Preserving the History of the Dirt Tracks of Schuylkill County, PA
It's Official!
Here are the 25
Coal Region Racing
Hall of Fame
Inductees
for 2019
Our mission statement will be presented by Scott Herring, "The Last Anthracite Photographer". Scott has more than 40 years documenting every aspect of the coal region of Schuylkill County.
Also, we have another upcoming event.
We are tentatively planning a reunion of the surviving members of the Orwigsburg Racing Association to be held at the Orwigsburg Historical Society. This event may be held before the the Hall of Fame Reunion on April 6, 2019.
We are tentatively planning a reunion of the surviving members of the Orwigsburg Racing Association to be held at the Orwigsburg Historical Society. This event may be held before the the Hall of Fame Reunion on April 6, 2019.
Larry Alati, the first official photographer at Big Diamond Raceway, has a number of items he's looking to sell at his garage sale on the dates listed above. As stated, all proceeds are to benefit St. Jude Children's Hospital. If you can, please take the time to stop by and help out a worthy cause.
Coal Region Racing would like to thank the following:
For their time, help and promoting of our open house
Orwigsburg Historical Society
Bob Bechtel - Orwigsburg Police Department
Deb Docherty - 1360 AM
Robert "Harp" Wink - former racer
Donations
Warren Thomas - Anthracite Raceway Flagman Jacket used from 1969 to 1975.
Carl Hess, former Big Diamond Raceway photographer, - CHess Photos shirt and hat.
Rick Hendrick - Food Service License from Fort Lebanon.
Aaron Brommer - Orwigsburg Racing Association coveralls when he was crew chief of the number O.R.A. #9.
Clair Rutter - Orwigsburg Racing Association #9 jacket.
Danny Goss - 2 photographs from his racing career.
Race cars for display
Dave Dissenger - 88x
Aaron Brommer - 31
Gary Bingaman - 5
Kenny Harris - Crown 7
For their time, help and promoting of our open house
Orwigsburg Historical Society
Bob Bechtel - Orwigsburg Police Department
Deb Docherty - 1360 AM
Robert "Harp" Wink - former racer
Donations
Warren Thomas - Anthracite Raceway Flagman Jacket used from 1969 to 1975.
Carl Hess, former Big Diamond Raceway photographer, - CHess Photos shirt and hat.
Rick Hendrick - Food Service License from Fort Lebanon.
Aaron Brommer - Orwigsburg Racing Association coveralls when he was crew chief of the number O.R.A. #9.
Clair Rutter - Orwigsburg Racing Association #9 jacket.
Danny Goss - 2 photographs from his racing career.
Race cars for display
Dave Dissenger - 88x
Aaron Brommer - 31
Gary Bingaman - 5
Kenny Harris - Crown 7
The local racing community of the coal region lost one of its most prominent people. JoAnn Roehrig lost her long and brave fight with cancer on Saturday August 4th, 2018. She was 74.
From the day the gates at Big Diamond first swung open for its inaugural race on August 27, 1972, JoAnn was a fixture at the track and in the main concession stand. With her love of cooking, she and her very capable staff made and served some of the best race track food found anywhere. Because of JoAnn, Big Diamond was known for having some of the best french fries money could buy. Not only did she oversee the feeding of the fans and competitors, she also made sure the cash payout for the purses was completed by the end of the night's racing activities.
Devoted to her children, there was nothing she wouldn't do for them. From coaching their bowling team, leading the Minersville High School band parents association, chaperoning them for 2 school trips to Germany, to any other event they may be involved in, Mrs. Roehrig was never far from their side ready to do whatever was needed. Her adoration for her family continued with her grandchildren. And somehow she found time for various community groups.
JoAnn Roehrig could laugh and joke with the best of them or be stern and direct when she needed to be. Admired and respected by many fans and racers alike, the list of people who would call her a friend might be endless.
After the 2005 closure of Big Diamond Raceway, JoAnn would eventually move out of Minersville and resettle in the northern Berks county borough of Hamburg. There, with her long-time companion, Wilmer Weiss, she enjoyed many years with her children, grandchildren and friends. She was also a very good friend to Coal Region Racing. Without her foresight to save many items from the early years of Big Diamond Raceway, from 8mm movies, hats, and even match books, much of these articles and additional information has been invaluable to the preservation of this local racing establishment.
