1 SPEEDWAY DRIVE WEEDSPORT, NEW YORK

25th AnnualInduction CeremoniesMONDAY, AUGUST 8, 2016

c o m m e m o r a t i v e p r o g r a m

$5.00All profits benefit the

Hall of Fame Museum

Honoring 2016 Driver Inductees

JEFF HEOTZLER DON DIFFENDORFBILLY PAUCH

History of the Hall of Fame & Museum1992: Founded by DIRT promoter Glenn Donnelly.The building was originally intended to house Donnelly’s collection of classic cars, but Andy Fusco and Gary Spaid convinced him to include a Hall of Fame for the region’sdirt Modified drivers, with historic stock cars on display.Jack Speno was named curator of the Museum.

Fusco, Spaid, Gary Rowe and Gary Chadwick drew up acharter, outlining driver eligibility for induction. These four individuals, plus Tom Skibinski, comprised the original selection committee.

The inaugural induction ceremonies were held on April 12, 1992, with 12 drivers and one pioneer driver being selected. A set of hero cards and posters were sold, honoring that first class. The ceremonies were followed by a Hall of Fame race at Weedsport Speedway.

1993:The first non-driver racing award was added.Named after Area Auto Racing News founder Leonard J. Sammons Jr., the award was established to recognize outstanding contributions to the sport.

Induction criteria was amended to include a provision for active drivers age 55 or older.

1994:The annual number of driver inductees was cappedat three maximum, plus a possible pioneer from a past-gone era. The Hall of Fame inductions were moved to theSunday afternoon of Memorial Day weekend.

1995: A second award category, honoring car owners,was added. The Hall of Fame and Classic Car Museum was incorporated.

1998:The first annual award for mechanics/engineeringwas presented.

2002: Gater Racing News announced the addition of anannual Outstanding Woman in Racing Award.

2004: Donnelly sold his racing empire, including the Hallof Fame building, to Boundless Motor Sports Racing.

Changes on the selection committee included the departure of Gary Chadwick and the addition of BrianSpaid and Walt Wimer, representing Western PA tracks.

2011:The Hall of Fame race was moved from Weedsport(Cayuga County Fairgrounds) to Rolling Wheels Raceway.

2012:The Cayuga County Fairgrounds facility was closed.Induction ceremonies took place at the Museum as planned,with the Hall of Fame race at Rolling Wheels.

2013: Hall of Fame inductions were moved to June 4, the first evening ceremony. The race took place the nextday at Rolling Wheels.

Al Heinke purchased the Cayuga County Fairgrounds property from World Racing Group (formerly Boundless),returning the track’s name back to Weedsport Speedway. Extensive renovations were begun on the race track, as well as the Hall of Fame and Museum building and the grounds.

2014:The Hall of Fame race was reinstated at Weedsport Speedway in early August as part of the Super DIRTcarSeries. Induction ceremonies took place in the Museumthe evening prior.

2015: After serving 24 years as chairman of the Hall ofFame selection committee, Gary Spaid stepped down.Buffy Swanson, who was added to the committee in 2012,was announced as the new chair.

Upon Andy Fusco’s untimely death, the Award for Media Excellence was established in his memory.

HALL OF FAME PHOTOS: ALEX & HELEN BRUCE. (ON FRONT COVER) PAUCH PHOTO: JACK KROMER. HEOTZLER PHOTO: BOB ARMBRUSTER. DIFFENDORF PHOTO: FRED SMITH.

Driver InducteesBILLY PAUCH JEFF HEOTZLER DON DIFFENDORF

Gene DeWitt Car Owner AwardEUGENE MILLS

Mechanic/Engineering AwardBOB DINI

Leonard J. Sammons Jr. Award for Outstanding Contributions to Auto RacingMARTY BEBERWYK

Andrew S.Fusco Award for Media ExcellenceGEORGE CARUSO JR.

Outstanding Woman in Racing AwardTHERESA ROGERS

25th Annual Induction CeremoniesMONDAY, AUGUST 8, 2016

Honoring the Class of 2016, who join 89 outstanding drivers and 114 distinguished award winners who have been enshrined in the Hall of Fame over the past quarter century.

5:00–6:45pm ........“Happy Hour” Celebration Under the Tent

7:00pm .................Award Ceremonies with MC Shane Andrews

9:00pm .................“After Party” in the Weedsport Speedway Pavilion

Hall of Fame 100WEEDSPORT SPEEDWAYTUESDAY, AUGUST 9, 2016

NORTHEAST DIRTMODIFIED MUSEUM &

HALL of FAME

NORTHEAST DIRTMODIFIED MUSEUM &

HALL of FAME

Driver InducteeBILLY PAUCH

By BUFFY SWANSON

Asecond generation racer and New Jersey farm boy, French town, NJ’s Billy Pauch

was “on tractors and farm equipmentall my life. So I guess learning to driveand harrowing and plowing andbouncing around over plowed fieldswas normal, you know?” he related. “I think that enabled me to get a jumpon racing.”

His father, Roy, who passed away earlier this year, never made a markas a race car driver, “but he knew a lotabout motors and chassis and he wasalways trying to figure things out,”Pauch stated. “That put me ahead ofthe game. I didn’t have to take all thehard knocks he took because hetaught them to me. I could skip rightover them.”

Right over them and into the winner’scircle: In 1975, Pauch’s debut seasonrunning a homebuilt Sportsman car,barely out of high school, he collected16 wins at Flemington, Nazareth and Bridgeport, and was named Flemington’s Rookie champion.

His career pretty much exploded from there.

A December 2001 national poll ratingAmerica’s best short-track racers inDick Berggren’s Speedway Illustratedmagazine ranked Pauch third in thecountry. Berggren, himself, more recently noted, “I would surely putBilly Pauch in my top five.”

The Eastern Motorsports Press Association twice voted Pauch itsDriver of the Year, in 1987 and 1992.For six straight years, from 1987-92,Area Auto Racing News lauded Pauchas the winningest driver in the Northeast—in any division.

Validating those accolades and national notoriety are Pauch’s numbers. As of this writing, he has racked up an astounding 723 documented feature wins (as well as34 championships) at 30 speedwaysin seven states, including over 100

each at Flemington, East Windsor andNew Egypt. Although he seldom ranat either track, Pauch is the all-timewinner of both Grandview’s marqueeFreedom 76 and Fulton’s Victoria 200classic, with a half-dozen each. He’swon the DIRT 320 Nationals at Syracuse; Big Diamond’s Coalcracker (twice); Ransomville’s Summer Nationals; Hagerstown’s Octoberfestand the Delaware State Dirt Track Championships (multiple times); andhas 14 victories on the Super DIRTcar Series, despite the fact that he neverfollowed that circuit.

That’s just Pauch’s highlight reel in thedirt Modified ranks, which accountsfor more than 80 percent of his winning record. Yet, his national reputation is founded, not solely onhis dirt Mod success, but his uncannyability to climb in almost any car andget the job done.

As a reader commented in SpeedwayIllustrated, “He wins in dirt Mods,pavement Mods and Sprint Cars, attimes all in the same weekend.”

In a world where most racers rarelyventure for long outside their chosendivision, Billy Pauch may be the onlydriver to score significant wins in dirtand asphalt Mods, winged and wingless Sprints, Midgets, Late Models and SpeedSTRs, underNASCAR, World of Outlaws, DIRTcar,USAC, CRA, SCRA, All Stars, KARSand URC sanctions.

