Billy Van Pelt

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Billy Van Pelt
BornWilliam Van Pelt
(1966-08-26) August 26, 1966 (age 58)
Westfield, Pennsylvania
Retired2022
Debut season1988
Modified racing career
Car number2
Championships26
Wins243
Championship titles
T3 All Star 358-Modified Series (4)

William "Billy" Van Pelt (August 26, 1966) is a retired American Dirt Modified racing driver credited with 243 career wins at 9 tracks in the Twin Tiers regions of Pennsylvania and New York. [1]

Contents

Racing career

Billy Van Pelt first got behind the wheel of a modified formerly driven by his brother in 1987. By 1989, Stock Car Racing Magazine billed him as an “up and coming rising star.” [2]

Van Pelt competed at 40 different racetracks during his career, including All-Tech Raceway in Florida; Canandaigua Speedway, Ransomville Speedway, Rolling Wheels Raceway and the Syracuse Mile in New York; and Clinton County Speedway, Hill Speedway, Lernerville Speedway, Selinsgrove Speedway and Tri-City Speedway in Pennsylvania. [3] [4] [5]

Van Pelt was a standout at the Woodhull Raceway in New York, claiming 23 track titles. [6] He also won two championships at Outlaw Speedway in Dundee, New York, another at Freedom Motorsports Park in Delevan, New York, and captured four T3 All-Star Series touring championships from 2005 to 2009. [2] [7] [8] [9] Billy Van Pelt was inducted into the Northeast Dirt Modified Hall of Fame in 2025. [10]

Personal life

Billy Van Pelt is part of a racing family. Patriarch Jim drove for many years before campaigning a car for sons Curt and Tony, as well as Billy. [11] [12] Cousin Jason Burdett progressed from crewing for the Van Pelts to serving as NASCAR Hall of Famer Jimmie Johnson's crew chief in the Daytona 500, while nephew Dillon Groover began winning races at age 14. [13] [14]

References

  1. ↑ "Billy Van Pelt". Auto Racing Research Associates. Retrieved December 10, 2024.
  2. 1 2 Adaskaveg, Mike (November 18, 2022). "Billy Van Pelt Retires on Top". Outside Groove. Retrieved December 10, 2024.
  3. ↑ "Beltz should have had a V8, and now he does". New Castle News . PA. August 6, 1998. p. 14. Retrieved December 10, 2024– via NewspaperArchive.
  4. ↑ "Dunn Hill 2 Beats Rain on Busy Night". Rocket-Courier. Wyalusing PA. January 1, 2011. Retrieved December 10, 2024.
  5. ↑ "Billy VanPelt". The Third Turn. Retrieved December 10, 2024.
  6. ↑ "VanPelt gets in done". Speed Sport . May 15, 2022. Retrieved December 10, 2024.
  7. ↑ Ott, Larry (October 14, 2004). "Hail to the champion drivers of 2004". Buffalo News . NY. Retrieved December 10, 2024.
  8. ↑ Elkins, Doug (June 4, 2015). "Van Pelt holds off Johnson for big payday". The Post-Standard . Syracuse NY. p. B2. Retrieved December 10, 2024– via NewspaperArchive.
  9. ↑ "Van Pelt grabs Jim Williams Memorial victory". Wellsboro Gazette. PA. November 4, 1999. Retrieved December 10, 2024– via NewspaperArchive.
  10. ↑ "Howard, Planck & Van Pelt selected to NE Dirt Mod HOF". Speed Sport. January 22, 2025. Retrieved January 22, 2025.
  11. ↑ Leet, Ken (July 11, 2007). "Special night at the races". Olean Times Herald . NY. Retrieved December 31, 2024.
  12. ↑ Adaskaveg, Mike (November 18, 2022). "Billy Van Pelt Retires on Top". Outside Groove. Retrieved December 10, 2024.
  13. ↑ "Layfield among winners at McKean raceway". The Evening Tribune . Hornell NY. August 29, 2014. Retrieved December 31, 2024.
  14. ↑ Potter, Chris (February 14, 2024). "Burdett's NASCAR journey leads from Steuben County to Daytona 500". The Evening Tribune . Hornell NY. Retrieved December 31, 2024.
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