When Frank Pohozoff walked across the drag racing taxiway earlier this spring, he knew something was wrong. As his team drove their cars and forklifts over the track, he noticed splits and cracks in the concrete. He described the taxiway as so damaged that cars would 鈥渇loat over it like an iceberg.鈥�
鈥淭he concrete鈥檚 all broken,鈥� he said.
Pohozoff, Senior Executive with Kambusters, worked with his team to host the annual 鈥淭est and Tune鈥� drag race event at the Yorkton Municipal Airport in May. It was meant to be a preview of the 15th annual Prairie Thunder Drag Race Challenge, which is held in August every year. But due to shaky groundwork, the tune-up event might be the last taste of drag racing in Yorkton for a long time.
鈥淲e鈥檙e going to step back,鈥� Pohozoff said. 鈥淲e decided to call it now instead of hoping [for a change].
鈥淚 hated saying it.鈥�
For over a decade, the Kambusters Drag Racing Association has hosted rubber-melting races at the Yorkton Airport. Hundreds of racers and fans have traveled across Saskatchewan to participate in and witness the August event. Now the event has been put on a permanent hiatus.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a shame,鈥� Pohozoff said.
Kambusters cancelled its August event and all future听drag races. Pohozoff claims the culprit for the cancellation is cut and dry: Bad concrete.
鈥淚t broke apart,鈥� he said. 鈥淲e can鈥檛 use [it].鈥�
Pohozoff said the taxiway is essentially shattered. Kambusters uses the taxiway to transport heavy machinery and gear to the main runway. They require a sturdy foundation. Broken concrete created a major safety risk.
鈥淲e need a very good surface,鈥� said Doug Hrushka, a technician with Kambusters. 鈥淚t鈥檚 all about safety.鈥�
Pohozoff suggested frost damage might have splintered the concrete, wearing it down over the years. Mayor Bob Maloney said the age of the concrete played a factor in its fracture.
鈥淪ome of the concrete has been there since the 1940s,鈥� he said.
Kambusters presented their taxiway problem to Maloney and the City of Yorkton. Engineers inspected the track and the City discussed laying down gravel as a short-term solution, which Kambusters rejected. Pohozoff and his group are also opposed to using pavement to fix the taxiway.
鈥淸Fresh] pavement wouldn鈥檛 work,鈥� he said. 鈥淲e鈥檇 wreck it.
鈥淵ou need to concrete [the taxiway].鈥�
Kambusters needed new concrete on the taxiway by August, which would be a financial and logistical struggle. In the end, budget concerns and insufficient time killed Kambusters hopes for a renewed track this year. Maloney stated that while the City supports Kambusters, they can鈥檛 invest in repairing the taxiway at the moment.
鈥淚t would be a pretty big expense,鈥� Maloney said. 鈥淲e don鈥檛 have the cash for new projects.鈥�
鈥淵ou hate to see something like this go by the boards,鈥� he added. 鈥淸Kambusters] did a great job over the years.鈥�
In June, Kambusters decided to call off the annual drag race. They also ruled out the possibility of doing any races in the foreseeable future. Pohozoff is sad to see drag racing wither in Yorkton.
鈥淚t鈥檚 devastating [for the racers],鈥� he said.
鈥淚 was definitely disappointed,鈥� said Greg Hall, a Yorkton racer. 鈥淸The event] brings a lot of people to town.鈥�
鈥淥ur events did a lot of good for the city,鈥� Hrushka said. 鈥淸Local businesses] benefited.鈥�
Kambusters鈥� future with drag racing in Yorkton is up in the air. Currently, there are no plans to move the event to a different track. Until the airport taxiway gets a new coat of concrete, Kambusters won鈥檛 host races there. It鈥檚 all in limbo.
The familiar sounds of squealing tires, cheering fans, and screaming engines will fall silent this August. Hrushka, who鈥檚 worked with Kambusters for years, tries to focus on the positive when he thinks about his group鈥檚 unexpected stop at the finish line.
鈥淲e had a good run,鈥� he said. 鈥淲e鈥檙e proud of what we did.鈥澨�
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