The story of the history of Selinsgrove Speedway is being brought to the race fans and community with much help and dedication to auto racing in Snyder county from Selinsgrove Speedway track historian Bo Fasold. Bo and his father have spent dozens of years at the racing facility as fans, which started when Bo was only a few years old. His passion for Selinsgrove Speedway has spanned his entire life. He has more memories and statistics from Selinsgrove Speedway over the years than one could ever imagine. His countless hours of photography, photo editing, speedway data and record keeping, and his overall knowledge of Selinsgrove Speedway is how I can bring this historical information to you. Thanks to Bo Fasold and Scott Harro for their time and effort in putting this together to allow the public to view and take in the history of Selinsgrove Speedway. I simply call it "The Story". Enjoy.
The land on which the Selinsgrove Speedway sits was formerly the 115-acre Allison-Davis farm. The Dauntless Hook and Ladder Fire company of Selinsgrove purchased this farm in 1941 as a permanent home for it's annual carnival and night fair beginning in 1942. The property became managed by the Selinsgrove Fair Inc. in October 1947.
Joie Chitwood at Selinsgrove in 1947
Selinsgrove Speedway was designed by well-known Hollywood stunt man and race driver Joie Chitwood and was built in 1945. Mr. Chitwood purposely designed the front stretch of the speedway to be much wider than the rest of the track to host his daredevil auto show.
Advertisement at Speedway entrance
Selinsgrove Speedway's first ever race, an American Automobile Association event promoted by Sam Nunis Speedways, occurred on Saturday afternoon July 20, 1946.
Bill Holland
Bill Holland, who later went on to win the Indianapolis 500 in 1949, won the 20-lap inaugural event. Robert "Red" Byron, who placed second behind Holland, won Nascar's first sanctioned beach race in 1948 and became Nascar's first Grand National (Nextel Cup) Champion in 1949. (photos taken pre-race 1946)
Robert "Red" Byron
Can you find an empty seat ?
Under promoter George "Buster" Keller Selinsgrove Speedway started hosting weekly events in 1950 after just 6 races in 1949. A crowd of 5,000 people in the late 1940's and early 1950's was typical.
Construction of the grandstand, designed by Mark Starr of Selinsgrove, began in March 1948 and still stands today as a proud symbol of the history of Selinsgrove Speedway. The grandstand was built by the Bogar Lumber company of Selinsgrove and used 175,000 board feet of lumber. The new grandstand increased seating capacity at the speedway from 3,300 to 5,500.
While lighting was in use on the front stretch near the stage for the Fair week entertainment, lights were not installed for racing until 1953. The first night race was held on Friday, June 19, 1953.
The track announcer at the speedway in the early 50's was none other than legendary motorsports reporter Chris Economaki.
Chris Economacki getting an interview
The Calm before the storm - 1946
From 1959-1962 Selinsgrove Speedway did not run regular weekly point races like it had been since 1949. Racing didn't completely stop though, as races were still held on special occasions such as Memorial Day, Fourth of July, Labor Day, and other special events like Fair Week. The speedway closed on July 23, 1960 and reopened on May 25, 1963. There really isn't a concrete reason for the closure but there is a theory, readily agreed upon by speedway railbirds, that suggests television had a hand in it. Dave Herrold, a well-known retired assistant sports editor from the Sunbury Daily Item, who has been going to the races at Selinsgrove Speedway since 1949, said in an interview that he "wouldn't argue that point." By the late 1950's television sets had become affordable and available and with it people no longer had to venture out of their homes as much for entertainment.
By the time the new promoter Bob Richwine had re-opened Selinsgrove Speedway in 1963 to regular weekly races, dirt track racing had become engraved as weekend entertainment in Central Pennsylvania and soon again in Selinsgrove. The report of the track's weekly results in local newspapers became commonplace, never missing a week, and the highly competitive point racing for a track championship returned. Richwine also enlarged the track in 1963 by widening the turns.
