John rest in piece u always treated me like a son you where a good friend I am proud to no u as a good friend
Bob Yungk
January 28, 2020
My deepest sympathies to Donna and the rest of John’s family. John was a true and trustworthy friend. We spent many hours together riding the back roads together on our road bikes. Riding with John always made the miles more of pleasure then a challenge. He was a great conversationalist. We also shared an interest in learning the history of the places we rode. On many occasions he would be able to tell me how much an area had changed since had been through it back in the days when he raced. Trains were another subject that captured our attention. If there was a rail line, freight yard, or even a hobby shop in the area that had trains, we’d check it out. Having been through so many different places with him I’ll always have a fond memory of him most places I go now.
John May the road you’re traveling now be a smooth one with gentle rolling hills, bright sunshine and beautiful scenery. You will be greatly missed my dear friend.
Bill Dow
January 27, 2020
My thoughts and prayers are with John’s family and friends. He was one of my earliest heroes. His speed and dominance at the Lakeville Speedway in the early ’70s earned him one of his most devoted fans who stood at the back of the bleachers every Sunday afternoon and waited eagerly for Big John’s dirt modified to erupt from the pits with sound and fury. Godspeed, John.
2020 BELFOR INDOOR AUTO RACING CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES FUELED BY VP RACING FUELS
ALLENTOWN, ATLANTIC CITY, TRENTON, NJ AND SYRACUSE
Event Promoter: Len Sammons
MEDIA INFORMATION: Ernie Saxton Communications
ATLANTIC CITY, NJ January 28, 2020 . . . Thanks to a date conflict, Ryan Flores is expecting to give fans on Saturday, February 1st an extra thrill inside Atlantic City’s Boardwalk Hall.
The 2018 Gambler’s Classic TQ Midget winner will miss pre-race practice on Thursday and Friday January 31st qualifying races that open the NAPA Know How race weekend. The Troutman, N.C. driver will arrive in Atlantic City on Saturday and start last in a qualifying heat race, yet he still plans to win the 40 lap main event later than night.
Flores, the most recent Indoor Auto Racing VP Series feature winner inside Allentown, Pa.’s PPL Center, will be following a long and winding path just to get to historic Boardwalk Hall. He’ll be spending Friday in Texas attending the wedding of his brother-in-law. The ceremonies will conclude too late for Flores to fly to Philadelphia International Airport that night, meaning that he will not be landing until Saturday morning.
In his absence, Lou Cicconi, Jr. will practice and perhaps attempt to qualify Flores’ No. 15. Series rules, however, award qualifying and heat race benefits to the driver of the car, not the car itself, meaning Flores would still have to start at the back of Saturday’s feature.
Instead, Flores is expected to attempt to qualify on his own merits. He’ll miss Friday Night action that will include four 20 lap A-Main Qualifiers for the TQ Midgets with the winner of each earning a spot in Saturday night’s Gambler’s Classic. The next four drivers in combined points of time trials and the A-Main qualifier race will also advance to the main event.
On Saturday night, Flores will line up at the back of one of six 10 lap heat races. With the line-ups set from Friday’s combined points the fastest cars will be up front so Flores will have to hustle with just the top two finishers transferring to the A-Main.
Should Flores fail, he’ll have another shot in one of three B-Mains that transfer just the winner to the big dance. These races are lined-up by how the drivers finished in the heat, so if Flores was close to qualifying he’ll be starting further forward in this event.
If involved in a crash or struggling with mechanical issues, Flores would have one more option to make the Gambler’s Classic. Series officials offer two provisional starting spots at the event, one to the most recent Gambler’s Classic winner, in this case Andy Jankowiak who won in 2019, to be added to the feature field if he fails to qualify. Flores is second in line to get this spot.
Should Jankowiak need a provisional, there would be one option left for Flores. A second provisional starting spot will be given to the driver highest in current Indoor Series points that fails to make the race. While Flores won the last event in Allentown, he flipped in the series opener the night before. He’s currently ranked seventh, a long shot to get that second free token to the starting field.
Flores’ win in Allentown on January 4 was his fifth in the Indoor Auto Racing Series, second only to Erick Rudolph and the late Ted Christopher. The talented part-time driver who changes tires for Penkse Racing’s Cup teams for a living, doesn’t plan on needing a provisional. He truly expects he can win his Saturday night heat race from the back of the field, or at the least make a transfer position.
Opening Friday night’s card will be the Dr. Lowe Second Chance 15 lap event for the TQ Midgets. This race among drivers who failed to qualify at both of the opening series races in Allentown, rewards the winner at spot in Saturday’s A-main.
