This scene is the very first heat race to compete at Big Diamond Raceway, Forestville, PA on August 27, 1972.
Coal Region Racing can trace its roots back to the winter of 1994 when a conversation about a banquet took place to honor Anthracite Raceway in Schoentown. That first unofficial meeting helped gather a few other interested race fans and the planning began. The culmination of their efforts was the Anthracite Raceway Memorial Reunion to benefit the Georgie Stevenson, Jr. Memorial Fund held at the Mechanicsville Hut in that small community. This first organized event happened on the evening of March 6th, 1996 and was completely sold out. The proceeds from the sale of racing videos, tee shirts, and raffles from the banquet were then donated to Mr. George Stevenson, Sr. Through this groups efforts and the generosity of the local race fans, Mr. Stevenson was presented a check for $4500 before the race held in his son's honor over the July 4th weekend at Big Diamond Raceway of that year. It was the largest amount donated to the fund up to that particular time.
Eventually, no other events were planned and the group quietly disbanded. Many of the original group went on to other interests.
In 2010, two of the original members discussed a few tentative plans to honor Anthracite Raceway and Big Diamond Raceway by transferring video over to a digital format then offering them for sale. Proceeds were to benefit local non-profit groups. The private research on the local tracks that once existed was then added to this newly formed group and Coal Region Racing was born.
Over time as interest grew through a few events held, other race fans and former competitors joined the group. These events would lead to the creation of The Coal Region Racing Hall of Fame. This banquet was held on April 9, 2019 at the Community Fire Company of Landingville. In all, 27 drivers, car owners, photographers, track officials, track owners and promoters made history by being the inaugural class to be inducted. This is the group's most proudest accomplishment. Encouraged by the overwhelming success of this endeavor, Coal Region Racing is looking to the future and continuing to preserve the local racing history's past.
Coal Region Racing Members Michael L. Clay, Sr. - Co-founder, organizer, event coordinator, video production/editing and historical research Michael R. Cason - Co-founder, historical research, webmaster, video production/editing and social media administrator Scott Herring - Co-founder, photographer, graphic artist and designer Lee Reading - Videographer, historical research and social media Gary Lileck - Social media, historical research and photographic contributor Bruce Boyer - Interviewer and historical research Dave Kuperavage - Historical research and 13x care-taker Dennis Somers - Historical research and 13x driver Dan Goss - Historical research and contributor Willis Kimmel - Historical research and contributor
If you or anyone you know would like to contribute any documentation (photographs, programs, newspaper articles, or artifacts) to Coal Region Racing or help us uncover more of the history of any of the 15 tracks, please contact us.