Auto Racing News

By Tom Couglin

The Saratoga Automobile Museum presents its rescheduled annual Spring Auto Show on Saturday, May 31st, from 9:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m. at the Saratoga Spa State Park, located at 19 Roosevelt Drive in Saratoga Springs. Automobiles on display will include everything from classic and vintage to modern marvels. There will also be food and live music. Spectator parking is $10.

Next weekend kicks off the always entertaining and educational 58th annual Gas-Up, presented by the Hudson-Mohawk Chapter of the Pioneer Gas Engine Association, Inc. Operating and on display will be a wide selection of vehicles, tractors, pumps, and much more. Dates include June 7-8 & June 14-15. FREE admission and free parking, with showtimes from 10:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. daily, featuring antique gas, steam, and oil engines. This takes place on the grounds at 130 Murphy Road, Schoharie, NY 12157, just off Route 443. No pets, please.

The rain continued to interfere with racing last week, as Thursday night at Airborne Park Speedway was canceled. Albany-Saratoga Speedway, Brewerton Speedway, Dodge City Speedway, Outlaw Speedway, and Utica-Rome Speedway canceled their Friday programs.

However, last Friday, the one-and-a-half-mile Charlotte Motor Speedway in North Carolina hosted the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series NC Education Lottery 200. Due to electrical issues during practice, Stewart Friesen of Sprakers missed qualifying and started 32nd. He began stage one there and finished 13th on the night, remaining in the tenth position in the year's point standings.

Last Saturday, Fonda Speedway was able to squeeze in its racing program between the raindrops. With all the recent rain, it was a very challenging track surface. In the Amsterdam Truck Center Modified division 30-lap feature, Stewart Friesen won his second feature of the season and 96th career Fonda victory over Jack Lehner and early leader Cody Clark. Chad Edwards won his second Swagger Factory Apparel Crate 602 Sportsman division 25-lap feature of 2025, beating Tyler Peet and Dylan Madsen to the finish. In the Leatherstocking Credit Union Pro Stock division 20-lap feature, Shane Playford took the win ahead of Kenny Gates and A.J. Walters. In the Montgomery County Office for Aging Limited Sportsman division 15-lap feature, Randy Cosselman earned his second victory of 2025 over Corky Warner and Timothy Wilmot. In the Fonda Fair 4-Cylinder division 12-lap feature, the winners were Kenny Hollenbeck (single-cam division) and Jay Ingersoll (dual-cam division).

On Sunday, Weedsport Speedway hosted the Super DIRTcar Series Big Block Modified division for the Heroes Remembered 100. Stewart Friesen had an interesting evening; he was fastest in hot laps and then had to be towed back to the pits. He won his heat race, took the lead during the feature, lost the lead, and finally retook the lead for the victory. Mike Mahaney finished second, and Mat Williamson third. Forty-eight CRSA 305 Winged Sprint Cars signed in at Weedsport Speedway on Sunday, setting a series record for their 300th event in their 20th year. Bobby Parrow earned the 25-lap feature win over Dillon Paddock and Jeff Trombley.

Port Royal Speedway in Port Royal, Pennsylvania, hosted the Kubota High Limit 410 Winged Sprint Cars, offering $100,000 to win the Bob Weikert Memorial. Aaron Reutzel earned the 40-lap feature victory. Danny Varin of Fonda won the C-main but only finished 12th in the B-main, which prevented him from advancing into the 40-lap A-main.

On Monday, Thunder Mountain Speedway hosted the Super DIRTcar Series for 'The Natural 77,' a tribute race in honor of Dale Planck. Matt Sheppard earned the feature over Peter Britten and Erick Rudolph. For Sheppard, this was his 99th series victory. Devil's Bowl Speedway in West Haven, Vermont, held the 602 Northeast Crate Nationals for the Sportsman Modifieds, paying $5,000 to win. Donovan Lussier earned the 100-lap feature victory over Chad Edwards and Brian Calabrese.

Brookfield Speedway postponed Sunday’s event until Monday. Butchie Irwin was the victor in the STSS Crate 602 Sportsman division feature. Kenny Gates won the Pro Stock feature; Owen Mossow earned the 600 Modified feature. In the All-Star Slingshot division, Sullivan Dickey scored the win, and Blake Banek won the Junior division. Collin Mills won the 4-Cylinder dual-cam division, and Hank Wedgren won the single-cam division. Steven Hoke won the enduro.

On Tuesday night, the Short Track Super Series was at Action Track U.S.A. in Kutztown, Pennsylvania, where the Modified division competed in a 50-lap feature. Matt Sheppard made a last-lap pass on Mike Gular for the win, with Alex Payne finishing third.

Tonight, Albany-Saratoga Speedway will host the DiCarlo's 358 Modified Shootout and all weekly divisions. Next week, they will host the DMA Midgets. Utica-Rome Speedway has a regular program tonight and will use Sunday, June 1st, as a rain date if necessary. Next week is Retro Night with $10 grandstand admission.

The CRSA 305 Winged Sprint Cars will be at Fonda Speedway tomorrow.