January 29, 2003

NYSSCA HONORS EXCELLENCE AT ANNUAL BANQUET

ALBANY, NY - The New York State Stock Car Association held its 35th Annual Awards Banquet with over 500 members and guests in attendance.  Dan Martin and John Stanley teamed up as Masters of Ceremony.

President John Keegan from Edmeston, NY began by introducing the N.Y.S.S.C.A. Officers, Board Members, and Track Representatives urging members to seek them out for membership issues and with ideas for the betterment of the organization. 

The festivities began with the Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony.  The Bedell family of Nassau in memory of their son and brother, Robert “Boomer” Bedell, sponsors the ceremony each year. The 2004 inductees range from regional heroes to NASCAR national champions, with the common denominator talent and dedication to the sport of auto racing.

"The Cyclone", Maynard Forrette, is known for his many wins in both small block and big block modifieds at the Fonda and Lebanon Valley Speedways. Forrette was also a top competitor on the asphalt at the Albany-Saratoga Speedway and could always be counted on for an exciting run on the Syracuse Mile, where he was often more competitive than many drivers decades younger. A master mechanic, Forrette was as talented in the garage or engine shop as behind the wheel and kept technical inspectors awake at night wondering just what he'd think of next. Forrette remains active in the sport today, tutoring upcoming driver Eric Mack. 

Like Forrette, Pownal, VT's Butch Jelley raced in eastern New York and New England through five decades. While most identify him with Lebanon Valley, he nearly won the Fonda Speedway point title one season in the Dickerman #357 and was a front-runner wherever he went. At one time, it was worth the price of admission to Lebanon Valley just to watch Jelley and his arch-rival, NYSSCA Hall of Fame member Tommy Corellis, battle each other for the win.

Andy Romano is now known primarily as a speed shop proprietor and championship winning car owner with son Mike and Dave Lape, but from the 1960's through the 90's, he was a winning driver on both dirt and asphalt. While he is most closely identified with the Fonda Speedway, Romano had great success with Dickie Meyer's small block at a number of other speedways and when the CVRA presented events on the asphalt at Devil's Bowl and Plattsburgh, Romano dominated the action in a former Dutch Hoag Valiant-bodied creation.

If the NYSSCA Hall of Fame induction were a horse race, the late racers Lenny Boehler and Freddy DeSarro would be an "entry". Fabrication wizard Boehler and driving superstar DeSarro won countless features together from Canada to Virginia, including many asphalt wins at Albany-Saratoga and Utica-Rome against such Hall of Fame talent as Richie Evans, Eddie Flemke, Bugsy Stevens and Rene Charland.

DeSarro, the 1974 Race of Champions winner at Trenton, NJ, lost his life in a tragic crash at the Thompson Speedway in 1978, cutting short a career that would certainly have added many more wins and another national championship to the NASCAR Modified title he'd claimed in 1970 driving for Jack Koszela.

Boehler continued as a car owner, fabricating his own cars and building his own engines in an age where everyone else buys everything. He'd won the NASCAR National Modified Championship in '67, '68 and '69 with Stevens before "Bugsy" and DeSarro switched rides, then repeated with Wayne Anderson in '94 and Tony Hirschman in '95 and '96. Cancer claimed Boehler's life in 2001 but his familiar blue #3 remains a fixture on the Featherlite Tour with driver Jerry Marquis under the guidance of his son and long-time associates.

 Rick Benjamin from Speedvision served as keynote speaker.  A local news anchor from 1979-1996, Rick has called major motor sports including NASCAR Winston Cup, Busch Grand National and NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series; ALMS, Grand Am, TransAm; Atlantics.  Rick has on-air time with TBS, ESPN, Prime Network, TNN, and SPEED Channel.  He originated and anchored award-winning RaceDay on TNN from 1995-2000 and was one of the first on-air announcers on Speedvision, calling Trans Am, World Challenge and Winston Cup events from 1996-98.

 The awards presentation began with the participating track awards.  Awards were handed out based on achievement at the member’s individual home tracks. 