ACE LANE PHOTO

ACE LANE PHOTO

(Above) Pauch getting it done at Flemington Speedway in the mid ’70s, wheeling for all he’s worth.(Top right) Wife Barbara and crew watch Billy give his signature winning salute to the crowd.

“Go figure,” Pauch mused. “I won 500races in the Modifieds. But it wasn’tuntil I won in a Sprint Car that everyone knew who I was.”

It was a “starting over” period andquite a transition when Pauch begansplitting his schedule between Modsand Sprints in 1993. “Here I was dominating on Fridays at East Windsor, pulling out 18 wins a year ina Modified. The next thing I know, Iwas getting my ass kicked at WilliamsGrove in the Zemco (Sprint) Car,” heremembered. “I probably would havehad a lot more wins if I’d just stayedwith the Modifieds.”

But Pauch was never into tallyingwins or titles. For him, it was alwaysabout the challenge, “something different,” he said. And it didn’t takelong for his learning curve to landsome stellar results.

In 1994, Pauch shocked the racingworld, routing reigning Sprint Carroyalty to win the World of OutlawsChampion Spark Plugs Sprint Nationals at the NY State Fairgrounds, and setting a worldspeed record on a mile dirt track inthe process—a record that still stands.

When young would-be racers ask“The Kid” about turning that 144.590

mph lap in a Sprint Car on the onerous Syracuse mile, without aniota of irony Pauch tells them: “Drive it like you want to die.”

Pauch further proved his prowess inthe open cockpit camp, winning another WoO event at Rolling Wheelsin 1996; and in ’98, the National Openat Williams Grove, the Holy Grail ofthe Pennsy 410 Sprint circuit. He is theall-time winner of the Thunder on theHill Sprint Series at Grandview Speedway.

He likewise ambushed the asphaltMod contingent, when he was calledin as a last-minute sub to drive MarioFiore’s #44 in the 1993 NASCAR Raceof Champions at Flemington.

“I didn’t know much about those cars, but I knew that was a good car,”said Pauch. In an unfamiliar racer, rebounding from a heat-race crash,starting 43rd on the field, the local dirtdriver persevered through a grueling250 laps to make his moves stick andpull off a huge victory against all theblacktop series bigshots. “That was a big deal,” Pauch chuckled. “Most of those guys didn’t even know who I was.”

“Billy is the most tenacious driver youwill ever meet,” a long-time friend observed. “He has this burning desireto win because, when all is said anddone, he doesn’t want to disappointhimself.”

That stubborn “refuse to lose” mindset has taken its toll. Physically,Pauch bears the battle scars of his career. His knees were broken in twoseparate incidents, at Williams Groveand Penn National. The plates in hisright arm are courtesy of a KnoxvilleSprint mishap. He broke his wrist in a pavement Mod at Flemington (rightbefore he was scheduled to start a NASCAR Craftsman Truck race). And suffered burns in one of TonySesely’s Mods.

“But I can’t complain,” said Pauch,looking back. “I did something I lovedto do all my life, and I enjoyed it. I won a lot of races, and I had fun.

“Really, it was more fun when I wasyounger and I didn’t know as much,”the 59-year-old driver reflected. “Backthen, you raced, you won races—itdidn’t seem that complicated. Now,with all the rules and sponsor stuff…”

The thought trailed off.

Oh, he’s still got more wins to celebrate—by the end of May, Pauchalready had three scores on the season. But he knows his career is finally winding down, and he’s okaywith that. While he’s always been selective in regard to his racing schedule—concentrating on the highdollar payouts, calculating the travelexpenses, all the pros and cons ofrules packages and politics—he picksand chooses even more judiciouslythese days. Pauch, after all, makes hisliving racing. It has put bread on hisfamily’s table for the past 40 years.

He enjoys a nice life with wife Barbara, two great kids (Billy Jr.,who’s making his own imprint as adriver, and daughter Mandee, who’snow handling PR for DIRTcar), and another “Billy,” grandson WilliamArthur, Billy and Michelle’s boy whowas born on New Year’s Eve.

At the end of the day, aside fromsome momentary major-leagueNASCAR dreams, there isn’t much hehasn’t accomplished in a race car.

“I drove for a lot of good people tomake it all happen,” Pauch said of hissuccess. “It always took a team effort,and I was lucky to click with a lot ofdifferent teams. And I’m still friends,and still keep in touch, with most ofthose guys.” n

One of the most prolific and versatile drivers of the

modern era, Pauch won in Sprints as well as Mods.

Here he celebrates a big win at Williams Grove.

ACE LANE PHOTO

CHUCK HARTENSTINE PHOTO

NORTHEAST DIRTMODIFIED MUSEUM &

HALL of FAME

Driver InducteeJEFF HEOTZLER

By BILL BOYLE

In early April, Jeff Heotzler was sitting around his race shop whena member of the Hall of Fame

committee called to inform him of hisselection to the Class of 2016.

“I was shocked—and surprised,”noted Heotzler. “It almost knocked meout of my chair. I wasn’t expecting it!But to make matters worse, theyswore me to secrecy until it was officially announced. I wanted to tellthe world, but could only tell my wifePetra and son Jeff Jr. It was the hardest secret I ever had to keep. I’m glad it’s over with now.”

It was in 1978 that Jeff got his firstshot at driving a race car. His brother,Ralph, was an established Modifiedstar at the Orange County Fair Speedway in Middletown, NY, andJeff watched and learned from him.

“One night, Ralph brought his ownrace car to the track, handed me a helmet and firesuit, and told me I wasgoing out in hot laps and to followhim if I could. What a thrill that was! I stayed glued to his rear bumper andwhen we pitted I knew what I wantedto do,” Jeff remembered.

“That was the start of my fairytaleride, a ride that has had many peaksand valleys, but one that I would doagain. I was right out of high school,having a fun time, and making moneyat the race track on Saturdayevenings.”

In 1979, the owner of the Slingerlandsmall-block Modified #25 approachedHeotzler and asked if he would be interested in driving for him.

“What a shocker for me—a mererookie driving one of the elite rides inthe area!” Heotzler recalled. “For twoyears, we toiled together and tookdown the SBM championship atOCFS. With that championship, theowner packed up shop and retiredfrom racing, having captured a title he was looking for.”

But as one chapter was closing for

Heotzler, another was about to openfor the fan favorite at the Hard Clayoval. Gary Hoyt, owner of the potentFast Company Modified #2, gave thetalented youngster his first shot behind the wheel of a big-block. And neither the owner nor the driverwould be disappointed with the finalresults.

As the years rolled by with successesin the Modified ranks driving for Hoyt,the Higbie Brothers, the Smith Brothers #74 and others, he was alsomaking an indelible mark at thenearby Accord Speedway bullring.Wheeling his own SBM, Heotzler wona championship in 1983 and followedit by garnering crowns again in 1984,1985 and 1986. He was unbeatable atthe quarter-mile oval.

“But it was like a roller coaster rideduring those years. Working full-timeto support my family, and spendingnights at the shop working on andpreparing the race cars for the nextevent. I guess I got the break I neededwhen Reclamation hired me as a full-time mechanic and driver for theirbig-block #33.

“From 1993 through 1997, we rackedup win after win at Orange Countyand on the road, with the final resultbeing the (OCFS) Modified championship in 1997. We were on top of the world, and it was a longway to fall after the recession slowed business, and resulted in the closingof the race car garage doors.”

