August 18,2002

Richardson passes on race for family affair
Kelowna driver heads to Regina instead of weekend Barber-Dodge race in Wisconsin.
By DOYLE POTENTEAU
The Okanagan Sunday

Blood is said to be thicker than water. For Mike Richardson, it's also thicker than race fuel.

A family function in Regina proved more important for the Kelowna resident than jumping behind his Prestige Inns open-wheel cart for this weekend's Barber-Dodge pro series race in Elkhart, Wis.

So instead of qualifying for today's 40-minute timed race, Richardson is keeping tabs on what's happening via the Internet.

And what he saw after Saturday's qualifying left the rookie driver shaking his head in doubt. Drivers Richardson can compare himself too qualified well, with a few cracking the top 10. And seasoned veterans, who should have done well on the infamous 4.048-mile Road America track, didn't.

"It's hard to say what exactly is going on down there, but it definitely makes me wonder how I would have done," said Richardson. "Seeing those qualifying results really surprised me.

"Guys who are close to me in ability did quite well. To me, it shows the (newer) drivers are really climbing up.

"Just seeing those (results) really made me wonder where I would have place."

Richardson, 34, won't be missing the series' next race, which touches down in Montreal next weekend. The local racer will be leaving Wednesday for la belle province.