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chutch84
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84Jr Mini-Stock "RIPPED OFF" at Albany-Saratoga Speedway
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The Albany-Saratoga Speedway had an "OPEN" (remember this word) Mini-stock/Dukes Race scheduled for today,Sept 27th.
Because it was an "OPEN" race,I specifically posted a question on the Dirt track Digest in a column where one can ask the promoters a Question. I asked if We could bring a Four Cylinder Super-stock ,typically race at The Brewerton speedway??? His reply in that forum for all to see was "Yes,Bring it on"Home track rules apply". this reply came right from the track promoter himself,Bruce Richards.
We didn't leave Sauquoit until 2:00 PM this afternoon and the racing was to begin at 4:00 PM,we were a little late but made it in time,missed "Hot-Laps" but figured we'd get the track figured out in the heat race,we had lots of tires ,and I could figure out stagger and tire pressures before the feature.
Well,Claude Jr had to go over the scales and get the car teched....there was quite a crowd around the SAAB Mini-Stock as it seems the eastern end of the state doesn't have any real Four cylinder Race cars....The Tech inspector himself loved the car!! After the inspection and passing all safety aspects the Tech man saw the AMERICAN RACER tires and called Bruce Richards to ask if the tires were OK to Run today,Mr Richards reply was ,"YES",Home track rules apply"
I figured we'd better get back to our pit and get ready to go,Claude Jr got Suited up,I got his Helmet ready,and Fueled up the car. I went to go check the Pit lineup board and was pretty surprised!!! No Heat race!! A 15 lap feature only and The 84JR was slated to start in Last place on the outside row!!! Kinda STRANGE....NO DRAW AT THE GATE AND APPARENTLY JUST LINE THEM UP AS YOU SEE THEM COME THROUGH THE GATE OR SOMETHING. We no sooner walked back over to the car and saw the Mini-stock/Dukes open race lining up...Holy Mackeral!!! Jump in and Hustle buddy....I told Jr to get the car fired up and get some heat in the motor....By the time he pulled over to the track entrance the rest of the field was pulling onto the racing surface.
Jr brought up the rear and it's a darn good thing they went a few laps under caution to allow the potent SAAB engine to get some heat in the motor before the green flag drops.
No Hot laps,no heat race??? Ok Claude,Just do your thing and be smooth....When the Green flag dropped Claude jr starting picking them off one at a time,coming up through the pack patiently but on a mission. By lap 3 he had made it to 2nd place and all of a sudden there is a caution.The leader picked the inside and the green flag once again fell out of turn four...It was over...The 84JR took the lead coming right down the frontstretch and commenced to just walk away from the rest of the field. By lap eight he was weaving through lap cars at a rampant pace,by lap 10 he had lapped the entire field including the "Dukes" which are 305 CI V-8 cars and was working on lapping some cars for the second time.
All of a Sudden,I hear the announcer say over the loudspeaker that the 84JR was not in the lead anymore as his car does not comply with the track rules,they announced the new leader whoever it was(which was in second place but a lap down)!!!! I couldn't beleive my ears!!! What the heck!!! The flagger showed Claude Jr the Checkered flag and he did a cooldown lap and pulled up to the frontstretch. Albany-Saratoga speedwy does not do Victory lane on the track but at a place over in the pits where they pull the car up in front of this special sign....when Claude Jr pulled over to the trailer he did not know that they had taken the win away until I told him....he,as well as I thought what a RIP-OFF!!!! especially after getting permission before going out there and even after being passed and approved in tech-Inspection. apparently this track just makes a rule or decision up right in the middle of the race!!! It is WRONG...If they thought we were too fast or the car was too much for this so called "OPEN" race which was advertised in the gater and on their website as an "OPEN" race and home track rules apply,they should have said so at the Tech Inspection. They got our money and apparently that's all that counts. To change their minds in the middle of the race is BULL!!!
