ESTEVAN — When the green flag drops on the start of the Estevan Motor Speedway's 2023 season on May 6, the track will be without one of its most popular and well-known racers.
Lampman's Riley Raynard has announced his retirement from the track's hobby stock division, after amazing fans in both Canada and the U.S. since 2012. But he's not finished with appearances at local track.
Raynard was born with Duchenne muscular dystrophy and has been in a wheelchair since he started racing. When he first started, he was using his hands for the brake and then kept a foot on the pedal for the gas, but would have to push down on his leg to make it work.
In 2021, he purchased a new vehicle with full hand controls, thanks in part to support he received through a GoFundMe campaign.
But now he says it has become too difficult for him to race.
"We just couldn't quite figure out a really good setup for it, and we were struggling with it," said Raynard.
His brother Diezel will be driving Riley's old car, and their father Devin – a former track champion in the IMCA modified class – might drive Diezel's old car a couple of times. Diezel has been racing for about five years.
Even though his strength has been gradually declining, Raynard said it was tough to step away from driving, but he's grateful that he had the opportunity to race for as long as he could.
"Boys with my disease, they don't typically, normally get their licences, let alone drive a race car, so I was really thankful in that sense … that I was actually able to do it for so long," said Raynard. "I'll continue by going to the track and doing stuff there."
Raynard has collected many highlights in racing. He won the hobby stock class at the annual Motor Magic Weekend in Minot, N.D., in 2014. He also won the Dirt Wars weekend at the Estevan Motor Speedway, and Raynard noted they're renaming the local Dirt Wars races after him.
"The Dirt Wars Trophy, that's like 40-50 pounds of metal, and that's crazy. I couldn't lift it. It's almost bigger than me."
He also won the Tougher than Dirt hobby stock race in Estevan. He was presented with a big cheque and said it was pretty good to hold it.
And he won a B-main race at Super Nationals in Boone, Iowa, against some of the best hobby stock drivers in the U.S.
"There's too many memories to go through. There are so many good memories that have happened throughout the years," said Raynard.
He also won the Ken Schrader Real Racer Award in 2014, which is presented to a driver who shows a lot of determination and heart. Raynard said it was a special opportunity to meet Schrader, who is a veteran NASCAR driver.
And he was among the local drivers who participated in the Laps for Muscular Dystrophy program, donating $1 for each lap led to the fight against MD.
Raynard has also met so many wonderful people through racing.
"It's just amazing … how big of a community the race track is, and how many people go into it," said Raynard.
The support from the fans and sponsors has been amazing, he said.
"I wouldn't have been able to race if it wasn't for them. There's definitely a village behind the racing community."
Raynard said he'll continue to attend the races, and will help out his brother. He also wants to try announcing and interviewing drivers, ensuring he'll continue to have a presence at the track.
