BUFFALO TWP — While mowing a lawn, Jim Roenigk's life suddenly disappeared.

A former Lernerville Speedway promoter and longtime supporter of the racetrack, Roenigk suffered a massive heart attack and died at the age of 72 in April of 2020.

“He was larger than life,” Donny Roenigk, Jim's son, said. “Dad always had a positive outlook on life, always optimistic.

“He always had stories to tell and people have stories to tell about him.”

Yet no memorial service could be held at the time of his death.

“Jim died right at the height of COVID,” his cousin, Sue Roenigk, said. “We couldn't have a funeral and a lot of people never knew he died.”

The Roenigk family operates W.L. Roenigk, Inc., a bus company in the Sarver area. Roenigk lived in Sarver and grew up there.

“People would come in and tell us they haven't seen Jim, wondered if he was working at another location ... they had no idea he was gone,” Sue said.

So the family came up with a proper send-off.

The “Jim Roenigk Memorial School Bus Races” will take place Saturday night at Lernerville. The event will include a 100-lap Enduro, kids' bike races and a demolition derby.

Jim and his brother “Ouch” Roenigk, along with their cousin, Billy Roenigk, introduced school bus racing to Lernerville in the early 1990s.

“They were looking for something different to do on the track and came up with that idea,” Sue said. “Their only concern was whether a bus would fall over on the track.

“They took a bus out there for a trial run, it stayed upright and the bus races were born.”

While school bus races have been an annual event at Lernerville, a bus fell over only one time.

“It was during a Powder Puff race,” Sue said. “The woman wasn't driving it fast enough and it toppled over.”

Saturday's bus race night is part of Lernerville's regular race schedule, so no special ceremony is planned to honor Jim Roenigk.

His presence will be felt, however.

“We didn't want to steal the event from (Lernerville) or anything,” Donny said. “A few things may be said about him over the loudspeaker and there will be all kinds of family and friends in attendance swapping stories.

“I have an aunt who flew in from Wyoming. This night means a lot to us. It's a memorial send-off very befitting to Jim.”

A bus will do a lap around the track alone, with pictures of Jim on its windows, as a tribute to his life.

“This is not a normal way to say goodbye to someone,” Sue admitted. “But then again, Jim never did anything normal ... there was nothing normal about him.”

Gates open at 5 p.m. Saturday. Racing begins at 6 p.m.