Pittsburgh Circle Track Club 29th Annual Awards Banquet
By: Don Gamble

The Pittsburgh Circle Track Club hosted their 29th. Annual Awards Banquet January 28 at the Days Inn of Butler, PA. R & R Music with Rick Kohler and Dave Conley provided the musical entertainment before and after the awards presentations.

The new officers of the club were recognized along with the board members: President, Robert McWilliams, Vice President, John Miller, Secretary, Jill Folkmire, Financial Officer, Bob Stanford, Social committee, Ginger Meloy, Photographers, Bill Truby and Jody Halbedl, Historian, Dave Burt and Statistician, Dave Slade

Board Members include Don Dahle, Don Gamble, Bobby Neill, Art Osmer, Marsha Schempp, Greg Simmons, Jim Slade, Bill Truby, John and Linda Wirtz.

Jerri Slade, Secretary, and Kathy Miller, Social Committee, retired and were recognized with a special plaque for their years of service and for all their hard work and efforts to keep the club moving ahead.

The Hall of Fame Chairman Walt Wimer along with committee members, Bob McWilliams, Don Dahle, Don Folkmire and Marsha Schempp were also recognized.

Don Dahle presented the club with a $1000 dollar check from Verona Witzberger and Jack Crowell presented the group with a $500 donation from # 1 Cochran Automotive.

Media and special guests in attendance included:

Jack Crowell #1 Cochran Automotive

Jack Coley…Twin State Auto Racing Fan Club

Linda Fennell…Motorsports World

Jody Halbedl…Webmaster for PCTC link on RacingWeb.com

Keith Koval…Rappin’ on Racin’ and National Dirt Digest.

Alan & Eric Neil…Sportsmanship Award

Bill Truby and Jody Halbedl…PCTC Photographers

Jim Zufall, Dirt Track Digest, Motorsports World Magazine, Hot Rod News, Cruisin’ Times Magazine, Rappin’ on Racin’, KDKA Radio, and the Wexford Starlite Car Cruise.

During the Invocation, the members of the racing community that passed away were recognized. Bill Adler, Ed Bashaar, Al Dean Sr, Ronnie Degenkolb, Sammy Deller, Joe Geisler, Patricia Neill, Marsh Pivirotto, Dorothy Rottman, Harry Shoemaker, Betty Sowash, and Shirley Smith.

The PCTC acknowledged all the speedway representatives and thanked them for their participation.

Lernerville Speedway...Barbara & Homer Bartley, Carol Gamble, Ouch Roenigk

Motordrome Speedway...Red Miley…

Pgh. Pa. Motor Speedway...Red Miley & Ty Miley…

Mercer Raceway Park...Vicky Emig & Mike Leone…

Tri-City Speedway's…Mike & Margaret Graham…

Coming Events included:

March PCTC Flea Market and meeting March 11.

May 21st PCTC Motorsports Day Kennywood Park…

May 28th Memorial Day Picnic North Park Old Fire House

The PCTC thanked the following people: Jack Crowell, #1 Cochran Automotive, Chuck Kennedy's Auto Sales, Haas Construction, S & S Repair and Remanufacturing, Malltees Designs, H.L. Bartley Trucking, Dave Hartman Fence by Maintenance Service, Rohrich Automotive Parts Warehouse, Bobby’s Lounge, Isiminger’s Pennzoil, and Jamine’s Custom Cuts, special thanks also to Outdoor Life Lodge, Kelly’s Family Restaurant, Lias Tire, Trophy Works, Gear Designs Inc, Fox Trucking, Fox Water Service, and Linda Fennell for their contributions in tonight's banquet as well as their support during the season…

Special thanks to Estle Harp and his staff at Eracers Go Kart Park in Butler for hosting three family nights this year. It is always a great night of family fun! Be sure and visit their web site: www.eracers.net or call (724) 482-2555 for more information.

The 2005 inductees to the Hall of Fame were Ed Lynch Sr. and Buddy Cochran

Ed Lynch Sr., the “original” Apollo Rocket, started his driving career in the late 50s/early 60s. By the mid-60s, he was a top runner on the old Penn-Western racing circuit at such tracks as Jennerstown and Windber, winning many races with his candy apple red #6. From there it was a quick jump to the western PA Sprint Car circuit.

Despite taking on PCTC Hall of Fame members such as Lou Blaney, Ralph Quarterson, Gus Linder, and other top runners such as Buddy Cochran and Ted Wise, Lynch won his share in the Sprint Cars, scoring 27 wins at tracks such as Tri-City (15), Lernerville (8), Sharon and Pittsburgh. However, as good as he was in Sprint Cars, it was in the Modifieds that the Apollo driver really put up big winning numbers.

During his years in the famed DeGeronomo Bros #88 Gremlin bodied Modified, Lynch was at the top of his game and won 113 races, third tops overall in the modern era to Hall of Fame members Blaney and Blackie Watt. During his years in the Modifieds, Lynch won at nine different racetracks including Lernerville, Tri-City, Sharon, Mercer, Schmuckers (Latrobe), Motordrome, Jennerstown, Pittsburgh and Expo. For many years, he did double duty, driving both a Sprint Car and Modified. A work related back injury caused Lynch to finally hang up the helmet, but he continues to be very involved with the sport as car owner for son Ed, Jr., the all time top sprint Car winner at Lernerville.

