The Wait Is Nearly Over: Accord Speedway Postponed ‘Gobbler’ Set For Tuesday, April 14; Talented, Built-In Field Will Battle For “Huge” Paydays In All Divisions; New Participants Welcomed
ACCORD, NY – “The waiting is the hardest part.”
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers sang it. Race fans and competitors in the Northeast have felt it since weather conditions and a saturated track surface postponed the ‘Gobbler’ special at Accord Speedway last November. Now, the wait is nearly over.
The quarter-mile clay oval located in the hills of Ulster County will host the rescheduled ‘Gobbler’ on Tuesday, April 14 (rain date: April 15) in a co-promotion involving speedway owners Gary and Donna Palmer and Brett Deyo of BD Motorsports Media LLC.
Huge money is on the line for each of the four divisions on the schedule. Modifieds, big-blocks and small-blocks, will run 50 laps for a massive $7,117.11 to win plus lap money and other bonuses! Sportsman, Open vs. Crate 602, compete in a 25-lap feature with $1,500 going to the victor plus Crate 602 bonuses and other incentives. The second annual Ron Wright Memorial for the Pure Stock/Street Stock division will feature a $600-to-win 20-lap main, while the Slingshots will do battle for a $350 winner’s share in a 20-lap feature.
When Mother Nature ultimately prevailed last November, 134 race cars jammed the speedway pit area, providing the foundation for an event to remember.
“The bad news is we lost out to the brutal conditions last fall despite all the hard work by Gary, Donna and the track staff,” event co-promoter Deyo said. “The good news is we have one of the most talented built-in fields of the year in place for our reschedule date. This is going to be one heck of a show in all divisions.”
Some of the top names in Northeast racing had assembled for the initial ‘Gobbler’ attempt, including PA stars Duane Howard and Jeff Strunk, Delaware champion Matt Jester, the Central New York superstar brother combination of Danny and Alan Johnson, rising star Mike Mahaney, talented teenager Tyler Dippel, Short Track Super Series champion Andy Bachetti, Capital District runner Bobby Varin, past Accord BD Motorsports Media winners Danny Creeden and Anthony Perrego and the tough Accord weekly cast led by siblings Mike and Rich Ricci, Jerry Higbie Jr., Danny Tyler, Tommy Meier and many more!
Modified competitors can utilize the ‘Gobbler’ as a shakedown for the Tuesday, May 19 (rain date: May 20) New York Truck Parts Inc. ‘Battle of the Bullring 3’ Short Track Super Series Fueled By Hi-Tek points-paying event. The ‘Battle of the Bullring 3’ is the third of eight races on the Bob Hilbert Sportswear $15,000 North Region championship battle.
Like the Modifieds, diverse and solid fields were present for the Sportsman, Pure Stock/Street Stock and Slingshot divisions.
New entries will be welcomed at the ‘Gobbler’ event, but they must start behind those in attendance last November. As was planned last November, timed hot laps will set the field for the Slingshot portion of the program.
Complete ‘Gobbler’ general information can be found at the following link: http://bdmotorsportsmedia.com/gobbler-general-information/
A list of ‘Gobbler’ special awards and bonuses is posted on the web at http://bdmotorsportsmedia.com/gobbler-special-awards-bonuses/
Adult grandstand admission is $22. Seniors, ages 65 and over, pay $20. Kids, 11 and under, are admitted for $5. Limited indoor seating is available at $35 by contacting the speedway office at 845.626.1142. Pit admission is $35, with no license required.
A reminder for all those returning from last November: wristbands and ticket stubs will need to be presented for entry.
The pit gate will open for wristband exchange at 3 p.m. At 4 p.m., general admission gates will officially open. A drivers’ meeting is planned for 5:45 p.m. with hot laps at 6 p.m. and racing promptly at 7 p.m.
The 2015 edition of the ‘Gobbler’ is set for Saturday, November 28, weather and conditions permitting.
Winners of the first ‘Gobbler’ special, run in November 2013, were Anthony Perrego (Modified), Rocky Warner (Sportsman) and Charlie Houghtaling (Pure Stock/Street Stock). The Slingshots were slated for their first ‘Gobbler’ appearance last November.
To learn more about the ‘Gobbler’ or other BD Motorsports Media LLC events, contact Brett Deyo by phone at 845.728.2781 or via e-mail at bdmotorsportsmedia@gmail.com. BD Motorsports Media is on the web at www.bdmotorsportsmedia.com. “Like” Short Track Super Series on Facebook or follow @ShortTrackSS on Twitter.
Accord Speedway, a neat-and-tidy quarter-mile clay oval nestled in the hills of Ulster County, is located at 299 Whitfield Road Accord, NY 12404. The speedway is on the web at www.accordspeedway.com.
The Gobbler is presented by Sowle Trailer Repair, Above All Auto Repair, ASI Trophy & Awards, American Racer/Lias Tire, Behrent’s Performance Warehouse, Crane Golf, DMJ Racing Photo’s, Dwy’s Automotive, Hunt’s Machine, Jay’s Pool Service, Par 5 Landscaping, Rock Fantasy Hard Rock, Metal & Classic Rock and Smoke Shop, Shiley Fabrication, Simplicity Design, United Pump & Tank and Zubi’s Racing.
Sources: BD Motorsports Media