Super Late Model racers Chub Frank, Rich Gardner and Dave Hess Jr. headlined a group of dirt track veterans in the “Racing for Kids” event at Lake Erie Speedway in September. The names impressed LES general manager Branden Kaczay. Their racing didn’t.
Eriez Speedway owner Bobby Rohrer didn’t appreciate Kaczay’s thoughts during a recent meeting. So Rohrer issued a challenge – Eriez and LES racers competing in a two-race event this season.
LES racers would run on dirt. Eriez racers would run on asphalt. “We’ll see who the best drivers are,” Rohrer said. Both are certain the event will occur, although dates and the cars that will be used remain undetermined. Rohrer pointed to a Friday night at Eriez in late August.
He suggested running SportMods, which are similar to dirt E-Mods, at LES. But he recommended Street Stocks at Eriez, since E-Mod veterans like Hess, a past regional E-Mods champion, would “destroy everybody,” Rohrer said. No matter what, he said, “(this) might be a big deal.”
Kaczay stands by his thoughts on those dirt racers. “The names are phenomenal. Those are icons,” he said. “I hear they can drive anywhere. … But I wasn’t awestruck. That’s not what I expected. I expected to be taught a lesson or two. The way they drove, it wasn’t more impressive than what my guys do.”
He also looks forward to the challenge. “It’s going to happen. It’s got to be done,” he said. “I said, ‘Let’s bring it. Let’s do it.’ We’re going to see who’s got the cream of the crop.”
* Gardner out in 2009?: Gardner has raced in every regional season for the past 31 years. But the Super Late Model veteran’s 32nd season appears over before it begins.
Gardner, who won five straight Eriez championships from 2000-04, has lost his ride in Toby Jordan’s No. 1 Late Model because of shrinking sponsorship dollars caused by the struggling economy.
“He’s come to the point where he can’t afford to put more of his own money into it,” Gardner, 51, said of Jordan, a regional car builder and parts supplier based in the Sugar Grove area. “We could very well be parked for a year. We could very well be parked for good.”
He hasn’t ruled out driving for Jordan in high-stakes races, such as the World of Outlaws Late Model Series event at Eriez on July 26. “We haven’t completely said no,” he said. “But it doesn’t look good.”
Gardner also hasn’t ruled driving for another car owner. “It would have to be the right deal,” he said. “It would have to be a good car. I’m not going to race just to race.”
* New face at Raceway 7: Terry Adams, co-owner of Lorain County Speedway in Elyria, Ohio, has leased Raceway 7 from owner Ron Neilson for the 2009 season. They agreed to a one-year lease with an option to buy – an option Adams said he will consider as the season progresses.
Neilson chose not to operate the Conneaut, Ohio, track for the first time since purchasing it a decade ago because of family health issues, co-manager Pam Lenigan said. “We’re committed to it this year with (Adams),” Lenigan said. “If it’s not sold, we have intentions right now of re-opening in 2010.”
Adams leased the track in 1991 from the previous owner. “Things didn’t work out,” he said. “We just stayed at Lorain County.” But at this point, he said, “the time was right. Things seemed to fall into place.”
Adams will have the same weekly classes – Fastrak Late Models, E-Mods, Street Stocks and Challenger Mini Stocks. But the schedule will include special events, including six Super Late Model races.
Adams said improving the program, car count and fan base will be challenging.
“It looks like it was run down pretty good,” he said. “Car counts weren’t horrible, but they were nothing like they used to be. It sounded like the crowds were run down pretty good. It’s going to take awhile.”
* Jennerstown’s loss, Sharon’s gain: With Jennerstown Speedway closed for this season, promoter Larry Mattingly has become Sharon Speedway’s general manager. He has 40-plus years in racing.
“Getting Larry to join us at Sharon is a plus,” Dave Blaney, Sharon’s owner and a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series veteran, said in a statement. “We’ve needed someone who is knowledgeable in all aspects of the sport to manage day-to-day operation of the speedway and develop our long-range goals.”
Mattingly wants to improve the Hartford, Ohio, dirt track’s value despite a struggling economy.
“Making weekly racing a viable, affordable entertainment option for spectators is our challenge,” he said in the statement. “We’ll be working hard to increase the overall value of our programs.”
* Circling the tracks: Mercer Raceway Park will hold the “Thunder in the Park” race car show at Shenango Valley Mall in Hermitage on March 19-22 – a week before the Mercer dirt track’s March 28 season opener. Anyone interested in participating should call the track at (724) 964-9300 or send an e-mail to webmaster@mercerracewaypark.com. … Holland (N.Y.) International Speedway will hold a winter registration party on Sunday at The Holland Willows (177 Savage Road). Along with registering for this season, drivers can purchase NASCAR and track licenses, reserve car numbers, obtain pit pads and rule books and speak with tech officials. … Thunder Raceway in Show Low, Ariz., has rejoined the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series, the national short-track circuit that includes LES. That track left the series in 2002 because of the regional impact from forest fires.
– Victor Fernandes
Check out the Racing Report, the Erie Times-News’ racing notebook, every week and news updates throughout the 2009 season on www.GoErie.com/blogs/sports.