02/09/2023
On August 19th, 2023, the Edmonton International Raceway hosted the 27th Annual Annugas Compression Consulting Roy Ross Memorial Race in Wetaskiwin, Alberta. The Roy Ross Memorial Race is the most prestigious Open Wheel Modified race in Canada. This event, sanctioned by Canada's oldest auto racing authority, the International Motor Contest Associates (IMCA) Canada, stands as the most renowned Modified race in the nation.
Annugas Compression Consulting is the major sponsor for the Roy Ross Memorial Goldbrick 447 Championship and the Roy Ross Memorial Race. We are very thankful for Mark Burton, who is the general manager at Annugas Compression in Wetaskiwin. His continued support of this great event means the world to Roy’s family and friends. Mark has actually raced in the memorial race and is quoted as saying that it was “one of his biggest thrills to be a part of the Roy Ross as a racer” and now as a sponsor.
Well his known as “Superman”, “Mr. September” or now maybe “The August Knight” might be catchy, Mike Clark, piloting Car #92, was triumphant in this year’s Annugas Roy Ross Memorial Race. This victory marked his third championship title in Canada, no other Canadian Open Wheel Modified driver has ever won 3 Championships — an unprecedented feat. Notably, this race holds the record as Canada's longest consecutive pavement oval track, open wheel modified championship, running for 27 years.
Clark's superior performance in the Annugas Goldbrick 447 Championship earned him the pole position. Mike dominated from the outset, leading all 47 laps. His best lap time of 13.601 seconds was in lap 39, reaching speeds of 66.172 m/h.
Regarding the Annugas Goldbrick 447 Championship, racers were ranked based on their top two "Day Points" from three Challenge races. Clark showcased impressive skills by amassing 104 Day Points out of a maximum of 111 Day Points possible at the Annugas Gas City Challenge on May 27th. This event at Medicine Hat Speedway was sponsored by Annugas Compression Consulting, Industrial Backhoes, and W2 Construction. The subsequent races were the Pat's Auto Supply Peace Country Challenge on June 10th at Hythe Motor Speedway and The 3rd challenge race was the Roy Ross Memorial Silverstar Challenge sponsored by Silverstar Oilfield Transportation and Tami & Larissa Co. Exp Reality on August 19th at the Edmonton International Raceway.
Clark's aggregate of 199 points, obtained by summing up his best scores and discarding the least, led him to secure the Annugas Goldbrick 447 title and consequently the pole position at the 2023 Annugas Roy Ross Memorial Race.
In this intense race, Clark competed against 15 of the best IMCA Modified Drivers in Canada, the 27th running of the Annugas Roy Ross Memorial Race included 5 past Roy Ross Memorial Race Champions! Renowned racer and likely future Hall of Famer, Justin McTavish, driving Car #14, clinched the second position, challenging now 3 Time Champ Mike Clark to the finish line. With this recent accomplishment, Justin has expanded his collection to an unparalleled 20 RRM Trophy wins, setting a new record. His racing résumé is nothing short of extraordinary: in 2022, he celebrated victories in both the Annugas Goldbrick 447 Championship and the Roy Ross Memorial Race. This marked his second win in the latter within a mere seven-year interval. Such an achievement cements his place among the racing elite, as only seven racers have ever secured two RRMR Championships. Of these distinguished champions, only three, namely Justin himself, Mike Clark, and Chad Malone, were actively racing this year. The remaining distinguished double-titleholders are Keri Wheeler, Dan Saunders, Wheeler Boys, and B.J. Clark.
B.J. Clark said expressing pride for my younger brother feels like a vast understatement. From the moment we arrived, we wrestled with his car, pushing its limits and ours. The day leading up to the memorial didn't pan out as we'd hoped, but when the moment of truth arrived, we truly shined. During the break, we threw every solution and tweak we could think of, fine-tuning until the car moved flawlessly through the middle. Mike executed a flawless drive, cementing his legacy with his third Annugas Roy Ross Memorial Race victory. Words can't capture the elation and admiration I feel for him.
