Belt sander races continue a longtime tradition in Exeter Township
Jul. 16—The first attempts Simeon Miravich made at racing a belt sander down a 40-foot plywood track weren't pretty, he admitted.
During those practice runs he got tossed from his seat atop the machine several times, and his brother Casimir fared even worse, getting his shorts ripped by the sander.
But when Simeon competed Saturday during the 30th belt sander race at The New Bertie's Inn in Exeter Township he did just fine, winning his first matches and accomplishing his goal to not go viral in a funny fails video.
And more importantly, he said, he and the other participants had a great time while raising money for an important cause — the National Multiple Sclerosis Society.
Simeon's parents, Patty and John Miravich, recently purchased the business along Old Friedensburg Road, and their customers were adamant that they continue the event held there for three decades.
Patty told the 20 participants that they didn't need to bring anything but their enthusiasm and a sense of humor, as Bertie's provided the 4 x 24 handheld belt sanders with 100 grit sandpaper used in the race.
It's a unique event, John said, and one they look forward to continue holding.
"It's kind of wacky," Patty agreed.
Several hundred came to cheer and jeer the participants, and the event was expected to raise more than $10,000 for the MS society, Patty said.
The money will be used mainly for research and to help those living with MS to pay for services related to the neurological disease, said Haven Shaffer, who attended on behalf of the society.
Bertie's previous owners, Peter and Anne Thomas, raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for the society over the years, and Patty said she and her family have big shoes to fill.
"But we couldn't allow this tradition to die," she said.
Patty raced in the event years ago and once finished second overall, but what she remembers most is that the sanders didn't have seats back then, and that her tailbone hurt for the next week.
She came out of retirement for this year's races and said the seats nowadays make it much easier on your backside.
There were still a number of wipeouts, though, along with some dramatic finishes as racers sprinted to the finish line.
Among the winners in the early heats were Michele Mace of Exeter Township, a hostess at Bertie's.
"Its harder than you think," she said, to balance on the sander while pulling the trigger and hanging on to the handle.
But Mace was glad she took part, she said, and was looking forward to her next races.
"Everybody should try it at least once in their lives," she said.
