Bud DeGennaro

HI Everybody! Opening Night at THE OFFICIAL ACCORD Speedway was a blast! Sportsman, 602 crate Sportsman, Pure Stocks Senior and Junior All Star Slingshots! The house was packed at 80% and courtesy of the Mgt I was able to obtain a Pit Pass to commemorate the Night in one of my note pads. For those of you who don’t know, I write notes in a small notebook that I refer to when I write my blogs and I also obtain autographs, especially when I start a new book. One day I’ll make them available as a Historic view into the World of Short Track Racing here in upstate NY.

Collecting autographs is always fun. My apologies to Tech Inspector (this Season) Emerson Cargain Sr. and Bruce Jahoda of the Tri Valley Racing Fans and Ads Page for not recognizing them among others. After these first two Race Days, (last week at Bethel Speedway) it’s becoming increasingly difficult to write, speak type or remember. Anything ever in my hands are lost immediately.

I got to collect autographs from most of the Staff including Dennis at the Gate, all the hard working People in the Kitchen and the Guys at the Pit Gate, Announcer Ric Ryder, I couldn’t get a moment with Flagger and for the third year in a row, Gary who drove past in the pits but his windows were caked with mud and he didn’t see me waving him down. However, I did get one autograph from one of the most important People ever, Driver of the INT?5000 Water Truck, ! I thought I’d never catch up with him! I was told he’s been known to wet down a few people when the sun is really hot!

So many Racers came tonight that the Heats were broken up into several sets. As I meandered about the North Forty which is the Pit Area for the first time I was overwhelmed by the vastness! Randomly I walked from place to place. There were so many long timers in the House tonight and dozens of Legendary Racers, many of which I’ve seen Racing at Bethel Speedway where a changeover setup from dirt to asphalt is made to transition from Friday into Saturday. That’s not completely accurate. Asphalt Racing requires a particular setup where Dirt Racing requires almost nothing, comparatively speaking.

Many People, both Racers and Spectators came to ACCORD Speedway tonight from OCFS as that Speedway is running only a few races this year and is set to close at the end on this Season. I have been there just three or four times and I’m not familiar with most of the Racers there. I got there at 5:15 for a 5:30pm opening and there were 65 people lined up at the ticket booth! While in line I spoke with Patti And Bill Green. Bill, a retired Racer. I left without getting a Pit Pass and had to go back. Then I relinquished my seat on the top tier in the bleachers to a Lady who told me “she paid an extra $2 for top row seats. I moved down a few rows. You can stop laughing any time now.
I had to do some Research until I can get some kind of Roster with Racer’s Names, numbers and Race Classes. I learned some facts out in the Field and there were a few Racers I know from other Speedways. Google helped me a bit, too.
Slingshot All Stars were the first out of the gate with Braxton Dembek on the pole with A.J. Albreda. AJ took an early long lead while the next two cars behind him fought for 2nd. The entire race! That was Walter Henry IV and Braxton Dembek. They criss crossed each other 4 times with HenryIV grabbing 2nd, Dembek 3rd and Makaela Predmore finishing in a top 5 first time out this Season!
After only Mikey Travis JR answering the call for the Jr. All Stars Heat Race, he was ultimately joined by the #,s 3 and 58, Braden Marks and Breanna Reynolds. The #58 Breanna Reynolds took the Win followed by the 3 Brayden Marks and Travis Jr. to capture her first ever Feature Win at ACCORD!

22 Cars made the Sportsman Feature. On the pole were Jackie Brown Jr. Racing Tom Vasta’s number 18 and 24B Joey Brunning. Brunning is back in action as the former OCFS Speedway Racer after a serious injury a while back. 24B, Brunning and 47 Mike Doty, a Top Runner from last Season running in the lead order when the 71 sideswipes the backstretch wall, now home of an expanded Sponsors backstretch wall. Around the same time the #90 spun bringing out a caution. On the restart the Brunning, Brown Jr. and 47 Doty are a flock of Seagulls out of turn one as the Doty catches the infield bumpers and a 10 car melee ensues. The Race is halted as all three available tow trucks are brought out to separate the cars and only two don’t survive, numbers 20 Ashton DeWitt and 22 Nick Plumstead. On the restart Brunning leads over Brown Jr and 38 but three cars tangle in turn two. Apparently it takes two to Tango and atleast two to tangle. #348 is out after making it into the race with a starter that wouldn’t work right. Tough break. Three single file restarts follow with the 24B of Joey Bruning, taking the win over the 18, 38 and 71 Eddie Owens.

