JENNERSTOWN TO INDUCT EIGHT INTO HALL OF FAME

JENNERSTOWN, PA (June 12) … Jennerstown Speedway will induct eight new members into its Hall of Fame during a special ceremony to be conducted on Saturday evening June 17.

The 2006 class includes: the late Ivan Baumgardner (aka Butch Gardner), Fuzzy Rubritz, Johnny Grum, Milt Miller, Turk Burkett, Jim Nave, Charlie Cragan and Bill Awtey.

“Choosing the Hall of Fame candidates is always a tough decision, because there have literally been hundreds of great drivers who have competed at Jennerstown over its eight decades,” said speedway general manager Larry Mattingly. “We feel this years class is a great cross section from the various eras of racing competition.”

The initial class of inductees included: the late Mike (Little) Serokman, Jimmy Burns, Larry Wright, Lou Blaney, Steve Peles, the late Piney Lasky and Jack Freeman.

The induction ceremony will take place prior to the running of the Wheeler Bros 100-lap NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour event. Also in competition at the half-mile paved Somerset County oval that evening  will be the NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series Courtesy Suzuki super late models, WJAC-TV late models, Advance Auto Parts street stocks and the hobby stock division.

Veteran NASCAR Nextel Cup driver and former modified champion Jimmy Spencer will also be on hand to conduct a free autograph session.

The Eastern Museum of Motor Racing (EMMR) will present a static and on-track exhibition of vintage race cars. A reunion of former Jennerstown Speedway competitors will be held at the EMMR vintage car display.

 2006…. HALL OF FAME DRIVER CAPSULES 

IVAN BAUMGARDNER

The late Ivan Baumgardner, who raced under the pseudonym of ‘Butch Gardner’, was a big winner at the original Jennerstown half-mile ‘fairgrounds’ oval during the 1930’s driving his powerful four cylinder D.O. Hal-powered ‘big car’. Baumgardner’s chief  rival during that era was fellow Johnstown competitor Mike (Little) Serokman, who was inducted into the Hall last season. Following his retirement as a driver Baumgardner was a successful car owner at Jennerstown, along with his brother Dwight, fielding the famed pink and white number 52 Richland Machine Shop modifieds for drivers Harold Goden and Jimmy Burns.

FRANKLIN ‘FUZZY’ RUBRITZ

Rubritz began his racing career in 1953, and a year later captured the outstanding driver award in the Penn Western Racing Association. A top campaigner in the modified class, Rubritz captured the Jennerstown Speedway track championship in 1959. During his career Rubritz won 57 feature events, with approximately half of those coming at the quarter-mile Jennerstown dirt oval. Rubritz competed in the sportsman-modified race at the Daytona Int. Speedway in 1960 and was involved in the famous 37 car chain reaction pile-up on the 2 ½ mile super speedway. Rubritz returned to Daytona the next year, finishing in the 11th position. After retiring from the sport in 1962, Rubritz moved to Dover, Del., where he currently resides.

JOHNNY GRUM

A life long resident of Altoona, the hard charging Grum made a name for himself on the Western Pennsylvania short-tracks in the modified class during the 1950’s and early sixties .Although he drove for a number of different car owners Grum is probably best remembered for the Stoystown Auto Wrecking ‘ diamond eight’ and the Joe Horner owned number 46. During the mid-1960’s Grum began campaigning on the Central PA super sprint circuit and became an original member of the ‘Pennsylvania Posse’ driving Ford-powered entries for car owner Harry Fletcher. Grum finished out his tenure driving dirt track late models.

MILT MILLER

Hailing from Bedford, Miller was the dominant driver in the super modified class in 1968 when the newly constructed half-mile dirt oval was debuted at Jennerstown. Driving the powerful 426 cubic inch Chrysler-powered ‘Hemi Hummer’ for car owner Orville Conner, Miller won seven features that season, and collected track championship honors at Jennerstown and the Hagerstown Speedway. Miller also drove for the Kozior Brothers in  Jennerstown super sprint car competition.

TURK BURKETT

The all time Jennerstown Speedway dirt track late model winner, Burkett was the driver to beat during1970’s action on the half-mile dirt oval. Driving as a team mate to Gary Martz on the powerful Weyandt number 88 team, Burkett captured 141 feature events during his career at 10 different area dirt tracks.

JIM NAVE

A former Jennerstown late model track champion from the dirt track era, Nave was known for campaigning his immaculate white and blue number 32 Ford machines. Nave raced at seven different tracks during his career, and is credited with picking up over 50 feature checkered flags.

CHARLIE CRAGAN

‘Chargin Charlie’ was equally at home on the Jennerstown dirt or asphalt tracks. A two-time Jennerstown track champion (1992-93), Cragan also won three consecutive NASCAR Northeast Region Weekly Racing Series titles (1992-93-94) while driving the famed red number 42 Kaza Fire Equipment entry for owner Doc Scanlon. Cragan, who also raced in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, has 37 career Jennerstown feature wins on his resume.

BILL AWTEY

Awtey has been involved at Jennerstown since 1958, when he constructed his first race car after graduating from high school. Although he captured a Jennerstown track championship in 1961, Awtey is best known for his mechanical and engine building abilities. Awtey-built cars and engines have dominated Jennerstown support divisions for the past 20-seasons. Phil Grubbs, Jason Holder and Scott Bowman currently race cars constructed by Awtey in Jennerstown’s street stock division.. Awtey’s two sons –Barry and Brian- compete in the super late model class.