Still Going Strong After All These Years…

Column By: RAY ROGERS / RPW – AMSTERDAM, NY – On Tuesday night, fans, young and old, flocked to the Albany-Saratoga Speedway for one of the area’s premier events. Many times, I’ve heard fans gripe about the decline of our sport, I am sorry but I just don’t see it.

Sure…car counts are down. However, I believe that’s due to the cost of racing. In general, the drivers that do compete are all top notch.

I asked the ‘now’ part-time Voice of the Super DIRTcar series, Shane Andrews, what he see’s on his travels.

“The fan base of our sport is strong, real strong,” he said. “Look at tonight. This place is packed. Everyone is smiling. Ya just can’t go wrong.”

On any given weekend throughout the summer, the Capital District offers something for every race fan. Every Friday night, “The Great Race Place” offers fans the chance to watch the likes of Brett Hearn, Kenny Tremont, and many other top drivers compete.

If you enjoy the speed and the history of racing, then the “Track of Champions,” Fonda Speedway, just may be your stop on Saturday night or possibly the Valley’s high banks. If you’re a fan of bullring-style racing, then you may just make the fastest 1/4 mile on dirt, the Glen Ridge Motorsports Park, your Sunday home.

No matter what facility you call home, without the fans filling the seats, there would be no dirt track racing. Hats off to you, the race fans. You’re the reason our sport is what it is today…Something that’s still going strong, after all these years…