Saturday’s events also includes a Dash among top stars in qualifying that lines up the front starting spots in the feature field.
The Slingshots and Champ Karts are also on the program running qualifying races on Friday and their feature events on Saturday night.
Racing action begins on Friday at 7:30 p.m. with Saturday action getting the green flag at 7 p.m. Doors open at 6:30 on Friday night. On Saturday doors open at 5 p.m. with fans holding reserved tickets given the opportunity to attend Fan Fest on the speedway. All cars competing in the program will be positioned on the speedway and drivers made available for autographs until 6:30.
Following the BELFOR “Concrete Series” event in Atlantic City, a special non-point event for Indoor Auto Racing Championship Series fueled by VP Racing Fuels, will be held on a banked clay oval. The third annual East Coast Indoor Dirt Nationals will again be held at the CURE Insurance Arena in Trenton, N.J. on Friday and Saturday nights February 21st and 22nd featuring nearly 100 wingless 600cc Sprints.
The “Concrete Series” season finale follows on Friday and Saturday March 13th and 14th in a second year return to the brand new Expo Center located on the grounds of the New York State Fairgrounds in Syracuse. N.Y.
Tickets are currently available in a range of different prices for all the Indoor Series events through links on www.indoorautoracing.com and the different venue box offices.
Lower level reserved seats for Saturday night in Atlantic City, which will gain attendees’ access to the coveted Fanfest are nearly sold out, but plenty of additional tickets are still available.
Note: If your track, tour or event is not posted on this blog sendyour press releases and flyers to: lmodestino@hotmail.com
(Stafford Springs, CT)—With rosters at Stafford Speedway starting to take shape for the 2020 season, East Longmeadow, MA native Josh Carey is one of currently 13 SK Light rookie drivers signed up for the new season. Carey is a second generation driver who comes to Stafford with 2 seasons of experience in the Pure Stock and Street Stock classes at Monadnock. He will not only have to learn the ins and outs of driving a modified, but he will also have to learn the nuances of the Stafford half-mile facility behind the wheel of his #69 J & J Trucking machine.
“This will be my first time in a modified,” said Carey. “I’m nervous and excited at the same time. I ran Pure Stocks two years ago and won Rookie of the Year and was the championship runner up and then moved up to Street Stocks. We did pretty well in the World Series race at Thompson so we took a chance and decided to move up to the SK Lights for 2020. I know there’s a lot on the line but I get excited any time I start thinking about getting out there behind the wheel at such a big track like Stafford. My Dad has never raced a modified before either, so this is a new program for both of us. We have some great sponsors on board with J & J Trucking, Northampton Volkswagen, Valero in Palmer, D & F Plumbing of Belchertown and my Dad as my biggest supporter being the car owner and crew chief.”
In order to help combat his lack of experience and knowledge in the realm of modified racing, Carey and his father bought a car from SK Modified® veteran Todd Owen. Carey will also have Owen in his corner during the 2020 season to assist with car setup and offer advice to a rookie driver who is eager to get any help he can.
“Todd had his Waterford car for sale after the World Series at Thompson so I messaged him and we started talking and ended up closing a deal,” said Carey. “Todd helped us convert it to an SK Light car and it’s all ready to go for the 2020 season except for sponsor decals that need to be put on. To be able to get in with someone like Todd is awesome, especially for us being a first-time team. Todd is going to help us with the setup on the car and we’re going to park next to him in the pits during the season. Coming into the Modifieds from the Street Stocks at Monadnock, it’s a whole different program and he’s going to give me some advice on how to run Stafford.”
Despite his lack of modified knowledge and experience, Carey has his sights set squarely on challenging for and winning the Rookie of the Year award. The 2020 rookie class is currently made up of 13 drivers and counting. George Bessette, Jr., Nikki Chambrello, Travis Hydar, and Steve Kenneway will all make the move from Stafford’s Street Stock division into the SK Light ranks along with fellow rookie drivers Bobby Jones, Anthony Forino, Todd Taylor, Peter Bennett, Bert Ouellette, Derek Debbis, Evan Bourgeois, and Jake Hines.
“Definitely our goal is to win Rookie of the Year,” said Carey. “I know Rookie of the Year is going to be a tough goal with all the rookie drivers coming in. If we can stay consistent, stay in the top-10, and keep the car clean all year, that would be a good season for us. I have a boost in confidence because I know we’re going to have a good car and we’ll have Todd at the track helping us and he’ll let me know if I’m doing anything wrong. We’d love to be a top-10 car in the points and if we could get a top-5 finish, that would be overly successful for us and I’d be very proud of that.”
