RGeeProductions
03-17-2013, 10:44 PM
Mahoning Valley Speedway drivers Don Wagner and George Ramos take top honors at mall shows
A pair of Mahoning Valley Speedway standouts, Modified driver Don Wagner and Late Model ace George Ramos III, proudly earned ‘Best of Show’ awards at the Ledgewood Mall Race Car Show in Ledgewood, NJ and the IRCO sponsored Sixth Annual Dirt Track Heroes Show at the Philipsburg Mall in Phillipsburg, NJ respectively.
Race car mall shows always bring out the best as these annual pre-season events showcase the many different forms of motorsport and more so the pride of the participants. Wagner and Ramos typify that as each week they not only come to the popular Lehighton paved quarter mile oval geared at winning but make certain their mounts are spick-n-span.
“Myself and my guys really take pride in our cars. They’re not just cars that look good and race well. We make certain they look as good as the race. We put a little extra time in making sure the paint is shinny and the cars are clean with the overall body appearance,” said Wagner who won a division high six times last year and was runner-up in points to champion Earl Paules.
“Our car is actually race ready when we take it to the show. We enjoy doing these shows and we’ve been lucky to have taken the trophy home for Best of Show a few times.
Most of the work on Wagner’s car is handcrafted.
“We make all our own body panels and my car has always been very unique which make it stand out and that is why we do so good at the car shows,” he noted.
Bergelt Opticians, McCarter’s Towing and R.S. Snyder Enterprises are the sponsors of the No. 22. Wagner is the 2006 Mahoning Modified track champion and has finished second in points that past five seasons.
“I’m a self-promoter for the most part. And that’s why I have good people who are behind me and I like to race at race tracks that welcome me and Mahoning certainly does. The Santee’s have done a great job there. Every week last year just got better and better and I think Mahoning Valley is the place to be for asphalt racing.”
At the IRCO sponsored Sixth Annual Dirt Track Heroes Show there were over 120 race cars with a large presence of dirt cars verses asphalt which added to the gratification for Ramos.
“I never really thought I had any chance to be honest, there were a lot of beautiful cars there and very few were asphalt cars,” said Ramos.
Taking home the winning trophy also had close-at-heart meaning for Ramos as his late father, George Ramos II, a former Dorney Park and Mahoning racer who passed away last year, was part of a tribute of drivers during the week-long show.
“They actually honored my father too. His image was on the event t-shirts and program book so to win the Best of Show had so much more meaning.”
Ramos is coming off a solid 2012 season in which he earned his career first Late Model win, was third in points and named Most Improved Driver.
“Being at this show was a great jumpstart until the 2013 season gets rolling. I’ve been ready since January. We did a lot of homework this winter and I’m really focused on running hard for the championship,” said Ramos.
Judy Jones, Ramos’ fiancé, is the co-owner. Gary Coles of Fender Benders in Coplay did the paint job on the immaculate No. 2 Chevrolet Impala SS while Himmer Graphics of Lake Ariel did the vinyl work. Sponsorship comes from Leindecker Racing Engines, Loikits Industrial Services, Pig Out BBQ Pit, Top Hat Formalwear, Himmer Graphics, SVS Abatement, Fender Benders Auto Body, L & N Tap League.
Mahoning’s first on track activity begins this coming Saturday, March 23 with the first of four pre-season Test and Tune days. There will also be a flea market taking place starting at 10:00 a.m. testing begins at noon.
Opening Night is April 13 and features a 50-lap, $2000-to-win main event for the headline Modifieds.
The night’s lineup will also include all other regular track classes, Late Models, Street Stocks, Dirt Mods and 4-Cylinder Stocks plus the 4-Cylinder Hobby Stock division will make its debut as well. Race time is 6:00 p.m.
Mahoning Valley Speedway is located on PA route 443, two miles west of Lehighton. Additional info can be found on the track’s website at www.mahoningvalley-speedway.com Also on Facebook at Mahoning Valley Speedway.
