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Utica Rome Speedway, Sept 5, 2010 Hi Race Fans; Well, Danny's finish tonight boosted him into the 7th spot in the points standings, which is great for his 2nd year in the Mods. He was in his Dad's heat race and finished right behind Bobby in the 5th and final qualifying spot. This put him into the 6th starting position for the 30 lap Mod feature. I had a hard time watching both of them but I think Danny fell out of the top 5 in the early going. As the feature wore on, he just kept getting one car at a time and with 7 laps to go he was showing in 3rd position. On lap 26 he was 4th and went to the bottom allowing two more cars to get by before the checkers flew. Bobby beat son Danny by a nose at the line. 11 -100ths of a sec. Now that's close. Danny will be back at Utica Rome next Friday and Sat for the final two races of the 2010 season. Good luck next week Dan. That's it for tonight. I'm tired and gotta get to bed. Rising up early to go hunting with the kids. Until next week.................... Utica Rome Speedway, Aug 29, 2010 Hi Race Fans; Well, Utica has been off for two weeks and I thought Dan might be a little rusty, but no. He seemed to be in top form tonight. He was in the first heat race which came out like this: 6----18V 3K---57 1XW--19K 93--7G On the start, Danny got some good bite and took off, just grabbing the lead to lead the first lap. He hung on for the duration, and though he lost the lead for one lap, he got it back and was first across the finish line. This qualified him for the twin 20's. The line up for the first race is on Bobby's site, but Dan started on the outside pole. When the caution flew, had had fallen back several spot. When the green finally came out after the first caution he dug in and started to pick spots back up and at the checkers he had moved back into 5th. For the 2nd feature he started up front again and managed a fine 5th place finish in the 2nd feature. To my way of thinking that was a good job, well done. Two top 5 finishes in twin 20's is nothing to sneeze at. Danny's next race will be next Sunday at Utica Rome. Hope to see you all there. Until then........................................ Utica Rome Speedway, Aug 8, 2010 Hi Race Fans; Another night of racing. Done. Danny was in the same heat as Bobby, and he also qualified grabbing the 6th spot. Danny was starting 9th in tonight's feature after qualifying in the heat race. When the green flag dropped, Danny took off and by lap 6 was being shown in the 4th position. On the restart it looked like Dan got bumped over the edge in turn three bringing out another yellow. This put Danny back to the back of the field after making a quick pit stop. Once the race got underway again he began the herculean task of trying to get to the front again. He was unable to do that, but did make it back up to finish in the 12th spot. So, both cars survived the wrecks around the speedway and managed decent finishes. Dan's next race will be at Fonda Speedway for the night of features on Aug 14, 2010. Hope to see you all there. Until then................................. Fonda Speedway, Aug 7, 2010 Hi Race Fans; Well, another race night is done. Tonight was Rite Aid night at Fonda Speedway and it sure looked like a good time was had by all. Bobby and Danny went over to the grandstands during intermission and signed autographs until they had to leave to get back to their cars for the Modified feature. Danny had a bit of a problem in his car for the heat race and was unable to get into a qualified spot, but he was close. He started the feature in the 19th spot. That's a long way back to be starting a 30 lap feature, but to his credit, he just kept on working away at passing cars. One by one he got by them until at lap 30 he had made it up into the top 10 and that's where he finished. Here's the final rundown for the Mod feature; 00; 76; 3D; 21J; 11A; 2rj; 26; 41; 17; 18V; 24L; 20C; 6H; 1G; 3; 74; 352; 7x; 14; 10C; 37H; 6M; 24; 16; 22; 28. Danny is set to head out to Utica Rome Speedway tomorrow for the race there. Stop by the pitarea sometime and talk to him. He would love to have a chance to chat with some of you. Hope to see you there. Until then...................................... Fonda Speedway July 31, 2010 Hi Race Fans; Well, let's start with the first feature of the night. Just before the rains last Sat, Danny had gone pit side for mud in his wheel. He came back out at the back and ran one lap before the next caution on lap 12 and that's where he picked up this week. From his 20th starting spot he drove steadily forward and at the finish he was up to the 11th spot. Not too bad with 12 laps already gone. Here's the finish of the first race: 00; 3D; 24; 3K; 21J; 11A; 2rj; 16; 76; 17; 18V; 22J; 41; 1G; 26; 24L; 28S; 20C; 6; 10C; 37H; 10%; 74; 14; 8; M2; 85. In the next Feature Danny started in the 3rd heat and here's the line up: 20C--28S 37H--17 11A--18V 3D---24 22J The top 5 finishers were the 17; 24; 28S; 11A; & 18V. The 2nd feature line up is on Bobby's web site. When the green flag dropped Danny was running the bottom and man was he fast. Even got by the 00 and looked like he was going to have an awesome run but then the top got extremely fast and too many got by before he was able to get to the top. Like a freight train! However, he held his own against some of them and finished in the 12th spot. And the car was still in fine shape. Danny's next race will be tomorrow at Utica Rome and we hope to see his fans there. Until next time..................................... Fonda Speedway, July 27, 2010 Hi Race fans; I can't raelly add much to Danny's site. He started 6th in his heat race, right behind his Dad. So tonight Bobby's draw was better than Dan's. From his 6th starting spot he went to the outside and got into 3rd which is where he finished. Once the feature got under way, it was difficult, at best, to follow Dan and Bobby both. I believe Dan fell back a ways during the middle of the race, but by lap 37 he was back on track and sitting in 8th spot and driving hard. He did get by some good cars and finished in the 8th spot. A good job, I would say, with all the guys that were here. Danny's next race will also be Thursday at Utica Rome Speedway. Hope to see ya all there on Thursday. Until then................................... Utica Rome Speedway, July 25, 2010 Hi Race Fans; Well, tonight I felt the little pitter patter of...............sun beams. The sun was out in force and the wind was blowing from the west making the track dry and slick but very smooth. Danny was in the 3rd heat which line up like this: B2---18V B16--78A 1X---L8s 42P--9S Danny was finally able to grab the lead, only to lose it to the 1x in turns 3 & 4 on the last lap. Finished 2nd In the feature It looked like danny was going hig to pass the 93 and his dad took the middle of the two and came out of turn 2 in 2nd with Dan 4th or 5th. By lap 3 he had recovered well and moved up into 4th and on lap 5 into 3rd. When the first caution came out on lap 11 Dan was in 5th. From that point on, he took to the high side of the Speedqy and clawed back into 4th, then 3rd. He fought back and forth with Stew Freisen between 4th and 5th but finally was able to clear the 93 for the 3rd spot and that's where he finished. A really nice run for Dan. Danny will be running on Tuesday and he hopes to see all you guys & gals there. Until Tuesday..................... Utica Rome, July 18, 2010 Hi Race Fans; Well, Danny also had a good start to his night. Won his heat race after starting 3rd. Started the feature in 4th but had some handling problems with the car. Came in the pits on lap 11 and joined the field at the back. Unfortunately, his night also ended early as he was involved in a wreck off turn one which ended his run. Two laps after his Dad dropped out with motor problems. A big let down after his fine run last night. Dan's next race is scheduled to be at Fonda, July 24, 2010. Hope to see you all there. Until next time....................... Fonda Speedway, July 17, 2010 Hi Race Fans; Well, tonight looked good again for Danny Varin. He started 5th in his heat race and finished 2nd behind the high flying 28 of Bob Savoie. In the feature Danny started in the 4th position and just plain drove the wheels off that car. He tried the bottom, the top and everywhere in between. He stayed 4th for quite a while, then back to 5th, and then worked and worked to get back into contention, which he did. With the race running green, whit, checkers, it was tough going but he managed a fine 3rd place finish. And there was nobody threatening to get him. He stayed close to the front runners, and appeared to me to be closing in on them at the end of the race. Great job Dan. Danny's next race will be tomorrow at Utica Rome. Come on out and join us at the Action Track of the East. Hope to see you all there. Until then......................................................... Utica Rome Speedway, July 11, 2010 Hi Race Fans; This weekend was one of "those" weekends. Not that bad, but not that good. Danny was in