In addition to his Rookie of the Year aspirations, Carey would also like to place his #69 in NAPA Victory Lane at least once during the 2020 season and turn one of his racing dreams into reality.
“In addition to Rookie of the Year, we’d love to try to get some wins this season,” said Carey. “It might not come at the start of the year but if we can stay consistent throughout the season, hopefully we can finish a race off and get a win later on. A win would be outstanding for us. We’re taking a big chance moving up to the modifieds and to be able to add the Carey name to the Stafford winners list would be a dream come true for me. There’s a lot of tough competitors but I’m looking to make a name for myself.”
The 2020 SK Light season kicks off with the 49th Annual NAPA Spring Sizzler® on April 24-26. Tickets for the “Greatest Race in the History of Spring” are on sale now by calling the Speedway Box Office 860-684-2783 or online at www.staffordspeedway.com.
Note: The Monster Energy SuperX will be performing on Saturday, April 18, 2020 at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, MA
The Monster Energy Supercross riders are lined up and getting ready to get the hole shot! (Credit: AMA Monster Energy photo.)
Ellenton, FL., (January 28, 2020) State Farm Stadium was the center of action on Sunday, January 26 as hund- reds of riders took to the track for a great day of racing. Round 3 saw nearly 7,000 laps raced on the same track that brought Ken Roczen his second victory of the 2020 Supercross season. The Supermini Futures class saw Suzuki rider, Julien Beaumer take the back-to-back win in commanding fash- ion coming off of an impressive first place finish in Anaheim the week prior. Trailing four seconds back was the number 222 KTM rider, Kayden Smith who registered his second podium finish of the season after placing third in Anaheim.
Supermini Futures Class Results1. Julien Beaumer (29), Suzuki2. Kayden Smith (222), KTM3. Evan Stice (316), KTM
The number 122 Honda rider, Carson Mumford started out with a bang in the 250 Futures Class leading from the gate drop and taking the victory by almost eight seconds. It came down to a matter of inches in the battle for second place where KTM rider Austin Black crossed the finish line less than a second before Yamaha rider, Jarrett Frye.
250 Futures Class Results1. Carson Mumford (122), Honda2. Austin Black (55), KTM3. Jarrett Frye (34), Yamaha
In the Women’s class it was another thrilling race between the dominant Kawasaki rider, Jordan Jarvis and rising star, Tayler Allred. One second separated the pair as Allred had a great start out of the gate leading the first two laps before Jarvis took over the lead and didn’t look back.
Women’s Class Results1. Jordan Jarvis (30), Kawasaki2. Tayler Allred (34), KTM3. Samantha Peters (45), KTM
The all-new Street Stock “Six Pack Series” will pit the best from the Devil’s Bowl, Albany-Saratoga, Lebanon Valley, and Glen Ridge against each other in a six-race championship. (Alan Ward photo)
New Street Stock “Six Pack Series” to Debut in 2020
Four tracks working together toward common rules
WEST HAVEN, Vt. – The spotlight will shine on local stock car racing’s “little guy” teams in 2020. The all-new “Six Pack Series” has been created for intermediate-level, V8-powered stock cars, with six races at four distinctly different tracks in Vermont and New York’s Capital District.
Significant efforts have been made by each of the four speedways to work toward a more uniform set of rules to oversee similar divisions. The tracks and classes involved are the Super Stocks at Devil’s Bowl Speedway in West Haven, Vt., the Street Stocks at Albany-Saratoga Speedway in Malta, N.Y., the Street Stocks at Glen Ridge Motorsports Park in Fultonville, N.Y., and the Pure Stocks at Lebanon Valley Speedway in West Lebanon, N.Y. Drivers must declare which track’s rulebook they will race under for the Six Pack Series.
The Six Pack cracks open on Mother’s Day, Sunday, May 10, at the high-banked, quarter-mile Glen Ridge bullring. The semi-banked, half-mile Devil’s Bowl facility will host the second round on Memorial Day weekend on Sunday, May 24, followed by events at the banked 4/10-mile Albany-Saratoga on Friday, June 12, and the fast, 5/8-mile Lebanon Valley high-banks on Saturday, June 27.
Devil’s Bowl will host its second event during the Interstate All Battery Center Vermont 200 Weekend over the Labor Day holiday on Saturday, September 5, and the inaugural Six Pack Series champion will be crowned at Albany-Saratoga during the Malta Massive Weekend on Friday, September 25.
