April 14, 2008
Mother nature did her best to put a damper on the inaugural Race-B-Q Race Car Show held at the Wysox Fire Company on Sunday. With showers throughout the morning hours and temperatures starting out in the 30's, show organizers did not expect very good results for their first effort.
With little more than an hour before the setup deadline and few race cars on hand, the outcome looked very bleak. Suddenly, racecars began pouring onto the grounds as the skies began to lighten and some breaks of blue began to appear. Gradually, temperatures rebounded into the 50's and the day turned party sunny. What looked to be a disaster quickly turned into what many in attendance termed “a great success”.
“Today's show was really a testament to the dedication and determination of racers” stated co-organizer Billy Maynard. “Racer's love to race. When they can't be at the track, they love to gather with other racers and race fans and talk about their efforts, the sport, and just socialize with those who share their interests. They really came through and we can't thank them enough for their support. The miserable weather certainly gave every one of them an excuse not to show, but incredibly we had only one racer out of 40 cars pre-registered not show, but they were kind enough to let us know in advance that something unforseen came up. We actually had several racers show that we weren't expecting.”
“We've put a lot of effort into the show. When the weather became an issue, the Wysox Fire Company members graciously emptied the firehouse and opened the fire hall for dining. We put as many of the racers inside as possible while leaving enough room for people to walk around and view the wide variety of machines on display. Our goal for our first year was for everyone to simply have fun and leave with a positive impression, as we are hoping to make this an annual event” said Maynard.
After speaking with several of the racers as they loaded their machines, it certainly appears that the mission was accomplished. “In nearly every way, the event surpassed all of my expectations” Maynard continued, quickly pointing out that the show would not have been possible without the support of many sponsors and individuals.
The show was sponsored by Green's Auto Mart, Pickering Winery, and D & J Fotos, who provided a participation award to every racer displaying a machine, along with some very nice handmade awards in various categories. 95.3 “The Bridge” was on hand for the first 2 hours of the event, courtesy of Wyalusing Valley Motorsports Park. WVMP also provided some of the staff for the event. Hawke DJ Service provided use of their soundsystem, as well as music in the closing hour of the show. Graphix By Billy sponsored a pit crew competition that saw 8 teams battle for prizes, providing entertainment for what turned out to be a very nice turnout of race fans. Trivia questions were asked throughout the day will prizes provided by WVMP, Triple K Motorsports, Forbes Machine Shop, D & J Fotos, Penn Can Speedway, and Maynard Enterprises.
The Spalding Foundation For Injured Drivers was on hand, holding a chinese auction and raising $279 for the charity. Race vehicles included several types of stock cars, karts, small cars, sprint cars, a drag car, a racing mower, and an antique stock car that, while chatting with owner Al Tasnady, was found to be a former Nazareth, PA track champion machine.
All of the racers did a great job with their machines, making the task of judging very difficult. When all was said and done, and the judges results tallied, the following awards were presented:
Best in Class Awards: Tyler Chapman (Open Kart), Derek Chapman (Caged Kart), Corey McCarthy (Smallcar), Bob Maynard/M.R. Dirt Racing (Micro Sprint), Kurtis Benjamin (FWD 4 Cylinder), Eric Ellsworth (Mini Stock), Bob Maynard (Full Size Fendered), Geoff Powell (Dirt Open Wheel), Potrzebowski/McGuire Motorsports (Asphalt Open Wheel)
D & J Fotos “Picture Pretty” Award: Rayce Ayres (Caged Kart #Rayce1)
M.R. Grafix Best Use of Paint & Graphics Award: Geoff Powell (Dirt Sportsman #07)
Fans Choice Award: Kurtis Benjamin (FWD 4 Cylinder)
Best In Show: Potrzebowski/McGuire Motorsports (SST Modified #51)
Graphix By Billy Pit Crew Competition: 1st Place – McCarthy Motorsports, 2nd Place – Billy Groover/Kyle Hutchinson, 3rd Place – Bob Maynard/Rod McConnell
Appreciation awards were also presented to the Wysox Fire Company on behalf of the racers and sponsors of the show for their hospitality, and to Dean Patterson of American Traditions Motorsports for displaying their stunning 9-11 Tribute Dirt Modified and a driving simulator for entertainment.