the first heat and used everything he had to finish in the 2nd spot. I do believe he was running the small block tonight. This put him into the feature in a decent starting spot. There were a lot of things going on all night around him but he just kept on working away even when he was back to about 9th. He just didn't give up and by lap 13 he was back up to 5th and he stayed there until around lap 24 or 25 when the 2 car got by for the 5th spot moving Danny back to 6th. By lap 27 he looked like he might get the 5th spot back from the 2rj car. But then the caution flag flew and I am very sure he did not want the caution. But it is what it is. On the restart, First the 00 of Bobby got by and then the 78a also managed to get by which left Danny finishing in the 8th spot. Still, not bad and the car was all in one piece. Danny's next race will be next Saturday at the Fonda Speedway. Hope to see all you guys there. Danny wants to thank all his sponsors tonight too, as well as the guys who help out on the car. It is a team effort. Until next Sat.................................. Fonda Speedway July 10, 2010 Hi Race Fans; Danny had a tough night tonight as did his father. He was also in the same heat as the 00 and finished 6th, one spot up from his dad and one spot out of qualifying. This gave him the 16th starting spot. And by lap 4 it sure looked to me like he had already passed the 3D, but they did move him back and ultimately this cost him. He drove a good hard race and ended up in the 14th spot. But the car was all in one piece tonight. Last night he actually made his maiden voyage in a 305 sprinter and while they continued to be plagued with problems, he did a good job. He was unable to make his heat, but was able to start the feature albeit in the 20th position. From there, he worked his way forward and by the time the checkers fell, he had made it up to the 14th spot. To me, finishing in 14th and staying on the lead lap was quite an accomplishment for Danny and the team that put him in the car. He will be driving is again at least a couple of times. We will try and let you know the next race he will be running. He is scheduled to be racing again tomorrow at Utica Rome and we hope to see all his fans there. Until then.................. Fonda Speedway, July 3, 2010 Hi Race Fans; Well, what a night for the young gun from Sharon Springs. He looks to be just a tick away from winning he first Mod race. he was in the 3rd and final Mod heat race of the night. Here's the line up: 17---18V 3-----16B 76---16 20C--8 3J When the green flag dropped on this one, Danny just managed to grab the lead from Elmo and, at this point, the top was just a bit quicker than the bottom. There was a caution about lap 3 or 4 so they lined up again. This time, Alton Palmer squirted through the middle past Elmo and was right beside Danny coming out of turn 4. it looked like he had enough steam to make the pass but Danny was having none of that. He held his ground and got through turn one and 2 a little quicker than Alton and finally was able to pull a few car lengths on him before the heat race was checkered. Wow, I was sure excited. Danny was starting 5th and Elmo was on the outside pole. By lap 2 Danny was in 2nd place and continued there for almost the entire race. With only one lap left, the 3D of Delorenzo made a blod move and got by putting Danny back to 3rd, RJ had been in 3rd, trying to pass Danny for a good number of laps but was unable to do so. Now that was just good hard racing, although he got slammed pretty hard after the checkers. That hit caused over $1000 in damage and he will have to run his other car tomorrow because of that. But man, what a drive by Danny. For me, just awesome. And they did tech on the top 5 finishers tonight. Good job Dan.Danny will also be racing tomorrow at Utica Rome. Hope to see you all there. BTW, I did hear tonight, that Dan will be running the CRSA Sprints next Friday at Afton. I know he would appreciate your support. Until next time..................................... Utica Rome Speedway, June 27, 2010 Hi race Fans; Well, it looked like Dan would have a decent night tonight. He was in the 3rd heat and here's the line up: 8M---B2 18V--78A 6-----2RJ 42 Danny was ready when the green came for the start of his heat and he jumped forward and was into the lead by about lap 2 or 3. By lap 8, RJ was there, but not close enough to try to pass and Danny went on to win his heat. When it came time for the feature, Danny was scheduled to start in the 5th starting spot, but ooof. His motor would start. He had to get pushed off so he was sent to the rear of the pack and started from there. From 23rd, he did his best, and was in 20th when the first caution came out on lap 1 and into 16 when the caution came out on lap 2. On lap 10 he had worked his way into 11th and when the checkers flew after 30 laps he found himself in 8th. That was a great run from the back and he passed a lot of cars to finish 8th. Great job, I say. Danny will be racing again on Saturday at the Fonda Speedway and he hopes to see all his friends there. We do look forward to meeting you and greeting you so come on over to the pit area after the races. Until next time................................ Utica Rome Thunder Series, June 24, 2010 Hi Race Fans; Well, tonight had some difficulties for young Danny. He managed to get a few laps under his belt in a 305 Sprint car, but the car needed some more tweaking so he will try again another time. Uncharacteristically, Danny did not qualify in his heat which had some pretty stout cars in it. Here's the lineup: 3K----89B 42P---78A 1Xw---18V 3D----4* 99J Tonight Danny would have to run a consi. Here's the line up for that; B2----3K 99----L82 18V---18J 8M----99X(Pat Ward) 19K. At the drop of the green they just all took off and with Danny in 5th, they were taking 6 from the consi. The consi was also a 10 lap affair and by the time the checkers flew, Danny had managed to pass 'em all and won the consi. Starting in the back is tough and I think he did a good job, getting up to the 12th position before the final checkers fell on tonight's 50 lap feature. And they ran 50 green flag laps. They did not count the cautions. Danny's next start will be Saturday at Fonda Speedway and we hope you can be there for his next race. Until then............ Fonda Speedway, June 19, 2010 Hi Race Fans; Well, not much to say about tonight. Everything moved along very quickly due to the threat of rain. Danny was in the 3rd and final heat. Here is his heat race line up: 22---10% 41---74 18V--26 20C--37H 10X--28 A pretty stacked heat for Danny but he persevered and in the final lap hung on to finish in 5th. No easy task as Lape was extremely fast and just drove away. Other qualifyers in his heat were the 26, 10%; and 41 of Davis. The Mod feature lined up during the Pro stock feature and at the finish of that feature the Mods came right out and did their parade lap with no victory lane ceremonies for the 85 of Fifield. White came out and the next lap we were racing. Danny was doing really well and at one point I thought he might just pass his father. Close but no cigar. The caution came out on lap 27 and Danny had to go to the pits to replace a flat tire. He came out at the back and still managed a stout 12th place finish. They did have to do a lot of work waiting for their feature to be called up as he took a hard hit after the checkers in turn one causing some problems. But the guys worked hard and got the car ready in time for the feature. Danny's next scheduled race is tomorrow at Utica Rome. We'll be looking for y'all to be there. Come on down to the pits afterwards and visit for a bit. Until next time....................... Fonda Speedway, June 10, 2010 Hi Race Fans; Wow, how about that Danny Varin. Butch, Pete and Danny had the car set up well. Danny drew much better than his father and was in the 4th heat. Here's the line up: 21J---18V 91----4 11A---20 1-----10 When the green flag dropped in Dan's heat he just took off and left them "standing at the gate" so to speak. He was never seriously challenged by anyone in his heat and won going away. Great Job Danny. For the feature they inverted the top six which put Danny starting 3rd. He was running the small block car tonight but man did he get that thing running. At the lap 22 caution, Dan was running in 5th but had some heavy hitters right behind him. However, on the restart he was able to hang on to his position for a few more laps, but with 2 laps to go Matty D. go by for 5th moving Dan back to 6th. Still a great finish, and he ran a really good race. danny will return to action on Saturday at Fonda Speedway. Come on out and enjoy the excitement. Hope to see you all there. Until then.......................... Utica Rome Victoria 200, May 31, 2010 Hi Race Fans; Well there isn't a lot to write about for Danny. He started 4th in his heat and finished 5th. The car just would not go like it normally does. There were 6 heats with 3 from each heat and 56 cars in the pits. Danny ended up in the first consi and they were taking 2 from each