While driving to North Battleford one day last week, I was listening to John Gormley on the radio talking about the forecast and how sunny the weather was going to be.
He was going on about how July is the month Saskatchewan residents always point towards and look forward to in those cold dark January days in the province.
Heck, it is not just Saskatchewan residents who dream about July when they are cold and shivering - it is residents in other provinces as well. Even when I was living in Ontario, with its milder winters, I was still looking forward to the hot weather of July and how great it would be.
There was always something to look forward to as far as big events were concerned. One of my favourite events is auto racing.
Each summer, the streets of Toronto around Exhibition Place were be turned over to the cars that would usually race at the Indianapolis 500. It was the annual Molson Indy, the biggest summer sporting event in the city.
I was roped into attending my first Molson Indy race back in the mid-90s. I was still living in London, Ont. I remember stopping at the local Sunoco gas station and winning a scratch-and-win free pass to go to the Indy in Toronto.
Now, I had always been intrigued by the Indianapolis 500 on television and by racing to begin with, but had never been to one of these races live. It turned out this pass was for the practice sessions Friday, but that was enough to get me hooked on the event and hooked on auto racing.
The Molson Indy was this big spectacle. Yes, it was a chance to see big names like Michael Andretti or Paul Tracy race around the streets of Toronto, but it was more than that. Basically, it was capitalism and marketing at its finest. Visitors to the track would be bombarded with products and free samples. I always came home from the Indy with hot sauce, free allergy medication, free deodorant or other items I didn't have to pay for or even need.
There would also be people there with displays to promote a cool movie coming out or a new online poker site. And of course, Molson would have their massive beer tent promoting their product.
Even the Canadian Armed Forces was there with a big display showing off their tanks or other cool equipment, all in a bid to recruit people into the forces.
The event also had girls. Lots of them. The Miss Molson Indy contest is held every year and these contestants parade around the track waving at the fans.
What else was there? Oops, I almost forgot - I think there was a race.
Anyway, the spectacle surrounding the race itself was a big reason I was hooked. But there were other reasons.
One had to do with the fact motorsports are something I can relate to. I can never relate to other sports the same way because I was absolutely no good as an athlete and didn't play competitively as a result.
But I have a car.
I ended up caring about the same sorts of issues the auto racers would have to deal with on the track.
For example: there were the times my alternator blew, my brakes needed replacing, I'd blow a tire, the oil would leak, the engine would overheat or some other stupid thing would happen.
Inevitably I'd end up sitting in the garage, waiting for the mechanics to be done fixing my car. So I have plenty in common with these race drivers who contend with similar problems with their vehicles during big races.
That is how I ended up interested in auto racing. Because the races in Toronto happened in July, that month has become associated with auto racing for me.
I know July is a month people point to for a number of reasons, and not just because it is vacation time. Some see it as the time to head off to the lake. For others, it's the Craven Jamboree. For even more, it's the return of the Riders.
For me, it represents the opportunity to go to races at the Auto Clearing Motor Speedway in Saskatoon, which will again host NASCAR's Canadian Tire series race July 27. And it means an opportunity to go up to Edmonton to see the Indy races at their City Centre Airport, running from July 22 to 24.
We're fortunate living in the Battlefords to be close to two big races within driving distance. This year, I feel even more fortunate than usual to be able to hopefully continue my summer tradition of going to an Indy race in Edmonton.
The reason is because there was almost no race this year. Last year, city council and race promoters had a big dispute over $3 million worth of airport runway repairs, and with everyone squabbling about who would foot the bill, the entire race wound up scrapped.
But the business community in Edmonton, aghast at the prospect of millions of dollars of tourism revenue and promotional opportunities going up in smoke, stepped in and demanded the race be rescued. Thanks to their support, both sides got back to the bargaining table and did the deal to save the Edmonton Indy.
All I have to say is thank you, Edmonton's business community, and thank you capitalism, for making July a month that, for me, is again worth looking forward to.
