The 4th Turn
~ By Tom Boggie

The Frozen Four (the NCAA hockey championships, for those who don’t follow such things) is over, and the Stanley Cup playoffs (that’s NHL, again for those … well, you know who you are) are under way, so that means just one thing.

It must be opening weekend of dirt track racing.

A lot has happened at Albany-Saratoga Speedway since “Wild” Bill Greco won the first opening night race in 1965. Third-eight different drivers have made their way to victory lane in the premier division on opening night, including Brett Hearn, who has seven opening-night wins, the most ever (is there anything Hearn doesn’t have the most ever of?).

Will Cagle won the first opening night race on dirt, in 1977, after C.J. Richards took over operation of the track, and C.D. Coville recorded his first career win on opening night in 1980. The list of opening night winners also includes legends like Jack Johnson, Ken Tremont Jr., Jerry Cook, Dave Lape, Bugsy Stevens and Stewart Friesen.

But one of the best opening night stories came in 2011, when 20-year-old Jake Zakrzewski of Schuylerville drove to his first – and only – win at Albany-Saratoga Speedway.

The 2011 season was the second year of Bruce Richards’ switch to asphalt, and was the only season when the track had a NASCAR sanction and ran mandated 602 crate engines. That decision put a lot of money into the pockets of Mike Romano and Jake Spraker, who were running Glen Ridge Motorsports Park at the time, but seriously hurt the car count at Albany-Saratoga.

Zakrzewski had started racing late in the 2010 season at Albany-Saratoga, and had a virtually new TEO chassis ready for 2011. The night before the opener, Richards ran a test-and-tune session, and Zakrzewski, who had “Wild Thing” stitched on the back of his firesuit, got about 80 laps of practice in.

“I knew I had the equipment and knew it was going to be up to me to pull it together,” he would say later.

On opening night, Joe Williams was the class of the field and was cruising along when a caution flag helped Zakrzewski make up a lot of ground. Then, with four laps left in the 35-lap feature, Zakrzewski made the pass for the lead and held off Williams for the final four laps.

A star was born, or so everyone thought.

After a rainout in Week 2, Zakrzewski came back the next week, and finished fourth, this time behind Williams. But like a comet that streaks through the night sky, “Wild Thing” made a quick impression and then was gone.

He only ran four more races that year, appearing for the final time at Albany-Saratoga on July 1. His finishes were 12^th, 10^th, 10^th and 13^th in a field that never had more than 15 cars.

But “Wild Thing” had already made his mark, joining the roster of opening-night winners at Albany-Saratoga Speedway.

THE MENU

Here’s what’s on tap for opening night around the Capital Region.

Albany-Saratoga Speedway promoter Lyle DeVore will come out of the gate with the “Come ‘N Get It” modified shootout, a 54-lapper that will pay $5,400 to win tonight. If I was a betting man (oh wait, I am) I’d put a couple of bucks on Friesen. In the event of rain, the “Come ‘N Get It” program will be run on Tuesday.

On Saturday, Lebanon Valley will kick off its 67^th season of racing with a $5,000 to win modified feature.

Fonda Speedway, now under the direction of promoter Brett Deyo, will also open its season Saturday, with a card topped by a $4,000 to win modified feature.

Glen Ridge is scheduled to open on May 5.

JUST MY OPINION

I recently saw that Deyo is going to pay $8,000 to win next week’s regular 30-lap modified feature at Fonda Speedway. On what he’s calling “Fonda Speedway Allegiance Night,” he wants to “fill the famed grandstands with all the old and new Fonda Speedway racing apparel.”

I’m not sure that paying the performers more money is the right way to bring in a big crowd. If I’m going to a concert to see a band that I’ve seen before, I really don’t care if they’re getting paid more money than they usually get. That’s not going to change the quality of the performance.

If you really want to spend extra money, have a “White Out” or “Black Out” night, and give everyone a free T-shirt with the track logo on it. That might bring in some new fans.

If there are three things dirt track racing fans want, it’s good racing, cold beer and free stuff.

AROUND THE TRACKS

In case you haven’t been keeping up with racing news, a lot has been happening lately.

Friesen won last week’s Carl Van Horn Memorial race at Orange County Speedway, picking up $7,111 for the win. Hearn finished second, and Tremont was fifth. That was Tremont’s second trip to Orange County this season. He didn’t qualify for the “Hard Clay Open” on April 7.

The Super DIRT Series kicked off its 2019 season last weekend at Can-Am Speedway, with Matt Sheppard getting the win. Three Albany-Saratoga Speedway drivers who said they are going to follow the series were on hand for the opener. Jessey Mueller finished 12^th, Jack Lehner was 16^th and Demetrios Drellos was 17^th.

Marc Johnson, the 2016 modified champion at Albany-Saratoga Speedway, is going to add Lebanon Valley to his weekly racing schedule. He’ll be climbing behind the wheel of the Scott Hamlin Racing modified that Chad Jeseo drove last year.

Devil’s Bowl owner Mike Bruno recently purchased the King of Dirt Series from Rob Hazer, and in the blink of an eye, Albany-Saratoga, Lebanon Valley and Airborne Park dropped off the schedule, leaving the KOD with only a couple of races at the Bowl. Bruno stated that the series isn’t dead, and had a meeting with Lyle DeVore to try to iron things out, but there’s been no news since. The KOD might not be dead yet, but it’s time to get out the paddles.

In one of the best kept secrets at Albany-Saratoga Speedway, the beer concession is adding product from Druthers Brewing Company to its menu.

Don’t be surprised to see the Adirondack Auto-sponsored No. 35 pull into Albany-Saratoga Speedway from time to time this season. The George Huttig-owned 35 was a familiar sight in the pits when Mike Perrotte was doing the driving. Mike Mahaney is behind the wheel this season, and although his schedule isn’t set in stone, there could be some stops in Malta.

The addition of a half-dozen more cars could push the modified car count at Albany-Saratoga Speedway over 30 this year, but DeVore doesn’t plan on sending anyone home empty-handed.

“If there are 30, we’ll start all 30,” he said. “Our goal is to have everybody run.”