The 4th Turn  ~ by Tom Boggie

Every time I read or hear “It’s The Big Show,” I automatically think of WWE superstar Paul Wight. Yeah, I know, the mind is a terrible thing to waste.

For racing fans, “The Big Show” is Brett Hearn’s annual Super DIRT Series race at Albany-Saratoga Speedway. I admit, when “The Big Show” first started, I was somewhat disappointed because it looked like any other Super DIRT Series race, and I expected more from “The Jersey Jet” when he dipped his toe into the promoting waters.

But Hearn is a perfectionist, and by schmoozing sponsors and kicking up the purse in recent years, he’s turned “Big Show 10,” which will take place on Tuesday night, into one of the area’s must-see events. Realistically, this will be the third big show (no capital letters!) at Albany-Saratoga for promoter Lyle DeVore in 2018. The first was the season-opening “Bring It” and the second was “The Tribute” to Jack Johnson and C.D. Coville two weeks ago.

And now, it’s “Big Show 10” time.

This isn’t just about racing, even though Matt Sheppard, Tim McCreadie and Stewart Friesen will be looking for the top prize of $10,000. Dirt track legend Gary Balough, who won the Schafer 200 in 1980 in the controversial “Batmobile,” will be signing autographs and selling copies of his newly released biography. And throw in the fact that retired NASCAR driver and current Fox analyst Kenny Wallace is scheduled to compete in a big block modified. Granted, Wallace was scheduled to appear in the last two “Big Shows,” but had scheduling conflicts both times. Maybe the third time’s the charm.

Spectator gates will open at 4 p.m., and from 4-6, fans will get an opportunity to pick the drivers they think will occupy the top five positions after time trials. A fan (or fans) who get all five correct will receive or share a $1,000 prize.

In addition to the Balough autograph session, the Super DIRT Series drivers will also be signing autographs, beginning at 5 p.m.

The 100-lap Super DIRT Series race will be accompanied by two 20-lap sportsman races, each paying $1,000 to win.

McCreadie is the defending “Big Show” champion, and there’s nothing he likes better than “taking Brett’s money,” as he stated after his win last year. Sheppard dominated in “The Tribute,” when Friesen was just a touch off on his setup. Can anyone top the Big 3?

As a promoter, Hearn can’t wait until Tuesday night. “I expect we’ll have the largest field of the summer,” he said.

BIG WIN FOR NELSON RACING

Car owner Bill Nelson realized a lifelong dream Saturday night when he stood on the checkerboard square at Fonda Speedway after his driver, Demetrios Drellos, recorded his first career big-block win at the Track of Champions last Saturday.

Nelson has been involved in racing since the late 1960s, when he began racing a late model at Fonda in 1968. His son Erik got the racing bug in the 1990s, and began racing a street stock, before moving up to a sportsman. Erik drove to a sportsman win at Fonda, but the ultimate goal for Nelson Racing was a big block victory.

The Nelson car carried Bobby Varin to track championships at Glen Ridge Motorsports Park in 2013 and 2014 (after Erik had been injured in an accident), but at the end of 2017, Erik decided to give up his driving career. Bill Nelson put a post of Facebook that he was looking for a driver, and Drellos answered. He wanted to start racing three nights a week this season, but knew that trying to maintain three cars is next to impossible. So he contacted Nelson about the driving opportunity.

The next thing he knew, he was the driver of Nelson’s new Bicknell, and on Saturday night, the Fonda rookie and his veteran car owner were in victory lane together for the first time. Drellos had some luck on his side Saturday, as defending track champion Tim Fuller blew the motor in his car just after taking the lead on lap 23. The Drellos name is part of Fonda’s lore. Demetrios’ grandfather, Chris, at one time fielded a three-car team at Fonda (numbered 11, 111 and 111A) and his drivers included Jeep Herbert, Buck Holliday, Pete Corey and Ken Shoemaker.

AROUND THE TRACKS

Put John Bellinger in the category of frustrated car owners. His son, Bodie, finished fifth in points at Albany-Saratoga Speedway last season, and the Bellingers had high expectations heading into 2018. But they can’t work the kinks out of their new Bicknell chassis. “There’s no side bite at all,” said John last Friday night as he was getting the car ready for what turned out to be a season-best seventh-place finish by Bodie. “No matter what we do, we can’t seem to get it to work. And the worst thing is that I bought two of them.”

Matt DeLorenzo isn’t having the same problem. After 15 years of running TEOs, DeLorenzo switched to a Bicknell this year and got his first win of the year last Friday at Albany-Saratoga.

Hearn and Keith Flach weren’t at Albany-Saratoga last Friday because they were racing in a Super DIRT Series race at Brewerton. Sheppard drew the pole and led all 100 laps, Hearn finished 17th, and Flach was 24th. Peter Britten, who had skipped the last two shows at Albany-Saratoga while recovering from a back injury, also raced at Brewerton, and should be back behind the wheel of Andy Romano’s 97 tonight at Albany-Saratoga.

Derrick McGrew Jr. chalked up limited sportsman victories at both Fonda and Glen Ridge last weekend. He’s now got four wins at each track.

Sometimes, new doesn’t mean better. Chad Edwards went back to last year’s Spencer Racing car and recorded his first win of the year in the sportsman feature at Fonda last Saturday. “We brought the old car out tonight and started right where we were last year, so I think we’ll keep bringing this car out from now on,” said Edwards after his win.

Connor Cleveland made a long haul to Weedsport pay off Tuesday night, winning the sportsman race that was run with the USAC sprints.

After finishing ninth in last weekend’s NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race at Iowa (he was running in the top five when he was involved in a five-truck wreck on lap 64), Friesen came back to win Wednesday night’s Short Track Super Series race at Outlaw Speedway in Dundee.

Albany-Saratoga Speedway will be celebrating the life of former track official Bernie Heald on the speedway grounds on Sunday, beginning at 1 p.m. All are invited.