The intermediate, hobby-level class is well-known for its side-by-side action and even for its wild crashes. Primarily based on the 1980s-era Chevrolet Monte Carlo, the division harkens back to a bygone period of racing that longtime fans fondly remember and that newer fans quickly fall in love with.
“The Six Pack Series is a really exciting concept and the new rules should make for some great racing at all the tracks,” said Devil’s Bowl champion Scott FitzGerald. “It’s great that the tracks are all working together, and the thought of being able to race on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday nights with the same car reminds me of the way things were 30 years ago. My team is really looking forward to the challenge.”
Further announcements about the Six Pack Series will be forthcoming. For more information, visit www.DevilsBowlSpeedwayVT.com or call (802) 265-3112.
Street Stock “Six Pack Series”
2020 Schedule
1. Sun., May 10 – Glen Ridge Motorsports Park – Fultonville, N.Y.
2. Sun., May 24 – Devil’s Bowl Speedway – West Haven, Vt.
3. Fri., June 12 – Albany-Saratoga Speedway – Malta, N.Y.
4. Sat., June 27 – Lebanon Valley Speedway – West Lebanon, N.Y.
2020 BELFOR INDOOR AUTO RACING CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES FUELED BY VP RACING FUELS
ALLENTOWN, ATLANTIC CITY, TRENTON, NJ AND SYRACUSE
Event Promoter: Len Sammons
Source: : Ernie Saxton Communications
TRENTON, NJ January 29, 2020 . . . Erick Rudolph will be out to defend his East Coast Dirt Nationals title when the third running of the race is held inside Trenton, N.J.’s Cure Insurance Arena on Friday and Saturday, February 21st and 22nd. The Ransomville, N.Y. dirt Modified expert won the event in his first try in December of 2018 driving for Pennsylvania car owner Tommy Fraschetta.
After making a deal by phone to drive for Fraschetta, Rudolph met him for the first time at the event. They ended the weekend $5,000 richer and best of friends.
Rudolph’s career highlight have been well documented. He’s a three-time and defending Indoor Racing Series fueled by VP Racing Fuels Champion in events held on the concrete floors of different arenas. He’s also a champion and big winner during the outdoor season in dirt Modified competition. Rudolph came to Trenton’s dirt race after previously winning on the building’s concrete floor in a TQ Midget.
Fraschetta’s career in the sport as a driver and owner has been a productive one as well, but his Dirt Nationals win with Rudolph behind the wheel of his nine year old Hyper Racing was a feeling completely apart from all else.
“It was the best thing I did as a car owner, getting hooked up with Erick,” Fraschetta, 49 of King Of Prussia, PA admits.
“He was racing TQ Midgets Indoors with Mark Lafler last year as a teammate to Tim Buckwalter who I have known for years. Tim suggested Erick drive my 600 at Trenton and it was a perfect fit.”
There’s no reason to expect that 2020 will be any different than 2019 since Fraschetta will be bringing the same Dave Orange powered 600 Sprint to Trenton for Rudolph.
Fraschetta himself had a busy outdoor season driving the same car Rudolph drove to victory in Trenton over Billy Pauch Jr. He is a long time Micro racer who favors Greenwood Valley in northern Penna. for his racing despite it being 2 hours and 15 minutes from his home.
Fraschetta also mentors the Restricted 600 Micro class that Dylan Kontra, his 11 year old nephew, races in. It’s a traveling series that is open to 12-16 year old racers, who race with a restrictor plate on their 600 motors that reduces the horsepower by half. It’s intended as a stepping stone division. Kontra won races last year with Fraschetta at Lanco and Hamlin in addition to Greenwood Valley and was a contender at Linda’s before crashing.
In last year’s East Coast Dirt Nationals, Fraschetta fielded two cars with Central PA 410 ace Brian Montieth in the second car. Montieth was in Fraschetta’s car for the 2017 running Indoor Dirt races as well.
“Brian is intending to race the car again this year but he has a potential conflict. Lincoln opens the same day and his car owner is one of the partners at Lincoln. If they don’t run because of weather, Brian plans on being in the car at Trenton,” Fraschetta explained.
The car owner anticipates finding the track in approximately the same condition as it was in last year but is prepared for something different.
“These cars are adjustable in a lot of ways,” Fraschetta said. “No matter what your set up is, you can always change it and go faster.”
In last year’s running of the East Coast Indoor Dirt Nationals, Rudolph took a car he had never before sat in, set it up to run completely the opposite of what most of his top rivals had done, then sailed to victory. He calmly won his ten lap heat race, the 20-lap A-Main Qualifier, then led every single lap of the 50-lap $5,000-to-win feature.
