Cooper, Hotaling, Pitcher, Harris & Jeffery Star on WDRA PA Swing

 The final stops on the 2007 WDRA Super Dirt Series found the cars and stars heading south to Newville R/C Speedway and Bumps & Jumps R/C Speedway in southern Pennsylvania.  It was the first ever visit by the series to Newville, and 2^nd visit to Bumps & Jumps.  Despite a somewhat stiff breeze early in the evening and a little chill at Newville, conditions for racing were great.

In Modified action Saturday at Newville, Matt Olmsted started on the pole and darted out to the early lead, but it was last place starting Phil Cooper who was on the move.  As the handling went away on some of the top cars, it was Cooper taking the lead in the middle portion of the race with Paul Brauer moving into second.  Cooper had more than a straightaway lead heading into the last minute, as he and Brauer were the only cars on the lead lap.  Brauer was able to close the gap significantly but ran out of time to challenge for the victory.  Olmsted held on for third with Dan Gill and Jeff Hotaling rounding out the top 5.

In the Big Block Stock division, Shannon Pitcher set the mark to beat in qualifying, but it was Jeff Hotaling grabbing the lead at the start from the outside pole.  Matt Olmsted quickly moved to second as the leaders began to pull away.  Olmsted was applying heavy pressure to Hotaling as the lead duo entered lapped traffic.  While heading down the back stretch, Hotaling was able to slip past one of the lapped cars, but as Olmsted tried to follow him through, contact was made with the lapped car sending the second place car out of the ball park.  This would allow Hotaling to have some breathing room, and let Pitcher and Dylan Watier to move into the top 3.  Olmsted got back on track and was on the move, eventually getting back to within half a second of the leader when time expired.  Pitcher would wind up third, with Watier and Jason Blum completing the top 5, who all finished on the lead lap.

Next up were the Small Blockers.  Series dominator, Mike Jeffery grabbed the TQ honors, but his luck would finally run out on this night.  After jumping out to the early lead, Jeffery would be swept up into a crash, resulting in terminal damage.  This would set up the lead battle.  Barry Wallace held the lead patiently working his way through traffic, as “Scuba” Steve Harris was trying to reel the leader in.  With about 90 seconds remaining, Harris began to turn up the heat on Wallace, making several attempts to take the lead, as both drivers were looking to nail down their first ever WDRA victory.  Wallace was doing a masterful job of holding the lead, but Harris’ car was just too strong.  With just a few laps remaining, Harris was able to finally sneak by for the lead and the win.  Wallace would have to settle for second, with Dave Harris in a distant third.  Eddie Strada took 4^th after winning the B-Main, with Pat Fleckenstien just behind him in 5^th.

Winners in the regular Newville classes included Phil Cooper in Nitro Sprint and Nitro EDM, Roger Dieter in Electric Sprint, CJ Funk in Nitro Late Model, Eric Pryor in Nitro Truck and Daniel Zechman in Novice Truck.

Moving over to Bumps and Jumps on Sunday, in Modified action it was all Jeff Hotaling.  After TQ-ing, Hotaling was off to the early lead, but got into trouble early, nearly losing a lap.  From there, Hotaling was on a mission charging to make up the lap, take the lead, and go on to win by just over a lap.  Matt Olmsted ran a steady race, holding the lead for a time, but would have to settle for second.  Dylan Watier finished up in third, with Dan Gill and B-Main winner, Paul Brauer rounding out the top 5.

In a fairly uneventful Big Block Stock race, top qualifier Shannon Pitcher took command at the start and was never challenged.  Jeff Hotaling and Matt Olmsted ran second and third for the entire race.  Pitcher worked steadily through traffic, lapping up to the third place car by the end of the race.  Following Hotaling and Olmsted in the top five were Chris Taylor, and Jason Blum, who came all the way from the C-Main. 

In the final Small Block race of the year, youngster Eddie Strada set the mark in qualifying and jumped out to the early lead, with point leader Mike Jeffery moving to second.  With Strada out to a comfortable lead tragedy would strike while navigating traffic.  That would allow Jeffery to assume a lead that he would not relinquish.  B-Main winner Dave Loughead worked his way all the way up to second by the end, with fellow PA runner Andy Phelps in third.  TJ Holt would finish up in 4^th, with the other B-Main bump car, Joe Fisher rounding out the top 5.

Other winners at Bumps and Jumps were Phil Cooper in Nitro Sprint, Dale Hartzell in Nitro EDM, Mike Johannes in Nitro Truck, Ed Crowl in Nitro Late Model, Rick Davis in Nitro Sprint, and Lester Dice II in the Losi Slider calss.

That wraps up another fantastic season for the WDRA!  Thanks to everyone who made it possible!

-------------------------------------------------------

Olmsted Again Sweeps Big Blocks, Jeffery Still SB King at Liberty Valley

The 8^th stop for the WDRA Super Dirt Series found racers heading south to the beautiful Liberty Valley Speedway in Danville, PA.  A nice field was on hand, joining Liberty Valley’s regular program of Sprint Cars (Nitro & Electric) and Nitro EDMs.  The weatherman could not have ordered-up a more perfect day with comfortable temperatures, and clear skies making for a lightning fast racing surface.

In the modified division it was Bob Mott taking off with the lead after setting the mark to beat in qualifying.  While an apparent scoring error took Mott out of the lead early on, the reality of the situation was that Mott would show the way for most of the distance.  So, with Mott out in the lead, Jeff Hotaling, Matt Olmsted and Dan Gill took up the chase behind him.

Just before the 2 minute mark, Olmsted would get caught up momentarily allowing Gill to move into third.  Just one lap later, Olmsted would retake the position and begin to chase down Hotaling for second.  As the race moved into the final minute, the top three cars appeared to be setting up for a battle.  Just then, as Mott was negotiating his 54^th lap, a tangle with a lapped car in turns 3 and 4 would find the Mott machine stuck on the pipe and Hotaling assuming the lead with Olmsted in tow to take second.  A second bobble on the next lap would allow Gill to go by for third. 

Meanwhile, the race was on for the win between Hotaling and Olmsted.  Olmsted closed in on the Hotaling #99 car when a last lap bobble would allow him to sneak past for the win.  Hotaling would have to settle for second, with Gill fading at the end to 3^rd, and Mott settling for 4^th.  After trouble early in the race, Dylan Watier was able to come back to round out the top 5. 