But fear nothing as the roller coasterwas about to hit a new loop. Seekingstability in his life, Jeff took a job withBehrent’s Speed Center in Florida, NY,and 16 years later still works there.Now entering the picture was the Rayand Debbie Tuit/Sparta Trucking #673racing team, offering “The Jeffer” a seat in their car. Presto, the magic returned in 2003 when that combination provided Heotzler with his second OCFS Modified championship, and two years later in2005, championship crown numberthree. Yet once more, tight money shuttered the garage doors, and Heotzler was again looking for a ride.

In 2007, Mike Petruska and his AtlasPaving operation opened the doors oftheir #66 to the talented Wallkill, NY,

BOBYURKO PHOTO

driver, resulting in his fourth OrangeCounty Modified championship, andthe esteemed—and long soughtafter—victory in the OCFS EasternStates 200. But once again, the rollercoaster would slow after the AtlasPaving team decided on a differentvenue, and Jeff was left looking forany ride, anywhere.

In 2015, Heotzler teamed up with MelSchrufer at the Accord Speedway, andit was like lightning in a bottle. After a30-year gap, the veteran once againcaptured the championship title for afifth time.

“That was very satisfying for myselfand Mel,” said Heotzler. And as expected, Mel Schrufer retired from racing and Jeff was back in his canoe,paddling again.

“I have many things to be grateful forafter 38 years of racing,” noted thenew HoF inductee. And so he has, asevidenced by his 50th career win atthe Orange County Fair Speedway, piloting the Roberts Racing #14H tothe checkered flag in mid-May of thisyear. Heotzler’s 50 career OCFS victories are topped only by BrettHearn and Frankie Schneider in theall-time winner’s list.

Career notes include 150 wins at 13

different tracks, 11 track champion -ships at two ovals, a DIRT SBM touring championship and the initialSyracuse small-block Modified victory, two Mr. Dirt Track USA big-block championships and two in theRace of Kings for SBMs at LebanonValley Speedway, and two Chevy Underwriters SBM 150 lap wins atOCFS. These are only a handful of accomplishments that this superstar

has amassed over the years.

When asked about his most gratifyingsuccesses, Heotzler skimmed over hisMr. Dirt victories, the Eastern States200 checkered flag, the champion ships,and even his Syracuse win.

“I remember one night at OrangeCounty when the #673 broke downbefore the feature, and Ed Zacharyhanded me the keys to his #1156 thatdidn’t qualify. We started last in the26-car field, and won the 30 lap feature,” Heotzler recollected. “Thatwas something else!”

Heotzler’s proudest racing moment?“The most special was the TQ(Midget) victory in Atlantic City. Weknew nothing about TQ racing or howto set up a dirt track car to run on concrete on a 1/12 mile indoor oval.We won the race!”

As longtime car chief Bob Vincentsaid, “It’s a pleasure to work for Jeff.He’s a great person, down to earth,and a great innovator. He deserves tobe in the Hall of Fame.”

That same sentiment was echoed byJeff Heotzler Jr., who waits for his father to slow down. “But it looks likehe has another three or four years leftin him. Oh, well!”

As I looked over my shoulder leavinghis shop, Jeff smiled and commented:“Hall of Fame—has a nice ring to it,doesn’t it?”

Yes, it does, Jeff. Wear it well. n

(Top right) Jeff credits race-driving brother Ralph (left) for mentoring him during his first days at

Orange County in 1978. (Above) ”Hazel,” Jeff’s well-known Weld car, carried him to four championships at Accord Speedway and the Mr. DIRT 320 series title in the 1980s.

RALPH CORWIN & BOB PERRAN PHOTOS

BOB PERRAN PHOTO

NORTHEAST DIRTMODIFIED MUSEUM &

HALL of FAME

Pioneer Driver InducteeDON DIFFENDORF

By BUFFY SWANSON

Born and raised in Binghamton,NY, Don Diffendorf was rightthere when Five Mile Point

Speedway opened in his hometownin 1951, recording his first victory in a’38 Ford flathead coupe owned by hisbuddy John Gorman.

Those formative years of stock carracing produced a tough bunch oftake-no-prisoners racers—bruiserswith big front bumpers and biggerbrass. And Diffendorf fit right in withthe rough-and-tumble lot of them,giving as good as he got against thelikes of Ken “Monk” Rauch, “IrishJoe” Donahue, Dave Kneisel, BobbyQuick, Bobby Butcher and others attight bullrings like Five Mile, GlenAubrey and Susquehanna (now Penn Can).

By the end of the 1950s, Don waslanding good rides and doing right bythem. Reuniting with Gorman to drivea ’34 Ford three-window coupe,

Diffendorf won Five Mile Point’s 1961Langhorne qualifier to take his firstshot at the National Open on thePennsy mile.

It was a revelation: Although plaguedwith mechanical problems thatnegated a good finish, Diff was able tocharge through the field twice, andwas exultant afterwards. He was getting a taste for the bigger racesand bigger places—one that wouldserve him well at Syracuse later in the decade.

By 1962, Diff had come into his own.Replacing Joe Donohue in JohnManny’s “Teardrop” coupe, he tookdown 13 of 16 features at Five MilePoint as well as the championship.When he won his 10th in a row, theteam renumbered the car 10. Diffendorf was the man to beat.

A two-year foray in the Super -modified ranks, spurred by Manny’sinterest, did not end well. Although hedid come close to winning at Oswego

during the period, serious injuries suffered in two brutal crashes atShangri-La almost ended Diffendorf’scareer.

Don shrugged it off. “We were toughguys—here today, gone tomorrow. I never thought about quitting. I figured I hadn’t caused those accidents, so why quit?” he said atthe time. But from 1965 on, he stuckto racing stock cars.

It was that year he picked up his mostfamous ride in Glenn Scott’s S/360,numbered after the IBM computersScott sold. The car was a lightningbolt, and Don did battle for theShangri-La title, ultimately finishingsecond to the great Dutch Hoag. In’66, the car almost carried Diff to victory in the inaugural Daniel Boone200 at the Reading Fairgrounds, losing to Stan Ploski in the final two laps.

The following year, with an L88 powerplant stuffed under the hood

AARN ARCHIVES

and radical suspension changes, theS/360 was elevated into the most successful, and favorite, car of Don’scareer. Diffendorf won often atShangri-La, in torrid tussles withHoag that fans still talk about, as wellas 100-lap Sunday Open scores atLebanon Valley and Fulton, againstsuch formidable competitors asFrankie Schneider, Lou Lazzaro andWill Cagle.

“You don’t start deep in the pack andmake three-wide passes on the outside through the corners atShangri-La without having your collective $#!t together,” racing historian Mike Monnat observed. “Donin that S/360 was something to see.”

That stellar 1967 season saw Diffendorf win the Shangri-La championship, becoming one of onlytwo drivers to win titles at bothSouthern Tier flagship tracks, on dirtand asphalt; and also stake thebiggest claim of his career in the STP200 at Lancaster Speedway, with awhopping $5,000 winner’s share. Tempering his go-for-broke drivingstyle to pace himself in the distanceevents, Don had aptly earned the nickname “The Old Grey Fox.”

That sizzling success streak continued, both at home and on theroad, until a late July wreck in 1968launched the S/360 over the bank atLancaster.

