RICK @ the RACES (SUPER DIRT WEEK 5/6/7 Oct 2007)

Fri  5 Oct            Rolling Wheels Raceway, NY

Sat 6 Oct                   NYS Fairgrounds Syracuse, NY

Sun  7 Oct               NYS Fairgrounds , Syracuse, NY

After my trip to Austin, Texas, last weekend , a few ‘money earning’ days at work were required,  before my annual visit to SUPER DIRT WEEK at Syracuse NY.

In previous years I’d normally be down there taking in the action from Wednesday on-wards but this time it had to wait until Friday.

I was joined for my  SDW trip  by Lynn Edwards , a long-time friend that I’ve known since my teenage days, who was over here visiting me from her home in the UK.On Friday night the first place on our agenda was the Rolling Wheels Raceway at Elbridge NY where there were two SUPER DIRTCAR races taking place, for 358 Dirt Modifieds and Sportsman.

Although it was hot and humid, the track was in the best shape I’d ever seen it, and at the end of the night it was still nice and tacky. The Sportsman race provided yet another Series win for Joe Williams

with Tim Fuller clinching the 100 lapper for 358’s.

Saturday was another warm and sunny day when we arrived , just before lunch at the “Moody Mile” that’s situated within the New York State Fairgrounds. We met up with fellow media man Jim Clarke and hung out with him for a while. After wandering the pits and chatting to friends , my first engagement was the ‘photo shoot’ of Miss Motor-Sports at the Area Auto Racing News booth. Every year they arrange for her to pose ‘bikini clad’ ( for all us eager male photographers ! ) on one of the race cars .

The main event on the program was the 150 lap 358 Dirt Modified race with a 30 lap Dirt Sportsman race to follow. Prior to the start I strolled down pit row where I found Brian McDonald # 96 one of my local drivers that was competing. He and his crew were in the middle of a ‘photo session’ , so I joined in. Just after this we bumped into Cornwall Motor Speedway promoter , Ron Morin and his grandson Gage, who was about to go on-track with the Pace Truck for the start of the race.

While Lynn and Jim retired to the grandstand I jumped in the passenger seat in attempt to get some ‘different’ photos. As we joined the other Pace Trucks for the rolling laps, I had my head out of the window ‘snapping’ away.

The front row starters were the # 42 of Pete Bicknell and # 42P of Pat Ward . I was out of the Pace Truck and ready with my camera on turn four as the green flag fell. The action was short lived, with a wreck causing a stoppage on the first lap. A few cautions followed this before I moved from my track-side position to join Lynn and Jim in the stands. Soon after I sat down the first spots of rain started to fall, the red flags came out on lap 15 and the cars were covered  with tarps. The heavy rain only lasted a short while but it was lengthy process getting the track dry enough to resume racing.

Eventually nearly two and a half hours later the race got going again until another sprinkling of rain on lap 82 caused a 21 lap single file caution period.

When the Green flag dropped once more , it was Bicknell at the front with Ward still chasing. They switched positions a few times while Brett Hearn followed closely. Like most Syracuse races, so much depends on pit strategy and fuel consumption, and as the checkers got closer Bicknell and Ward became victims. Bicknell’s fuel ran out on lap 141 and Ward’s did likewise with only two to go, handing the lead to Hearn , who was followed over the line by Stewart Friesen in second and Billy Decker in third.

The rain delays meant a late finish and with a race lasting nearly 5 hours, the Sportsman event had to be postponed to the next day.

Our original plans for Saturday night were to visit the Cayuga County Fair Speedway at Weedsport NY for the “Win and You’re in” last chance to qualify , Modified event but the late finish at ‘the mile’ and more rain predicted for the evening, we settled for a nice meal out instead.

The sun was shining again on Sunday and the extended program went quite smoothly. The headline event of the day was the RITE AID 200 ( formerly known as the Eckerd 200) for Big Block Dirt Modifieds, with a 30 lap DIRT ProStox race and the postponed Dirt Sportsman event adding to the bill.

Driving in the Sportsman race was Jessica Zemken # 44z who I’d spoken to the day before. She made history a few years back when she became the first female to race a Modified at the ‘Moody Mile’. In the meantime she’s been having a successful career in Sprint Cars as well competing in the Sportsman division.

The 30 lap Sportsman race was lead by Sammy Reakes IV # 17, from start to finish.

There were quite a few guys I know personally that were racing in the ProStox division including Giles Godard # 27 . On Wednesday , prior to our drive down to Syracuse, I’d taken my Chevy into the local GM dealer in Cornwall (Ont) for an oil change where Giles works in the parts department.

At the start of the race it was Lynn’s turn for a ride in the Cornwall Pace Truck while I stationed my self on turn four waiting for the action. Pete Stefanski # 2 held the lead up to lap 12 when Don Carlson # 26 got passed , and stayed there to the checkers.

Giles was unlucky not to finish when he was forced into the wall by another car.

The next race was the big one, the RITE AID 200 , the race that most people were there to see. We wandered down pit road just before the driver introductions, for a last look at the field.

We wished good luck to another friend of mine, Mike Perrotte # 35 , who I don’t see in action too much these days. Mike used to be a regular at my local Frogtown International Speedway (Hogansburg NY) , but since taking up promoting duties on Saturdays at the Airborne Speedway (Plattsburg NY) he’s been absent. Most of his racing activities these days,  are on Friday nights at the Albany-Saratoga Speedway (Malta. NY) , where I rarely get to.

Jimmy Phelps # 98H and Tim Fuller # 19 were the front row starters and it was Phelps who took the early lead.

There were six other leaders during the epic 200 mile battle, which included Fuller, Ronnie Johnson # 2 , Andy Bachetti # 34, Jason Barney # 35B, Matt Sheppard # 44S and Vic Coffey # 32C who was there at the end. The jubilant Coffey celebrated his second big win at SDW ( he won the Eckerd 200 in 2003) with a couple of donuts on the start-finish line. “Coffey and Donuts” That sounds good to me !

After my picture taking was done, it was time to get on Interstate 81 and join the convoy of race fans heading back to Canada .