Paul Shipway had never met a microphone he didn't like -- until last Friday night at Delaware Speedway. The gregarious 17-year-old from Ailsa Craig had just won the open wheel modified feature.
He hopped out his car and was greeted by trackside announcer Derek Botten.
Shipway was tongue-tied as he attempted to recount the race, in which he held off challenges from veterans Jim Weirsma of Dorchester, Wayne Pilkey of Mt. Brydges and Phil McNally of Oil Springs.
All three took clean shots at trying to pass Shipway, at times getting their noses out in front, but each time the teenager beat them back.
Weirsma is second in points and Pilkey third. Shipway is eighth.
For Shipway, it was his second feature win in two years. He won the second-last race of 2002, his rookie year in the division.
"It was such a great feeling to win a race, I got out and jumped on the roof of my car and screamed for so long," he said.
"Normally I like to just gab away but I was just knotted up. I was very emotional. Now I know how those NASCAR guys feel when they jump up on their roof. It was quite the night."
Shipway said his crew gave him a car that had to win, "so that's what I did.
"The car had good bite off the corner. My crew put it all together for me. Sometimes I make mistakes but they're always there to clean up my mess."
Shipway said holding off the challenges from the three veterans was nerve-racking but also exciting.
"They where there and they gave me a couple of knocks to let me know they were there," he said. "I just gritted my teeth and said, 'Not today.'
"Everyone has been giving us 100-per-cent support. We just had to do it."
Atchison still No. 1
Londoner Rob Atchison has retained the points lead in the Hooters IHRA Drag Racing Series funny car class after the inaugural Rocky Mountain Nationals in Edmonton last weekend.
Atchison was the fastest qualifier, but lost the final to Mark Thomas of Louisville, Ohio. Thomas was the 2001 IHRA funny car champion.
Next up are the inaugural Motor City Nationals July 11-13 at Milan Dragway, southwest of Detroit.
Following that, the IHRA will be at Toronto Motorsports Park in Cayuga for the ACDelco Canadian Nationals July 25-27.
St. Thomas going 1/8th
St. Thomas Dragway has decided to go with the 1/8-mile for the pro divisions at this weekend's Featherlite Can-Am Nationals.
Track owner Dave Mathers said it's being done for safety and cost-effective reasons.
He said he polled the drivers in the funny car, pro mod and pro comp divisions "and they all feel it will be a lot easier on their equipment," Mathers said.
"This is the trend in the U,S. All bracket cars are going the 1/8-mile."
Micks running hot
Kerry Micks of Mount Albert has closed to within three points of two-time defending CASCAR Super Series champion Don Thomson Jr. of Hamilton.
Micks finished third Sunday night in the Dodge Canada Day Shootout at Cayuga, while Thomson was 14th.
Thomson was running seventh when he lost a tire. Some quick pit work by his crew kept him on the lead lap, but he never got back into contention.
Micks knew he'd cut into Thomson's points lead, but didn't know it's now this close.
"I knew we gained some ground. He's still a few points ahead, but we're doing all we can and feeling good about it," Micks said.
CASCAR's premier division now takes a week off before heading to the Toronto Molson Indy July 11-12 for the Avenue ACDelco 100 on the temporary street circuit in and around Exhibition Place.
Pit stops
Jonathan Urlin, 20, of London, a rookie in the Indy Racing League's Infiniti Pro Series, is fifth in the points championship heading into Sunday's Aventis Racing for Kids 100 at Kansas Speedway. The closest Urlin will get to London is Michigan International Speedway on July 27 . . . In the oldie but goodie department, Norm Roy of St. Thomas used the same truck to win the feature last Friday that he ran when division debuted at Delaware in 1997.