consi. This is the lineup for the 1st Consi.: 2RJ---7K 14R---18V 3D----17 57----X 121(Tompkins)-J17 13Z Ronnie took off at the drop of the green with everybody else in tow. Danny made some good moves early and got into 2nd. There was a caution on lap 5 and since they were 12 lap consis they lined up double file for the restart. And the front row took off with Danny beating RJ into the first turn and he was the new leader coming out of turn two. And that's how they finished, Danny, RJ, and Tompkins 3rd. Tompkins won the 'B' Main and elected to pass on the $1200 for the win and went into the Vic. Three cars bought in, the 10 of Willy Decker, the 1A of Weaver and the 2G of Mitch Gibbs. That made up the starting field for the Vic. Danny got spun out early and went to the back only to be the first car lapped by his dad. He dropped out about lap 71 with a left rear flat and a very bald right rear tire. Danny's next race will be this Friday at Glen Ridge. Hope to see y'all there. Until then.................................... Utica Rome Speedway, May 30, 2010 Hi Race Fans; Well Danny's day started of badly. He was in the 3rd heat race and here's the lineup: 93---78A 18V--2G B16--1WGC 11---711 Danny looked to have himself a fast hot rod in the early going but as he was making a move on the leader he caught a BIG tire on the bottom coming off turn 4 and ripped the left front off the car. Didn't look like he would be able to make tonight feature as there was so much work to get the car repaired. He was unable to make the consi and it looked like he would be done for the night. However, he is 7th in points and when the word came down from the tower for the rest of the field from the consis, he and Paul Kinney were added to the field. So he gets a reprieve and starts in the 26th starting spot. When the caution came out on lap 3 I looked to see where he was and he was bding shown in 17th so he was moving from the green flag. When his Dad grabbed the lead on lap 6 and can you imagine my surprise to find Danny about 11th. By the completions of lap 8 he was 9th and grabbed the 6th spot from the 2 of Ronnie Johnson. His forward motion was checked from this point on, but to be able to finish in 6th after such a bad wreck. Congratulations Danny on a super run coming from 26th to 6th. Danny will also be attempting to qualify for the Victoria 200 tomorrow. Hope you all can come to Utica Rome tomorrow. That is for this time. See y'all tomorrow. Until Monday night.......................................... Fonda Speedway, May 22, 2010 Hi Race Fans; another good night and another top 10 finish. Danny lined up for the first heat this way: 8----20C 1G----22 3-----17 14----18V 2rj----1(Freisen) They were taking 6 from the heats and here's how they finished: 20C; 3; 1G; 18V; 2rj; 17. I think. When they lined up for the feature, Danny was starting in the 12th spot, right in front of his Dad in the 00. Danny drove a very smooth race and late in the race it looked like he would be able to hold off the 3D and, in fact, got back underneath him a couple times. But no, in the end he followed Stew Freisen across the line, right in front of Dave Camara. On a track tonight where even the top guys, with much more experience, didn't seem to fare too well, and 8th place finish was not that bad. I say, good job Dan. Keep up the good work! Danny's next race will also be tomorrow at Utica Rome Speedway. We will be looking for ya. Hope y'all make it. Until next time........................... The finish is posted on Bobby's web site. Utica Rome Speedway, May 16, 2010 Hi Race Fans; Well, once again Danny has a decent finish on a tough track. Danny was in the first heat and they lined up this way: 3----78A 17---25R 18V--1WGC 41. This was a very fast paced race for 8 laps and Danny forged ahead to garner a fine 3rd place finish. Danny was lamenting the fact the the Mods were going out ahead of the sprints so he must have been happy when the announcement came over the loudspeakers that the sprints would run before the mods. The Mod lineup is over on Bobby Varin's web site. Danny started back in the 9th spot and drove the best he was able to tonight. He did have the small block in but it didn't seem to be enough in the early going. Still got a top 10 finish out of it all though and the car was still in good shape. On a night like tonight, taking everything into consideration he did a good job by finishing 10th. Danny's next scheduled race will be this Friday at Glen Ridge. They almost had the car ready for last Friday night but still needed one more day to get it back together. Look for him again this week. Hope to see y'all there. Until next time....................................... Fonda Speedway Lou Lazzaro Memorial Race May 15, 2010 Hi Race fans; Well, let me tell you about Danny Varin. He surely must have turned some heads tonight as he started 8th in his heat and came very close to winning it. But a very good strong 2nd place finish for the young man from Sharon Springs. When the green flag drops for the start of the race, Danny sets his sights on the front runners and by the lap 5 red flag he was already up to 7th. When the race restarts, Danny continues to close in on the leaders, but finally gets passed by Matty D. By lap 32, danny was in the 3rd spot behind the 3D and the 17 of Recknor. The 00 of Bobby Varin closes in on Danny by lap 39 when Danny was in 2nd spot. About 2 laps from the finish, Bobby gets by for 2nd moving Danny back to 3rd and that's where they finished. So the Dover Brake cars had a podium finish tonight is a super race. Great job Dan. I believe this is Dannys best finish at Fonda since he joined the modified ranks. Danny's next race will be Sunday, May 16, 2010, at Utica Rome Speedway. Hope you will all join us there. Until next time........................................... Utica Rome Speedway, May 2, 2010 Hi Race Fans; Well, the Varin team surehad their work cut out for them tinight as the heats and feature were both handicapped based on last week's finishes. That put Danny in the 2nd heat with some pretty stout cars. Here's the line up: B16; 3(Kislowski); 78A; 1X; 25R; 18V; 42P; 41; 5x. When the green flag flew, Danny looked like he was flying too as he quickly moved into contention and managed a fine 3rd place finish. 5 qualified from each heat so this gives him a better starting spot. The feature line up is posted on Bobby's web site. From his 12th starting spot Danny also begins his move toward the front. But on lap 10 Danny gets chopped down into the infield ripping off one of the front brake lines necessitating a quick trip to the pit area for band-aid repair. He came out at the back with no front brakes. By the completion of lap 17, Danny has moved up to the 7th position and though he would try the rest of the race, he could not get by Pat Ward and had to settle for a 7th place finish. But let me tell you, that was a hard fought finish. Great Job Danny. And hats off to his crew guys, Pete and Butch for getting him back out on the track without losing a lap. Danny's next race will be this Friday at Glen Ridge as he will again be piloting the 21B, Mike Bellinger owned car. Hope to see y'all there. Until then............... Fonda Speedway, May 1, 2010 Hi Race Fans; Let me be the first to tell ya. Danny is looking good. You always hear things around and "they" seem to know a lot about racing, but "they" need to sit up and take notice. This young man is doing a great job behind the wheel of the 18V, Dover Brake car. Tonight he started 6th in his heat and just drove the wheels off that thing. He finished a strong 2nd tonight. I, for one, was just really excited to watch him tonight. He was very smooth, perhaps smoother tonight than he has been. And the crew guys did an awesome job getting the car set up not only for the heat race, but also for the feature. At the drop of the green danny stuck in on the bottom and began his march to the front. That was not long in coming as he grabbed the lead from the 28 of Holmes about 3 laps into the race. And he passed some pretty stout race cars to get that lead, including AJ in the fast 16 car. `Although he would relinquish the lead to AJ on the restart after the lap 6 caution, he showed his potential by driving into the lead. And ultimately, all the guys that did get by him were top runners at Fonda Speedway. And there were some top runners that didn't. I know it's early and one or two races do not make a season, but look for more of the same from this young gun. Danny's next race is scheduled to be at Utica Rome tomorrow. I plan on being there this week, and I hope y'all do too. Really hope to see some of you there tomorrow. And, by the way, as soon aas the last checkered flag flew on the last race of the night, aroung 9:30 PM, it started to rain. Again, good job by the track personnel keeping the program moving along and getting it in, under the threat of rain! Until tomorrow night.............................. Utica Rome Speedway, April 25, 2010 Hi Race Fans; Well, today was the first of the Thunder on the Thruway events for the 2010 racing season. And Danny is off to a decent start with his good finish today. Danny was in the 4th heat, and let me tell you it was a stacked heat! In this heat were Pat Ward, Billy Decker, Brett Hearn, Danny Johnson, Jimmy Davis, Michael Storms and Alan Barker. Danny was able to pull off a 4th place finish in his heat which would start him in the 16th starting spot in the field for today's 50 lap race. Danny, from his 16th starting spot moved forward at the start, and was in 14th by lap the 1st caution on lap 13. On lap 28 the caution flew for about 4 cars mixed up on the back stretch. Danny was involved in the contact along with the 19 and a couple others. Danny recovered and was still able to garner an 11th place finish at the checkers. Good job Dan. Fonda Speedway Ice Jam April 10. 