Jennerstown Speedway Complex

Last updated
Jennerstown Speedway Complex
JennerstownSpeedway-Logo.jpg
Location Jennerstown, Pennsylvania
Coordinates 40°09′32″N79°04′20″W / 40.1588°N 79.0721°W / 40.1588; -79.0721
Capacity7,500
OwnerJennerstown Speedway Complex LLC
OperatorZeroTime Entertainment
Opened
  • 1920 (1920)s (original)
  • May 10, 2014 (2014-05-10)(reopening)
Former namesJennerstown Speedway
Major events CARS Tour
International Supermodified Association
ROC Modifieds
Super Late Model
Oval
SurfaceAsphalt
Length0.522 miles (0.840 km)
Turns4
Banking
  • Straights: 6°
  • Turns: 9°
ISMA Super Modifieds in Turn 4 at Jennerstown Speedway, 2007 ISMA-JennerstownPA2007-1.jpg
ISMA Super Modifieds in Turn 4 at Jennerstown Speedway, 2007
Jennerstown Speedway Jennerstown speedway.jpg
Jennerstown Speedway

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. [1]

Contents

Jennerstown Speedway, one of the oldest short-track facilities in the United States, has undergone a number of transformations leading up to today’s state-of-the-art motorsports complex.

Track history

Constructed in the late 1920s as a flat half-mile dirt oval, the Jenners Fairgrounds, as the speedway was then known, played host to ‘big car’ racing (forerunners to the sprint cars of today) during the 1930s. Among the leading local drivers of that era were Butch Gardner and the ‘Pennsylvania coal miner’, Mike (Little) Serokman. [2]

Following World War II a smaller, lighted dirt quarter mile track was built in the infield in 1953. Laird Brunner became the first weekly promoter to present stock car racing, which had replaced the midgets as the post-war entertainment craze sweeping the nation. At that time the half-mile was abandoned. The half mile track was again rebuilt in 1967 and was used briefly. Brunner was followed by the successful promotional team of Carmen Amica/Dick Basserman, who guided the speedway during the early 1960s. Other promoters during the quarter mile era included Lou Smith and George Kittey. The half-mile was restored and briefly used in the mid-1960s, but was quickly closed again due to poor track conditions. During this early era, drivers such as Fuzzy Rubritz, Blackie Watt, Jimmy Burns, Joe Viglione and Johnny Grum thrilled motorsports enthusiasts at the track which featured outlaw and Penn Western Racing Association-sanctioned contests.

In 1967, local businessmen John Frambaugh, Sam Turrillo, Bill Philson, John Philson, Doc Whiney, Harry Horne and Piney Lasky purchased the grounds and completely rebuilt the track into one of the fastest half-mile dirt ovals in the nation and immediately began a major modernization project. Over time Lasky became the sole owner of the facility, and in 1987 made the decision to move Jennerstown to the next level by paving the track and bringing asphalt racing back to Western PA for the first time since the Heidelberg Raceway closed in 1973. Lasky upgraded the grandstand and concession areas, as well as affiliated the track with NASCAR, and brought major sanctioned events to the Somerset County speedplant. [2] [3]

Jennerstown Speedway Complex hosted 16 NASCAR Busch North Series events between 1987 and 2000, one NASCAR Southeast Series event in 1992 and 14 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour between 1990 and 2006. The Modified Tour returned to the track in 2020, after a 14 year absence. [4]

After Lasky died unexpectedly in 1994, [5] his son, Stanley Jr. took over and ran the operation for the next five seasons, before selling to former speedway late model champion Steve Peles and Hooters Restaurants founder, Bob Brooks, in 2000. After three seasons, Peles and Brooks sold the track to Dave Wheeler, who initiated an immediate upgrade in operations. Wheeler repaved the oval in 2004 with a $350,000 polymer-based racing surface.