Jack Gunn
In 1968 Jack Gunn, the speedway announcer since 1963, took over promoting duties from Bob Richwine. Gunn was probably the one man who had the biggest influence on the track in its storied history and was responsible for bringing the newly popular sprint cars to Selinsgrove.
In 1979 Tom Livelsberger took over the promotion of Selinsgrove Speedway after Jack Gunn fell ill and had to give it up. Livelsberger switched to Friday racing as not compete with Lincoln Speedway, which he also promoted. Friday night fields were great but crowds immediately dropped off. By mid summer Livelsberger turned the track over to Joe Trone who switched back to Saturday nights.
In 1980 George and Earl Zechman along with Terry Gonzalez formed G.E.T. and took over promotional duties at Selinsgrove. Barry King took over for Gonzalez during the last several years of G.E.T.'s tenure.
From 1993-1997 tri promoters Tedd Reitz, Herm Braim and Bill Groom operated the Speedway.
1998 marked a first in the track's history as the Selinsgrove Fair Association, which owns the facility, acted as it's own promoter with Steve Inch and Ed Clark serving as race organizers for the Sunday night fanfare.
After one season the Fair Association again opted to lease the operation. This time to co-promoters Bob Leiby and Tim Hughes. Leiby and Hughes presented weekly Sunday night shows in 1999 and 2000.
The 2001 season marked the return to Saturday night racing competition under the direction of co-promoters Earl Zechman and current promoter Charlie Paige. The Speedway adopted the 358-engine maximum for Sprint cars in an effort to control costs and increase car counts. In an effort to increase fan base at the speedway the promotional team made headlines by hosting a "Pack the track" night in which general admission for the regular racing program was FREE. This highly popular and successful promotion became an annual event through 2006.
Constructed by Zechman and Paige for the 2001 season was Selinsgrove Raceway Park. Raceway Park is a 1/5-mile clay oval built in the infield of Selinsgrove Speedway and is home to Friday night racing action for 17 classes of go-carts and 270cc Micro Sprints.
Turn 1 VIP Suites
Since 2001 many major improvements have been done to the Speedway. It has been resurfaced several times, new concession, rest room and V.I.P. facilities have been built, and new guardrails and lighting have been installed completely around the 1/2-mile surface.
The 5-Tier guardrail in Turn 3 & 4
New Guardrails in turn 1 & 2 for 2007
In 2006 promoter Charlie Paige installed a new 10 position scoring tower and an electronic scoring system. This system benefited both fans and competitors with the information that was made available. At the conclusion of the 2006 racing season turn 1, turn 2 and the backstretch were widened approximately 15-18 feet to provide better and safer racing action. In July of 2007 the track was widened 20 feet from turn 3 to the frontstretch to complete the improvements that now allow for four and five wide battles throughout the field.
Victory Lane
At the conclusion of the 2007 season approximately 60 loads of clay were put on the Speedway and an additional 20 on Raceway Park. Speedway management put an addition on the infield concession stand and made improvements to the V.I.P. booths in turn 1. Raceway Park had improvements made to the tire safety barriers surrounding the 1/5 mile track as well as a plywood wall on the front stretch to which the Raceway Park logo will be affixed. The backstretch of Raceway Park was made about 6 feet wider to help soften the radius of turns 3 & 4.
2008 marks the 46th consecutive and 63rd overall year of automobile racing at the half-mile clay oval in Snyder County.
Since opening in 1946 Selinsgrove Speedway has hosted many National and Regional touring series including the All Star Circuit of Champions (ASCoC), American Automobile Association (AAA) Sprints, American Racing Club (ARC) Midgets, American Racing Drivers Club (ARDC) Midgets, Automobile Racing Club of America (ARCA) Stock Cars, Central States Racing Association Midgets, Empire State Sprints (ESS), Modcar Modifieds, National Auto Racing Association (NARA) Sprints, National Sprint Tour (NST), Penn-Jersey Sprint Association, Penn-Mar Racing Association Stock Cars, SCODA Sports Cars, Super Midget Racing Club (SMRC), Super Sportsman, The World of Outlaws(WoO), Tri-County Stock Cars, United Racing Club (URC) Limited Sprints, United Racing Company (URC) Limited Sprints, United Sprint Association (USA), and the United States Auto Club (USAC) Sprint Cars.
