SUPER DIRT WEEK BLOG, DAY 4

Day 3 10-11-2110

Well race fans its late Sunday night and i have arrived back home safe and sound in Vermont.  What a blast the 4 days was in the Syracuse area for Super Dirt week.  Today was the weather was beautiful in central New York but it was Friessen conditions at the moody mile as Niagra on the Lake, Ontario's Stewart Friesen became the first ever Canadian born driver to with the SEF 200 on the Moody Mile at Syracuse.  Friessen last pitted for gas on lap 68 of the 200 lap event and never took on new tires and he was able to outlast the field in a race where tires, track position and fuel mileage are of up most importance. 

      Finishing second was polesitter Jimmy Phelps.  The Baldwinsville,  New York driver lead early in the event but was forced pitside with a flat tire once he made his final stop for gas and tires Phelps was a man on a mission picking off cars at will and moving himself to 2nd position in the fiinal 30 laps. Jimmy Horton was third with Kenny Tremont having a good solid run in 4th.  Contenders  Brett Hearn, Pat  Ward, Billly Decker and defending race winner Matt Sheppard all dropped from the event at various points due to engine or mechanical problems.   Likewise for Ronnie Johnson who had a solid top ten run going until he dropped from the event late. 


     All in all it was a good Super Dirt week with nice weather despite the Friessen conditions on Sunday LOL.   Until next time keep on racin!!!! And have a safe Fall and Winter season.....

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Day 3 10-10-2110

Well race fans Day 3 of 4 of our Super Dirt week adventures are complete.   After a late night at Rolling Wheels Friday night we slept in and then headed to the Syracuse Mile for the 358 modified race the salute to the troops 150.  

Billy Decker started on the pole was never seriously challenged the only time he didnt lead was when he made his fuel and tire stop.  Once halfway leader Marc Johnson and Bobby Varin pitted for fuel Decker re assumed the point and motored away to his third consecutive victory in this race.         

Tim McCreadie had to settle for second  with Ric Labauch third and Ronnie Johnson a strong fourth and Andy Bachetti rounding out the top five.    At Syracuse the race is all about tire management, track position and fuel mileage and Decker had those all working today.   

On the local front Todd Stone was an early retiree from the event.         At night it was back up Route 5 to the beautiful Rolling Wheels Raceway in Elbridge, New York.  The track was in great shape and the facility is top notch its a shame that this track is only used 10 or so times a year for special events only.  On tap at the Wheels was the Win and your in modified race with the winner Jeff Brownell recieving the 45th starting spot in the SEF 200 at Syracuse Sunday.  The feature event of the night was the World of Outlaw Sprint car series.   

When the dust settled it was the king of the outlaws Steve Kinser, the 20 time series champion and fifty something year old showing the boys and girls how its done.  From his fourth place starting spot Kinser wasted little time and powering to the front taking the lead from his some Kraig and notching his 11th  career win at Rolling Wheels, his ninth of the 2010 season and god knows how many total career wins.   All in all the satellite races at Brewerton and Rolling Wheels are always better than at the Syracuse mile.       

On a lighter note Manchester, Vermont pro stock racer and Lebanon Valley regular Chuck Towslee  was a winner at the wheels in the LaCrosse Boots strong man challenge where three contestants have to lift a pair of boots one in each hand with the arms extended for the longest time possible.  Oh and the boots are filled with cement.  Towslee outlasted the other two contestants and won himself a pair of LaCrosse Boots.        Towslee qualified 15th for the 25 lap pro stock race on Sunday at Syracuse stating to me that time trialing is not really his strong suit.  He hopes to just have a good run on Sunday and get a little more experience on the tricky mile.      

After being one of the fastest in practice on Friday John Scarborough started 15th in the sportsman race at the mile Saturday but his car seemed to fade early on and certainly thei finish was not what he was looking for.       Well thats it from Syracuse off to the mile tommorow for the 200 and then back home to Vermont late Sunday night stay tuned Sunday or Monday for the Day 4 blog and wrapup.  

Until then keep on racing!!!!!!!!!!!

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Day 2 10-9-2110

Well race fans day 2 of our Super Dirt week adventure is complete.  Actually its almost 2 hours into day three.  We headed out to the New York State Fairgrounds this morning and purchased our tickets for the weekend.  We also got wristbands for today for general admission and the infield.  However the pit gate guard actually let us go in the pit area to  Dont think he looked to closely.  Anyway our tour through the infield we ran into some racing locals.        

Johnny the Jet Scarborough was one of the faster cars in morning practice for the sportsman.  He felt the car was good but just a tick off.  He ended up qualifying 18th for tommorows sportsman race.    Also ran into Chuck Towslee of Manchester.  Towslee finished 2nd in the points at Lebanon Valley this season in the pro stock division and was on hand to take a stab at the moody mile.  The car felt good in practice and time trials for Sunday's pro stock race are tommorow.  Whoops i mean later today.       

After the tour through the infield it was up to the grandstands to  watch the twin 20's for the 358 modifieds and the triple 20's for the big block modifieds.  These qualifying races help set the fields for Saturday's 358 race and Sunday's big block show.   Billy Decker and Wayne Jelley won the 358 races while Decker, Jimmy Phelps and Pat Ward took the big block qualifiers.  Quite frankly the racing at the mile is pretty boring and tends to be follow the leader.  All five races were won by the pole sitter.   That being said we will still be on hand for the weekend might as well experience the whole Super Dirt week.       

