5/27/06

ADDITIONAL DRIVERS SIGNED UP FOR HISTORIC REUNION; HEROES HOMECOMING PRESENTED BY UBS AND FOAR SCORE FAN CLUB AT LANCASTER RACEWAY PARK SATURDAY, JUNE 17

 
LANCASTER, NY: Lancaster Raceway Park (formerly known as Lancaster Speedway) will present its annual Heroes Homecoming reunion Saturday, June 17, from 1-5 p.m. The popular event reunites retired Lancaster Speedway drivers and officials with race fans to relive the good old days of stock car racing at the 47-year-old half-mile asphalt track. The event is sponsored by UBS (www.ubs.com) and the FOAR SCORE Fan Club (www.friendsofautoracing.com) and will feature vintage stock car racing in the afternoon and evening at the speedway.

The speedway is extending an invitation to all retired Lancaster Speedway drivers and officials. Drivers and officials wishing to participate are asked to contact Marilyn Toal as soon as possible to be placed on the guest list. Mrs. Toal may be reached at (585) 663-0004.

Over 60 retired racing stars and personalities already have agreed to participate this year including: 1968, 1969, 1977, 1981 and 1982 Modified champion Roger Treichler, 1959 Modern Stock champion and 1983 Pocono Race of Champions Street Stock winner Jerry Gradl, early 1970s Late Model and Modified driver Dave VanValkenburg, 1970 and 1972 Mini Stock champion Fred Rounds, 1960 and 1961 Modified Jalopy champion Jim Smoker, Mike Loescher, 1972 Late Model champion Jim McGraw, five-time Langhorne Race of Champions winner Dutch Hoag, 2002 Oswego Race of Champions winner Tim Mangus, Roger Boas (driver of the famous No. 114 Falcon and coupe), ‘70s Late Model and Modified driver Jim Howard, Modified and Supermodified standout Tommy Leeson, Bobby Hudson, 1982 Pocono Race of Champions Street Stock winner Brian Horn, 1967 Modified champion Chuck Boos, 1966 Modified champion Ed Ortiz, dirt and asphalt Modified star Ken Meahl, Stroker McGurk, Phil Edwards, Bill Bitterman, Pete Hayes, Dan Swain, Bob Owens (McKenna), 1989 Super Stock champion Roy Amedick, Jim Meierer, Ron Hirtrieter, Dick Emerson, Bill Brainard, Norm Schmidlin, Dave and Jerry Wiesner, Gary Ball, John MacDonald, Fred Schauer, Fred Coe, Dave Hawk, Bob Whalen, Tom Rembold, Steve Schwartz, Dick McCrossan, dirt era driver Ken Shelley Jr., Rod Spalding, Turner Brothers’ Modified and Supermodified pilot Gary Reichert, Russ Fleetwood (Edwards), John Pennell, Ted Renshaw, Larry Nye, Dan Willmes, Frank Batista, Fred Butz, Dean Wright, Jim Flanigan, Butch Ball, Dick Ferraro, Bruce Roll, car owner Don Turner (of Turner Brothers #18 Modified fame), car owner Jack Bentley, Renshaw's #5 car owner Don Adler along with the father/son Mini Stock team of 1971 champion Ron McDonald Sr. and Ron McDonald Jr. Former Lancaster officials expected to attend include Hal Lawrence, John Clement, Art James, Matt Serwacki and Gordie Kaiser. Crew people are also attending. Longtime racers Ron Williams, Dick Kluth and Art Clark will return to one of their former "regular" tracks. 1986 Super Stock (named Late Model now) champion and track owner Jim Reid along with past promoter/owner Jim Vollertsen will be there also. One of the 11 partners/owners, Chuck, when the track opened will be attending. Former track announcer Kenny Hangauer, Jr. will be conducting the driver interviews again this year. Former WNY resident and Gater Racing News '70s columnist Don Hubbard of "Hubbard's Cupboard" fame is making the trip up from his Oklahoma home. Dozens more are expected to sign on as the event draws near.

Vintage Lancaster Speedway photos – as well as copies of John Bisci's book, "Lancaster Heroes," a pictorial history of Lancaster Speedway from 1966-76 – will be available for sale at the event. Past drivers have the chance to fill out profile sheets and they will all be posted on the NYRaceZone.com website's "Former Driver Profiles" section for free.

Last year, 54 heroes returned to the famed oval and drag strip near Buffalo, N.Y., including: 1972 Late Model champion Jim McGraw, Tom Leeson, 1959 Modified champion Jeno Begolo, five-time (1968, 1969, 1977, 1981 and 1982) Modified champion Roger Treichler, 1967 Modified champion Chuck Boos, Jim Rudolph, 1960 and 1965 Modified champion Bill Rafter, Ted Renshaw, western N.Y. racing legend Art Clark (who actually had a hand in building the speedway in 1959), Bill Bitterman, 1966 Modified champion Ed Ortiz, Cam Gagliardi, 1971 Mini-Stock king Ron McDonald Sr., Neil Truesdell, 1973 Modified champion Ronnie Martin, Bill “Stroker” McGurk, 1975 Street Stock champion Terry Krentz, Jim Howard, Dan Bess, Frank Batista, Fred White, Fred Coe, 1973 Street Stock champion Ross Holmes and Charlie Rudolph who claimed the 1980, 1991 and 1993 Modified titles.

Toal, Lancaster historian Mark Southcott and former Lancaster Speedway announcer John Bisci have been working to contact retired drivers to invite them to the reunion, but many are difficult to locate.

“Many of the drivers from the ‘60s do not use computers, and quite a few have moved away from the western N.Y. area or have unlisted phone numbers, so sometimes the proverbial grapevine moves slowly,” said Bisci. “We urge readers, fans and friends to spread the word to drivers they know who may might not have been contacted yet. We certainly don’t want them to miss the festivities.”

The afternoon’s activities will include an autograph session, a group photo with all drivers and officials scheduled for 3 PM by speedway photographer Dan Kollander, Lancaster Speedway video and memorabilia displays, vintage race cars on display and vintage racing.

Lancaster Raceway Park also will present a complete program of stock car racing on its half-mile paved oval at 6:30 p.m. Classes will include: Modifieds which are running their rescheduled Budweiser 50 event from 6/3, Late Models, SST Sportsman, Super Stocks, Street Stocks, TQ Midgets and vintage race cars. The Modifieds will have heats as all other classes will run only features.

Fans attending the 1-5 p.m. Heroes Homecoming session will be admitted at half price until 4 p.m. - $8 for adults, $6 for senior citizens and $4 for kids 8-15. Kids under the age of 8 are admitted at $.50. The speedway will offer “1960s prices” at its concession stands from 1-5 p.m.

Regular admission prices will be charged after 4 p.m. - $15 for adults, $12 for senior citizens and $8 for kids 8-15. Kids under the age of 8 are admitted at $1. The family pass for two adults and two children under 15 years old is $40.

Lancaster Raceway Park is located at 57 Gunnville Road in Lancaster, N.Y., just east of N.Y. State Thruway Exit 49. For more information, please call the speedway at (716) 759-6818 or visit online at www.lancasterracing.com.

Source: John Bisci/Lancaster Raceway Park PR; additions by Mark Southcott
Posted: May 28, 2006; updated June 16, 2006