Weekly divisions at Selinsgrove Speedway have included Bombers, Challengers, Daredevils, Late Models, Limited Late Models, Limited Sprints (KARS & 358), Modified Stock Cars, Pro Stocks, Road Runners, Semi-Late Models, Sportsman Stock Cars, Street Stocks, Super Modifieds, Super Sprints (410) and Thundercars.
Other racing events and entertainment held at the Speedway have included marching and stage bands, boxing, demolition derbies, enduro races, motorcycle races, rodeos, snowmobile races, Doug Rose and the Green Mamba Jet Car, stunt personalities Ken Carter, Jose Canuck and several other motorcycle stunt performers, as well as the famous Joie Chitwood Thrill show. Chitwood was scheduled to perform at the fair in 1946 but his caravan was involved in an auto accident in Dubois, Pa. and they were unable to perform. The Joie Chitwood Thrill Show's first appearance at Selinsgrove Speedway was in 1947.
Speedway officials over the years have included flagmen Butch Book, Nick Fornoro Sr., Leroy Gabel, Rudy Ganzel, Bob Garlinger, Dick Gaumer, Barry King, Randy Kline, Galen Kohler, Dan Lengel, Charlie Paige and Les Shearer, track announcers Ed Clark, Dick Crownover, Chris Economaki, Jack Gunn (1963-1967), Steve Inch, Tedd Reitz, Ken Stahl and Jeff Ulrich and handicappers Brian Householder, Harold Lockwood and Jeff Ulrich.
Speedway Promoters past and present are Herm Braim (1993-??), Terry Gonzalez (1980-??), Tim Gray, Bill Groom (1993-??), Jack Gunn (1968-1979), Tim Hughes (1999-2000), George "Buster" Keller, Barry King (1981-1992), Bob Leiby (1999-2000), Tom Livelsberger (1979), George Marshman (1 race in the 60's), Dick Moyer, Sam Nunis, Charlie Paige (2001-present), Tedd Reitz (1993-1997), Bob Richwine (1963-1967), Craig Rutherford, Selinsgrove Fair Association (1998) (Ed Clark & Steve Inch), Joe Trone (1979), Earl Zechman (1980-1992, 2001-2002) and George Zechman (1980-1992).
Information and Photo Sources
Dave Herrold, interviewed by Kurt Gladfelter, February 22-23, 2006; Kurt Gladfelter, “Doing it in the Dirt”: An In Depth Look at Dirt-Track Racing in Selinsgrove Pennsylvania - http://www.susqu.edu/history/webprojects/spectacles/gladfelter.htm
George Franklin Dunkelberger-1948, “The Story of Snyder County” – Selinsgrove Carnival and Night Fair
Gerald Hodges, “Robert ‘Red’ Byron: NASCAR’s First Champion,” Snyder County Times, January 8, 2005.
Kurt Gladfelter, “Doing it in the Dirt”: An In Depth Look at Dirt-Track Racing in Selinsgrove Pennsylvania - http://www.susqu.edu/history/webprojects/spectacles/gladfelter.htm
Steve Inch, “A Field of Dreams: Selinsgrove Speedway Celebrates 60 Years,” The Sunbury Daily Item, March 31, 2005.
Steve Williams, http://www.thevintageracer.com/articles/lm_steve_smith.htm
William M. Schnure-1918, 1929, 1967, “A Chronology of Selinsgrove, PA 1700-1967”
The Sunbury Daily Item, July 22, 1946 “Bill Holland Wins Auto Race Laurels; Fair Gate 100,000,”.