In the Big Block Stock division, it was once again all Matt Olmsted.  Taking the lead from the pole position, Olmsted took off into the lead and was never challenged.  Phil Cooper moved past Bob Mott for second in the early laps, but had nothing to challenge Olmsted, who was absolutely flying.   

Dan Gill slipped past Kenny Fisher just before the 1 minute mark to assume 4^th, and that’s pretty much how the field stayed for the remainder of the distance.  While Olmsted was on cruise control, picking off lapped cars one by one, second thru 6^th place actually all finished on the same lap. 

In the Small Block action, Mike Jeffery got back into the win column.  A pile up on the start involving Jeffery, Dave Harris, Ed Strada and EJ French would allow Barry Wallace to take the lead from his fourth-place starting position, and “Scuba” Steve Harris to assume second after starting dead last.

After getting free from the lap 1 melee, Jeffery was on the charge, moving past “Scuba Steve” near the 1:30 mark, and sliding by Wallace just 3 laps later to take the lead.  The running order would stay the same until chaos would break out on the last lap.  Going into turn 3, Strada, a WDRA  newcomer, clipped the inside barrier causing a broken front end.  Strada nor the marshalls were able to clear the car from the track before the entire field piled in.  The top 3 sustained heavy damage.  Jeffery had a big enough lead that he was able to limp around and hang on to the win.  Dave Harris was the benefactor of the accident moving to second in the final running order, while “Scuba” Steve Harris was able to out last Barry Wallace for third.  B-Main victor EJ French rounded out the top 5. 

Other winners included Phil Cooper (Nitro Sprint), Roger Dieter (Electric Sprint), and Mike Schell (Nitro EDM). 

Next the WDRA Super Dirt Series heads east for the “Short Track Smack Down” Weekend at Competition Hobbies Raceway and Pine Bowl Speedway on September 29^th & 30^th.   

Wally’s Random Thoughts:

·         Once again thanks to John Snyder and the staff at Liberty Valley for providing a fabulous track to race on.  The surface stayed smooth and consistent all day long. 

·         As always, it was great to see all of our friends in the PA Posse again.  I can’t remember the last time I saw Brian Price!

·         Speaking of friends from far places, Billy Kimpton made the haul from North Carolina. 

·         Also, Terry Schmitt has come out of semi-retirement, and will be hitting as many races as possible.  He’s planning on hitting the Albany swing as well.

·         Terry’s Nitro EDM ride out of the Dylan Watier stables was bad-fast all day long, but Terry just could not catch a break.

·         Speaking of cars out of the Dylan Watier stable, “Scuba Steve” had a good run going with one.

·         Drivers making their first WDRA appearances included Ed Strada, Gene Beadle and Kevin Sabia, all regulars over at LA Speedway in north eastern PA.

·         Dave Loughead’s car did double duty on Sunday.  While Dave wheeled it in Small Block, Brian Burkhart took the controls for Modified.  Burkie just missed the A-Main field, dropping out of B while leading.

·         A rare WDRA start for Kenny Fisher resulted in a top 5.

·         A radio mix-up kept Henry Ketch Jr. from the A-main starting grid in Small Block.

·         Lots of broken left front caster blocks on Sunday…. I accounted for 3 of them!

·         Former WDRA regular and Big Block champ Dale Hartzell had some tough luck with his Nitro ride.  I’m not sure if he made it through an entire race w/ out a problem.

·         Shilo Boyce made his Modified debut with a new Putnam ProCar chassis.

·         Thanks for the bumper sticker, Solly.

·         Phil Cooper had a pretty dominating performance in Nitro Sprint.  It appeared early on that “The Sheriff”, Mark Blake might have something for him, but Phil had the set up nailed to get through heavy traffic. 

Thanks again for everyone making the trip to Liberty Valley.  That’s it for this time.  See everyone at the next race!

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hotaling, Olmsted & Ketch Find Victory Lane at Redneck’s Empire State Race

The WDRA Super Dirt Series made its seventh stop of 2007 at Redneck R/C’s outdoor track in Oswego, NY on Saturday.  The event, which was originally scheduled as a 2-day affair was shortened to just Saturday as Mother Nature washed out Friday night competition.  Saturday turned out much drier and produced some very good racing. 

In the Modified division, seven cars took to the A-main grid with outside pole sitter Dylan Watier jumping out to the lead on the start over top qualifier, Matt Olmsted.  Olmsted’s car seemed to need several laps to get comfortable, allowing second row starters Jeff Hotaling and Jason Blum to advance to second and third.  Watier had opened up a half-straightaway lead when he tangled with a lapped car going into turn 3 while working lap 5.  This would allow both Hotaling and Blum to assume to top two spots. 

With Hotaling beginning to pull away ever so slightly form Blum, Watier was driving hard to make up lost time.  With less than a minute to go Watier moved into second, but he would need some bad luck for the leader if there was going to be any hope of battling it out for the top spot.  Hotaling was able to hold on and cruise to the win over Watier, with Blum in third, all on the lead lap.  Olmsted was a suprising non-factor finishing up in 4^th, while Dan Gill rounded out the top 5. 

The front row for the Big Block Stock race looked much the same as the modified race.  Watier would again take the lead on the start with Olmsted, Blum and Paul Brauer in tow.  While coming down to complete lap 4, Olmsted and Blum would get together, setting off a chain reaction that played out over the entire length of the front stretch and managed to collect most of the field.  Olmsted made it out of the melee relatively unscathed managing to come out in 3^rd place.  

Olmsted would quickly slip by Dan Gill for second and set sail after the leader, Watier.  Olmsted was reeling in the leader, but it appeared that Watier would be able hold on to take the checkerd flag.  Watier’s lead would be foiled though with less than 30 seconds left in the race, he would tangle with a lapped car.  Not much time was lost, but it was just enough for Olmsted to sneak by and take his 4^th win of the season in the class.  Watier would have to settle for second, with Jason Blum, Gill and Jeff Hotaling completing the top 5. 

