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Sprint cars are high-powered open-wheel race cars, designed primarily for the purpose of running on short oval or circular dirt or paved tracks. Historically known simply as "big cars," distinguishing them from "midget cars," sprint car racing is popular primarily in the United States and Canada, as well as in Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa.
Richard Ernest Evans, was an American racing driver who won nine NASCAR National Modified Championships, including eight in a row from 1978 to 1985. The International Motorsports Hall of Fame lists this achievement as "one of the supreme accomplishments in motorsports". Evans won virtually every major race for asphalt modifieds, most of them more than once, including winning the Race of Champions three times. Evans was elected to the NASCAR Hall of Fame on June 14, 2011. As one of the Class of 2012, Evans was one of the Hall's first 15 inductees, and was the first Hall of Famer from outside the now NASCAR Cup Series.
Williams Grove Speedway is a half-mile dirt racing track located in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania, United States. The speedway opened on May 21, 1939, it has been owned by the Hughes family for over 50 years and has hosted many of the most notable national touring series and some of those most prestigious races in the country. The speedway is entering its 81st year of operation, with racing every Friday from March to October and other special events. One of these special events is the $75,000 to win National Open for sprint cars sanctioned by the World of Outlaws racing series held in late September or early October each year.
Donald "Dutch" Hoag was an American racing driver who won the Langhorne National Open five times when it was the most prestigious event for Modified and Sportsman racers.
Tim McCreadie is an American Dirt Late Model racing driver. He is the 2021 and 2022 Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Champion. In 2007 he ran a partial schedule in NASCAR West Series, ARCA RE/MAX Series, NASCAR Busch Series, and World of Outlaws Late Model Series.
Lernerville Speedway is a 4/10 mile dirt oval automobile race track located in Sarver, Pennsylvania, United States. It is currently owned by Ted Tomson who runs Tomson Scrap Metal. Lernerville currently hosts the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series and the High Limit Racing sprint car series. 2024 will mark the 57th season for the track. The track features the "Fab 4" divisions weekly on Fridays from mid April through August. These divisions include the "Big Three"- 410 Sprints, Super Late Models, and Big Block Modifieds, and is the only track in the country to run all three on a weekly basis.
Sharon Speedway is a 3/8-mile dirt oval race track located in Hartford Township, Ohio and named for the nearby city of Sharon, Pennsylvania. It opened in 1929, making it one of the oldest continuously running dirt ovals in the United States. The track is currently part-owned and operated by the Blaney family, which includes NASCAR driver Dave Blaney. Blaney's father and former driver, Lou Blaney, originally assisted in the operation of the track. Lou Blaney died on January 25, 2009.
Kevin Bolland was born in New Brighton, Pennsylvania. Kevin works at their family owned business, Bolland Machine located in Chippewa Township, PA. He races the #777 DIRTcar Big Block Modified at dirt track circles in the NorthEast.
Modified stock car racing, also known as modified racing and modified, is a type of auto racing that involves purpose-built cars simultaneously racing against each other on oval tracks. First established in the United States after World War II, this type of racing was early-on characterized by its participants' modification of passenger cars in pursuit of higher speeds, hence the name.
Lynn Geisler is a dirt late model driver from Cranberry Township, Butler County, Pennsylvania who is a member of the National Dirt Late Model Hall of Fame. He has won over 200 late model races over a racing career spanning four decades. Mr. Geisler has been driving dirt late models in Western Pennsylvania since 1981. In 2011, Mr. Geisler raced at his two home tracks: Lernerville Speedway and PPMS.
Louis George "Lou" Blaney was an American racecar driver who raced modifieds and sprint cars. He was also the operator and part-owner of Sharon Speedway.
Michael Klapak was an American racing driver. Klapak won three championships of the NASCAR Sportsman division, in 1950, 1951, and 1952. He also competed in USAC Stock Cars, winning the 1957 Trenton 500.
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Jessica L. Friesen is an American professional dirt track racing driver. She primarily competes in sprint car racing, and has raced in series like the All Star Circuit of Champions and World of Outlaws. She will also compete part-time in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series in 2023, driving either the No. 62 or a third Toyota Tundra truck for her family team, Halmar Friesen Racing. She is married to fellow dirt racer and NASCAR driver Stewart Friesen.
William 'Blackie' Watt is a retired American stock car racing driver who earned over 600 feature event wins, using the same engine in his car, a 426 Hemi Dodge, for 21 years.
James W. Delaney was an American stock car racing driver and crew chief. He was a pioneer of the sport, competing in the inaugural year of the Strictly Stock division, which is now the NASCAR Cup series.
Timothy 'Tim' Fuller is an American Dirt Modified and Late Model racing driver. Fuller has 260 feature events wins from 45 tracks in 14 states, two Canadian provinces and Australia.
Jack Johnson was an American dirt modified racing driver. A six-time Mr. Dirt Champion and four-time Super DIRT Series Champion, Johnson won 428 Modified feature races at 35 tracks in 10 states and two Canadian provinces.
Ralph Quarterson was an American dirt modified and sprint car racing driver. He won over 500 feature events including 149 features and 14 track titles at Mercer Raceway Park PA.
Robert "Bobby" Bottcher, Jr. was an American Dirt Modified racing driver. Bottcher had a 9-year winning streak at the Orange County Fair Speedway, capturing 26 modified features and the 1973 track championship at the venue during his career. Bottcher died at Palmerton, Pennsylvania on August 10, 2024, at the age of 85.
References
- 1 2 "Brian Swartzlander - Career Results by Series". The Third Turn. Retrieved July 30, 2023.
- 1 2 3 4 Wimmer, Walt (June 15, 2018). "Swartzlander going strong after 40 years". The Citizen (Auburn, New York) . Retrieved July 30, 2023.
- ↑ Dolack, Chris (June 10, 2004). "Motorsports: Lugnuts". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette . p. C9. Retrieved July 30, 2023– via Google Books.
- ↑ "Sharon Speedway". The Vindicator (Ohio newspaper) . May 13, 2008. p. C2. Retrieved July 30, 2023– via Google Books.
- ↑ Zuck, Thomas (August 19, 2014). "Lernerville drivers savor racing in multiple divisions". Pittsburgh Tribune-Review . Retrieved July 30, 2023.
- 1 2 3 Steele, Jerin (July 12, 2018). "Leechburg's Swartzlander to join Northeast Dirt Modified Hall of Fame". Pittsburgh Tribune-Review . Retrieved July 30, 2023.
- ↑ Johnson, D.J. (September 10, 2020). "Big-block Mods return to Latrobe Speedway after 17-year absence". Latrobe Bulletin. Retrieved July 30, 2023.