Reading Stars Draw A Crowd; Sammons Wins Don Marks Award; Hirthler Best of Show; Penn National Tribute Ends Racing Legends Reunion Today

READING, PA - Thirty-one years later, the stars of the Reading Fairgrounds Speedway still draw a crowd.



Personalities from the Berks County facility that hosted its final event in 1979 packed the Fairgrounds Square Mall Friday night as part of the Racing Legends Reunion & Car Show presented by Reading Eagle and WEEU 830 AM. The show is held on the former site of the Reading Fairgrounds Speedway and the annual reunion has been a highlight for a quarter-century.



Announcer Jeff Ahlum, dressed in a tie, interviewed approximately 15 members of the 'Home of Champions' racing community.



The night's "guest of honor" was Freddy Adam, named the 'Kutztown Comet' by Reading announcer Warren Ruffner. Adam, always a fan favorite, was a 20-time winner in Reading's full-blown Modified ranks. He won twice in the track's flathead era as well.



Other Reading personalities interviewed included Meme DeSantis, Hal Browning, Junior Mikosz, Gary Gollub, Earl Derr, Red Coffin, Alan Carter, Bobby Braxton, Whitey Kerschner, Del Bitting, Curt Weller, Donnie Eskey, Archie Myers, Bruce Young, Al Gaspari and Russ Smith.



After mall hours, attention turned to the Temple Fire Company where show awards were presented at the Beer City of Quakertown-Lee Myles Transmissions BASH Racing Party.



The first-ever Don Marks Memorial Contribution to Motorsports Award was presented to Len Sammons, the publisher and editor of Area Auto Racing News in Trenton, N.J.



Marks was the longtime track photographer at Grandview (Pa.) Speedway, submitting photos to a number of publications. His work was seen in the pages of Area Auto Racing News weekly from Grandview and many other tracks up and down the East Coast. He was also an active member of the Eastern Motorsport Press Association (EMPA). Marks passed away suddenly in 2008.



Kevin Hirthler's No. 117 358-Modified was named Best of Show by a voting panel of media members and vendors. Brian Hirthler of Four Star Lettering & Graphic Design accepted the award on his brother's behalf.



Divisional winners included Jon Haegele (Modified), Dave Shirk (Open Cockpit), Greg Hoffmaster (Late Model), Tiffany Wambold (Micro-Sprint), Cassi Pinder (Quarter Midget), Dakota Kohler (Go-Kart) and Kevin Eyres (Restored/Vintage - Hyneman No. 126).



With 113 race cars on display, the show concludes today (Sat., Feb. 27). The show features a wide cross-section of racing vehicles, including vintage/restored cars, big- and small-block Modifieds, Late Models, Sprint Cars, ARDC Midgets, SpeedSTR Midgets, Sportsman, Roadrunners, Micro-Sprints, XCel 600 Modifieds, Slingshots, Go-Karts, Quarter Midgets and more.



Tonight (Sat., Feb. 27) Penn National Speedway, the Grantville, Pa., oval that hosted its final race in 1996, will be recognized with a tribute sponsored by LLANDCO Inc. at 5 p.m. Former racers, car owners, officials and attendees are welcome to attend.



Among the 2010 show exhibitors are Grandview Speedway, Big Diamond (Pa.) Raceway, Kutztown Fairgrounds (Pa.) Speedway, Thunder on the Hill Racing Series, URC, Reading Eagle, Pioneer Pole Buildings Inc., Speedway Entertainment (Slingshots and SpeedSTRs), Reading Fairgrounds Speedway Historical Society, RAACE Foundation, Doug Borger's XCel 600 Modifieds, Gary Silverman Productions, Dale Snyder Video, Clyde Martin Memorial (Pa.) Speedway, Bob Hilbert Sportswear, Keystone State Quarter Midget Club, the NEETS Enduro Series and the Montgomery County Quarter Midget Racing Club



Author Gary Ludwig appears nightly beginning at 4 p.m. and during mall hours on Feb. 27 to autograph copies of his best-selling book Tommy Hinnershitz, The Life and Times of an Auto Racing Legend, which will be on sale at the show.



Randy's Raceway of Kutztown, Pa., has set up his HO slot car track all week during the show.



Vendors are on hand selling national and local racing memorabilia, collectibles, racing DVDs and much more.



For general show information, contact Brett Deyo at 845.728.2781, via e-mail at Deyo99H@aol.com  or on the web: http://www.bdmotorsportsmedia.com/.



For further information on the Reading Eagle or WEEU, log on to http://www.readingeagle.com/  or http://www.weeu.com/.



25th Racing Reunion & Car Show Schedule of Events



Saturday, February 27 - Salute to Penn National Speedway presented by LLANDCO Inc.



5 p.m. - FIRST EVER Penn National Speedway Reunion presented by LLANDCO Inc. of Leesport, Pa., a landfill construction company (Stage) - Former drivers, owners, officials, sponsors, fans, etc., gather to remember the Grantville, Pa., oval that closed its doors in 1996.



- Mall Hours: Sunday 11 a.m-5 p.m. Monday-Saturday 10 a.m.-9 p.m. -



*Schedule subject to change