Climbing the “ladder of success” in racing is Darin Gallagher.

The Butler resident is leading the 305 Sprint Points at Mercer Raceway Park. Gallagher has a long history in racing. When he was a little boy his dad, Donnie, would bring him to Lernerville. Darin had a special seat in the press box while his dad lined up cars on the front straight and later became the flagman.

He remembers watching both the Lynchs’ and Lynn Geisler battle at the track. Racing became Darin’s passion and he began competing in Go-Carts at Shade Tree Raceway when he was 14.

He moved into the Mod-Lite division when he was 17 and won the 2011 Mercer Championship. After five years, he transferred into the 305 Sprint Class.

Darin raced at Mercer on Saturday nights, but on Friday evenings at Lernerville, he was a pit crew member for Davey Murdick’s Modified for eight years. The last six years, he has helped Sprint pilot Jack Sodeman. Sodeman won both the 2016 Lernerville and Mercer Sprint Championships.

Sodeman has become Darin’s mentor. They exchange ideas to better one another.

“You might say that we have become family,” Darin says.

Darin’s philosophy in racing is to try to make every lap count.

“There is a time to be aggressive and a time to be patient,” he says. “It is important to present a good image of yourself.”

His pit crew consists of his dad, brother Brad and Bill Robinson.

The Rush Wingless Crate Series will be initiated next season and Darin is thinking about joining that division. If he had financial assistance or a partner, Darin would like to be in the 410 Sprint and maybe travel with the All Star Sprints or the World of Outlaws tour. He likes to watch Donny Shatz, Darren Pitman and David Gravel compete.

He has found a new love, Enduros, winning the last two at Lernerville. His brother Brad and cousin Stephen Fedor have joined him in this endeavor,

“We have had so much fun doing this,” he remarked. He also likes camping and playing and watching hockey.

Darin is employed at PRS Transit. He maintains the machinery. Flex time is sometimes used to accommodate racing. He sees the future of racing leaning toward Crate engine competition, mainly because of the affordability.

3rd generation

Two third generation Crate Late Models drivers appeared at Lernerville recently. They were Billy Kessler III, grandson of the late Pappy Kessler and the Auction Barn dynasty and the grandson of Bob Wearing Sr., Pete Wearing.

After 25 years, Kessler’s friend Jimmy Wall talked him into coming back to racing with a crate engine division. Pete Wearing has raced Go-Carts, Mini Stocks, and now the Crate Lates. He reports that his grandfather, Bob is recovering from a stroke and is doing well in rehab.

Emig wins award

Vicki Emig, well known car owner and promoter, received the 2017 Woman in Racing Award from the Northeast Dirt Modified Hall of Fame July 10 in Weedsport, N.Y.

After promoting Mercer Raceway Park for 11 seasons, Emig sold the track. Currently she is the director of Great Crate Racing Northeast, which is the corporate owner of RUSH Racing.

During the 2007 season, Emig and her public relations director. Mike Leone, turned their focus to Crate Late Model racing locally. Believing that the future of racing depended on cost effective methods plus strict enforcement of rules. Leone and Emig began the RUSH Racing Series in 2013.

Now in 2017, the RUSH Racing Series includes seven different crate engine classes. They are the Late Models, Sportsman Modifieds, Pro Stocks, and Pro Mods. Three new classes were also created for the Rush Asphalt Series that competes at Jennerstown Speedway.

In 2018, the RUSH Sprints will feature wingless Sprint cars running crate engines. Emig’s series now travels to six states, which include Pennsylvania, Ohio, Virginia, Delaware and Maryland plus Ontario, Canada.

Carol Gamble is a racing columnist for the Butler Eagle.