2010 Hi Race Fans: Dan had a good start to the 2010 season, with a solid 7th place finish in the Ice Jam 40 Lap event at Fonda Speedway. There were 47 Mods on hand trying to make their way into the 28 car starting lineup for the Ice jam. The drivers drew for starting heat positons. There were 4 ten Lap heats with 4 cars qualifying and the top 3 went to the redraw. Dan started 6th in the 3rd heat. As the green flag waved coming out of turn 4 Dan charged to the 4th position. 1 Lap later he started to work on the 84 of Quick for the 3rd position. He got 3rd on lap 3 and set sail for the top 2. On Lap 5 he caught 2nd place runner Jerry Higbie in the 66. They raced side by side for 2 laps with Dan getting by on lap 7. Dan closed within a couple of car lengths of Leader Ryan Odasz and finished 2nd. Dan redrew #4 and started 4th in the 40 Lap feature Event. Starting on the outside Dan got a little high on the first lap which let the eventual feature winner Bobby Varin by. Dan ran in 5th place for next 10 laps but hard charging Dave Camara was coming on the out side. Camara got by Dan the next Lap putting him back to the 6th position. 3 Laps later Dan was able to get underneath the 93 of Kislowski for the 5th spot where he ran solidly until about 6 laps to go. He caght heavy lapped traffic and was trapped up high letting the 3d of Delorenzo and the 22J of Wilder by. Dan came to the checkers in the 7th position. Fonda Speedway, Sept 26, 2009 Hi Race Fans: Well, Danny had a rough night tonight. He was fighting a wicked push in the car all night. started 3rd in the heat race and finished 5th, one spot out of qualifying. Finished 4th in the first consi for the Mods and qualifyed for the race, starting way back in 27th position. He drove a good race, using his head, and managed a 20th place finish. Not what he wanted, but considering the conditions he raced on, not that bad. He is hoping for a better run tomorrow, but remember there were a lot of cars that loaded up and went home without being able to qualify. Good job Danny. Hope to see you all tomorrow athe the final race of the 2009 season at Fonda. Take care. Until then..................... Fonda Speedway, Sept 19, 2009 Hi Race Fans: Well, Danny looked good tonight. The car seemed fast, and he did well. He was in the same heat as his Father, as he pulled #26 when he drew. That started him in 6th position in the heat, right beside Bobby. When the checkers fell, he finished in the 4th spot, and they were taking 5 from each heat so all in all he did a good job. For the feature Danny started 9th. When teh 30 laps were complete he found himself in the 9th spot which was pretty good. Another top 10 finish for Danny and I have to say that's awesome for only his 2nd year driving a Modified. It is tough to pass cars when the are no cautions to bunch them up again so a 9th place finish isn't so bed. Danny's nex race will be next Saturday at Fonda Speedway. Hope to see you all there. Until next time....................... Utica Rome new Yorker 200, Sept. 12, 2009 Danny's luck was a bit better than his father's. Danny drew a good number and started on the pole in the 6th heat. Here's how they lined up Danny's heat: 18V---3L 76R---17 45----3 18J---42P 4* Although Pat Ward started in the back he had the lead by the end of the first lap. Danny held on to 2nd until he got passed on the last lap but still finished in a qualifying spot. The line up is on Bobby's web site. Danny started in 18th. Tonight, for young Danny, it was a night to remember as he kept his nose clean and was 10th by the time the 100 lap break came. They did some work on the car to ready it for the next 100 laps. At the end of the night Danny finished 8th. He was down one lap, but that happened on lap 199. Great finish to a great night for the young gun, Danny Varin. His next race will be next Saturday at the Fonda Speedway. Hope to see you all there. Until then......................... Utica Rome Twin 20's, Aug 16, 2009 Hi Race Fans; Well, another good night. That's my opinion. In Danny's heat race he started 3rd and finished 3rd, which gave him a 5th starting spot in the first feature. And I have to tell ya, the kid was awesome fast tonight. He looked like his old man when he grabbed the lead on the first lap and continued to lead until about lap 11 when Stewart Freisen passed him for the lead. While Bobby was fighting for every position he could get Danny continued to hold off all other comers and finished in 2nd spot. His best finish in a Modified feature so far this year. Tonight he was also driving his Fonda big block as the small block car has a broken rear axle tube. For the 2nd feature Danny started 7th. Keep in mind that he uses his Dad's used tires. Rarely does he get new tires. The track slicked up considerably before the 2nd feature and he didn't do quite as well, finishing 12th. However, with his two finishes tonight he moved up one spot in points and currently sits 8th in points at Utica Rome. That proves to me and many others that he has been consistent at two tracks this year. And, at least in my mind, should prove that he absolutely should be driving a big block, not a sportsman car as was suggested earlier this year. Great job Danny. You just keep on keeping on! I know there are many drivers who have not accomplished that in 20 years, let alone two. Danny's next race will be next Sunday at Utica Rome as fonda has shut down until September 19, 2009. Hope to wee you all next Sunday at UR. Until then............................. Fonda Speedway, Aug 15th, 2009 Hi Race Fans; Well the points are over at Fonda Speedway for the 2009 and if I have it figured correctly, Danny Varin finishes in 7th position. Going by the points on the Fonda web site, Danny finished with 517 points and Trombley finished with 514 points (not absolutely positive in the 2nd race Trombley finished 6th or 7th) If Trombley finished 6th the points are correct as I have calculated them. Now that is awesome considering the fact that this is Danny's 2nd year in the modifieds and he just graduated from High School this year. And he is good. And contrary to the opinion of some who feel he should still be in the sportsman class, he has certainly proved himself to be well qualified to pilot a big block modified. There are a lot of drivers who were unable to accomplish that in all their years of racing. Thanks also go out to the crew guys who work with Dan to keep the cars race ready, Butch Nielsen, Pete Northrup, as well as James Sherman and Mace Phillips Jr.. I would be remiss not to mention Jack Hannah as well, who helped both teams, Bobby's and Danny's. I should also mention the guys that stop by the pits and slip Danny a $50 or $100 every so often. It all helps and certainly helped Danny in his fine finish in the point standings. It goes without saying that none of this would be possible without the help of Dave Cruickshank the car owner. Way to go Dan. Danny also wanted me to thank all his fans for their support throughout the year. Danny's next race will be in the twin 20's tomorrow at Utica Rome Speedway. Hope to see you all there. And BTW Danny finished 8th in the first feature, right behind his father and 12th in the 2nd feature. Utica Rome Speedway, Aug 12, 2009 Hi Race Fans; Tonight was not a good night for Danny. He was in the same heat as Bobby and finished in the 3rd position. They had to change some parts in the rear suspension before the feature and had the car ready come feature time. He seemed pretty quick at the beginning but somebody hit the big tire in turn 4 and pushed it out onto the track and he banged into it. The car did not handle well after that and shortly after he came pit side. Lap 12, I believe, ending his night. Danny's next race will be next Sat at Fonda Speedway. Hope you can all make it for race time. This week is the night of Features and the long range weather looks to be great. See you at the races. Until next time.......................... Utica Rome Speedway, Aug 9, 2009 Hi Race Fans: Wow, what a night. What a race. Awesome. Danny was in the 2nd heat, started 3rd and finished 3rd. In the feature, Danny really showed some great moves because from his 7th starting spot, he was in 2nd when the caution flew on lap 1. On the restart he out gunned the 7G and grabbed to lead and took off, only to