RICK @ the RACES ( EASTER ROAD TRIP)
29 March Big Diamond Speedway , Minersville, PA
30 March Bridgeport Speedway, NJ
The Easter weekend has always been a time to go racing for me, and for the past few years I’ve taken off on a road trip. This year was no exception !
Even though , I’ve traveled to many different tracks over the years, I still have a ‘bucket list’ of places I want to visit. One place that had been on my list for a very long time ( since the 1970’s when I was living in England) was the Bridgeport Speedway in New Jersey. Up until this past weekend I’d never managed to get there.
On Saturday 30 March an ROC Dirt Series, ’60 over Special’ was scheduled in memory of the late Doug Hoffman, a Bridgeport local, who, during his racing career, had been one of the top Dirt Modified drivers in the North East.
Logistics meant that I never saw Doug in action too often, but I do remember him being a top notch racer.
This was my golden opportunity to visit the Bridgeport Speedway, and fortunately for me, on Good Friday, the night before, and on my way there , the Big Diamond Speedway in Pennsylvania was running. The last time I visited Big Diamond was back in 2003 for a SUPER DIRT SERIES race that was won by Alan Johnson.
After work on Thursday (28 March) I set off early from my home in Cornwall , Ontario , to avoid the long holiday delays at the USA border on Good Friday. I reached the Maple View Truck & Auto Plaza at Mexico, New York at around mid night where I parked the HHR . The back seats had been folded down, and this was my ‘motorhome’ for the weekend. When I got back on I 81 in the morning, the road was packed with Canadian ‘license plates’ heading south, so I’m sure glad I left home early.
After a breakfast in the Cortland NY , Tim Hortons I traveled down into Pennsylvania and up in to the mountains south of Scranton. The Big Diamond Speedway is located close to the Highway 901 exit for Minersville.
One of the first things you notice after exiting the Interstate is the 901 Pub with a Dirt Modified adorning the roof.
After few miles down the road and into the boonies, I arrived at the track.
My memories from ten years ago were a bit sketchy, but I do remember how primitive it was, with old semi trailers scattered around, and used in place of buildings and washrooms. Things were a lot different now and it was obvious that a lot of money had been spent, on rebuilding the facilities.
It was early afternoon and a long time before start time, so I took off to explore ! I went into nearby Pottsville and Minersville, where I came across a beautiful old steam train.
I then returned to the track at around 3-00pm , for a little nap, before the races.
I was too late in applying for media/photographer credentials, so on this occasion, I was back to being a regular race fan. I spent my night taking a few pit pictures and watching from the grandstands.
Jeff Strunk driving the Vinnie Salerno # 4 car was the nights feature winner.
It had been quite chilly, so I was glad to get tucked up under the covers in the back of the HHR.
I left Big Diamond at about 7-30 am on Saturday morning, and after a cup of tea in the Minersville ‘Dunkin Donuts’ I was on my way to Bridgeport.
Once on the PA Turnpike, my first port of call was the Allentown Service area, for a wash and clean up. Just as I was leaving, I bumped into one of the ROC Dirt officials, who was heading for the same place as me, so luckily had someone to follow to the track.
The Bridgeport Speedway is located a few miles south of Philadelphia across the Commodore Barry Bridge which spans the Delaware River and divides the states of Pennsylvania and New Jersey.
It’s an impressive place and a very tidy facility. Mother Nature had been kind to us, it was T shirt weather, so the early arrivals like myself were able to relax and chat in the sunshine.
A lot of my friends were there, and it was great to ‘catch up’ after the long winter.
Over 45 Modifieds were in attendance and most of the sports top names were there. The big race of the night, was a dramatic affair, right up to the final few yards of the last lap !
Early leader was Rick Laubach who was eventually passed by Stewart Friesen .
Friesen stayed in command , but was challenged at various stages by Brett Hearn, Danny Johnson and Ryan Godown. From lap fifty of the sixty lapper, we had a deluge of cautions as the challengers fell by the wayside and had problems.
With a Green/ White/ Checkers situation, the race went into the final lap with Friesen still at the front. As he came round the final turn his car started to slow ( according to reports, he was out of gas) as he tried to tease it for the last few yards. It wasn’t going to happen, and Bobby Varin who’d been on his tail, was able to take full advantage in the chaos that occurred on the dusty race to the flag.
The Victory Lane presentations were done before 11-00 pm and I was soon out of the gate and heading for home.
After taking a wrong turn from the 476 in Philly, I eventually pulled into the Flying J Truck Stop at Gibson PA at 3-00am in the morning. A few hours were spent sleeping in the HHR before continuing up 1 81 into New York.
Breakfast was had at the Maple View in Mexico, before making the final run back to Canada. I was home in Cornwall , Ontario at 1-00 pm.
The Bridgeport Speedway NJ became track # 210 of my TRACKCHASING TOTALS