Hi Everybody!

When I first saw the Bethel Speedway ad for tonight to bring your own vehicle to the Speedway to race it against the Race Cars, I thought they meant Personal vehicles. Apparently were back to the ’70’s tonight except there was no Fuel Injection, no Turbos. Just headers, wide tires (If you could afford them), Cragar Chrome Mag Wheels, 4spd Hurst Shifter or a stock automatic transmission with maybe a shift kit and High Stall Torque Converter, Dual glass pack mufflers and dual exhaust. The best I had was a honed out 283 short block with new everything, 307 heads, valves lapped in, 2bbl Rochester Carb, Air shocks to raise the rear up and that was it. We all went down to a street adjacent to New Haven Harbor on Friday and Saturday Nights to Drag Race. My neighbor showed up pnce in awhile with his ’68 Canaro, 396CI $bbl Holley, performance ignition, tuned headers, dual legger pipes. He could not be beat.

What I didn’t expect and until tonight I didn’t know that there is a whole culture of souped up Personal Vehicle type Race cars with Racers willing to take on all comers. Sometimes in the ’70’s there might be a sleeper without a hood scoop or a car with an Air Filter through the motor Hood that you suspected was a big engine. Today I learned all about “Spectator Racing”. Street legal registered and insured cars with modified engines willing and able to take on anybody. Today 6 such Racers did just that.

Hailing from right here, Long Island, Rhode Island and Vermont these 6 Racers, 5 males and one Female raced against each other and man it was a blast! I’ll refrain from using surnames and Race Car Names as I have inadequate notes and missed one. Same for their Car names. Not unlike the ’70’s we tried to be covert about our cars. Aside from lifted rear suspension (I used air shocks from JC Whitney, $29) you didn’t know what was under the hood when you paired up to race. Having a half mile stretch of absolutely straight road that continued through a T intersection (in case the Cops came) was perfect for our Racing.

Quite the same holds true here. There’s not mush to tell you what Jenn, George, Franklin, Charlie, Scott or Mike had under the hood until you launched from the start line. Without divulging anything here, Jenn dominated the evening along with Charlie. It was a really fun event that I think just may become a thing at Bethel Speedway. There was one SS Racer who took the challenge to race against one of the unusual Racers and that was “Big Money Bob” Sleight. He lost! This type of racing has a Speedway called Freedom Factory in Bradenton Florida, under renovation from a Speedway that closed in 2017 specifically for this type of racing. Races are also held at New Smyrna and Seekonk in MA. The Grandstands loved the racing and were very enthusiastic!

Now for the Evening’s Racing starting with the Dirt Mod Feature. 4 Cars entered the Race. On the pole are Chris Cook and Ritchie Coons. Coons took the lead early and was holding his own for quite some time before the Magician Ed Dachenhausen, like pulling a rabbit from a hat saw a move and grabbed the lead out of turn two with the backstretch like an oasis ahead of him. Coons battled with Dachenhausen for the lead the rest of the race and ended with P2 behind him with Chris Cook and Jeffrey Tubbs trailing. That’s position points for all four!

Dropping down the the smallest and youngest Class, Beginner Bandoleros. Rookie Colten Welsch is holding his own against Levi Houghtaling. Colten’s lap times are getting faster every week! Representing generations of Families of Racers here at Bethel Speedway and with talent passed down along with coaching from their Racer Fathers these two youngsters are the future of Racing. Levi Houghtaling took the checkered tonight while both Racers are earning points that will factor in toward the end of the Season.

INEX Bandoleros contained four Racers tonight. James Boogie Bauernfiend and Alyson Smith took the pole tonight with Bauernfiend breaking from the pack. Heavy contender Easton Houghtaling seemed a bit off tonight relatively speaking. By lap 4 Jordan Smith had taken over the lead until the first caution bought out by Houghtaling spinning out. Jordan Smith and Bauernfiend lead the pack out on the restart with Jordan leading at the half and all the way down to 5 laps left when Houghtaling spins in the “Crisco Corner”. Bauernfiend continues to battle with Jordan Smith until just two laps to go Houghtaling spins a third time and on a SFRS Jordan Smith leads them across the finish line followed by Bauernfiend,Houghtaling and Alyson Smith.

Tonight we welcomed a large Group of People new to the Speedway in addition to several smaller groups all of which we hope to see again! Along with several kids assisting Flagger Kyle Welsch in the Spectator Races, a Representative of the large Group, Yossi Glanz did an exemplary job flagging some of the races to the excitement of his associates! I had to wait until the end of Shabot, later in the evening and in fact at the end of the early night for his autograph. The Group wanted a foot race once the Track was cleared. I was tired and sore so I went home.

Tonight we have 10 Street Stock Racers including Walter Henry IV in the renumbered #88, Tom Campfield’s Ride as the Young Racer cuts his teeth with seat time on the track. Also we were treated to the return of .45 Racer Nick Foley! With the assistance of Richard Smith Sr. the green flag waved Racers Glenn Cargain Sr and Big Money Bob Sleight toward the front stretch and open lanes.

Sleight took an early lead over Cargain Sr who managed to wrestle the lead back and held onto the lead fighting of Sleight in dramatic Fashion for the first half of the 20 lap race. By this time Henry IV pitted and DNF while Foley was dragging something metallic and also went to the pits for a DNF. Not long after Sleight took a ride through the infield, pitted and came back out.

This put Scott Tyler paired off with Cargain Jr. Their first lap around resulted in contact between them that sent Tyler to the Pits and he returned immediately to the rear of the Field as now Tucker Katz pairs off with the still leading Cargain Jr to my anxiety. I want to see Cargain get this win tonight!

The race continues and Katz is battling Cargain Sr really hard. as they round turn 4 Cargain Sr got a little wide, contacts Katz, sends Katz into a wobble where he hits Cargain on the front stretch sending him into the grass and over the tire bumpers, destroying a right rear wheel and ending not only his reign but his night as well. I was so dejected. It’s the nature of racing and these two demonstrated the epitome of good Sportsmanship, as always.

On the restart and to the cheers of the crowd Cargain Sr came back out and apparently the car wasn’t right she he pitted for a DNF while Katz was left to battle Ofelien, the two Young Guns left in the Race for the lead with Katz just ahead. Just as Katz took the checkered over Ofelien and Sleight, Tyler saw the gap and took 4th place from Daryl DaBetta.

The 4cyl Mods Feature was run by Tisha Curry in her Daughter’s car #1, Scott Young in the revinyled Yellow John Deere #16 and in the red #1 Jeff DeGroat. DeGroat and Young have the pole with DeGroat taking an early lead. He held on for a long while before something went wrong and he headed for the pits. After a few courtesy laps he came back out for a restart behind Young and Tisha Curry. Young left the battle to Curry and Degroat for P2 as he cruised to a Win, DeGroat 2nd, Curry 3rd.

Alas with no other takers Racer Frank Bauernfiend continues to be the fastest in the 4cyl Novice Class against only himself. I’ve seen Frank in Kylee Curry’s Black #1 battle and Carly in Jeff DeGroat’s red #1, both Racing for their first time this Season. It was tense, hard racing at times!

This closes another chapter of Racing and another weekend off coming up for me while I contend with my health and personal issues. Let’s hope it doesn’t take more than an hour or two for Contractors to fix my Central Air as it went out last night. I’m on the 3rd floor in this building with 45 apts. It gets warm up here. Anyhow, until we meet again, I love you all and keep those wheels turning.