7/28/2016
Mom’s Porch
July 28, 2016 Allentown, PA: Day late and dollar short. Mine was a meandering 700-mile path from NASCAR Indianapolis to mom’s porch on South Aubrey. All is in balance here. Bella barks at any dog that dares use her street. Hugo observes birds but is too old of a cat to care.
Mom’s neighborhood has auto racing ambiance. Her husband Fred Brubaker often has Porsche trailered for Summit Point, WV or New Jersey Motorsports Park. Matt Gerber used to live across the street. Matt raced URC sprint cars then built modified stocks for Troyer of NY. Three blocks away is modest garage where Hiram Hillegass hand stitched sprints, midgets and Indianapolis 500 machines before 1960.
People often ask if I moved to Indiana to see more races. Reality is that those who live in Lehigh Valley PA or Onondaga County NY have more races within easy reach, so long as one does not mind fenders. Reality is that I moved to Indiana to see fewer fenders or wings.
Action Track USA in Kutztown, PA flies no wings and only tiny little doors on Tobias invention called Slingshots. Latest graduate of that class is Kassidy Kreitz, daughter of outlaw slayer Don Kreitz Jr. Kutztown offers unique jewel as Wednesday home to wingless 600cc and Toby’s open wheel invention known as Speedsters. Small cars on small space. Action Track’s best advantage is its midweek slot and physical location between Allentown and Reading, a region rich with race fans. They turn out to see aged legends like Kenny Brightbill and Billy Pauch battle Buckwalters while marveling at fast kids like Alex Bright and Eddie Strada, who stole last night’s 600 victory from Row 13. Tim Buckwalter beat Steve Buckwalter to win in Speedsters.
Michael Heffner became part of promotional team at Selinsgrove Speedway this winter, has fastest sprint car in Central PA driven by Greg Hodnett, ARDC midget most recently raced by Billy Pauch Jr. and Bryan Clauson, and speedster driven by Billy Pauch Sr.
Steve Drevicki, an ARDC midget regular before adding 358 sprint car, finished fourth in speedster followed by Andy Haus, son of Scotty and racer of late models and 305 sprint cars.
Another speedster is steered by Tim Iulg, son of Gary, who made DIRT Modified Hall of Fame on strength of Ransomville and Merrittville victories when family lived in Western NY. Gary ran USAC sprint season of 1980 as Genesee teammate to Sheldon Kinser. Upon relocating to South Jersey, Tim became king of Bridgeport 600cc.
Keith Prutzman, late model hero from Big Diamond who turned to super sportsmen at Silver Spring and 358 sprint cars, joined speedster ranks. Keith’s son Eric has worked for Tony Stewart, Donny Schatz and Joey Saldana.
Kutztown felt like family reunion. Down on Main Street at Golden Avalanche Brewery, I was not surprised to find Woof and Petey and Fred. I tailed them one mile to fairgrounds for impromptu VIP parking soon joined by two generations of Rooney, Dick Rauser, Glenn Reinhart and John “The Animal” Smith, who can mimic announcers like Bill Singer from Flemington or Gene Hart of Philadelphia Flyer fame.
Social lubricant was in easy reach because Action Track USA offered beer by can or draft just outside ticket gate. That last point is key because tracks in Pennsylvania do not sell beer. Puritanical liquor laws make it unattainable or cost prohibitive. I came of drinking age in PA where no speedway sells beer but all speedways allow beer. Only after I explored America did I realize how unique this made PA. Some tracks in California might close if not for beer sales. And just try to walk into Kokomo with one.
Action Track USA stages some spectacular action: slide jobs, crossover moves and three-abreast mayhem. But in this third visit, there were again too many caution flags. If they ever string together 10-20 laps, fans might faint from traffic. I’ll probably give Kutztown another go next week. Downtown Brown Ale and good company is good enough excuse.
Thunder on the Hill at Grandview Speedway is another good reason to spend Tuesday blanketed by dust. The little track with the odd banking can be outstanding. Tuesday was not one of those times. Thanks to rain on Pennsylvania Speed Week, Grandview presented four features: two for sprints and two for modified stocks. None will be fondly recalled by anyone other than Greg Hodnett (who ran away with the opener) or Stevie Smith, who could not lose in 2015 and could not win in 2016 until Grandview, where he had never won. We were denied lead battle between Stevie Smith and Ryan Smith when Ryan suffered radiator leak.
Grandview got Hodnett to first and third; Stevie to fifth and first; Brent Marks to second and fifth; Lucas Wolfe (Zemco 1) to third and sixth; Aaron Ott to fourth and seventh; “Daring Danny” Dietrich to sixth and second; and Alan Krimes twice to seventh-place. Five starters from June 28 did not return on July 26: Bryan Clauson, Doug Esh, Robbie Stillwaggon, Brock Zearfoss and Australia’s Sean Zemunik. Davey Sammons broke his engine while staging for first feature, swapped it out, and finished ninth in nightcap.
