team O’Reilly. Chelsey’s two sisters Chrystal and Veronica were the pit crew, her dad the mechanic and mother Margaret moral support. This was Chelsey’s rookie year as a driver since the minimum age to race at the track is 14, though she had practiced on the track a year earlier when only 13. Chelsey’s chances of winning a race were slim but her goal was not to come in last during qualifying or races, which she successfully completed. No small feat for a driver who cannot legally drive in British Columbia for another couple of years.

Though I was not surprised to find a 14-year-old racing one thing that did give me pause was the appearance of a princess walking amongst the fumes and noise of the pit area. Dressed in a long gown and wearing a tiara the young woman looked way out of place surrounded by grease monkeys and grizzled drivers. Turns out she had been asked to hand out the trophies that night to the winners of each race. Wanting to impress, the young lady had searched e-bay to find the gown she wore.

There is something about car racing at its grass roots level. No multi-million dollar cars and egos, just down to earth folks who love to race.

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Slideshow

Race flagman Joe Catton waves the checkered flag ending a stock car warm-up.
. Agassiz, Canada. REUTERS/Andy Clark

Race flagman Joe Catton waves the checkered flag ending a stock car warm-up.

Fans gather in the stands at Agassiz Speedway during a late model sportsman stock car race.
. Agassiz, Canada. REUTERS/Andy Clark

Fans gather in the stands at Agassiz Speedway during a late model sportsman stock car race.

A member of a stock car pit crew takes a break.
. Agassiz, Canada. REUTERS/Andy Clark

A member of a stock car pit crew takes a break.

Race flagman Joe Catton taps his backside with a flag while signalling to a driver to move to the back of the pack during a race re-start.
. Agassiz, Canada. REUTERS/Andy Clark

Race flagman Joe Catton taps his backside with a flag while signalling to a driver to move to the back of the pack during a race re-start.

A car spins out on the course during the final of the "Hit To Pass" stock car race.
. Agassiz, Canada. REUTERS/Andy Clark

A car spins out on the course during the final of the "Hit To Pass" stock car race.

Chelsey O'Reilly waits to take part in qualifying in the Streets stock car category.
. Agassiz, Canada. REUTERS/Andy Clark

Chelsey O'Reilly waits to take part in qualifying in the Streets stock car category.

Local racing teams set up their equipment around the grassy edges of the infield pits to work on their cars between races.
. Agassiz, Canada. REUTERS/Andy Clark

Local racing teams set up their equipment around the grassy edges of the infield pits to work on their cars between races.

One of the youngest drivers at Agassiz Speedway, Chelsey O'Reilly (left) prepares for a practice session with help from her dad, John and sister, Crystal (right).
. Agassiz, Canada. REUTERS/Andy Clark

One of the youngest drivers at Agassiz Speedway, Chelsey O'Reilly (left) prepares for a practice session with help from her dad, John and sister, Crystal (right).

Driver Troy Globe stands with the trophy girl after winning a sprint race.
. Agassiz, Canada. REUTERS/Andy Clark

Driver Troy Globe stands with the trophy girl after winning a sprint race.

Rookie race driver Chelsey O'Reilly, 14, looks out from behind the protective netting in the window of her stock car while preparing to qualify.
. Agassiz, Canada. REUTERS/Andy Clark

Rookie race driver Chelsey O'Reilly, 14, looks out from behind the protective netting in the window of her stock car while preparing to qualify.

A driver uses a sledgehammer to make repairs to his "Hit to Pass" stock car.
. Agassiz, Canada. REUTERS/Andy Clark

A driver uses a sledgehammer to make repairs to his "Hit to Pass" stock car.

Using flashlights a pit crew looks over the damage caused after a crash in the 100 lap final of the late model sportsmen stock cars during race night.
. Agassiz, Canada. REUTERS/Andy Clark

Using flashlights a pit crew looks over the damage caused after a crash in the 100 lap final of the late model sportsmen stock cars during race night.

Drivers, pit crews and other volunteers all help clearing the track of debris and spilled oil following a stock car crash.
. Agassiz, Canada. REUTERS/Andy Clark

Drivers, pit crews and other volunteers all help clearing the track of debris and spilled oil following a stock car crash.

Terry Kershaw drives through a patch of late day sun.
. Agassiz, Canada. REUTERS/Andy Clark

Terry Kershaw drives through a patch of late day sun.