I'm Back... Just For Today

Well, I know I said I wouldn't be posting for another week, but, here I am. Got a couple of things for you.

First of all, let's start with this weeks winners. Mother Nature won at least one feature every night this weekend, but, racing got in every night too. On Friday night, in big block actionRonnie Johnson picked up the win at his new Friday night home at Accord Speedway, Jimmy Phelps notched off his first win of the year with a win at Brewerton Speedway, Kevin Bolland added to his win total at Lernerville Speedway, Rob Bellinger proved he's going to be a force to reckon with at Can Am Motorsports Park with a win, Mike Gular showed he still has what it takes at Penn Can by winning their opener, and Bobby Varin continued his strong start to the year with a win in Glen Ridge Motorsports Park's opener. In small block action, Meme DeSantis won a crazy night at Big Diamond Raceway.

On Saturday night in big block action, Kenny Brightbill returned to victory lane for the first time since 2003 with a win at Delaware International Speedway, Billy Pauch won his first race of the year by winning at New Egypt Speedway, Chuck McKee and Jerry Higbie split Orange County Fair Speedway features, Pat Ward won $3,000 by coming home first at Five Mile Point Speedway, Ronnie Johnson picked up his second win of the weekend with a win at Fonda Speedway, Kenny Tremont added to his win total at Lebanon Valley Speedway, Wade Hendrickson won his second feature in two weeks at Bridgeport Speedway, and Matt Sheppard continued his dominance on 2010 with a win at Canandaigua Speedway. In small block action, Pete Bicknell won by a bumper over Chad Brachmann at Merrittville Speedway.

Sunday saw Brett Hearn pick up $5,000 by winning the Thunder on the Thruway Series opener at Utica Rome Speedway.

Ransomville Speedway had practice and a time trial session for modifieds that will saw Todd Burley and Chad Brachmann set first and second quick time, which means they'll be locked into Friday's season opener.

Gary Tomkins reported on Dirt Track Digest that he has picked up a ride for weekly competition at Fulton Speedway on Saturday nights driving for Harry Murphy Racing. He will also be running the Joe Beyea owned #121 big block modified at Rolling Wheels on May 2nd and the Victoria 200 at Utica Rome on May 9th. He will also run Ransomville Speedway on May 21st for Kendrick Racing as a teammate to Danny O'Brien. Tomkins ran for the Kendrick team at Merrittville on Saturday. As previously reported, there's also a good chance he'll run some more races for Chad Brachmann, and there's a chance that his schedules with Joe Beyea Racing and Kendrick Racing could have races added to it.

Not Going to be Updated For a Bit...

Hey guys, just a heads up, but I won't be updating this blog for the next week or two. The semester is coming to a close, and I've got at least 77 pages of paper's to write, on top of finals and presentations by next Friday. So, I don't really have time for anything right now. Sorry guys!

Races this Weekend

Well, racetracks continue to open, and a slew of New York tracks will be having their first shows this weekend. There won't be as many big races this weekend, but there are a few higher paying events. On Friday, Brewerton Speedway will feature an extra distance 50 lap feature for the big blocks that pays $3,000 to win. Then, on Saturday, the Jersey/Delaware Tri-Track Series has it's third race of the season, as this time, the series invades New Egypt Speedway for a 40 lapper that pays $3,000 to win. Also, Lebanon Valley Speedway's opener will pay $3,000 to win the big block feature. On Sunday, the biggest race of the entire weekend will be at Utica Rome Speedway, as the Thunder on the Thruway Series kicks off with a 50-lap, $5,000 to win feature event.

Of course, many other tracks will have their weekly shows running at your favorite speedway as well. I hope the weather cooperates with everyone's racing plans this weekend!

Johnson and Strunk Land One-Off Rides

Two drivers will be running at season openers this weekend at tracks they won't be running weekly, in cars they won't be running weekly.

At Accord Speedway, Danny Johnson will pilot a Randy Sherlock Motorsports car. Johnson, of course, ran for Sherlock in a few races over the past two seasons. Tim Hindley and Randy Sherlock himself have also ran the car over those seasons.

For the Utica Rome Speedway opener this Sunday, Jeff Strunk will be behind the wheel of a Tad Parks Racing modified. Parks fielded a car over the last few seasons for Alan Barker, and will field a car in limited action this year for Stewart Friesen.

Super Dirt Week Club Wago Bash on the Backstretch Update

Hey guys, I know it's REAL far away, but just giving a little update on the 3rd Annual Club Wago Bash on the Backstretch, which takes place on the Friday of Super Dirt Week. Remember, the Bash is only on Friday, no other days! We do that so we can enjoy the other night life on Thursday night and Saturday night (mainly being the return of the Ghetto and the always popular Voodoo Lounge.)

We have already signed a new DJ for this year, replacing the DJ we had over the past 2 seasons. Special thanks goes out to that DJ, he did it for free the past 2 seasons, but we didn't really do well at communicating so we've decided to make the switch. No hard feelings. However, just a warning, those guys may end up setting up a party on that Friday to get back at us INSIDE the backstretch tunnel (so it'd be in the infield.) If that happens, please note, that is NOT Club Wago's Bash of the Backstretch. We'll be set up at our normal location, directly outside the backstretch tunnel, our tent will be set up where the party will be all week.

Once again, as always, we'll have Wago Juice on hand for free! For the first time ever, we'll have Club Wago Bash on the Backstretch shirts available as well.

