Waples wins in return

The charitable night at Western Fair Raceway on Monday was supported by one of Canada’s best known drivers, Randy Waples, who timed his return from six months of healing and rehabilitation from a Mohawk racing accident last July 30 to support Western Fair’s life saving heart defibrillator acquisition and the Chase McEachern Tribute Fund of the Heart and Stroke Foundation.

“After I got hurt so badly last year there was a time when I was convinced I wouldn’t come back,” Waples said in a live trackside interview before the first race. “There was a turning point last December 16 though. My mom made me go to the barn and told me once I did, I’d get the passion back to return to racing. She was right.”

Waples was overtly overjoyed to quickly regain the feeling of winning a race. He made a jubilant fist pump with his whip raised in the air after scoring wire to wire with 3-year-old pacer Always Ready.

He is also renowned for his philanthropic ways. Waples made a special glass enclosed flames design driving suit, and in a poignant trackside moment, John McEachern remarked that Waples' special gift will forever be stored in Chase’s bedroom in the McEachern home. Waples then donated a second custom flames design driving suit which will add to Chase’s Tribute Fund in an online auction, with details to be announced in upcoming days. (with files from Western Fair)

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