Hurricane Henry blows into ACCORD Speedway for the 2nd time this year!

 I'm being facetious.  Racer Walt Hurricane Henry was in full force as he captured the Pole position by coming in second to #5 Aiden Demorest in the Heat Race.  The feeling watching the Pure Stock Race was electric as coincidentally as the #86 Bill Deak Jr.of Deak Electric spent both the Heat and Feature Race as a chaser hot on the tail of the Hurricane!
 Demorest was fast and accurate in the Heat Race ans was going to be a force in the Feature.  Henry made a big move for the lead but got too high out of turn 4 and lost momentum.  Then on lap 9 a collision caused a caution and that left Henry paired with Deak Jr.  Unbehnownst to us who have only a sixth sense but not the power to see the future while watching the Heat Race we were seeing it.  Right before our eyes!  Deak Jr would be Henry's closest competitor. Racer of #48 Ray Tarantino pitted twice in the Feature and came back both times but somewhat out of contention.
 Demorest and Big Money Bob Sleight traded P3 throughout the race as both tried for the lead but needing to pass Deak Jr. who, even with Henry way out front had an entire field of cars behind him.  Could Deak Jr. handle holding second while racing for the lead and holding off the pack?  At lap 15 caution flew again just as Sleight took P3 from Demorest.  The SFRS made it a bit easier on Leader Henry and not a given by any means as with 5 laps to go and things changing by the minute, it was still anyone's game.  Henry launched like a Hurricane from the restart and needed to hold onto the lead albeit with a good distance between himself and the rest of the Field.  As I watched through the dirt fog I saw Henry take the checkered followed by Deak Jr., Sleight,#67 Shawn Williams and Aiden Demorest just into the top 5.
 The start of the Evening's Feature Races followed an amazing Fireworks display during intermission.  #19 Joey Conklin and #3 Ryan Behrent (one of my Favorite Racers because I love the vinyl on his car and his Sponsors) Began on the pole and when the Flagger set them free at the green Conklin was off like a skyrocket left over from the Fireworks!  #M (posted as #11) Kyle Smith immediately took into the fray and drove into P2.
 Lap 4 already brought out the first caution with Smith in the Lead.  Smith holds off Conklin and #5 Whitey Slavin four more laps for another caution and a double restart as #46 Lem Atkins hit the wall and no lap was scored.  On the restart #12P Connor Prokop grabs the lead for two more laps until the next caution when Prokop and Smith take the lead for one lap, another restart that lasted until lap thirteen when #17D Donnie Campbell pitted for a DNF.  Finally Prokop ahead of Slavin and Smith is the first to cross the Finish Line getting his first Feature Win here!  Slavin captured P2 followed by #33,Smith and #18 Jackie Brown Jr. your top Five.
 Once again troubles beset All Star Slingshot Racer #17 Makaela Predmore who is bound and determined to get in as much seat time as possible and couldn't answer the call to the Feature.  

 Headed out by Roman Numeral for number 4, IV, standing for Walter Henry the 4th and #610 Rob Charmello chasing a Win.  Several lead changes occurred between Henry IV and 27X Matt Sabo who took the lead for good and the checkered ahead of #6, Charmello and Henry the 4th.
In the Junior Slingshots Feature Race (which I missed)Brayden Marks is the Winner!  I can't figure out where I was when this Race was on.
 During part of Intermission and after the Sportsman Feature Announcer Ric Ryder and Jr. Slingshot Racer Brianna Reynolds officiated over the Bike Raffle for Kids on this night Sponsored by (and for the past 18 years)UDIG NY and Eager Beaver Stump Grinding who had two Representatives in a friendly Rivalry to give out the most Tote Bags, one with a can coozie and the other a water bottle which I humbly availed myself of.  I think this is a good time to mention that returning to The OFFICIAL ACCORD Speedway, Tonight's Flagger is none other than NYFD Youngstown First Responder and former Bethel Speedway Flagger extraordinaie, Jonathan McGibbon!  Ric and Brianna raffled off over 40 bicycled in which kids put a ticket in the bag attached to the bike they wanted to try to win and tickets were drawn from those bags for the rewards.  There were actually a few lucky winnwers who were the sole Raffle participants for a particular bike.  In my opinion a great thing for the Fans and special thanks to Gary Palmer along with all the Staff, Donors and Sponsors who made tonight possible!