In the Small Block action, Henry Ketch, Jr. scored another one for the “brushed” contingent.  Ketch also scored TQ honors for the class, but as usual in the Small Block ranks, the win would not come easily.  A massive pile-up on the first lap would find Barry Wallace as the only driver able to sneak through the mess and assume the lead.  Class dominator Mike Jeffery and Ketch would make it out of the mess in second and third.  Wallace had a big lead, but Jeffery was closing the gap.  Near the 10-lap mark, things would begin to fall apart for Wallace as the heavy lapped traffic would begin to take its toll.  That would set up the battle between Jeffery and Ketch, as Wallace would eventually pull pitside with terminal damage.  

With Jeffery out in the lead and making some nifty moves through traffic, Ketch was showing some nifty moves of his own, and making up ground.  With about a minute to go, Ketch would make the winning move past Jeffery to take the lead and eventually score his second consecutive win on the tour.  Jeffery would hold on to second, with Dan Gotham in third.  Joe Rodriguez and Larry Cobb crossed the line in 4^th and 5^th. 

Other winners included Cory Gotham in the truck class and Jeff Winzens with the sprint win. 

Next the WDRA Super Dirt Series heads south the beautiful Liberty Valley Speedway, just south of Williamsport, PA on September 16^th.  Last year was the inaugural series event at LVS, and the racers who made the trek were shocked at how nice this place is!  Stay tuned for details. 

Wally’s Random Thoughts:

·         First of all, thanks to all who came out to race at Redneck.  The crowd was a little light, but it did enable us to get the whole show off in one evening because of the rainout.

·         Second, I have to apologize that I was not able to get a write-up out on the Joe’s/Little O double header.

·         Speaking of the double header, by virtue of his 2 wins at Joe’s, Jason Blum has become the first driver to have scored a win in all 3 WDRA sanctioned classes.  His Small Block win came last year at ‘The Dungeon” at Redneck R/C.

·         I also wanted to thank Joe, Dylan and Steve for all the hard work to pull off that race and as always, the great food.  It was a loooong day, but a good time.

·         Ok, on to Redneck-Dave Loughead get the ‘ironman’ award, not only for the longest haul, but also for running 3 out of the 5 classes.

·         Once again Dale Hartzell made the long tow from PA, only to have no other nitro cars to run against.

·         Making it on Friday, but not returning on Saturday was Solly…. maybe too many beers after the rainout.

·         Great food at the track on Saturday highlighted by a chicken barbeque!

·         Lee Morris once again had some fantastic luck, winning the grand prize in the raffle.  At this time I don’t know which prize he took.

·         There was some impromptu 1/8^th scale racing on the off road track during the afternoon on Saturday.

·         Dylan Watier’s fiberglass prototype car performed pretty well…no word on public availability at this time.

 That’s all I’ve got for now….see everyone at Liberty Valley!

---------------------------------------------------------------

WDRA Series Heads to Redneck for Empire State Dirt Oval Championships

On Friday, August 17th and Saturday the 18th, Redneck RC Hosts the 2007 Empire State Dirt Oval Championships. This event, originally started a few years back by Fountain Raceway, has been one of the bigger races of the summer, drawing racers from all over the Northeast, and as far as NC and Canada. This year should be no different, as it is now part of the WDRA Series. This year, Redneck RC is attempting to make it a bit larger. Race info is as follows:

Rules: WDRA Rules apply, as they always have at Redneck RC. We will be teching cars after EACH heat, and all racers will marshall, or they will be docked laps from their fastest run.

Classes: Small Block Stock EDM, Big Block Stock EDM, Big Block Modified EDM, Stock Trucks, Open Sprints, Nitro EDM, Nitro Sprint, Nitro Truck.

Entry Fee: $20 for first class, $10 for 2nd class, or $35 for unlimited classes.

Also, there has been a bit of an issue with some drivers taking hot laps in between heats. Once practice is over, you must have permission from the race director...aka the person behind the scoring computer, to go on the track between heats, if and only if you have a problem (radio interference for ex.). If you do not, and you still go out in between heats, you will be docked a lap from your best time for every lap you take. We will mention this in a drivers meeting before racing begins.

The Schedule for the weekend is as follows.

Thursday August 16th. Regular Club Racing beginning at 7:30 PM $5 entry per class

Friday the 17th. Track opens at 4:30, Signups end at 7, Racing begins at 7:30 PM for 2 rounds of qualifying.

Saturday the 18th. Track opens at 4:30, last round of qualifying to begin at 7:30 with features to follow.

All races will be 4 min. 6 qualify for the A Main, 2 bumps from each lower main.

We have very limited indoor pits at our Oswego location. Racers are encouraged to bring tables, EZ Ups, Extension cords and even generators. Also, racers are welcome to bring RV's and tents and camp out on location.

Also, on Saturday the 18th, Racers are welcome to show up at 10am for the following:

10am - Electric Fun Fly 12PM - Chicken BBQ and Live Music 4PM - Ron and Becky from B104.7 will be in attendence for a couple hours

We will also be drawing winners for a raffle we are holding. Tickets are $5 each, or 5 for $20. You do not have to be present to win prizes. If you do not plan on attending the race, and would like to Paypal payment for a raffle ticket, please send payment to CHall@redneckrc.com and include your mailing info, phone number and write raffle ticket in the headline. Prizes are as follows:

First Place - Choice of: - Saito 180 Engine and Super Star Airplane - Losi Muggy RTR Nitro Monster Truck - GetBack RC Chassis Conversion outfitted with JRC Suspension Components, Lunsford Titanium Tierods, MIP CVDs, etc - or a $400 gift card good at Redneck RC

2nd Place - $100 Gift Card

3rd Place - Losi Micro Baja RTR

4th Place - Losi Micro T RTR

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Redneck R/C at 315-532-6826 or email  matto29@yahoo.com

Redneck RC

80 Dutch Ridge Rd

Oswego NY 13126

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

WNY Double Header on Tap Next for WDRA Series

 The 2007 WDRA Super Dirt Series heads for the Niagara frontier, for the first-ever double header at Joe’s Hobbies Raceway and Little O Speedway on Saturday July 21^st.  Joe’s is a new stop for the series, while Steve Harris’ Little O started it all back on May 19, 2001, hosting the first ever WDRA Super Dirt Series race.

 The double header will start off at Joe’s for an afternoon show, followed by the night cap at Little O, which is just a couple of miles down the road.  Both races will be complete shows with 2 rounds of heats and bump up mains.