complete one lap. Now, on lap 2 he is the leader with RJ in 2nd. A lap or two later RJ has the lead with Danny 2nd. By lap 11, Ward passes Danny for 4th and Bobby is right behind Ward. Danny doesn't see his father and cuts quickly down to the bottom but now Bobby has to either hit Dan or hit the brakes. He hits the brakes and spins out. Was he angry? No, because he knew Danny never saw him and as soon as Danny saw Wards rear bumper he dropped down. That's racing. It happens. Danny continues his great run, running 3rd after Burley and RJ get together ending RJ's night and moving Dan into 3rd. At the end Danny got passed by the 19K of Kinney and Bobby who went on to finish 3rd. So, 3rd and 5th place finishes for the guys tonight. Awesome! Danny's next race will be on Wed at Utica Rome. Hope to see you all there. Until then.............................. Fonda Speedway, Aug 8, 2009 Hi Race Fans: Well, just one more week and the points will be finished. Danny Was in the second heat and started 6th. Here's the line up: 37H---20C 16----10% 73D---18V 21J---24 6-----711 Man did they take off when the green flag flew. I mean to tell you they were off and running. danny made a slip up and was in 6th, one spot out on lap seven. But let me tell ya, the kid reached down and found something there and drove to the outside and around the 16 of AJ coming off turn four on the last lap and got the last spot. What an exciting heat race. For the feature they picked the best tires they had (used) and set the car up. Danny started 8th in the feature. He was fast early but the tires seemed to give up part way through the race and he finished in 9th. Still, a great run. Looking good. Great job guys. Pete and Butch do an awesome job keeping the car race ready. As well as Dan, of course. Danny's next race will be tomorrow at Utica Rome Speedway. Hope to see you all there. Until nex time........... Fonda Speedway, Aug 1, 2009 Hi Race Fans; Well, it was a so so night tonight for Danny. He was in the 1st heat race and here's the line up: 1H----114 17----16 74----10% 26----18V 3D----7 Danny used patience to make his way into a qualifying spot tonight. On the 2nd or 3rd lap a car spun out on the backstretch moving danny into 6th. From there he passed one car then another and another until he was in 3rd which is where he finished. For the feature he started in the 11th spot. The caution came out on lap 9 for Danny with a left rear flat. He just made it back in time to not go a lap down. On lap 13 of 15 he got a right rear flat and came in for a new sneaker. Back to the back again, but with the new sneaker he 'sneaked' by a lot of cars and was really fast. He still managed a fine 10th place finish for his efforts tonight. Good job Dan. Danny's next race will be tomorrow at Utica Rome. Hope to see you all there. Until next time............................... Utica Rome Speedway, July 26, 2009 Hi Race Fans; There isn't much to report for Danny. But he is OK. During hot laps he got a flat and pulled off the track into the infield. One of the other cars hit him so hard it bent the rear clip. Maybe more. Can't tell till they get it home and remove the sheet metal. He used his father's back up 00 for the heat and feature but mostly ran around at the back so as not to damage that car. His back and neck are quite sore, as could be expected, but other than that he said he is fine. His next race will be this Saturday at the Fonda Speedway. Hope to see you all there. Until next time............................. Fonda Speedway, July 25, 2009 Hi Race Fans; Well, golly woggles what an awesome race tonight for the kid from Sharon Springs. Danny did a great job tonight and is to be commended. Danny started back in 6th position with Lape on the outside pole. By lap 4 Danny, who was fast tonight, had moved into the runner up spot. The caution flew on lap 4 and on the restart Dave Lape took the bottom and Danny took the top. They both took off, but the top right then was a bit faster and Danny was the new leader, but Trombley was coming fast. Another caution on lap 5 erased whatever cushion danny had but on the restart he still managed to outgun Trombley. However, by lap 7 Trombley had gotten by Danny and he was the new leader. Another caution on lap 7 and on the restart, Trombley took off with a close following Danny Varin but now RJ was on the move and by lap 14 he was 3rd, having been passed by Bobby a couple laps earlier. Trombley exited the track on lap 14 moving Danny into 3rd again where he stayed until being passed by Matty D in the 3D on lap 26. And that's where he would finish tonight. But a really great run for the kid. Awesome!! Danny's nex race is tomorrow at Utica Rome. Hope to see you all there. Until next time............................. Utica Rome Speedway , July 22, 2009 Hi Race Fans; Well, Pete drew for Danny tonight and drew a 74. This put Danny 5th in his heat. RJ, Stewart and Jimmy Davis finished ahead of Danny in that 4th heat, qualifying him but leaving him one spot out for the redraw. He started 16th in the feature. He ran a good steady race. Midway through the race until the end he was running 10th. On the last lap he tried to get just one more spot and went to the outside in turns 3 & 4 and went out too far ending up 16th on the night. Still not a bad night, all things considered. Danny's next scheduled race is at fonda Speedway on Saturday, July 25, 2009. Hope to see you all there. No rain. Until next time.......................................... Utica Rome Speedway, July 19, 2009 Hi Race Fans; Well, Danny had his work cut out for him tonight. He was in the 2nd heat race and they lined up like this: 93----48too 18V---89B 7G----57 42P A tough heat for the young driver from Sharon Springs, but he was up to the task tonight finishing in the 3rd qualifying spot. The feature line up has been posted on Bobby's web site so I won't repeat it here. From his 4th starting spot he drove just as hard as he could and in the end had a fine top 10 run. Many of the top runners were running with big blocks tonight and he was running his small block. He just never gives up, and it is fun to watch him race. He finished 9th tonight and that is not that bad. Danny's next scheduled race will be Tuesday at Fonda Speedway for the rained out "Thunder Along the Thruway" NMX series 50 lap race. Hope to see you all there. Until next time................. Fonda Speedway, July 18, 2009 Hi Race Fans; Well, once again both Danny and Bobby were in the same heat race. Danny drew 33 and this put him in 7th spot in the 3rd heat race. There was a tangle on the 1st lap involving Bobby and Danny got by. On the restart he took off and soon had the lead while Bobby had to come from the back. Bobby was just a little too fast for Dan to hold him off, although they stayed close and it took Bobby a couple of laps to get fully by Danny. And they finished 1 and 2 in the heat. With the invert of the top 8, Danny started on the outside pole. Palmer took off with Danny in hot pursuit. But Peppecelli had other ideas and quickly went to work on young Danny moving him back to 3rd. But Danny never gave up but just stayed on the bottom where he seems to run best, especially tonight. He was about a straight-away behind RJ running in 6th but he just kept working the cr and eventually reeled RJ in. For about the last 10 laps he was all over RJ, but just couldn't finish the job and get into 5th. He was even with RJ a couple times but didn't have quite enough. He finished a strong 6th spot. A very good run for the young driver from Sharon Springs. Danny's next race will be tomorrow at Utica Rome Speedway. Hope to see you all there......... Utica Rome Speedway, July 12, 2009 Hi Race Fans; As I said on Bobby's web site, Danny won the heat race. He was fast and nobody would catch him tonight. The feature line up is also on Bobby's site. Danny started on the outside pole beside the 8M. They both took off and Danny out dueled him going into turn 1 and came out of turn 2 with the lead. The first caution came in lap one for a wreck between turns 3 & 4. Once that was cleaned up they restarted the race with Danny having the advantage. He continued to lead for the next 7 laps until the caution for Bobby. Danny continued to lead once the green came out again, but only for a couple laps as Ward came flying by. On lap 17 Danny slipped off the outside edge of turn 2 and lost a couple spot but finished a strong 6th position. A good run for the young man. Way to go Danny. Utica Rome Speedway, July 5, 2009 Hi Race Fans: Well, the night held possibilities for Danny. He had 5th fastest time on the lap counter during the hot lap session. He was in the first heat race and here's how they lined up: 8M---3 25R--18V 12A--57 09---7G 69 On the first lap of the heat race, in turn two they front runners got bunched up, causing a bottle neck and a big wreck. This caused a couple of cars to be out of the heat, including the Jumper. Danny was also in it sustaining left front and rear damage but after a trip into the pits it was determined that he was good to go so he went back out at the