BUTLER TWP — Many people enjoy cars for fun, but few take it to professional and recreational heights.

Dennis Baglier is one of those who has taken his car enjoyment to a higher level.

The University of Notre Dame graduate has owned Baglier Buick GMC Mazda for nearly 35 years. But along with running that business, he also has been racing cars for more than 20 years.

He started racing in 1989 and has participated in about 150 races in the United States and Canada.

Meanwhile, Baglier founded his company in 1977 with 12 employees, selling only Buicks. The dealership added GMC in 1982 and Mazda in 1993. Now, the company has 65 employees.

He said he enjoys working with his staff as well as being part of the community.

“It's the business I've been in for my life,” he said. “I obviously like cars.”

Baglier originally tried to become a dealer in 1975 when he was 22 years old. He bought a dealership in Ohio, but he was not approved to be the dealer.

“They said I was too young,” Baglier said.

Chevrolet said he would be allowed to become the dealer in two years.

He was allowed to be the general manager while a partner became the dealer.

While Baglier was in Ohio, his father bought a Ford dealership in Sharon, and he heard about a dealership in Butler. He told his son, and Baglier bought the dealership.

When he's not running his dealership, he is racing, both in clubs and professionally.

Baglier said he enjoys putting a race team together and working with them during the race. “I like the team aspect of it,” he said.

He got involved in racing while he was a sponsor of the Pittsburgh Grand Prix and became interested in racing himself. At the time, he was the president of the GMC Trade Dealers Association.

“They showed me how I can race for a reasonable amount of money,” Baglier said.

First, Baglier had to find the right car. “I told the fellow that I wouldn't race anything I wouldn't sell,” Baglier said.

He found a 1977 Buick Skyhawk and modified it for racing. However, during his first race the engine blew and the car caught on fire.

“There were some things that were still weak about it,” Baglier said.

Since then, his cars have been more successful.

He said he enjoys endurance races the most, the longest of which he participated in was eight hours.

Although he has been racing for more than 20 years, he took a break in October 2009 and has not returned.

One reason was that his car did not qualify for racing. He was racing in the Grand American Racing Series, which focuses on late model cars. Baglier was racing an older model car at the time, which did not qualify.

Another reason was that he became involved with the Beaver Run Racing and Sports Complex in Wampum.

“I felt that it would be something I would be interested in,” Baglier said.

He first became involved in 2004, but in 2010 he “stepped up” his involvement, he said, which occupied most of that year.

During his involvement, he helped reorganize the track and start the Beaver Run Racing Academy, which helps train drivers of all skill levels.

Currently, he is one of the owners of the track.

“I've turned my hobby into a job,” Baglier said.

Although he is happy with his level of involvement, he said he hopes to start racing again soon.

In addition to racing, Baglier enjoys downhill skiing and scuba diving.

He mostly skis at Hidden Valley and Seven Springs, but once a year he goes out west. In the past, he has gone to Colorado, Utah, and Lake Tahoe on skiing trips.

He also has gone scuba diving off the coast of Florida and St. Martin. “Wherever I can,” he said of diving.

And, of course, he is always looking for new activities.

“There's always something new to do. Best to stay busy,” Baglier said.

He lives in Butler Township with his wife Ann. The couple has no children.

They did have one son, John, but he was kidnapped and killed in November 1996. The alleged gunman, Richard Gamble, killed himself in Arizona before police could arrest him.

Baglier said he appreciated the response at that difficult time from both authorities and the community. “One of the things that impressed me the most was how people came out to help,” Baglier said.

He said people still come up to him to offer condolences or say they helped out so many years ago.

In honor of his son, who was one of his original racing crew members, he has a shooting star logo, with the words “For John” on his cars.

<B>Age: </B>58<B>Address:</B> Butler Township<B>Family:</B> Wife, Ann<B>Employment: </B>Owner, Baglier Buick GMC Mazda<B>Education:</B> University of Notre Dame, 1974<B>Interests:</B> Auto racing, downhill skiing, scuba diving<B>Quote: </B>“There's always something new to do. Best to stay busy.”<B></B>