“Everything went together with Tom (Fraschetta) for the race,” Rudolph said, in praise of his car owner, for whom he had never raced before.
While the majority of the drivers pounded the outside cushion to make thrilling passes, Rudolph took the steady slow method determined to run the bottom.
“That’s the way I set it up, like a concrete car,” Rudolph smiled. In so doing, Rudolph spent almost all of the racing weekend glued to the bottom of the race track and it paid off.
Fraschetta’s racing operation is a small one. “It’s always been my dad, my daughter, and me when we go racing. Taylor, my daughter, is special needs and she loves racing. She’s the one who keeps me going. So I told Brian and Erick going in that if we were fortunate enough to win this thing, Taylor gets the trophy or big check or whatever they are handing out. The money’s nice, but Taylor races for the trophies.”
And Rudolph delivered putting a huge smile on her face when both the trophy and huge check were presented to her.
Rudolph started his 2020 season off on the right foot with a TQ Midget victory in the opener of Indoor Auto Racing Series fueled by VP inside Allentown, Pa.’s PPL Center.
Before the non-point Trenton dirt event, Rudolph will compete in the third round of the BELFOR ‘Concrete Series’ inside Atlantic City’s Boardwalk Hall on Friday and Saturday, January 31 and February 1st. He’ll then head to Florida for two weeks of dirt Modified competition before returning in time for his trip to Trenton.
Rudolph will then conclude the Indoor Racing season on Friday and Saturday March 13th and 14th in a second year return to the brand new Expo Center located on the grounds of the New York State Fairgrounds in Syracuse. N.Y. Rudolph is also the defending race winner of the Syracuse A-Main event.
Tickets are currently available in a range of different prices for all the Indoor Series events through links on the www.indoorautoracing.com or at the venue box offices.
Corporate sponsorship at a variety of levels is available for all remaining events. Interested parties should contact Danny Sammons at 609-888-3618 or e-mail danny@aarn.com.
Bob Tasca IIII of Cranston, RI and his team are ready to race his Funny Car in the NHRA Nationals during the 2020 racing season.
Not all of the work being done in shops across the country has to do with going fast on the dragstrip. At Bob Tasca Racing, crew chief Jon Schaffer is emphasizing that speed and attention to detail are just as important in the pits between rounds. That team is prepared to put that work ethic in the upcoming NHRA Mello Yello NHRA coast-to-coast 2020 season
Westborough’s Kaz Grala from Westborugh, MA will be racing for the Richard Childress NASCAR Xfinity Team for select races in 2020. Credit: NASCAR Home Track photo)
JANUARY 24, 2020 AT 1:29 PM
Kaz Grala of Westborough, MA will return to Richard Childress Racing’s NASCAR Xfinity Series program for the 2020 season, rounding out a lineup that includes fellow up-and-coming racers Myatt Snider and Anthony Alfredo in the No. 21 Chevrolet Camaro. Grala, who successfully competed for RCR’s Xfinity Series program last season, is scheduled to return to the driver’s seat beginning this summer and will compete in select races.
“I learned a lot as a driver working with RCR last year, so I feel confident that our existing chemistry as a team will lead to even better results in the NASCAR Xfinity Series this season,” said Grala. “RCR’s XfinitySeries program is top-notch, and with the No. 21 car running all year, I am excited to be a part of the team chasing yet another owner’s championship. I’m very grateful to Richard Childress for giving me this opportunity to further my career.”
In 2019, Grala earned a top-five finish at Road America and was a season-long source of consistency for the team, completing 99.7 percent of his laps run.
Grala earned his career-first national series win in the NASCAR Truck Series at Daytona International Speedway as part of Speedweeks in 2017, becoming the track’s youngest NASCAR winner (18 years, 1 month and 26 days old). That win also made him the youngest driver to make the NASCAR Playoffs. The 21-year-old Boston native began his career racing Go Karts at just four years old.
(Stafford Springs, CT)—Stafford Speedway has added two more cars to the entry list for its Inaugural Call Before You Dig Pro Late Model 81, scheduled for May 29. KB Motorsports has entered the #93ct Parkway Pavilion Health and Rehab Center car for Ray Christian, III and the #93 Crazy Horse Racing car for SK Modified® veteran Todd Owen. While Owen is a seasoned veteran of over 20 years at Stafford, Christian has never raced at Stafford and the 29 year old Uncasville, CT native has never seen Stafford in person. Despite his lack of track experience at Stafford, Christian is looking forward to the May 29 race.