Barry McTavish, the champion from 1997 and father of Justin, unfortunately met with an accident during lap 31 when he was spun into the wall under the flagstand. Despite this unfortunate turn of events, Barry showed his racing prowess by securing the 4th position in the Silverstar Challenge Feature, earning him his 10th Roy Ross Memorial Trophy win.
The 2012 Champ Jamie Krzysik, won the Silverstar Challenge belt earlier in the day and was in 2nd place in Lap 17 when his car broke and rolled to a stop after a dramatic display of sparks down the front straight away. Jamie’s racing career has taken him many places and he recently raced in the NASCAR Pinty's Series at EIR.
Chad Malone, in Car #12 and a two-time champion from 2017 and 2021, remarkably finished in 7th place. Notably, he posted the fastest time at 13.333 seconds. However, his race was marred by an incident involving a crash in lap 31, which resulted in Barry McTavish being taken out. Despite this setback, Malone showcased his resolve and skill to secure his position.
Keaton Pylypiuk Car #74, finished third in the Annugas Roy Ross Memorial Race and took 1st place in the Silverstar Challenge Feature race earlier in the event. He claimed victory at Pat's Auto Supply Peace Country Challenge race on June 10th feature as well. In the Peace Country Challenge, he won the Hard Charger trophy in the race with the most earned positions.
Tyler Knowles Car #81, securing the fourth position, stands as a record holder, equalled only by Mark Howling for the highest number of consecutive second-place titles in the Roy Ross Memorial Race. Even at the young age of 21, Tyler is recognized as an experienced IMCA Modified driver. Remarkably, this marked his 8th straight participation in the Annugas Roy Ross Memorial Race, having started his journey at the tender age of 14. He set a record by becoming the youngest competitor in an RRM race and remains the youngest to receive approval to race an IMCA modified, granted by President Bruce Hampton.
Inheriting the racing DNA, Tyler is a proud third-generation racer. His late grandfather, Scott Craig, clinched the second position in the 1998 Roy Ross Memorial Race, finishing right behind the legendary Don Mosmann. Furthermore, Tyler took home the title in the inaugural Goldbrick 247 in 2021.
Securing the fifth position was Chase Guidolin in Car #97. Chase previously impressed with a 3rd place finish in the Silverstar Challenge feature race. His achievements in 2022 are noteworthy, as he clinched the title of IMCA Canadian SportMod Champion. Moreover, he was the proud victor of the 2022 RRM Trophy Dash in honour of Merril Knowles, as well as the esteemed winner of the 2022 Mark Burton Young Guns Classic.
Claiming the sixth spot was Jesse Fitzpatrick in Car #13. Jesse's most recent race in an RRM dates back to 2008, during the final Roy Ross Memorial Race held at Racecity Speedway. That particular race stands out in Jesse's RRM career as he delivered his best performance out of three RRMs, finishing as a runner-up behind Wheeler Boys.
Securing the 8th position was Shaun Stevenson in Car #5. This year, Shaun showcased his talent by emerging victorious in the Mark Burton Young Guns Classic, which took place at the Hythe Motor Speedway during the 2nd Annual Pat's Auto Supply Peace Country Challenge.
Alex Krause Car #99 Finished ninth, placed 2nd in the Silverstar Challenge and has posted two Fastest Time-Ins in the last couple of RRM events. In 2021 he was the Fastest in the Roy Ross Memorial Time-ins and in 2022 he posted the fastest Time-in at the Medicine Hat Speedway for the Annugas Gas City Challenge.
Finishing 10th was racer Rylyn Malone Car #21 down 4 laps, she had been involved in the crash on lap 31. Rylyn is the first woman to win a major IMCA Canada event, as a minor, she had just turned 16 years old and won the 2020 Annugas Roy Ross Memorial Young Guns Trophy Dash! This year she won her second Annugas Roy Ross Memorial Trophy Dash in Memory of Reg Simmons. Rylyn was the only female in the field this year!
Roy was once given the opportunity to race in a slow trophy dash, it is with great sadness, that this year’s Slow Trophy Dash is “In Memory of Reg Simmons”!
