From the Paper

Posted by: Len Sammons, June 14, 2016 Ryan Smith is a riverboat gambler. Instead of starting third in Saturday’s $7,000 to win Dirt Classic Showcase Race at Lincoln Speedway, he went to the rear in hopes of doubling his earnings. Smith didn’t pull off the miracle and drive the Rob Warko No. 94 410 Sprint Car from 24th to first …

TEMPLE, PA — Leroy Leibelsperger, a dedicated and always fun-loving staff photographer of Area Auto Racing News for over 30 years; and prior to that a stock car racer, has passed away. Mr. Leibelsperger, 85, of Temple died May 19 at home. Going back to the 1970s, Leroy and good friend and fellow AARN staff member Henry Plesnarski traveled to …

Posted by: Len Sammons, May 17, 2016 For years the joke was, “I want to be the weatherman, you can be wrong 90% of the time and still keep your job.” That statement, however, no longer appears to be true today, at least in auto racing. Race track operators now believe in the predictions days and weeks in advance as …

JONESTOWN, PA — Area Auto Racing News photographer Bruce Thomas, of Jonestown, passed away after a lengthy illness on May 6 at the Hospice Residence of Central Pa. in Harrisburg, Pa. While on the AARN staff, Bruce was an auto racing photographer at Pa.’s Grandview Speedway and many other area race tracks. He was a member of the Eastern Motorsports …

Posted by: Len Sammons – May 3, 2016 Chris Zacharias confirmed to AARN last Friday that their will be no first annual American Modified Pavement Series (AMPS) this season. Zacharias announced the formation of the series in AARN’s March 8 edition after a sales dispute became public between former Race of Champions series owner Andrew Harpell and its purchaser Joe …

Posted by: David Wiernusz – April 26, 2016 The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced on Friday, April 15, 2016 that it is withdrawing a proposed regulation that would have effectively prohibited the modification of street cars into race cars. The EPA said in a statement posted at www.3epa.gov that its proposed regulation did not represent a “change in the law” …

Posted by: Steve Kellogg – April 19, 2016 It’s finally here! This Friday night, April 22, will usher in the new era at Outlaw Speedway in Dundee, N.Y. (formerly known as Black Rock Speedway) under the leadership of Tyler Siri. Since the word of the sale of the track came out this winter the buzz has all been about what …

Tim Hogue, Advertising Sales Director for Area Auto Racing News, has announced he is leaving the position he’s held for seven years. Hogue recently gave his two weeks notice to AARN to pursue an exciting employment opportunity outside of the sport. “We’re all going to miss Tim,” said AARN president Len H. Sammons, “but at the same time we’re happy for …

Posted by: Steve Barrick – April 5, 2016 Doug Borger spent last Thursday putting together his 185th Xcel 600 Modified car. “One more car to go, then it’s time to start running the Xcel 600 Modified Series,” Borger said. Shifting gears without hesitation is what drives Borger and it is why he succeeds. Now, he has a new iron in …

Posted by: Steve Barrick – March 29, 2016 NEWBERRYTOWN, PA – “This is just the beginning.” That is Scott Gobrecht’s promise to the fans, drivers and car owners who turned out to inaugurate The Gobrecht Era in Susquehanna Speedway history Saturday. Very little was left to chance on this night. Staffers were outfitted in bright red Susquehanna Speedway shirts. The …