Payton Talbot had his 358 modified on display at last week’s Utica-Rome Speedway car show at the Sangertown Square Mall.
Today, Albany-Saratoga Speedway in Malta will hold an early tech inspection from 3:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. If necessary, tomorrow will be used as a rain date from 4:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. Next week Friday, April 10, is open practice from 6:00 p.m. until 10:00 p.m. with Tuesday, April 14, as a rain date. The Great Race Place will open for its 61st season on Friday, April 17, with the Super DIRTcar Series and a 61-lap, $6,000-to-win big block modified feature.
Saturday, April 4, is the first of three scheduled practices at the Afton Motorsports Park. Gates open at 2:00 p.m. and cars should be on track at 4:00 p.m. Grandstand admission is free with a donation of a non-perishable food item. Pit admission for ages 14 and up is $20 for members and $25 for non-members. Children ages 5–13 are $1 for members and $5 for non-members, while children under 5 are $1. Note that as of Wednesday, there was a detour on Route I-88 from Exit 12 to Exit 10 in both directions.
Tonight in Albany at the MVP Arena is the Monster Jam Freestyle Mania presented by Spin Master, featuring a combination show with trucks and motocross motorcycles. Show time is 7:00 p.m. You still have time to get tickets for the Kyle Dingman fundraiser on Friday, April 10. Unfortunately, Crate 602 sportsman division driver Kyle Dingman suffered the loss of his race car and equipment from a fire at his garage. A fundraiser to help rebuild his racing program will take place from 6:00 p.m. until 10:00 p.m. on Friday, April 10, at Venue 91 at 91 Main Street in Gloversville. The event will consist of food, live music, basket raffles, and more. The cost is $15 per person or $25 per couple. For tickets and information, contact Missy at 518-332-3638, Catherine at 518-948-1919, or Brandie at 519-224-1659.
Pro stock division driver Ivan Joslin of Fultonville will hold his 5th annual Bartlett’s chicken barbecue on Sunday, April 12, at the Hummingbird Hills Winery located at 1442 Burtonsville Road in Fultonville from 1:00 p.m. until 4:00 p.m. The cost is $15 per dinner, which includes chicken, salt potatoes, baked beans, and a roll. Pre-ordering is recommended but not required. To pre-order, contact Ivan at 518-588-5089 or Kyle at 518-588-7761 via text only, or use Facebook Messenger. Basket raffles and free wine tasting will take place.
Tomorrow, the Utica-Rome Speedway on Route 5 in Vernon will hold a track work day. Volunteers are welcome to help get the facility ready for the new season. Saturday, April 11, Utica-Rome will hold an open practice, with Sunday, April 12, as a rain date. Opening night is Friday, April 17. Meanwhile, Fonda Speedway will hold an open practice on Saturday, April 11, and opening night is Saturday, April 18, featuring the Advanced Restoration and Cleaning 12A Opening Day-Jumpin' Jack Johnson Memorial.
The Campus Engagement Board of SUNY Cobleskill will host the Coby's Crusin' car show on Sunday, April 12, from 12:00 p.m. until 4:00 p.m. in the Agway parking lot across from the campus on Route 7. A canned food drive will take place, and there will be music and food available. The Mohawk-Hudson Chapter of the Pioneer Gas Engine Association Inc., better known as the Gas-Up, will hold a meeting on Monday, April 13, at 7:00 p.m. at Ralph and Barb Liddle's home at 591 Colby Road, Schoharie, N.Y. 12157, near the Gas-Up show grounds. The Gas-Up will also hold a chicken barbecue dinner fundraiser on Friday, April 17, starting at 3:00 p.m. on Main Street in Schoharie near the Parrott House Restaurant and the County Building. The annual Gas-Up will take place on the weekends of June 13–14 and June 20–21.
On Saturday, May 2, Fonda Speedway will host the annual Bill Ag Memorial Modified Elimination Race. If you would like to get involved by promoting your business or if you are a dedicated fan wishing to participate, please contact Shelly Shaffer at 518-366-2628. Additionally, Airborne Park Speedway and Devil’s Bowl Speedway are both looking to hire an assistant Pit Steward. They are seeking a reliable, confident individual to help manage pit operations on race nights. Candidates must be able to communicate clearly, stay organized under pressure, and work as part of the officiating team checking in drivers. Racing experience is a plus, but attitude, reliability, and computer skills matter most. Interested parties can send a private message or email airborneparkspeed@gmail.com or devilsbowlspeedway@gmail.com.
In results from last week: In the World of Outlaws Late Model Series on Friday night, Tim McCreadie of Watertown finished third in the Chattahoochee Clash at the East Alabama Motor Speedway. Nick Hoffman was the feature winner and Daulton Wilson was second. The Short Track Super Series raced Sunday night at Bedford Fairgrounds Speedway in Bedford, Pennsylvania, for the track's 90th anniversary opening day and Round #2 of the STSS New Jersey Drywall South Region Series. Hall of Fame driver Gerald Chamberlain served as the Grand Marshal.
Leading up to the 40-lap modified feature, Stewart Friesen was the Hot Lap Hero with a time of 20.237 seconds. In the redraw, Dillon Steuer and Danny Creeden were set on the front row. Steuer held a commanding lead for most of the feature; however, as the race neared the end, his tires showed wear, allowing Creeden and Danny Bouc to pull alongside. Unfortunately, just as Steuer took the white flag, the left rear tire on his modified let go. Danny Creeden claimed the victory after a green-and-white checkers restart, followed by Alex Payne, Danny Bouc, Matt Sheppard, and Michael Maresca. Stewart Friesen was seventh and Alex Yankowski eighth. Jackson Gill finished 11th, Jack Lehner 13th, and Anthony Perrego 13th. For all of his efforts, Steuer finished 19th. Sheppard was piloting the Petruska family Atlas Paving #66. In the Super Late models, Demetrios Drellos of Queensbury finished 14th.
