Williamson Racing Team Revving Up for 2012

By Dave Sully - (St. Catharines, Ontario) The Williamson Racing Team, with twenty-two year old driver Mat Williamson turning the wheel, is busy preparing for the upcoming 358 Modified season. It promises to keep everyone involved with the effort extremely busy, as current plans have the No 6 car racing regularly at Ransomville Speedway on Friday nights, and Merrittville Speedway on Saturday nights. Stir in the entire Mr. Dirt 358 Series, along with a few special events along the way and you have a recipe for a lot of sleepless nights, but, if the team meets its goals, there will be a lot of satisfaction as well.

Chief among their goals is to win the Merrittville Modified Championship. Mat has finished second the last two seasons to his boss and one of his chief rivals, Pete Bicknell, and would like nothing more than to claim the elusive title this season. He would also consider a top three finish at Ransomville as a success, but naturally he'd like to finish higher.

The team, which is busily preparing their cars for the season, as they have been all winter, plans to start the year with the car that debuted in late July of 2011 and was quite successful. It sported a body made by Mat himself, who has always been an integral part of the building of the cars, as well as the driver. The knowledge that comes from knowing how the car was built can translate into results on the race track, a fact not lost on Mat and the team.

Later in the year they plan to bring out a BRP 2012X car, which was a result of a collaborative effort between Mat and his father, Randy, co-owner of BRP and one of the savviest set-up men in the racing business. Mat built the body for the car. After working elsewhere, Mat joined the BRP staff in late September of 2011 and to say that it's been a good fit would be an understatement. Working for the company that has more dirt modified wins that any other manufacturer by far is a natural for the talented chauffeur.

While not thinking about racing or building race cars, Mat has been able to enjoy some snowmobiling in what has been an unusually mild winter.

No team can be successful, even with the best equipment and a talented driver, without two other key elements- a strong crew and dedicated sponsors. The St Catharines based Williamson Racing Team has both. Led by crew chief Rick Windeatt, famously known as "Uncle Dipper," the team includes Rob Sawatsky, from Caistorville; Teddy Renshaw, from Ridgeway; Charlie King, from Dunnville; Ron Sumbler, from Ridgeway; Bobby Paladichuk, from Ridgeway, Wayne Conn, from St Catharines; and Randy Williamson, from St. Catharines. The team doesn't have a lot of fixed assignments, but Rob is the shock specialist, while Ted likes to change the gears and fuel.

Mat's philosophy is a tribute to their effort. He believes, "You go to the race track to win. My guys work hard, just as hard, if not harder, than anyone else at the track. They deserve to win and I try to give it to them."

The team also realizes the importance of a dedicated group of sponsors and they have assembled an impressive group, without whom the past successes and future ones would not be possible. They are: S & W Service Centre, Optional Hose and Hydraulics, Jasen Enterprises, Keegan Forklifts, Semenuk's Esso, Wentworth Recycling, Papa Pizza, Design Space Trailers, Fastenal, Praxair, Stealth Racewear, Hair Extreme, Baer Petroleum, Putney Brake and Alignment, Crime Stoppers of Hamilton, Key Bro Lock and Safe, AB Consultants, Bermingham Foundation Solutions, Alex and Helen Bruce Racing Photos, Merrittville Speedway, Bicknell Racing Products, Bilstein Racing Shocks, Kirkey Racing Seats, GME Steering Gear, DMI Rear Ends, and Behrent's Speed Shop. New to the fold this year is RNB Restoration (Champion Lubricants) with owners Richard Matthie and Brian Baltjes.

Mat would like to extend special thanks to Terry and Carl, along with the staff at ERD, who build the power plants that put him in Victory Lane, a place he has seen quite often in his still budding career.

With support like that and one of the best young race drivers in the region behind the wheel, look for a great year from the Williamson Racing Team.

Thanks for visiting our new website and come back often for regular team updates and highlights of the 2012 season.