All About Racing

Andrew McFadden of Sharon Springs celebrates his second win of the season in the Limited Sportsman race during the Richie Evans Remembers event at Utica-Rome on Thursday. Biittig photo

Bobby Rhinehardt of Charleston celebrates his first win at Fonda in Limited Sportsman division on Saturday. Biittig photo

By Ed & Betty Biittig

Our racing weekend started on Thursday at Utica-Rome for the Richie Evans Remembered 61-lap Modified event paying $6100 to the winner, Matt Sheppard. It was Sheppard’s third time winning the event.

Other winners at Utica-Rome on Thursday were Brian Calabrese, 602 Sportsman: Andrew McFadden, Limited Sportsman.

For Andrew MacFadden of Sharon Springs, it was his second win in his first full season of racing, and he dominated the $500-to-win Limited Sportsman main event presented by Ted’s Body Shop despite multiple caution flags during the 15-lap event. Andrew has seven top five finishes this season and ten top ten. In his rookie season at the track 2023, he didn’t get much experience because the track suffered nine rainouts. Even without much experience, McFadden had five top ten finishes.

During victory lane for McFadden on Thursday, we also met his grandparents, Dave and Debbie Cross of Sharon Springs who we’ve known since the days when Dave was on the Bobby Varin No. 18 crew when Bobby lived in Sharon Springs.

On Saturday we stood in victory lane with another Varin crew member from the past, when Bobby Rhinehardt (Rhino) of Charleston recorded his first win at the “Track of Champions”.

Bobby began racing himself at Glen Ridge in a Four Cylinder, later moving to go-karts at Dodge City and Caroga Creek. After a hiatus from the driver seat, he and his wife, Danielle bought a race car a couple years ago and he began racing in Limited Sportsman at Fonda and now the Rhinehardt No. 618 Race Team can say they have a win at Fonda.

The 19th annual Hondo Classic and the BOBCO Dash honored Pro Stock driver, Hondo Carpenter and videographer, Bob James on Saturday at Fonda. There was a lot of money on the line for both events and 28 Pro Stock drivers came for a shot at the big money pots. Winner of the BOBCO Dash was A. J. Walters and winner of the Hondo Classic was Luke Horning.

Fans may have thought they were seeing double when two Pro Stocks No. 35 came out on the track at Fonda on Saturday. Of course one was Fonda’s most winning Pro Stock driver, Kenny Gates and the other was his brother, Steve Gates. On Saturday, Steve showed that there are more than two winning Gates in the family when he won his qualifying heat for the Hondo Classic. Steve is Four Cylinder driver, Hayleigh’s father.

Other winners at Fonda on Saturday were Stewart Friesen, Modifieds; Tyler Peet, 602 Sportsman; Danny Varin, ESS Sprints and Ken Hollenbeck (single cam) and Jay Ingersoll (dual cam) Four Cylinders. The win for Tyler Peet in 602 Sportsman was his first Fonda win.

On Sunday the local racing action was at Glen Ridge and the winners were Lance Willix, 358 Mod; Stephen Gray, 602 Sportsman; Steve Cosselman, Pro Stocks; Jason Samrov, Street Stocks; Nick Brundige, Limited Sportsman; Bodie Marks, All Star Slingshots; Carson Hamlin, JR Slingshots; A. J. Gearhart, Stage 1 Modifieds.

Until next week please send all news and/or comments to biittig@yahoo.com