rear of the field. He managed a 2nd place finish behind the front running 09 of Willy Decker. Before the feature they were undecided whether to change the gears of not because the track was a lot better than during the heat races. Unfortunately his brakes went away leaving him with a 17th place finish Danny's next scheduled race will be at Fonda Speedway next Saturday. Hope to see you all there. Until then............................. Fonda Speedway, July 4, 2009 Hi Race Fans; Well, I guess tonight was a real good night for the Varins. Danny won his heat race, the first mod heat of the night. Here's how they lined up: 37H--18V 28----22J 17----76 2------21J 85----3J 51A At the drop of the green Danny took off like he was shot out of a cannon. And a good thing he did and the heavy hitters were right behind him. When the first caution flag flew on lap 4, Danny had the lead followed by the 21J, 2, 22j, and 3J. On the restart, Trombley dove low, but Danny was already there and they continued to battle with Danny staying on the point. On the next restart on lap 6, Trombley thought to go around Danny on the high side, but again Danny was up to the challenge and he too stayed on the top side. And that's the way they finished, although RJ could get Trombley on the bottom, but not enough to slide up and take his line away. Good heat race. With Danny starting on the outside pole he had to get moving and move he did. He grabbed the lead from the pole sitter, the #8 car and when the first and only caution flag flew on lap 2 he was still the leader. On the restart Davis went to the bottom but couldn't make the pass. They fought back and forth for a number of laps before Davis was able to get by, but Matty D was on the move and quickly got by both Danny and Davis for the lead and took off. Since there were no more cautions to slow things down Matty D was able to build up a big lead before Bobby Varin got into 2nd. Danny held on for quite a bit but eventually was back running 9th. But then he got his 2nd wind and started moving forward again and finished a strong 7th place. Good job tonight Dan. I can see you day coming, and soon. Danny's next race will be tomorrow at Utica Rome. Look for him to do well there. Hope to see all his fans there as well. Until next time................................ Utica Rome Speedway, June 28, 2009 Hi Race Fans; Well, I'm guessing people were a bit confused tonight as both of Danny's cars were being raced. Danny drove the small block and Bobby drove the Big block. They were both in the same heat race, again, and again, Danny beat Bobby. Boy, did he ever. Danny won and Bobby finished 5th, one spot out. Bobby got into 2nd in about 2 laps and was trying to run down Danny and went to the high side to check it out and he checked out a bit too much as he slipped off the edge and lost several positions. He almost got back into a qualified spot, but finished 5th and was relegated to the 2nd of 2 consis and won his consi putting him in the 18th starting position. at the drop of the green, Danny, who drew 7th out of 8 numbers, got a good jump and by the end of the 1st lap was running 4th. when Trombley spun out, that moved Danny into 3rd, but the heavy hitters were coming. By lap 10 he was in 4th and Bobby had scrambled up to 5th. Two laps later Bobby got by Danny and just kept on going. Danny did a good job and finished in the 10th spot, right behind Hearn. Brett took quite a few laps to get by him but finally managed to make the pass. When Bobby pulled into Victory lane, Danny came up from the front and gave his DAD a shot for good luck. Really kinda neat. The rest of the line ups are on Bobby's web site. Kudos to Butch and Pete or the great job they do going through the cars in the garage, along with Danny, James Sherman, and Mace Phillips, Jr. Keep up the good work guys! Danny's next race will be on Saturday at Fonda Speedway. Hope to see you all there. Until next time............................ Utica Rome Speedway, June 21, 2009 Hi Race Fans; Sometimes it is difficult to separate Danny from Bobby especially when they are both in the same heat as they were tonight. It was an exciting race for us to watch and danny did an awesome job finishing 2nd and Bobby finishing 3rd. Bobby was really happy for Danny and Jumped out of his car and went over to Dan and gave him a big hug and said "you got balls Dan. That was funny, but his Dad meant that. Danny started the feature in 4th position and at the end of lap one he was in 2nd. There was a wreck right on the front stretch bringing out the caution then red flag after 1 lap. Danny got the lead from the 25R on the restart and held on for a couple of laps but Ward was flying tonight and got by for the lead about lap 4, then came RJ and a couple laps later came Freisen putting Danny back to 4th. caution on lap 12 & 13 and when all was said and done, the 18 of Danny seemd not to be as good as at the start. He finally had to pull in as his right rear wheel was filled with mud. causing a BIG vibration. And so ended his night. Danny's next race will be next Saturday at Fonda Speedway. Hope to see you all there. Until next time.............................. Utica Rome Speedway, June 14, 2009 Hi Race Fans: Well, another racing night is in the books. Danny was in the 2nd heat race and IMO it was a stacked heat. Here's how it looked: 8M---48TOO 19K--18V 93---42P 2G---1X 28T With all those hot shoes in this heat it didn't look like Danny had much of a chance, but the 93 blew a tire on the last lap giving Danny the last qualifying spot in the heat. Consequently, he started the feature right beside his father. With the sun in my eyes and the dust flying I really couldn't see much but I do know he struggled throughout the entire race. With only two cautions in this feature, it was difficult to see what was going on on the track. When all was said and done, they were able to drive the car into the trailer and he finished in the 15th position. It was good to see that he was able to keep the car under him. Danny's next race will be at Fonda this coming Saturday for the NMX Dual Track Series. 50 Laps with $5000 to win. Hope to see you all there. Until next time.................................. Utica Rome Speedway, June 7, 2009 Hi Race Fans; Well, once again Danny and Bobby were in the same heat. And Danny's crew told Bobby that for sure tonight he was going down. And once again it didn't happen, but they both got qualified. Bobby finished 2nd and Danny finished 4th, right behind Pat Ward. In the feature, Danny started from the 5th position and early on he looked fast in the small block car. I think this was the first race for that car. Unfortunately, Danny got backed up quite a bit early on and then had to fight his way back toward the front. He really did an amazing job, considering the caliber of guys he is racing against. And 8th place finish is way better than last week's finish. Good job Danny. Danny's next race will be at Fonda Speedway, June 13, 2009. Hope to see you all there. Until next time............................... Fonda Speedway, June 6, 2009 Hi Race Fans; Well, tonight saw another good night of racing. Both Danny and his father Bobby were in the same heat race, Danny starting 5th and Bobby staring last. Danny finished 3rd, but Bobby did not qualify and that started him back in Amsterdam, in the 17th spot. Danny looked really fast in his heat race, having started 5th and finished 3rd. In the feature Danny started from the 7th spot, behind lape, Farone, Hanson, Marsh, Green, and the 17 of Reckner. But like I said, Danny was fast tonight, and was really fast in the hot lap session just before track prep was done. Hanson grabbed the lead at the drop of the green flag and Danny was flying and by the completion of lap one he was in the 2nd spot. He followed leard Hanson through the first 8 laps, when Hanson got tangled up with a lap car giving Danny the lead. Danny's lead was short lived, however. During the lap 8 caution, Bobby pulled up on the outside and tried to indicate to Danny that he had a right rear tire going down but Danny did not understand what Bobby was saying. The caution came out on lap 9 for Danny as his tire went down causing the 3d to get into the back of him. He ended up with a broken 'bird cage' on the rear suspension and was unable to continue the race. Too bad because he had a really fast race car tonight. But that's racing. The next race for Danny will be at Utica Rome, Sunday, June 7, 2009. Hope to see all you race fans there. Until next time............................................... Utica Rome Speedway, May 3, 2009 Hi Race Fans; Well, I say for Danny and team it was another great night of racing. Danny was 4th fast tonight in the hot lap sessions. In the heat race, Danny was in the 4th heat and started in the 4th spot. His heat race looked like this: 16---28 JC61-18V 89B--78A 16W--B2 Danny wasted no time moving forward in his heat and finished in the 2nd spot, behind Todd Burley in the 89B. The feature line up is on Bobby's web site. Danny drove a good, smart race, never giving up although at