Auto racing returns to bloomsburg fairground

BY: SHAWN WOOD, FOR INSIDE MOTORSPORTS

it began as a casual comment from Bloomsburg Fair board member and motorsports coordinator Brian Wawroski during the Monster Truck Show at the “I said ‘wouldn’t it be cool if we Fairgrounds last year.

He was speaking with The Armory Agency and members of the United States Auto Club. “I said ‘wouldn’t it be cool if we built a racetrack here just to see what they would say,’ ” Wawroski said. “We wanted to build a track anyway, and they said, ‘let’s do it.’ ”

The last time racing took place at the fairgrounds was 35 years ago.

“The word on the street was that people were hoping to see racing come back to the fairgrounds and those were some of the biggest days (attendance-wise), for the fair,” Wawroski said. “There are a couple of us on the fair board that have an interest in racing and the board of directors bought into the fact that racing would be good for the Bloomsburg Fair.

“We were not going to just go out and get a backhoe and build a track, everything we were going to do with USAC and The Armory Agency is going to be top-notch. We want it to be the best facility in the country when we are done,” he added. The fair board brought on Steve O’Neal to be the promoter of the track. O’Neal is the current promoter at the Port Royal Speedway.

The track will be 3/8th-mile in length and will be constructed on the inside of the half-mile cinder track while utilizing part of the frontstretch. The fair will continue to run horseraces on the cinder track and has hopes of being able to hold auto racing after the fair is over in the future.

The year marks the 166th edition of the fair, which began in 1855. According to an article in a Wilkes-Barre newspaper, race cars first appeared at the fairgrounds in October of the 1922 fair. The article notes that it’s the first time that race cars had ever been seen in Central Pennsylvania. Among the notable cars of the eight drivers that were entered in the race was the French Peugeot car which was driven by Howard Wilcox to win in the 1919 Indianapolis 500. British driver R. Burr Lampkin was behind the wheel at the fair race.

The schedule for the first year will feature a special-events calendar with eight dates from May 27 to Oct. 2. built a racetrack here just to see what they would say,’ We wanted to build a track anyway, and they said, ‘let’s do it.’” BrIan WaWroSkI

Bloomsburg, PA 570-784-5821 570-336-0367

The wingless United States Auto Club 360 East Coast sprint cars, the American Racing Drivers Club midgets, and the 360-winged sprint cars will kick off the calendar on schedule on May 27.

The USAC National Sprint Tour will invade the track as part of the Eastern Storm swing on June 20 while the ground-pounding Northeast dirt modifieds of the Short Track Super Series comes to the track on July 14. The ULMS late models have two dates, June 20 and July 25.

The USAC National Midgets along with the USAC East Coast wingless sprints and the ARDC midgets are at the track on Aug. 6 while the United Racing Club 360-winged sprint cars will make an appearance on July 16 and Aug. 22.

A daytime show is set for Oct. 2 with the 305 sprint cars and the ARDC midgets. Later that evening, the 305 sprint cars will travel west on I-80 to race at the Clinton County Speedway.

“We are not to going to get into the weekly rut of racing,” Wawroski added. “We’re going to do eight races this year and we are going to keep the special-event format and expand to 12 to 14 races and go from there.”

Former Bloomsburg resident John Heydenreich is excited to see racing return to the fairgrounds.

layOut 3/8th’s-mile semi banked track located inside the half-mile cinder track lOcatiOn 620 West Third Street, Bloomsburg racing divisiOns Special events cOntact 570-784-4949 www.bloomsburgfair.com @Bloomsburg_Fair

John heydenreIch

Heydenreich, who lives in Indianapolis, is a four-time winner at the fairgrounds.

“The neat thing was that I could see the track from mom and dad’s dining table,” Heydenreich said of his memories of the track. “There’s a ton of talent that came out of the Bloomsburg area. It will be sweet to go back. I’m looking forward to it.”

Heydenreich, who turns 65 this year, was happy to see the ARDC midgets back at Bloomsburg.

“I have to give Shannon (Mausteller) a lot of credit for getting the ARDC midgets back up and running,” he said. “I’m hoping to make all three midget shows.”

Ed ‘Dutch’ Shaffer leads Kenny Weld in ARDC midget action on the cinder track at the Bloomsburg Fairgrounds during an event in the 1970s.

John Heydenreich works on his midget in the pits during the 2019 season. A former resident of Bloomsburg, Heydenreich is hoping to make all three midget events at the Fairgrounds this year.

Apr. 17 Regular Show

May. 1 Regular Show + Twin 20's for Predator 375 May 8 Regular Show May 15 Regular Show + $100 to Win Animal 375 May 22

May 29 Regular Show + Mechanics Race Jun. 5 Regular Show Jun. 12 Regular Show + 3rd ANNUAL JIM SCHUTT MEMORIAL = $200 TO WIN DIVAS Jun. 19 Regular Show + 30 Lap Predator 340 King Of The Mountain Jun. 26 Regular Show + PA WINGS HARVEY KOZLOWSKI MEMORIAL Jul. 3 NO RACING Jul. 10 Regular Show + ERNIE LOSS MEMORIAL $200 to Win Flat 350 Jul. 11

2:00pm

5:00pm 5:00pm 5:00pm 4:00pm 5:00pm 5:00pm 5:00pm 5:00pm 5:00pm

5:00pm TBA

Jul. 17 Regular Show + Penns Creek Winged Outlaw Showdown Jul. 24 Regular Show Ju. 31 Regular Show + PREDATOR CUP for Predator 375, Predator 410, & Jr. Predator Aug. 7 Regular Show + TNC Trophies Kids Night Aug. 14 Regular Show Aug. 21 Regular Show + 50 LAP = $500 TO WIN CLONE CLASH for Clone 375 Aug. 28 Regular Show + Twin 20s for Predator 410 Sep. 4 Regular Show + SUMMER BLAST (FLAT 350 = $1,500 PURSE!) + PA WINGS Sep. 11 Regular Show + Mechanics Race Sep. 18 Regular Show + MIKE ZIMMERMAN MEMORIAL Sep. 25 Regular Show + Twin 15's for Caged Clone Red 5:00pm 5:00pm 5:00pm 5:00pm 5:00pm 5:00pm 5:00 PM 5:00pm 5:00pm 5:00pm 3:00pm

Oct. 2 Regular Show (Final Points Race) + Winged Outlaw Twin 15s 3:00pm

For GPS: 1210 Mountain Rd Middleburg, PA (570) 556-7462 or (570) 713-8616