Nest up the Modified Sportsman Feature. This was a 35 lap free for all with a field of 24, the highest car count I’ve seen in this Class and ever! The racing was incredibly fierce and surprisingly respectable. I say that speaking relatively compared to NASCAR Races where I’ve seen some questionable antics. The green dropped and 3 cars spun out of turn 1 necessitating the first restart. While I wandered aimlessly around the pits meeting Racers and collecting autographs, I unknowingly happened upon Rich Ricci Sr. in the #55. Last Year I interviewed Allison Ricci, his daughter who, this year and quite wisely I must say, gave the ride over to her Dad this Season as she is carrying a baby!

Ricci faced off against the #6D The Long Island Phenom Dillon Steuer, a former Riverhead Raceway convert (who has been highly successful on dirt) on the pole. Coincidentally I met a great deal of Racers in this Race! Conversely, they all appeared to be (I’m certain they are) familiar with each other’s Racing style as the race was the one to watch! Only two or three cars dropped out during the race with Ricci and #53 Andy Bachetti, The Wild Child from MA. One of the most accomplished Racers here at ACCORD Speedway with more wins that cubic inches under his belt and hood raced furiously for the checkered flag. Bachetti would take home the prize! Our hearts go out to Andy who lost his Father, Scott recently and is suffering with an illness since last year. Likely the dreaded Lyme Disease from my home State of CT. He’s a respectable Racer who fits right in with us

In the Sportsman Feature there were 22 cars. I was thrilled! I couldn’t imagine so many cars racing at once. If I understand the process, the Heat Races eliminated some cars. I think there was something like 60 cars vying for the Feature Race! I think I spoke with about 30% of the Racers. There were just so many of them! Racer Joey Bruning took an early lead and never gave it up, leading all 25 laps of the Feature Race!

Early on #71 scraped the backstretch wall and gathered it up negating a caution that came out anyway as the #90 spun out of turn two soon after. A few laps later #47 caught the inside bumpers between turns one and two, spun and the incident collected 10 cars! That brought the race to a halt while all three available Tow Trucks were on the track at once including one on Johnson Towing’s original wrecker while the big truck is being rehabilitated. I even got their autographs as they pulled in at the gate.

After the cars were all separated and sorted out, only #s 20 ans 22 were towed off. There were no major injuries then or at all. Perhaps this is a good time to salute the Tow Truck Drivers and the EMS First Responders always at the ready. They do a great job! The next incident broke my heart as the #348 John Cole who had an issue with the starter not engaging to start the engine. He popped the clutch to get it on the fiend and again once during the race with a push start both times but was ultimately collected up in another crash of three cars in turn two and was towed off. Everyone knows it’s part of racing and we always hope to bring the car home in one piece, winning or not. I admire Racer’s determination toward that endeavor. One other incident and a handful of cars out, two SFRSs, coming home with the checkered flag was Leader Joey Bruning who somehow managed to lead the entire race! Mike Traverse, Photographer and Writer extraordinaire of RPW has a featured interview if you’d like to read more.

My favorite Class and my most Favorite Racer, Pure Stock #171b Walt Henry who I watch race on asphalt at Bethel Speedway on Saturday Nights along with his son Walter IV who raced tonight in both the All Star Slingshots and is racing this Season in a Pure Stock #171R (one car is red and the other is black). in a Pure Stock #171R. I caught up with one of my most favorite people and former Racer Emerson Cargain Jr who is handling Tech duties this year, inspecting Walt’s Race Car! My apologies for mot recognizing Em and so many other Racers. I have illnesses that severely affect my abilities and my memory is severely affected. My record is introducing myself to Racer Tyler Dachenhausen 6 times!