In the Big Block Modified division, Jeff Hotaling leads the standings going into the double header.  Former champion Matt Olmsted holds down the second spot, followed by Chico Taylor in third.  Dan Gill and Jason Blum round out the top 5.

Over in the Big Block Stock division, Dylan Watier continues to lead over defending class champion Dan Gill.  Chico Taylor has moved up to third, with Matt Olmsted in 4^th.  Paul Brauer finishes off the top 5.

The Small Block standings have Mike Jeffery in the top spot, with a big lead over Henry Ketch, Jr.  The remainder of the top 5 shows TJ Holt in third followed by Joe Rodriguez and EJ French.

Practice will kick off at Joe’s with the track opening at 10:30, while racing will begin at noon.  As soon as that event is completed, racers will head to the Little O, where it is expected that racing will begin at 7:00 pm.  The flat entry fee for both races will be $15 per class.  If you are only entering one race, the entry fee is $10 per class.  Joe’s is located at 5659 Upper Mountain Road in Lockport, NY, while Little O is located just to the west, also on Upper Mountain Road.

At the tracks I will have Summernationals shirts on SALE: Buy one for the regular $15, get a second one FREE!  This offer will stand at every remaining WDRA race in 2007.

---------------------------------------------

D’Agnolo Sweeps Stock & Mod, Jeffery, Orth & Gotham Also Take Wins at 2007 WDRA Summernationals


The 7th edition of the WDRA Summernationals,presented by Arizona Sport Shirts kicked off on Thursday with a practice session that was slightly delayed by a weather system that passed through the area. Friday would bring sunshine and warm temperatures that made for great racing weather, as the track was uncovered in the evening to kick of racing on a night-time surface.  As the sun set on the horizon, the night-time moisture would make the track faster with each run.

Two rounds of qualifying would make up the Friday portion, while one more round and mains would round out the Summernationals on Saturday night. Drivers who set the top qualifying marks were EJ French (Small Block), Pete D’Agnolo (EDM Big Block Stock & Modified), Cory Gotham (Stock Truck), and Steve Orth (Open Electric Sprint).

In the Stock Truck Class, a short field of only 3 was on hand.  After some early misfortune for Bruce Hilton, Cory Gotham grabbed the lead and never looked back, taking his first Summernationals win.  Larry Cobb cruised home in second, while Hilton’s DNF would relegate him to third.

In EDM Small Block competition, Mike Jeffery would repeat as Summernationals champion, continuing his dominance of the WDRA Small Block class in 2007.  EJ French’s CDK house car set the mark to beat in qualifying, but was unable to take the green.  This would move Rob Hillman to the pole starting position.  After a jumble of the field in the opening laps, the battle for the lead began to shape up between Jeffery and B-Main winner Henry Ketch, Jr.  Several incidents with lapped traffic would allow the lead duo to swap the lead on 4 occasions.

As the lead battle ensued, the man on the move was Joe Rodriguez.  After a lap 1 crash that took him off the lead lap, the man they call J-Rod kept his cool and began to methodically work his way through the field.  With just a few laps remaining, a bobble by Ketch would allow Rodriguez to slide into second place.  He then began to move in on Jeffery for the lead.  As the race to the line unfolded, Jeffery was able to fend of the challenger and take the win by a scant 0.05 seconds.  Ketch would hang in there for third, with TJ Holt and Dave Harris rounding out the top 5.

The final main of the evening was the EDM Big Block (stock) A-main.  The race took on a similar feel to the Modified race.  From the pole position, Pete D’Agnolo would jump out into the lead with Dylan Watier in tow.  As the leader was starting to slowly pull away, a small mistake would allow Matt Olmsted to slip into the second spot.  From there the remainder of the race was fairly uneventful.

At the finish, D’Agnolo pulled out to a nearly 3 second advantage over second-place Olmsted.  Dylan Watier was able to take down third place, with Jeff Hotaling right behind him in 4^th.  The top 4 all finished on the lead lap.  Dan Gill rounded out the top 5 after originally qualifying in the D-Main.

In EDM Modified competition, Pete D’Agnolo with his self-designed chassis took top qualifying honors and bolted into the lead at the start.  Matt Olmsted was right on the leader’s tail throughout most of the race.  The leaders would trade fast laps throughout the first 3 minutes of the race.  Olmsted’s Get Back chassised car would close in on D’Agnolo several times, only to lose ground by missing his marks on a few occasions. 

The highly anticipated battle for the top spot would never materialize however, as Olmsted made a critical mistake near the 3-minute mark, putting himself at a ¾ lap disadvantage to D’Agnolo.  That is how they would finish, with B-Main bump car, Jeff Hotaling taking third, and Dan Gill bumping up all the way from the C-Main.  Chico Taylor rounded out the top 5.

In the Open Electric Sprint Car main last year’s second place finisher Steve Orth improved his finish by 1 in 2007 taking the win back to the Buckeye state.  Orth’s old-school delta-shocked Enforcer sprint car looked to be the most stable car on the track, as he navigated through the field.  Fellow western Ohio racer Mike Wegman picked up a ride in the experimental CDK sprinter, and won the B-Main to advance to the A.  Wegman moved into the lead after the field sorted out, but Orth was moving back through the pack.  Trouble would set in for the leader and the battle for the lead would shift to Orth and 2006 winner Reggie Hammer.  Hammer appeared to have the speed, but Orth was steady.  When Hammer’s car sustained damage and could not continue, Orth was home free.  Bruce Hilton moved into second at the finish, with Pennsylvanian Dave Loughead in third.  Wegman would settle for 4^th, with Mike Jeffery completing the top 5.

The next round of the WDRA Super Dirt Series will see a day/night double header at the Niagara Frontier’s Little O Speedway and Joe’s Hobby Speedway on July 21st. Following afternoon action at Joe’s, the series will head up the road a few miles to Steve Harris’ Little O Speedway.  Stay tuned to wdraseries.com and dirtoval.com for details.

