RPW Column: Orange County’s Nostalgia Night: Always A Night To Remember
Column By: MIKE TRAVERSE / RPW – MIDDLETOWN, NY – After a one year hiatus due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the popular Nostalgia Night festivities returns to the Orange County Fair Speedway on Saturday, June 12th.
The racing card will have the United Rentals DIRTcar Big Block Modifieds and the Arkel Motors Sportsman divisions in competition. This race card is presented by Mike Sparta Trucking and Dave’s Racing Collectibles.
For many race fans, including myself, Nostalgia Night is their favorite event of the season. It takes so many fans back to the time when they first had developed their love of racing and the speedway. And the participating drivers and owners always enjoy meeting up with the fans. You can bet that after the one year absence that the smiles will be a bit wider, the laughs will be heartier and the tales a little taller. And as always, it will be a night to remember.
For many years, the Nostalgia Night organization has been led by OCFS General Manager and track historian Doug Dulgarian. Doug and the staff have always done such a fantastic job with all the details of putting together such a big event. Many years, I have gone to a Nostalgia Night event and afterwards thought to myself that this is as good as it can get, it can’t get any better. But year after year, the event just improves with all the hard work that Doug and the folks at the speedway put into it. And so many of us are grateful for the effort and we thank them.
The guest list of the drivers and owners expected to be at the event is impressive as always. Gary Balough, Tighe Scott, Kenny Brightbill, Chuck & Tyler McKee, Tim Hindley, Bill Wilson, Jimmy Horton, Kevin Collins, Chris Berton, Leroy Amy, Brett Hearn, Larry Brolsma, Sammy Rogers Jr, Joe Romer Jr, Hank Goranson, Jerry Wilson, Carl Reynolds, BC Wood, Bob Rossell, Jimmy Bowen, Mr. Del George, Dom Ragano, Tommy Meier, Jerry & Cody Higbie, Rich Eurich, Carl Pittenger, Ron & Scott Goodrich, Ed D’Angelo, Frank Jashembowski, Johnny Strupp, Rob Green, Rich Ricci Sr & Jr, Allison Ricci, Carol Birchwale, Kenny and Tyler Boniface, Will Casazza, Russ Meyer, Harry Shortway, Ed Davis, Stan Sherman, Nick Illobre, Dennis Shanahan, Eddie Redner, Jim Weed, Gary Edwards Sr, Keith Majka, Kenny Leach, Ted Kamieniecki, Red Muir, Bob Schmidt, Dave Farber, Barry Davis, Bobby Albert, Kris Swenson, Bob Dini, Gary LaBagh, Gary Palmer, Rich Ege, Paul Hilderbrandt, George VanDerWall, Bobby Knipe, Jay Aten, Rich Hinkel, Pete Madsen, Richie Smith, Donnie Elliott, Bud DePuy, Steve Dodd, Bill Tanzosh and Randy Filipowski have indicated that they will be attending the event.
In addition to the above mentioned legends of the speedway, there will be lots of vintage cars on display. It will be the first OCFS appearance of Jerry Wildrick’s #27, a car that was completed in 2020. This car is a remake of the first car Jerry raced with, a car that was previously driven by Leroy Amy. And Jerry did a very unique thing with this car as one side has Jerry’s sponsors and Leroy’s sponsors appear on the other side.
And there’s racing. The big Block drivers will be looking to clinch a spot to compete for the 2021 championship. Thus far, Tommy Meier, Matt Sheppard and Stewart Friesen have locked themselves into the final 8 format that will determine the 2021 champion.
None of the top 5 drivers in the Sportsman point standings had in this past Saturday’s Triple Crown event what would be classified as a terrible finish. All 5 drivers, Jeff Hulseapple, Joe Bonetti, Bobby Flood, Jake Bedell and Jared LaBagh had at least one top 5 finish. And in LaBagh’s case, he came away with a win and a 2nd. It’s looking like that the battle to crown a Sportsman champion will be going right down to the wire as the standings have tightened up after Saturday’s event.
