|
|---|
| American Speedway | ||
|---|---|---|
|
Champion Speedway 344 East River Drive Larry and Kathy McBride Memorial A very rainy morning in Owego, NY led many people to think there is no way there would be speedway racing on August 11th at Champion Speedway but track supporters Danny "Moonbeam" Fallon and Karen Vargo, along with Casey Donholt battled hard all afternoon dragging the surface and getting in top shape so the show could go on for the Larry and Kathy McBride Memorial! Larry did PR work and videos for all the East Coast tracks for years while Kathy did a number of jobs, including scoring! Together they produced two of the best riders the East has ever seen, their sons, Tuff and Lenny McBride, both residents of Windsor, NY! Tuff won multiple track and State Titles and competed for 3 years on the Southern California Circuit in it's heyday during the late 80's when riders were making large sums of money and racing 5 nights a week! Lenny won 4 track Championships at Champion Speedway plus a Canadian National Championship and Daytona National win along with numerous Main Events all over. Tuff made a very successful comeback the past 12 years or so but has been out with a nagging injury the past two seasons. He hopes to be healthy for next year. He was able to win of the years dedicated to his parents memory and get his name on their plaque. Len had not really lost his interest in racing but for the past 8 years had an important weekend job that would not allow him the time for competing. Fortunately that all changed last year and he mounted a comeback of his own last August that as seen him get stronger and stronger each event. He won a handicap main in June and tied for top scorer two weeks ago at Champion after the heat rounds. On this evening, his thoughts centered around getting his name on his parents plaque. He and Casey Donholt were again tied for top scorer in the scratch program and McBride had first choice of gates for the scratch main. He chose gate 4 while Donholt chose 5. McBride gated well but Donholt has been excellent off the start this season and got the edge. McBride would have to follow Donholt home for second place as Donholt rode his Sammy Tanner Arai/Polito sponsored Jawa to his 6th Scratch Main win in a row this summer!! In what was a storybook ending to the night, McBride powered his Scotts Headers/Justice Bros/Oury/Tanks Auto/Moonbeam powered GM past several lower yardage riders on the first lap to take over the lead in the Handicap Main. Donholt also got through traffic and into second but could not get close enough to McBride to overtake him and finally Len McBride joined his brother as a Main Event winner on his parents award! Another Windsor, NY resident young, Dylan "Lil Outlaw" Hawk, a rookie in the pro ranks, scored an upset win over some tough competition in the evening's feature! Champion Speedway has added an event August 18th then gears up for it's two biggest events of the season the NY STATE CHAMPIONSHIP IS August 25th and out of town riders will be in early to compete for that, followed by the US OPEN NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS September 1st and 2nd, which will feature at least 10 out of State riders, including 8-Time and Current US National Champion, Billy Janniro, from Northern California! More info at eastcoastspeedway.com or on the champion speedway Facebook page. Larry and Kathy McBride Memorial Results Scratch Main Handicap Main Division 2 Junior Speedway
|