I did speak with Bruce Richards,the promoter that approved the car to race and all he could say is,you can't race that car here with all that much performance!! I was very calm and reminded him that he approved it on Dirt track Digest,Approved it in Tech Inspection,including the very specific question about our tires. His only reply was "It'll never happen again!" He promised us a trophy for our efforts but I did not see any trophy in the extra Half hour we hung around so we loaded up and left. I had to fill out paperwork at tech and put Claude Hutchings Jr on the paper and they announced him as "Chris Higgins" or some stupid thing,guess they can't read at this track either. I then asked him if Claude Jr could Race with the Limited Division (pure Stocks/street stocks) He paused for a moment....and said ...."NOPE" Ok ,,see ya later. Problem is ,after watching the Limited division run there, I'm pretty sure Jr could have possibly pulled off a victory there as well,they're nothing special and I see why thet stay in the eastern part of the state now,the real racecars are here in Central New York!!!!
I'm really dissappointed as I feel we were wronged. It was advertised as an "OPEN" Mini-stock race. It's not like we were messing with anybodies points or anything,these year end races are supposed to be for fun.
Claude Jr was asked to pull the SAAB into victory lane for photo's which I thought was pretty stupid after the decision but I think by then that the officials were just trying to pacify us.
The racing surface at that track is beautiful but I doubt we'll ever return for a very long time with poor judgement.
I think the track owes us an explanation and I will see if I can get one...Why the decision was made 2/3 through the feature??? What Bull!!!
It is best too cool down a bit before emailing the track as I am stll pretty fired up as I am writing this post,a good nights sleep will give me time to think about it,but,I doubt I'll feel any different.
Apparently SAAB automobiles are too fast for this track!!! Remember Darryl Carl's ordeals with the Enduro's!!!
Claude H.
The Track Entrance
Getting Ready to go GREEN....notice the Monte-Carlo V-8 behind jr, He'll lap this car in about 6 or seven laps
This was about lap three going into turn two
The LAP Four Restart...notice where the Yellow SAAB is now!!
This may be about one lap after the reastart.....the SAAB is really stretching it out now!!!
Awe...what the heck...Jr is still smiling and we know that he won!!!
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9/27/2008, 9:25 pm
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chutch84
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Re: 84Jr Mini-Stock "RIPPED OFF" at Albany-Saratoga Speedway
Ater postig this I thought I'd click over to Drt Track Digest to see if anyone was saying anything about today's racing in Malta..
Here's a Few posts...maybe they changed theire mind after we left because the results are showing him the Official Winner
Post 1
Has anyone heard from Malta yet???
NEXT POST
Track was smooth as glass.. Car count wasn't as high as expected byt racing was decent.. You should have gone.... Started at 4:15 and was over at 6:30...
NEXT POST
Budget- Derrick Mcgrew, Mike Tholin was fast in his new crate motor.
Pro Stock- Luke theTWOh 4 cars on the track, 4 wide down the back stretch going into 3 on the first lap.
Limited-Was a fonda car...Believe an Older was in it? It was yellow. Awesome show as always for the limiteds. Can't wait to race with them next year
Cruisers- Jameson Tromans (6cyl), Outside Invader in a nasty fast saab 84jr (overall), Outside Invader in a new cavalier #13(4cyl), And the only Duke Stocker was the 2x of Bussino.
Sorry for my lack of memory on the names.
NEXT POST
Byron Wescott won the Limited/Street-Pure Stock Open...in the Darrel Older car from GR.
Claude Hutchings, Jr. won the Mini Stock Open in his Brewerton legal Saab. He lapped all but the top 3...and if this were a 20 lap race, instead of 15 would have lapped the field.
Good run Claude.
Overall, a good 2 hour show on a day when I really didnt think there would be any racing...
Results posted in the results section.
I checked the Results section and here they are...
Albany-Saratoga Speedway, Results - 9/27/08 Options Track this topic
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Toby J. LaGrange
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Find Member's Posts Today, 08:12 PM Post #1
DTD Is on my List as #1
Group: Members
Posts: 1063
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From: Gloversville, NY
Member No.: 2250
Budget Sportsman (20 Cars)
Heat Races: Jared McMahon, Derrick McGrew
1 - Derrick McGrew
2 - Mike Tholin
3 - DJ Brundige
4 - Jack Swinton
5 - Frank Hoard, III
Pro Stock (4 Cars)
1 - Luke Horning
2 - John Rivers
3 - Randy Miller
4 - Jeremy Pitts
Limited/Street-Pure Stocks (16 Cars)
1 - Byron Wescott
2 - Dan Petronis
3 - Dan Older
4 - Cody Bleau
5 - Mark Lester
Mini Stock/Duke Stocks (12 Cars)
1 - Claude Hutchings, Jr.
