RPW Exclusive: Even Though His Night Ended Early, Corey Cormier Turned Heads Wednesday At Fonda

Column By: DYLAN FRIEBEL / RPW – FONDA, NY – When it comes to big marquee events, making the field can be pretty cut throat. With names like track regulars Josh Hohenforst, Brian Gleason, and Danny Varin who don’t qualify along with former Super DIRT Week Champion veteran Jimmy Horton, it opens some eyes if you do.  That’s what happened last Wednesday at Fonda Speedway for Corey Cormier.

Cormier, a Sportsman regular and Modified rookie, made the field at Fonda for the Short Track Super Series show Wednesday night.  He’s a name you would know if you follow southern tier racing.

“It’s special to be out there running with those guys,” Cormier said. “Just to be out there and make the race is pretty cool.”

While everyone had to deal with the same set of circumstances, track conditions helped Cormier, who has limited seat time behind anything other than with a crate engine.  However, he does have a win at Penn Cann Speedway to his credit already with the Modified.

On Wednesday night, he finished fourth in his heat which put him in the show, rolling off 15th.  By gaining that starting position, the night was already a win for Cormier and his crew.  However. his night was short-lived, as due to rules, if a driver pulls behind the wall and not into the hot pit area when having something checked, their night is done.  That’s what he did, so he was done. and finished 25th.

“Yea we were overheating,” he said.  “I wanted to come down and get it checked.  I made the stupid mistake and went behind the wall and got disqualified.  What are you going to do, though.”

When it comes to switching from Sportsman to Modifieds, there’s always a learner curve and Corey understands this.

“We are learning,” he said. “I’m sure we have caught some people’s eyes, doing it as fast as we are while being competitive. We have work to do at tracks like this (Fonda), but it’ll come with time. Fonda isn’t as big as I thought.  The straightaway speed is where it’s most noticeable.  You come up on the corners and other drivers a lot faster.  That’s the biggest difference.”

While a DQ isn’t how Corey Cormier wanted to end his night, he knows just making the field over some big names in the dirt world was as good as a victory.  He sure turned some heads in his first big marquee Modified race, and has a lot more in his future, for sure.