Marshalls Take Center Stage at Saratoga Auto Museum

New York State Stock Car Association Hall of Fame member Ernie Marshall and his son Eddie will discuss their respective racing careers on Saturday, December 1st at 1 pm in the Racing in New York Gallery of the Saratoga Automobile Museum. The popular drivers share the distinction of being the only father/son duo to win the NY State Fair Labor Day Championship on the Syracuse mile, prevailing in 1973 and 1990, respectively. The event will be held alongside the restored modified #77 that Ernie wheeled to the 1970 track championship at the Lebanon Valley Speedway, with noted restorer Bruce Carman set to fill the audience in on the car’s history. Besides the Lebanon Valley championship, Ernie Marshall claimed two prestigious Race of Champions qualifying events and will relate his experiences at the treacherous Langhorne, PA mile that left him in the hospital alongside another NYSSCA Hall of Famer, Kenny Shoemaker. All told, Ernie won 17 features at Lebanon Valley to rank 13th on the all-time win list. He is also known for his exploits on the tiny asphalt oval at the Danbury, CT Fairgrounds, where he went head to head with legends Chick Stockwell and Don LaJoie, father of NASCAR driver Randy LaJoie. Twelfth place on the Lebanon Valley win list is held by son Eddie, whose 18 wins put him but a single win away from 11th, held by Mark Fleury. Eddie is coming off a season that saw him contend for the track championship right to the last event and will describe the ups and downs of the experience to the museum audience. Eddie is also known for his love of the Syracuse mile, where he is always a contender during Super DIRT Week. 2007 saw him wreck in his qualifying heat on Friday and return to claim Sunday’s Non-Qualifier’s event. He then turned in a stirring run from 43rd starting position to finish the Rite Aid 200 in 8th position, earning the race’s Hard Charger award in the process. The Racing in New York event, to be moderated by National Speed Sport News columnist Ron Hedger, will conclude with the always-popular audience question and answer session. The Saratoga Automobile Museum is located on the Avenue of the Pines in the Saratoga Spa State Park. More information is available on the museum website at www.saratogaautomuseum.org.