Skyline Race & Show 7/29/06
One thing that we can guarantee this racing
season is that on raceday, it’s gonna be hot and
muggy with a threat of rain. Following the ‘can’t
win if you don’t play’ mantra, this past Saturday
morn was spent sweating over mounting some tires
up for the evenings event. Forget slimfast, if you
want to drop some pounds quickly just try
wrestling some rubber and steel in this weather. As
my friend Larry Witter pointed out to me, it seems
to work better once you get angry at the darn
thing. He was right and I took his advice. Loaded
up and ready to go, the trip to Skyline Speedway is
always a fun ride through the hills surrounding
Cortland. Aptly named, the view from the track has
always been breath taking, even more so with the
light show Mother Nature was to give us this
evening. Into the pits and Howdy Witter gives us
the news that the #4 has a clutch cylinder problem
which has shelved their racing for the evening. Oh
well, we have good quality if not quantity and
always make do. Gary Wood’s #97 hasn’t recovered
from it’s bout with the Penn Can Ute either but
Howdy, Sue and Gary have all shown to help out,
good thing as it sure makes our job easier. Tom
Witter, Johnny Rockola, Jim Chase, Dad and I will
duke it out on the track while Richard Parry and
John Clark have brought their restored modifieds
for the fans enjoyment. It’s shaping up to be a
great evening, and then the rains come turning the
clay into a skating rink. Undeterred, Skyline
Promoter Frank Payne is a ‘never say quit’ guy also
and quickly has the grader out when the clouds are
empty. Frank is everywhere at this facility, if you
don’t see him around then just wait a minute and
he’ll come into view. Racers from all divisions dry
the track and we’re ready to try our luck on the
banked bullring.
Chase’s 2K leads us to green in the heat and I
quickly find that the turn one high groove is going
to be fun. One thing about a clay track that you
can count on is that every lap around, it’s going to
change. A little rivulet of water coming off the bank
makes for an interesting entry into turn two but if
you can’t have fun throwing a modified around
then you just aren’t looking for fun. Chase pulls
me out of two and the B29 draws even again down
the back chute. We repeat the sequence through
three and four, we’re both looking for better bite
but have to share the preferred line, we never
touch and juggle the top spot while Rockola, Tom
Witter and Dad wait for us to bust a move. Through
lap four and it’s still a dead heat, I feel Rockola’s
bump draft nudge down the front straight, I’m
holding him up but it can’t be helped, at least I don’
t have to wonder where the #99 is, and that
bumper needed polishing anyways. Thanks
Johnny, one less chore for me! Laps are winding
down now and the top side is coming in out of turn
4, slam on the volume and I see Jim struggling for
bite down low, the B29 pulls out some daylight for
the checkers with Rockola slipping by the 2K on
the last straight for 2nd, Tom Witter holds off Dad
for 4th and we’re back to the pits and on the
trailers. The temperature has dropped 10 degrees
in a matter of minutes and lightning is flashing all
around the track. It’s as if we’re in our own little
cocoon here though and the rain stays away. The
cars come back off the trailers easily anyway
although for a few minutes it looked like the heat
was all we were gonna get in. Toothy grins and
sweaty backslaps abound in our pits, the mood is
great and only gets better as the weather clears.
Chase congratulates me and wonders if my fortune
was due to my ‘good luck’ charm he’s noticed in my
car. I’m puzzled and take a look, those aren’t my
panties and I quickly move them to Rockola’s
mount. Note to self: bring a thong to plant in some
unsuspecting members’ uniform bag. I can see that
one playing out already upon discovery..’SURE
YOU WENT TO THE RACES, UH HUH!...’ That’s just
plain rotten eh? OK, back to play, we adjust the jet
on the 43A and change tires for some more gear, I
instruct Dad to put his foot in it for the feature and
create a monster.
