BEASTLY THUNDER TREE’S: Observe And Report Volume 3

Written By Hazer For DTD (09/30/11) - As always fashionably late beats punctual on time's arse. It says “hey look at me, I'm here when I want to be, I'm my own kind of person, and why can't anyone save me some desert.” With that in mind the 3 topics that gained some attention are lapping up to 3rd, winning 2 strait Thunder Titles, and winning 2 track titles in one season. Sit back and put your big boy pants on, because it's time to exercise your mind.

What would you call a guy who won 6 track titles in one decade? Some would say amazing, outstanding, or dominate. When you say Bobby Varin some say brash, outspoken, or temperamental. Truthfully his results speak for themselves and this guy is the real deal. He's won a number of races, multiple titles, tour titles, and has his own energizer bunny. It’s no surprise Varin dominates races like the New Yorker 100 at Utica Rome Speedway. Sorry race fans, he’s no longer a bobcat; he’s got a beast mode.

Once Bobby Varin hits beast mode you can almost hear the double zero racing up on your back bumper growling, hungry for a win. After the 2011 New Yorker was completed BBV had won 3 of the last 4 New Yorkers. When asked if he thought he’d be that dominate in the extra distance even he said “Well when we get to the track we think we got a shot, because the car Dave (Dover Dave Crushank) provides is definitely capable, but you never know. There is so much competition.”

Rarely in modern dirt modified racing has someone dominated a field lapping up to 3rd place the way Varin did in the 2011 edition of the New Yorker. “What we do with our setup and the car works well for the long distance races honestly, but to dominate and lap up to 3rd like that? Even I didn’t foresee that” Bobby said about his outstanding performance in the 100-lap affair. When it comes to extra laps at the action track of the east, BBV has it covered.

One can only assume Bobby the beast Varin enjoys going fast, after all he’s no stranger to victory lane. “Utica gives us a chance to be the fastest car going fast not the fastest car at going slow. That’s because it’s a real fast race track even when it’s slippery” Varin said about his success in the extra distance shows at Utica Rome. Bobby Varin is one of the best in the business these days and if there is any question how he pumps himself up for a big show; he can be found having a pre game arm wrestling match with the champ.

Stewart Friesen is a winning machine for many reasons, but the most notable is his reluctance to accept mediocrity. When he hits a racetrack he has two speeds; fast and stop, which makes him a contender anywhere he goes. He comes from a winning family and if the fore mentioned Varin reminds so many of CD Coville in style both on and off the track, Friesen has to be equivalent, as both posses a playful personality that scares the politically correct stiff.

The Shoe, Mr. Freeze, or Stewie, whatever the nickname you want to insert; has stormed through the Thunder On The Thruway Series schedule the past 2 seasons. Friesen had to hunt down Pat Ward in the final event at Fonda Speedway to earn his 2nd strait series title. He trailed Ward by 2 points heading into the event and by the evenings end he had won the title by 10. “The thunder series is a great series with some great competition so it’s great to win it for the second year in a row” Friesen said in a post race interview.

He has won races, track titles, a RoC Modified title, and even has a Super Dirt Week win to his credit. After winning his second strait Thunder Series title what’s next for Stewart Friesen? What’s the one title he’s yet to obtain to seal his legacy in dirt modified super stardom? Ah yes the one title he has yet to contend for that could make him a legend. The one title that burns the question “Could Stewart commit enough to win it?” That one title is a Super DIRTcar series crown, which still garners the most notoriety.

Tremont racing has been turning laps at a dirt track for 50 years starting with Ken Sr. and continuing with Ken Jr. who picked this celebratory year to win not one but two track championships. Some time has passed since KT’s last title at Lebanon Valley Speedway and this season Brett Hearn appeared to have the field covered. Kenny Tremont did what he always seems to do, hang around near the top of the pile until it was time to make his move. With Hearn struggling at the end of the season, Tremont seized the opportunity.

For Tremont this was his 13th track championship on the High Banks showing he’s not stranger to title town. Jr. has come a long way since his first modified win at the Valley back in 1982 claiming supremacy at a track storied in weekly warriors turned hero’s. How would KT adapt to a track he’s never been on before? Truth be told he seemed to adapt just fine at the fastest ¼ mile on dirt. With Malta continuing their Asphalt struggles Tremont brought his short track experience to Glen Ridge Motorsports Park for 2011.

It didn’t take Tremont long to find victory lane, as he picked up his first win ever at the track on April 29th and killed his competitors with consistency all season long. The most modest of men said in an RPW interview with Melissa Lazzaro that short track racing wasn’t really his forte and it takes him a while to get used to it. Someone may want to tell Kenny Tremont that while he polishes his track championship trophy he won at the ridge this season and places it next to his Albany Saratoga short track titles. Big or small; it doesn’t matter, Kenny Tremont is a two-time champion in 2011.

With the regular season in the books all eyes are on Super Dirt Week still even though it has passed us by. Next time we meet race fans the controversial finish to SDW four zero will be on my table. I’m sure both Stewart Friesen and DIRTcar will stand and take notice. Time to put the Yeager down kids and pick up the rulebook, because we’re going to cover some basics. Until then I’ll be watching and I’ll observe and report.