Back in the day....

[BlingxBling]

Ok so its about that time of year when I start to look back on racing and recalling things from back in the days....for those of you who attended back in the Evergreen days....what ever happened to Bobby Dresser?

[johnjr531]

its a good time for these things, what ever happened to JOE Kallaga, or #37 of gentelman Joe Scarlboro always had a nice paint job on his car hot pink.

[intense1]

Anybody remember that red #8 street stock from Mountaintop???
Where you been hiding...John?

[Geno]

One of the last times I saw Dresser in his #2 was getting loaded into a helicopter. Thankfully all turned out well.

Joe's still around. Haven't seen him for a couple of years though.

The list goes on....keep it going:wave:

[BlingxBling]

Geno, that unfortunately is the last memory I have of Bobby as well.

My mind is filled of memories, for what ever the reason may be I retained that more so than I did my school work years ago. Joe Kulaga drove the # 15 modified, last I recall he has a construction business or something like that in Hazleton. May he rest in peace, but how about the orange and white number 71 of Donny Kepping. Adam Gerlach is a name I remember. Last year it was nice to see names like Steve Clark and Brian Wozniak back racing. Who can ever forget a name of Charlie Klatt....from Catawissa! Glenn Ujavary or Clearance Hammersly, Frank Greco. Jeff Rex, who can be found in the pits of MVS each weekend. My personal favorite from open comp shows, Tony Siscone. I remember a young Johnny Blewett III racing those shows as well. My teenage heart throb Pat Deponte. I have remained in touch with him....last time he was behind the wheel was in AC this past year. Howard Johnson and Denny W. (Can't remember how to spell his last name). Ike Iddings, Clete Spaid, Donny Edgar, Fred Gimbi,Jack Cassidy, Frank Holby, Bill Danke, Brian Davis, Ramar Bunce, Charlie Thon....and a very good looking New Jersey guy Ken Hammond......what happened to these guys?

[White Lightnin]

I believe that Bill Denke is no longer with us.:*-(

[KYM]

He's Not He Past Away About 4 Years Ago......

[Geno]

I believe Joe’s business is Kulaga Excavating but don’t quote me on that. Before the #15 modified he drove a street stock for quite a few years.

Donny Kepping was a great person and ya can’t forget the fans that he had…. Adam Gerlach is out of it, but I spoke to him last season and if all goes well he’ll be at the Evergreen Reunion this year.

It was definitely cool to see Steve Clark and Brian Wozniak back in action, and win.

I’m pretty sure that Charlie Klatt works with Larry Fisher, or at least used to.

Glenn Ujavary- no idea where he ran off to…Frank Greco, same deal. Talked to Frank Holby a few years back and he’s been out of it for a long time. Sold a lot of his stuff to Bob Hatcher.

Donny Edgar went dirt racing and Fred Gimbi can probably be found at Fairway.

Bill Danke- another great person that we lost and I see Brian Davis in Berwick from time to time.

[BlingxBling]

I still remember the first year I attended the races....the first car we saw, was the white 96 of Frank Zenzel....haha or when the quarter midgets came and they all had to be push started.....Joey Chitwood Show....let's not forget Art keiser....
Since I love drama....some of the post race arguements...Roger heffelfinger jr was in a few I recall...I remember odd things, like learning that vinegar on french fries really do taste good, cinnamon jolly rancher sticks took all night to eat....pick 5 contest...which I do not think anyone had ever won.....

[cm9]

Remember when the races were replayed on PCN during the week? I still have a few on tape.

[Zcar]

Frank Greco has a trucking business in Hazleton. I think his pro stock still sits on the trailer under a tarp!

[White Lightnin]

Frank Greco has a trucking business in Hazleton. I think his pro stock still sits on the trailer under a tarp!


Mine sits in the driveway under a tarp. The last time Frank's car ran was at his father's 50 lap memorial race. I'll refrain, at this time, from telling the behind the scenes stories of that race. That was the night of the big (Good) Witch Hunt! :lol::lol:

[intense1]

Rumor has it...that Frank Greco car changed hands last week.

[White Lightnin]

Rumor has it...that Frank Greco car changed hands last week.

Wouldn't a Pro Stock have to exist for it to change hands?:confused:

[intense1]

Not if it's a stock clip Late Model.

[White Lightnin]

There was no Late Model class at Evergreen when that car ran most of it's years. That's a 3 time championship car is some class. Ask Geno, he sat at a head table because of it.

As they say in computer language "Byte Me" LOL!!