“I’m excited about coming to Stafford,” said Christian. “Bigger tracks seem to be my forte and I’ve always run better at tracks like Jennerstown, Thompson, Richmond, and Loudon. Funny thing is I’ve lived in Connecticut my whole life but I’ve never even seen Stafford before. I might have to come to the Sizzler and at least get my eyes on the track before I get out on the track and run some laps. I’ve always heard great things about Stafford but between work and Stafford racing on Friday nights, I usually like to get home from work and go to sleep. Big thanks to Crazy Horse Racing, my wife Ashley, my entire crew, and everyone that supports me. We’re super excited for this race and as soon as it was announced we knew we were going to be coming to Stafford.”
After winning races in the Mini Stock and Late Model divisions at Waterford Speedbowl, Christian joined the Granite State ProStock Series in 2018 and won Rookie of the Year honors. Christian followed that up with a runner-up finish in the standings last season and will be looking to lean on his ProStock experience as he gets to grips with the Stafford half-mile.
“I think the Granite State experience will help,” said Christian. “Stafford is pretty flat and some of the tracks we run are flat. I think Jennerstown and Stafford are pretty similar and we have a pretty good notebook for Jennerstown so we’ll probably start off with a similar set up. We have a few races on our schedule that come up before the Stafford race so we should be ready to go once May 29 rolls around.”
Although Christian has yet to turn a lap at Stafford or even see what the track looks like in person, he might not be at as much of a disadvantage as it seems. Most drivers will be racing Pro Late Model style cars at Stafford for the first time since a PASS race was held in 2012 and won by Ted Christopher. One driver who has had experience both racing at Stafford and in the GSPSS is Cory Casagrande, who Christian has tabbed as the early favorite.
“I think we’ll be able to settle in pretty quickly with the car,” said Christian. “Right now I’d say that Cory [Casagrande] probably has a two-tenths of a second edge over everyone. It’s been a while since these type of cars have raced at Stafford so what worked in the PASS race 8 years ago might not necessarily work now.”
As much as Casagrande might have an advantage over other drivers, Christian can always turn to his teammate Owen for advice. Even though Owen hasn’t raced a full bodied car at Stafford since the 2000 season, he won 7 races in the ProStock division in 1999 and 2000 and he finished second to Doug Coby in the 2000 points standings. Between Owen’s knowledge of Stafford and Christian’s knowledge of the cars, the two drivers can be mutually beneficial to one another in preparing for the 81 lap CBYD race on May 29.
“Todd hasn’t been in a ProStock type of car for years now so I’m hoping that we can get to a test with both of us and he can show me the ropes around the track,” said Christian. “Between the two of us, I need to learn the track and he might need to re-learn the cars a little so in a perfect world we’ll be able to help each other out and have a good run.”
Despite having never seen Stafford before, let alone race around the half-mile layout, Christian has only one goal in mind and that is to go home with the checkered flag and the trophy.
“We always come to the track to win and we expect to win wherever we unload the car,” said Christian. “If you show up to a track and think ‘Oh, I’ll be happy with a top-10’ then you’re probably not going to have a good race. We come to the track feeling confident, Crazy Horse Racing is behind us 100%, and they always give me a great car. Hopefully my guys can work their magic and get me going pretty good around Stafford. Everyone is optimistic this time of year and I’m sure everyone you talk to is giving you the same answers but until you actually get to the track and see what’s going on, you never know what’s going to happen.
Christian, Owen, and the Pro Late Model field will take to the track for the CBYD 811 Pro LM Open on Friday, May 29. For more information, visit www.staffordspeedway.com, checkout Stafford Speedway on Facebook or Twitter, or contact the track office at 860-684-2783.
Source: Scott Running/Stafford Speedway PR
Note: If your track, tour or event is not posted on this blog send your press releases and flyers to: lmodestino@hotmail.com
ATTACHED PHOTOS (all credit Bill McGaffin/McGaffin Racing Photography):Devil’s Bowl Speedway owner Alayne Bruno (center) accepts the Award of Excellence from track staff Robbie Thornton (left) and Justin St. Louis (right)
Champions.jpg: (L-R) Devil’s Bowl Speedway Pepsi Sportsman Modified champion Kenny Tremont Jr., Super Stock champion Scott FitzGerald, and Friend Construction 500cc Mini Sprint champion Evan Roberts on the red carpet.
Alayne Bruno (left) and Austin Bruno (right) present the King of Dirt Racing Award of Excellence to Chris Reckner (2nd from left) and Elmo Reckner (2nd from right) of Elmo’s Speed & Supply.
