Spectacular weekend with 3 new tracks and great weather!

What a spectacular weekend with unbelievable weather as I was able to catch three new tracks in two days hitting and eclipsing the century mark. I never realized how beautiful the sights at this time of the year are in northeastern Pennsylvania and the Southern Tier of NT. Ironically all three races I attended were rained out at least one other time from October and were run under ideal weather this past weekend.

#100 New York State Fairgrounds, Syracuse, NY (1-mile cinder), 11/5/05...

On October 9, rain showers came in and postponed the running of the "Eckerd 200" with 52 of the scheduled 200 laps completed. After some days of questions of when and would it would be finished due to numerous other events throughout October and November and rescheduling concerns at the fairgrounds, Saturday, November 5 was picked with a noon start time. In no one's wildest imaginations would anyone expect the weather that graced the event to have temps in the low 70s and sunshine.

This was one of these tracks that always seem to elude me partly because I never had much desire to see bits and pieces of the week-long event, endure the weather elements that always seem to plague it, fight the large crowds and expense of the event. With a rain check given to me in hand, a short mild day, and the opportunity to hit two other new tracks I made the four hour and 15 minute journey northeast.

I followed the stream of traffic into the fairgrounds and parked. Little did I realize I was going to be on the backstretch as buses waited to take people to the grandstand area. Not being one for waiting on others I took off on foot and realized it wasn't too bad of walk through the infield and to the main grandstand area. It didn't appear to me that they were selling tickets, but only checking what was being brought in as food and beverages are not permitted. I can see why as a hot dog (only slightly bigger than a regular hot dog) and small cup of Pepsi cost me $5.50. They pretty much waved everyone else on in.

Checking on past times of the race for the 200-lapper, it looked like most of the events were completed in about 2 hours and 30 minutes. With 52 laps already completed, I was hoping for a two-hour race and be on the road and headed to Greenwood Valley Action Track by 2:30.

When racing resumed on the Moody Mile about nine minutes past 12 noon, Billy Decker picked up where he left off at the helm of the Northeast's most prestigious short-track event. All eyes were on Richie "Tobie" Tobias, Jr., who used the outside of the speedway to race from where he restarted in 18th into the top five on lap 82 past Jimmy Phelps and then past Pat Ward into fourth on lap 84 to the delight of the big crowd. Decker, Danny Johnson, and Todd Burley pulled away from the pack by lap 85. Decker made sure he got to lap 100 before pitting as he picked up the $5,000 halfway challenge.

On lap 106, Decker and Johnson pitted while Burley got caught behind them on the inside of turn four. By the time, he got his speed picked back up Tobias roared past into the lead. Burley, who clearly had the faster car, worked on Tobias before finally getting by for the lead on lap 115. Eyes now shifted to Bobby Varin, who passed Ward for third on lap 124 then one lap later shot past Tobias for second.

By the time Varin got to second at the three-quarter mark of the event, Burley had more than a half-straightaway lead built up. Varin quickly chopped into the lead every lap and ran down the leader. After hounding him for about five laps, Varin got under Burley for the lead on lap 133.

Tobias' fine run ended when he slowed on lap 143, while Johnson hit the turn one fence after blowing a tire bringing out the caution. After pitre-shuffledhuffled the field, Decker, who was about to get lapped before the caution, was back in charge as the early pit stop paid off. Teammate Ward restarted second with Ronnie Johnson.

World of Outlaw Late Model "Dirty Dozen" member, Tim McCreadie passed Johnson for third on lap 167 then one lap later took over runner-up from Ward. Just after losing second to McCreadie, Ward slowed while Burley flew past Johnson and Ward for third.

Burley ran down Decker and McCreadie as the trio pulled away from the pack with 15 laps to go. After pressuring McCreadie for numerous laps, Burley finally made the pass stick for runner-up on lap 191. Burley though was never able to mount a serious bid at overtaking the leader. Decker crossed the line first for the minimum $50,000 base payoff and was his fourth Eckerd 200 win all of which have come in the last eight seasons.

Burley's impressive $25,000 runner-up finish definitely stole the sub-headlines as he also earned the $2,000 Rookie of the Race becoming the highest finishing rookie in the history of the event. Ronnie Johnson was a career best third in the event, Kenny Tremont was fourth after restarting 15th, and Varin dropped to fifth.

The racing was much better than I anticipated and I also could see more of the track than I expected. The race concluded at 2 p.m. and I ran back across the infield and to the backstretch parking area. I was about the third one into my vehicle and first that came from the front stretch, I quickly exited the grounds and was on my way south back into Pennsylvania toward Greenwood Valley Action Track.

#101 Greenwood Valley Action Track, Millville, PA (1/5-mile dirt), 11/5/05...

According to the track's website racing was starting at 4:30, one hour earlier than their normal 5:30 starting time. I wasn't exactly sure what was racing as all the website said was the Blaise Alexander Memorial for Micro Sprints. An e-mail I sent from a link on the old website came back from the webmaster said he wasn't sure, but to contact the track. I called about 10 AM on my way to Syracuse and didn't get answer nor a recording. As soon as I left the track I called and a lady said they were indeed racing and that the gates were open, hot laps were going to start at 3:30 and after the "go-karts" they were going right into their micro sprint program. Now I was a little concerned how much I was going to miss.

