The event was a success. There was no doubt about it.
People filled grandstand after grandstand. Children sat attentively with their eyes glued to the race track. Engines roared, dust flew and cameras flashed.
Flying High at the Eagle Showdown saw approximately 45 drivers take to the race track on Oct. 1 in Manor. With competitors from as far away as Alberta, Ontario and down into the United States, the competition was fierce. Throw in a Nascar driver and you are guaranteed to provide an event that is sure to stick in the minds of those in attendance for years to come.
With hot laps beginning at 1:30 p.m., the audience was given a preview of what was to come. Excitement buzzed through the air while spectators anxiously waited for the heat races to begin.
Following a 2:15 p.m. singing of "O Canada", the audience was treated to exactly what they paid their admission for. An exhilarating display of racing was given by all competitors. Hobby stock racers took to the track first to showcase their driving skills, followed by the street stock racers.
Next up, was the modified cars where spectators saw Nascar driver Steve Arpin compete against friend and local racer, Joey Galloway, as well local Mason Big Eagle. And with a last minute addition to the schedule, three sprint cars took to the track to test their driving skills against each other.
Fans felt the adrenaline in the air and the horsepower in the stands. The power of the machines was obvious as the cars ripped around corner after corner.But the fun didn't stop there. Following the heat races, personnel set to preparing the dirt track for the features races. During the intermission, the audience was able to grab a snack at the Eight Words Café stand that was setup, purchase clothing and product at the entrance or take a few minutes to stretch their legs.
Most importantly to many of the youngsters in the crowd, this time also meant the opportunity to see Nascar racer Steve Arpin up close and personal. Not only that, but Arpin made sure to take a moment to speak with each of his fans and to provide them with an autograph. Children ran with excitement to catch a glimpse of the Nascar driver.
During intermission, the top finalists selected their numbers for the feature race before taking to the track. During the hobby stock feature, the crowd of approximately 700 people saw Eric Sinness capture the title. Tanner Matthewson flew by the competition in the stock car race, while Nascar driver Steve Arpin beat out local favourites to take first in the modified category.
After a day full of racing, 300 people were treated to a delicious barbeque supper provided by Rylan and Cindy Weir from Manor.
Racers, crews, and spectators danced long into the night to the music stylings of Third Degree Birnz. Between 500 and 600 people filled the dance floor at this year's event.
But an event like this doesn't just happen. A lot of hard work goes into the planning and organization of races such as this. Organizers Derrick Big Eagle and Joey Galloway were happy with the way their first race day went.
"It was leaps and bounds over what I was expecting," said Big Eagle. "Before Saturday, I was getting a lot of calls saying that I should be expecting more people because this guy was coming, he was bringing these guys, and these guys were bringing their campers. So, four or five days before the race I started to bump everything up."
"An extra 50 bags of ice, an extra 100 pounds of meat for the barbeque. I had to put in a call to Eight Words and let them know it was probably going to be more people than I had originally told them. Initially, I planned for 300 to 350 people, so it far surpassed that."
As for next year, the show will most definitely go on. "I don't know if it will be the exact same date again but next year, my goal is to have a two day event," said Big Eagle. "I'm planning on having mud bog races and dirt track races on the Saturday and a dance that night. And then the next day, I'll probably have go kart races, and dirt track races later on that night. So it will be a two day show, and people can make a weekend of it and do some camping."
"It's something good for the area and I think that is what everyone liked," said Big Eagle. "It was something different for the area. And for people that have never driven to Estevan to see the races, they got to see it right here in Manor. They couldn't believe how fast the cars were or how much you could feel the horsepower in the stands. And that feedback came from older people right down to the little kids."
While the final tallies fundraised for the Manor Fire Department are yet to come in, there is no question about it, the event was most definitely a success for all involved.
