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LOCAL TRACKS: Griffin brothers being inducted into Penn Can Hall of Fame

scott walsh, the times-tribune, scranton, pa.
·8 min read

Jun. 24—Brothers and longtime racers Bernie and Gary Griffin are part of the Class of 2022 being inducted during Hall of Fame Night on Friday at Penn Can Speedway in Susquehanna.

"It's exciting," said Bernie, 73, of Peckville. "Both of us being inducted at the same time, I never figured that would happen. Going in with my brother is really cool."

Bernie started racing when he was 13 years old and stopped competing full time in 2005 although he ran a handful of races from 2007-11. He won his share of features.

Among the other tracks besides Penn Can where he raced included Moc-A-Tek Speedway in Lakeville, Herb Harvey Speedway near Tunkhannock and Five Mile Point Speedway in Kirkwood, New York, plus many others outside the area.

Before he got into dirt cars, he spent 4-5 years drag racing at Pocono Drag Lodge in Bear Creek Twp.

Meanwhile, Gary, 69, of Archbald, started racing periodically in 1976, then did it full time from 1980 until 2011 in a Modified except for the last year when he raced Late Model at Penn Can. He also raced at Moc-A-Tek and Five Mile Point and estimates he won "around 35 to 40 features," including the Heath Memorial at Five Mile Point in 2005. He also won track championships at Moc-A-Tek in 1988, 1989 and 1992.

"I enjoyed racing and kind of miss it," Gary said. "I don't go to the races because you get there and watch and say, Shoot, I could still be out there. Except now it's so expensive.

"But we had a good run, both my brother and I. It's great that we're going into the Hall of Fame together. It's awesome."

Other inductees for the Class of 2022 include the father-son tandems of Buzz and Pete Gulick from New Milford and Willard and Butch Dibble. Harry Marvin Jr. from Great Bend, son of the track's former promoter Harry Marvin Sr. and a winner of 54 features and six championships, joins his dad in the Hall of Fame.

George Kostelansky of Susquehanna is recipient of the Promoters Choice Award for his long, standout career. Lisa Barton and Doug and Sue Arthur, all from Susquehanna, are being recognized for their service and dedication to the track.

Sprint Speedweek

Friday kicks off the 32nd annual Pennsylvania Sprint Car Speedweek. Ten consecutive nights of 410 Sprint Cars racing at tracks in central and southeastern Pennsylvania begins at Williams Grove Speedway in Mechanicsburg, then visits Lincoln Speedway in Abbottstown on Saturday and Monday with BAPS Motor Speedway in York Haven sandwiched in between Sunday.

Grandview Speedway in Bechtelsville is the site of Tuesday's race, followed by Port Royal Speedway on Wednesday, Hagerstown Speedway just over the border in Maryland on Thursday, back to Williams Grove on July 1 and Port Royal on July 2 before wrapping up at Selinsgrove Speedway on July 3.

Danny Dietrich of Gettysburg is the defending Speedweek champion. Current NASCAR Cup Series champion Kyle Larson was the 2020 winner.

Fast tracks

Five Mile Point Speedway in Kirkwood, New York, is in action Saturday at 7:15 p.m. It is BOGO Night. Fans who purchase a grandstand general admission ticket will get one of equal or lesser value free. ... Hamlin Speedway is idle Saturday. ... At Evergreen Raceway outside Drums, Lake Ariel teen Kenzie Adams won the 25-lap Four-Cylinder feature. Then at Mahoning Valley Speedway in Lehighton, Kenzie placed 10th in the 25-lap Hobby Stock feature while her brother Micah finished fifth. ... Bobby Trapper Jr. from Scranton finished fifth in the 30-lap Modified feature at Grandview Speedway. ... At Utica-Rome Speedway in Vernon, New York, Alex Yankowski from Covington Twp. was sixth in the 30-lap Modified feature. Harding's Jordan Thomas was fifth in the Patriot Sprint Tour 25-lap main. ... Next event for the Patriot Sprint Tour is the 18th annual Earl Halaquist Memorial on Saturday at 7 p.m. at Fonda Speedway in Fonda, New York. After three races, Thomas is second in the standings with 420 points, 20 behind Davie Franek of Sussex, New Jersey. ... In the 30-lap Modified feature at Big Diamond Speedway in Minersville, South Canaan's Eddie Strada finished third, Nick Rochinski of Dickson City was seventh and Dan Hineline from Lake Ariel was eighth. ... Brady Bacon from Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, won the USAC Eastern Storm event at Bloomsburg Fair Raceway. However, he fell five points shy of the title in the five-race series, 352-347, to Logan Seavey of Sutter, California. Seavey placed third at Bloomsburg.

