Different Era
BUFFALO TWP — A money game.
That's how many retired drivers and former car owners view dirt track racing these days.
“You need a part now, you order it from the manufacturer and it comes in a box,” retired driver-owner Bob Axe of Harlansburg said. “Money plays a big part in racing today.”
Axe was at Lernerville Speedway Friday night as a part of Nostalgia Night, where a number of restored race cars were on display behind the stands.
He was displaying a 427 Chevy that raced and won at Lernerville 50 years ago. The car has a 1957 frame.“I only raced for five years or so,” Axe said. “My brother, Johnny Axe, raced for 25 years. He won the first 100-lap feature here.“This sport was so different then. Everybody built their own stuff. If another guy needed a particular part or tool in the pits, you gave it to him. It's kinda dog-eat-dog today.“If I couldn't beat somebody fair and square, I didn't want to win. The more competition on the track, the better,” he added.Darwin Stivason of Sarver owns a Modified Stock car that ran at the old Butler Speedway, Blanket Hill and Mercer. He bought the car recently for $5,000.“I just wanted to save history,” Stivason said. “That was a legendary time in racing. Dick Swartzlander used to race in three divisions at Butler Speedway and he'd win all three races on a regular basis.”Stivason has the names Don Martin, Earl and David Bauman, Dale Hafer and Tommy Gale displayed with the car.“I don't want anybody to forget those people,” he said.Mars resident Chuck Kennedy — a retired longtime driver at Lernerville — owns a few old race cars. He had a Coupe from 1973 on display last Friday.“Bob Wearing, Dick Swartzlander, Larry Walters ... A lot of the top names drove this car,” Kennedy said. “It got its share of victories.”Kennedy's uncle bought the car a number of years ago with the intention of restoring it. He died before being able to complete the job.“He wanted me to have the car and make sure it got finished,” Kennedy said of the restoration. “He cared deeply about that. Once it was done, he didn't mind if I sold it.”Kennedy finished the job and still owns the car.“It was a fascinating era,” he said of dirt track racing of decades ago. “But money has always been involved. People built their own parts, sure, but the guys who had more money were able to build better parts.“But the difference between the haves and have-nots was much smaller.”New Castle resident Jerry McDowell owns a Sprint car from the mid-1960's and had it on display last weekend. He said the car was originally a “Midget” in 1961.“We raced that thing all over the country and had some success,” McDowell said. “ We stretched it into a Sprint car in 1965 so we could compete locally.”Jim Shaffer, Swartzlander, Bill Wheeling and Dick Bailey were among the drivers behind the wheel of McDowell's No. 22 Sprint.“Everyone built everything themselves. Racing was fun because it was so challenging,” McDowell said.“Everybody was in the same boat,” Axe said. “It was tough just keeping a car together. Those spring suspensions in the cars back then ... You'd hit a rough spot on the track and the whole car would bounce up in the air.“Everybody dealt with those issues. We'd all come together to help each other. There was a camaraderie in the sport that will never be the same again.”
SprintsCarl Bowser 173, A.J. Flick 162, Jack Sodeman Jr. 144, Brandon Spithaler 141, Brandon Matus 141, Brent Matus 136, Dan Kuriger 130, Dan Shetler 130, John Garvin Jr. 116, Michael Bauer 103Late ModelsColton Flinner 127, Tyler Dietz 122, Will Thomas 101, Ken Schaltenbrand 98, Mike Miller 92, Kelvin Kohan 90, Tommy Beck 82, Gary Lyle 81, Jayme Beck 78, Clate Copeman 73ModifiedsGarrett Krummert 172, John Mollick 163, Rex King Jr. 160, Brian Swartzlander 157, Dave Murdick 147, Rex King 138, Jeremiah Shingledecker 127, Steve Feder 121, Colton Walters 113, Rick Regalski 110Pro StocksTyler Dietz 217, Corey McPherson 212, Mike Miller 193, Joey Zambotti 193, Brett McDonald 135, Mike Bordt 129, Joe Kelley 116, Douglas Eck 116, Jason Fosnaught 107, Gary Churchfield 104