one point he was back to 10th. He just kept on working the bottom , keeping Ward behind him for quite a few laps. Pat finally worked his way by as did Burley and a couple others, but Danny just kept working hard and got back by a number of them, and was ahead of Ward for 2 laps just before the finish, but Pat got back by and finished in the 5th spot with Danny right on his tail in 6th at the checkers. Dave Cruickshank had to be happy having both his cars get good finishes in the top 10. Not a bad night at all. The top 8 Mods were 1,19K,1X,2G,42P,18V,89B,00. That's all for tonight. Danny's next race will be at Fonda Speedway next Saturday. Hope to see you all there. Until then............... Fonda Speedway April 25, 2009 Hi Race Fans; Danny gets another solid top ten with a 6th place finish at Fonda Tonight. The night started off with a 4th place finish in the heat race. After starting 6th Danny quickly moved into 3rd. He was holding his own but A.J. Romano was able to get by on the topside. In the feature Danny got shuffled back to about 12th. He was able to use both grooves to fight his way back to 6th. It was good experience to race on a slippery track like last night. He is improving with every Mod race. Well off to Utica Tommorrow, coming off a 6th place last week Danny will be looking for a top 5 finish this week. See you all there! Utica Rome Speedway April 19, 2009 Hi Race Fans; Danny Starts off Utica Rome season with a 6th place finish. Not bad in his first start there with JPM big block power! Once again a tough heat with his father Bobby, Pat ward, Todd Burley, and Paul Jensen. Dan took the lead at the drop of the green, but a caution lap 2 set up a restart. Dan chose the top groove and gave Jensen an opening to pull a slide job. Dan stayed in 2nd until lap 6 when he bobbled a bit in turns 3 and 4. This let Pat Ward and his father Bobby get by. Dan finished 4th which gave him a 12th place starting spot for the feature. In the feature Dan used both grooves to get to the front. He battled with some good cars like Willy Decker, Jamie Christian and Pat Ward. On the last lap Stewart Freisen got a left rear flat, setting up a wild finish as Dan went low and Ted Lamb went high. It was a drag race but Lamb got to the line for 5th by a nose! Special thanks to Julian and the JPM staff for their quick repair job on our big block. Last week at Fonda the car popped out of gear and revved up to 9700 rpm, damaging the valves. JPM took our engine in and repaired it while we waited! Excellent service! Hope to see you all at Fonda Sat. Fonda Speedway April 18, 2009 Hi Race Fans; Tonight was the first points race for Fonda Speedway and Danny put in a solid 9th place effort. His heat race was stacked with the talent of his father Bobby, Ronnie Johnson, A.J. Romano and Ryan Odasz. Dan started 4th and ran there for the first 2 laps. But on the 3rd lap he and Odasz got together and spun. The altercation twisted the right shock and spring assembly into his front axle making his car ill handling. Since everyone qualified tonight he smartly pulled into the pits. This relegated him to a 19th place starting position for the feature. At the drop of the green Dan quickly picked up 3 positions. Avoiding a couple of wrecks and dealing with a slight loose condition he managed a 9th place finish. A great way to start off the season. Hope to see you all at Utica Rome Tomorrow for the opener
Fonda Speedway,
Sept 21, 2008
Hi Race Fans; Well, thanks for following us during the year. We did mess up a couple of times by not getting information to you. Will try and do better next year. Danny ran both the Sportsman race today and the Mod feature. The sportsman race was an open race so he was allowed to run with his small block. He started 4th in the 2nd heat race and won going away. He also set the fastest time for all the heat races so drew the number for the inversion for the sportsman feature. He drew 8 which put him starting in the 7th position. He was running about 3rd or 4th in the late going when he just pulled off the track and into the pits. Developed a motor pproblem which meant that he would not be able to run the Mod feature. He was able to take one lap in that feature though. Shows 27th for his finish. Only the 93 of Fusco beat him into the pits. Sportsman finish= 22J,-3,-85,-12,-7[SAVOIE],-98,-18F,-REST ARE ONE LAP DOWN,1M,-247,-711,-64,-42,-3J,-27H,-37A,-7,-36,-72,-18V,-1P,-117,-89,-65,-14,-23,-11A,-29,-13. For those who are interested, here's how they started==23M,-37A,-85,-22J,-3,-247,-18V,-1M,-12,-711,-72,-64,-18F,-11A,-42,-1P,-98,-36,-3J,-7,-24,-117,-65,-89,-13,-29,-7C. If there are any more races this year I will let you know. As it stands right now, Danny will get busy in school and get ready for next year. Until then................. Fonda Speedway, July 19, 2008 Well, we do have some reports and surprises for you all tonight. A lot has happened during the week concerning Danny and his ride at Fonda/Utica Rome. It was reported on here that he might be going to Weedsport. That will not happen. Ed Monger lost some of his sponsorship for the 93 and decided not to continue racing weekly at Fonda Speedway. Chuck Tibbitts talked with Dave Cruickshank during the week (Dover Dave) as we call him and it Dave made Chuck and offer on his 18 car that he couldn't refuse. So Dover Brake now owns both the 00 and the 18 car. Danny will be driving at Fonda and Utica Rome. Danny started on the pole in his heat racer and beat everybody but his Dad. With the handicap system he started the feature on the pole. He lead early but the 41 and the 24 of Ryan Odaz got by. Next to try was his Dad, but before he could get the job done, Danny suffered a flat left rear tire and went to the pits to change it. He came back out and was still a very fast race car getting back up to 12th by the next caution. At that point the car seemed to be running a little hot so he pulled it into the pits for the night rather than take a chance on ruining a good motor. He finished in 17th position. Danny's next scheduled race is Tomorrow at Utica Rome and he will also be joining his Dad for the ROC race at Utica Rome this week. Bobby will also be racing tomorrow, although I failed to mention that in his write up. Until then....................................... Fonda Speedway, July 12, 2008 Hi Race Fans, Well, another great night of racing. Danny was in the first heat which he won quite handily. He started in the 2nd position beside the 1H with the 76 and 1Z in the 2nd row. Matty D and Pat ward made up the last row. Danny won followed by Pat Ward and Matty D. In the feature. He was struggling a bit with the handling of the car but managed a 9th place finish. Danny's next race is tomorrow in the 18 car at Utica Rome. He has talked to another owner that would like him to run his car on Sunday's at Weedsport. While it's not final, we will keep you informed if that is what will happen. Hope to see you at Utica Rome tomorrow. Until then...................... Utica Rome Speedway , July 6, 2008 Hi Race Fans, Well, Danny finally got everything together and was able to go racing at Utica Rome. For the first time out this year and the first time in a small block modified he did quite well. Started at the back of the 3rd heat and finished one spot out of qualifying. This started him in the 18th spot in the feature. The track was very slick and a tough track to pass on as the ESS Sprints had just finished their 25 lap feature. From the 18th spot he just drove a very steady race using the top, middle and bottom when needed and moved forward. The race went caution free and Danny finished in the 10th position. A good start for the first time out. And he passed some good cars to finish there. And all the "heavy hitters" were right in front of him. So all in all a good night of racing Danny's next race is at Fonda Speedway on Sat. night, July 12, 2008. Hope to see you fans there. Until then.......................................... Fonda Speedway, July 5, 2008 Hi Race Fans, Well, in the heat race Danny started in the 4th position and quickly made his way into the 2nd spot, even drawing up on Alton Palmer going down the front stretch. But as the race went on, the car seemed to go away. He finished either 3rd, or 4th. Not sure as it was close on the final lap between him and Pat Ward. In the feature he started in the 5th position but the car didn't seem to be quite right and on lap 5, coming out of turn 4 as he was trying to pass the 1Z he was on the outside and another car thought there was enough room to go through the middle. In doing that Danny got "nudged" into the wall and took a trip down the length of the frontstretch wall which ended his night. Also talked with Danny and several others about last week at Malta. He qualified through the consi, got mixed up in an early "jingle", went back out and got up to 12th when he hit the inside jersey barrier and got a left front flat. Went in again, got the tire changed and went back out. Finished 19th. But the car was fast and he looked great. Danny's next race will be at Utica Rome speedway where