The car took two weeks to rebuild and was never the same after that.

Although Diff drove it to a win in aDaytona qualifier at Spencer, andsnagged another Sunday Open at theValley, the car was sold and Scott disbanded the team.

The successes were never as steadyafter that—but when they came, theycame in spades. A pair of high-profilewins in the NY State Fair Labor Dayevents on the Syracuse mile—drivingBill Sandman’s coach in 1969, andWalt Stevens’ stars-and-stripes sedanresurrecting the S/360 number in’71—cemented his stature.

Yet by then, the next generation was rapidly taking over the territory.Diff and Dutch were still in the hunt,but young lions like Richie Evans,Jerry Cook, George Kent, Sonny Seamon and Geoff Bodine beganleading the pack.

For 1976, Don joined the Art Bradley#37 team and finished his career withthat ride.

A charger to the end, Diffendorf wasstill looking for that last checkeredflag or championship. He was contemplating retirement when hedrove his final race at Oswego in the1978 Bud Classic, running in the topfive and holding his own when the car broke.

The decision to hang up his helmetwas ultimately made for him: Don’sfamily and friends threw a huge surprise retirement party in his honorat the end of the year.

And that was that.

“Diff was feisty, competitive. He wasalways looking for a better mouse-trap,” Mike Monnat remembered. “He was a top shoe on dirt or asphaltand was never looking for a ride—they were looking for him because he made everything he drove competitive.”

“The Old Grey Fox” passed away at the age of 83 in 2012. n

Thanks to racing historians Mike Monnat, Jeff Ackerman and Dr. GaryGeorge for extensive source material.

(Bottom, far left) Diffendorf and car owner

Glenn Scott picking up the hardware in 1968.

(Above) Diffendorf driving Jim Carter’s #26at a 1970 Sunday Open at Lebanon Valley.

(Left) When the S/360 was painted with a stars-and-stripes motif, Don dressed the part.

(Below) Diff was unbeatable in John Manny’s

“Teardrop” coupe at Five Mile Point.

JOHN GRADY PHOTO

STEVE BRONSON COLLECTION

NORTHEAST DIRTMODIFIED MUSEUM &

HALL of FAME

Gene DeWitt Car Owner

EUGENE MILLSBy LEN SAMMONS

Alifelong resident of Milford, DE,Eugene Mills is the first from hisstate to enter the Hall of Fame.

Mills’ dad and uncle got the family involved in auto racing in 1946 whenthey put together a car to compete atGeorgetown Speedway, just south ofMilford where the family roots run deep.

Georgetown was sanctioned byNASCAR at the time. The organizationassigned numbers to the stock cars,and “30” was given to the Mills team.It’s been on Mills-owned race carsever since.

His father and uncle grew tired of racing and sold their equipment whenEugene was about ten years old. Notbefore, however, they planted thelove of the sport into the next generation racer in the family.

In his early 20s, Eugene bought hisfirst race car. He did very well duringa six-year period at U.S. 13 Speedwayin Delmar, now called Delaware International Speedway; and at NewJersey’s Bridgeport Speedway.

His driving career came to a suddenhalt in a bad crash at Delmar when hebroke his back. While discouraged,Mills didn’t leave the sport.

“The doctor told me I could no longerdrive,” said Eugene, “so I found someone who could.”

Fred Workman and Haines Tull drovehis Sportsman car for about twoyears. Then Mills made the move upto the big-block Modified division.

With four friends, Mills organizedBlue Hen Racing in 1977. They purchased an Olsen-built Modifiedand hired a hotshoe from outside thestate, Johnny Kozak, to be their driver.

Kozak, a regular at PA’s Reading Fairgrounds Speedway, drove southeach Saturday to Delaware to drivethe #30 and became a top winner.

“We had a lot of success withJohnny,” said Mills who felt some

locals didn’t appreciate the outsiderdriving and winning in their state.

After Kozak left, Mills did go with localtalent, including three of Delaware’sbiggest winners—Harold Bunting,Bobby Wilkins and Ricky Elliott.

Mills’ best known victory as a carowner came in 1988 when Hall ofFame driver Kenny Brightbill racedthe Blue Hen #30 to victory in the October classic at the Syracuse mile.

Mills is the only Delaware owner toever go to victory lane in Super DIRTWeek’s 44-year history.

In 1987 and ’88, Brightbill and theBlue Hen Team also competed on theSuper DIRT Series, posting big winsat Rolling Wheels, Lebanon Valley,Fonda and Ransomville.

With the DIRT series mainly in NewYork and Canada, the Delaware-basedMills team spent endless hours on theroad traveling north to run DIRT eventsafter racing at home on the weekends.

After Brightbill, the Mills Modifiedwent north to compete on the DIRTseries with Wilkins and Elliott.

When rival DE car owner Steve Dalelured Elliott away from the Mills teamto drive for him, Eugene’s only son,Jamie, stood up and took the wheel.

Jamie jumped right into the headlineModified division in 1990, and has

had much success, winning six trackchampionships in three states andbeing named DIRT MotorsportsRookie of the Year in 1994.

While Mills is proud to have hadmany great drivers behind the wheelof his #30—including Bob McCreadie,Jack Johnson and Frank Cozze—he’sprouder of his family legacy in racing.

Eugene said while every win is special, those with his son as thedriver are extra special. And now hehas three grandsons who race.

His daughter Donna married GlenWatson. Their two sons, Joe and Jordan, both became dirt Modifieddrivers. And Jeremy Harrington, sonof Eugene’s daughter Michelle, drivesgrandpop’s #30 in the Crate Sportsmandivision. All have won races. In 2012,Jordan edged out Jamie to take theDelmar Modified title.

While racing is expensive, Eugenefeels every dollar spent has been wellworth it to him.

“Racing is a family affair for all of us,”said Eugene, who doesn’t believe hecould ever imagine a day withoutbeing involved.

“I have a picture on my desk of meand my son standing together after arace that he won,” reflected EugeneMills. “That is a bond that you willnever lose.” n

MEL STETTLER PHOTO

The Blue Hen Team in action at Syracuse in 1988. Driver Kenny Brightbill went on to win the race.

NORTHEAST DIRTMODIFIED MUSEUM &

HALL of FAME

Mechanic/Engineering

BOB DINI

BOBYURKO PHOTO

Dini during tech inspection at Syracuse.

By BUFFY SWANSON

Under the tutelage of his fatherJohn, Bob Dini grew up in arace car garage in Mount

Vernon, NY—and literally never left.He learned every aspect of racing mechanics, reading rulebooks ratherthan textbooks. By 1979, he was assisting with technical inspection at Orange County Fair Speedway.

Ironically, it was a radical car builtoutside the spirit of the rules thatbrought Dini onto the DIRT circuit.

After Gary Balough annihilated thefield at Syracuse in 1980 with the Batmobile—a wildly inventive creation with a wide stance and aerodynamic roof wing—DIRT promoter Glenn Donnelly called OCFSowner Mike Gurda and asked his techteam to take a closer look at the car.

Gurda sent Dini.

“There is nothing in the DIRT rule-book that makes this car illegal,” Dinitold Donnelly after his inspection. “Allthe existing rules specify minimummeasurements, not maximums. Theytook advantage of that, and built thiscar to the maximum.”

