Hi Everybody
Some of you know this about me. Well, maybe more than just some. I’m old and I repeat myself. My Mother’s Parents were far more well off than my Father’s. My Grandfather had his 6th Birthday on the boat from Italy in 1906 with his Dad. My Grandmother grew up in an Orphanage when her mother died and her Father couldn’t care for 7 kids, 5 of them girls. My Grandmother and one of my Great Aunts lived in New Haven, one in West Haven, one in North Haven with one of my Great Uncles and the last with one of my Great Uncles in Danbury, Ct. Her Husband drove a Car Carrier for Merceds Benz. Danbury for me might as well have been Jabrew. It was where the rich People lived. I could barely afford gas, (at 75 cents a gallon) to get back and forth to work much less ever get to the Race Tracks. So I missed out on the Danbury RaceArena.
Savin Rock was demolished in 1966 when I was just 8yo. I never saw the Races there, either. By 1975, the closest I came was running my souped up ’69 Chevelle, Drag Racing on Long Wharf in New Haven on Friday and Saturday Nights. I spent most of the time watching. The first actual race I was was when Six Flags bought the old Riverside Park in Agawam MA. I caught the very last race held there on a fluke.
I grew up watching ABC’s Wide World of Sports. That was racing for me. Once in awhile they’d air a Demo Derby. I believe back then you could only run in reverse. In 2010 on my way to SW Florida I passed a Race Track where cars were practicing. The noise was incredible and all I saw was a streak. It took until 2018 before I’d find Bethel Speedway. That was after seeing two Races at OCFS. Two only because the first was rained out before intermission.
As a Fan of Bethel Speedway I enjoy open access to the Pits. Tonight we celebrated several Events, the main one being Remembering Danbury RaceArena, an Event produced by Bethel Family Member Michael Hager back in 2017. I enjoy gathering autographs, chatting with the Racers and the conversations that evolve from, in this case, sharing a posted of Race Cars from back in the day as the Racers reminisce about racing each other and those who have passed. Racer of the BMS Asphalt Mod #9, John Cote, perhaps the last of the Danbury Alum who, along with Racer of the #92 and 4NY Ed Dachenhausen reside in Danbury Ct. I grew up in New Haven Ct. My Family Members are all there.
I’m a bit off my game as I left my note taking book behind today and forgot to repack my spare book. For the first time in 5 years I’m having to wing it without the proper tools and it’s challenging. For that reason I eschewed Hot Laps and Heat Races save for this: During Hot Laps there was an unprecedented 3 catastrophic engine failures that took a long while to clean up.
4Cyl Advance Racer Nicole Nelson brought home a Win after battling Jerry Kingetter in the borrowed ride DeGraw #33 after a fierce battle. Also, Rookie Street Stock Racers Leland Ofelin and Tucker Katz tangled out of turn two with Ofelien taking a punch in the nose, knocking it completely off the Race Car. Katz was sent to the rear for aggressive actions and this was the very last lap.
With us tonight are two of my most Favorite Race Clubs, the Atlantic Coast Old Timers and the East Coast Three Quarter Midgets who will be running the Doug Craig Memorial Race.In that Feature Race was Our Legends Racer Princess Lexi Pryzblynski! We miss her!Racing in the ACOT Vintage Class Exhibition Race Are, from Hager Brothers Racing Jeff and John Hager in their own Coupe #65 and in the #11 Coupe of the ailing Racing Great Ed Stevens. Dad Clayton Hager and their Friends Jim and Rose Allison are fixtures and the top Echelon at Bethel Speedway throughout it’s many iterations. I am honored to know them. Another Legend of Racing who left us a few years ago, Nick Giardina was here in spirit tonight as his #25 was on display. I met him here a few years ago. I have insufficient information to report on the ACOT and TQ Feature Races. If I can get enough info I’ll post it in the Group Page here.
Returning to Bethel Speedway tonight is Our Very Own, Racer of the Bandolero #10 Madison “Maddy Mayhem” White! I even got to hug her and welcome her back! Later on I found both her and Beginner Bandolero Racer #99 Alyson Smith paling around and I had one question for these two astounding Young Ladies: “Do you think one day you’ll race bigger cars”? And of course the answer was YES! The same went for Alyson’s Brother, current Points Leader of the Regular Bando Class #102, Jordan Smith.
#22 Amiyah Travis and #99 Alyson Smith lead out the Beginner Bandos. Smith gains P1 and holds on like a Champ through most of the race but she spun out of turn two and was tagged by the #07 James Boogie Bauernfiend and ended up to the rear. Bauernfiend and 003 Levi Houghtaling take over on the restart. Initially Bauernfiend gains a big lead and the gap narrowed. Smith has fought her way back to tailing him in P2 with just two laps left. Across the line at the finish is Bauernfiend, Smith, Houghtaling and Travis.
Maddie Mayhem has the pole alongside Jordan Smith for the Regular Bandolero Feature. Smith took the lead and kept it as this race went flag to flag. Smith, White and Olivia Tyler in the #79 are the finishing order and Tyler was back in for the Feature with the help of a big group of benefactors in the pits who repaired her car after hitting the wall in the Heat Races.
Dirt Mod Racers came to represent tonight. Along with Joe Knoth are Ed “the Magician” Deachehausen, Bill Deckelman, Jamie Yannone and John Woinowski. #4NY Dachenhausen and #32 Deckelman have the pole as the green flag dropped. Dachenhausen has an early lead. Then Deckelman gains it and the two battle for it with Yannone right behind but Woinowski halts the race when he sails into the front stretch wall. Freedom Towing comes out with a Flat Bed but Woinowski drives the Race Car off the track. I admire that kind of commitment. I also got his autograph! After the red condition, Yannone needed a push start and the race resumed. Deckelman, Dachenhausen, Yannone, Knoth and the Memorable #1J Jim Halpin are the finishing order. # 716 Cory Lowitt was one of the three engine casualties in Hot Laps and left early. It was great meeting and seeing him tonight!
