By Rob Potter
NORTH BRANCH — March 23, 2010 — Steve Steffens is anxiously awaiting the start of the quad racing season.
Next month, the 19-year-old North Branch resident will begin his fourth season of racing quads in both the District 34 Sports Committee and the Metropolitan Sports Committee.
In 2007, Steffens raced in the Quad C Novice Division. In 2008, he moved up to the Quad B Amateur Division.
Last year, Steffens advanced to the Quad A Expert Division. And he fared very well in the division. He finished second in the season points standings in the Metropolitan Sports Committee and seventh in the season points standings in District 34 Committee.
“In the expert class, the top 10 drivers are racing for cash,” Steffens said. “There’s no room for mistakes.”
After finishing just four points behind Rick Kement in the 2009 Metropolitan Sports Committee standings, Steffens is ready to get back on the track.
“I would love to win a championship,” Steffens said. “Two of the drivers who are going to be tough to beat are Jacob Ingham and Pat Trichelo. All three of us will run pretty close.”
Ingham and Trichelo both hail from The Keystone State of Pennsylvania. Ingham, an 18-year-old high school senior, lives in Wyulsing and Trichelo lives in Archbald.
“We’re going to give it the best shot we have,” Fred Steffens, who is Steve’s grandfather and chief mechanic, said of competing for a championship.
Steve Steffens noted that he has become friends with both Ingham and Trichelo.
“As racers, we have formed a tight bond,” Steve Steffens said.
Preparing for this season started just days after the 2009 season ended back in November. Steve and Fred Steffens took apart his quad and checked for loose bolts and other problems. This winter, Glen Lewis of Precision Plus in Bethel built a motor for Steffens’ Honda TRX 450R quad.
“He is such a great man,” Fred Steffens said of Lewis. “He always wants to help people.”
Steve Steffens, who graduated from Sullivan West Central School in 2009 and now works as a custodian at the Sullivan West Elementary School in Jeffersonville, plans on racing at several area tracks this year. Those tracks include: Unadilla Valley Sports Center in New Berlin, Hurricane Hills in Clifford, Pa., Broome-Tioga Sports Center in Lisle and A.K. Farms in Modena.
Steffens said he will possibly race at Evansville, Pa. and Southwoods Moto Cross in Monticello.
Among those cheering on Steve at those tracks during the next few months will be several family members. In addition to grandfather Fred, those family members include sister Felicia Reichenbaugh, mother Tammy Reichenbaugh, stepfather Charlie Reichenbaugh, grandmother Peggy Steffens and uncle Dale Steffens.
“We’re doing this as a family,” Steve Steffens said.
“It makes you feel good to have so many people behind you,” Fred Steffens said.
Although Tammy Reichenbaugh was diagnosed with Leukemia in October, she continued to attend Steve’s races and videotape them.
“We have never missed a race,” he said. “Seeing her out there at the races is great.”
Steve, who noted that Dale Steffens and Evan Reimer are his racing influences, said that safety is a top priority out on the track.
“Safety is most important,” Steve said. “I have a Leatt neck brace, knee braces and other safety equipment.”
While the safety of the driver is key in the sport of quad racing, so is having quality equipment.
“You have to have a good quad to run good,” Fred Steffens. “We’re a low budget team. If it wasn’t for our all of our sponsors, we would never be able to do this.”
He explained that racing is very expensive. For example, two shock absorbers for Steve Steffens’ quad cost about $1,500.
“We have 17 to 19 local sponsors,” Steve Steffens said. “It’s a great sport, but it’s an expensive sport. Having those sponsors support me is great.”
“They are just phenomenal,” Fred Steffens said.
The local businesses which will sponsor Steve Steffens this season are: Affordable Home Improvement, Rod’s Taxidermy, Lava Towing and Recovery, Price Rite RVs, Dick’s Auto Sales, Deckelmann Trucking, Charles Hahl Construction, Kohler Lumber, Burnwell Propane, L.B. Miller Insurance, J. Hughson Excavating, Jeff Sanitation, Sullivan Overhead Doors, Joe Niero Construction, Amazing Landscape, Fosterdale Equipment, Family Bookkeeping and Tax Service, Catskill Pheasantry, J and J Gulley, Precision Plus and Welton’s Tire and Auto.