Wally’s notes:

·         First of all, I’d like to thank Greg and the crew at Fingerlakes for putting on the show, keeping everyone fed, and for everything else that they do for racing.  Also, thanks for letting me pit in the parts trailer

·         Secondly, a huge thanks goes out to the great WDRA Sponsors: Get Back R/C, Jeffery Racing Concepts, CDK, Team OHP, Whiplash Batteries, Fred's Fab 'N Fold, Go-Fast Race Parts, Putnam Propulsion, RC4Less, Kipps Hobbies, Kimbrough Products, Team Associated, Pro-Tuned, Arizona Sport Shirts, VT R/C Speedway, Vinyltrix, and the ever popular Frenchie care packages!

·         Dale Hartzell came to the Summernationals with all intentions of racing the Nitro EDM Class.  When there weren’t enough nitro cars to make a class, Dale became a tremendous help to me, manning the tech table, and helping with the raffle & door prize drawings.  He also managedto find time to lend a hand to several racers in the pits, and put Meatball down for the 1-2-3 count!  Thanks again!

·         Another huge “helper” was Reggie Hammer’s dad, Rich.  For not racing, he sure did his share of marshalling!  I thank him for helping speed the show along when marshals were MIA.

·         Speaking of the raffle, Dale & Barry Wallace sold 35 tickets in record time on Friday night for the Get Back / JRC / FF’nF bag of goodies that included a chassis kit, shock towers, bellcranks, front & rear bulkheads, rear suspension mounts, front arms, hub carriers, a gear hub, a flopper body, and probably a few other things that I forgot.  The winner was a famous retired driver that was scoping things out…none other than “The Governor”, Mike Conkey.  Congrats Mike!

·         Dan Gill is truly the king of the bump-ups!  He had a great pit crew keeping him going.

·         Friday’s practice sessions were extended due to the low car count and high number of late arrivals.  High winds played havoc with drivers trying to get some laps in.  As the sun went down, the winds disappeared.  The track really came in after dark!

·         Speaking of the low car counts, I was really disappointed that there were only 3 nitro entries between the 2 classes forcing them to be taken off the program.  With the exception of Hartzell and Dave Loughead, the PA Posse was nowhere to be found.  Total entries were down 33% from the past 2 years.

·         Once again, it was great to see Mike Wegman and Steve Orth make the tow from western Ohio.

·         Several racers brought enclosed trailers to pit out of, including the gang from Chico’s, the Redneck bunch, and of course the D’Agnolo pits, over in the “high rent district”!

·         The Niagara Frontier crew was out in full force, equipped with campers, a smoker for ribs, and lots of beverages….

·         Lastly, I’d like to address the whole scoring system debacle before the mains.  As many of you know, for last year’s Summernationals, I borrowed a scoring system, since the track’s system does not support personal transponders, and is quite old, but reliable…usually.  That caused several delays of the program last year due to the race director’s lack of familiarity with the software.  This year, thought that things would run much more smoothly if I stuck with the track’s system, despite the lack of the personal transponders.  This decision was made at the risk of losing a little “big race” atmosphere, and introducing a bit of a “hokey” factor.  Things were going fine…for a while.

Well, the proverbial shizen hit the fan when it came time to set up the mains.  We decided to take out a few drivers who couldn’t make it back on Saturday so that everyone would get a fair shake at the mains.  Well, when we did this for some unknown reason the program switched the mains format from 6 qualifiers and 2 bump-ups to 4 and 2.  This parameter has not been changed for years at Fingerlakes.  This would be an easy fix on today’s software, but not so for this program.  It would have required Greg to back out of the program far enough to where all results from the 3 previous rounds of qualifying would be erased.  While it took us about an hour and a half to come to this conclusion, come up with ideas, and listen to suggestions of what could be done, we came to the decision that it would be best to stick w/ the 4 and 2 format.  Making it “right” would have required re-entering all of the racers, and run “mock” races by hand to get the qualifying results back, which would have taken several hours at best.  Having already wasted too much time we made the decision to go with what we had.  Some racers showed extreme displeasure and others even packed up and left, citing that it was getting late (I’d hate to see it if things went smoothly, but we had 120+ entries like the last 2 years).  Most “toughed it out” even though it may have meant running an extra bump race or 2 (Dan Gill ran 7 mains).

At the end of the day, I take full responsibility for not borrowing a scoring system again.  Had I known that we would have so much “extra” time with the low turnout, I could have lived with delays caused by learning the software.  For the most part the racers did not have a problem with the “glitch”, and most thought we made the right decision.  Thank you all for you words of encouragement during and after this crisis. 

That’s about it for now.  I hope to see everyone at Joe’s and the Little O next month!

----------------------------------------------------------

Watier, Olmsted & Jeffery Visit Victory Lane at Chico’s

 The 2007 WDRA Super Dirt made stop number 3 of the season at Chico’s R/C Speedway.  It was a great day for racing, with sunny skies and warm temperatires.  A great field of racers made the haul to the Northcountry to tackle the spacious LaFargeville, NY oval.

 In the Big Block Modified Division, Dylan Watier took TQ honors, but it was Jason Blum jumping out to the early lead from his outside pole starting position.  Watier would settle into second, with Jeff Hotaling moving into third by lap 5.  Watier kept Blum in sight over the first half of the race.  With about 20 laps in the books, Blum’s set-up appeared to be going away, and Watier was beginning to turn up the heat.

 The anticipated duel for the top spot never materialized, as at the 34-lap mark, Blum’s car appeared to lose power.  This handed the lead over to Watier.  One lap later, Hotaling’s car also pulled of f the track moving “The Rocket”, Steve Miller up to second.  Miller’s car had nothing for the leader however, as Watier sped off to pick up the win.  A limping Miller would hang on for second, while the only other car to finish, Chris Taylor was third.  Hotaling and Blum, while off the track would still garner top 5 runs.

 The Small Block A-Main was again an exciting affair.  Barry Wallace would set the pace in qualifying, taking TQ honors, but it was fellow front row starter, Mike Jeffery taking the lead at the drop of the green.  Wallace would drop back, getting caught up in 2 separate incidents in the opening laps.