Devil’s Bowl Speedway Super Stock champion Scott FitzGerald of West Rutland, Vt., on the red carpet.
King of Dirt Racing Crate Modified Series champion Bobby Hackel (center) of Rensselaer, N.Y., collects his championship awards from Alayne Bruno (left) and Austin Bruno (right).
Devil’s Bowl Speedway owner Alayne Bruno (left) presents her son, Johnny Bruno (right), with his O’Reilly Auto Parts Limited Sportsman championship awards.
Karissa Macomber (center) accepts the Mini Stock championship awards from Alayne Bruno (left) and Austin Bruno (right), on behalf of her boyfriend, Craig Kirby of St. Albans, Vt.
Michael Wagner-Fitzgerald (right) of Gansevoort, N.Y., collects the King of Dirt Racing Crate Modified Series Newcomer of the Year award from Alayne Bruno (left).
Josh Richards (center) of Castleton, Vt., receives the Devil’s Bowl Speedway Dedication Award from Austin Bruno (left) and Alayne Bruno (right).
Evan Roberts of Fletcher, Vt., won the track championship, Rookie of the Year, and Sportsmanship awards in the Friend Construction 500cc Mini Sprint division.
Butch Rogers (center) of Castleton, Vt., was presented the 8th annual John Bruno Award, Devil’s Bowl Speedway’s highest honor. The former champion received his award from Devil’s Bowl co-owners Mike Bruno (left) and Alayne Bruno (2nd from left), Helen “Chip” Alexander (2nd from right), and 2018 award winner Ken Tremont Sr. (right).
John Bruno Award winner Butch Rogers of Castleton, Vt., on the red carpet.
Devil’s Bowl Speedway Pepsi Sportsman Modified champion Kenny Tremont Jr. (left) and 12-time track champion car owner Ken Tremont Sr. (righ Devil’s Bowl Speedway Pepsi Sportsman Modified champion Kenny Tremont Jr. of West Sand Lake, N.Y., on the red carpet with his awards.
Tremont, Hackel Feted at Devil’s Bowl Speedway-King of Dirt Banquet
Rogers receives John Bruno Award
RUTLAND, Vt. – A jam-packed room of more than 330 guests celebrated as the 2019 stock car racing season was officially wrapped up for Devil’s Bowl Speedway and the King of Dirt Racing (KOD) Crate Modified Series on Saturday, January 25. The event, which was held at the Holiday Inn Rutland-Killington in Rutland, Vt., included a red-carpet reception, live driver interviews on social media, and awards for more than 65 top drivers and racing personalities. Point fund bouses distributed approached $28,000 in total.
West Sand Lake, N.Y., veteran Kenny Tremont Jr. collected a record-extending 10th Devil’s Bowl Speedway championship, pocketing $5,000 for his title in the headline Pepsi Sportsman Modified division. His father, Ken Tremont Sr., was honored for his 12th Devil’s Bowl crown as a car owner – his first came in 1970. Adam Pierson, Frank Hoard III, Tanner Siemons, and Jim Ryan completed the top five in the point standings.
Fourth-generation racer Bobby Hackel earned the KOD championship in his first attempt at chasing the tour’s schedule; the Rensselaer, N.Y., driver was also named the King of Dirt Racing “Driver of the Year.” Hackel clinched the championship by just seven points over Vince Quenneville, followed by Brian Calabrese, Tony Ballestero, and Joey Scarborough. Hackel collected a cool $2,500 for his efforts.
Sixteen-year-old Johnny Bruno of Castleton, Vt., grabbed the championship hardware and $1,200 in Devil’s Bowl’s O’Reilly Auto Parts Limited Sportsman division, taking the title in his first year driving a Modified. James Hanson, Anthony Warren, Adam Piper, and Matt Bilodeau rounded out the top five.
West Rutland, Vt.’s Scott FitzGerald walked across the stage as a champion for the first time in his 30-year career, taking the Super Stock title. Chris Murray was the runner-up ahead of Andrew FitzGerald – the champion’s son – and rookies Mark Norris and Cam Gadue.
Sophomore Mini Stock driver Craig Kirby was recognized as his division’s champion; the St. Albans, Vt., racer was out of state on business, so his girlfriend, Karissa Macomber, stepped in on his behalf to deliver a heartfelt speech. Jake Barrows, Shawn Moquin, rookie David Sartwell-Cornell, and Tim Simonds rounded out the top five.
