When you fall off a horse, you dust yourself off and get back on.

When you experience the same in a race car, and demolish the car, sometimes you call it a day and pursue another pastime.

But after a spectacular incident at Flamboro Speedway May 26, Linda Dean is back behind the wheel of a new Thunder class stock car.

"The car was just about totalled," said Dean's domestic partner Ken Stenhouse, who built the car for Dean from their Waterdown race shop. "The frame was the worst. I've cut it up."

Dean has raced on the ovals for six years, and has had some crashes during her time, but none with this much impact. After the checkered flag fell during a heat race, Dean cruised past the starter's stand in her Midtown Auto Collision-sponsored 1984 Olds Cutlass and noticed the throttle was stuck to the floorboard. By the time she got the car stopped, it had ridden up on the outside wall through the turns with the left front corner digging into the pavement.

"I've been told by several who saw the crash that it was one of the most spectacular crashes in Flamboro history," said Dean last weekend before hopping in her new car for a heat race. "When I noticed I wasn't slowing down, I had both my feet on the brake, and there was nothing slowing me. I had to concentrate on steering but I went up and rode the wall, sliding nose first into the track. That probably saved me from barrel-rolling."

Stenhouse and Dean were working in the pits at Flamboro preparing the newest addition to the Fireball 5 race team after working at a frantic pace trying to get the car race ready. Some major parts, such as the engine and roll cage, along with some body panels, were saved from the wrecked car. Dean said all the safety equipment performed properly during her ride on the concrete wall.

"Everything in the car did what it was supposed to do," she said about the car's impact with the wall, which was between 80 and 90 mph. "I hate the seat in my car but it fits me great and it and the safety belts performed exactly as specified."

Dean was also quick to point out that Flamboro track workers and emergency medical personnel were at her side before the dust settled when the car finally stopped. She also said her member racers were there to help any way they could.

"Even a couple of my fellow drivers offered me their cars so I could run in the feature," she said." But the medical people said my night was over."

And while the new car raced the other night in black primer rather than the familiar purple hue the team is noted for, Dean said they will get the new car the way they want it. The crash was a setback, she said, but not for long.

"We race because we enjoy it," she said. We enjoy the people and the atmosphere. Racing is an important part of our life."

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Canadians fared well in the rain in Oregon over the weekend. Oakville's James Hinchcliffe took another second-place podium spot at Portland International Raceway, driving the NOCO/ProWorks Swift Mazda-Cosworth in round five of the Champ Car Atlantic series championship. Hinchcliffe started on the pole beside Kevin Lacroix of Quebec. Lacroix got by Hinchcliffe on lap six of the 35-lap contest to win the race. The 20-year old Hinchcliffe is presently second in the series standings. Driving the Discovery Channel Canada Pro Formula entry in the Star Mazda Championship race at Portland for Toronto's Aim Autosport, Devin Cunningham of St-Bruno, Quebec, won the 25-lap race in the rain after starting tenth in the 30-car field. Cunningham's teammate and fellow Aim Autosport driver Natacha Gachnang of Switzerland placed second in only her second Star Mazda race.

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The Ontario-based Pro Modified Racing Association are expecting up to 20 Pro Mod cars for the third Annual KC Auto Family Day Spectacular -- PMRA Challenge presented by Paul Wolf Electric & Lighting Supply Inc. Scheduled to race at Toronto Motorsports Park tomorrow during the second PMRA event for 2007 will be some big names in the class, including the NY-based team of Mike Stawicki and his G-force Camaro, Toronto's Tony Pontieri driving Rob Sporring's 1957 Chevy, and John Russo of MA, who will return to try and win his second PMRA race for this year.

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Other racing events this coming Father's Day weekend include several races at Mosport International raceway for its Traditional Father's Day Doubleheader, including the Koni Grand Am Challenge in the GS and ST classes, the Toronto TireCraft Ontario Formula Ford Championship for F1600 cars, and the second round of the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series.

There will be regular racing cards at the clay ovals of Ohsweken Speedway tonight and Merrittville Speedway tomorrow night, and Flamboro Speedway will be running a regular show, also tomorrow night. And for Speedway motorcycle action, Paris will be running its regular show at the Fairgrounds tonight.

tmiller@mountaincable.net