[Geno]

I've spent a little time on that car in the past (street stock, pro-stock, late model), whatever it was/is, and would love to see it back on track...:)

[White Lightnin]

Hey Geno, enlighten that boy, will ya? He's suffering from confusion. :lol::lol:

[Chuck Schartzer]

I sort or remenber that car and I thought it was a Pro Stock..................at least that's what they put on the trophy. :cheers:

[intense1]

On June 6th...you can call them anything you want!
Come on, Bob...peel back that tarp, and dust off your helmet.

[White Lightnin]

Mike,

Someone as important as the "Honorary Grand Marshall" of the 2nd annual Evergreen Reunion should not have to pay his way into the pits for this show.

I also just noticed that you have no actual class for me to run my Pro Stock in so I have no stake in bringing out my car other than entertainment for the Sundance Vacation Speedway fans. Since I can't partake of any purse money to offset my expenses, please let me know where I can pick up my 4 free Hoosier tires and 16 gallons of racing fuel. I am going to need at least 4 pit crew members so that should be included also. I guess I must ask you to wave the 100.00 pit stall fee as I technically will be parking the car there for 1 show this year. The driver's yearly pit license should also be waved as we will not be competing in an actual race - only for exhibition. Hey, wait a minute Mike!!! Doesn't that make me a hired vendor? I should be paid for this exhibition same as the Joie Chitwood show, Seymore the Clown and the fire breathing car melter. :applause:

In return for your generosity, I promise not to hit any of your walls, flag stand, concession stand, ticket booth or men's room with my race car. I will also refrain from hanging anyone the finger be it 1 or 5 at a time. As a bonus, I will also donate my new 4 free tires to Phil Defranco since they will have minimum laps of practice on them and you told him "NO" already. :disgusted

I never said that reviving these ancient Pro Stocks was going to be cheap but I'll do what I can.

See ya June 6 - any particular time you want me to be there?:wave:

W.T.

PS, just for old time sakes, I'll DQ myself at the end of the night

[intense1]

White Thunder...:confused:

As the date draws closer, we can iron out the details...

The important thing is to mark your calendars now...for Saturday, June 6th as the 2nd annual Evergreen Reunion will take place at Sundance Vacations Speedway.

And, lets keep those stories coming. ;)

[White Lightnin]

Does this mean that Phill still ain't gonna get his tires?


WTL

T is my middle name

[johnjr531]

how about the night we had a black out During the Mod feature, no one even wrecked , when the valley went dark!!:wave:

[johnjr531]

Hey WT. do you remeber the night the GERRY Roushey and HARRY AHOUSE switched cars because Gerry would beat him all the time Harry started from the front with Gerrys car and Gerry started lasted with Harrys car and Gerry won the race with Harrys car??:cheers:

[White Lightnin]

Hey WT. do you remeber the night the GERRY Roushey and HARRY AHOUSE switched cars because Gerry would beat him all the time Harry started from the front with Gerrys car and Gerry started lasted with Harrys car and Gerry won the race with Harrys car??:cheers:

John,

Actually Gerry sold Harry the car after he won his 12th feature of 1980. "Right Turn Harry" left his Buick in the Pits and loaded up the newly purchased #35 Nova and took it home, still warm. The next week, Harry claimed that the car was junk because he couldn't drive it. Gerry told him to get out of the car, he got in it, started last because of the driver change and won his 13th feature of 1980.

Now what did that tell you?

[White Lightnin]

how about the night we had a black out During the Mod feature, no one even wrecked , when the valley went dark!!:wave:

I believe that Magee Miller was leading at the time in his blue #28 Mopar. The field came out of the second turn at full throttle when everything went dark. It sounded like 20 "Jake Brakes" being applied all at once when they lifted and the compression pulled the engines down. Everyone around me ran - somewhere - but when the lights came back on the only place that didn't have a Mod parked in it was the swamp in the 4th turn.

NO ONE HIT ANYTHING - heck they couldn't make a half a lap without a caution when the lights were on. :lol:

[johnjr531]

thats right WT now i remeber how that went with Gerry And Harry!

[LM13]

Mike,
give him what he wants, I hope all goes well, I'm counting on those free tires.
Phil

[BlingxBling]

How about when it used to rain, the show wouldn't be cancelled, we would all hover in the back under the trees. When it would stop the wreckers would be out trying to dry the track with tires attatched to the rear by a chain and also about 30 fans in their cars cruising around in efforts to dry off the track. The walking racing encyclopedia of Dino Oberto...think green for Evergreen....we can't forget the red 91 of paul "flying farmer" bauscher. The X of tony dell....

[StrandRaceway]

Who could forget the season long championship battle between Paul Spencer and Russ Frantz that wasn't settled until the last lap of the last feature of the season was over. One of my favorite cars was Mike Rodriguez's Morgantini Magic Car. I spent a lot of years sitting on the back stretch bleachers in the pits while my dad worked at the track. Going back every now and then just isn't the same anymore.