Evan Roberts of Fletcher, Vt., took the Friend Construction 500cc Mini Sprint championship to become the youngest Devil’s Bowl Speedway champion at 13 years, 5 months, and 6 days. The rookie held off twin brothers Shawn and John McPhee, Samantha Mulready, and Cody O’Brien.
Will Hull of Plainfield, Vt., who was also away on business, was recognized as the track’s 360 Sprint Car champion after a dominant run in that division’s four-race mini-series.
Many special annual awards were presented for both Devil’s Bowl and KOD. Butch Rogers of Castleton, Vt., received the John Bruno Award – Devil’s Bowl Speedway’s most prestigious honor – in recognition of a lifetime of contributions to stock car racing while maintaining high standards of conduct and respect. Rogers, who received a lengthy standing ovation, was a champion Late Model driver in the 1970s and 1980s and remains active at the speedway as a sponsor and crew member for driver Billy Lussier.
Devil’s Bowl Speedway owner Alayne Bruno was given the track’s Award of Excellence for her commitment to the immediate success and future growth of Devil’s Bowl Speedway. Mrs. Bruno, who was taken by complete surprise during the presentation, received perhaps the most enthusiastic ovation of the evening and thanked the racing community for its years of support.
The King of Dirt Racing Hall of Honors inducted two new members: Series founders Rob Hazer and his father, Brev Hayes. Though neither was able to attend the event, their announcement was well-received by the crowd. They have stepped back from racing operations but will be forever enshrined for their efforts in building King of Dirt Racing, which, to date, has held 61 races and crowned 11 champions across three divisions in just five short years.
The KOD Award of Excellence was presented to the staff of Elmo’s Speed & Supply in Burnt Hills, N.Y., which serves as the Official Parts Distributor for both King of Dirt and Devil’s Bowl. Elmo and Chris Reckner accepted the award to much applause.
King of Dirt Racing’s special awards also included the fan-voted Most Popular Driver Award and the Bicknell Racing Products “Top Warrior” laurels, both of which went to Brian Calabrese. The Memorable Moment award was presented to Joey Scarborough, and Mike Fisher received the Ultimate Underdog award.
Devil’s Bowl staff member Josh Richards was the popular recipient of the track’s Dedication Award for his tireless efforts, which include facility maintenance, track surface preparation, and several race-day positions.
Rookie of the Year honors were presented to Sportsman Modified driver Joey Roberts and his son, Evan, the 500cc Mini Sprint champion, as well as Super Stock driver Mark Norris and Mini Stock racer David Sartwell-Cornell. Michael Wagner-Fitzgerald took the KOD Crate Modified Series Newcomer of the Year award.
Devil’s Bowl Speedway Sportsmanship awards, which are decided by a blind vote of drivers and officials, went to Sportsman Modified driver Jim Ryan, Limited Sportsman champion Johnny Bruno, Super Stock champion Scott FitzGerald, Mini Stock rookie Katrina Bean, and 500cc Mini Sprint champion Evan Roberts. Frank Hoard III won the Sportsmanship award for King of Dirt Racing.
The Devil’s Bowl Most Improved Driver honors, also decided by vote, went to Sportsman Modified driver Marty Kelly III, 500cc Mini Sprint rookie Mia Koponen, and multi-award winners Bruno, Norris, and Bean.
Devil’s Bowl Speedway has announced that its 54th stock car racing season will open on Sunday, May 17. The full Devil’s Bowl schedule and the King of Dirt Racing Crate Modified Series schedule, which is expected to include some new events in 2020, will be announced soon. For more information, visit www.DevilsBowlSpeedwayVT.com or www.KingofDirtRacing.com, or call (802) 265-3112.
DEVIL’ S BOWL SPEEDWAY/KING OF DIRT RACING BANQUET OF CHAMPIONS
Holiday Inn Rutland-Killington, Rutland, Vt.
Saturday, January 25, 2020
DEVIL’ S BOWL SPEEDWAY AWARD WINNERS
John Bruno Award:
· Butch Rogers, Castleton, Vt.
Award of Excellence:
· Alayne Bruno, Castleton, Vt.
Dedication Award:
· Josh Richards, Castleton, Vt.
Track Champions:
· Pepsi Sportsman Modified – Ken Tremont Jr., West Sand Lake, N.Y.
· O’Reilly Auto Parts Limited Sportsman – Johnny Bruno, Castleton, Vt.
· Super Stock – Scott FitzGerald, West Rutland, Vt.
· Mini Stock – Craig Kirby, St. Albans, Vt.
· Friend Construction 500cc Mini Sprint – Evan Roberts, Fletcher, Vt.
