All About Racing

Don & Cory Briggs of Cobleskill pose with their vintage racers at the Fonda Car Show. Biittig photo

Billy Bob Liberatore was on hand with his Four Cylinder racer to speak with those attending the Fonda show. Biittig photo

By Ed & Betty Biittig

This week we will bring you two more racers we saw at the Fonda Car Show a week ago.

Don Briggs of Cobleskill runs with the vintage racers and this season has added to his racing stable with two more cars. Don will again run with the MVVDMS in the Sportsman division in his great looking Pillsbury dough boy paint scheme car, reminiscent of the car owned by Jim Beechy and popular around the DIRTcar circuit in the early 2000’s. Briggs also will field two more cars he owns, one for his son Cory who will run in the Mistique group with the vintage and Mike Wheeler will be behind the wheel of the third car in the Antique group.

William “Billy Bob” Liberatore of Schoharie had his Four Cylinder racer at the show and is anxious to get to the track where he will once again run in the Four Cylinder class at Fonda Speedway weekly this season.

This past week the Vermont Motorsports Hall of Fame announced the inaugural class to be inducted later this year in a ceremony being planned for the Vermont Motorsports Expo in White River Junction. Those named were John Buffum, SCCA driver; Thomas Curley, promoter; Harmon “Beaver” Dragon, driver; Bobby Dragon, driver; C.V Elms, promoter/owner; Shirley Muldowney, drag racer; C. J. Richards, promoter/owner; Ken Squier, announcer/track owner/promoter; Gardner Stone, drag racer, oval racer and tractor pulling champion.

The Super DIRTcar Series opened the season this past weekend at New Egypt Speedway in New Jersey and Stewart Friesen of Sprakers recorded his first SDS win at the track. Although Friesen did have wins at the track previously, the win was his first in the SDS. Fonda Speedway track champion, Alex Yankowski was second and young Logan Watt finished third.

As the calendar hits April, local tracks begin trying to get the events listed on their schedules on the track.

Albany-Saratoga has an early bird inspection scheduled for this Friday, April 4 from 3-7pm.

Friday, April 11 is practice for any division, pit admission $25 and Free grandstand. Rain date, April 15. The 60th Anniversary season opener will be Friday, April 18 with a 60-lap, $7500 to win Super DIRTcar Series Modified event. Also on the card are Sportsman (limited sportsman welcome) and Pro Stocks.

Fonda opens the gates for Open Practice on Saturday, April 12 (rain date April 15). The Jumpin’ Jack Johnson Memorial season opener is April 19. Points begin for all divisions.

Lebanon Valley has open warm-ups this Saturday, April 5 from 3-8 pm. On April 12 is the opener, Spring Fling $4000 to win Sportsman event. Check the website for ticket prices and race times.

And for those looking for Dodge City Speedway karts to begin action, Friday, May 16 will open the season with a regular show and points begin.

As we close this effort we want to mention the loss of a former local racer, Ira Gelber. The Fonda Faithful will remember him as “I. B. Gone” who raced with the Street Stock division in the 90’s. We send our condolences to his family.

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