The drive down from Syracuse to GVAT was a little more than I bargained for, but nonetheless, I pulled in at 5:30 at the exact time I planned on at the onset. I could see micro sprints on the track and heard nothing over the p.a. system so it appeared they were still hot lapping.

One odd thing was the track's admittace gate. It was a little old mini shed with no lights and two people were standing there. This was the same gate where the race cars entered the track behind the grandstands and anyone could walk into the pits as no one manned the pit gate.

About 30 people or so were in the grandstands as hot laps concluded. I headed into the pits and checked the line-up board. The go-karts were running features only. The first of seven features took to the track at 5:50, one hour and 20 minutes past the starting time. There were only a total of 30 karts amongst all the classes.

I also came to find out there were five classes of micros racing. There were still race cars coming into the track after 5:30. After worrying about getting to the track on time and how much I would see, the first micro heat didn't hit the track until 6:35 over two hours after when I was assuming they would start (if not earlier).

Car counts were 45 270 micro sprints, 13 rookie micros, 10 600 mini sprints, 9 125 mini micro sprints, and 5 sportsman micros. The Blaise Alexander Memorial was rained out on October 22 and rescheduled for Saturday. According to the track's press release, "On October 4, 2001, Alexander lost his life while going for a win in an ARCA race at Charlotte. Alexander competed in the NASCAR Busch Series full time in 2000, while also attempting a handful of Winston Cup events. He was the ARCA Rookie-of-the-Year in 1996 finishing fifth in points, and won two series events in 1999. His racing career began in go-karts in 1989 and he was the WKA champion in for the Eastern Regional Series in 1992. From 1992-1994 he raced micro sprints winning 48 races at tracks in Pennsylvania, Ohio and New York." I remember watching Alexander race micros in the early 90s throughout PA.

The Blaise Alexander Memorial was a 40-lap feature for the 270 micros that ended GVAT's season. Twenty-six cars started the event, which was dominated by Ross Perchak. Perchak took over from pole-sitter Brian Kishbaugh on the opening lap and survived eight cautions and quite a bit of lapped traffic for the victory. The $1,000 win came just one week after he earned over $3,000 for winning the Linda Speedway National Open. Kishbaugh was a close second over Pete Skias, who won the 600 mini sprint feature last weekend at Linda's, came from seventh to finish third.

Sean Stoltz won the 20-lap feature for the 600 mini sprints, Mike Koehler took the 20-lap rookie micro sprint feature, Brayden Winters led all 12 laps of the non-stop sportsman micro main, while Ben Foss did the same in the mini micros. It was announced in the press release that GVAT has added the 600s to their weekly card in 2006 and dropped the sportsman.

The headlining 270 feature was run last and didn't end until 10. Two seemingly unneeded long intermission were taken, one was 35 minutes and the other was 30 minutes. GVAT did have very good and reasonably priced food as I had a cheese steak sandwich, french fries, and a slice of homemade pizza. The flagman was one of the most lackadaisical flagman I have ever seen. Instead of waving the flags, he simply just held them and many times didn't even decide to go green until the cars were approaching the cone when he simply turned the green light on, which seemed bizarre. GVAT made for my 43rd Pennsylvania track.

#102 Five Mile Point Speedway, Kirkwood, NY (1/4-mile dirt), 11/6/05...

Sunday dawned another warm and sunny day as temps were already in the mid 60s when I left my motel room at 10:30 in Wilkes Barre and climbed into the low 70s by afternoon.

The story of the day was the weather. This was expected as thunderstorms were predicted all week to strike in the afternoon. Checking the radar before I left the motel showed one thin line in central Pa. that was heading north, but was breaking up. Scattered thunderstorms were developing throughout central Ohio eastward to western Pa.

My hope was to at least see some racing so I could log the track. I called the track just to confirm they were racing and to my delight said they were going to start at 1:30 if everything was in place. It looked like there wouldn't be any problem of seeing quite a bit of racing before the rains came in.

After stopping at McDonalds for a quick breakfast I took my time making the hour drive up from Wilkes-Barre enjoying the beautiful sights on this perfect Sunday morning. I arrived at the track at about 11:45.

Five Mile Point Speedway is located just off Interstate 81 in Kirkwood, New York just minutes from Binghamton. The facility is somewhat rundown and reminded me of a smaller version of PA's Sportsman's Speedway. At noon they were already making the weather announcements that they were going to push the show along. Hot laps were going to start at 12:30 and they did. After hot laps a drivers meeting was held reiterating the weather situation and that they would need everyone's cooperation and that it was ultimately in the driver's hands to get the show in.

On the card was the twice rained out opening night portion of the National Quarter Mile Dirt Track Championship from October 14 & 15. Three sanctioning bodies came together for their championship events for the T3 All-Star 358 Modified Series, the Race of Champions Sportsman Modified Series Championship, and the BRC Late Model Series Championship. Car counts were strong with 41 358 modifieds and 37 sportsman modifieds, but only 12 late models and only a few hundred people in the stands.

