THOSE ROERIG CARS

           When I first go to go to the new Albany - Saratoga Speedway in Malta, NY - one of the things that fascinated me the most was the track's Semi Late Model cars. Most tracks then had some sort of support division that included lower cost late model cars, but these were just unique. Partnering with the Utica - Rome track, and often sharing cars with Riverside Park Speedway, Malta had a nice cadre of these cars - even early on. The division had standouts such as Rome's Lucky Sutton, Georege Rettew and Red Carr from Massachusetts, and local stars like Ken Platt with gold #99 Ford.

Ladabouche Collection
Platt soldiers on as Jerry Pennock spins in front of Don Antolick.

                 The 99 came from very nearby, at the Round Lake exit of Interstate 87. There, you could find the Grand Prix Restaurant and nearby gas station owned by the Roerig brothers, Larry and Dick. They team had apparently started off in the Semi Late Models with gold #99's. My first experience with them was a 1955 Ford driven by Platt, from Taberg, NY. Another earlier car was a 1955 Chevy. I saw the team again when they, and Donnie Antolick, tried their luck at Devil's Bowl on a Sunday night.      
                  Eventually, they began building sportsman and modified cars. Early ones for Platt included a Falcon - bodied modified which ran at  Malta, Airborne, and a few other venues. My last trip ever to Fonda was around 1969 at Fonda. By then, the team had a low - slung 36 Chevy coupe and were using Maynard Forrette as driver. As might be expected by Cyclone, the evening started out with some sort of informal presentation with Forrette and starter Don Phoenix, the idea being Forrette had been black flagged the week before.

Ladabouche Photo
The Forrette - driven Chevy mod arrives at Catamount for an All Star League show.

                 The Roerig team would go on to use Forrette and Rene Charland in various cars from that era of Vegas, Gremlins, Chevettes, and so forth. There was also a cameo appearance by Don Antolick in a gold 99 at the Valley. The gold 99 team finally seemed to fade away as racing began to go to the manufactured cars and the higher spending; but they were always fun to watch - whoever was driving the car.

Courtesy of Mike Parenteau
Charland with one of the later Roerig cars, on dirt.

KEN PLATT ERA

Courtesy of Mike Cranston Ken Platt, at Malta with what was likely the first Roerig car. I think I saw this car at Devil's Bowl once.	Courtesy of Mike Cranston A young boy with the second 99 - probably Mike Cranston.	Courtesy of Mike Cranston Platt, with a Chevy that I don't remember.	Courtesy of A. Ainsworth Newly built Falcon.	Courtesy of Jim Kelly One of the Falcons at an undisclosed track.	Bob Mackey Photo Courtesy of John Rock Platt, at Airborne.
		Bob Mackey Photo Courtesy of John Rock Ken Platt, at Airborne with one of the Falcons.	John Grady Photo Courtesy of A. Ainsworth Platt, at Malta.	Courtesy of Bill Farress Platt, somewhere in New Jersey.

Courtesy of Scott Belknap
The only photo that shows the Roerig brothers.

Courtesy of Lebanon Valley Classics
The only photo that shows Steve Luse in the Roerig car - at the Valley.

MAYNARD "CYCLONE" FORRETTE ERA

Courtesy of Dave Dykes Maynard, at Airborne - near his hometown of Ellenburg Depot.	Courtesy of Mike Parenteau Maynard, at Riverside Park.	Courtesy of Mike Parenteau Maynard, with the same Vega that Luse drove.	Courtesy of Mike Rockefeller Maynard in 1971 with a different coupe.	Courtesy of Scott Belknap Maynard, wearing his ASL helmet - with the original Chevy coupe.	Courtesy of John Gallant Maynard picked an important Fonda race to put the Chevy in the giggly weeds.
Courtesy of Jay Carpinello Maynard and Charland with the Roerig coupe. Not sure who was driving then.	Photo by Lennie Courtesy of Jalopy Journal Likely, at Fonda.	Courtesy of David Herrick A happy pose.	Gater Racing News And we thought Shoemaker was hard on equipment.	Courtesy of LVC Maynard, at Lebanon Valley.	Courtesy of Dirt Track Digest Maynard, at Albany - Saratoga.

RENE "THE CHAMP" CHARLAND ERA

Courtesy of Mike Richards Rene with one of the 99's he drove.	Courtesy of Chas Hertica Charland, at Fonda, with one of the earlier Roerig cars.	Courtesy of Mike Parenteau Rene with the Roerig Gremlin.	Courtesy of Mark Charland Champ in Fonda Vic Lane with the Gremlin.	Courtesy of Scott Belknap More of the Charland Roerig Gremlin.	Courtesy of John Gallant The Frito Bandito at Lebanon Valley.
Courtesy of Mark Charland Rene with the coupe.	Courtesy of Ron Wetzler Charland in Fonda Vic Lane with Larry and Dick Roerig.	Joel Naprstek Photo Courtesy of 3 Wide Said to be Charland, at Cairo, with the coupe.	Speedway Snapshots Photo Roerigs got to be quite the traveling team. Charland at Ransomville with the Gremlin.	Courtesy of Chrome Horn Vintage Mods.com Charland, at speed, with the familiar coupe.	Courtesy of Mike Parenteau The Roerig Gremlin. They ran an expensive [and powerful] big block here.
	Peter Fitzner Collection Courtesy of Chas Hertica Charland, said to bne winning the Valley 200a with the later coupe.	Bob Manieri Photo Courtesy of Scott Belknap Charland, at Fonda, with the Gremlin.	Peter Fitzner Collection Courtesy of Chas Hertica Charland, at Fonda, with a later coupe.

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