This week's edition of the Selinsgrove Speedway spotlight is on 33 year old, and a veteran of Pro Stock Championships, Gary Beward. Gary lives in Thompsontown, and makes the trip to the big half mile each and every weekend to defend his 2006 Selinsgrove Speedway Pro Stock track Championship. A Pro Stock track title is no easy task these days at Selinsgrove, or Port Royal for that matter, let alone back to back titles. Or, back to back to back. Gary is coming off a 2005 title at Port Royal, followed by the 2006 title at Selinsgrove. The competition in Pro Stocks is as tough as any division at any facility in the area. Last season, Gary was fortunate to get a ride in a Late Model at Selinsgrove a few times and pull double duty with the running of his Pro Stock. There are plans in 2007 for Gary to be back behind the wheel of a high powered Late model as well. Gary was a former competitor at the Port Royal Speedway where he plans to run select shows this year when available. Gary has raced Thundercars and Pro Stocks for the past thirteen years, but his racing career got started where many top name drivers of today got their start in. And that was Go Karts. With Gary picking up his third win of the year last weekend, his career Pro Stock win total has reached an impressive 14 victories in just the past two seasons. He's only half way there in catching Kyle Bachman, the all time leader with 29. Unless, Gary gets his wish and picks up his full time Late Model ride soon, Kyle's record is surely in jeopardy of going down. But for now in 2007, he's been concentrating on Pro Stock racing only, and he sits first in the Pro Stock points once again with a comfortable lead in the standings.
Gary's black number 19 Pro Stock is owned by himself, Todd Long and Bob Kratzer, while the chassis are built in house by the team and Beward Motorsports. Sponsorship on the successful racecar consist of, JT construction, Jakes Carts, Make It Personal Embroidery, Pyles Auto Wrecking, Pyles Garage Doors, Swartz custom Graphics, Wayne Cochran Motorsports, and Miller Racing Engines. Phil Miller also is the man behind all the horsepower and speed of the 19 car. The crew of the team consist of Bob, Todd, Nick, J.J.,Kevin, Chad, Jason, Frank, and T.J. Gary owns a total of four Track titles to his name. The first came in 1999 at the Clinton County Speedway, followed by his first title at Port Royal in 2000. Then the latest title at Port Royal in 2005 followed by last years title at Selinsgrove. That impressive list of titles no doubt highlights Gary's career as a racecar driver to date. His three "Pro Stock 20" Victories over the past three years stands as another impressive high achievement in his career at Selinsgrove Speedway. His other memorable events over the years, is his second place finish with his late model sportsman at Hagerstown, and a victory in a "run watcha brung" race at Clinton County a few years back. Gary is married to his wife Kelly, and has two daughters, Elizabeth and Grace. During the work week, Gary is employed as a laborer with Armstrong Cabinets. Gary would like to give a special thanks to his sponsors, his crew, and everyone that has helped out in his very successful racing career.
Raceway Park Spotlight, #28, Chuck Paige
This week's Raceway Park spotlight is on veteran Go Kart racer, Chuck Paige. Chuck lives in Middleburg, and is ever so popular around the racing community for more ways than one. Most know of him as the son of Selinsgrove Speedway track Promoter, Charlie Paige and wife Terri. But to his fellow racers and fans of the sport, he is mostly known for his racing talents for the past seventeen years behind the wheel of a Briggs N Stratton powered Go kart. He has more laps in a go cart than one could count, as well as wins that one could count. Numbers and statistics are second hand to Chuck. Even Championships aren't at the top of his "racing to do list". Unless it's a National WKA Title. Winning a WKA title is the equivalent to winning the Nextel Cup Championship in Nascar. It is the highest achievement in Go Kart racing. Chuck does own one Track Championship at his hometown track Raceway Park. He earned that title in the medium's division in 2004. He loves to race, and he races to win. You will find him and his black and neon orange number 28 kart near the front of the pack at nearly every race he's entered in. His racing career has taken him to almost every state for competition this side of the Mississippi. Chuck's racing season usually starts with a trip to the famous Daytona area for round one of the WKA Dirt Karting Series events, in late December. From there, it's on to South Carolina, Virginia, Tennessee, and all states in between it seems. His weekly competition is at, you guessed it. Selinsgrove Raceway Park. The track his father built back in 2000. He will also be competing in the PDKS Karting series in 2007, as well as mentioned above, the National WKA series. Chuck had a hand in the designing of the kart track by using his thoughts and experience of the hundreds of tracks that he has raced on over his long career. Between him and his Dad, they have developed one of the most successful, safe, smoothest, and most exciting Go Kart tracks in the state and beyond. During the work week, Chuck works for his father's Electrical Business, Paige Electric. Chuck is also part of the maintenance crew that keeps Selinsgrove Speedway running at full throttle each and every week. Chuck spends numerous hours working at the facility throughout the busy racing season, hoping that one day, he will get the chance to drive a 358 Sprint Car around the big half mile.
Chuck serves as an East Coast sales representative for Ultramax Chassis. His many Ultramax Chassis are powered by J.C. Specialty, who also sponsor the veteran kart racer. Other sponsors include Paige Electric, and of course, Ultramax Racing Chassis. Chuck's crew consist of himself, his brother Nate, and John Hoffman. Chuck is married to his wife Jen. Chuck would like to give a special thanks to his Mom and Dad for their support over his successful racing career. Keep your eyes posted on ESPN from time to time, and you'll see the Raceway Park veteran giving an interview from the Nascar pit area. Reports say, that someone by the name of Juan Pablo Montoya, driver of the Havoline number 42 Nextel Cup car, is trying to pull an identity theft on Chuck. But trust me, It's really Chuck. It's Juan Montoya that is trying to look like, and be as great as, our own Chuck Paige.
Nice try Juan, but you'll never be as good of a Go kart racer as Chuck Paige. You might as well keep driving those Nascar's, and practice up for when Chuck comes knockin on the Nextel Cup door.