2 - Jasmine Tromans
3 - Don Curley
4 - Mike Cranston -1 lap
5 - Josh Reome -1 lap
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9/27/2008, 9:50 pm
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chutch84
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Re: 84Jr Mini-Stock "RIPPED OFF" at Albany-Saratoga Speedway
Here is a copy of the question I posted on "Ask the Promoter" on DTDPost #1
I'm Not So New Here
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Member No.: 10369
Is the Mini Stock "OPEN" on September 27th open to any Mini-stocks that run in New York state?? we typically run at the Brewerton Speedway. it is advertised as "OPEN" If that is so we may round up 4 or 5 cars from our area to come out on that night.
Claude Hutchings
Here was a Reply
chutch84, you should call the speedway office at 518-587-0220 and leave a message for Bruce to call you back to find out more specifics on the Brewerton "Mini Stocks".. I hope that everything works out so that you along with some of your fellow competitors can make the trip and find out why they call it "The Great Race Place"..
And My Reply to Him;
Thanks Krashmender....If I don't hear from Bruce in the next 24 hours or so on this Forum I will give him a call...It just seems as though there aren't too many places to run Mini-Stocks after the season points are done. When I see "OPEN" advertised,I expect that means "home track Rules" apply.hope so!! We want to get another race in this season...
Claude Hutchings
NOW HERE'S THE PROBLEM,This is why I was ticked!!! This is Bruces Reply on the DTD Forum
Yes it is open to anyone and everyone...
If it is legal at your track it is legal at Albany Saratoga...
BRING IT ON!!!
Thanks,
Bruce J Richards
Albany Saratoga Speedway
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9/27/2008, 10:00 pm
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Mike Kamm
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Re: 84Jr Mini-Stock "RIPPED OFF" at Albany-Saratoga Speedway
I'm sorry to hear that story Claude. It sounds like you guys weren't treated right over there in Malta. How many times have we told Jr. not to kill them like that? All he had to do was win by a car length or two. You guys all know that smoking the field at a dirt track will usually get you in some kind of trouble. 
I hope Bruce learned something from this.
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Race Here, Race Now!
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9/27/2008, 10:18 pm
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ZX2 2000
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Re: 84Jr Mini-Stock "RIPPED OFF" at Albany-Saratoga Speedway
Things like that have been going on at A/S for years. Seems Bruce learned from his father.
RCV
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Dick Vedder SL #1
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9/28/2008, 9:02 am
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MJGalusha33
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Re: 84Jr Mini-Stock "RIPPED OFF" at Albany-Saratoga Speedway
Claude, it really stinks that you got treated like that. No Its not right and you deserve an explanation.
But I do have afew issue with your post. If you think about it and look at what the CVRA Rules state about the mini "Stock" class there really is a huge difference to your SUPER Stock cars that race out west your way. They are called stock for a reason because thats quite simply all the cars are STOCK 4 cylinder cars. They are to me real race cars. No suped up race engines, suspenstion or any thing like that. Just Fun safe race cars that we put together to go out and have fun and not to spend tons of money to race and or put to gether, because we dont have or want to dump loads of money in to them.
I'm not trying to be out of line, but I really take offense when you put down the CVRA Mini stocks and say that they aren't real race cars. They are in fact. just that. Again for you to say that the race cars around this area are not real and to pretty much try to classify them as junk, along with saying that drivers are not up to your caliber and or standards to be "real". As you compare them to the drivers and cars from the CNY area, is just wrong. I know like i said before that you were wronged but to come on here and put down the race cars and drivers from this area, is not vey apprppriate.
