Clinton’s Charity Driver’s Challenge proves captivating

by Matthew Lomon

Clinton Raceway celebrated its 45th annual Charity Driver’s Challenge in style this past Sunday (Aug. 31), striking the perfect balance between historic firsts and timeless traditions.

“It was probably the closest challenge we’ve ever had,” said raceway manager and Clinton, ON native Ian Fleming. “There were three or four drivers tied at different times during the day. It’s always a fun day, but a little more suspense adds to it a little bit, too.”

The community-centered contest saw eight highly-respected reinsmen — Travis Henry, Daryl Thiessen, Austin Sorrie, Paul Mackenzie, Samuel Fillion, Lorne House, Garrett Rooney and Tyler Borth — compete in the eight-race series in support of the Royal Canadian Legion branches of Exeter, Seaforth, Clinton, and Hensall.

Fillion took control early, claiming the card’s first two races but was equaled atop the leaderboard by MacKenzie, Rooney, and Thiessen by the sixth leg.

It was in the seventh and eighth legs, however, when the anticipation reached its crescendo.

After collecting one win apiece through the opening three-quarters, Henry and Sorrie came up clutch late, finding the winner’s circle in the seventh and eighth, respectively, to finish the day with 52 points each.

In doing so, the challenge ended in a tie for the first time since its inception four and a half decades ago.

Combine that with picture-perfect weather, and the stage was set for yet another memorable day at Clinton Raceway.

“It was something unique that we never had before, and it happened in front of a really nice crowd,” said Fleming. “It was the best weather day for it — it’s been so darn hot —  but Sunday was a nice, comfortable temperature. This was likely going to be our biggest crowd this year anyway, but the weather certainly helped, and we sure had a big crowd on hand.”

The Clinton faithful, with an additional boost from Driver’s Challenge regulars, helped the track raise $12,000 for the quartet of local Legions through a BBQ, bake sale, 50/50 draw, dinner ticket sales and race sponsorships. Since its inception, the Charity Drivers Challenge has raised over $387,000 for local organizations, making it one of Clinton Raceway’s most impactful annual events.

“We love when people come every week, but there’s a good core of people that come for this day,” said Fleming. “They like coming a few times a year, and they can support a charity they like, and the Legion’s a popular one.”

The Clinton Legion remains an especially significant part of the Raceway’s identity, as it was the Clinton Kinsmen who founded the track in 1970.

That deep connection to the community continues to drive one of Clinton’s central missions.

“We want the racing to be as good as it can while also giving back to the community,” said Fleming. “We rely on each other to make that happen.”

Another significant, and often overlooked component of a day like the Driver’s Challenge, in Fleming’s eyes, is the selflessness of the drivers who find time in their hectic schedules to not only compete but do so pro bono.

“I don’t think people realize sometimes they’re all busy, but they come up here and drive for free that day,” said Fleming. “There’s not a lot of people wanting to work for free for a day and they’ve been doing it for 45 years. I think that kind of gets lost sometimes.

“They’re coming up out of the goodness of their hearts and they certainly don’t have to. It’s darn nice of them to do it.”

The enduring support of both Ontario’s finest drivers and the Clinton faithful is certainly not lost on Fleming, who envisions further growth for the annual staple in the years to come.

“It’s great; it means a lot,” he said. “It’s something we will continue to do as long as we can, and it’s an event that’s even grown a little bit over the years, but it’s been strong for a long time – right from the first one. It’s a day that we’ll try and come up with some new ideas for and keep fresh, but it gets people out every year.

“It tells you the community is interested in supporting the racing industry and supporting whichever charity we have in.”

In the wake of its latest renewal, Fleming, with the next steps still in mind, recalled the early days of the Driver’s Challenge and how it was well ahead of its time.

“Back in those days, there wasn’t simulcasting, so to see the top drivers come to Clinton was quite a thing because you couldn’t see them anywhere else – they weren’t on TV,” he said.

Closing that gap in coverage and accessibility by bringing the top drivers to the fans was unheard of, but an immediate hit.

“That’s what sparked the interest right away,” said Fleming. “You had people like Doug Brown and Dave Wall coming here, who you wouldn’t generally see. Now with simulcast, you can see them every night, so it’s not quite the same way today, but back at the start, getting all those drivers together was something you just never heard of.”

What hasn’t changed however, is the consistency of drivers’ character, from one generation to the next.

“They were as good volunteers 45 years ago as they are today,” said Fleming. “They’re out there and they’re working as hard as they can and doing it while not keeping a dime.

“Volunteer work is becoming a bit out of fashion in a lot of areas. It’s refreshing to see, and speaks volumes about them as people.”

While Driver’s Challenge Day, which also featured two $25,000 divisions of the Ontario Sires Grassroots for 2-year-old male pacers, is typically the final act on Clinton’s annual meet, the southwestern Ontario oval still has two cards of racing left.

Clinton’s 2025 campaign was extended by two weeks due to the construction of its new grandstand, which Fleming said his team is “really pleased with.”

Racing into September, although unusual in the grand scheme of things, feels like a fitting denouement to one of Clinton’s more unconventional seasons in recent memory.

And few, if any, embrace turning a challenge into an opportunity better than Fleming.

“We’ve never had a lot of luck in September, but we’ll try a couple days and maybe the weather will be nicer in the first week of September than it was at the end of May.

“It wasn’t our intention, but it’s kind of a good way to gauge maybe when you should be racing.”