Early Season Car Shows A Hit For Northeast Tracks

Column By: TOBY LAGRANGE / RPW – GLOVERSVILLE, NY – The offseason has been a long yet eventful one for this columnist. Since the final checkered flag at Super DIRT Week in October I was married to the love of my life and welcomed into this world the newest LaGrange racing enthusiast – Samuel.

A few weeks back my wife and I packed our camera and microphone and made our way to the New York State Fairgrounds and the Center of Progress Building for the annual Motorsports Expo. It was great to see a full building of race cars, tracks and vendors. More importantly, it was nice to see a large, excited crowd.

Among the many tracks, series and participants was the combined booth for the Brewerton Speedway and Fulton Speedway. Track representative Cory Reed spoke to me about the upcoming season at both central New York facilities.

“We have a full slate at both tracks,” Reed said. “It is pretty similar to last year’s program. We are going to run a bunch of key events, particularly at Fulton. We start out the year with the High Bank Holdup Weekend, which was really successful last year for us. Friday night will be the Empire Super Sprints along with the DIRTcar Sportsman tour. Saturday will have the Super DIRTcar Series opener as well as our Late Model and Sportsman opener. “

Reed continued, “We carry through and run regular shows all summer. We mix in three more sprint car races and a couple of demolition derbies mixed in there. Then we roll into the 32nd annual Outlaw 200, which is 32 years strong. We do have the World of Outlaw Sprint Cars returning again as they were last year as part of the Super DIRT Week show.”

At Brewerton, Reed explains it will be much like 2016. “At Brewerton it will be very similar to last year,” Reed said. “We get started on May 5th and run pretty much a steady diet of Friday night shows until we get to the Hurricane 100 on October 5th, which is in its 25th year.”

Look for video footage on the first Race Pro Weekly show of the season in a few weeks.

Prior to heading the fairgrounds we took a trip over to what many hope will be the site of the Central New York Raceway Park. A quick look around showed that earth had been moved at one point but not much more. There were piles of materials and large construction vehicles on the property. I am one of those who really hopes that the facility is finished and opens. I believe a new road course and short track would succeed in central New York.

One week later we made our way to the ViaPort Rotterdam Mall (formerly the Rotterdam Square Mall) and the Northeast Racing Expo. The mall was bursting at the seams with cars, karts, hot rods and race fans. Just shy of 90 vehicles of all types entered the three day show.

This year’s show was extra special as it marks my return to the Fonda Speedway. I will be handling the victory lane announcing duties, helping Jim King and Paul Szmal when needed and hosting a pre-race and post-race report for the track YouTube page. We interviewed a lot of drivers/car owners over the weekend, all of which will be on the page.

Defending Fonda Speedway DIRTcar Modified Track Champion Ronnie Johnson enters the new year looking for his third track title.

“We are going to race at Albany-Saratoga and Fonda for Jake Spraker,” Johnson said. “We have two cars at our disposal, both fresh. We are looking forward to running both tracks. I am very fortunate to drive for a guy like Jake; he gives me probably the best equipment I have had in years.”

Johnson’s car owner, Jake Spraker, took a few moments to outline both of his teams plans for the new season.

“We plan on racing Fonda on Saturday night and Malta on Fridays,” Spraker said. “Rocky (Warner) will probably head out to Utica-Rome and Weedsport on Sundays.”

In his customary spot near the track booths sat the defending DIRTcar Pro Stock track champion Kenny Gates. The all-time leading feature winner in the division at the Track of Champions plans to defend his track title and head out on the road just a bit.

“We are looking forward to this year,” Gates said. “We are going to try and do the same as last year and get another track championship and get as many wins as we can. We are hoping to run a few of the DIRTcar shows and probably Super DIRT Week in Oswego again. Our main focus is Fonda and we will try and do our best there and go from there.”

The Fonda Speedway schedule listed April 1st as the first on-track activity of the season. Due to Mother Nature not releasing her grip, the practice session has been cancelled. The Ice Jam season opener will be on Saturday April 15th. The Glen Ridge Motorsports Park is scheduled to open on April 21st with practice the previous two weeks.