Donnelly vowed his organization andhis drivers wouldn’t be caught withtheir pants down again. So that winter,Glenn called a meeting at a Weedsportdiner, with Dini and Syracuse pit

steward Marty Beberwyk. The three ofthem sat down together with the rule-book, went through it line by line—and came away with a set of rules that,basically, remains unchanged today.

“Of course, there have been somechanges since then; mostly safetyitems like battery shut-off switches,”Dini said of the historic 1981 rulebookrewrite. “But essentially, it’s the sameset of rules that we drew up in thatrestaurant in Weedsport.”

Donnelly named Dini DIRT’s chieftechnical inspector in 1981. For thenext 30 some-odd years, Bob was instrumental in keeping abreast ofracing technology and industrytrends, tweaking the letter and law of the rulebook to reflect the times.

The transition from increasingly expensive 320 CID small-blocks tomore economical 358 engines; thealignment of rules with the Canadiantracks; the introduction of the Sportsman 602 crate motors—all were under Dini’s watch.

In a Dodge van equipped with all thepurpose-built tools needed to evaluateanything of significance on a racecar—many of which he designed andcrafted himself—Dini traveled the DIRTcircuit, from Florida to the Canadianprovinces, overseeing technical inspection processes and educatingpromoters and their staff about rulesenforcement and interpretation.

A pet project of Dini’s was a 500 CIDspec big-block motor. Working withengine builder Kevin Enders, Bob cameout with a $20,000 alternative to theported and plumbed Modified power-plants that are more than double theprice. Although it never took off, Bobstill believes the piece can be bothcost-effective and competitive.

“Not many people know this, butDanny Johnson won six races atCanandaigua with that motor, before(DIRTcar) rescinded the weight break,”Dini related. “(Jeff) Heotzler won withit at Middletown. With the right rulespackage, it can get the job done—

and save everyone a lot of money.”

He is truly proud of the upward direction the Sportsman class hastaken, since Pete Bicknell introducedthe 602 GM crate at Merrittville in2003. After Bicknell’s initial testing,Dini jumped in to help refine therules, shore up enforcement with newtech tools, and create an affordable,and level, playing field.

“It’s doubtful that series would havesurvived with the open Sportsmanmotor. Every year, every race trackwas losing cars,” Dini stated. “Now,the division is really flourishing.You’re seeing full fields, and theSportsman racers are now the bread-and-butter of the sport.”

Dini left the road and his longtime roleat DIRTcar in 2011. He currently servesas technical inspector at both OrangeCounty and Accord speedways.

In a fascinating prequel to his yearsas a technical official, Dini enjoyed another career as a race car driver.

Not only was Bob a TQ Midget champion, he also had the singularopportunity of racing Ferraris, Cobrasand Lolas on the SCCA’s Can-Am series. He teamed with Indy driverSam Posey to win the 12 Hours of Sebring, co-driving a Dino Ferrari in1968, and also raced against celebritiessuch as Mario Andretti, A.J. Foyt andBruce McLaren in the late ’60s.

But these days, Dini is more than happyworking in his home shop. A couple ofyears ago, he purchased a pair of CNCmachines, a vertical miller and a lathe.Business is brisk as he turns out shocksliders, brake brackets, steering armsand the like for local racers.

At age 76, he’s still got the desire anddrive to make a difference in the sport.

“I keep thinking every day, coming upwith new ideas that will help theracer. I get up in the morning and godown to the shop, and I enjoy myself,”said Bob, who has no plans to everquit the game. “I lived it all my life.And I’m going to die with it.” n

NORTHEAST DIRTMODIFIED MUSEUM &

HALL of FAME

Leonard J. Sammons Jr. Outstanding Contributions to Auto Racing

MARTY BEBERWYK

BEBERWYK COLLECTION

Beberwyk addresses drivers during a pre-race meeting at Syracuse.

By ROBIN YASINSAC-GILLESPIE

Longtime official Marty Beberwykretired from the sport at the end of the 2013 race season,

but not before compiling 50 years of dedicated service in a variety of roles.

Beberwyk’s involvement began in1956 at Empire Raceway in Menands,NY. His dad gave Johnny Chenettepermission to keep a race car in thefamily barn, and a young Beberwykwas intrigued.

“We got an old car and we got itready to go to the races. The first time(Johnny) drove it, he won with it and I thought, ‘Boy, this is easy’,” said Beberwyk, recalling the old days.

So Beberwyk took his ’36 Ford toLebanon Valley Speedway in 1957—and that is how it started.

“There were claimer races backthen—my motor was modified, it wasbored and stroked, and I didn’t wantanybody to claim my car so I sort ofsandbagged. As it got towards theend of the year, I said, ‘To hell withthat!’ and I finally won a feature.”

In 1964 Beberwyk was standing in thepit area at Lebanon Valley Speedway,watching the races, and they hired himto line up cars. He had been drivingfor Ed Burger, but Burger was startingto lose interest. Beberwyk wasn’t.

But by this time, Marty was marriedand had a child on the way. It wastime to hang up the firesuit. He tookthe job as track flagger.

“The first race I flagged at LebanonValley was a Late Model race and theycame down at me four abreast, pastthe starter’s stand in the first turn, andI threw the yellow,” recalled Beberwyk.“I remember thinking I would ratherbe in a car than to be up there!

“At Lebanon, I think they paid me$10.00 to start, I got in for nothing,(wife) Hertha got in for nothing—thebabysitter cost us $5.00 and we had$5.00 left to go out for a pizza and apitcher of beer.”

Over time, Beberwyk was wavingcheckered flags everywhere— Midstate, Rolling Wheels, Devil’sBowl, Weedsport and any race seriesGlenn Donnelly was promoting.

“When I first started flagging it wasn’teasy,” Beberwyk said. “Here’s a 20-something year-old kid telling a 40-year-old driver about qualifying andthat was hard. As I got older and theracers became younger than me, itwas a lot easier.”

Over time, Beberwyk switched roles.

“C.J. (Richards, founder of ChamplainValley Racing Association) bought Albany-Saratoga,” recalled Beberwyk.“I said, ‘Oh good, I’ve never flagged upthere.’ And C.J. said, ‘And you neverwill’—he hired me as pit steward.”

In addition to Albany, Marty held thepit steward position at the Valley for33 years, and put in 25 years at theSyracuse mile under Glenn Donnelly.

“I was a tough flagger and a tough pitsteward,” Beberwyk remembered.“Penalizing racers is like punishingyour children—it doesn’t mean youdon’t like them because they are getting penalized. There were veryfew racers that I didn’t like.”

There are two sides to Beberwyk: the loud intimidating guy and thesweetheart of a guy. Good luck figuringout who you are approaching.

“Some people thought I was a miserable son of a bitch, but as long asyou are consistent they are happy,”said Beberwyk.

Beberwyk’s greatest accomplishmentwas when his good friend Ric Luciaasked him to come and run FondaSpeedway with him in 1996.

“When we went to Fonda, everythingwas destroyed, it was a mess,” Martysaid. “Making all of that come together—it was a challenge for us.It would have been easier for us tobuild a new race track.”

The duo signed on for a one-year stintat first, then added another threeyears onto the lease agreement withthe Fonda Fair Board. It was a relationship between the two of themthat lasted 17 years.

Marty and his wife of 52 years, Hertha(a Hall of Fame honoree in 2002), reside in East Schodack, NY, and PortOrange, FL. They have two children,Jay and Suzie, and four grandchildren.

After 50 years, Marty rarely attends a racing event anymore. He’s tried.