4Cyl Mods Feature Race with three consecutive wins, J.W. Gannon in the #876 takes the pole alongside #4 Sean Tyler of the Tyler Trio. I was thrilled to see #7 Tisha Curry back in the Gulf #7 in Hot Laps but the engine blew up again. The third engine casualty was in this class in Hot Laps. The #63, I think DeGraw. Pushed off the Track by #49, Jeffrey Tubbs. Tubbs gave me a scare when his car stalled just prior to the Green flag but he got it fired. Gannon took off like rocket fuel in that new muffler and gained almost a full lap on the field. Tyler held P2 as that became the battle to watch with #79B, Graham. Graham would get P2 over Tyler and with 5 laps left there was an airfield between the three of them and they finished Gannon, Graham, Tyler. Gannon has 6 Wins so far this Season and 4 in a row. I believe it was last year he went through three engines and two Race Cars. What a way to make a comeback. I’m sorry to say the DQ Fiasco leaves him ineligible for the Championship. I told him “when you come in they may as well just hand you the plaque” every week. I got to hold it in Victory Lane in a picture with Aunt Elsie and the Gannon Brood! Btw, Jeffrey Tubbs gave the wheel over to Tisha Curry for this Feature Race! What a Guy!
Our Own BMS Asphalt Mods tonight are running the EV Pierce Memorial 30 Lap Feature Race led out by Nick Giardina’s #25 as the Pace Car. It was also on display. Uncle Joe McCarthy was with the #93 and Uncle x2 Bill as I gathered autographs and he had a surprise for us all that I’ll reveal at the end. McCarthy and #3 Mike Dudtka, last week’s Winner take on the pole. The 93 grabs the lead and holds onto it handily, far enough ahead for us to watch a 4 car battle for position among Dudtka, #5L LaPolt, #92 Dechenhausen and #9 Cote. Unfortunately #33 Kyal Ross DNF and I have to say Kyal, despite his travails, won P2 last week just by showing up persistently and racing hard
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With 10 laps to go, McCarthy has the lead ahead of LaPolt, Dachenhausen, Dudtka and Cote. This stays the same all the way down to Kerry Graham waving five fingers for five laps to go and it looks like this is the order it will end in but then caution flies for debris and a SFRS may just change things. By this time McCarthy is in the lead, LaPolt in P2 followed by Dachenhausen, Dudtka and Cote. Then Announcer reveals the secret: It’s not Uncle Joe McCarthy racing the #93, it’s Tyler “Bubba” Dachenhausen who just dropped in to see what condition his condition was in. Apparently, tip top shape! And that;s the running order across the finish line
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Dad of the Tyler Trio, #79 Scott Tyler and The Rooftop Shuffler #21jr Joel Murns start the Street Stock Feature side by side. It’s a drag race between those two that continues throughout the race. Meanwhile, I don’t need no stinking nose #26 Leland Ofelien and the perpetraitor of the nose ordeal #84 Tucker Katz, both Rookies to the Class are neck and neck for P2, well spaced from the leaders and the remaining Field. From the halfway mark all the way to the end, Flag to Flag, Tyler, Murns, Ofelien and Katz, the returning #18 Phil Funcheon round out your top 5.
The last Race of the Night is the 4 cylinder Novice. I’ll try to get it right. In #03M-Kylee Curry, #1, Cassandra Woinoski, , #59 Shane Turner, #98 Brandon Conklin, #18j Tim Degroat, #98 Brandon Conklin, #72 Mark Idsall. Curry and Turner lead them out. Turner grabs an early lead. The entire race it’s Turner, Tim DeGroat,Conklin, Curry and Idsall. That’s how it’s going to end. Then suddenly, out of turn two, Turner and DeGroat split Curry in (what becomes) a lap car, three wide and DeGroat grabs the lead to the Finish line followed by Turner,Conklin, Curry and Idsall. That’s Short Track Racing for you! Just when you think you know, you don’t!
Next Sunday is the Bethel Speedway Car Show produced by Track Photographer William Smith of SmithNYPhotography. I hope everyone will bring something to the Event. William and Alyson have been working hard to built their reputations and enhance their resume. By supporting them you support Racing.
Tonight was the toughest time I’ve had in my Career. I feel like I could’ve been better had I not forgot my Notebook. Without all of my tools I feel unorganized. Here are two things of note: Racer of the Regular Bandolero Class 03e Easton Houghtaling has been inducted into the CAP- Civil Air Patrol! How awesome is that?
Also, by chance I met and conducted an interview with Racer John Cote’s Son, Racer of the #9, Jesse Cote! I’ll attach it to this Blog and on The Racing Times at:theracingtimes.net. where you can get all your Racing News Nationwide!
Special recognition goes the Charlie Richenbaugh for bringing Fried Pickles to me in the stands. They were excellent! Also, the return on The Fastest Broom in the East, Frank Bauernfiend for jumping in to help clean up the several spills we had tonight!
One other honorable mention is the #5 TQ Racer Ozzie Carlino who I’d been wanting to meet. When He asked me why, it’s because I think his name fits Racing. Like Mario Andretti
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Special recognition goes to Joe’s Bar and Grill for being instrumental in producing this awesome Event.
And of course My Assistant Makenzie Houghtaling who has become Everyone’s assistant turning wrenches, keeping Ric apprised of who’s in what car, watching over the younger kids, working, schmoozing and visiting with her Friends. She’s more charged than a car battery! Thanks to Dan and Kristen for allowing her to be my assistant and the asset she has become
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Don’t forget, I love you all and until we meet again, keep those wheels turning!
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