What attracted Eric LeClair to Jimmy Smith was their similar approaches to racing.
A makeshift memorial was set up in the pit area at Thompson (Conn.) International Speedway following the tragic passing of driver Jimmy Smith, who drove car No. 33.
It was a scene common to auto racing season openers: two veteran drivers chatting about the year to come, sharing optimism for what lies ahead.
That’s what Eric LeClair and Jimmy Smith did at the drivers’ meeting prior to last Saturday’s qualifying heats for the annual Icebreaker at Thompson (Conn.) International Speedway.
LeClair, of Easthampton, had no idea that conversation would be the last he’d have with Smith, who died after suffering an undisclosed medical issue in his car following his Sunoco Modified heat race later that day.
“I was just totally in awe of it all. I couldn’t believe it,” LeClair said Wednesday in a phone interview. “I stood with him at the drivers’ meeting, and we just shot the breeze about the upcoming season.”
Smith, 62, was a respected driver both in the pits and on the track. That respect was paid forward the following day, when Thompson officials extended the Sunoco Modified feature from 30 to 33 laps – the car number Smith used.
Someone wrote “RIP 33. Race in Peace” on a race tire and placed it in the pit area as a makeshift memorial, and some placed flowers in its hub.
The Woodstock, Conn., racer had just parked his car at the hauler after finishing his eight-lap heat when he was stricken.
“A guy came running by me and said, ‘Jimmy Smith just had a heart attack,’” LeClair said. “I said, “Really?” and I walked around the corner and saw them all working on him.”
While LeClair has saved a few lives both on the track and on the street in his 35-year career, he knew his friend was in good hands with the emergency medical personnel attending to him. When the ambulance left, however, LeClair had a feeling he had seen Smith for the final time.
“It happens, but it’s something you don’t think about until it happens again,” LeClair, 58, said. “It’s not a fun thing to see.”
What attracted LeClair to Smith was their similar approaches to racing. Both men operated their teams on shoestring budgets, doing most of the work themselves in order to save money to race as often as possible, while still getting respectable results on the track.
LeClair saw a lot of himself in Smith – a very affable personality who was quick to dispense knowledge to anyone who sought it.
“He was always friendly with me, as I was with him,” said LeClair, who finished third in Sunday’s Lite Modified feature.
Smith was vice president of manufacturing for Seals It, of Ellington, Conn., a company headed by New England Auto Racing Hall of Fame car owner Skip Matczak. His funeral was Thursday in Putnam, Conn.
Memorial donations can be made to PAWS – CT, P.O. Box 191, Eastford, CT, 06242 or Second Chance Animal Shelter, 111 Young Rd. PO Box 136, East Brookfield, MA. Smith owned two Boxers, Peanut and Tina.
TIME TO DASH: Monadnock Speedway in Winchester, N.H., is ready to open for the season.
Saturday’s annual Bond Auto Parts Spring Dash is highlighted by the second race in the 2013 Valenti Modified Racing Series season. Steve Masse won the opener at Waterford (Conn.) Speedbowl two weeks ago.
This race is near and dear to everyone involved in the VMRS, as it was the first the series ever contested 10 years ago. Since then, the VMRS has grown by leaps and bounds.
As for Monadnock’s weekly divisions, all the hard work put in during the winter will finally begin to pay off. Chicopee’s Kimmy Rivet returns to defend her Mini Stock championship.
The 2013 Valenti Modified Racing Series champion will be $10,000 richer.
Other 2012 division winners at “Mad Dog” were Russ Hersey (Sportsman Modifieds), John Lavoie (Super Stocks), Craig Chaffee (Lightning Stocks) and James Thompson (Thunder Stocks).
HIGH STAKES: The VMRS drivers now have something extremely lucrative to compete for.
Whomever wins this year’s championship will receive a check for $10,000, series president and founder Jack Bateman announced Wednesday.
“It’s something I wanted to do as part of our 10th anniversary celebration,” Bateman said in a press release. “It will be a special way to honor our champion and close out our 10th season.”
Jason Remillard can be reached at jremillard@repub.com