One common question I have been asked in the series of interviews held last couple of months is about my car racing days. It was an exciting time of my life. As a member of the Ontario Jaguar Owners Association, I was involved in slalom racing. Slalom racing consisted of racing around pylons in an arena, hourglass and then a figure 8 pattern. One year, I won third place in North America. It was quite an accomplishment.
Several of the members of the OJOA were also ranked very high in these annual slalom contests. A group of them decided to form the Jagged Edgers Racing Team. The goal was to participate in the Chumpcar Races at Shannonville Motorsport Park. Imagine my delight when they asked if I would like to join the team!
In those days, Chumpcar racing was the most economical way to begin racing, as Chumpcar rules specified that your car could be worth no more than $500.00. Chumpcar racing was a parody of the Champ Car World Series, which developed later into the Indycar series.
Our team acquired on old Jaguar XJS 12 cylinder, and we proceeded to strip it down to the bare bones so that it was as light as possible. It was racing on a budget! Of course, the $500 did not include the proper racing safety equipment required such as fire-retardant safety suits, gloves, helmets, five-way harness and roll bar and other safety gear needed to operate.
Several years before joining the team, I attended the Firestone Bridgestone Racing Academy (now known as the Skip Barber School). For our safety, we were required to take additional advanced driving and racing car courses at the Ian Law Racing School. Those were fun days on the track!
Interviewers often ask if my racing experience was an asset when writing my adventure book, Outfoxed. And indeed it was!
One chapter of my book mentions Targa Newfoundland – Race the Rock. Every year rally car drivers endure a six-day grueling driving rally. In my book Outfoxed, my protagonist RCMP Officer William Fox and his FBI counterpart Patrick Reilly commandeer one of the Targa cars to take chase after the villainous leader of the Foo Dog Triad.
You can order my book online, or if you live near Orangeville, Ontario, please visit Booklore at 121 First Street, Orangeville, to purchase your copy.
And don’t forget this Saturday, April 29th, is Canadian Independent Bookstore Day and Booklore will be celebrating its local authors!
The Canadian Independent Booksellers Association is sponsoring a contest in which you could win 1 of 3 gift certificates to spend at your favourite indie bookstore.
Every book purchased from an indie bookshop on April 29 equals 1 entry and books by Canadian authors or illustrators are worth double.
First prize is a $1,000 gift certificate donated by Penguin Random House Canada.
Second prize is a $500 gift certificate courtesy of Simon and Schuster Canada.
Third prize is a $250 gift certificate from Orca Book Publishers.
For an interview with Peter, please visit: https://peterthomaspontsa.com/contact/