Looking back at the 2016 racing season is something that Brett McDonald would rather not do.

It was a series of misfortunes with engines that occurred. To be exact he went through three of them. Despite this fact, with assistance from important sponsors, he managed to finish eighth in points in one of the most competitive divisions at Lernerville Speedway, the Sportsman Stocks.

McDonald has been behind the wheel of the No. 25 car for 12 years and is looking for that elusive first feature win. He chose this number because it was his baseball and basketball number at Knoch High School, where he also lettered in football.

McDonald is employed by Folino Construction in Oakmont and manages to get to the track just before the races begin. His crew consists of Lou Morris, Ralf and Nick Lohrman, Tim Ankrom, Cole Coddinton, Linda and Larry McDonald and Cass Hey.

Each Friday, they have the car at the track prepared for Brett to hop into for hot laps when he arrives. Dale Earnhardt Jr. is his favorite NASCAR driver. On Brett’s website, McDonaldracing25.weebly.com, a racing prayer is listed each week.

His goal for the 2017 season is to finish in the top five for the championship and catch that big feature victory!

HOF nomination

Dow Carnahan was the announcer at Lernerville, PA Motor and Motordrome Speedway as well as an anchor at WCNS radio for three decades.

He suddenly died a year ago at the age of 59. WCNS owner John Longo, who worked with Carnahan for much of the latter’s career since he graduated from Westminster College, has nominated him for the Pennsylvania Association of Broadcaster’s Hall of Fame.

Longo received many letters in support of the nomination.

“The very first letter I got was a beautiful letter from Arnold Palmer,” he said of the Latrobe golfing legend, who died in September. Last week Carnahan was posthumously inducted into the PAB Hall of Fame in Hershey.

Carnahan previously was recognized by the PAB for Outstanding Radio Coverage of a Local Sports Event for his play-by-play call of St. Vincent’s appearance in a 2014 Presidents’ Athletic Conference basketball championship game. He received the organization’s Outstanding Local Radio Newscast Award in 2013 and 2014.

He was inducted into the Lernerville Speedway and Pittsburgh Circle Track Halls of Fame.

Carnahan was a humble man who loved shining the spotlight on others. He could have been a professional sports announcer, but chose to stay in Latrobe. He loved what he did locally and his family and friends were important to him.

Dutko retires

After 30 years, announcer Mike Dutko has retired from racing. Jim Balentine Jr has replaced him at Mercer Raceway. He enjoys getting out in the crowd to chat with the fans. This past week he announced the Sprint feature from the front row of the grandstands.

Allison passes away

Retired Late Model driver Donnie Allison passed away in Florida last Wednesday.

In 1973, Allison pulled up in front of Cochran Pontiac with an old truck and trailer that carried a Maroon Firebird lettered on both sides with #1 Cochran and asked to speak to Bob Cochran.

Bob went out to meet him and asked, “What do you have in mind?” Allison said, “I want you to sponsor me!” Cochran asked what he wanted and Allison requested five tires and five wheels.

That is how Cochran became involved in racing and later he told Jack Crowell to go to the tracks and see what all was happening. They sponsored Allison for five years until Allison’s trucking responsibilities increased.

Late Model driver Lynn Geisler then connected with Cochran and 36 years later, they have the longest local sponsor relationship.

Carol Gamble is a racing columnist for the Butler Eagle.