24 replies to this topic

[racer02]

Dave Wheeler has confirmed that the track will be reopening! More details to follow in the coming weeks. Great news for us pavement fans & racers!

[tjtrackrabbit]

Great news when any track reopens !! Hope it works out !!

[CNB Bank Raceway Park]

That is GREAT news for asphalt racing in Central and Western PA! As I said in a post some time ago about Jennerstown - "you may well have three Great places to race". Seems to be coming about. Can't wait to work with Jennerstown to rebuild asphalt racing back up again!

[ramey36]

Great news indeed! 2014 is looking good for asphalt racing in PA. ramey

[racer02]

It'll be great to have three quality asphalt options in the area again! Someone should see about restarting the TBRA or MAARA series for the late models. Three tracks within reasonable driving distance of one another - it's a reasonable assumption that the car counts would be decent! I have another suggestion as well, CNB: years back, a joint "touring" late model series ran races in conjunction with the Hooters Cup series at Motordrome and Jennerstown, with the champion receiving a brand new Port City chassis for his efforts. That may be a way to entice guys to run all three tracks as part of a TBRA type series?

[spike]

Dave Wheeler has confirmed that the track will be reopening! More details to follow in the coming weeks. Great news for us pavement fans & racers!

Jennerstown, 1970, 1971 , 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1979, 1984, 1992 and soon 2014. Yes!

Edited by spike, 29 November 2013 - 07:21 PM.

[manny]

put dirt back on it. I will climb that mountain on my hands and knees.

[T-440]

Good news! Best of luck to all those involved with the re-opening! Hopefully, Jennerstown, CNB and Motordrome can all work together and get something good started for asphalt racing!

[fordblueoval]

Is it going to be leased by Stan Lasky and Larry Hemminger? Those are the names I have heard in the past so would like to know if that is true.

[racer02]

Is it going to be leased by Stan Lasky and Larry Hemminger? Those are the names I have heard in the past so would like to know if that is true.

I can't say yet - you'll know soon enough! Announcement should be made within the next week

[snooky]

Wonder what night they will run?

[millertime]

Sounds official. The roar of race cars will once again echo through Jennerstown Borough as Saturday night racing returns to Somerset County. Track owner Dave Wheeler is finalizing an agreement to sell the track to John Taylor, Rob Beck and Bryan Smith, all of the Altoona area. Although the details of the agreement were not available Wednesday, Wheeler said there was one big requirement for whoever purchased the track. "They had to run every Saturday night," he said. "That was a big deal." The trio are officers with the Allegheny Highlands Chapter of the Sports Car Club of America. The group has been holding autocross events, which are time trials of small road course races, in the pit area of the Speedway. Although the deal has not been finalized, the men were given permission to start working toward a 2014 opening. Taylor and Beck, who were at the track Wednesday, said they are looking at holding their first weekly event in May and opening the season with a four-day festival, which may include a car show, carnival and Saturday night racing. "We're still in the planning phase," Taylor said. The men stressed that they are committed to seeing the track succeed. "We're in it for the long haul," Beck said. "We hope to continue the legacy started by Piney (Stanley Lasky) and Dave," Taylor added. The plan is to run four divisions on Saturday nights: the hobby stock, street stock, chargers and late model divisions. They are also hoping to bring in specialty series, such as the International Supermodified Association, and to restore the track's NASCAR affiliation, which would allow racers to compete in the national point series. "That is all on the table as well," he said. The new ownership group's plans extend beyond Saturday nights. The men said they want to hold events at the track year-round. Ideas they are discussing include purchasing a screen for drive-in movies, flea-markets, swap meets, snowmobile races with proper sanctioning, and car shows. "We really want to diversify," Beck said. Taylor said the goal is to keep prices similar to what a family would pay to go to the movies or to other entertainment events. "We want to make it economical for the guests and the racers as well," Beck said. Even though there have been a few small events at the track since it closed in 2008, the facility is in need of repairs. The track has been vandalized. Someone broke windows and doors and trashed the concessions. Thieves stole copper wire from the buildings. A fresh coat of paint is needed just about everywhere. But the polymer-based racing surface, which was installed in 2004, is in great shape, Taylor said. The track is a banked half-mile oval. Taylor said the group has been receiving offers from people who are willing to help with painting and repairs. "Everyone seems pretty excited," Beck said. The men are buying the track as ZeroTime Entertainment, a corporation they are in the process of creating for the sale. They have a new logo and are working on a website. Jennerstown.com is no longer available, but they have purchased the rights to jennerstownspeedway.net and jennerstownspeedway.com. Beck said they have heard from some of the former racers. "They're as happy as we are," Taylor said. The Speedway has been closed since the 2009 season when Wheeler listed it for sale. In 2008 operations director Joe Dirienzo leased the track from Wheeler for racing. Wheeler purchased the track in 2003. Wheeler said he had to give up running the track because he took over Wheeler Bros. and needed to put his attention there. "I think it's the right group," he said. "They are ex-racers. They've used the track for the past few years and shown a lot of interest. They will be using a lot of the old staff, old officials. I think they'll do well." Wheeler said he purchased the track because he wanted local racing to continue. "I had a whole plan to turn it into a retirement community if it failed, which would have made me more money," he said. "But that wasn't the goal. I'm just glad to see it's going to continue." Wheeler said he believes Somerset County residents will be more inclined to support local racing because they appreciate it more now that it has been gone for several years. Wheeler will be a consultant for the group. "It took me four years to build the car count," he said. "It's going to take these guys a little time to build it back up. I think it will all work. They want to keep the family friendly atmosphere. Plus the fact that they want to run it year-round and have all kind of events at the track will help. They have a lot of ideas. I shared a ton of ideas. I just couldn't do when I was working full time."