Walter "Bud" Cochran…Bud's very first stock car victory was in 1956, at the Akron Rubber Bowl. Bud raced two divisions, super modifieds and coupes, from 1962 to 1964. He started racing two divisions again, modifieds and sprints, from 1978 to 1986 and again in 1990.

Bud broke Mercer Raceway's track record on two consecutive weeks. On that same night, Bud did a sweep of all Sprint events, Helmet Dash, Heat, Australian Pursuit, and the Feature. At Jennerstown Speedway he beat Jan Opperman and won over 50 features in a season.

In 1972, Bud's most memorable moment was at Knoxville, Iowa; he set fast time over a field of 109 of the countries fastest sprint cars and was on the pole for the race, finishing in 6th position. Bud has won everything from helmet dashes to 100 lap invitationals because he loved to race.

Alan and Eric Neil presented Kathy Miller and Jerri Slade received the Ruth & Glade Neil Memorial Sportsmanship Award…The guidelines for the Glade Neil Sportsmanship Award…are Youth Involvement, Family Awareness, Fan Involvement, Sponsor Involvement, Commitment to Excellence, Ambassador to Racing; Lend a Helping Hand, P.C.T.C. Club Involvement

The Bill Steinbach Memorial Media Award was presented to Jim Zufall. His projects include writing for…Motorsports Fan Report Magazine, Dirt Track Digest. Motorsports World Magazine, Racingweb.com, PARacingnews.net, Dirt America Online, Hot Rod News, Cruisin’ Times Magazine, and Pittsburgh Senior News. He is a co-host for Rappin’ on Racin’ and a contributor to KDKA’s Radio “Car Radio” show. Other interests include being on the staff of the Wexford Starlite Car Cruise, the largest weekly car cruise in the area, where he served as spokesman for the cruise on KDKA.

Jim serves on the Board of Directors of the James 5:16 Center, a Christian based, non-profit boxing facility in Tarentum, where he is charge of publicity and promotions. He is a Cub Scout Leader with Pack 965 in West Deer Township and an active member of North Way Christian Community in Wexford.

The Rookie of the year award went to Tony Musolino

29th Annual PCTC Banquet presentation of awards...

Go-Karts…6. (5) Ryan Young, 5. (55) Katie Young, 4. (7) Joey Yakich, 3. (4) Ricky Steigerwald, 2. (56) Cody Hartman, 1. (55) Ryan Hartman

Senior Series Awards…10. (707) Tim Engles, 9. (888) Ray Virgile, 9. (7Y) Joe Yakich, 8. (3) Sid Haas, 7. (5S) Ron Spangler, 6. (Z34) Joe Drisko, 5. (76) Tom Knight Sr, 4. (72) Bob McWilliams, 3. (8B) Joe Betz, 2. (9) John Muron, 1. (T2) Terry Faas, 1. (8) Fred Casagini

Amateur Stock…6. (11) Josh Langer, 5. (7X) Josh Bertolini, 4. (21) Ian Tomei, 3. (2) Wesley Wheeler, 2. (96) Davey Lee, 1. (22) Robbie Torrens

Pure Stocks…10. (54) Wayne Carbo, 10. (707) Tim Engles, 9. (10) Nick Kocuba, 8. (68X) Greg & Jake Simmons, 7. (51) Ron O’Patchen, 6. (1B) Bill Robertson, 5. (09) Mike Pegher Jr., 4. (3S) Paul Schreckengost, 3. (2W) Terry Wheeler, 2. (27) Butch Lambert, 1. (72B) Craig Kamicker

E-Mods…9. (27) Butch Lambert, 8. (2) Fred Bratchie, 7. (50) Dave Olivieri, 6. (47) Russ & Dan Dunn, 5. (18) Bruce Dreistadt, 4. (33L) Rich Logan, 3. (A-1) Chuck Kennedy, 2. (65) Tom Martineck, 1. (68) Dennis Niederrieter

Limited Late Models…5. (31) Tony Sinicrope, 4. (5Y) Tom Duratz, 3. (5Y) Kirk Young, 2. (8) Tom Schirnhofer Jr. /Sr., 1. (27C) Tony Castelveter

Dirt Late models…6. (71) Dave Norris, 5. (55) Chris Schneider, 4. (84) Neal Isiminger, 3. (6A) Chuck Kennedy & Art Osmer, 2. (14G) Mary Lynn Nicholas, owner, 1. (09) Lou Bradich and Bill Kessler Jr.

Asphalt Late Models…5. (98) Paul Urso, 4. (12) Tony Musolino, 3. (0) Dink Colarusso, 2. (15) Brandon Manns, 1. (25) Rick Miller

Asphalt street stocks…7. (17) Dave McManus, 6. (51) Dave Manns, 5. (69) Joe Nicola, 4. (57) Andrew Kostelnik, 3. (76) Tom Knight Sr., 2. (05) Adam Kostelnik & Donnie Folkmire, 1. (25) Dave Tavormina,

Asphalt Modifieds…4. (5) Jim Nicola, 3. (98) Mike & Chris Bakalon, 2. (97) George P. Nicola, 1. (60) Adam Kostelnik

Chargers…2. (95) Jimmy Stokes, 1. (32) Dan Jordan

American Flyer…1. (28) Larry Vance

Anyone interested in joining the club can call Jill at 1-412-823-4267.

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