Three red flags occurred before the first lap of the limited sportsman feature at New York’s Fonda Speedway. One of those incidents involved Randy Cosselman (5C), Shawn Gibbons (62), and Josh Coonradt (00X).
“I went by the 62 car in the fourth turn, but coming into turn one we came together,” said Cosselman, of Gloversville, New York. “My car started spinning and I said to myself, ‘Here we go!’”
Then the pileup occurred. All three drivers were said to be not injured, but their cars incurred extensive damage.
Cosselman sat in a Kirkey full-containment seat, with a Simpson harness. He wore a Simpson helmet and head-and-neck restraint. His Bicknell chassis had a bent front axle, two bent radius rods and it will need a rear clip. Cosselman is currently assessing whether to repair the car or look for a replacement.
“I work 80 hours a week in construction,” said Cosselman. “My budget may mean it takes me a couple of weeks to get back on the track.”
Likewise, Shawn Gibbons, of Scotia, New York, works long hours as a train engineer. His son, Brendan, said he sat in a Kirkey full-containment seat, with a Simpson five-point harness and wore a Simpson helmet and head-and-neck restraint. His 2022 Teo chassis had a bent front axle, crushed right-side exhaust, and extensive body damage.
“My dad was experienced, but on a budget and coming back after being away for 17 years,” said Brendan, who also races in the 602 crate sportsman class. “Racing is totally different than it was 17 years ago. He drove in a little too hard on the bottom, and the No. 5C drove in a little hard from the top. Dad’s right front hit his left rear — it was a racing incident.”
Coonradt, of Fort Johnson, New York, did not return our calls. The former pro stock driver’s modified had received damage but it is unknown to what degree.
Mike Adaskaveg has written hundreds of stories since the website’s inception. This year marks his 54th year of covering auto racing. Adaskaveg got his start working for track photographer Lloyd Burnham at Connecticut’s Stafford Motor Speedway in 1970. Since then, he’s been a columnist, writer, and photographer, in racing and in mainstream media, for several outlets, including the Journal Inquirer, Boston Herald, Stock Car Racing, and Speedway Illustrated. Among Adaskaveg’s many awards are the 1992 Eastern Motorsport Press Association (EMPA) Ace Lane Photographer of the Year and the 2019 National Motorsports Press Association (NMPA) George Cunningham Writer of the Year.