[CNB Bank Raceway Park]

Dave Wheeler has confirmed that the track will be reopening! More details to follow in the coming weeks. Great news for us pavement fans & racers!

IT"S OFFICIAL
CONGRATULATIONS to John Taylor, Rob Beck and Bryan Smith!
Look forward to working with you guys!

[cats442]

IT"S OFFICIAL
CONGRATULATIONS to John Taylor, Rob Beck and Bryan Smith!
Look forward to working with you guys!

Does this mean that CNB will be going to Friday or Sunday racing?

[T-440]

Congratulations to the new owners at Jennerstown Speedway!!! As for CNB, they already have half thier shows scheduled for Sunday. The ones scheduled for Saturday look like they are ARCA Trucks, and Super Cup Series. I wonder if those shows can be switched to Sundays? As far as regular shows, I think Sunday afternoon is the best choice, won't have to race against the local dirt tracks AND can save some money by not needing to turn the lights on!

[jmmr]

All i can say is- that's how u provide clarity for all of us!!!! Thank you for the information. I think new blood was the right choice and recognizing the need for time to build car counts is great. Not sure we will run every week but I know there are 3 of our charger cars excited about running some for sure. Thanks again for info.

[redneck racing12]

All i can say is- that's how u provide clarity for all of us!!!! Thank you for the information. I think new blood was the right choice and recognizing the need for time to build car counts is great. Not sure we will run every week but I know there are 3 of our charger cars excited about running some for sure. Thanks again for info.

What exactly are charger cars in the pavment racing world? Would they be the dirt equivalent to 8" tire pure stocks?

[jmmr]

What exactly are charger cars in the pavment racing world? Would they be the dirt equivalent to 8" tire pure stocks?

It's a division that ran for awhile at Jtown and continues to run at drome- similar to a class I think at knob- fairly stock chassis- no spring buckets- 305....back in the day the cars had to have most of their stock floor pan- firewall- rear seat area. Fuel cell used to basically sit in the trunk- stock tires 15x7.... These days it has changed alot. Guys cutting up there cars more and more and basically making them much more like nonadjustable street stocks w fast 305s. If u wanna run up front you will need a hammer these days...also go to offset rims. Lasky pretty much ignored the rules and enforcement for years-at this point if you tried to step them back to nearly stock as they should be you would have like 2 cars left. Still a great division w good car count and overall the most affordable- even compared to the four cyl class of today that too is completely out if hand.

[racer02]

Still a great division w good car count and overall the most affordable- even compared to the four cyl class of today that too is completely out if hand.

I agree 100% with the 4banger division remark - what exactly is the point of that class anymore? Back when Red first introduced the class at Motordrome, it was a brilliant concept. Then Stan blew it up to cater to the orphaned Jennerstown guys. Is there anything that can be done to even justify racing a 4cyl as opposed to a charger? Make it for cars no newer than 2000? There are now 2005+ chevy cobalts running weekly. The purchase price alone for one of those in street legal condition is greater than the entire cost of a Red Miley era American Flyer car.

[bentfenders]

I agree 100% with the 4banger division remark - what exactly is the point of that class anymore? Back when Red first introduced the class at Motordrome, it was a brilliant concept. Then Stan blew it up to cater to the orphaned Jennerstown guys. Is there anything that can be done to even justify racing a 4cyl as opposed to a charger? Make it for cars no newer than 2000? There are now 2005+ chevy cobalts running weekly. The purchase price alone for one of those in street legal condition is greater than the entire cost of a Red Miley era American Flyer car.

Back to the 4 cyl debate. Racing is about being fast in your budget, Salvage title 2006 cobalt SS, Less than $1500 bucks =205 HP. Any old neon price, to modify motor to get 200 hp $3000, looks like simple math to me. But on the serious side any four cylinder car poses great danger on asphalt, particularly higher hp modern era cars, there is no stucture to them anymore and speeds should be kept in check with a hp restriction that is strictly adhered to.