RPW Exclusive: A Hard Friday Night
Column By: TOBY LAGRANGE / RPW – MALTA, NY – On Thursday July 17th
the racing world lost someone who devoted his adult life to our great sport and the friends and family of Bobby Chalmers lost a very important piece of their life. To many he was a mentor and to others like myself he was someone that we were happy to call a good friend.
While we didn’t agree on everything, I knew that if I ever needed anything, he would be there.
There is no doubt that Thursday July 17th was a rough day for all of us that knew Bobby, but I would quickly find out that the next day would be even harder.
You see on Friday July 18th, I made my way to the Albany-Saratoga Speedway for only the second time this season, with my first trip being the season opening Super DIRTcar Series event back in April. Thanks to Mother Nature my other planned visits were washed out.
I did what I have done hundreds of times before…I put on my Race Pro Weekly shirt, left my office and made the half hour or so drive-up Route 50 to The Great Race Place. During those thirty minutes my mind began to wander, it began to think of other events at the Malta oval, specifically one in particular.
Last summer Lyle DeVore and his staff paid tribute to the late Don Davies with the running of a Super DIRTcar Series event in his honor. Don helped me a bunch when I was a writer, so I wanted to go and pay my respects by attending this special event.
Even though I could have reached out to Bobby and received a credential, I decided I wanted to pay my way in like everyone else. I wanted to just go as a fan…as someone who simply appreciated an event being put on to remember someone who was so special to our sport.
I purchased my pit pass and walked through the gates. I made my way over to the Super DIRTcar Series trailer near the base of the pit tower and while reading the posted schedule and information, I feel someone’s hand on my shoulder.
It was Bobby…and before I could say hi, he had taken my reporters notebook out of my back pocket (I always carry that regardless if I am at a track as media or not) and with that smile of his said, I see that you have this…does this mean I have a writer here tonight…and a video guy?
My answer of course was, sorry…not tonight.
Then Bobby started talking about how great it would be to have some video and some new written content up and before to long, I was taking notes and recording the drivers meeting.
That was Bobby…he had a way of convincing people.
I hadn’t smiled much over the past 24 hours but that story put one on my face, even if for just a few moments.
It wasn’t long before I pulled into the track and then it really hit. I walked over, signed in as a member of Race Pro Weekly and when I walked through the gates it hit me…there would be not Bobby story tonight…or ever again.
I almost didn’t go Friday night but he would have wanted me to…so I did.
Despite the sadness, it was good to be back at the track I once called home. The racing, the atmosphere and the staff were as they always have been, awesome.
The Empire Super Sprints were in town and what a show they put on. Kudos to the 24 drivers, their teams and the ESS staff for putting on such a great show. A big congrats to Jordan Poirier for picking up the A-Main win. You can see the second-generation drivers victory lane celebration on the Race Pro Weekly YouTube and Facebook pages.
Matt Delorenzo showed his dominance once again at the Route 9 oval. He won his third DIRTcar Modified feature event in a row and fifth of the season. He also has one DIRTcar 358 Modified win under his helmet this season.
“Matty D”, as my old announcing partner and Hall of Famer Jim Would call him, is the first driver to win three DIRTcar Modifieds feature events in a row since Marc Johnson did it back in 2016. You can see Matt’s victory lane celebration on the Race Pro Weekly YouTube and Facebook pages.
Veteran driver Mike Bensen, who was a long-time standout driver on the old CVRA 358 Modified circuit returned to racing not long ago after many years away from the driver’s seat. Bensen picked up the DIRTcar Sportsman feature event win Friday night over a couple rising starts – Nick Brundige and the driver who visited victory lane on opening day, Chris Jakubiak.
Rich Crane took the win in the DIRTcar Pro Stock division feature event. I spoke to Rich after his win and he was happy to be in victory lane after all of the troubles they have had. You can see my full interview with Rich and his victory lane celebration on the Race Pro Weekly YouTube and Facebook pages.
Young Gun Bodie Marks picked up his second win of the season at The Great Race Place in the Limited Sportsman division. The win brings his rookie season total to six as he has four feature wins at the Glen Ridge Motorsports Park. You can see Bodie’s victory lane celebration on the Race Pro Weekly YouTube and Facebook pages.
P.J. Cram joined Delorenzo in the Albany-Saratoga Speedway Six Time Feature Winner club. Cram claimed the 20-lap Street Stock event which was worth $500 courtesy of Ghent Wood Products.
I have posted about 20 videos from Friday night on the YouTube and Social Media pages of Race Pro Weekly…be sure to check them out.
My next visit to Albany-Saratoga will be in August (date TBA) but I also plan on being at all four events in the month of September.
Even though the man who lived for Race Pro Weekly is gone, Race Pro Weekly will live on as we plan on keeping it going for years to come.