Racing got underway just a couple minutes past 1:30. I was thoroughly impressed with the track officials and the entire operation, which takes a lot to do. They ran a tight-run show starting on time, no breaks between races, quick clean-ups of accidents, and line-up restarts. The flagman was the best I've saw all year. He did everything in his power to keep the show moving by not throwing quick, unnecessary yellows and counting laps before throwing the caution. The next race usually went green the next lap after coming out of the pits and lineups usually only took one lap before racing resumed.

The announcer was also very good and teamed with T3 Series coordinator Kenny Shupp, who is the announcer at Woodhull made for a good tandem. The announcer said they had four and half inches of snow a few weeks ago. On this first Sunday of November, people were out in short-sleeves and enjoying ice cream! They also had Papa John's Pizza, which I sampled.

Clouds rolled in during the heat races. A couple sprinkles fell during the 358 heats, which were run second. Some light rain began to fall during the late model heats but racing continued on without any delays nonetheless. Two B mains were scheduled for both the sportsman and 358s before they were going right into the features. The intenstity of the rain picked up during the first sportsman B main, but they were able to get it in. The cars came on the track for the second sportsman B main and they tried to keep them out there in order to not "lose the track," but the rain was too hard. The track monitored the radar all day. They said this band popped up unexpected and it would end shortly and there was a pretty big window before the front would come in.

Though it only rained for about 15 minutes after the cars were sent off, it was another 40 minutes or so before racing resumed. The rain did help provide a racy surface for the features as the sun and strong winds did a good job drying the track out in the heat races. The sun did return and the wind along with the help from the race teams got the track back to race ready at 3:50.

The B mains were completed, though the 358s took some time, and word was coming in that severe weather watches and warnings were being posted. The R.O.C. Sportsman feature took the green flag at 4:27 with 26 cars taking the green. I figured with that many modifieds on a 1/4-mile there would be a lot of bumping, banging and cautions, but to my delight the first 17 laps went non-stop. Another caution was displayed when racing resumed before seven more laps went green. The fourth and final caution came out with 32 laps in as the last eight went green-to-checkered. Mike Ketcham pulled off an upset to win the event as he led all the way for his first ever win, which was worth $1,000. Brett Tomkin challenged Ketcham throughout the event racing side-by-side at times, but didn't have quite enough to make the pass work. Danny Creeden, Brad Grim, and series champion Jason Hamilton rounded out the top five.

The 40-lap feature for the T3 All Star 358 Modified Series took the green flag just nine minutes after the start of the sportsman feature. The feature was a good one, but didn't run off so smooth as it was slowed eight times for cautions. The cautions were also much more lengthier than the sportsmans. Just past halfway of the event you could see the clouds rolling in, the wind really picked up, and lightning was evident in the distance.

Mitch Gibbs made it two-for-two as he swept both T3 events at Five Mile Point and became the series's only repeat winner of the season. Gibbs made the winning move on lap 31 after racing side-by-side for numerous laps with Rich Keehle, Jr. The victory was worth $2,000 for Gibbs. Keehle edged track champion Brian Weaver for second. J.R. Hurlbert had a strong run coming from 16th to place fourth over Glenn Knapp.

I gathered my stuff up and stood and watched the final three laps before making my getaway to the vehicle just before 5:30. I got just out of the track's parking lot and the rain began to fall and really picked up when I got on the interstate. I later found out they did complete four laps of the scheduled 25 for the late models before it rained out and it will be made up next year.

The wind and rain on I-81 was the strongest I have ever drove through. Luckily by the time I got on I-80 it tapered off and skies cleared for the trip home. I even saw a falling star land not too far off the interstate.

FMPS made for my eighth Empire State track of which half of them have been logged since June 2004. It was my 14th new track of the year with 13 of them have coming in the last three months. Though the facility itself left little to be desired for, I really enjoyed the show as the racing and operation of the event was some of the best I've witnessed all year.

89. 1/2 Mountain Speedway, Saint Johns, PA
90. 8/12 Big Diamond Raceway, Minersville, PA
91. 8/13 Mahoning Valley Speedway, Lehighton,PA
92. 8/13 New Egypt Speedway, New Egypt, NJ
93. 8/24 Westmoreland Fairgrounds (Rolling Rock Arena), Norvelt, PA
94. 9/9 Lake Erie Speedway (figure 8), North East, PA
95. 9/11 Thunder Moutain Speedway, Knox Dale, PA
96. 10/8 Columbus Motor Speedway, Obetz, OH
97. 10/9 Lawrenceburg Speedway, Lawrenceburg, IN
98. 10/15 35 Raceway Park (new 1/5-mile), Frankfort, OH
99. 10/16 Winchester Speedway, Winchester, IN
100. 11/5 New York State Fairgrounds, Syracuse, NY
101. 11/5 Greenwood Valley Action Track, Millville, PA
102. 11/6 Five Mile Point Speedway, Kirkwood, NY

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