“Fifty years is enough as an official,”laughed Beberwyk. “And I’m not agood spectator. I can’t sit in thegrandstands because I never sat inthe grandstands—that just doesn’twork for me.” n

NORTHEAST DIRTMODIFIED MUSEUM &

HALL of FAME

Andrew S.Fusco Award for Media Excellence

GEORGE CARUSO JR.

BILL VON HOLTZ PHOTO

Caruso (left) and program seller Terry Thompson.

By STEVE BARRICK

The heady decision to both publish and print a weekly trackprogram for his uncle Harry’s

Oswego Speedway propelled GeorgeCaruso Jr. into a business that revolutionized the way race track programs were produced and thequality they represented.

Caruso’s inspiration to succeed cameat an early age. “I was working at thetrack during summer vacation, cleaning up, when Uncle Harry decided I needed a helper. At lunch oneafternoon, we compared paychecksand I was shocked to see the helperwas getting paid twice what I was!

“We both got a big laugh out of that,but it made a hell of an impression onme. I vowed right then that no onewas ever again going to determinemy wealth,” he affirmed.

Caruso kept his vow: Though OswegoSpeedway became a fundamental partof his life, when it came to printingprograms, they were his customer.

Another family-owned business,Northern Steel, needed some printingdone so a decision was made to buyan addressograph/multigraph printer.The salesman promised Harry Carusohe could train anyone in a day.

That’s when George and his youngerbrother Doug learned how to print.

“I convinced Uncle Harry to let us usethe printer he bought and wound updoing the job for Northern Steel, towhom I presented an invoice. Thatwas the start of it all.”

Oswego began to publish a simpleprogram that didn’t change fromweek to week. A few years into theprocess, a cost-based decision to goto a newsprint program was madewhich allowed for its front cover andinside pages to be changed weekly.

“But the trade-off with newsprint,” asCaruso recalled, “was a reduction inquality. The fans hated it.”

What the Carusos envisioned were

books printed on good quality paperwith a weekly change of content.

To institute the plan, Uncle Harry hadto be convinced that this could beprofitable for Oswego Speedway.

“We’ll publish the program and sell it;you sell the ads, keep that money,” wasthe sales pitch. Harry Caruso agreed,and Speedway Press was on its way.

The first programs, in 1964, retailedfor 25 cents a copy. They printed 500and sold them all.

The success created a dilemma.Caruso had been studying to becomean orthodontist; program printing wasnot initially intended for anythingmore than a summer sideline.

“Doug and I looked at what we hadbeen doing and realized that we likedprinting,” said Caruso. He took a yearoff from dental school and looked intodeveloping a printing business.

There were three pressing needs: apress capable of higher volume, a cutter, and a saddle stitcher. And theyneeded a bigger building than thesmall Northern Steel annex.

When a building in Oswego becameavailable, Harry Caruso bought it.Mitchell’s Speedway Press operatesfrom that same building today.

When new equipment was purchased,George Caruso made the decision toleave dental school.

“I didn’t dislike dentistry. But I realizedthis was our concept that could be offered to other tracks,” Caruso said.

Lancaster Speedway was SpeedwayPress’ first commercial account.

In 1972, George set up a meeting withpromoter Lindy Vicari. “He was gettingbig crowds, two nights a week, at theReading Fairgrounds,” he said.

Vicari was uninterested at first, “but hisguys talked it up—the billboard guywould sell the ads, the food guy wouldsell the programs, the track photo -grapher was on board, and a collegekid, who was talking up the program

the most, said he would do the writing.”

Caruso agreed to sell the programson consignment, the only time he hasdone so. “That’s how sure I was that itwould work,” he stated.

At the same time, Glenn Donnelly wasestablishing DIRT Motorsports andSuper DIRT Week. Caruso publishedthe first SDW program in 1972 andthe last—and final—one in 2015.

In 1975, “the college kid” who talkedup the Reading program, Steve Barrick, struck out on his own andfounded Program Dynamics.

At its peak in the ’70s and ’80s, Speedway Press was producingweekly programs for 30 race tracks.“Glenn and Program Dynamics wereour biggest customers,” Caruso said.

The Carusos sold Speedway Pressseven years ago to John and KathyHenry, who have kept ethics, qualityand customer commitment ongoing.

George is especially pleased to be selected for Hall of Fame honors ashis boyhood idol, “Irish” Jack Murphy,is in the Hall. “But above all, I want toemphasize that my brother Doug hasbeen involved with me from the beginning. This is an honor I sharewith him,” he summed.

George Caruso remains involved atOswego Speedway on race nights. He spends his winters in Florida. n

NORTHEAST DIRTMODIFIED MUSEUM &

HALL of FAME

Outstanding Woman in Racing

THERESA ROGERS

SDS PHOTO

Theresa (front) with the entire Rogers family at last year’s Grandview Speedway banquet.

By VICKI GEHRIS

T heresa Rogers, wife of GrandviewSpeedway promoter BruceRogers, never envisioned she

would become general manager ofthe Bechtelsville, PA speed plant in1966. Fifty years later she still holdsthe title at the Berks County facility.

Born in Virginia, Theresa Craig neverknew anything about auto racing untilBruce Rogers took her to her first eventat PA’s old Hatfield Speedway in 1959.

The couple were married in 1960. Twoyears later, Bruce’s father, Forrest,began building a heavily banked one-third mile clay race track on his 103-acre property. Grandview Speedway,with seating for 1,000 spectators, featuring a single division of Modifiedstock cars, opened August 11, 1963.

A sudden heart attack claimed ForrestRogers’ life less than three years later,thrusting Bruce and his mother—andthen daughter-in-lawTheresa—intothe forefront, to keep the fledglingspeedway going.

With their leadership and hard work,the little raceway flourished.

Over the years, the original seatingcapacity was increased six-fold, lightingwas improved, skyboxes installed, andthe pit area expanded. And the trackwas made wider, to accommodatesome of the most exciting side-by-side racing seen in the region.

While nearby raceways like Reading,Penn National, Nazareth and Flemington were shuttered, Grandview kept growing.

“With the entire family banding together, the track has become successful,” Theresa related.

Up until this year, Bruce has preparedthe speedway surface and maintainedthe facility, with son Kenny and grand-son Brad Missimer assisting. They have taken over those duties as Bruceslowly recovers from serious injuriessuffered in a car accident earlier thisyear near their Florida winter home.

DaughterTina Rogers Missimer takescare of the computer work, distributesdriver payout, and supervises theback gate and the pit area. Since theJanuary car crash, Tina has assumedmore of her mother’s duties.

AndTheresa, as she has been for thepast five decades, is the nucleus of theoperation, overseeing race nights fromher office. She handles the money andpays the bills; orders food and supplies;manages the employees, concessionstands and the main gate; fields phonecalls. And, of course, in Bruce’s absence, she monitors the weather.

She and her husband were partnersin every step of Grandview’s progressover the years.

In 1990, Bruce andTheresa joinedforces with Bob Miller to create the

popular Thunder on the Hill Series ofspecial events, currently in its 27thseason at Grandview.

Although the vast majority of thecountry’s NASCAR-sanctioned shorttracks are paved, Bruce and Theresasigned their dirt bullring with NASCARin 1992, offering the drivers better insurance and an additional pointfund. Grandview has operated underNASCAR’s umbrella ever since, as partof the Whelen All-American Series.