 Lemei Fornino sang Our National Anthem for the second time this season.  Between hearing her great voice and staring across the track at our Flag, Old Glory on the back stretch, I was so transfixed that when the Pyrotechnic "bombs" went off in the middle of it I jumped 12' in the air!  Something about the moment took me back to what Our Flag Stands for and that's Freedom.  I think it's especially poignant these days while there are two wars going on, People suffering from oppression and our streets being ruled by gangs and drug cartels.  we'll eventually get our house in order and our strife pales in comparison to the soldiers lives who were lost fighting for Freedom centuries back to Abraham Lincoln.  I AM.  Proud to be an American!
 Big Motors took the Field for the Dirt Modified Feature Race and the last Race of the evening. Twenty Four to be exact.  Sidebar:  I was sitting in row 5 instead of my usual row 8.  A fellow behind me was talking about getting hit by rocks every time the Big machines hit the track.  I realized he was talking about getting hit right there in the stands and so I asked that very question.  adamantly he replied YES, and matter of fact right where you're sitting.  This got me thinking what are the odds it would happen again?  If it did would I be seriously injured?  At the very least indoctrinated?  Not long after I saw a Staff member walked onto the middle of the track in front of me and pull out a flat but sizeable rock.  So it's a third of the way through Hot Laps when I feel pain in my left arm and a stone the size of a quarter bounces off my arm bone and lands on the steps!  Ok.  Now I'm a member of the "Stoned" Club.  Not to be confused with a "StonER" Club.  One that I quit over 30 years ago.
 #s 1 and three come out in the pole position as the Race Cars file out of the Gate and onto the Race Track.  They are Tighe Sherlock and the One and Only Joe Judge who I got another autograph from and still I can't remember who he is or even recognize him.  I suffer with Early Parkinson's.  Two of my family members and a dear friend who was my neighbor for 30 years died of the disease.  Clarence was his name and we did so many different things together.  One day he was working on a car changing the timing chain when he came over and asked for my help.  He used to talk to me whenever we were outside, occasionally through my bathroom window and often he would just stop and stare.  I thought nothing of it but him asking me for help was alarming.  He couldn't remember how to time the engine so I did it for him.  Later that year he hollered from his roof that he had re shingled himself the year before and wanted me to help him onto the ladder because he froze up.  He'd rescued me atleast 3 times when I froze up on my own roof.  I didn't recognize in him the symptom's of Parkinson's and I see them in myself.  It's troubling.  It's the main reason I write these blogs.  Because the day is coming when I will no longer be able to.
 The green flag drops and I remember that's the "GO" signal although I've once or twice stopped at a green light and several times the red light changed green and my truck didn't move when I pressed the pedal so I pressed harder.  With my foot still on the brake.  But away they went! Almost.  #44x Shane Jablonka spun in turn one negating the start and #7 Travis Green is towed off.  On the second try the first lap is scored before Judge jumps out while Sherlock gets into #93X Craig Mitchell and collects #55 Rick Ricci Jr. going into turn two.
 This puts Judge on the point and into the lead while #24 Ken Ferrier and #4 Andy Bachetti are attached at the hip in P2.  By lap 5 the order had settled with Judge leading followed by Bachetti, #97 Codie Higby,Ferrier and #10 Rich Euric.  Caution flies as #2D Scott Ferrier coasts into the front Stretch and refires just as the Boys from Johnson Towing pull up to him.
 Now Bachetti and Judge lead the psck.  Almost immediately they settled into a line with Bachetti leading over Judge,Ferrier, Higby and #280.  Next Judge and Baschetti are side by side ahead of Ferrier, Higbie and #280 until several cars are around in turn 3.  SFRS with Bachetti, Judge, Ferrier, Higby and #280 until lap 26 of 35 when #2 goes around in turn 2. This time Ricci is hung up on and yanked off of #2 for a DNF with a creamed right front wheel assembly.  On the final restart with Bachetti leading over Judge in a SFRS it ends with Bachetti at the checkers, Judge,Ferrier, 280 Higbie.
 So ends a great night of racing and fun!  I kept the stone as a souvenir!  I love you all!  Be safe and until we meet again, keep those wheels turning!