Dino Oberto
A pair of Mahoning Valley Speedway standouts, Modified driver Don Wagner and Late Model ace George Ramos III, proudly earned ‘Best of Show’ awards at the Ledgewood Mall Race Car Show in Ledgewood, NJ and the IRCO sponsored Sixth Annual Dirt Track Heroes Show at the Philipsburg Mall in Phillipsburg, NJ respectively.
Race car mall shows always bring out the best as these annual pre-season events showcase the many different forms of motorsport and more so the pride of the participants. Wagner and Ramos typify that as each week they not only come to the popular Lehighton paved quarter mile oval geared at winning but make certain their mounts are spick-n-span.
“Myself and my guys really take pride in our cars. They’re not just cars that look good and race well. We make certain they look as good as the race. We put a little extra time in making sure the paint is shinny and the cars are clean with the overall body appearance,” said Wagner who won a division high six times last year and was runner-up in points to champion Earl Paules.
“Our car is actually race ready when we take it to the show. We enjoy doing these shows and we’ve been lucky to have taken the trophy home for Best of Show a few times.
Most of the work on Wagner’s car is handcrafted.
“We make all our own body panels and my car has always been very unique which make it stand out and that is why we do so good at the car shows,” he noted.
Bergelt Opticians, McCarter’s Towing and R.S. Snyder Enterprises are the sponsors of the No. 22. Wagner is the 2006 Mahoning Modified track champion and has finished second in points that past five seasons.
“I’m a self-promoter for the most part. And that’s why I have good people who are behind me and I like to race at race tracks that welcome me and Mahoning certainly does. The Santee’s have done a great job there. Every week last year just got better and better and I think Mahoning Valley is the place to be for asphalt racing.”
At the IRCO sponsored Sixth Annual Dirt Track Heroes Show there were over 120 race cars with a large presence of dirt cars verses asphalt which added to the gratification for Ramos.
“I never really thought I had any chance to be honest, there were a lot of beautiful cars there and very few were asphalt cars,” said Ramos.
Taking home the winning trophy also had close-at-heart meaning for Ramos as his late father, George Ramos II, a former Dorney Park and Mahoning racer who passed away last year, was part of a tribute of drivers during the week-long show.
“They actually honored my father too. His image was on the event t-shirts and program book so to win the Best of Show had so much more meaning.”
Ramos is coming off a solid 2012 season in which he earned his career first Late Model win, was third in points and named Most Improved Driver.
“Being at this show was a great jumpstart until the 2013 season gets rolling. I’ve been ready since January. We did a lot of homework this winter and I’m really focused on running hard for the championship,” said Ramos.
Judy Jones, Ramos’ fiancé, is the co-owner. Gary Coles of Fender Benders in Coplay did the paint job on the immaculate No. 2 Chevrolet Impala SS while Himmer Graphics of Lake Ariel did the vinyl work. Sponsorship comes from Leindecker Racing Engines, Loikits Industrial Services, Pig Out BBQ Pit, Top Hat Formalwear, Himmer Graphics, SVS Abatement, Fender Benders Auto Body, L & N Tap League.
Mahoning’s first on track activity begins this coming Saturday, March 23 with the first of four pre-season Test and Tune days. There will also be a flea market taking place starting at 10:00 a.m. testing begins at noon.
Opening Night is April 13 and features a 50-lap, $2000-to-win main event for the headline Modifieds.
The night’s lineup will also include all other regular track classes, Late Models, Street Stocks, Dirt Mods and 4-Cylinder Stocks plus the 4-Cylinder Hobby Stock division will make its debut as well. Race time is 6:00 p.m.
Mahoning Valley Speedway is located on PA route 443, two miles west of Lehighton. Additional info can be found on the track’s website at www.mahoningvalley-speedway.com Also on Facebook at Mahoning Valley Speedway.
Dino Oberto