McBride takes special win at Champion!

A very rainy morning in Owego, N.Y. led many people to think there is no way there would be speedway racing on Aug. 11 at Champion Speedway, but track supporters Danny “Moonbeam” Fallon and Karen Vargo, along with Casey Donholt, battled hard all afternoon dragging the surface and getting in top shape so the show could go on for the Larry and Kathy McBride Memorial.

Larry did PR work and videos for all the East Coast tracks for years while Kathy did a number of jobs, including scoring. Together they produced two of the best riders the East has ever seen, their sons – Tuff and Lenny McBride, both residents of Windsor, N.Y. 

Tuff won multiple track and State Titles and competed for three years on the Southern California Circuit in its heyday during the late 80’s, and when riders were making large sums of money and racing five nights a wee. 

Lenny won four track Championships at Champion Speedway plus a Canadian National Championship and Daytona National win, along with numerous Main Events all over.

Tuff made a very successful comeback the past 12 years or so, but has been out with a nagging injury the past two seasons. He hopes to be healthy for next year. He was able to win during the years dedicated to his parent’s memory, and got his name on their plaque.

Len had not really lost his interest in racing, but for the past eight years had an important weekend job that would not allow him the time for competing. Fortunately that all changed last year and he mounted a comeback of his own last August that has seen him get stronger and stronger at each event. He won a handicap main in June and tied for top scorer two weeks ago at Champion after the heat rounds.

On Aug. 11, Len’s thoughts centered around getting his name on his parent’s plaque. He and Casey Donholt were again tied for top scorer in the scratch program and McBride had first choice of gates for the scratch main. He chose gate 4 while Donholt chose 5. McBride gated well but Donholt has been excellent off the start this season and got the edge. McBride would have to follow Donholt home for second place as Donholt rode his Sammy Tanner Arai / Polito sponsored Jawa to his 6th Scratch Main win in a row this summer.

In what was a storybook ending to the night, McBride powered his Scotts Headers / Justice Bros / Oury / Tanks Auto / Moonbeam powered GM past several lower yardage riders on the first lap to take over the lead in the Handicap Main. Donholt also got through traffic and into second but could not get close enough to McBride to overtake him, and finally, Len McBride joined his brother as a Main Event winner on his parent’s award.

Another Windsor, N.Y. resident, young Dylan “Lil Outlaw” Hawk, a rookie in the pro ranks, scored an upset win over some tough competition in the Aug. 11 feature.

Champion Speedway has added an event on Aug. 18, and then gears up for its two biggest events of the season – the New York State Championship on Aug. 25, where out of town riders will be in early to compete, followed by the U.S. Open National Championships on Sept. 1 and 2, which will feature at least ten out of state riders including eight-time and current U.S. National Champion, Billy Janniro, from Northern California.

For more information, visit eastcoastspeedway.com, or you can Follow “Champion Speedway” on Facebook. 

Here are the Larry and Kathy McBride Memorial results.

Scratch Main: 1. Casey Donholt, 2. Len McBride, 3.Dave Oakden, 4. Mike Cortese Jr., 5. Dan Oakden.

Handicap Main: 1. Len McBride, 2. Casey Donholt, 3. Dan Okaden, 4.Dave Oakden, 5.Mike Cortese Jr., 6. Dalton Oakden.

D-2: 1. Dalton Oakden, 2. Mike Cortese Jr., 3. Jonathan Oakden, 4. Mason Higley, 5. Ray Schweiger, 6. Battlescar Bradley.

JR Speedway: 1. Caleb Stewart, 2. Levi Harris, 3. Joel Farwell.

Quad Pro: 1. Dylan Hawk, 2. Toby Relyea, 3. Don Archibald, 4. Don Tonkin, 5. Lonni Whitmore, 6.Jimmer Ulrich, 7. Ashlee Retorto.

Trikes: 1. Mark Waddington, 2. Matt Wambold, 3. TJ Smith. 

Dirt Bikes: 1. 2, 2. 38, 3. 302, 4. 5.