After an afternoon at Syracuse it was up the road to Rolling Wheels Raceway for the 358 modified 75 lapper.  But first we took a side trip up to Cayuga County Fair Speedway in Weedsport to check out the track and the Dirt Motorsports Hall of Fame.   The track was hosting URC Sprint Cars.  Unfortunatley we arrived to late to check out the hall of fame.  Well there is always another time.         

Back in the car for the short jaunt to Rolling Wheels.  Brett Hearn started from the pole and looked pretty strong despite some early pressure from Matt Sheppard who would eventually drop from the event.  In the waining laps Hearn recieved pressure from the Doctor Danny Johnson as lap traffic came into play.  Two lap cars were racing each other in front of Hearn and Johnson and as they entered turn three on the final lap Johnson ducked low to pass the lap cars and Hearn was forced wide by them giving Johnson the win.  

Regardless of who you were rooting for laps cars should not be racing in front of the leaders on the last lap get out of the way.   But it is what it is and certainly was an exciting ending to the race.      

Well later Saturday its back to the Mile for the 358 150 mile modified championship and the 30 lap sportsman championship.  Then Saturday night its back to Rolling Wheels for the World of Outlaw sprint car series.     

Until then keep on racing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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Day 1 10-8-2110

Well race fans day one of my trip to Super Dirt week in Syracuse, New York is complete.  My first day adventures took me to the Saratoga area to pick a friend who was going along with me.  From there we passed the famed Fonda Speedway and took a little detour and checked out the Glen Ridge Motorsports Park nearby.  From there onto I-90 and headed west to Syracuse.   

A little side step to check out Utica Rome Speedway and then back on course,       Once we arrived and checked into the hotel it was up north on I-81 to the Brewerton Speedway and its unique d shape.   A great 100 lap race for the 358 modifieds as Jimmy Phelps picked up the win over Matt Sheppard on a dry slick track.  A great day for Phelps as he set fast time earlier in the day for the 300 on Sunday at the New York State Fairgrounds. 

Brett Hearn who used the top side to get the lead before halfway and then faded when the top went away came home third at Brewerton and Billy Decker and Dale Planck rounded out the top five.   Decker set fast time at Syracuse for the 358 race on Saturday at the mile.    

Welll day one is about come to a close and too my suprise as we returned from Brewerton to the hotel i discovered that Johnny the Jet Scarborough is staying at our motel.  Tommorow Day 2 will find us venturing to Syracuse's New York State Fairgrounds also known as the moody mile to watch the qualifying races for this weekends big races. 

Then its off to Rolling Wheels at night to watch the 358 modifieds in action.  Hopefully we can squeeze a trip to Weedsport's Cayuga County Fair Speedway and the Dirt Motorsports Hall of Fame in beetween.  

Until tommorow keep on racing !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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The Pride of Vermont, "THE JETT" WINS FONDA TITLE

8-17-2010

In the empire state over the weekend it was a great weekend for the boys from Vermont. At Fonda John Scarborough parlayed a 5th and 2nd place finishes in the double features to garner the track championship in the 602 budget sportsman class. The championship is Scarborough’s 2nd at Fonda as he won the sportsman title in 2005. Scarborough now has 4 track tittles overall also winning the sportsman title at Frogtown now Mohawk Speedway in 1994 as well as a track title at Hygroove Speedway in the late 80’s

Other Fonda results found Ryan Odasz and AJ Romano taking the modified wins with Bobby Varin taking home the track championship. David Towns won both the sportsman features and the track title. Roy Fifield’s win and 2nd place finish gave him his first ever track title in the pro streets. Fonda will now be quiet as they prepare for the Fonda Fair and will reopen for the final weekend of racing on September 25 and 26.

It was great to see former Devils Bowl racer Fast Eddie Thompson on hand Saturday night at Fonda to help John Scarborough celebrate his track championship. Thompson suffered a massive heart attack earlier in the year. He is doing very well and reports he is back to work full time. He hopes to be back behind the wheel in 2011 running a pro stock at Fonda.

At Lebanon Valley Speedway Saturday night Manchester’s Chuck Towslee picked up his first win of the season in the Pro Stocks. Londonderry’s Cullen Howe pulled off the same feat in the sportsman division while Wayne Jelley was the winner in the 358 modified division. Kenny Tremont was the winner in the modified division.

Great to see Chuck Towslee pick up the win at Lebanon. Chuck starting running there during the 2009 season and really took a liking to the high banks. The Towslee crew are a great bunch of guys and its good to see there efforts and hard work have paid off with a trip to victory lane at the Valley of Speed.

Rain showers just after the completion of the heat races postponed the rest of the night’s action Sunday at Devils Bowl Speedway. As a result double features will be held in all divisions next week on Judith Richards Memorial Night.

Friday night at Albany Saratoga it was Randy Hotaling picking up his first win of the season in the modifieds. Jason Herrington was in victory lane for the sixth time in the sportsman division. Scott Duell picked up his 2nd win of the season in the pro streets. Dan Older was the renegade winner and Harold Lavair made it nine out of 12 in the bomber warriors.

Until next week keep on racing!!!!!!!

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