they will be racing the 18 small block with a new power plant. Hope to see you all there. Until the next time................... Fonda Speedway June 21, 2008 Hi Race Fans, Well, Danny stared in a good spot tonight in the heat race. And that was a really tough heat race. BUT he did a great job, still running in 3rd with 2 laps to go. Then came the problems. Smoke was coming out of the back of the car, and about a lap after we noticed the smoke he slowed allowing Ward and the 3D to get by. It's all conjecture now, but I'm not sure they would have caught him as he was really fast tonight. However, the power sterring box broke and he was unable to steer the car at those speeds and pulled pitside with one lap to go relegating him to 7th in the 1st consi. He did a good job in the consi moving quickly into a qualifying spot and although he was dicing with the 21 of Corellis, he finished 4th and Corellis finished 5th. Job Dan. He started the feature in the 23rd starting spot and managed an 18th place finish. On this night, that was not bad although he was definately disappointed. He is also planning on running Utica Rome with his small block # 18 car as they have the motor in are are "ready to rumble" Sorry Paul, I just couldn't resist. He is also planning on running next Friday at the CVRA vs the World race. His father is not as Bobby's oldest daughter has her graduation ceremonies next Friday night. Well, that's it for tonight. See you all at the races. Until then................................. Fonda Speedway, June 14, 2008 Hi Race Fans, Well, Danny had a really good night tonight. Starting with his heat race. He started in the 6th position and got bumped around at the beginning. This did not, however, deter him as he was in 9th, made a good move on Pat Ward and got by him on the inside and then the next lap did the same move on the 20C of Craig Hanson. He finished 5th which was one spot of out being handicapped but still qualifying. He started the feature in 13th spot. He held his own during the feature and finished 12th. I say that's a good night as he didn't wreck and got a top 15 finish. Some guys have been racing there for a long time and haven't done that well. And he is only 17 so he has a great future in front of him. That's not figuring in the politics at a place like Fonda where it matters who you are! They also got their small block motor and expect to run it at one of the other local tracks as soon as it has been dynoed and put in the car. As soon as things clear up we will let you know where and when. Until the next report.................................. Fonda Speedway, June 7, 2008 Hi Race Fans, Great night for the races. The weather was great and cooled down for the features. The track was slick and rough in places, but great racing none the less. Danny started 3rd in the 2nd heat race and finished 3rd. Not too bad for a 17 year old considering the heavy hitters that finished behind him. Jack Johnson, Alton Palmer, Pat Ward. Good job Danny. And he wasn't holding anybody up! He has a fast race car! For the feature Danny started 5th and drove a good race. His father talked with him right after the race and told him he did a good job and drove a good race. Going green to checkers makes for a difficult time for all the drivers, especially those that can use the restarts to get an edge on the competition. He really seems to get better each week and has already garnered his first checkered flag the last time they raced so now he just needs to win a feature. Well, guess that's it for this time. Danny's next race is scheduled for next week at Fonda. The long awaited small block is due to arrive this week and will go to the dyno and then be put into the car. Plans right now are to race that car for the first time this year at Albany Saratoga June 20th, to try it out before the CVRA vs the World race on the 27th. Until next week.................................... Fonda Speedway, May 24, 2008 Hi Race Fans, Well, Chuck Tibbitts drew for Danny tonight and although he has drawn well for Danny in the past, it was not so for tonight and Danny started at the tail end of his heat. A heat which included guys like Jack Johnson and Brett Hearn, with Craig Hanson starting on the pole. He finished 6th, one spot out of qualifying as the took the top five from each heat. He started on the outside of the front row in the 2nd consi and won that taking his first checkered flag in a big block car. He was just very smooth. And that helped. By virtue of winning the 2nd consi he started from the 22nd position. Again, with no cautions for this race he drove a steady race and finished in the 14th position. All eyes were on the first three racers, Camara, who lead early, then Pat Ward, then Matty D who took over the lead on about lap 33. But with tonight's smooth, slick race track you just had to be impressed with Danny's run from 22nd to 14th. Good job Danny and congratulations on your first big block checkered flag. As of right now, with no small block motor yet, his next scheduled race will be next Saturday night at Fonda. Hope to see you all there. Until then............................... Fonda Speedway, May 10, 2008 Hi Again Race Fans, Well, for the first feature, Danny Varin started on the outside pole. At the drop of the green flag he took off like a shot and grabbed the lead. Dave Lape moved quickly into 2nd and these two just took off, leaving a stellar filed in their wake. The first caution come out on lap 6 and Danny still held onto the lead. With the cars altogether again, Danny held onto the lead for a couple more laps after the restart then Lape made a good move on the inside a grabbed the lead. Danny continued in 2nd until his father caught him. Bobby passed for 2nd and went after Lape. Danny continued in the 3rd spot until he got a flat about lap 19. He went pitside, got a new sneaker and came back out and managed a 13th place finish. For the 2nd feature Danny qualified by finishing 2nd in his heat race. He started on the outside pole. He grabbed the lead again from his 2nd starting spot and lead the 33f until they got into lap traffic. He was absolutely setting a blistering pace. A couple of cautions, and then disaster struck as he got turned aroung by another racer in front of a bunch of cars including his father Bobby, who was coming back up through the pack after suffering a flat tire. This ended a fine run and a fine night for Danny. The car was extensively damaged and will not be able to make it for Utice Rome tomorrow. Danny's next scheduled race is next Saturday at Fonda. Hope to see you all there. Until then............. Fonda Speedway 4/19/08 Hi Race fans, My report tonight for Danny is going to be short. His heat race started as follows--M2, 76(Palmer), 93(Varin), 74, 57, 17, 28, 1Z, and the 73. At the green flag, coming through turn two he went to the extreme bottom and as he was coming off the turn WAY ON THE BOTTOM, a car from the outside came clear across the track and drove over his front end, which ultimately finished him for the night. They got the front axle replaced, new wheels to replace the bent ones, but when he backed out for the consi he couldn't turn the car. The steering box was also broken. But that's racing. His next scheduled race will be next Saturday at Fonda Speedway. He is still waiting for his small block motor so he will not be making the trip to Utica tomorrow. Hope to see you all at Fonda next week. Until then........................... Fonda Ice Jam 4/12/08 Hi Race Fans, It's great to be back racing again. This could be a great year for young Danny Varin. He is driving the Magasarus number 93 at Fonda this year. He looked really good for his first time out. Ed told him last week he would be happy if he even managed to qualify for this race. And he did that. The first set of heats that they were going to post had Danny starting inside his father. However a late driver was allowed to draw for starting position and this changed things slightly putting Danny in the 2nd heat starting 5th. At the drop of the green Danny got shuffled back to about 7th so he had his work cut out for him. He moved past a couple of cars and then passed Bachetti on the backstretch of the last lap to finish in 5th. This gave him a front row starting spot for the 2nd consi and he finished in the 2nd spot. Good heads up driving for the Kid. Dave Camara finished in 3rd and Bachetti finished 4th. He started the feature in 20th spot. For me, it was nerve racking watching him come through traffic. At one point he was in the middle of 3 wide off turn 2 but managed to get out of that in fine shape. Then he went to the outside and made some passes out there. Whew! He finished his first big block race in 14th. Not bad for his first time in a big block on a hard slick track with some tough competition. He also finished on the lead lap. He made his last pass on the last lap of the race going from 15th to 14th between turns 3 and 4. He just didn't give up. Good job Danny. A good night of racing. Danny's next scheduled race is next Sat at Fonda Speedway. Until then.............. |