Dodging a few rogue sprinkles, the club heads out
to the track for our feature event. The 43A leads us
to green but Chases 2K pulls to the lead entering
turn one. Witter is quickly by as well and then Dad
flicks the switch, sitting in the cat bird seat is the
B29 and Rockola, we have the best seat in the
house for the ensuing battle taking place in front of
us. Lap three and Dad bonsai’s out of two slipping
back past the Witter Red #9. He’s quickly
challenging Chase out of four while Tom looks for
room, this is fun to watch but they’re dicing so
hard top to bottom that there isn’t much room to
challenge, patience, patience. Crossed flags and
Tom is back to second and then grabs the lead, Jim
and Dad show no quit though and are all over his
bumper. Lap 9 and Jim regains the lead, lap 10 is
a dead heat between the 2K and 9, we’re stacked
up behind them in a group you could throw a
blanket over. I’m having a hard time concealing the
grin under my handkerchief, running this closely
with ne’er a worry of getting clobbered is just a
blast. With the white flag waving the Chase 2K
takes control while Rockola has found room on the
bottom to move up. Here come the checkers and I
try to find bite on the bottom to nip Dad at the flag
to no avail, the flag flies over Chase, Witter,
Rockola, Dad and the B29. Nobody lost this race,
we just ran out of laps and Jim earned it, Dad’s
efforts netted him the 50’s class win. Like I said,
maybe a little short on quantity, but certainly not
quality, and who can ever complain about a top 5?
(Even if it was a certainty?)
Pit notes: Many thanks to Frank Payne and all at
Skyline Speedway who made our evening so
enjoyable, Gary Wood for helping us with our cars
and taking shots in the pits, Sue Lowe for once
again providing me with her accurate lap sheets,
Howdy Witter for lining us up, Nikki for keeping us
organized and Mom for the zucchini. Also want to
thank everyone in the club who traveled to put on a
show that had the fans clapping afterwards, there’s
nothing like good close clean competitive racing to
spur interest in our club and the compliments
heard afterward are very encouraging. Richard and
Sharon Parry’s #37 Jack Johnson Falcon did brisk
business behind the grandstand and enjoyed
visiting with racing legend Grayson Smith of
Marathon, NY. ‘Racing Grayson’ was the first driver
in the seat of Dave McCredy’s Sherburne based S-
33, a ride later piloted by greats such as Don
Henderburg, Chuck Mahoney, Dutch Hoag (most
notably at Langhorne) and of course, NASCAR
Sportsman champ, Bill Wimble. Grayson started
the McCredy tradition in 1949 by guiding the
‘Green Hornet’ Plymouth coupe at gritty pioneering
tracks such as Bennett’s Field and Brookfield,
enjoying success at every venue they visited. John
and Barb Clark’s 3X of Benny Stephens and
Smoky Joe Norton drew equal attention while
former Skyline late Model star Roy Shields held
court. Our show car class spreads a lot of good will
to the fans and we all appreciate their efforts. It
truly was a great night, “Just awesome, couldn’t
have been any better” was how Jim Chase
described it. Jim was all grins and pumped up to
pullout the win in front of visitor Charley Enders of
Phoenix, Arizona. Charley’s the nephew of past
long time car owner Ray Enders whose #150 cars
were legend with Keith Gray and Larry Nye in the
seat. Past Midstate competitor Jeff Gilbert was also
on hand with the IMCA Mods and pitching an idea
of a ‘60’s Throwback Night’ for next season at the
track, was good to see Jeff again. To be honest, the
mood around the club was just excellent all night
long; this has just been a joy to participate in.
Back home by 11:00 Pm and wind down with the
boys. Nothing beats three grinning beasts wagging
their collective tails off. Now if I could only attach a
sponge to those tails the B29 would be washed in a
jiffy. Just past 1:00 Am and Ted Schmidt already
has his great shots forwarded to me, thanks again
Ted, it was great to see you again and we look
forward our return trip to Skyline next year, it sure
was a blast this year. OK – off this thing, I have a
date with a hose and my three sons, nothing beats
watching a 180 lb. Saint Bernard shake down after
a shower, just park the racecar next to that
spectacle, and it’s washed.
Coming attractions: This week the club will have a
display at the Otsego County Fair in Morris NY.
