For the better part of two decades Len Hall has raced motorcycles. Until this season, he's never been fitted for a crown as a Canadian All-Motorcycle Drag Racing Association series champion.
That drought ended for him Sunday on a cool and windy day at Castrol Raceway in Edmonton where he claimed the CMDRA Triple J Pipelines supergas title.
Mark Guillet, Hall's travelling partner and the 2010 supergas series champion, proved equally successful in his first venture in the CMDRA modified class, winning five of the six events to earn his second straight points championship.
"This year, we did it," said Hall. "You have to go out there and try hard to make it happen with lots of road trips and everything that happens. It's a concentrated effort by a few people, always."
Hall tackled much of the legwork that resulted in the CMDRA returning to Prince George for the first time since 2003. He won four of the six CMDRA events, including the Prince George Motorsports Park race, July 3. Although he was eliminated in the first round Sunday, Hall maintained a healthy points lead, finishing 111 points ahead of second-place Quinn Olson of Saskatoon.
"Winning first place in Prince George was a good one, the first time we'd raced in Prince for a long time, and winning it really made it worthwhile after the hoops we had to jump through the get the races here," said Hall, who was second overall in supergas in 2008 and 2009 and fourth last year.
"I wanted five out of the six [wins] but my motor's getting tired at the end of the season and I had a bit of stress with the motorcycle. I think I know a guy who can handle [the necessary repairs]."
That guy might be Guillet, the service manager at Harley Davidson of Prince George, which Hall owns. This season, Guillet raced two bikes owned by Frank Wall of Mackenzie.
"It's been an awesome year -- I started out on an old modified bike and by the third race I got a new one," said Guillet. "This new bike is doing what we want it to. I'm very fortunate man to have a friend like that who doesn't even want to ride them. He wants to be the tuner who sets you straight if you're doing something wrong. It's been pretty much a success since I started with him."
Sunday's modified final was showdown between Guillet and his boss. Hall was a late replacement for Tim Mack, whose bike had broken down. Hall ran a 10.215-second final at 128.29 miles per hour but couldn't match the pace of Guillet, who covered the quarter-mile in 9.06-seconds, topping out at 143.86 mph.
Hall qualified second-fastest in supergas in Edmonton but lost in the first round of elimination. Al "Cowboy" Wagensveld of Prince George won the final over Quinn Olson of Saskatoon, clocking 10.09 seconds at a top speed of 128.11mph to finish third overall in the supergas series.
Guillet, the defending champion in supergas and third-place finisher in 2009, was in the running for third place in the final standings but ran into some electrical problems in Edmonton that cost him his shot at another trophy. He also lost in the first round and placed fourth overall.
Guillet's best modified race was in Mission, where he clocked 8.46 seconds. He'll probably be moving even faster in 2012. Wall bought a pro dragster bike and wants Guillet to drive it.
"If everything goes good I should be in the low seven seconds, I might even break the 200 [mile per hour] barrier," Guillet said.
Hall's shop also sponsored Kelly McQuaig, who placed seventh overall in the CMDRA Screamin' Eagle V-Rod Destroyer series.
