There is a new track champion at Dinosaur Downs, and he is a local driver.
Mike Hansen has been involved in motorsports for years and is a long-time volunteer at Dinosaur Downs. While he put away his helmet and driving gloves for more than two decades last year, he got back into a car last season.
It was an excellent year, and he ended the season as rookie of the year.
In year two, he did even better and is now track champion He was in good standing going into the final weekend of racing on September 2-4. He drove well for the first two events, but the Monday races were cancelled because rain made the track too wet to go ahead with races. Despite this, he ended up on top.
“I am the points champion for IMCA Canada for Drumheller,” said Hansen. “ It is quite a thing because last year I was rookie of the year, and this year to win track champion is pretty cool.”
This new career comes after 25 years of not being in a car, with the exception of demolition derby events. Prior to this, he had experience in street stock and hobby stock racing and also had a super stock car. Last season he bought an IMCA Modified car with a front Chevelle clip, pumping out 450 horsepower. Track speeds can reach up to 100 miles per hour on the ⅜- mile oval.
“There are some fast cars here, there is no doubt about it,” he said.
“It has done pretty well. I am pretty impressed with what it has done for an old car.”
For a moment it looked like he might not be racing on the final weekend. He was racing in Rimbey a couple of weeks prior when he got into a crash. It was touch and go to get the car back together.
“I was coming out of corner two and got tagged in the back end, and the car shot right into the wall head-on. It took them a little more than a half hour to get me out of the car,” he said.
Whether he will defend his title. He says he has not decided. His plan was to race for two years, sort of a bucket list exercise.
“We’ll see what the winter will bring.”
