1999 was by far the best year of racing for me as I attended 110 races beating my old record of 84 set in 1998. It was also a great year because I finally saw more races than my race-chaser rival Mike Leone, It was close though as I beat Mike by 1 race 109 to 110. Better luck next year Mike. Out of my 110 races 97 were Sprint Car races. Hopefully I'll be able to see 100 Sprint Car races in 2000. Also for the first time I attended races in all 12 Months of 99. Sprint Car Races I saw included Lots of Pa Posse, All-Stars, URC, WoO, KARS, BOSS, SOD, USAC, UMRA, NAMARS, and ESS. Other highlights include seeing 15 races at my favorite track Williams Grove Speedway. In my opinion when it comes to Sprint Car racing it doesn't get any better than the Grove. Now here is a list of the best and worst that I have seen this year.
Best races of the year: The first
night of the National Open, The USAC race
at Attica, The triple 20's at Williams Grove,
The Brad Doty classic at Attica.
Worst race of the year: The Hub City
150 at Hagerstown, Not only was this the
worst race of 99, I think this was the worst
race I have ever seen.
Biggest Disapointments of the year:
Driving 4.5 hours two weeks in a row to
Williams Grove only to get rained out. Port
Royal cancelling the Western Pa Speedweek
show for NO reason.
Longest Nights of the year: The final
All-Star show at Eldora Speedway, The KARS
show at Hidden Valley and the final regular
show at Wayne County Speedway.
Most Entertaining Announcer: The announcer at Hidden Valley Speedway, This guy is worth the trip alone! He tells it like it is. Here's a couple of his quotes: "We'll just knock a little grease of the top and the track will be lightning fast" "Ouch! This is a first, A bee just stung me on the head"
Best Victory Lane Interview: Bruce
Ellis
Best Victory Lane Interview (Driver):
Fast Freddie Rahmer
Worst Victory Lane Interview: Darren
Gamble and Don Gamble, I can't tell the
difference, Can you??
Quickest Run Shows of the Year:
Attica Raceway, Tri-City Speedway, Williams
Grove Speedway
Slowest Run Shows of the Year:
Lernerville Speedway, Hagerstown Speedway
Photographer of the Year:Tommy
Hein, who else?
Sponser of the year: Cindy Rowe Auto Glass
Biggest Upsets of the Year: Al Roepke
winning the Freedom 40 at K-C Raceway, Dave
Ely winning the All-Star race at Port Royal
Speedway.
Most Entertaining Driver to Talk To:
Mark Whitebread driver of the #10 Sprint Car,
If you ever see him in the pits be sure to
stop and say Hi.
Most entertaining Car Owner to talk to: Doc Crawford, owner of the CIII driven by Jimmy Hawley.
Track in the Middle of Nowhere:
Shadybowl Speedway in Ohio. Nice track, but
have fun trying to find it.
Best Menu Items of the Year: Cheese
Sticks at Wayne County, Hot Dogs
with Onions at Williams Grove, Meatball Subs
at Eriez Speedway
Worst Menu Items of the Year: Pizza at
Hagerstown Speedway, Steak
and Cheese Sandwich at Deleware International
Speedway, The French Fries at Williams Grove,
Best Looking Trophy Girls of the Year:
Speedweek Show at Susquehanna, Fred Rahmer
Sprint Show at New Egypt
Coldest Race of the Year: The Hangover
Race New Years Day at Sandusky
Hottest Race of the Year: 4th of July
Speedweek show at Williams Grove
Best Track Surfaces of the Year:
Lincoln Speedway, Susquehanna Speedway
Worst Track Surfaces of the Year:
Tri-City Speedway,
Hickory Speedway
Scarriest Wreck of the Year:
Buddy Cocharan through the infield at Mercer
Raceway
Long Tow of the Year: John McDonald at
Williams Grove Speedway from Alaska, over
4000 miles!!!
My Longest Tow of the Year: New Egypt
Speedway, NJ
Hot Seat of the Year: Weikert Livestock 29, Holbrook 8h
Most Exciting Drivers of the Year: Kevin
Gobrecht, Kasey Kahne
Best Looking Car of the Year Ed Lynch Jr. (white & green), Steve Kinser (Superman Car)Shawn Keen
Fastest Tracks of the Year: Port Royal
Speedway, Deleware International
Dissapearing act of the Year: John Ivy
Rookie of the Year: Rob Eyler
Some of the Craziest Things I saw this
Year:
The Bus Races at Little Valley Speedway,
Everyone was on thier feet!
The Mamba Green Jet Car melt a
station wagon at Williams Grove.
I saw a
grown lady with a childrens racing helmet
stuck on her head at Sandusky's hangover
race.
I saw a push truck roll on its side
while pushing a Sprint off at Clinton County
Speedway
New Race Tracks I attended races at in
1999: Selinsgrove Speedway, Grandview
Speedway, Bedford Speedway, Eriez Speedway,
Clinton County Speedway, Silver Spring
Speedway, Susquehanna Speedway, in
Pennsylvania. K-C Raceway, Shadybowl
Speedway, Muskigum Speedway, Barberton
Speedway, Mansfield Speedway, Seagate Centre,
in Ohio. New Egypt Speedway, NJ, Little
Valley Speedway, NY.
Thanks for reading, I hope everyone has a safe and good season in 2000!
