Fox motor sports analyst Kenny Wallace will be on hand at the motor sports show held in Oak’s, PA from Jan. 23-25. (Credit: Fox Motorsports photo.)[/caption]
By Lou Modestino
Midget auto racing has enjoyed a rich history in motor sports and much of that history will be shared with attendees at the 30th Annual Pioneer Pole Buildings Motorsports 2015 Presented by Sunoco Race Fuels Distributed by Insinger Performance Race Car and Trade Show. The three day show, Friday, January 23rd through Sunday, January, 25th, at the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center in Oaks, PA will have a large section of the 250,000 square feet of show space devoted to Midget auto racing.
Many of the top talents from today and the past in Midget auto racing will be part of a huge autograph session that will take place from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday at the D-Hall Reunion Area. Past midget racing champions such as Leigh Earnshaw Jr., Bob Cicconi, Lenny Boyd, Billy Hughes, Hank Rogers Jr., and Lou Cicconi Jr. will join current standouts such as Steve Buckwalter, Tim Buckwalter, Drew Heistand, Mares Stellfox and others.
One-armed racing sensation Jimmy Maguire will be there along with past Northeastern Midget Association champion Drew Fornoro, Noki Fornoro, Ed Stimely, legendary car owner Ken Brenn Sr., Ray Bull and the list goes on.
The famous Jeff Gordon-driven No. 4 Diet Pepsi sponsored Pontiac-powered Beast USAC Midget will be on display as will many other midget race cars that represent this segment of the sport from the 1930s, through the 50s, 60s and 70s, to the 80s, 90s and the present. The No. 4, owned by former United States Auto Club president Rollie Helmling, was instrumental in carrying Gordon to fame and helped his career grow as he moved forward to become a four-time NASCAR Sprint Cup champion.
Brenn Sr. will also have an array of his historic race cars on display including his restored Indianapolis car from 1967, a Silver Crown racer plus a Modified stock car and three Midgets.
There will be a Ken Brenn Racing Reunion that will give fans a chance to see the race cars up close, meet some of the drivers that raced the cars and collect autographs plus take photos. That will take place one hour before the start of the Midget Racing Reunion autograph session.
On Friday, opening day of the huge show that offers just about everything imaginable in motor sports, “The Big Wheel” movie will be shown starting at 5:30 p.m. at the stage. This 1949 movie classic, with actual footage of Midget and Indy 500 racing from that era, features such stars as Mickey Rooney (as race driver “Billy Coy”), Spring Byington, Thomas Mitchell and others. The 92-minute black and white film follows the career of a brash young Midget car racer who lives in the shadows of his father who was killed in a racing accident. Some consider the movie an early day Days of Thunder.
And when the movie is over there will be a special presentation on Midget Car Racing History which will feature stories from great championship drivers and car owners along with rare footage and photos from the early days of Midget racing.
In addition to all the attention to Midget auto racing during the three day show attendees will have the opportunity to meet and collect autographs from NASCAR star Joey Logano of Middletown, CT, NASCAR car owner Tom Baldwin, Steve Park, broadcaster Dick Berggren of Ipswich, MA along with many regional and local stars. Many speedways and sanctioning organizations will be using the show to alert fans and racers about their plans for 2015. More than 200 racing vehicles, from drag racing to dirt track racers, will be on display along with historic, classic and vintage cars.
Just added to the lineup is NASCAR racer and FOX television personality Kenny Wallace. Many are not aware that Kenny is also a race promoter and he will discuss the challenges a race promoter deals with while accepting questions from the race fans in the audience. This will be an open discussion where both sides will have a chance to discuss the views of a night at the races. The program will run from 3:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. and will end with an autograph session with Wallace.
The show is set to open at 2 p.m. on Friday, January 23rd, at the huge Greater Philadelphia Expo Center in Oaks, PA which offers an abundance of free parking.
Source: Ernie Saxton PR