Annual blockbusters like the ForrestRogers Memorial and the season- ending Freedom 76 for the 358 Modifieds are big-paying races thathave put Grandview on the map.

In 2012, for the track’s 50th anniversary,Bruce and Theresa went all out: Notonly did they double the winner’s sharefor the Forrest Rogers classic, from$10,000 to $20,000, they also droppedthe bombshell that they were payingthe largest purse in Grandview’s historyfor the 76er: $50,000 to the winner.

“It was my wife’s idea to pay $50,000to win,” Bruce Rogers said when theannouncement was made. “Wewanted to do something special forour 50th anniversary. It’s certainly gotten a lot of attention.”

It’s one of many reasons Bruce andTheresa were named Eastern RegionAuto Racing Promoters of the Year fivetimes by Racing Promotion Monthly.

TOTH partner Bob Miller rememberedTheresa back in the day, leaning outthe window of the press box on racenights, cheering and screaming forthe drivers. “She really got into it,” hechuckled. “She loved it.”

In the past 50 years, Theresa has onlymissed one race meet at Grandview,earlier this year when Bruce brieflycame home from the hospital.

“Yes, that was the only night I evermissed,” she reiterated, “except forwhen I had my babies. And even then,I went back to the track and theycame, too, and stayed in the office.My kids grew up at the race track.” n

The Batmobile, the radical car that destroyed the field at Syracuse in 1980, isone of the most iconic race cars on display in the Museum. Driver Gary Balough

posed with his winning ride following his Hall of Fame induction in2015.

After founding Hall of Fame board member Andy Fusco’s sudden passing in 2015,the Award for Media Excellence was established in his memory. Andrea and

Adam Fusco (left) made the presentation to recipient Lew Boyd and wife Cary.

BOBYURKO PHOTO

BOBYURKO PHOTO

BOBYURKO PHOTOS

KEN DIPPEL PHOTO

ALEX & HELEN BRUCE PHOTO

Jack Johnson’s famous #12AModified is part of the Museum’s rotating displayof 40+ race cars from the 1930s to the present.

Toby Tobias’ 1975 Syracuse trophy,pit pass and portrait.

Artist’s black-and-white portraits of each Hall of Fame driver inductee, along

with his favorite car and accomplishments, adorn the walls of the Museum.

Kenny Brightbill campaigned this

Statewide Weld car from 1976-77.

A display wall of Super DIRT Week champions through the years features

program book covers, photographs and signage from the big Syracuse event.

Hall of Fame DriversHall of Fame Drivers1992

Frank Andre

Billy Rafter

Pete Corey

Frankie Schneider

Gerald Chamberlain

Al Tasnady

Cliff Kotary

Dick Tobias

Dutch Hoag

Billy Wimble

Budd Olsen

Will Cagle

Elmer Musclow (P)

1993Willie Allan

Guy Robinson

Bobby Gerhart

Kenny Shoemaker

Rags Carter

Lou Lazzaro

Dave Kneisel

Doug Garrison (P)

1994Bobby Malzahn

Merv Treichler

Sammy Reakes

Steve Danish (P)

1995John McArdell

Ernie Gahan

Jackie McLaughlin

Buck Holliday (P)

1996Stan Ploski

Rene Charland

Ivan Little

Pappy Hough (P)

1997Buzzie Reutimann

Kenny Meahl

Howie Westerveldt (P)

1998Chuck Akulis

Tommy Corellis

Jim Hurtubise (P)

1999Sammy Beavers

Ed Ortiz

Jeep Herbert (P)

2000Bobby Bottcher

Lou Blaney

Jack Murphy (P)

2001C.D. Coville

Marcel LaFrance

Otto Harwi (P)

2002Bob Gatien

Bob Zeigler (P)

2003Mert Hulbert

Davey Moore

Harry Peek

2004Doug Carlyle

Dave Lape

Jim Shampine

2005Butch Jelley

Carl Nagel

Bobby Cain (P)

2006Kenny Brightbill

Bob McCreadie

Glenn Reiners (P)

2007Dave Heaslip

Billy Osmun

Dick May (P)

2008Wayne Reutimann

Carl Van Horn

Dick Nephew (P)

2009Ken Brenn Jr.

Joe Plazek

Mike Klapak (P)

2010Lin Hough

Ralph Quarterson

Gary Reddick

2011Doug Hoffman

Jerry Cook

Irv Taylor (P)

2012Jack Johnson

Pete Bicknell

Ovide Doiron (P)

2013Frank Cozze

Mike McLaughlin

Blackie Watt (P)

2014Charlie Rudolph

Mike Colsten

Lloyd Holt (P)

2015Gary Balough

Donnie Wetmore

Jim Delaney (P)

2016Billy Pauch

Jeff Heotzler

Don Diffendorf (P)

P = PIONEER SELECTION

Hall of Fame Award WinnersGene DeWitt Car Owner

1995 Gil Bruss, Don & Ray Turner 1996 Paul Deasey 1997 Pete Hollebrand 1998 Gary & Jerry Higbie 1999 Joe Bullock 2000 Sheldon Legue2001 Tony Ferraiuolo 2002 Harold Cope 2003 Jim Sincerbeaux

2004 Elaine James Motorsports 2005 Bob & Michele Faust2006 Joe Pitkavish 2007 Jeff Rudalavage 2008 Carl Myers

2009 John & Laura Wight 2010 Jeff Brownell 2011 Dick Cozze2012 Alton & Carole Palmer 2013 George Smith Sr. 2014 Cliff Barcomb

2015 Ken Brenn Sr. 2016 Eugene Mills

Mechanic/Engineering1998 Charlie DeAngelis 1999 Scott Jeffery 2000 Ken Tremont Sr.

2001 Bill Tones 2002 Don Paine 2003 Randy Kisacky 2004 Tommy Grecco2005 JoJo DeSarbo 2006 Sonny Dornberger 2007 Mike Burdick

2008 Charlie Langenstein 2009 Cozze Crew 2010 Andrew Phillips2011 Ron Ste. Marie 2012 Billy Colton 2013 Milt Johnson & Bruce Fleischman

2014 Bobby Hearn 2015 Mike Hillman 2016 Bob Dini

Leonard J. Sammons Jr. Outstanding Contributions to Auto Racing1993 Ray Stevens 1994 Glenn Donnelly, Irv Fried, Al Gerber 1995 Bob Hunter, Ace Lane Sr.

1996 Irv & Anna Heath, Northern Stock Car Club 1997 Norm Patrick, Dave Wright1998 Dick Berggren 1999 Les Deuel 2000 Jack Veach 2001 John Hill, Dick O’Brien

2002 Ed Feuz 2003 Friesen Family 2004 Stanley Dudzinski 2005 Larry Nuber2006 Joan & Harvey Fink 2007 Aaron Freshman, Ron Morin 2008 Jack Burgess, Joe Marotta

2009 Ernie Saxton 2010 Brian Mulligan 2011 Bill Ladabouche 2012 Jack Speno2013 Petrocci Family 2014 Howie Commander 2015 Al Heinke 2016 Marty Beberwyk

Andrew S.Fusco Award for Media Excellence2015 Lew Boyd 2016 George Caruso Jr.