 As Jeffery was moving out to a big lead all eyes were watching Wallace cut through the field.  Henry Ketch, Jr. had moved to second, but was no match for Wallace.  Jeffery had built up a sizable lead, but was having difficulty with lapped traffic.  With less than 15 laps remaining, tragedy would strike the leader, as he got turned around in lapped taffic.  This would allow Wallace to close in, and actually take the lead briefly.  Jeffery had a bit more speed though, and was able to retake the lead and Hold Wallace off to the finish, taking his second win in a row on the tour.  Wallace, in his first Small Block would settle for second, with Henry Ketch, Jr., the first brushed-motored car finishing in third.  Tom Hilts and Dave Harris rounded out the top 5.

 In the Big Block Stock main, Jeff Hotaling would lead from the pole followed by Dylan Watier.  In the opening laps of the race, chaos ensued, with numerous accidents.  When things settled out, it was 5^th starter, Matt Olmsted out in front with 2006 champion Dan Gill in tow.  Watier settled in for third.  The top 3 would begin to distance themselves from the rest of the field, and spread out from each other.  On lap 52, top qualifier Jeff Hotaling would head pitside, moving B-Main bump up, Paul Brauer into 4^th. 

 As the laps wound down, Olmsted was out to a huge lead, and Watier was beginning to pressure Gill.  At the finish it was Olmsted taking the checkers, with Gill keeping Watier at bay to take second.  Brauer cruised in for 4^th, with Hotaling completing the top 5.

 The series will next move to Fingerlakes Raceway for the 7^th annual WDRA Summernationals on June 22nd & 23rd.   Be sure to check out www.wdraseries.com for all the details.  This is the “don’t miss” race of the summer.

 Wally’s notes:

• A big thanks goes out to the crew at Chico’s for having the track in awesome shape for an afternoon show…great job guys!
• While the hot sunny weather was a bit on the warm side, it was a great day for racing!  Storms rolled by to the north as the mains were under way, but the only precipitation at Chico’s was a few drops after the last main had been run.
• FJ French arrived late and struggled to get hold of the Chico’s surface.  Always great to see Frenchie though, and we’re glad he could make the trip.
• Frenchie’s normal traveling partner Jim Carr was among the missing however.
• Jimmer Garnsey took down the checkers in the Pro-Truck division.
• Eric Beadle looked impressive taking the Modified B-Main over an All-Star field that would be an A-Main line-up anywhere.
• The Brushless cars in Small Block are really showing themselves as superior.  Weight restrictions will be in place at the next WDRA event for the brushless cars.
• I apologise for the less than stellar write-up for the Big Block Stock A-Main.  I was kinda busy during it.
• I had quite a race with Jason Blum in the Stock B-Main.  He sure can wheel a loose car.
• Great to see Capital District runner Shilo Boyce make the tow to Chico’s.  I think he will be following the tour all summer.
• Pace Gendron, from North of the border, made his first ever WDRA start.
• Great to see Solly make the trip.  I wonder how many beers it took to bribe him into getting in the car…
• TJ Holt had a Brushless car in the pits, but opted for his trusty conventional ride.
• Speaking of brushless cars, Barry Wallace was wheeling a brushless car out of the Dylan Watier stables.
• “Rappin” Ray Pender, had the tunes going in the pits!
• Bill Karl was seen in the pits, taking the action in.

That’s it for this week.  See everyone at the Summernats!!!

-------------------------------------------------

Chico’s next to Host WDRA Super Dirt Series

 The 2007 WDRA Super Dirt Series heads north to Chico’s R/C Speedway on Saturday June 2^nd.  Chico’s returns to the tour after a year off in 2006.  Located just a few minutes off I-81 in LaFargeville, NY, Chico’s features a super-fast high-banked surface, which should make for great racing.

Heading into Chico’s Jeff Hotaling and Chico Taylor are deadlocked atop the Big Block Modified point standings.  Matt Olmsted and Bob Mott are locked up in a tie for 3^rd and 4^th in the standings, while Jason Blum rounds out the top 5.

Over in the Big Block Stock Division, Dylan Watier leads defending class champion Dan Gill by a scant 1 point.  Bob Mott has possession of third, while Chico Taylor and Eric Beadle round out the top 5. 

The Small Block standings show Mike Jeffery in the top spot, with a commanding lead over Rob Hillman and TJ Holt who are separated by just 2 points in 2^nd and 3^rd.  Fourth is Henry Ketch Jr., with Warren Stevenson holding down 5^th. 

The last time the series visited Chico’s in 2005, Dylan Watier scored the win in the modified division over Terry Schmitt and Billy Kimpton.  In the Stock class, Dale Hartzell took the win on his way to a series championship.  Dylan Watier ran second, with Zach Wojciechowski in 3^rd.  Lee Morris nailed down the Small Block win, followed by Bob Egan and Joe Rodriguez.  Since 2005, the North-Country regulars have really stepped up their programs, and will be looking to keep victoy lane all to themselves in ’07. 

The tracks will open for practice from 10:00amto 12:30, with the heats going off at 1:00pm.  Stay tumed right here for directions and other information on the race.  Entry fees will be $15 for the first class, and $7 for each additional class.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

BBs Swept Again, This Time by Olmsted, Jeffery Takes SBs at Redneck

 The WDRA Super Dirt made its second stop of 2007 at Redneck R/C in Fulton, NY on Sunday.  A large field of 73 total entries flooded the pit area in “The Dungeon”.  The circuit’s smallest track would make for big action on this day.

In the Big Block Modified Division, Matt Olmsted would take TQ honors.  Olmsted would move out from the pole to a big lead and quickly found himself in lapped traffic.  Meanwhile, Chico Taylor was quickly moving through the field from his 5^th place starting position.  Taylor would eventually work past Jeff Hotaling for second place, but now found himself about a half-track back from the front-running Olmsted. 

Heavy traffic would allow Taylor to close in on the leader, getting as close as a couple of car lengths at one point.  After closing the gap, Taylor would bobble in turns 1 & 2 giving Olmsted some breathing room, allowing him to cruise home for the win.  Taylor, the only other car on the lead lap, would have to settle for second, while Hotaling held on for third.  B-Main winner Chris Taylor would grab 4^th, with Dan Gill rounding out the top 5.  Taylor and Hotaling are now locked up in a tie for the Modified point lead.

Perhaps the most exciting main of the day was the Small Block A-Main.  Dave Harris moved out to the lead from the pole position, with Rob Hillman following through from 3^rd place on the grid.  As Harris stretched his lead over the field, Henry Ketch, Jr. was closing in on Hillman.  Ketch would work his way past Hillman and begin to set his sights on Harris.  At the same time Mike Jeffery, who was involved in some early tangles, had moved past the leader to put himself on the lead lap.

