~ By Tom Boggie

When someone in the racing community dies, they usually get a couple of paragraphs at the end of The 4^th Turn, as I offer condolences to the family and friends of the deceased.

That’s not the way it’s going to be this time. Don Davies deserves top billing.

Don died last Sunday after a two-year battle with cancer, leaving behind his wife and life partner JoAnn, their son Brian and Brian’s wife Amber.

But Don left something else behind … the legacy of being one of the most-respected writers in the history of motorsports journalism.

By chance, Don and JoAnn, who met in college (JoAnn saw her first race at Flemington when she tagged along with Don and a couple of his college buddies) and were married in 1969, began writing for “Speedway Scene” in 1972 and later joined the staff of “Area Auto Racing News” in 1986. Their weekly column, “New York Modifieds,” was a must-read. Last year marked the 50^th anniversary of Don and JoAnn’s journalistic life together.

Don had already established himself as a top-notch motorsports journalist by the time I started covering dirt track racing for The Schenectady Gazette in 1980. I don’t remember ever being formally introduced to him, but we kind of grew on each other by wandering the pits at Albany-Saratoga, Fonda, Lebanon Valley, the Moody Mile at Syracuse and other tracks throughout the Northeast.

The one thing that Don possessed that I didn’t was a passion for racing. That passion had been sparked when he was a young boy, watching cars go by his house on their way to Brookfield Speedway, continued to burn through his high school and college days and never once showed signs of being extinguished. I was at the races because it was my job; Don was at the races because it was his desire. One of the only other people I’ve ever known who had that type of passion for dirt track racing was my childhood friend and high school classmate, Andy Fusco, who died in 2015. It was kismet when Don and JoAnn received the Andrew S. Fusco Award for Media Excellence from the Northeast Dirt Modified Hall of Fame in 2018.

Don earned the respect of everyone in the dirt track racing community, from promoters to officials to drivers and crew members. Everyone in the pits knew who he was and trusted him to write accounts that were accurate, insightful and unbiased.

It’s inevitable that, as we get older, there are going to be many more instances when condolences will need to be offered to grieving families. But let me tell you, it’s no fun saying goodbye to a friend and colleague.

I’ll miss you, Don.

WEDNESDAY AT MALTA

Albany-Saratoga Speedway promoter Lyle DeVore gave Davies a final tribute prior at Wednesday’s makeup night. Every car in the pits was brought out on the track for a silent four-wide salute, and the entire facility was quiet for a moment of silence that lasted for a full minute.

With the 35-lap modified feature being run without a caution, I never thought Adam Pierson had a shot at getting a win. But there he was, in victory lane, with his second win of the season. His charge to the front was hindered by a prolonged battle for the No. three position with Rich Ronca.

“Ronca is tough,” said Pierson after the race. “He was using a lot of the race track. I tried to get under him but had to back off. But he raced me clean and gave me enough of a hole on the inside to get through.”

Keep an eye on Ryan McCartney. This is only the second full season in a big block modified for McCartney, who recently turned 18, and he’s picked up some outside help in his quest to improve. His early racing career was on asphalt, and he still runs USAC Eastern midgets from time to time.

“Before, I couldn’t crack the top 15. Now, I’m finishing in the top five,” he said following his career-best third on Wednesday night. “I’ve had a fourth (on June 23), now a third. I guess the next thing is a second.”

Demetrios Drellos is the new modified point leader after finishing fifth Wednesday. Defending champion Matt DeLorenzo had the points lead, but his spot in the pits was empty Wednesday. Drellos started the night trailing by seven, but now leads by 21. I don’t want to sound stupid here, but how did DeLorenzo receive 20 points Wednesday? Don’t show-up points mean you have to show up?

Peter Britten was also absent Wednesday, with his 21A being driven by Max McLaughlin. According to reports, Britten suffered a hand injury in an accident in his garage and needed surgery to repair tendon damage.

Patience finally paid off for Nick Auspelmyer, who recorded his first career limited sportsman victory in one of the 15-lap features. “I’ve been this close so many times,” said Auspelmyer in victory lane, holding his thumb and forefinger a couple of inches apart. “After three years, to finally get this, is huge.”

Auspelmyer’s only other victory at Malta came when he was running a slingshot.

Scott Duell recorded his first win of the season in one of the 20-lap sportsman features, holding off a late charge by Mike Coffey Jr., and then said that Coffey Jr. had played a big part in the win.

“I borrowed a carburetor from Mike,” said Duell. “Mine wasn’t running right, so I got one from him.”

AROUND THE TRACKS

Bobby Hackel IV is on a roll. After winning the Heath Memorial at Five Mile Point two weeks ago, he came back last weekend and recorded his first career win at Fonda, driving a new Bicknell chassis.

Jessey Mueller, who also skipped the makeup night at Malta on Wednesday, chalked up his first win of the season at Airborne Park last Saturday, earning $3,000 for winning the track’s big block/small block challenge. That was Mueller’s first win at Airborne since June 1, 2019 and was his fourth career win at the Plattsburgh track.

When Glen Ridge Motorsports Park puts on its first RUSH Late Model race on Sunday, Brock “Bam Bam” Pinkerous will be coming in with some momentum. The 13-year-old finished seventh (after starting 14^th) last Saturday at Pittsburgh Motor Speedway and walked out with a total of $1,707. Seventh place paid $1,200, carried a $107 bonus and he was also Rookie of the Race, worth another $400.

Matt Janczuk took home the top prize of $5,000 by winning the 67-lap “Prelude to the Vermont 200” last weekend at Devil’s Bowl Speedway. Janczuk brought out a new TEO Pro chassis and was the class of the field. Frankie Hoard III finished second. Janczuk had only raced at Devil’s Bowl once before, finishing third in the Vermont 200 in 2020.