Column By: TOBY LAGRANGE / RPW – FULTONVILLE, NY – The date July 14th, 2024 is a date that does not really drum up emotions for many people.
For most, it was just another beautiful day in upstate New York and for those attending the weekly program at the Glen Ridge Motorsports Park, just another, all be it exciting, race night in the hills overlooking the Mohawk Valley.
The night would feature the first of two appearances by the DIRTcar Pro Stock Series and the only appearance for the Slingshot by Tobias World Championship Series (for both divisions), plus a regular weekly program for the other divisions.
For two young drivers from the Adirondack’s Sunday July 14th, 2024 was far from just another beautiful day – it was a day that they, along with their friends and family will never forget.
The two drivers in question are 16-year-old soon to be Johnstown High School Senior Tavien Blowers and 11-year-old soon to be Gloversville Middle School sixth grader Alex Cosselman.
Blowers, of Caroga Lake and Cosselman, of Bleecker, are separated geographically by good stones throw on the Adirondack Map and pit only a handful of spots away from each other on the south side of the pit area.
Coming into the night’s racing action neither driver had won a feature event in their respective divisions either at The Ridge or anywhere else for that matter. They both had run very strong in previous races this season but had fallen short of holding that checkered flag.
A current regular in the DIRTcar Sportsman division, Blowers, like Cosselman, started out in the Slingshot division. He moved his way into the Limited Sportsman division last season and quickly reached victory lane. After a pair of wins in the Spring, Blower’s and the folks from O’Connor Motorsports moved into the regular DIRTcar Sportsman division. Despite missing the first few races, Tavien finished an impressive 7th in the final point standings.
Cosselman meanwhile is a sophomore driver in not only the Junior Slingshot division but in racing in general. The second-generation driver had not competed in any division prior to tackling the Ridge for her rookie campaign one year ago. After a pretty violent wreck in turn four early on in the month of June, Alex rebounded to finish the season in the eighth position in the final point standings.
When the checkered flag waved on the 30-lap DIRTcar Sportsman feature event on that Sunday evening, Blowers stood tall in victory lane. He had set out to do what he had dreamed of – reaching victory lane. He had some of the best in the Capital District DIRTcar Sportsman ranks right behind him including the top two in the current DIRTcar Sportsman point standings at The Ridge – Zach Buff and Taylor Wason and a three-time feature winner between The Ridge and the Albany-Saratoga Speedway – Cody Ochs.
“It feels good to finally get it done,” an excited Blowers told the crowd. “I cannot thank all of those who help enough”.
Cosselman meanwhile pulled off the upset in the 17-lap Junior Slingshot World Championship event. She didn’t just win any event; it was the biggest event in the area for the Junior Slingshot division with drivers from all over the Empire State battling drivers from Florida and Alabama.
As expected from a first-time winner who just turned 11 years old a few weeks prior, she had few words in victory lane when interviewed by track Head Starter and Victory Lane Announcer Brandon Krutz.
“It feels really good,” Cosselman said.
She would go on to thank her mom and dad, grandparents and other supporters.
On a side note, Cosselman didn’t just hold off the field. At the finish her margin of victory over two-time feature winner West Lebanon’s Carson Hamlin was nearly four seconds. On a track such as The Ridge where the division turns laps on average in the mid 16 second range, it was an eternity.
This past weekend Blowers nearly scored a repeat however he had to settle for a second-place finish behind feature winner and teammate Stephen Gray. Cosselman though had a rough night as she broke on a restart, while restarting on the front row. Her dad though saved the night by winning the DIRTcar Pro Stock feature event.
I am originally from Bleecker and spent many a summer day in Caroga Lake as a kid. In full disclosure Alex’s father and DIRTcar Pro Stock veteran Steve and I grew up together and he is my second cousin, his mom Linda is my first cousin and his late grandmother Edna was the oldest of my mom’s sisters. I tend to stay away from writing about family members, and trust me there have been many that I could have over the years.
In this case though, it was a beautiful day, featuring a beautiful story, taking place overlooking the beautiful Mohawk Valley and it was a day that two Adirondack kids like me will never forget.