 Newcomer of the Year

Afton Speedway

 Albany Saratoga Speedway

Devils Bowl Speedway

 Fonda Speedway

 Lebanon Valley Speedway

 Utica Rome Speedway, LLC

 Outstanding Performance

Afton Speedway

 Albany Saratoga Speedway

 Devils Bowl Speedway

 Fonda Speedway

 Lebanon Valley Speedway

 Utica Rome Speedway, LLC

 Glen Ridge Motorsports Park – Associate Track

 Driver of The Year

 Afton Speedway

 Albany Saratoga Speedway

 Devils Bowl Speedway

 Fonda Speedway

 Lebanon Valley Speedway

 Utica Rome Speedway, LLC

 Glen Ridge Motorsports Park – Associate Track

Certificates of Appreciation were presented to Mark Krosky and Rob Hayes from Speedzone on WCSS radio.  They made donations of NYSSCA memberships as prizes in the 50/50 drawings at our tracks.

 Gene Cole and the Management Team of the Utica Rome Speedway were recognized for their support of the association.  They gave an incentive to new members at their track, paying a portion of their membership if they joined for the first time.

 This year, a five-week long Pit Crew Challenge was held at Albany Saratoga Speedway.  The Richards Family was recognized for their involvement in the event from the inception to providing the venue, to providing incentives for sponsors.  Capital News 9 from Albany came on board, awarding $999.00 to the winner of the event.  Roger and Cindy Steele gave countless hours of their time officiating the event.  All of their efforts are greatly appreciated.

 “Wakin up with the Wolf” on WPYX 106, Racing with Heart and The Fonda Speedway were awarded the Community Service Award for their promotion of the Eye Rock 500 fundraiser at the Fonda Speedway.  This race pairs up visually impaired participants with racers as their guides in the car and has brought about a great deal of recognition of the abilities instead of disabilities. 

 In the NYSSCA Special Awards Category, where the recipients must be NYSSCA members, Jake Spraker was named Car Owner of The Year.  Spraker owns the cars piloted by Jeff Trombley in the Modified Division at Fonda Speedway, Alan Johnson on the Turning Stone Casino Super Dirt Series for 358 Modifieds and Tim Clemons in the Sportsman division weekly at Fonda and Utica Rome as well as on the Sunoco Race Fuels Super Dirt Series.

Tim Clemons was named Overall Outstanding Performer of The Year due to his great season in weekly racing in the Sportsman Division at Fonda Speedway and Utica Rome Speedway and becoming overall Champion on the Sunoco Race Fuels Super Dirt Series as well as the Eastern Regional Champ.  

David Peek presented the Dedication to Racing Award in Memory of Harry Peek to Nick Ronca. Nick has been a fixture at the racetracks for many years, previously in the driver’s seat and now supporting his family in racing.  This year both Mike and Rich Ronca graced Victory Lane at Albany Saratoga Speedway.  Nick was inducted into the NYSSCA Hall of Fame in 1991 and remains on the Board of Directors.

 The Lifetime Contribution to Racing in memory of Kenny Shoemaker was awarded to Jack Johnson. 

Lebanon Valley driver Hector Stratton was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award.  

President Keegan presented JoAnn Flanigan with the President’s Award in appreciation for the many years she has held the office of Treasurer of the organization.  JoAnn has a long history in racing and her dedication to NYSSCA is appreciated.

Occasionally, a special award is warranted to recognize outstanding achievement.  This year a “Presidential Award of Excellence” was awarded to Jessica Zemken for the many firsts she accomplished this year.  She was the NYSSCA Safety Award winner along with winning her first feature events at Afton Speedway and Utica Rome Speedway and made quite a mark on the Super DIRT Series, being the first woman to qualify for the event.

The evening was capped off with dancing to the band Railway.

N.Y.S.S.C.A. membership is available to anyone.  You can join the team by visiting our website at www.nyssca.com or see your local track representative at the area car shows or the racetrack to become a member.