Just off of turn 1 of our beloved Midstate
Speedway, race fans will be able to pour over cars
that raced at the track during its heyday. Member’s
Mike Newell and John Mason have been working
tirelessly at the event which will also include track
memorabilia and salty tales. A worthwhile trip back
in time at the site that inspired our clubs
formation. The racing division will be back on the
track in two weeks at Black Rock Speedway for a
special Saturday night show including some Sprint
Car action, it’ll be fun.
season is that on raceday, it’s gonna be hot and
muggy with a threat of rain. Following the ‘can’t
win if you don’t play’ mantra, this past Saturday
morn was spent sweating over mounting some tires
up for the evenings event. Forget slimfast, if you
want to drop some pounds quickly just try
wrestling some rubber and steel in this weather. As
my friend Larry Witter pointed out to me, it seems
to work better once you get angry at the darn
thing. He was right and I took his advice. Loaded
up and ready to go, the trip to Skyline Speedway is
always a fun ride through the hills surrounding
Cortland. Aptly named, the view from the track has
always been breath taking, even more so with the
light show Mother Nature was to give us this
evening. Into the pits and Howdy Witter gives us
the news that the #4 has a clutch cylinder problem
which has shelved their racing for the evening. Oh
well, we have good quality if not quantity and
always make do. Gary Wood’s #97 hasn’t recovered
from it’s bout with the Penn Can Ute either but
Howdy, Sue and Gary have all shown to help out,
good thing as it sure makes our job easier. Tom
Witter, Johnny Rockola, Jim Chase, Dad and I will
duke it out on the track while Richard Parry and
John Clark have brought their restored modifieds
for the fans enjoyment. It’s shaping up to be a
great evening, and then the rains come turning the
clay into a skating rink. Undeterred, Skyline
Promoter Frank Payne is a ‘never say quit’ guy also
and quickly has the grader out when the clouds are
empty. Frank is everywhere at this facility, if you
don’t see him around then just wait a minute and
he’ll come into view. Racers from all divisions dry
the track and we’re ready to try our luck on the
banked bullring.
Chase’s 2K leads us to green in the heat and I
quickly find that the turn one high groove is going
to be fun. One thing about a clay track that you
can count on is that every lap around, it’s going to
change. A little rivulet of water coming off the bank
makes for an interesting entry into turn two but if
you can’t have fun throwing a modified around
then you just aren’t looking for fun. Chase pulls
me out of two and the B29 draws even again down
the back chute. We repeat the sequence through
three and four, we’re both looking for better bite
but have to share the preferred line, we never
touch and juggle the top spot while Rockola, Tom
Witter and Dad wait for us to bust a move. Through
lap four and it’s still a dead heat, I feel Rockola’s
bump draft nudge down the front straight, I’m
holding him up but it can’t be helped, at least I don’
t have to wonder where the #99 is, and that
bumper needed polishing anyways. Thanks
Johnny, one less chore for me! Laps are winding
down now and the top side is coming in out of turn
4, slam on the volume and I see Jim struggling for
bite down low, the B29 pulls out some daylight for
the checkers with Rockola slipping by the 2K on
the last straight for 2nd, Tom Witter holds off Dad
for 4th and we’re back to the pits and on the
trailers. The temperature has dropped 10 degrees
in a matter of minutes and lightning is flashing all
around the track. It’s as if we’re in our own little
cocoon here though and the rain stays away. The
cars come back off the trailers easily anyway
although for a few minutes it looked like the heat
was all we were gonna get in. Toothy grins and
sweaty backslaps abound in our pits, the mood is
great and only gets better as the weather clears.
Chase congratulates me and wonders if my fortune
was due to my ‘good luck’ charm he’s noticed in my
car. I’m puzzled and take a look, those aren’t my
panties and I quickly move them to Rockola’s
mount. Note to self: bring a thong to plant in some
unsuspecting members’ uniform bag. I can see that
one playing out already upon discovery..’SURE
YOU WENT TO THE RACES, UH HUH!...’ That’s just
plain rotten eh? OK, back to play, we adjust the jet
on the 43A and change tires for some more gear, I
instruct Dad to put his foot in it for the feature and
create a monster.