I’m so very grateful that everybody accepts my limitations and that I have the determination to keep doing what I do, keeping me exercised and able to give back. In that vein, Owner Gary Palmer and Crew have gone above and beyond for nearly 20 years to keep THE OFFICIAL ACCORD Speedway a great place to be. FINALLY I got an autograph from someone I think is among the most important people on the track, David Decker. For the last 5 or 6 years David has driven countless laps in the International Paystar 5000 Water Truck! He and Gary are occasionally joined by another vehicle to wet and work the track surface before the races to keep it in tip top shape. Clay is an ever changing animal and they do their best with it week after week.
“Bob’s Your Uncle” is a saying meaning everything is set up in your favor and you’re good to go. If Bob happens to BE your Uncle, it’s an omen. Roaming the pits I saw a Pure Stock number 8 I recognized so I went to talk with who I thought was racing it, Veteran Legendary Racer “Big Money Bob” Sleight. Who do I find racing the #8? None other than his nephew Jaden Sleight!

Can you imagine my delight when both Jaden and Walt Henry Face off from the pole after Walt won the Heat Race over another Racing Great #36 John Heckinger! Better still, Racer Dick Shaddock had given over his #73 to Young Gun Leland Ofelien who is racing a Street Stock for his 2nd year at Bethel Speedway. Ofelien couldn’t answer the call so the ride went to, none other than “The Instigator” Anthony Tarantino! There were more than a few Racers I’ve watched Racing at Bethel Speedway in the House tonight!

I’m ready for this race! Or so I thought. The Racers jumped the gun and the race was restarted. Then caution flew for a car that spun. Henry was paired with #48 The Intimidator, Ray Tarantino on the 3rd restart when he pitted any my heart sunk. I thought his night was over and then he came back out albeit to the rear of the field. Although I’ve seen Henry work his way to the front numerous times, this was going to take a miracle. I lost track of him for awhile as I watched the leaders, one of which was the venerable Ray Tarantino.

Then #5 Young Aiden Demorest spun bringing out another caution and Ray T. pitted! This left #86 Bill Deak Jr.in the former David Demorest #1 that I’ve watched many times in Pro Stocks at Bethel Speedway against #07 Gary Ronk and I was happy again watching someone I know up front and Henry back in P9 unfortunately. Soon Heckinger is amid the three front Racers when the #38 spins out of turn two taking out #88 Thomas Campfield. The 38 is out while Campfield continued without his motor hood and sheet metal waving in the breeze off the rear of his car. Another restart has Ronk up front and out of the corner of my eye and the track comes Henry, now in P5!

By the third caution and barely midway into the race the 73 went to the pits after losing power amid about 4 cars by then that had dropped out, narrowing the field. But not by much considering how skilled these Racers are. As an example, guess who has made it from last to 2nd? Walt Henry! Who is he fighting for the lead? Jayden Sleight!
Debris on the track brought out the final caution of the race and for the third time Henry and Sleight are opposed leaders with Sleight gaining an edge thrice! There was some amazing racing watching Sleight, much younger that the mid 40yo Henry keep him at bay. The third restart was a SFRS and all but sealed the deal for Sleight as he mightily fought off Henry like a Hound on a Rabbit right to the end to win the Race! Behind Henry for 3rd was Bill Deak Jr. of Deak Electric,(Junior is the new “Junior), Brian Chirico and Gary
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Special Thanks to Flagger Josh Warden for commanding the Races! I believe he’ll be around for awhile. If ever you had a desire to try something different, this is it! Local Race Tracks need your support. There are Camping opportunities in the Region so why not make it an adventure? That’s it for me. This being my first ever Opening Day at THE OFFICIAL ACCORD Speedway in Ulster County NY was simply amazing! They have some dedicated and Special Races coming up I’ll try to get to and again will be firsts for me. They can be firsts for you, too! Everyone is welcome. ACCORD has Concessions, a Sweets Shop and Beer! Come one, come all!

I would like to thank the Show Runners without whom there would be no glorious OFFICIAL ACCORD Speedway! They are:The Palmer Family, Dave and Joann Rocket,Ric Ryder, Bob Freer,Mike Hager, Rich Roosa,Randy Filiposki,Josh Warden,Jason Markle,Kurt Kross,Geoffrey Baer, Kevin Berryman, Mike Traverse,Dave Decker,Johnson’s Towing, the Tech Crew, Donna and the gang in Concessions and everyone who has a hand in making The OFFICIAL ACCORD Speedway what it is! Stiltz McGee helped with this blog as it is my first blog on an Opening Day at The OFFICIAL ACCORD Speedway and I needed some blanks filled in until I gain some traction. Be safe and until we meet again, keep those wheels turning!