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| In
2005 the Southern Ontario Sprints were proud to award
#26 John Watson with the Rookie of the Year honours.
With a solid finish in the top ten in points the St.
Thomas, ON driver turned heads with several strong
performances. With a small budget and a big hearts the
#26 team made the most of what they had. We sat down and
talked to John about his success in 2005 and looked at
his upcoming sophomore season. |
| Claiming the 2005 SOS Rookie of the Year title had to be a good
feeling. What did it mean for yourself and your team? |
| My family and friends that make up my crew sacrificed a
ton of time and effort to make this happen. Winning the Rookie of the Year title was a very
nice reward for them. They deserve it. For me, being added to the list of
previous winners is quite an honour. That list contains some very talented
drivers. |
|
| Besides capturing the rookie title what was your most memorable moment
of the 2005 season? |
| No doubt that winning a heat race a Brighton over Adam West and Kyle
Wilson. Those two are absolute favourites to win at Brighton and to beat
them, if only in a heat race is quite an accomplishment. |
|
| There is a strong crop of rookies joining the SOS in 2006. Who do you
feel will be the favourite for the Rookie of the Year award and why? |
| Tough question! Rob Peitz will be quick but so will a few others. I think
Joe Middlemiss will be at the top if he makes all the shows. We already know
that he is fast!. |
|
| As one of the clubs lowest budgeted teams, how tough is it for you to
compete from week to week? |
| I know that my "$70 tire bill" is kinda a joke within the club but it sums
up my operation. With our budget we literally run week to week. We have made
the best out of what we have, and most of that is junk that other teams don't
want. I would love to strap into a new chassis with a $30,000 engine,
But....... I don't feel bad about what I have, great freinds, great times, and while
it's not a new car, it is still a SPRINT CAR!. |
|
| What do you think the future holds for the low dollar teams who try to
compete with the SOS? |
| If I can do it anybody else can. A low budget team may not go out and win
every show, but if you work hard and smart, you can still run well. It's all
about perspective. Money can't buy talent and desire. |
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| Travel has been a big topic of discussion during the off-season. What
obstacles does your team face in making every SOS event? |
| Damn weddings....Why cant people get married in the winter!
Scheduling......Eldora VS. South Buxton???? |
|
| A busy summer schedule means you have to have a great team. Who makes
up the #26 crew and how important have they been to your success thus far
with the SOS?? |
| Wife Terri - Parents Dave and Noreen Richardson - Good friend Randy
Tebbutt. How important you ask.......one word INDISPENSABLE. |
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| What goals have you set for yourself in 2006? |
I want to go out and have fun, be competitive, and just enjoy racing. If
things go well I would like to take the team to Eldora for the NRA race.
When I get to old to race I don't want to say "Hey, I could have done this". I
want to say "Hey, I did that". |
|
| The SOS is a club of good fellowship. On a week to week basis who are
some of your favourite competitors both on and off the track? |
| They are all great people, and I mean that 100%.
Some stick out more that others though.... Adam West - a great friend, great racer, and smartest guy on the track.
Mark Christianio - look up the word character....you will see Mark's picture.
Pete and Daryl Turford - hard core racers...hard luck...luck.
The Mahoney's - hard racers, both of them, but would give you the shirt off
their back. |
|
| You are one of the drivers that supports only SOS events, what makes
you so loyal to the club? |
| I feel the SOS has everything to offer. To it's members, to the tracks, and
most of all to the fans. Our drivers have competed successfully against the
best 360 sprint car drivers in the world and not looked out of place. The
tracks we race at are evolving into show places more and more every year. Our
fan base is growing, as we as a club grows. Why would you not want to support
and grow a local based series that can offer all this and still have room
for "the little guy". |
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| What
expectations do you have for the 2006 SOS season? |
| There is no doubt that 2006 will be a very tough year. If all the
pre-season speculation is true, there could be a third more cars at most
shows. If all our members support all the shows, this would have full
B-mains at every track we go to. This would make the SOS, by far... being
the best show in Canada, for its members, for our tracks and most of all for the fans
of the SOS. I would like to thank my sponsors for the help that they have given to me and my team for the
2005 season. My sponsors are Dowler-Karn Fuels, Elgin Motor Freight, Camp Out RV. I would also like to take the
time to thank the SOS officials, without them there would be no show.. |
