Duane Howard (racing driver)

Last updated
Duane Howard
BornDuane L. Howard
(1963-06-05) June 5, 1963 (age 61)
Oley, Pennsylvania
Modified racing career
Debut season1989
Car number15G
Championships17
Wins251+
Previous series
Late model, Kart racing
Championship titles
2007, 2010, 2012, 2014, 2019 NASCAR Pennsylvania State Champion
Last updated on: June 27, 2024.

Duane Howard (June 5, 1963) is an American Dirt Modified racing driver, credited with over 250 career wins at tracks in the Mid-Atlantic (United States). [1]

Racing career

Duane Howard grew up racing go-karts against fellow Oley PA resident Craig Von Dohren, and after seeing Von Dohren move on to stock cars, began racing late models at Silver Spring Speedway PA. Howard transitioned to modifieds in 1989, teaming with car owner Buddy Biever for weekly 358 modified racing at Big Diamond Speedway in Pottsville PA, Grandview Speedway in Bechtelsville PA and Penn National Speedway in Grantville PA. [2] [3]

Howard won the first of five NASCAR Pennsylvania state championships in 2007. Along the way, he claimed track championships at Big Diamond, Grandview, and Bridgeport Speedway NJ. [4] [5]

He also competed successfully at venues throughout northeast, including Accord Speedway NY, Delaware International Speedway in Delmar, Five Mile Point Speedway in Kirkwood NY, Fulton Speedway NY, Georgetown Speedway DE, New Egypt Speedway NJ, Penn Can Speedway in Susquehanna PA, Selinsgrove Speedway PA, Susquehanna Speedway in York PA, and the Syracuse Mile NY. [6] [7] [8]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jennerstown Speedway Complex</span> Auto racing venue

Jennerstown Speedway Complex is a racetrack in Jennerstown, Pennsylvania. Built on land that was once home to the Jenners Fair the track had its start in the 1920s as a flat, half-mile dirt track. After several changes, advancements and owners the track closed in 2009 until early 2014 when it was reopened. It is a NASCAR certified track, racing greats such as Dale Earnhardt, Sterling Marlin, Ken Schrader, and Darrell Waltrip.

James "Jimmy" Horton III is a racecar driver currently racing a dirt modified for the Halmar Racing Team weekly at the Orange County Fair Speedway and other major events across the northeast. He raced in 48 NASCAR Winston Cup races in eight seasons. He was a regular on the ARCA circuit in the 1980s and 1990s. Horton has won many of the most noted races for dirt track modifieds in the Northeastern United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Grandview Speedway</span>

Grandview Speedway is a one third-mile automobile race track located just east of Bechtelsville, Pennsylvania, United States. Featuring moderately high banks and a wide racing surface, it is suitable for close racing and passing. The track is sanctioned by NASCAR in the NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series.

Kenny Brightbill, nicknamed the "Shillington Slingshot" and "Mr. Excitement" is a former NASCAR and professional dirt modified driver from Sinking Spring, Pennsylvania. He has won 441 career professional races and is also the all time wins leader of Reading Fairground Speedway with 135 career wins. lBrightbill has won many of the most noted races for dirt track modifieds in the Northeastern United States, most notably 1988 Syracuse Miller High Life 300.

Brandon Grosso is an American professional stock car racing driver. He most recently competed part-time in the ARCA Menards Series in both 2017 and 2018, driving the No. 11 and No. 52 cars for Ken Schrader Racing. Since then, he has been without a ride in that series, but he does currently compete in crate modified racing.

Gerald Chamberlain is a retired American stock car racing driver from Everett, Pennsylvania. Chamberlain won 22 feature events at the Reading (PA) Speedway in 1971. He broke the track record the next year with 31 victories in one year.

Craig Von Dohren is an American Dirt Modified racing driver. A NASCAR Northeast Regional champion, Von Dohren has over 350 career wins, at 13 tracks in five states.

Harold Bunting is a retired American Dirt Modified racing driver from Milford, Delaware, credited with over 234 career wins at 10 tracks in the Mid-Atlantic states.

Frank Cozze is an American Dirt Modified and sprint car racing driver, currently credited with over 300 career wins.

Douglas "Doug" Hoffman was an American Modified racing driver. He won 482 feature events and 25 championships at 40 different tracks in nine states and two Canadian provinces.

Mervyn "Merv" Treichler is a retired American stock car racing driver who competed on both asphalt and dirt surfaces. In 1970 he won the Race of Champions, the premier asphalt race for modifieds. He also claimed the marquee events for dirt modifieds at Super Dirt Week in 1981 and 1982.

Stan Ploski Jr. is a retired American Dirt Modified racing driver. Ploski had a 16-year winning streak at Flemington Speedway NJ (1966–1981), and captured 74 modified features at the venue over his career.

Charles "Chuck" Akulis is a retired American Dirt Modified racing driver. Akulis had a 9-year winning streak at the Five Mile Point Speedway in Kirkwood, NY (1977–1985), and captured 14 track championships at the venue during his career.

Robert "Bobby" Gerhart Sr. was an American race car driver, equally skilled at Modified, Supermodified, and Sprint car competition. He won three track championships and over 300 feature races in a career that spanned three decades.

E. David "Dave" Kneisel was an American dirt modified race car driver. He was also a noted builder of race cars, founding Kneisel's Speed and Sport shop in Clarks Summit PA, which continued to field cars for multiple drivers after Kneisel's death.

Otto Harwi was a pioneering American Dirt Modified racing driver from Easton, Pennsylvania.

Ken "Kenny" Meahl is a retired American Modified racing driver. He was the driver for teen car owner Jerry Cook for several years before the NASCAR Hall of Fame driver came of age.

Carl Nagel is a retired American Dirt Modified racing driver from Windsor, New York. His career spanned five decades competing in the Twin Tiers of Pennsylvania and New York.

Mitch Gibbs is a retired American Dirt Modified racing driver, credited with 179 career wins at 15 tracks in the Mid-Atlantic.

Jeff Strunk is an American Dirt Modified racing driver, credited with over 220 career wins at tracks in the Mid-Atlantic.

References

  1. "NASCAR'S grass roots Duane Howard is the prototype farmer during the week, racer on the weekends". The Morning Call . Allentown PA. April 3, 1997. Retrieved June 26, 2024.
  2. Wood, Shawn (August 5, 2014). "Howard: Master of th Coalcracker". The Daily Item . Sunbury PA. Retrieved June 26, 2024.
  3. Rippey, Brian (August 14, 2021). "Duane Howard races to victory at Grandview Speedway". Reading Eagle . PA. Retrieved June 26, 2024.
  4. Curley, Chuck (April 28, 2018). "Howard wins Money in the Mountains at Big Diamond". Republican Herald . Pottstown PA. Retrieved June 26, 2024.
  5. Kane, Randy (August 9, 2021). "Oley driver still successful at age 55". Reading Eagle . PA. Retrieved June 26, 2024.
  6. "Duane Howard wins thrilling 'Clash at the Can'". Tri County Independent. Honesdale PA. June 9, 2010. Retrieved June 26, 2024.
  7. Curley, Chuck (July 22, 2021). "Howard back on to with new team". Republican Herald . Pottstown PA. Retrieved June 26, 2024.
  8. "Duane Howard/Results/Year-By-Year- The Third Turn". The Third Turn. Retrieved June 26, 2024.