2009 closure

At the end of the 2008 season, it was rumored that the track wouldn't reopen for the 2009 season. In February 2009, Wheeler said in an interview that the speedway won't open this season and is listed for sale. Claiming he wouldn't be able to continue his full-time job and run a speedway. [6]

2014 reopening

Race enthusiasts and racers themselves, new owners Bryan Smith, Rob Beck and John Taylor held a meeting at a local fire hall to discuss the details of the former raceway. After a larger than expected crowd made up of mostly drivers and owners, it was decided the track would reopen in May 2014. In addition to local divisions, the track also hosts series such as the International Supermodified Association and ROC Mofifieds. Aside from the usual races, also planned were events such as swap meets, car shows and educational classes. [7] [8]

Asphalt Late Model track champions

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bristol Motor Speedway</span> Motorsport track in the United States

Bristol Motor Speedway, formerly known as Bristol International Raceway and Bristol Raceway, is a NASCAR short track located in Bristol, Tennessee. Constructed in 1960, it held its first NASCAR race on July 30, 1961. Bristol is among the most popular tracks on the NASCAR schedule because of its distinct features, which include extraordinarily steep banking, an all-concrete surface, two pit roads, different turn radii, and stadium-like seating. It has also been named one of the loudest NASCAR tracks.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nazareth Speedway</span> Motorsport track in the United States

Nazareth Speedway is a defunct auto racing facility near Nazareth in the Lehigh Valley region of Pennsylvania which operated from 1910 to 2004 in two distinct course configurations. In its early years, it was a dirt twin oval layout. In 1987 it was reopened as a paved tri-oval that measured just slightly under 1 mile.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">New Hampshire Motor Speedway</span> Motorsport track in Loudon, New Hampshire, United States

New Hampshire Motor Speedway is a 1.058 mi (1.703 km) oval speedway located in Loudon, New Hampshire, which has hosted NASCAR racing annually since 1990, as well as the longest-running motorcycle race in North America, the Loudon Classic. Nicknamed "The Magic Mile", the speedway is often converted into a 1.600 mi (2.575 km) road course, which includes much of the oval.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Myrtle Beach Speedway</span> Motorsport track in the United States

Myrtle Beach Speedway, was built in 1958 and was located on U.S. Route 501 near Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.

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

Orange County Speedway is a 3⁄8 mile (0.60 km) asphalt oval in Orange County, North Carolina, near Rougemont. It first opened in 1966 as a 1⁄4 mile (0.40 km) and a 5⁄8 mile (1.0 km) dirt oval, which operated until 1967 and 1973, respectively. The facility was reopened and paved in 1983. With a slogan of "the fastest 3/8-mile race track in America," the oval features 19-degree banking through the turns and 16 degrees on the straightaways, creating three distinct grooves making for very fast turns. The aluminum grandstands stretch from Turn 4 all the way down the front straightaway to Turn 1. The speedway closed in 2003 but reopened on March 11, 2006.

Concord Speedway was a motorsports facility located in the town of Midland, North Carolina, southeast of Concord, North Carolina. The complex featured a 1⁄2-mile asphalt tri-oval and a 1⁄4-mile asphalt oval.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour</span> American auto racing series

The NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour (NWMT) is a modified stock car racing series owned and operated by NASCAR in the Modified Division. The Modified Division is NASCAR's oldest division, and is the only open-wheeled division that NASCAR sanctions. NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour events are mainly held in the northeastern United States, but the 2007 and 2008 tours expanded to the Midwest with the addition of a race in Mansfield, Ohio. The tour races primarily on short oval paved tracks, but the NWMT also has made appearances at larger ovals and road courses.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Madison International Speedway</span> Stock car racing track

The Madison International Speedway (MIS) is a half-mile paved oval racetrack in the Town of Rutland near Oregon, Wisconsin, United States. With 18-degree banked turns, the track is billed as "The Track of Champions" and "Wisconsin's Fastest Half Mile." The weekly program at the track runs on Friday nights under NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series sanction.

The NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour (WSMT) was a stock car racing series owned by NASCAR and operated in the Southeastern United States as part of its Modified Division. The series began in 1989 as the Southern Modified Auto Racing Teams (S.M.A.R.T.) before NASCAR took over the series in 2005. The Whelen Southern Modified Tour used nearly identical rules as its northeastern-based counterpart the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour.

