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By Steve Pados, Accord Media
Richie Eurich, the veteran Modified driving star residing in Warwick, New York, made a triumphant return in 2007 to the Accord Speedway, a track by his own admission had been off his weekly racing schedule since the late 1960's. Eurich, a successful Modified campaigner since 1971, was seeking an additional night of racing to his 2007 plans and began the season trying out the quick Accord speedplant. Eurich adapted quite well to the "race to the walls" facility and along with it became the first driver to wheel a Big Block powered race car to a feature event win since Gary Palmer and his family took over the 46-year old raceway seven years ago. Eurich backed up the win with a series of steady performances that found him in the thick of the heating racing battles and finishing a solid seventh in the final point standings at the Ulster County speedplant.
Building on his great performance from a year ago and the increased boost in the Accord purse offerings, Eurich is totally pumped up and looking forward to his return to the weekly racing wars when the 2008 season commences at Accord on April 18th. All Modified features at Accord in 2008 will offer $2,000.00 to win and selected events will offer an even greater value as Promoter Gary Palmer continues to raise the bar at the lightning quick quarter miler. Eurich will return with the same 2003 Bicknell car he competed with last year at the speedway and successfully utilized for a podium third place finish during the Eastern States 200 at Orange County Fair Speedway last year to close out another great season behind the wheel. Once again the race-car will have a JPM Big Block powerplant fitted between the rails and the soft-spoken Eurich feels is the combination needed to roar out of the blocks early to make a serious run at the Accord track title won last year for the 10th-time by Rich Ricci Jr.
Eurich, entering his 31st year behind the wheel of a race car, will once again engage in a twice a week racing schedule that will find him competing at Orange County on Saturday nights. Eurich has a freshly minted 2008 Bicknell car with JPM power for his Saturday night racing and hopes to improve on his 2007 OCFS season that saw him finding the winners circle and finishing 6th in the final point standings at the track. Longtime sponsors Collier Motorcars and Brush Construction will help ease the financial burden of the two-night a week effort and Lain's Auto Parts has come on-board to lend additional support to the team. Longtime top-notch Crew Chief Dave Eurich will continue his meticulous preparation of the racing equipment and has the added support of longtime crewman Stanley Kaczmar as well. Dave and Brian Collier lend additional crew help throughout the season.
Eurich, who won his first ever feature event win back in 1967 while driving in the Sportsman division earned a Sportsman title at OCFS in 1970. In only his 6th Big Block outing the following year, Eurich rolled to a Modified victory at Orange County, a win that would kick-start a successful driving career that would find Eurich winning the 1971 Modified title at the now defunct Nazareth Speedway and earning three-Big Block titles at Orange County with the first coming in 1981. Eurich followed up his first title with another championship in 1982 and would later add a third title in 1988. The 1988 season proved to be especially rewarding for Eurich as he captured the Eastern States 200 the same year, his one and only Eastern States triumph in his illustrious career.
While the work continues on the new improvements at Accord with the new season just around the corner, the work has been slowed a bit by the harsh winter weather dealt to the Hudson Valley of late. With the new track configuration making the racing lanes wider and the 165 loads of virgin clay being added to the raceway, the racing for 2008 will be spectacular from start to finish. Increased banking in the turns will add to the new look the "Gem in the Catskills" facility will feature in 2008. Additional improvements will be to the bathrooms, the totally enlarged pit area that is almost completely sold out at this writing, and the additional improvements to the already great concessions with many new and creative new entrees being added for the fans.
The Palmer Family and their loyal staff look forward to the 2008 racing season at Accord. With all systems pointing skyward, it is easy to understand the interest and excitement the speedway is creating. The 2008 racing schedule is posted on the Accord website and racing fans are encouraged to visit the site and review all of the new offerings available including "Video on Demand".
For further updates regarding the great racing at the Accord Speedway, logon to their newly constructed website at: www.accordspeedway.com
or call the Speedway Hotline at: 845 626 3478
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