COMPLETE FINISH: Doug Wolfgang (Peace #8d), Dave Blaney, Frankie Kerr, Fred Rahmer, Jack Hewitt, Kenny Adams, Stevie Smith, Billy Pauch, Ed Lynch Jr, Keith Kauffman, Chuck Reinhert, Glenn Fitzcharles, Tim Green, MeMe DeSantis, Todd Shaffer, Ed Shafer, Chris Eash, Jeff Swindell, Joe Gaerte, Paul Lotier, Rob Hart, Paul Molz, Lenny Krautheim, Jac Haudenschild, Randy Wolfe, John Birosh, Kenny Jacobs, Fran Hogue, Joe Borish, Bobby Davis Jr, Ron Kramer, Bill Peri, Jeff Schrum, Dave Kelly, Joey Gravino.  Fast Qualifier: Dave Blaney

HOMETOWN BOY GEOFF BODINE RETURNS TO CHEMUNG SPEEDROME AND CAPTURES FALL FLING

Chemung, N.Y. – Geoff Bodine turned an autumn homecoming into a $1,250 payday Saturday afternoon, when he roared from the back of a star studded field to score a solid win in the first annual Fall Fling 100 at the Chemung Speedrome.

The victory was a sweet one for this 26 year old pilot, as Geoff grew up in the shadow of this 1/3 mile paved track before moving to Bellingham, Mass. to take over the controls of the Dick Armstrong Nu-Style Racing Team.

With a record field of 61 modifieds on hand for the $7,000 event, Bodine got off to a rough start in his heat and a flat tire set him back into the consi.  The familiar red Pinto easily qualified there and came from 23rd starting spot in the main to pull off the $1,250 win that included $250 in Firestone Tire Contingency money.

Five heats and a double consi were required to trim the huge field down to 24 feature starters and when Dick Westfall turned them loose in the 100 lap main, Dave Nichols jumped out in front.  Dave’s day ended six laps later when a broken tie rod sent him into the first turn wall and Tim Mislin took over the top spot.

The young Buffalo driver did an excellent job holding off some of the best in asphalt modified racing, but 26 laps later, Bodine had roared up thru the entire field and took over the top spot.  Shortly after, Mislin tangled with Jerry Cook and both drivers were retired for the day.

The chase for the second spot was a torrid one with Merv Treichler, Maynard Troyer, Eddie Flemke, Roger Treichler and George Kent battling wheel to wheel for most of the 100 laps.  Roger Treichler lost several laps after a flat tire and wound up 13th, but cousin Merv battled into a well earned second place windup and $775, including $75 in Goodyear contingency money.

Like Bodine, Kent had tire trouble in his heat, but he won his consi and worked his way to a third place finish and $450.  Maynard Troyer and Eddie Flemke wound up fourth and fifth, picking up $350 and $300.

The top five finishers were all on the same lap and second through fifth were bumper to bumper at the wire.  The large field included many New England regulars and several Long Island competitors.  Bodine’s winning margin at the checkered flag was seven seconds.

Dale Merz, Jerry Cook, Ed Flemke, Bryan Osgood and Tim Mislin won 15 lap heats and George Kent and Billy Watson were consi winners.

Summary Chemung Fall Fling 100

1.   Geoff Bodine 100 $1,250
2.   Merv Treichler 100 $775
3.   George Kent 100 $450
4.   Maynard Troyer 100 $350
5.   Eddie Flemke 100 $300
6.   Bryan Osgood 98 $290
7.   Herb Simpson 98 $280
8.   Bill Cain 98 $270
9.   Chuck Kerfein 98 $260
10.   Bob Frisbie 95 $250
11.   Mark Newton 94 $240
12.   Tom Elliot 93 $230
13.   Roger Treichler 90 $220
14.   Don Pratt 58 $210
15.   Lee Bray 47 $200
16.   Tim Mislin 45 $190
17.   Forrest Huff 43 $180
18.   Jerry Cook 41 $170
19.   Bill Watson 31 $160
20.   Dale Merz 19 $150
21.   Jim Rudolph 14 $150
22.   Chip Lanz 12 $150
23.   Dave Nichols 5 $150
24.   Grant Frisbie 1 $150

More pics from taken during Chemung’s ’77 season when late models and strictly stocks were the weekly show:

1. Grant Frisbie (#8) heads this hard charging pack of LM Sportsman during the feature. Ron Williams (1) and Doug Hewitt (61) make it tough going.  (Gater Exclusive by Larry Hoey)
2. Four abreast down the backchute.  Awaiting patiently, Bill Zacharias (71) came from behind to win the checkers.
3. Grant Frisbie (#8) tries in vain to hold off persistent Tom Gush (55) and Fred Quail (40).  Fred retired with engine problems.