For those types of classiifications and they reasons that such suped up 4 cyl cars race out west is oen if the main reasons drivers like my self stay and racein this area. Drivers like my self built simple stock type of mini stocks/cruisers just simply to go out and have fun and not put or spend tons of money in the race cars. If we did I myself wouldn;t put that kind of money into a small car , would move up and race an higher division car.
** This Post is not to offend any one in any shape or manner, just simply to justify the racecars and race drivers from this area that you dont feel are "real" as to your standards. Yes Claude Jr Did run a helluva race, driving with precision and respectabilty. I do wish that we had braught our race car to once again to race with him.
Matt Galusha
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9/28/2008, 11:31 am
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tirediron
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Re: 84Jr Mini-Stock "RIPPED OFF" at Albany-Saratoga Speedway
Matt
Thanks for the reply....yeah...you shoulda been there!!! You'd have had fun.
Sorry to strike a nerve but if you read my initial post,I did not downgrade any of the drivers at CVRA???? there are lots of great drivers at that track, Where did you read that??? I do realize that all the four cylinder cars in the capitol region are mainly stock under the hood and totally different than what is run in our area,my point there is that the Superstock cars are pure blooded,full race suspension,race tires,and most have engines reaching 200hp and more...Not even close to what you guys run as your division is meant to get people into racing at a lot smaller,affordable budget,and to keep the car counts high...sorry to have struck a nerve there.
I do realize what A/S speedway mini-stock rules are....,most tracks are similar to yours,we are not even close!!! that is why I specifically asked permission before coming. the reply stated if it is legal at your track,it's legal at A/S for the advertised event. The big issue there was that it was advertised as an "OPEN" race and means just that..."OPEN". I expected to see about 25 Mini-stocks from all over the place.
The SAAB was approved to run the event and then announced on lap ten that the lead was given to the second place car because it was too fast...that is my only issue.
Claude H.
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9/28/2008, 12:11 pm
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Dave 48
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Re: 84Jr Mini-Stock "RIPPED OFF" at Albany-Saratoga Speedway
Claude, you guys definitely should have the win especially since they looked at the car, passed it through tech, and took your entry money. They can’t change their mind in the middle of a race that’s just dumb.
Matt very well written response to Claude you stated what the differences in the cars were and the aim of the class at Albany Saratoga. The track promoter should not have let Jr run to begin with if they really wanted "Stock" 4 cylinder cars. If they were really paying attention they could probably hear the bark in the engine at idle and smell the race gas. They really screwed up. If there was a pay out they should give the winning $$'s to Jr.
Dave
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9/28/2008, 4:14 pm
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David Fazzino
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Re: 84Jr Mini-Stock "RIPPED OFF" at Albany-Saratoga Speedway
Good going Jr. "The Intimidator" Hutchings! These things will continue when your a class above the others. Keep your focus on the driving and don't worry about it....
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9/28/2008, 8:34 pm
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Turbo29DFC
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 Re: 84Jr Mini-Stock "RIPPED OFF" at Albany-Saratoga Speedway
Although I too feel it was a raw deal, I have to chuckle cause I mentioned to Claude Sr. they have no idea what they just oked on the DTD.com site.
Also, we should know better by now. Sandbagging is the way to go here. Course it may have been more fun for Jr to literally drive circles around the leader until the last lap......what a video it would have been.....
Never the less, I agree that if it passed tech it should have gotten the win. If it was good at tech then its good to go..
I need to stay outside the circle on this as I am working out details for iceracing and I also am a regular at this track..
Its a bad deal, but to an extent, we knew what the results were going to be anyway....didn't we........I did. Bruce isn;t fimilair with a 4cly race car that was purposly built like Jr's. He probraly expected the normal stuff that runs there and aside from what Matt thinks, they are just enduros cars that get to run every week. aside from a couple (Galushas included) none of the four cly cars at Malta look like serious race cars. Most all look like enduro cars.....there are reasons for this, but the Hutchings car is one of a kind.....
Remember sandbagging next time Jr......besides it will help learn more pateince and control of the emotions. but knowing you "can" at anytime is kinda cool too!
DC
#29 super modified
#14 pro stock
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Ice is for Racing, Asphalt is for getting there!!
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9/29/2008, 12:39 pm
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