Black Rock NY (24 Oct 2009)

102909bRICK @ the RACES (24 Oct 2009)

24 Oct    Black Rock Speedway , Dundee NY

This past weekend, I finally got to a track which has been on my ‘hit list’ for a long time, but never managed to visit. The Black Rock Speedway in Dundee, New York normally runs on Friday nights, and regular readers will be well aware of how busy I am on that day.

This week they were staging a rare Saturday event , which also happened to be the last DIRT SERIES event of 2009. Two weeks ago, the Big Block Modified Series was decided at Syracuse, when Brett Hearn took the honors and last weekend at Brockville Dale Planck and Pete Stefanski took the Small Block and Pro Stock Championships. This week the SPORTSMAN series was to be concluded at Black Rock.

Going into the final round, reigning champion , Chris Raabe of Napanee, Ontario had a commanding lead and looked a certain winner, but it was still technically possible for New Yorker, Ryan Susice to snatch it away from him.

I gave my car a rest for this one and linked up with friend, and long time race face fan Denis Back, from Iroquois, Ont. Many people think that I attend a lot of racing events ( about 80 per year) , but Denis always seams to do more than me, with an annual total nearer to 100.

I left my place in Cornwall, Ont at 6-15 am and drove to the 7-30 Truck Stop on Hwy 401 where I met up with Denis. My car was left in the overnight section and we continued on into the USA via the Johnstown / Ogdensburg in his Dodge Caliber.

102909dWe were also joined on the trip by our friend Rebecca Eisele the Can Am Speedway Photographer who we picked up en-route at the Lafargeville exit of the I 81.

When I left Cornwall it had been pouring with rain and it was still doing so as we headed south towards Syracuse. It just didn’t want to relent, and it got so bad that we pulled off the NY Thruway at the Weedsport exit thinking our journey was a wasted one.

Rebecca had internet capabilities from her cel phone as well as up to date text messages from her friend Eric, a member of the Chris Raabe crew that had been at the track since Friday night. The track web site still showed it was on and we’d heard no bad news from Eric, so we continued on.

It was still raining as we got off at the Geneva exit and drove down beside Seneca Lake towards Dundee, where the track is located. Black Rock Speedway is situated in the Finger Lakes winery region of New York close to the world famous Watkins Glen Racing Circuit ( Oh wouldn’t it be great to get the F1 Grand Prix of USA back there !)

We were only about five miles away from the track when we spotted a tiny blue patch in the sky amongst the dark clouds we’d become accustomed to. The amount of blue sky increased by the time we reached Dundee and when we arrived at the track the rain had stopped and the sun was shining.

102909aThey had a rain shower earlier on , so the start time had to be delayed while the track was prepared.

While I was waiting for the racing to start, I had a chat with Mike Raabe, Chris’s Dad. He told me what they needed to do to clinch the Series. If Susice was to win, Chris would need to get a twentieth position or better. The Raabe’s were not taking any chances and had brought down two cars, just in case. We also talked about their Late Model plans for the paved tracks they had for this year, which had to be cut back when funding dried up.102909e

As well as the headlining Mr DIRT SPORTSMAN race there was also a big 20 lap BRP Late Model Race, a 100 lapper for Street Stocks , plus Xcel 600 Modifieds, NY Modified Midgets and four cylinder Stocks.

The Xcel 600 Modifieds were new to me and I was very impressed. They are minature versions of Dirt Modifieds , but smaller and quicker than the more common Mod Lites.

102909k 102909j I chatted to driver Chris Stockham (before he went out and won the feature) who told me that they used standard 600cc Honda or Susuki motorcycle engines.

Rebecca and I were joined on the center to snap our pictures with our friend Jay Fish and Kim Jennejohn, the resident Black Rock photographer. Kim’s an ex paved track modified driver from Oswego NY, that I had the pleasure of meeting for the first time. She’s a real nice lady. 102909f 102909l

102909h 102909iThe NY Modified Midget Feature was won by Jim Radney

Chris Raabe failed to qualify in the SPORTSMAN heats and all though he had a guaranteed starting spot, opted to go in the consi.

102909mThe big 30 lapper got off to a hectic start when Mark Chiddy rolled over on the front stretch which brought out the red flag. On the restart Susice had to make a pit stop which put him to the rear. While Donnie Lawson battled for the lead with Todd Henderson, all Raabe needed to do was keep on Susice’s tail and keep out of trouble. 102909o

102909pLawson grabbed the checkers while Raabe took his second consecutive SPORTSMAN Mr DIRT Series.102909n

The Late Model and Street Stock features followed the SPORTSMAN , but with the program running late, and a long drive home, we decided to make our exit. (In my absence the winners were Bryce Davis , Late Models and Chris Fisher, Street Stocks)102909g

It was raining again for most of our journey home and after a late night supper in Mexico NY , I was back at my place in Cornwall at 2-45 Sunday morning.

THE BLACKROCK SPEEDWAY was # 178 on my TRACKCHASING totals