Growing up in Sarver means that you have probably been to or worked at Lernerville Speedway.

Alyssa Roenigk and her family went to the races every Friday night. On Saturday mornings, her sister Mandee and she returned to the track to pick up trash under the grandstands and in the pits for a little spending money.

Her dad Fred and Uncle Jim Roenigk were co-owners of Compute-A- Line, so the girls were not only aware of racing, but also had an appreciation of the mechanics of cars.

Eventually, the family moved to Florida and Alyssa went from being a Freeport “Yellowjacket” to a University of Florida “Gator” cheerleader.” She graduated with a degree in Journalism in 1999.

Alyssa moved to New York and worked her way to position of editor for American Cheerleading Magazine. Later, she free lanced awhile, and Alyssa is now living in California where she is a senior writer for ESPN magazine, reporting on Extreme Sports.

She wrote a book on motocross driver Travis Pastrana, who is partnered with Michael Waltrip and about to enter NASCAR Nationwide racing. Currently she is shadowing Shaun White, the Olympic gold medalist snowboarder.

Recently, White received a contract from B. F. Goodrich to drive a race car. He has never driven a stick shift, so Goodrich has sent him to two racing schools.

Alyssa’s job is to replicate everything that White does at school and write about it.

“It is so cool to learn how to control the power and spin of a car,” she said. “The more I learned, the more I realized how little I know about driving. I think I will become a safer driver.

“It is easy to see why people get addicted to racing!”

Last year, she drove around New York City with former driver Sarah Fisher in an Indy Car. Fisher, who once drove Sprints at Lernerville, will be a car owner at Indy this season. She is pregnant.

Alyssa had to cover the Steelers in the Super Bowl, too! She will be interviewing Hines Ward after “Dancing with the Stars” on Monday.

Alyssa may have started in sports at the bottom of the ladder, but she has climbed the rungs of success one at a time and is now living out her dream.

HOF induction

Sprint driver Tim Shaffer is going to be inducted into the Beaver County Hall of Fame on May 1. The 1993 Lernerville Sprint Champion, World of Outlaws and All Star Circuit of Champions Sprint driver has captured 76 career victories.

Last year he won the Knoxville Nationals in Iowa. Other inductees include Joe Namath, Mike Ditka and Tony Dorsett. Kevin Bolland is the only other racing driver to have been honored.

Memorable victory

Ron Davies scored his first ever Super Late Model victory at Pennsylvania Motor Speedway. After the races, trying to exit the speedway, his hauler got stuck in the muddy pits and had to be rescued.

Mike Pegher Jr. claimed the Pro-Lates. Brandon Spithaler was the Sprint victor at Mercer.

Carol Gamble is a racing columnist for the Butler Eagle