INSIDE RACING: Firemen prove to be competitive
Enduro Series growing by leaps and bounds at the Big R
GASPORT — Don’t tell Ransomville Speedway race car drivers like Tim Durfy that the Enduro Series is a fun way to try and raise money for the volunteer fire company he’s been active at for 32 years. The fastest growing racing series in Western New York, the Bobcat of Buffalo Firehall Enduro Series, has quickly turned into one of the Big R’s most competitive, if not entertaining to an extreme.
“It’s the biggest thing in racing to come along in years,” said Durfy, owner of Durfy’s (the former Cam Gagliardi Wobble Shop) on Rochester Road and a driver for the Terry’s Corners Firehall.
“Last year we started with 13 cars and we finished with 18 at the end of the season. And this year — look, it took just two years for 30 firemen to build 30 cars. That’s unbelievable,” Durfy said.
Durfy and his rival from the Wilson Firehall, Jamie O’Donnell, said a big reason for its popularity is it’s a cheaper form of racing. Entry fees for the four-cylinder, front-wheel-drive cars are paid for by the series sponsor, Bobcat of Buffalo, with additional money coming from sponsors that include Durfy’s and Gippster Collision of Lewiston. The only way to win ($1,000 first prize that goes to the firehall) is to place first in the series at the end of the year.
Mark Brown from Wilson leads the Enduro Series with 120 points. O’Donnell is fourth (94) and Durfy (88) is tied for fifth.“It’s a cheaper way of racing, plus you’re dealing with volunteers — special people who step up to a challenge any time of day. They’re unique people,” O’Donnell said.
Currently, there are eight different firehalls with cars entered at Ransomville Speedway: Bergholz, Lewiston No. 1, Olcott, Ransomville, Terrys Corners, Wilson, Youngstown and Niagara Falls, Ontario.
O’Donnell and fellow Wilson driver Russ Jackman said Durfy’s competitiveness is obvious. “Durf’s a great guy and always one of the front-runners,” Jackman said.
Added O’Donnell, a record nine-time streets stock feature winner in 1995 at the Big R now working at Wilson Automotive, “If you look up racing, it’s ‘go fast.”Cars are numbered similarly to correspond to the fire company they represent. For example, Durfy drives car No. 25, while fellow Terry’s Corners firemen Nick Baes and Steven Baes, drive cars 125 and 325 respectively.
Durfy said the Enduro Racing Series, which resumes at the Big R on June 6, will continue to grow. “Erie County has 10,000 more firemen than we do. It’s just a matter time before more fire companies jump on board and have some fun,” Durfy said.
Source: http://www.grandislandrecord.com/sports/gnnsports_story_150225741.html?keyword=topstory