Grandview was 368 miles and 72 hours from Ohio’s Midvale Speedway, which became Track 524 for this gypsy. Midvale was first dirt when Dean Mast (‘53-54) and Roland “Baldy” Baker Jr. reigned as 1960 super modified kings. Midvale’s big race was Ohio Invitational won by Wayne McGuire in ’61 and 1965 then Darl Harrison in ‘67. Place was paved before 1968 season. Supers returned in ’69 when Al Wood and Paul Baumhauer were winners. At the end of 1980, New York’s Bob Stelter (Solvay 04) was beaten by Butch Fedewa from Michigan in race that became Baldy Baker Memorial in 1981. Baker from nearby Strasberg raced A.J Watson roadster with 500-inch mill from Myles Engineering of Cleveland. It won at Oswego, still hallowed ground. Ohio Invitational became stock car show won by Lennie Waldo (’74), South Carolina’s David Pearson (’77) and Alabama’s Neil Bonnett in 1980.
When the 305 sprint cars of Attica and Fremont found pavement, Clay Keim won three Midvale main events in 1992. John Ivy won twice in ’93 then lost to Brian Neeb. Five seasons passed before 305 sprints returned for races won by Christian Walton and Bryan Scott, who lowered Midvale mark to 13.39. Winners were Terry Gibson and Don Townsend in 2000-2001 and sadly, both died at the wheel within seven years. Tim Buchanan clocked 12.88.
Midwest Supermodified Association appeared in 2000-2003. Midvale winners were Doug Saunier, Dave Shullick Jr, Gary Griffith and Randy Burch. Charlie Schultz went 12.59 in 2000. Baldy Baker Jr. ran three of dad’s races. Nine seasons passed before MSA returned in 2012. Trent Stephens went 12.33 in 2013 and then 11.86 in 2014. D.J Shullick won 2012-13 Baldy Baker II/III Memorials. Schultz (May 7) won in 2014. “Chargin’ Charlie” won again in 2016, qualifying fastest and forced to win from seventh. He needed 20 of 30 laps to overtake Talon Stephens, kid brother to track record holder. A.J Lesiecki (May 77) spun on lap 20 yet retrieved third-place pursued by Jon Henes and Denny Fisher. Brandon Fisher, Rich Reid and rookie Jake Smith failed to finish.
Midvale is a mighty clean spectator-friendly facility full of various vantage points of an oval of good size: 3/10 mile. On a day when Fremont and Paragon cancelled due to heat, I found shade through practice and stock car qualifying. Just as I entered for super mod qualifying, Ohio’s lone rain cloud uncorked. The storm was severe enough to drown an average dirt race. Eight supers had me less than excited so I toyed with idea of bolting 75 miles to 305 sprints at Pittsburgh Motor Speedway, but it had already rained out.
Midvale was 200 miles and 24 hours from Limaland Motorsports Park, which was my Friday choice. And a fine choice it turned out to be. NRA sprint cars (National Racing Alliance?) came down to three-car fight for glory after leader Shawn Dancer dumped in turn three. New York’s Jason Barney inherited command, surrendered to Jared Horstman, pulled wing back and surprised Horstman on restart for Kyle Sauder fire, then was passed high (Horstman) and low by J.R Stewart, who lost to Jared by inches as Barney spun. Hud Horton, winner on my last NRA visit in 2012, took third trailed by Ron Blair (sixth as Atomic 410 next night) and Max Stambaugh, who won next night’s NRA event at Waynesfield over Horstman, Stewart and Barney. Matt Westfall (Marshall 33m) tagged NRA ninth at Lima and fifth at Waynesfield, where he won wingless 410 portion.
I love Limaland. Yes, it is very dusty, but no more than every other Ohio oval. Limaland Motorsports Park is another pristine palace like Midvale. The pit area is paved as is spectator entrance. I’ve loved Limaland since 1985 when it was a three-abreast dump. The old track stayed wet; this one not so much. But this is what contemporary cars need to succeed. Modified races also filled every lane.
East Coast nostalgia tour continues this weekend when my sights are trained on Big Diamond ARDC and Selinsgrove URC. I first visited Diamond for 1982 URC sprint show and have not returned since first USAC sprint race in 2007. I have never seen midgets there. I have not been to Selinsgrove since 1991 All Star Circuit of Champions. Dad first took me there in 1977 when Smokey Snellbaker (Lloyd 56) dominated. Bruce Ellis introduced us to Jack Gunn then and again in ’79 after Allen Klinger kicked World of Outlaws tail. Gunn told Ted Johnson that “Welcome to Ohio” was going to look good to Steve Kinser!
C72816
Article Credit: Kevin Eckert