Hall of Fame modified driver turned author Bob Vedder autographs one of his recently published books “Thoughts to Live By” at his first book signing in Schoharie last Saturday.
Hall of Fame modified driver turned author Bob Vedder autographs one of his recently published books “Thoughts to Live By” at his first book signing in Schoharie last Saturday.
If you would like to be a part of the Night of Champions on Saturday, March 8, which is being held at the Roselawn Banquet Facility, time is running out to get your banquet tickets for the Fonda Speedway, Utica-Rome Speedway, Brookfield Speedway, and Short Track Super Series banquet as tickets will only be available until March 1.
Shaffer Racing and Team One H and driver "Happy" Harry Shaffer will host a bowling tournament/party fundraiser on Sunday, March 16, at Kelly’s Imperial Bowling Center in Amsterdam. An 8-pin no-tap format will be used. More information will be available shortly.
Cavalcade of Cars will host their next event on March 22-23 inside the Center of Progress building at the New York State Fairgrounds in Syracuse. This is part of their Thruway Series of events filled with classic and custom street cars, hot rods and motorcycles. Saturday's hours are 9 a.m.-5 p.m., and Sunday from 9 a.m.-4 p.m.
The Adirondack Motor Enthusiasts Club was scheduled to be on Lake George this weekend as part of the Lake George Winter Carnival. However AMEC officials made the decision on Thursday that there was not the minimum ice thickness required to allow for its organization to host an ice racing event.The AMEC did also look into holding its event on other area lakes such as Lake Luzerne. Unfortunately, the outlook was the same, and it will just wait and hope that, with some continued cold weather, it to be able to hold their first race of 2025.
Last Sunday afternoon, the Northeast Sportsman competed in a 30-lap feature at Lake View Motor Speedway in Lake View, South Carolina. Payton Talbot scored the win, with Brian Calabrese of Johnstown finishing third. Derrick McGrew Jr. finished ninth, and Mike Ballestero 17th.
Also last weekend, Chase Moran of Fultonville had his winged sprint car at Volusia Speedway Park in Barbersville, Florida, to race with the American Sprint Car Series. Unfortunately for Chase, his racer suffered a number of mechanical failures and he did not take part in the feature event.
Our Northeast modified teams have been at All-Tech Raceway in Lake City, Florida, as part of the Short Track Super Series-Sunshine Swing since Tuesday, when it held an open practice. Approximately 40 STSS modifieds and 30 STSS crate 602 sportsman division racers took part in five hot lap sessions for each division. Area drivers that took part include Stewart Friesen, Jack Lehner, Anthony Perrego, Bobby Hackel IV, Peter Britten, Jason Reome and Chris Curtis. In the sportsman division, area drivers included Maddy Broedel, Calabrese, McGrew Jr., Talbot, Ballestero, Blaine Klinger, Connor Crane and Chris Crane Jr.
Kicking off the first night of racing at All-Tech Raceway for the STSS Sunshine Swing, Friesen set a quick time of 19.724 seconds for the modified division on Wednesday, and Dylan Madsen set a quick time of 20.398 for the crate 602 sportsman division. Friesen won his heat race, and in the redraw, he pulled the pole position to start the 30-lap feature. However, it was outside pole-sitter Alex Payne who took the early lead to start the feature. Payne held the lead until a caution came out on lap three. Friesen shot to the front on the ensuing restart. In doing so, Friesen did dive low into turn one, only to drift up across the track in front of Payne and clip the outside wall in turn two. Even with a damaged front suspension, Friesen was able to maintain the lead with the No. 44. Payne hung on to finish second, with Tanner VanDoren, Alex Yankowski and Chris Curtis completing the top five. Other area drivers finished as follows: Hackel IV sixth, Perrego 13th, Jack Lehner 14th and Britten 17th. Jason Reome did not qualify for the main event.
In the 25-lap STSS crate 602 sportsman division feature, Richard Murtaugh took the win over Calabrese and Chris Jakubiak. Area drivers finished in this order: Michael Ballestero seventh, Chris Crane Jr. eighth, Connor Crane ninth, Dylan Madsen 10th, McGrew Jr. 13th, Blaine Klinger 22nd and Maddy Broedel was a DNQ.
On the second night of the STSS Sunshine Swing on Thursday, Erick Rudolph set a quick time of 19.279 seconds for the modified division. However, Friesen, with the help of a young fan, pulled the pole position in the redraw to begin the evening's 35-lap modified feature. Fortunately, for the Halmar-Friesen Racing driver, the end results would be the same as Friesen went on to win his 50th STSS feature, which also happened to be feature No. 200 in the history of the STSS. Tanner VanDoren finished second and Matt Sheppard third. Other area drivers finished as follows: Chris Curtis seventh, Yankowski ninth, Lehner 12th, Britten 16th, Perrego 18th, Hackel IV 26th and Jason Reome was a DNQ.
In the companion 25-lap STSS crate 602 sportsman division feature, Logan Watt took the win over Ballestero and McGrew Jr. Talbot finished seventh, Chris Crane Jr. 10th, Connor Crane 14th, Calabrese 25th, Klinger 26th and Maddy Broedel was a DNQ. Paulie Hartwig III set a quick time of 20.63.
Northeast modified racing lost another legend this week with the passing of Hall of Fame driver “Wily” Will Cagle. Cagle was originally from Florida. However, luckily for Northeast fans starting in the early 1960's, he chose to follow the money offered in modified racing.
Also known as the “Tampa Terror,” Cagle won numerous championships and title races throughout the Northeast during his legendary career.
