Canadian Stock Car Driver to Honor Chris Cline and Daughter
July 14, 2019 - A stock car driver from Cape Breton, Canada who recently met coal tycoon Chris Cline is now preparing to honour his memory.
Shawn Waterfield of Sydney, general manager of a local hydraulics company, said he only met Cline once but being at the mine daily on behalf of the company he works for, felt like he has known him for a long time.
“The (Donkin) mine guys are like my family,” he said. “We see each other every day. It’s become my second home.”
Shawn Waterfield of Sydney, a stock car driver, has recognized the late Chris Cline and daughter, the late Kameron Cline, on his stock car, which he will race at the IWK 250 Weekend at the Riverside International Speedway in Antigonish July 18-20.
Photo by Sharon Montgomery-Dupe
Waterfield, in his ninth season of stock car racing, will be competing in the three-day IWK 250 Weekend at the Riverside International Speedway in Antigonish from July 18-20. Waterfield has put a decal on his car, dedicated to Cline, 60, and his daughter Kameron Cline, 22, as well as the others killed in a helicopter crash in the Bahamas on July 4.
“We decided to do this as a show of respect and thank you to the man who took a chance on Cape Breton and brought so many jobs.”
The helicopter carrying the Clines had just taken off near Walker’s Cay, which was owned by Cline, when it went down. Nassau authorities reported a submerged helicopter with seven aboard had been found several kilometres away.
Waterfield, whose family is native to Reserve Mines and includes generations of steel workers and coal miners, said the company he works for does everything from mechanical to fabrication work at the Donkin coal mine. He’s been underground numerous times, describing the experience as "always feeling safe" through the mine’s precautions and procedures.
“I’m the liaison, seeing what they need. If there’s projects to be done we’ll talk about the project,” he said.
Waterfield said about a month and a half ago he was in an area referred to as "cold storage" with his shop truck, an area where they store a lot of oils and other things for the mine.
He saw a man walking around and recognized him right away.
Waterfield said Cline came over and said, "Hi, how are you?"
Cline was wearing coveralls with ‘Chris’ on them, not trying to stand out in anyway, he said.