[intense1]

Frank,
I am sure you have many great memories from the Evergreen days.
Although some thing tend to change over time, one thing remains the same...
The track is still a lightning fast 1/3 mile oval situated in the scenic St.Johns valley. The racing is still exciting. The pits still fill up every saturday afternoon like they have for many years. You can still smell the racing fuel in the air. You can still head over to the concession stand for some great food to enjoy during the races. You can still meet the daring drivers who live and work in your community.
And, thanks to the great folks at Sundance Vacations, who have already begun an aggressive promotional campaign to spread the word of how short track racing is the greatest form of family entertainment...we look forward to seeing more race fans in the grandstands at Sundance Vacations Speedway, each and every week.
We hope you can come feel the excitement in 2009.
It's time to...GET BACK TO A SHORT TRACK!

[StrandRaceway]

The racing is still great at the track, I never meant anything like that. The few times per year I make it, I have enjoyed myself. I just don't make it out to any short tracks like I did when I was younger. I did enjoy the Evergreen reunion last year and looking forward to it again. :)

[BlingxBling]

How can I forget Pauly? Let's see how well my memory is working. Blue car....yellow number 24 :-). I know a spencer drove it....trying to recall which one is fuzzy. I thing eddie the III drove it too.
How about the night when Swartwood went up and over the fence in between turns 3 and 4 landing in the parking lot!

[cm9]

Didn't Paul also drive a white and orange car with number 71 on it?

[BlingxBling]

my memory I'd foggy...the only orange and white 71 coming to mind was Donny Kepping.....

How bout Goldsworthy flipping over going into turn 2....

[micro60t]

Who could ever forget Pete Nenstiel's flip down the frontstretch back in 1978? That was one of the worst wrecks I can remember seeing.

[BlingxBling]

Sorry can't comment on that incident, wasn't born until 1981...didn't start going until I was about 7.

[Geno]

I believe it was in the '92 season- Kepping was more or less forced out of his ride and Paul took over. He did very well that year too.

[White Lightnin]

I believe it was in the '92 season- Kepping was more or less forced out of his ride and Paul took over. He did very well that year too.


Geno, do you remember when Zanolini took that orange and white #71 down south, to run a race televised by ESPN, and Paul won that race?

[cm9]

I have that race on tape too.

[White Lightnin]

Didn't Paul Spencer also win on TV driving the Speedy Thomas # 07 Hayes Jewelers modified that was normally driven, on the southern tour, by Satch Worley?

Or was that driven by brother Jimmy back in the day when he could still fit in a window opening? LOL!

[Geno]

I remember that Bob. Think it was called the 'SMART' modified division and his win was around September sometime...

[johnjr531]

How about the time joe kallaga and dean kline made contact comming out of turn four and joe ended up barrel rolling down the front stretch over and over from what i can remeber it was atleast 5 times.;)

[pj33]

Charlie still works with Fisher

[Geno]

Keep those memories coming and dig out those old “Evergreen” photos…send them my way- they may come in handy!

Last year’s reunion was sort of thrown together, but hopefully this year we can kick it up a notch and get more people involved someway, somehow…:wave:

[Zcar]

Geno, I put up some old pics on my site if you want to use them.

[BlingxBling]

I have many pics of Pat Deponte, however not sure I want to give them up. I have some of Roger hefflefinger too....some realllllll old ones when he was in victory lane with an old body style modified. I have old programs, which I love to read from time to time. I jusy may have a video from a race a looooong time ago..that is if I didn't tape over it.

[White Lightnin]

Amanda, that car that Roger ran back in 1989, with that strange body style, actually started out life as the Gus Lewis #85. It originally had a white Pinto body on it back in 1980, 81 & 82. Gus won 12 races with that car plus the 81 and 82 Evergreen Modified titles. That car and the black #60 of Tony Hirschman were 2 of the first pavement Troyers that were run at the track. Most stuff back then were old straight axle dirt cars.

[BlingxBling]

How bout Ken Wooley? Whatever happened to him? I know he would come to town on the nights of open comp shows. Clete Spaide? He was up there in age back then...Homer keiner? I just remember an old body style. Dale Fey...I know he owns Wheels which is not too far from me...Rodney Aton....richie spaide....carl jones....

Is there still the checkered flag fan club?

[micro60t]

Does anyone remember the night of the riot?

[White Lightnin]

Does anyone remember the night of the riot?

Vividly!! :eek::eek:

[tommyz]

Does anyone remember the night of the riot?

Yes I do. I was still sitting in the stands (was to young to go in the pits). It was a pretty crazy night!