To her many family members, friends and those countless number of people whose lives she touched and enriched, we send our deepest condolences...
From the day the gates at Big Diamond first swung open for its inaugural race on August 27, 1972, JoAnn was a fixture at the track and in the main concession stand. With her love of cooking, she and her very capable staff made and served some of the best race track food found anywhere. Because of JoAnn, Big Diamond was known for having some of the best french fries money could buy. Not only did she oversee the feeding of the fans and competitors, she also made sure the cash payout for the purses was completed by the end of the night's racing activities.
Devoted to her children, there was nothing she wouldn't do for them. From coaching their bowling team, leading the Minersville High School band parents association, chaperoning them for 2 school trips to Germany, to any other event they may be involved in, Mrs. Roehrig was never far from their side ready to do whatever was needed. Her adoration for her family continued with her grandchildren. And somehow she found time for various community groups.
JoAnn Roehrig could laugh and joke with the best of them or be stern and direct when she needed to be. Admired and respected by many fans and racers alike, the list of people who would call her a friend might be endless.
After the 2005 closure of Big Diamond Raceway, JoAnn would eventually move out of Minersville and resettle in the northern Berks county borough of Hamburg. There, with her long-time companion, Wilmer Weiss, she enjoyed many years with her children, grandchildren and friends. She was also a very good friend to Coal Region Racing. Without her foresight to save many items from the early years of Big Diamond Raceway, from 8mm movies, hats, and even match books, much of these articles and additional information has been invaluable to the preservation of this local racing establishment.
To her many family members, friends and those countless number of people whose lives she touched and enriched, we send our deepest condolences...
Our long awaited display of local racing history is now open to the public. Thanks to the Orwigsburg Historical Society, artifacts from the archives of Coal Region Racing will be accessible during the society's regularly scheduled hours.
The story of the12th county race track at Lakeside is now posted as is the story of the 15th track, Little Diamond.
All race track updates are now complete!
And, our website, Facebook and email are now linked for easier access.
This undated image is courtesy of Irv Yeict sent to us by Dennis Somers.
These are the earliest forms of race cars to compete in Schuylkill County. This photograph is from the Schuylkill County Fairgrounds in Cressona, PA. In the very beginning of automobile racing, machines such as these were common at county fairgrounds tracks across the country. As you can see, they lacked even the most basic safety equipment. Many a driver was injured or killed because of this. Two fatalities were recorded here, the very first casulty on July 4th and the second on August 4th, 1935.
Irv Yeict was the owner of S & Y Paints in Pottsville, PA and was a huge supporter of local dirt track racing by sponsoring dozens of race cars of all types through the years.
Many thanks to both Irv and Dennis for sharing this priceless photograph with Coal Region Racing
These are the earliest forms of race cars to compete in Schuylkill County. This photograph is from the Schuylkill County Fairgrounds in Cressona, PA. In the very beginning of automobile racing, machines such as these were common at county fairgrounds tracks across the country. As you can see, they lacked even the most basic safety equipment. Many a driver was injured or killed because of this. Two fatalities were recorded here, the very first casulty on July 4th and the second on August 4th, 1935.
Irv Yeict was the owner of S & Y Paints in Pottsville, PA and was a huge supporter of local dirt track racing by sponsoring dozens of race cars of all types through the years.
Many thanks to both Irv and Dennis for sharing this priceless photograph with Coal Region Racing
A true pioneer of dirt short track racing and, more importantly, a member of the Greatest Generation, Paul "Whitey" Kerschner passed away on December 28th, 2017. The 91 year old resident of Blandon, PA served his country in World War II in the U. S. Army. As with many veterans of that era, after returning home and starting a family, Whitey launched a career driving a flathead Sportsman at many area speedways including the coal region tracks of Gold Mine, Circle M, and Mount Carbon.