As promised, here are a few pics I have from the 1977 season at Chemung Speedrome…

Chemung opened the ’77 season with a 50 lap modified special:

1. George Kent (26) high-tailing his Modified on the outside overtakes Billy “The Kid” Griffin.  Kent won the 50 lap event, while Griffin was forced out with mechanical failure. (Gater Exclusive by Bob Teeter)
2. Tommy Gush (55) races with Bob Frisbie (2)
3. George Kent at speed.

I'll give this thread another bump up for you, Bob...

I hope you find something.  It might be tough.  Sounds like this Labor Day show was kind of rinky-dink and the track may not have sent race results to the papers. I followed the local pavement scene pretty closely back then.  I don’t remember Chemung having any type of organized weekly show back in 1979.  It doesn't mean nothing happened.  I just never heard or read anything about it.  Someone coming in and running the place for a couple of shows is a possiblity.  I DO remember reading about plans for an infield dirt track, but I thought the town put the kibosh to it before anything happened. 

Below are some pics of the old Chemung Speedrome while it sat idle.  The photo accompanied a story about the track that ran in Stock Car Racing Magazine back in September 1990.  It was written by Bone Boucier who wrote “Richie”, the Richie Evans bio.  (Bob: I thought you might be interested in the article.  I copied it and emailed it to you).

Cagle was a “money racer”.  Long before racing got too expensive, his bookkeeping followed the simple principle: “Whatever prize money I get, half goes back in the car, the other half goes in my pocket’ (or something like that).

My favorite Will Cagle story was about him running Skyline in the 70’s.  Rumor had it he was getting paid extra by the track promoter to back peddle in the features and not win.  The promoter didn’t want him winning every week and stinking up the show.  When confronted about this rumor during a televised interview on This Week in DIRT ten years later by Andy Fusco, Cagle’s cagey response was “sometimes it pays to run second”.

The ’79 Southern Tier 200 was the supers first time back to Shangri-la Speedway after 15 years. Supers were a staple at the track from ’62-’65.  I’ve spent years trying to find results from those shows.  Below is what I have.  If anyone out there could fill in the blanks, I’d owe you a debt of gratitude:

1962
DATE     FEATURE WINNER
06/24/62: *Nolan Swift
07/01/62: *Nolan Swift
07/08/62: *Bill Vess
09/09/62: Ed Kingsley
09/30/62: Ron Wallace
10/07/62: RESULTS NEEDED
10/14/62: Lee Bliss
10/21/62: RAIN
10/28/62: Peppy Cone
* When Shangri-la re-opened in 1962, the first three shows were “Open Competition”, possibly with supers and stock cars mixed together.  09/09/62 was the first advertised “Supermodified” show

1963
DATE     FEATURE WINNER
05/05/63: Peppy Cone
05/19/63: Ken Fisher
06/09/63: Bud Johnson
06/16/63: Art Bennett
06/23/63: Ron Wallace
06/30/63: Dave Paul (Last Sunday afternoon Super show)
07/26/63: Jack Murphy (Lights installed - First Friday night show)
08/02/63: Nolan Swift
08/09/63: RAIN
08/16/63: Nolan Swift
08/23/63: CANCELLED (Nelson Ward killed)
08/30/63: RESULTS NEEDED
09/06/63: Sam Sessions
09/13/63: Ron Wallace
09/27/63: RESULTS NEEDED

1964
DATE     FEATURE WINNER
05/29/64: Art Bennett
07/03/64: RESULTS NEEDED
07/10/64: RESULTS NEEDED
07/17/64: RESULTS NEEDED
07/31/64: Sam Sessions
08/21/64: RESULTS NEEDED
08/28/64: RESULTS NEEDED
09/11/64: Wayne Landon

1965
06/25/65: RESULTS NEEDED

More pics from the Shangri-la supermodified show on 9/15/79:

1. Heveron, Fillip and Shampine
2. Richie Evans, winner of the modified portion of the Southern Tier 200, congratulates Jim Shampine on his supermodified victory. 
3. Chet Fillip races to the outside of Steve Gioia #9

USELESS TRIVIA: Fourth place finisher Chet Fillip had the only rear-engine supermodified in the field that night.  Fillip, who was from San Angelo TX, would later go on to race in both the Daytona 500 and Indianapolis 500.  He garnered even more fame in the 1980’s when he became the boyfriend of TV actress Morgan Fairchild.