Reg was an IMCA Modified driver for many years and raced in 10 Memorials. He holds the record for the fastest man in a Roy Ross Memorial Race at RaceCity Speedway in Calgary.
He was Roy’s Nemesis at Times, Reg loved to come up behind Roy and Reg must have thought he was in a Hit to Pass Race. Cause he would hit Roy’s bumper when he couldn’t get by, sometimes Roy was so mad he was 10 feet off the ground when he came into the pits. That must be how Reg got the nickname Bam Bam! But most of all he was Roy’s friend, he will be remembered and missed. Rest in Peace Reg.
The lap 31 crash took out 3 cars, Jason Bujold Car #87 a last-minute entry in the Roy Ross Memorial Race. Jason had medical issues which sidelined him for most of the season. Jason won the Annugas Roy Ross Memorial Trophy Dash in 2019 and finished 4th in the 2021 Roy Ross! He was doing well this year, until he came around turn 4 in Lap 31, Barry McTavish’s car #23 was up against the wall and Cars 21 and 85 were dancing together in the middle, Jason had nowhere to go and ended up in the middle of it all, he had to park his modified in the pits for the last 18 laps.
Also knocked out in lap 31 was Dave McIntosh, This was Dave’s 2nd Roy Ross Memorial Race. Dave had one of the best-looking cars out there, you wouldn’t have been able to miss his beautiful lime green #85 IMCA Modified Racear!
Travis Lapainis Car #16, Travis was defending his win from last year’s Silverstar Challenge feature and ended up hitting the wall very hard in turn one after something broke in the steering, in the first heat race. His crew managed to get the car steering back together in time to load it back on the trailer.
That rounds out one of the most competitive fields seen here at the Edmonton International Raceway years! Congrats again to our 3 Time Champ Mike Clark!
Roy Ross: Racing in His Blood, Legacy in the Wind
From the bustling city of Edmonton to the roaring racetracks of the IMCA Canada Modifieds, Roy Ross was a testament to living with fervour and passion. Born on August 18, 1943, Roy's journey was one that inspired many and left an indelible mark on the racing world.
Love, for Roy, was multifaceted. While his heart throbbed for the thrill of racing, it beat most consistently for his family. Married to Jane for a commendable 33 years, the couple's life was enriched by their three children: Todd, Tami, and Tina. And as time moved, the circle of love grew, adding nine grandchildren and an equal number of great-grandchildren.
Roy's tryst with racing began in the 1970s. From being an avid spectator at West Wind Oval to becoming an active pitman for the legendary Gord McTavish, Roy's journey was gradual but determined. 1993 marked his entry into competitive racing, where he showcased his prowess at the Enduro Race in Racecity, Calgary. By 1994, with the help of stalwarts like Steve Moro, Blaine Hardie, and Gord McTavish, Roy made an impactful entry into the IMCA Modifieds.
But what truly defined Roy wasn’t just his accomplishments but his spirit. His enthusiasm for racing was infectious, mirrored in his eyes, and evident in his hearty conversations. Beyond the racetrack, Roy's life was a celebration of family, fellowship, and the joys of life. His was a spirit that revelled not just in personal victories but also in the successes of his racing brethren.
However, life, much like racing, is filled with unpredictability. And for Roy, it came to a fateful halt, not because of racing but while embracing the sport he loved so deeply. This tragedy was a reminder that while life can be unpredictable, it should be lived to its fullest.
Today, as the winds rush past the racetracks, Roy’s spirit lingers, watching, guiding, and cheering for the fraternity he so dearly loved. He swapped his truck's 18 wheels for racing radials, and mundane routes for thrilling tracks, and found solace in the pit stops. His journey from the long hours on the road to realizing his dreams on the track epitomized a life lived with passion and purpose.
For all the racers and dreamers out there, Roy's legacy is a beacon of hope, inspiration, and unwavering spirit. The Ross family's gratitude knows no bounds, for the racing community embraced Roy and made him one of their own. And while his physical journey may have concluded, Roy’s spirit continues to race, eternally etched in the annals of racing history.