In this photo from Gold Mine Speedway taken in April, 2015, Whitey was getting a few more laps in around the little 1/4 mile bullring as a passenger. He was overheard telling the driver she could go a little faster after making the first lap. After 3 more laps, each one faster than the previous one, he said she needed to slow down because she going too fast! His friends from the Reading Fairgrounds Historical Society who brought him there said that's all he talked about for the next few weeks.
Whitey accomplished something only 8 other drivers in the history of the fabled Reading Fairgrounds did. He won feature races there in the flathead stock car era and in the mighty Modifieds that followed.
He was honored by the Checkered Flag Fan Club in 2015 with the Dick "Toby" Tobias Memorial award. The following year, the lifelong member of the Reading Fairgrounds Racing Historical Society, was inducted into the Reading Fairgrounds "Home of Champions".
For those who knew him well or those who had the honor of meeting him just a few times, they will always remember him smiling, his sense of humor, and his winning personality. These traits made him a fan favorite anywhere he went.
Coal Region Racing would like to extend their deepest condolences to his many family and friends.
In this photo from Gold Mine Speedway taken in April, 2015, Whitey was getting a few more laps in around the little 1/4 mile bullring as a passenger. He was overheard telling the driver she could go a little faster after making the first lap. After 3 more laps, each one faster than the previous one, he said she needed to slow down because she going too fast! His friends from the Reading Fairgrounds Historical Society who brought him there said that's all he talked about for the next few weeks.
Whitey accomplished something only 8 other drivers in the history of the fabled Reading Fairgrounds did. He won feature races there in the flathead stock car era and in the mighty Modifieds that followed.
He was honored by the Checkered Flag Fan Club in 2015 with the Dick "Toby" Tobias Memorial award. The following year, the lifelong member of the Reading Fairgrounds Racing Historical Society, was inducted into the Reading Fairgrounds "Home of Champions".
For those who knew him well or those who had the honor of meeting him just a few times, they will always remember him smiling, his sense of humor, and his winning personality. These traits made him a fan favorite anywhere he went.
Coal Region Racing would like to extend their deepest condolences to his many family and friends.
Here are two examples of what early sprint car racers appeared as in the 1950's and 1960's at such tracks as Brandonville, Ringtown and the inner oval at Mount Carbon. Since photographs from those tracks seem to be non-exsistant, these two photographs from the Circle M Ranch Speedway Reunion held on September 23, 2017 show what the sprint cars from that era really looked like.
|
|
|
Brandonville raced what were known then as "Big Cars", early forms of what we have come to know as today's modern sprint cars before the wings. This is what those cars had evolved into during the 1950' and '60's that competed at the big, flat Brandonville 1/2 mile dirt track.
|
Mount Carbon was known to have an inner oval that hosted midget racing and early forms of micro-sprints during it's tenure. Circle M Ranch hosted at least one event in 1955 while Mahanoy City, Ringtown, and possibly Brandonville and Sparky's also raced these early racing machines.
|
This recently discovered auto racing ad from the Lebanon Daily News dated October 12th, 1935, shows how racing events were promoted before the advent of television and the internet.
A special thank you to noted auto racing historian Larry Jandras, Jr. of Sykesville, Maryland for finding and sharing this piece of Schuylkill County automobile racing history.
A special thank you to noted auto racing historian Larry Jandras, Jr. of Sykesville, Maryland for finding and sharing this piece of Schuylkill County automobile racing history.
Coal Region Racing is proud to announce our website is now linked on the 3WidesPictureVault website. Check out their website if you haven't done so yet by clicking on their web address near the bottom of this page.
Bill Yerger, who constructed the Drick Hendricks 13X replica that competed locally at Circle M Ranch Speedway in Auburn, PA back in the mid to late 1950's, wanted us to list some of the unused parts that are sitting around his garage in Florida. If you are interested or have any questions about anything seen in this series of photos, please contact him directly at the numbers listed at the bottom of the parts list.
Anthracite Raceway
Aerial Views of the Dirt Tracks of Schuylkill County
Please be sure to check out these historical racing websites
|
www.readingfairgroundsracing.com
|
|
Thank you to Mark's Service Center for all the help and support in preserving the history of racing in Schuylkill County. |
|