We will be having the Club Wago big wheel races once again, but there are rules for this season! Last year was a lot of fun, but I ended up pissing a lot of people off with it in the end, so the main rule is, you HAVE to have a tricycle to race. If you get lucky enough to get an extra big wheel that somebody else brings, that works too, but there will be no sharing this year. Also, as for specific big wheel rules, it can't be wider than 30 inches, must have a pusher and a driver, must have 3 wheels, the driver has to steer it (no swivel wheels), and the tricycles must have either the front wheel, or both back wheels be plastic, it cannot have 3-rubber wheels. Once again, any money anyone wants to donate will go to the winner (last year's feature line-up decided to donate the money to charity, that was their choice), and we'll also have trophies for the top-3 finishers in the race. Anything that is considered illegal for the trike race will be allowed to run an "open competition" race, but, the winner of that race will only receive a trophy, all the prizes/money will go to the winner of the trike race. Also, another big improvement over last year, we will have a second mic to announce line-ups and who's supposed to be racing this year, and we'll also make everyone in the middle of the track sit down, or kneel, so everyone can see what's going on.

Also, we'll be giving away prizes throughout the night during the party. We know for sure we'll have quite a few free race tickets for tracks throughout the northeast, we'll also be giving away racing merchandise, and possibly even some collectible items. We're looking for ideas on how to give away those prizes throughout the night, any ideas, let me have them!

Again, I know this is way early, but wanted to get word out there, after-all, in 6 months, Super Dirt Week 2010 will be over! We hope you guys have as much fun this year as we'll have putting this thing together!

$10,000 to win small block show scheduled for August 4th

Orange County Fair Speedway has announced, (first released on Syracuse.com) that Orange there will be a $10,000 to win 40-lap open 358 motor rule race on Wednesday, August 4th. This is great news, over the past three years, we've lost the $10,000 to win Paul Sawyer Memorial, but have gained the $10,000 to win Victoria 200 at Utica Rome, the $20,000 All-Star race at Cayuga County, two $10,000 to win races at the World Finals, $10,000 to win races at Granby and Drummondville, the Friend of Mike $10,000 to win show at New Egypt, and the return of Mr. Dirt Track USA which pays $17,500 to win at Lebanon Valley. This is all great for dirt modified racing. I hope more big-paying races continue to show up over the next few years as well!

Also, even though this race pays $10,000 to win, it will not be on the Club Wago Crown Jewel Fantasy League. We've already received a bunch of entries, so, there won't be any races added to the fantasy league. Sorry!

Big Racing Weekend Winners; A Few Tidbits

It was a great weekend of racing, all racing, with the exception of Lernerville Speedway, got their races in, and there was a lot of big money on the line.

Starting things off on Friday, it was Duane Howard who continued his strong start to the season by picking up the $3,000 Big Diamond Raceway win. Moving to Saturday, Dale Planck won a thrilling race at Super Dirt Series race at Fulton Speedway as he picked up his first win of the year, Ryan Godown won the $4,000 Grandview Speedway small block race, Bobby Varin won $4,000 in the big block division at Fonda Speedway, Wade Hendrickson picked up right where he left off in 2009 by winning the Tri-Track Series race at Bridgeport, and Dustin Martin won his first race of the year in the small block division at Mercer Raceway Park.

My apologies to Lonnie Riggs. He picked up the win at Mercer Raceway Park's small block modified opener, and I forgot to report his win last weekend.

Also, there was practice over the weekend at multiple tracks. At Lebanon Valley Speedway, big block rookie D.J. Faulkner was involved in a serious wreck and taken to the hospital. He was knocked unconscious but is otherwise okay.

Mark Kislowski is officially in the Masagarus Racing #93 big block modified for 2010, it was reported on here back over the winter that he'd be in the car, but I wasn't able to confirm it until now.

Look for 2009 Can Am small block champion Lance Willix to make select starts for small block rookie Tom Gamble this year, possibly starting at Can Am's 358 Dirt Series race. Willix made the move up to big blocks and sold off all his small block equipment to make the transition.

Update on Gary Tomkins

Chad Brachmann's website confirms what I posted on here a few weeks ago, Gary Tomkins will run the Chad Brachmann #3 big block modified again this week at Fulton. The team will then sit down and decide whether or not they will follow the Super Dirt Series will Tomkins for the entire year. Brachmann will still run weekly at Merrittville and Ransomville, and also a few big block races, but won't travel as much as he has in the past because he and his wife recently had a child.

Big Racing Weekend

Well ladies and gentleman, the season is finally starting to shape up. More tracks continue to open, this week we've got a big weekend in racing. On Friday night, Big Diamond Raceway has a special $3,000 to win show for the small block modifieds. On Saturday, Fonda Speedway has the big block modifieds on hand for a $4,000 winners purse. Grandview Speedway will have the small block modifieds running 40 laps for $4,000 to win, and the Super Dirt Series has their second race of the season scheduled for Fulton Speedway as they run 100 laps for $6,000 to win.

Happy Easter; Weekend Winners

Happy Easter to everyone today! I hope everyone has a great day!

A beautiful weekend led to Big Diamond Raceway and Lernerville Speedway getting races in on Friday, and Grandview Speedway getting their show in on Saturday. Lots of practice sessions were held this past weekend as well.

Brian Swartzlander held on to collect his first win of the season in the Lernerville Speedway opener, Big Diamond Raceway saw Duane Howard pick up the big block modified $4,000 win and then saw Craig Von Dohren win the small block modified opener at the track. On Saturday, it was John Willman who picked up the win at the Grandview Speedway opener.

Congratulations to all the winners this past week, especially Duane Howard, John Willman, and Brian Swartzlander, who are all Club Wago members!