Slo-Pokes close in on Red Onions

The 2006 Slo-Pokes' racing season started out with a good showing at the Deerfield Invitational Drill in Utica, N.Y. the site of this year's New York State Championship Drill and Parade.

The Slo-Pokes finished third out of 14 teams competing. Teams from all four New York State Associations finished in the top five marking the first time this has happened in recent memory.

The Slo-Pokes are comprised of active members of the Main-Transit Fire Department that compete in Firematic Competitions throughout the state.

The Slo-Pokes finished second at Sea-Breeze. Main-Transit and Dansville and were down over 24 points to overall points leader Spencerport Red Onions.

The Henrietta tournament held July 23 was the Slo-Pokes' first 2006 win with 27 points. They placed at Copenhagen the last week of July. It was a Western New York points drill.

Spencerport was handed a defeat by Main-Transit on their own track on Aug. 5. The final points' drill of the year also gave Main-Transit another first place win at Point Pleasant. Four teams from Long Island competed but could not stop the Slo-Pokes who were progressively gaining on the Spencerport Red Onions.

The year ended with the Slo-Pokes trailing the Red Onions by only 41/2 points.