Outstanding Woman in Racing2002 Hertha Beberwyk, Gert Farney, Jean Lynch 2003 Patricia Singer, Mary Taney 2004 Terry Reilley, Rachel Salvas, Bonnie Veach 2005 Jane Hacker, Rose Thurston

2006 Barb Anderson, Nancy Bicknell, Kim Jennejohn 2007 Annette Lutz, Helen Martin2008 Zelda Reakes, Marilyn Toal 2009 Gloria Katona Scarpati, Serenity Sutherland, Jessica Zemken2010 Tana Robinson, Judy Snyderman, Buffy Swanson 2011 Carol Demling Haynes, Audrey Payne

2012 Cheryl Kirkland, Carol Flanagan Morin, Dianne Tobias2013 Jayne Doust, Wendy Kennedy, Marcia Wetmore

2014 Robin Yasinsac-Gillespie, Erica Bicknell-Jones 2015 Barb Clark 2016 Theresa Rogers

Hall of Fame Races (1992-present) DATE LAPS WINNER SECOND THIRD FOURTH FIFTH

4/12/92 75 Steve Paine Danny Johnson Mike Colsten Billy Decker Kenny Tremont 4/04/93 75 Dave Lape Jeff Trombley Kenny Tremont Charlie Donk Steve Paine 5/29/94 75 Bob McCreadie Alan Johnson Steve Paine Danny Johnson Brett Hearn 5/28/95 RAIN 5/26/96 75 Alan Johnson Doug Hoffman Joe Plazek Danny Johnson Pat Ward 5/25/97 75 Danny Johnson Steve Paine Bob McCreadie Joe Plazek Billy Decker 5/24/98 75 Gary Tomkins Alan Johnson Jimmy Horton Billy Decker Tim McCreadie 5/30/99 75 Billy Decker Kenny Tremont Alan Johnson Gary Tomkins Danny Johnson 5/28/00 100 Danny Johnson Todd Milton Alan Johnson Pat Ward Chuck Bower 5/27/01 RAIN RESCHEDULED TO 7/5 7/05/01 100 Tim McCreadie Tom Sears Jr. Danny Johnson Brett Hearn Billy Decker 5/26/02 100 Tim McCreadie Danny Johnson Alan Johnson Kenny Tremont Gary Tomkins 5/25/03 100 Alan Johnson Billy Decker Pat Ward Brett Hearn Tim Fuller 5/30/04 100 Gary Tomkins Brett Hearn Billy Decker Steve Paine Jimmy Phelps 5/29/05 100 Tim Fuller Billy Decker Bob McCreadie Pat Ward Gary Tomkins 5/28/06 100 Danny Johnson Gary Tomkins Tim Fuller Vic Coffey Pat Ward 5/27/07 RAIN 5/25/08 75 Dale Planck Danny Johnson Jimmy Phelps Larry Wight Tim Fuller 5/24/09 50 Billy Decker Brett Hearn Gary Tomkins Matt Sheppard Jimmy Phelps 5/30/10 100 Matt Sheppard Jimmy Phelps Billy Decker Alan Johnson Billy Dunn 5/29/11* 60 Tim Fuller Billy Decker Matt Sheppard Peter Britten Brett Hearn 5/27/12* 66 Matt Sheppard Billy Decker Danny Johnson Jimmy Phelps Brett Hearn 6/05/13* 60 Stewart Friesen Gary Tomkins Matt Sheppard Brett Hearn Billy Decker 8/07/14 100 Billy Decker Matt Sheppard Justin Haers Danny Johnson Jimmy Phelps 8/06/15 100 Matt Sheppard Jimmy Phelps Tim Fuller Pat Ward Erick Rudolph

*2011-2013 EVENTS RUN AT ROLLING WHEELS RACEWAY PARK AS PART OF THEIR “ALL STAR” RACES. ALL OTHER EVENTS HELD AT WEEDSPORT SPEEDWAY.

ALEX & HELEN BRUCE PHOTOS

NORTHEAST DIRTMODIFIED MUSEUM &

HALL of FAME

Museum CuratorJack Speno

Selection CommitteeCHAIR

Buffy SwansonHISTORIAN & CENTRAL NY CORRESPONDENT

Gary SpaidTREASURER & NORTHERN

NY CORRESPONDENT

Gary RoweSOUTHERN

CORRESPONDENTS

Steve BarrickLenny Sammons

CENTRAL NYCORRESPONDENTS

Shane AndrewsJoe Marotta

Gary MontgomeryWESTERN PA/OHIOCORRESPONDENTS

Brian SpaidWalt Wimer

Legal CounselAdam Fusco

Board of DirectorsRich ApplebeeHarry Elkema

Dan KapuscinskiCory ReedGary Rowe

Karl SchartnerTom SkibinskiGary SpaidJack Speno

With Many Thanks…

3 Founder Glenn Donnelly3 Al Heinke, Betsy Angelone and staff of Weedsport Speedway

3 Webmaster Karl Schartner3 John Meloling, Bill Moore Sr. & Jr. & all the photographers who havecontributed over the years

3 Lenny Sammons & Area Auto Racing News

3 Corky Stockham & Parts Peddler Trade Show

3 Motorsports Expo & Trade Show3 Patrick Donnelly, Team E Media3 Thomas Video Productions3 Cheryl Ann Schoonmaker Creative Art 3 Dean Reynolds, ESS3 Kip Zeiter, IMRRC, Watkins Glen3 Dan Emmi, police car collection3 The Marshall family & Pitstop Convenience Stores

3 Knapp Electric and family3 Kosta’s Restaurant3 Bridget Holmes & Pullen’s Towing3 Sean DeSanto & Custom Signs3 Nash’s and the Pierson family3 Auburn Party House3 A-Verdi Storage Containers

THE HALL OF FAME AND MUSEUM COULD NOT EXIST WITHOUT THE HELP OF SO MANY DEDICATED VOLUNTEERS AND CORPORATE SPONSORS:

AND THE CAR OWNERS WHO ENTRUST US WITH THEIR PIECE OF DIRT MODIFIED RACING HISTORY:

3 Eileen and John Applebee3 Mike Bazzoto3 John Binoski3 The late Jon Button3 Rick & Patty DiMaio3 Dave Dixon3 Jeff Dutton3 Herb Forbes3 Pam Forney3 Tim Gayback3 John & Sherry Harman3 Dave & Jackie Lape3 Matt Lipiska3 Joe Marotta3 Richie Mills3 Joe Patrick & family3 Andy Powell3 Jim & Gerry Sincerbeaux3 Ed Speno3 Harold Terpening3 Terry Thompson3 Jackie Van Doran3 Patty Van Horn3 Barbara Walsh3 Marcia Wetmore

3 The Andre family3 Jeff Bennett3 Frank Blanchard3 The Botz family3 John Burkhard3 Dave Cruickshank3 Tony Ferraiuolo

3 Ray Hedger3 Bob Gommel3 The Haers family3 Al Heinke3 The Lazzaro family3 Wes Moody3 Jamie Moore

3 Mel Ogden3 Alton & Carole Palmer3 Andy Phelps3 Jimmy & Shannon Phelps3 Richie Pratt3 Pat Ward3 Gordy Wood

THE NORTHEAST DIRT MODIFIED MUSEUM & HALLOF FAME NEEDS YOUR HELP! Make a donation, sponsor anaward, volunteer your time… It all helps to keep the history of oursport alive for generations to come. Please contact Museum CuratorJack Speno at 315-374-3661 or jspeno2@gmail.com for more information and ways to contribute.

BOBYURKO PHOTOS