Racing for popularity
JENNERSTOWN, Pa. — As stock car engines howl in the background, Dave Wheeler raises a small air cannon to his shoulder and sends a bundled T-shirt tumbling through the air toward the stands at his racetrack.
Screaming fans, many of them children, jump to their feet and reach skyward in hopes of catching the souvenir. Nearby, other kids get their faces painted, crawl around a playground or wait in line for snow cones.
It's opening night at Jennerstown Speedway, and the diversions are many for a segment of fans that racetrack owners and stock car enthusiasts say is vital to the future of their sport — families.
With stock car racing's recent boom in popularity, small racetracks in Western Pennsylvania and other parts of the country are sprucing up their facilities to attract parents and children in ever larger numbers.
"We're just trying to get it all family, family, family," said Wheeler, a 53-year-old former stock car driver who bought the track four years ago. "Everybody wants to sell racing. We're selling entertainment."
To appeal to more than just die-hard race fans, Jennerstown Speedway and other short tracks — circuits up to a half-mile long — have done away with seedy attractions of yesteryear, such as short-skirt contests.
Instead, they try to offer more wholesome entertainment and activities, including an intermission in which youngsters scramble to collect pennies scattered across the track or visit the pit area to scoop lollipops off a race car.
Some have built fresh facilities, with clean bathrooms and concession stands that offer low-cost foods, and ample space for parking. Furry mascots and clowns mingle with spectators amid the aroma of rubber and oil.
And keeping ticket prices affordable — $8 for adults at Jennerstown — is crucial to filling the stands, said Wheeler, who also owns a national chain of automotive stores.
The efforts have paid off. Attendance at the speedway tripled last year, reaching an average of about 1,500 people for its Saturday evening races, Wheeler said.
"I attribute that quite frankly to what we're doing, what seems to be happening nationwide," he said.
James J. Miley, whose family owns two racetracks in Western Pennsylvania, said it is difficult to entice family spectators to return to stock car races regularly.
"That means ... we better be a fan-friendly, family-friendly facility because people don't come every week, and they do have a lot of entertainment choices," he said, pointing out that his Motordrome Speedway in Smithton installed a playground last year.
"We try to have something going on that interests kids every evening, whether it's Ronald McDonald coming to visit, fireworks, giveaways," he said.
At Lernerville Speedway in Sarver, competitors roll out school buses painted with cartoons and race them for an audience of mostly kids twice a year, according to the track's manager, Gary Risch Jr.
"That's the future of this deal, to get families, new families," he said. "It brings you fans for years to come. It's a clean family atmosphere."
At a recent Jennerstown race, 12-year-old Whitney Galantine of Friedens said she liked the racetrack's food and playground, not to mention the fast cars.
"I love it, it's fun," said Galantine, whose forehead was painted with colorful swirls. "The race cars get trophies and it makes (the drivers) so happy."
• WHAT: Car races at Jennerstown, Lernerville and Motordrome Speedways.• WHERE: Jennerstown Speedway is located in Jennerstown. Lernerville Speedway — a dirt track — is in Sarver. Motordrome Speedway is in Smithton.• GETTING THERE: Jennerstown Speedway is located in Somerset County, near the intersection of Routes 30 and 985 in the Laurel Mountains. Lernerville Speedway is on Route 356. Motordrome Speedway is located off Interstate 70 in Smithton about 25 miles from Pittsburgh.• HOURS: Jennerstown Speedway hosts Saturday night races from May through September. Gates open at 5 p.m. and races begin at 6. Lernerville has races mostly on Friday nights, usually starting at 7:30, from March through September. Motordrome races are scheduled for Friday nights, with gates opening at 5:30 and the races beginning at 7:30.• ADMISSION: Jennerstown Speedway tickets cost $8 for adults, $4 for students and are free for children 12 and under. Lernerville Speedway charges $11 for adults, $8 for senior citizens, $6 for 13- to 16-year-olds and $3 for 6- to 12-year-olds. Motordrome Speedway tickets are $12 for adults, $9 for students and free for children ages 12 and under.
