I just got the word form fellow AARN writer Lou Long that both Lou Blaney and Jean Lynch have been elected to the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame in Knoxville, Iowa!! Great news on two very deserving members of the local racing fraternity!!!
Walt
Blaney and Lynch in Sprint Car HoF
Started by Walt Wimer, Jan 08 2013 11:55 PM
28 replies to this topic
#1
Posted 08 January 2013 - 11:55 PM
#2
Posted 09 January 2013 - 07:01 AM
Great news! But three years too late. Sure wish he would have been able to accept the award himself.
#3
Posted 09 January 2013 - 07:38 AM
Great to hear. Two very deserving people.
#4
Posted 09 January 2013 - 08:21 AM
Great news! But three years too late. Sure wish he would have been able to accept the award himself.
In fields of honor, such as ball sports, hockey, racing, even rock n roll, sadly this happens way too much. As far as I am concerned, Lou should have been a charter member. It is very deserving, nontheless! Jean Lynch, once again VERY deserving!
#5
Posted 09 January 2013 - 08:28 AM
If he raced his entire career in a sprint car he probably would have been but he didntIn fields of honor, such as ball sports, hockey, racing, even rock n roll, sadly this happens way too much. As far as I am concerned, Lou should have been a charter member. It is very deserving, nontheless! Jean Lynch, once again VERY deserving!
#6
Posted 09 January 2013 - 09:03 AM
2 very deserving members for sure.I just got the word form fellow AARN writer Lou Long that both Lou Blaney and Jean Lynch have been elected to the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame in Knoxville, Iowa!! Great news on two very deserving members of the local racing fraternity!!!
Walt
#7
Posted 09 January 2013 - 10:15 AM
Two of the most deserving area sprint people I can think of. In their own ways they were both very much responsible for helping to nurture the very beginnings of Sprint Car racing in our area and beyond and help it grow to what it has become today. Congratulations!
#8
Posted 09 January 2013 - 10:16 AM
2 very deserving members for sure.
It's about time W. PA / E. OH get recognized.
A lot of credit has to go to Walt and his persistence.
Why do I like racing ? Well the colors are bright and there is a lot of movement, so it holds my attention.
#9
Posted 09 January 2013 - 11:26 AM
I'm just wondering if everyone thinks Michael Jordan should be in the baseball hall of fame also since he was an amazing basketball player and also played baseball
#10
Posted 09 January 2013 - 11:54 AM
Don't care.I'm just wondering if everyone thinks Michael Jordan should be in the baseball hall of fame also since he was an amazing basketball player and also played baseball
#11
Posted 09 January 2013 - 12:05 PM
I'm saying Lou blaney is a modified legend, I started going to the races in 1985 and never seen or heard anything about him racing sprint cars until it was recently mentioned on here. Should Lynn geiseler be in the sprint call hall of fame as well ? Since he used to race sprint cars but became a legend in late models ?
#12
Posted 09 January 2013 - 12:14 PM
I'm saying Lou blaney is a modified legend, I started going to the races in 1985 and never seen or heard anything about him racing sprint cars until it was recently mentioned on here. Should Lynn geiseler be in the sprint call hall of fame as well ? Since he used to race sprint cars but became a legend in late models ?
He has over 600 total wins with over 200 being in a sprint. Sounds pretty deserving to me. I believe he stopped driving sprints in the early 80's.
#13
Posted 09 January 2013 - 12:22 PM
Like so many other sprint car drivers of his era, he did at one point, have a shot of going to Indy. He turned it down, because of his family commitment to the lumber yard. If you never had heard of Lou driving a sprint, check the facts. He never switched over full time to the mods until he was 41. He started at 18 and switched to sprints (super modifieds) a year later. I would say what he accomplished in those 20 + years in sprints was worthy of hof status by itself.
#14
Posted 09 January 2013 - 01:07 PM
A richly deserved honor for Lou Blaney and Jean Lynch.
Ralph Quarterson is another local who is long overdue for induction into the HOF.
#15
Posted 09 January 2013 - 01:54 PM
If you ever shut your mouth and read a little history of racing around our area you may know what happened 20 before you started watching races. We know that will never happen. There were numerous drivers who raced Sprint Cars and Modifieds at the same time. When racing was truly exciting and not about $$$$$$$ just skill and desire.I'm saying Lou blaney is a modified legend, I started going to the races in 1985 and never seen or heard anything about him racing sprint cars until it was recently mentioned on here. Should Lynn geiseler be in the sprint call hall of fame as well ? Since he used to race sprint cars but became a legend in late models ?
#16
Posted 09 January 2013 - 02:14 PM
Just because it was before your time doesn't mean it didn't happen!! I'm not sure how you couldn't have known he had a sprint car career, but still that simply doesn't mean it never happened. Much of his sprint car accomplishments came on area tracks that we all still frequent today. Also, Blaney won the 1966 Williams Grove National Open.I'm saying Lou blaney is a modified legend, I started going to the races in 1985 and never seen or heard anything about him racing sprint cars until it was recently mentioned on here. Should Lynn geiseler be in the sprint call hall of fame as well ? Since he used to race sprint cars but became a legend in late models ?
Well deserved and long overdue nominations!!!!
#17
Posted 09 January 2013 - 02:17 PM
Would this make Lou Blaney the only driver to be inducted into the DIRT Motorsports & National Sprint Car Hall of Fames???
#18
Posted 09 January 2013 - 02:33 PM
Mike: I have been voting for both Lou and Ralph on the prelimanry ballot for years and will continue to have Ralph at the top of my list which also includes Ted Wise, Buddy Cochran and Gus Linder!! And more to come such as Johnny Beaber and Ed Lynch, Jr.
Lou started running Modifieds midway through the 1978 season and in his first full year in that class won my Cavalcade Points for Modifieds. He did double duty for a year or two but then went to just racing Modifieds. Blaney is also in the DIRT Hall of Fame in Weedsport, NY, making him one of the very few to be in two "national" Halls of Fame!!
As for Lynn Geisler, he only drove Sprint Cars for a couple of years and only recorded two local wins at Tri-City and Jennerstown, so extreemly doubtful he would ever be considered for the national Sprint Car Hall of Fame. I think he also won a couple of URC races out of the area, but don't have records on that. But one heck of a Late Model shoe and already in the HoF for dirt Late Model drivers!!
GOOD RACING TO ALL!!!
Walt
#19
Posted 09 January 2013 - 02:35 PM
woofan: I think he may be, but would have to compare the lists to be sure!!
#20
Posted 09 January 2013 - 02:47 PM
You're right Walt, all of them should be considered! Is it a Central Pa. bias that has kept all fo these greats out? It just seems fishy.
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