Ketch would eventually run Harris down and the two Western New Yorkers would battle it out, swapping the lead a couple of times.  With just a couple of laps to go a melee would ensue that swallow up both Ketch & Harris, allowing Jeffery to slide by for the win.  Hillman and B-Main winner Warren Stevenson would also slip in for second and third.  Ketch would have to settle for third, while Harris’ broken car would round out the top 5.

In the Big Block Stock main, Jason Blum would jump out to the lead from the pole position with Matt Olmsted in second.  These two would begin to pull away from the field with Blum holding about a straightaway advantage over Olmsted.  At around the lap 50 mark, Olmsted would close the gap, as Blum’s car appeared to be going a way slightly.

The race would come down to the very end.  With 10 laps to go, Olmsted would begin to apply heavy pressure to the leader.  Blum was up to the challenge, fending off Olmsted’s challenges, until lap 72.  At this point Blum slipped up just a little bit, allowing Olmsted the lane that he needed to dart into the lead, and go on for the win.  Blum would have to settle for second.  Again only the top 2 remained on the lead lap at the finish.  2006 champion Dan Gill would bring his car home in 3^rd, while B-Main winner Jeff Hotaling and Mike Phinney rounded out the top 5.

The series will next move to Competition Hobbies Raceway & Pine Bowl Speedway on May 19^th & 20.  Stay tuned to the WDRA website for more details.  In a slight change from the original schedule, Competition will be on Saturday and Pine Bowl will go on Sunday.

Wally’s notes:

• A huge thanks goes out to Sherry Mott for running the races!  Sherry does a spectacular job as race director, keeping everything moving along.  The program of 20 heats per round was wrapped up in just over 6 hours.
• For the second WDRA race in a row the pit area was full.  Thanks for coming out guys!
• 4 of the 6 drivers in the Small Block main are regular runners on the Little O/Joe’s Niagara Frontier circuit. 
• Roger Dieter of RAD tire was a surprise entrant, and swept the entire weekend of Sprint Car action.
• Jeffery’s Small Block win was the first for the brushless motors.  Some competitors voiced concerns that the brushless motors might be a distinct advantage.
• Speaking of the Small Block Main, there was a computer error that caused to main to be run as a 4-minute race.
• Dylan Watier leads the Big Block Stock points by just 1 point over Dan Gill.
• Capital District runner Bob Hollner looked like a sure bet to get to the Big Block main via the B-Main, until an encounter with lapped traffic.
• In the first modified qualifying round Jason Blum fought an extremely loose car….but it looked so cool power sliding through the corners, with the front wheels in full counter steer!
• Billy Kimpton picked up a ride in Dylan Watier’s back-up car for the modified run.  Kimpton was an early DNF in the B-Main.
• Drivers making their first WDRA starts included Shilo Boyce, Mitchell Jock, Bill Mitchell, Adam Allen, Todd Spinner, Chris Recore, and Dan Mackey.
• Great to see the return of Solly to the WDRA!  An unknown protest was quickly squashed by a friendly beverage!
• The Hotalings were once again pushing tasty homemade cookies….Thanks Mom!!
• Chico Taylor’s Get Back chassis is quickly gaining popularity, making up a good portion of the field.
• Only a few cars needed minor alterations after meeting up with the body tech device.

That’s it for this week.  See everyone at Competition Hobbies on the 19^th!

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Mott Sweeps Big Block Action, Moran takes Small Block Main at Radio Hill

 For the third year in a row, the WDRA Super Dirt Series kicked off at Dundee, NY’s Radio Hill Raceway.  It was a packed house, with 75 entries squeezed into the building, setting a record for the track and for a non-Summernationals WDRA event.  While the pitting situation was tight, the racing was even tighter on the super-tacky oval.

 The Big Block Modified division was the first main to hit the track.  Only 5 cars would make the call, as Kevin Ridley’s car suffered mechanical woes prior to the start.  Pennsylvania star Phil Cooper, who set fast time during qualifying would take off from the pole, and lead the early laps with his experimental Custom Works car.  Cooper would lead the opening 3 laps before being collected up into a first turn crash with 4^th place qualifier, Jason Blum.  This would hand the lead to perennial Radio Hill hotshoe, Bob Mott.

 Mott would set a fast pace early on, and with the help of some misfortune by others, would quickly lap the field.  Mott was on cruise control by the ½ way mark.  At the same time, Jeff Hotaling, who got caught up on the first lap, was starting to establish himself as the fastest car on the track.  Hotaling would eventually unlap himself, but Mott would keep him in sight in the closing laps to hold on to a nearly 1 lap advantage at the finishline.  Hotaling would have to settle for second, with B-Main winner, Chico Taylor in third. 

 The next main to take the track was the Small Block A-main.  Top qualifier Todd Moran shared the front row with Mike Jeffery.  Moran would jump to the lead and quickly establish himself as the man to beat.  Jeffery would settle into second, but clearly had nothing for Moran.

 In one of the cleanest Small Blocks that the WDRA has ever seen, the only drama on the track was who would finish second.  Martin Hubbard who started 5^th on the grid had charged to third and was looking for more.  Throughout the second half of the race, Hubbard would close on Jeffery, only to be set back each time by a bobble of an altercation with a lapped car. 

At the end, it was Moran by nearly 2 laps over Jeffery.  Hubbard would have to settle for third, with TJ Holt and Cody decker rounding out the top 5.

 In Big Block Stock action, Bob Mott would continue where he left off in the Modified division.  Taking off from the pole, Mott would lead every lap, but it wasn’t as easy as it sounds.  Outside pole sitter, Dyaln Watier lost some ground in the opening laps, but settled in about a straightaway back, while Kevin Ridley rode in the third position.  Mott would hold about the same advantage throughout most of the race, but around the 50 lap mark, Watier started to reel in the leader.  A 4^th turn bobble by Mott would allow Watier to close up on to Mott’s rear bumper.  Just laps later the same bobble by Mott would seemingly let Watier take the lead, but as Mott corrected to the right his car hooked and the lead duo would make contact.  Watier got the short end of the stick, when it all shook out.  Watier would again begin to cut into Mott’s advantage, but he would run out of laps and have to settle for second.  Ridley and B-Main winner Chico Taylor would stay on the lead lap for the entire distance, finishing third and 4^th, while 2006 WDRA champ Dan Gill rounded out the top 5.

