It May Have Been Cold, But This Year’s KingFish Car Show Was Another Big Success

Column By: DYLAN FRIEBEL / RPW – NASSAU, NY – With this past weekend’s Hard Clay Open at Orange County being postponed until May 8th, I decided I still needed some race cars in my life. It was going to be still another five or six days until I hear engines roar and get that beating in my chest. I decided I needed my fix, so I took a drive up I-90 to Nassau, NY and went to the second annual KingFish Car Show at the Stewart’s Shops.

Even with winter-like cold conditions, the turnout was still amazing. Spectator cars lined Route 20, long before you could even see the sign for gas from Stewart’s. There were many familiar names who had their cars on display like Kenny Tremont with his famous No. 115, Brian Berger, Chad Jeseo and Rob Yetman among others. Mike King even had his own #55 there. You could even get up close and personal with an Empire Super Sprint car as Brett Wright had his No. 14 on display.

Walking around, I got the chance to see fourth-generation driver Bobby Hackel. Bobby works right down the street at PMC Race Cars and I asked whether he was going to keep doing crate racing this year.

“No, we sold off most of the crate stuff,” he said. “We might show up here or there in some big races but it’s mostly focusing on Sprint Cars and Modifieds. We expanded our Sprint Car Schedule to almost 20 races this year. In the little amount we did last year, we were good so I’m excited for 2018.”

I got to see a friend of mine, TJ Hughes, who works with Small Block competitor Frank Harper every Saturday night at the Valley in addition to racing a go-kart himself. He seems very excited to get his first full year of driving under his belt in this year after starting late in 2017. Another kart competitor I saw was Deegan Nichols, who is in the Flach Family bloodline and looks to have a very promising career ahead of him with a very good support base backing him up.

Kenny Tremont, the “King of The Valley” was also in attendance himself. Kenny, who has been the Valley’s Small Block Champion the last three years, is looking to get back to championship form with his Big Block program in 2018. Keith Flach and Brett Hearn have been the main contenders the last two seasons.

Flach’s car wasn’t in attendance on Sunday, but he had a good reason for that. He and his wife, Chelsea, were baptizing their daughter, Athena, who they welcomed into the world during the off-season. Welcome to racing family Athena. We’re happy to have you here.

Despite the cold weather, I would say the event was another success, for both the drivers and the fans. It gave us all a taste of what the start of race season usually is…cold. No longer being inside for Mall car shows or TQ races, I know personally I can’t wait to see the cars go around, smell the race fuel and put in my ear protection. Good luck to everyone competing, not just at Lebanon Valley, but anyone who straps in and tightens those belts all across the world.

The Valley will look to get things started this Saturday, April 14th, with an open practice from 4-8pm, and then things get real as they open up their season the following Saturday, April 21st.

Hope to see everyone at the track!