Gobbler 2.5 Notebook

Gobbler 2.5 Notebook – By: Pete MacDonald

I took a trip up to the Accord Speedway for the first time in almost ten years on Tuesday night for the rescheduled Gobbler from Thanksgiving  weekend, and I’ll tell you what the place has only changed for the better.

For a Tuesday night in April on a rain date the crowd was very impressive.

34 Modifieds, 30 Sportsman, 18 Pure Stocks and 22 Slingshots entered the night’s festivities.

Between cash and contingencies Jackie Brown’s win was worth over $8,000 for just a 50-Lap feature.

Stewart Friesen was sidelined after his heat race with a broken water pump, he was one of the few in attendance that wasn’t in attendance for the original date thus having to start behind everyone that drew for their starting spot back in November.

NJ 358 Modified rookie Mike Butler was in attendance as well, for just his fourth start behind the wheel of a modified Mike passed former track champion Andy Bachetti for the last heat race transfer spot. Butler started 20th and drove up to 10th passing the likes of Danny Johnson and Tyler Dippel before an oil fitting came loose ending his drive to the front.

Duane Howard won the Dash for Cash worth $300 aboard the Atlas Paving 66.

The Final checkered flag flew at 10:54PM that saw over 100 cars competing throughout the night.

Accord is the perfect size for a race track, even with its small stature, cars were still three and four wide throughout the night, I don’t know what I would give to see a real sprint car race there.

The Modified field was about as good as you can get these days with names like Friesen, Johnson, Dippel, Howard, Heotzler, Strunk, Mahaney, and Higbie even more proving that you don’t need the likes of Hearn, Sheppard and Phelps to pack the grandstands.

Eventual winner Jackie Brown didn’t even know he would be in attendance on Tuesday after not feeling well all week.

For a Tuesday in upstate New York in April with not having much time for snow to melt the track was in excellent shape.

Accord Speedway kicks off their regular 2015 Season this Friday with Modifieds, Sportsman, Spec Sportsman, Pro Stocks, Pure Stocks, the new North East Wingless Sprint Cars, and All-Star and Junior Slingshots. Back Pit Gates open at 4:30 PM Front Pit/Spectator Gates open at 5:00 PM Hot Laps @ 6:30 PM  Racing at 7:00 PM.

For questions, comments or concerns I can be emailed at info@racersguide.com or I’m on Twitter @PMacDonald51 Thanks!