Dodging a few rogue sprinkles, the club heads out
to the track for our feature event. The 43A leads us
to green but Chases 2K pulls to the lead entering
turn one. Witter is quickly by as well and then Dad
flicks the switch, sitting in the cat bird seat is the
B29 and Rockola, we have the best seat in the
house for the ensuing battle taking place in front of
us. Lap three and Dad bonsai’s out of two slipping
back past the Witter Red #9. He’s quickly
challenging Chase out of four while Tom looks for
room, this is fun to watch but they’re dicing so
hard top to bottom that there isn’t much room to
challenge, patience, patience. Crossed flags and
Tom is back to second and then grabs the lead, Jim
and Dad show no quit though and are all over his
bumper. Lap 9 and Jim regains the lead, lap 10 is
a dead heat between the 2K and 9, we’re stacked
up behind them in a group you could throw a
blanket over. I’m having a hard time concealing the
grin under my handkerchief, running this closely
with ne’er a worry of getting clobbered is just a
blast. With the white flag waving the Chase 2K
takes control while Rockola has found room on the
bottom to move up. Here come the checkers and I
try to find bite on the bottom to nip Dad at the flag
to no avail, the flag flies over Chase, Witter,
Rockola, Dad and the B29. Nobody lost this race,
we just ran out of laps and Jim earned it, Dad’s
efforts netted him the 50’s class win. Like I said,
maybe a little short on quantity, but certainly not
quality, and who can ever complain about a top 5?
(Even if it was a certainty?)
Pit notes: Many thanks to Frank Payne and all at
Skyline Speedway who made our evening so
enjoyable, Gary Wood for helping us with our cars
and taking shots in the pits, Sue Lowe for once
again providing me with her accurate lap sheets,
Howdy Witter for lining us up, Nikki for keeping us
organized and Mom for the zucchini. Also want to
thank everyone in the club who traveled to put on a
show that had the fans clapping afterwards, there’s
nothing like good close clean competitive racing to
spur interest in our club and the compliments
heard afterward are very encouraging. Richard and
Sharon Parry’s #37 Jack Johnson Falcon did brisk
business behind the grandstand and enjoyed
visiting with racing legend Grayson Smith of
Marathon, NY. ‘Racing Grayson’ was the first driver
in the seat of Dave McCredy’s Sherburne based S-
33, a ride later piloted by greats such as Don
Henderburg, Chuck Mahoney, Dutch Hoag (most
notably at Langhorne) and of course, NASCAR
Sportsman champ, Bill Wimble. Grayson started
the McCredy tradition in 1949 by guiding the
‘Green Hornet’ Plymouth coupe at gritty pioneering
tracks such as Bennett’s Field and Brookfield,
enjoying success at every venue they visited. John
and Barb Clark’s 3X of Benny Stephens and
Smoky Joe Norton drew equal attention while
former Skyline late Model star Roy Shields held
court. Our show car class spreads a lot of good will
to the fans and we all appreciate their efforts. It
truly was a great night, “Just awesome, couldn’t
have been any better” was how Jim Chase
described it. Jim was all grins and pumped up to
pullout the win in front of visitor Charley Enders of
Phoenix, Arizona. Charley’s the nephew of past
long time car owner Ray Enders whose #150 cars
were legend with Keith Gray and Larry Nye in the
seat. Past Midstate competitor Jeff Gilbert was also
on hand with the IMCA Mods and pitching an idea
of a ‘60’s Throwback Night’ for next season at the
track, was good to see Jeff again. To be honest, the
mood around the club was just excellent all night
long; this has just been a joy to participate in.
Back home by 11:00 Pm and wind down with the
boys. Nothing beats three grinning beasts wagging
their collective tails off. Now if I could only attach a
sponge to those tails the B29 would be washed in a
jiffy. Just past 1:00 Am and Ted Schmidt already
has his great shots forwarded to me, thanks again
Ted, it was great to see you again and we look
forward our return trip to Skyline next year, it sure
was a blast this year. OK – off this thing, I have a
date with a hose and my three sons, nothing beats
watching a 180 lb. Saint Bernard shake down after
a shower, just park the racecar next to that
spectacle, and it’s washed.
Coming attractions: This week the club will have a
display at the Otsego County Fair in Morris NY.
Just off of turn 1 of our beloved Midstate
Speedway, race fans will be able to pour over cars
that raced at the track during its heyday. Member’s
Mike Newell and John Mason have been working
tirelessly at the event which will also include track
memorabilia and salty tales. A worthwhile trip back
in time at the site that inspired our clubs
formation. The racing division will be back on the
track in two weeks at Black Rock Speedway for a
special Saturday night show including some Sprint
Car action, it’ll be fun.
Ted Schmidt Photo's
Thank You once again Ted.