ONCE POPULAR SILVER SPRING SPEEDWAY WILL BE REMEMBERED AT MOTORSPORTS 2011 RACE CAR AND TRADE SHOW
OAKS, PA (December 2, 2010) – It’s gone but far from forgotten.
The famed Silver Spring Speedway, which was located in Mechanicsburg, Pa., hosted great auto racing action for 53 years, before the facility and adjacent grounds were razed in 2006.
The track, which opened in the fall of 1953, transgressed the boundaries of dirt track racing, offering thousands of fans a weekly gathering point that featured many different classes albeit the more commonly known Super Sportsman being the most popular.
When Motorsports 2011 presented by SEF Race Car and Trade Show takes place at the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center in Oaks, Pa., on January 21-23, Silver Spring Speedway will again be in the spotlight as the history of the speedway will be a key attraction of the weekend.
“It is a true honor to have Silver Spring Speedway remembered during the Motorsports 2011 weekend,” said Alan Kreitzer, former promoter of Silver Spring Speedway. “We are excited to have a professional presentation of cars and drivers who made Silver Spring Speedway popular among the racing fraternity.”
During the Motorsports 2011 weekend of the race cars that were seen in action at Silver Spring Speedway will be on view. Plans are in the works to have a number of drivers and team members who participated there at the show to meet and sign autographs for the fans.
Fans and racers are encouraged to bring Silver Spring Speedway-related memorabilia such as scrapbooks, photos and programs.
“Silver Spring Speedway was an important part of the dirt track industry and I, along with everyone who attends Motorsports 2011, am looking forward to seeing the cars and drivers who made the track popular,” said Motorsports 2011 producer Len Sammons. “The track operated successfully under the Kreitzer family and that that family-value system is one of the key ingredients for its success and continued legacy.”
Ground was broken on Silver Spring Speedway in the fall of 1953, on the 3/8 mile semi-banked clay oval after the Penn-Mar Racing Club approached Cumberland County businessman Ray Garver Sr. about building an auto track for the club.
By the following summer, the new speedway was ready for action. The club intended to offer a regular schedule of Wednesday night races. But, that strategy was changed after just one event, with the action moving to Saturdays. A few shows later, feeling it had a less than spectacular debut, the club abandoned Silver Spring Speedway.
After the 1954 season Ray Garver, a successful market operator, hired W.A. Kreitzer Jr. as speedway manager.
The jalopies that were raced in the early days gave way to the stock car in 1962 and evolved into the Sportsman cars. The Sportsman were allowed to have overhead cam engines starting in 1969, and in 1978 saw the introduction of torsion bar suspensions to the division, the cars of today feature an open cockpit like the sprinters, but have less power. They use carburetors, clutches, and starters unlike the sprinters.
The division during their running at track was the most competitive of any, with an average of 50 cars vying for the 26 spots in a regular 25-lap feature. The Sportsman became so popular that a touring division was formed in 1986, giving the teams the chance to race at other local tracks. Also, in 1962, a new class, the Hobby Division, was formed. A car could be claimed for $129. The Hobby cars were renamed Early Modifieds in 1973 and progressed into the Limited Late Models. 1982 saw the start of the Street Stock division.
The track also would hold other types of racing (Go-Karts, 410/358 Sprint Cars, Midge Carts, Micro Sprint Cars, 4-Cyl. Cars and others).
Many drivers raced at Silver Spring Speedway, with some families having brothers, cousins, uncles, nephews, dads, sons and even daughters racing over the years.
An important part of the show will be large number of area speedways that will be part of the Motorsports 2011 show which means many of the local racing stars will be making appearances. Close to 250 motor sports vehicles of all types will be on display during the weekend.
Exhibit space for the show continues to fill at a record pace and everyone is reminded to be in touch with Tim Hogue to make their show space reservations before the show has all 250,000 square feet spoken for.
Also race teams are reminded that if they are planning to have their race cars on display and gain some excellent exposure for their sponsors in front of the thousands of show attendees they should be in touch with Hogue to make arrangements. Hogue can be reached at 609-888-3618 or tim@aarn.com.
The official show website located at www.aarn.com offers up-to-date information on the show. Additional information is available at 609-888-3618.
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MEDIA CREDENTIALS: If you are planning to cover the show we ask that you be in touch at your earliest convenience. Freelancers will need proof of assignment. Contact Ernie Saxton at Esaxton144@aol.com or telephone 215.752.7797.
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Ernie Saxton Communications, Inc.
Motorsports Marketing
215.752.7797 - office
267.934.7286 - cell/text
Esaxton144@aol.com
http://www.saxtonsponsormarket.com/
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