Column By: MIKE TRAVERSE / RPW – ACCORD, NY – After a long and busy off season, Accord Speedway was back in action with their practice session on Friday.
Racers and fans that attended the session noticed some changes in the facility. There is Improved lighting in the 3rd and 4th turns. There has been extensive work on the backstretch wall with the addition of advertising along with ACCORD SPEEDWAY once again spelled out as it was for so many years.
A great looking job by the Accord staff.
One other change that was just made recently was a bit of a reconfiguration of turns 1 and 2.
“We made an adjustment to adjust that turn,” said Accord owner Gary Palmer. “It was a tight turn and by working on the inside of 1 and 2, we have made it a wider and more sweeping turn.”
And Gary is very pleased with the work on the backstretch wall.
“We wanted to get the advertising back up there along with the track name like it was.”
There were some new faces taking practice in the Modifieds during the session.
Travis Green in the Cordova #7, Hunter Lapp in the #60, Tyler Johnston in the #5 and Tighe Sherlock in the #1A were racers getting some experience with their first laps at Accord in the Modifieds.
Veteran Modified drivers in the practice included Chris Stevens, Brad Rothaupt, Joe Judge, Mike Ricci, Shane Jablonka, Rich Eurich, Jimmy Wells and the Ferrier brothers, John, Ken and Scott.
Other younger Modified drivers at the practice, Cody Higbie, Daniel Morgiewicz and Jared Miller, were getting laps in at the practice. Look for these drivers to be in the mix at Accord in 2023.
Lapp topped the Modified speed chart followed by Higbie, Stevens, Morgiewicz and Johnston.
Brayden Traver and Alex McCann, both moving up to Sportsman from Slingshots, got in their first laps in the bigger machines.
Some of the more experienced Sportsman racers taking laps were Joey Bruning, Kevin Stevens, Eddie Owens and the Holmgren brothers, Leif and Thor.
The Conklin Racing Team, Joe and his son Joey, are racing regularly at Accord in 2024. They both had sharp looking new schemes, Joey with a new number and colors.
Other Sportsman racers at the practice were Ryan Behent, Clarence Brewer, Tommy Vasta, Kyle Smith, Darrell Quackenbush, Lenny Helmich, John Woinoski and Duke Cole.
Joey Conklin topped the speed chart for the Sportsman followed by Bruning, Stevens, Owens and Behrent.
Among the Pure Stocks practicing were defending co-champion Gary Ronk, Ray Tarantino, Shawn Williams, David Demorest, Mike Corbin and Brian Chirico.
Some of the 4 Cylinder racers taking laps were Brandon Conklin, Jeff Degroat and George Barringer.
Anthony Tarantino was practicing in a sharp looking #48 4 Cylinder race car.
Sophia Spear and Breanna Reynolds paced the Slingshot racers.
Some Accord Vintage Modifieds took part in the practice including the Larry Ricci/Adam Douglas 32, the 39 of Eric Orr, the 7 of Ray Kilmer and the Flying M of Kevin Montanye.
Sprint car racers taking laps were Joe Kata, Dan Malley, Isaiah Masker and Clint Roehrs.
The next action at Accord Speedway occurs on Friday, May 3rd as it will be Opening Night sponsored by Fast Signs and Dave Decker Contracting.
Following the Friday, May 10th racing, Accord will be back in action with one of their marquee events of the season on Tuesday, May 14th with the Battle at the Bullring. Always great to watch some of the top northeast dirt Modified racers take on the challenge of Accord Speedway.
Make your plans to hit Accord Speedway in 2024 for some great racing!!