Delaware Speedway is a half-mile paved race track that is one of the oldest continuously operating tracks in Canada. It is located a few minutes west of London, Ontario northeast of Delaware, Ontario. It hosts stock car racing every Friday night during the summer. The track opened in 1952 as a quarter-mile dirt track that was paved in 1960. In August 1969, the track was expanded to a 1/2 mile paved oval and continues today.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">New Smyrna Speedway</span> Race track

New Smyrna Speedway is a 1/2-mile asphalt oval racetrack located near New Smyrna Beach, Florida, that races the NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series every Saturday night. It also has a smaller track, known as "Little New Smyrna Speedway" in the infield. This track races quarter midgets on Friday nights.

Tri-City Raceway Park is a 1/2-mile dirt oval and a 3/8-mile track for karts, located in Oakland Township, Venango County, Pennsylvania, near the city of Franklin to the southwest. It lies even closer to the Borough of Sugarcreek, which lies in between. Also lying at about the same distance as Franklin is Oil City to the southeast. Tri-City has hosted several World of Outlaws Late Models events; one National Sprint Tour race, Super DIRTcar Series and several All-Star Circuit of Champions races.

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

Flemington Speedway was a motor racing circuit in Flemington, New Jersey which operated from 1915 to 2002. The track was once known for being the fastest 5/8 dirt track in the United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stafford Motor Speedway</span> Racetrack

Stafford Motor Speedway is a semi-banked half-mile mile paved oval located in Stafford Springs, Connecticut. Stafford Speedway holds weekly racing every Friday night May through September. This track is known as the home of the SK Modifieds and drivers such as Ryan Preece and Ted Christopher. The track hosts weekly events throughout the season previously including 3 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour events yearly. Stafford Motor Speedway is the track that had hosted the second most ever races in the modern era of the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour with 131 races from 1985 to 2019.

Motordrome Speedway was a 1/2-mile NASCAR sanctioned racetrack located in South Huntingdon Township, Westmoreland County, to the northeast of Smithton, Pennsylvania, United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series</span> American auto racing series

The NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series is a points championship for NASCAR sanctioned local short track motor racing around the United States and Canada.

Cajon Speedway is a former oval race track near El Cajon, California.

The 2020 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour was the thirty-sixth season of the Whelen Modified Tour (NWMT), a stock car racing tour sanctioned by NASCAR. It began with the Wade Cole Memorial 133 at Jennerstown Speedway on June 21 and concluded at Thompson Speedway Motorsports Park on October 11. Justin Bonsignore won the championship, his second.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lee USA Speedway</span> Race track in the U.S. state of New Hampshire

Lee USA Speedway is a short-track oval race track located in Lee, New Hampshire.

The 2022 Jennerstown Salutes 150 was a NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour race that was held on May 28, 2022. It was contested over 150 laps on the 0.522-mile (0.840 km) oval. It was the 5th race of the 2022 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour season. Tommy Baldwin Racing driver Mike Christopher Jr. collected his first career Modified Tour victory in only his 3rd career start.

References

  1. ↑ "Jennerstown Speedway to Reopen for 2014 Season". Myracenews.com. 6 December 2013. Archived from the original on 28 April 2014. Retrieved 3 November 2015.
  2. 1 2 "About". Jennerstown Speedway. Retrieved 3 November 2015.
  3. ↑ "Remember When: Piney Lasky" (PDF). Speedway Productions. Retrieved 3 November 2015.
  4. ↑ Souza, Kyle (17 October 2019). "Whelen Modified Tour Returning To Jennerstown Speedway in 2020". NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved 9 April 2020.
  5. ↑ "OBIT: Stanley "Piney" Lasky Sr., 1994, Hollsopple RD, Somerset County, PA". USGenWeb Archives. Meyersdale Library. Retrieved 3 November 2015.
  6. ↑ "Jennerstown Speedway won't open, is for sale". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Associated Press. 17 February 2009. Retrieved 3 November 2015.
  7. ↑ Ganassi, Michelle (2 February 2014). "Racers returning to Jennerstown Speedway in May". Our Town News. Johnstown, PA. Retrieved 3 November 2015.
  8. ↑ Dunmyer, Christine (18 January 2014). "Drivers, owners work out Jennerstown Speedway details". Daily American News. Somerset, PA. Retrieved 3 November 2015.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.