 The series will next move to Redneck R/C Raceway on April 22nd.  Stay tuned to the WDRA website for more details.

 Wally’s notes:

• Thanks to everyone for coming out and making this a great event once again. 
• Race director Sherry Mott did a great job as usual, running off the program for the large field in about 6 hours.
• A big thanks to RHR’s Bill Brewer & Greg Areford for hosting the show, and giving us a wonderfully racy surface. 
• TJ Holt was the winner of the CDK car raffle.  Congratulations to TJ, and thanks to CDK, Trac Masters and JRC, for sponsoring the raffle.
• You won’t find his name in the results, but Billy Kimpton was in attendance….turning wrenches for Kevin Ridley.
• In the Big Block Stock division, 4 cars finished on the lead lap of the A-Main, but maybe even more amazingly, 5 cars were on the lead lap of the B-Main!
• Chico Taylor’s Get Back Chassis design is certainly gaining popularity. There were quite a few in attendance.
• After blowing a transmission in the Modified B-Main, Jim Carr took over the controls of Dylan Watier’s back-up car for the Stock C-Main.
• Much to my surprise, the Capital District was well represented by Small Block winner Moran, Dan Hanson, and Joe Corradi.  Next time we’ll have to remind them to sign up for the right class!
• As far as I know, Steve (Little O) Harris was the only driver to utilize the now legal brushless system in the Small Block Class.  The system did not appear to have a horsepower advantage, although I will continue to evaluate it throughout the season.
• The PA Posse was also well represented by Cooper, Steve Tyson, and former champion Dale Hartzell in the Big Block divisions. Dave Loughead & Brian Clark flew the Keystone State flag in Small Block action.
• Over in the Decker Racing stable, young Cody beat out dad Jim to take family honors.  Cody’s driving has really improved over the last couple of seasons.
• 2006 Small Block Champion Sean “Meatball” Leonard has indeed moved up to the Big Block division for 2007.  Sean struggled at times, and looked great at times on a track that is easy to run decent at, but hard to be really fast on.  He will surely be a contender soon.

 That’s all for now.  Hope to see everyone at Redneck!  Lets see if we can squeeze more than 75 entries into the Dungeon!

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

WDRA Super Dirt Series to Kick Off At Radio Hill

The 2007 WDRA Super Dirt Series will kick off on Saturday March 24th at Radio Hill Raceway in Dundee, NY. The lightning fast track will host the WDRA season opener for the 3rd straight season, and has seen some great car counts and great racing during that time.

Radio Hill regular Bob Mott has to be the favorite going into the event whether he enters, stock, modified or both. His dominance of Radio Hill over the past several years has been well documented. 2006 series champion Matt Olmsted is coming off a big win at last month’s Trac Masters Open at RHR, and will be looking to reach victory lane again. Dylan Watier has been frequenting RHR this year and will be looking to take top Modified honors along with a host of other top drivers from throughout the northeast.

Over in the Big Block Stock ranks, defending WDRA champion Dan Gill will look to begin a title defense. 2006’s other top point men, Dale Hartzell, Jeff Hotaling & Jim Carr along with Mott and Watier will all surely be threats to win as well.

In the Small Block division, it looks like the field might be wide open as 2006 champion Sean Leonard has been running in the Big Block division in 2007. This should make EJ French one of the favorites. Mike Jeffery is expected to be a contender along with Jan Poyneer, Cliff Weeks and Joe Rodriguez.

Doors will open at 9:00am with the heats going off at noon. Radio Hill Raceway is located at 1219 Shannon Corners Rd. in Dundee, NY.

In other WDRA news, the raffle for the CDK car is still going on. Almost ½ of the tickets are sold, so they are going fast. Hopefully we can give this thing away at the second or third race. I appreciate everyone’s support so far!

I’ve updated the rules page here to reflect the 3 allowable drops for this year. If you can’t make it to one of the races, you can still get a good finish in the points!

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Looking Ahead to 2007

After much thought, I'm happy to announce that the WDRA Summernationals for 2007 will return to Fingerlakes Raceway in Canandaguia, NY on June 22-23.

I realize that the 2006 version wound up featuring some less than desirable track conditions, which resulted in some disgruntled and frustrated racers by the end of the weekend. Some measures will be taken for 2007 to ensure the best possible conditions:
 

• The mild winter weather conditions so far will allow much needed new clay to be laid down on the track within the next week or so. Greg Areford advises that the new clay will be from the same pit as the clay that resides at Radio Hill Raceway. Anyone who has been to RHR can surely attest that it is one of the tackiest tracks around.

• The 2007 Summernationals will be held under the lights. Thats right....nighttime racing at Fingerlakes! Those drivers who practiced on Friday night or who were there for the 2003 edition of the Summernationals know just how much faster Fingerlakes is at night. Qualifying will begin on Friday night and the event will finish up on Saturday night. This will leave Sunday as a travel day or a raindate if needed. Schedule details are yet to be worked out, but this will surely make for better racing.

I hope that racers can forget about last summer, and look at this with a totally open mind as a totally new situation. I truly believe that this can be the best Summernationals ever!

In other WDRA news:

The 2007 schedule is being put together right now. The schedule will kick off in late March at Radio Hill Raceway and wrap up with the 2007 WDRA PA swing on October 20-21, where the series will make stops at Newville R/C Speedway & Bumps & Jumps R/C Raceway.

In between, the series will feature a "day/night double header" in July at Joe's Hobby Raceway and The Little O Speedway, which are located just a few miles apart in the Niagara Frontier region of Western NY.

In September the series will return to Liberty Valley Speedway in Danville, PA. This was a favorite track for many of the series travelers.

Also look for a return to Chico's after a year off and stops at Redneck and the Capital District's Pine Bowl. Much is left to do, but I'm hoping to have the bulk of the schedule finished next week.

I'm also going to begin work on a new WDRA website. This will be my first attempt at this so please bear with me! Until then, please stay tuned right here for the latest WDRA information.