LOCAL TRACKS Results June 18-21

FIVE MILE POINT SPEEDWAY

Kirkwood, N.Y.

June 21 results

MIKE COLSTEN REMEMBERED MODIFIED (51 Laps) — Nick Rockinski, Justin Holland, Danny Johnson, Brett Tonkin, Rusty Smith, Frank Yankowski, Dillon Steuer, Brian Puckett, Frank Cozze, Tommy Collins, Dan Creeden, Dan Vauter, Alex Yankowski, Randy Fox, P.J. Fox, P.J. Goodwin, Marc Goodwin, Joey Colsten, Jerry Higbie, Danny Tyler, Pat Ward, Brian Malcolm, Glenn Knapp, Bailey Boyd, Shaun Walker, Ken Titus.

GRIT CRATE SPORTSMAN (25 Laps) — Doug Snyder, Dale Welty, Gordon Smith, Gary Smith, Josh Landers, Brian Calabrese, Brandon Edgar, Seth Zacharias, Brian Malcolm, Doug Smith, Blaine Klinger, Evan Nugent, Justin Slezak, Mike Nagel Jr., Jeremy Hamilton, Rich Talada, Marty Goodwin, Meckenzie Marsh, Adam Gilbert, Brad Weaver. DNS — Eric Winsor.

GRIT 600cc MODIFIED (20 Laps) — Jared Green, Dylan Robinson, Chace Scutt, Matt Cole, Ali Scutt, Larry Furman, Andy Bolles, Dustin Jones, C.J. Jochum, Josh Towner, Brian Root, Samantha Jordan. DNS — Nolan Smith. DQ Jeremy Williams.

FWD FOUR CYLINDER EXPERT (20 Laps) — Tim Vandemark, Justin Pope, Cory Valape, Kenny Underwood, Tony Frezzo, Shawn Mills, Mike Jenks, Dave Simms, Bruce Illenberg, John Maynard, Sean Lynch, Chris Wesser, Rich Wagner, Cameron Reichenbaugh, Ron Wheeler, Jeff Hayes, Scott Beach, Dakota Fuller, Jason Colwell, Brian Salmini, Randy Lane, Josh Wilder.

HAMLIN SPEEDWAY

June 18 results

JUNIOR SLINGSHOTS (20 Laps) — Braxton Dembek; Brayden Traver; Chase Zimmer; Christofer Tittle; Rilee Ike; Jakoby Thompson; Marissa Lord; Logan Mears; Reanna Davis; David Luethe; Griffin Hendershot; Dylan Hahn; Garrett Chillot; Brayden Granger; Trevor Houghton

ALL-STAR SLINGSHOTS (20 Laps) — Andrew Turpin; James Hendricks; Lydia Novarro; Chase Zimmer; Brad Crandall; Bryan Preville; Matt Frost; Cole Perez; Mike Lapicki; Nate Freed; Paul Ennes; Brent Schantz; Derek Desilva; Chase Bixler; Stephen Ennes; Cole Armstrong; Jayden Gaskins; John Schantz

XCEL 600 MODIFIEDS (20 Laps) — Kaden Ayre; Brandon Graner; Tim Bauer; Thomas Nettleship; John Ayre; John Martinsky; Olivia Schmeltzer; Aubrey Ayre

ROOKIE 600 SPRINTS (20 Laps) — Jordan Nonnemacher; Kate Mattern; AJ Wright; Sonny Tete; Connor Mirabelli; Adam Sadlon; John Oliver; John Martinsky

WINGLESS 600 SPRINTS (20 Laps) — Jordan Tittle; Morgan Rochelle; Joseph J Smith; Cody Powell; Hunter Metzgar; Brandon Nicholas; Jordan Nonnemacher; AJ Wright; Matt Brown; Tony Parlanti; John Oliver

STAGE ONE MODIFIED TOP DOG (20 Laps) — Johnny Fugelo; Gavyn Krupp; Mark Mohr; Mertz Matthew; Colin Cox; CJ Fritz; Chad Riddle; Joel Price; Stephen Smith; Rob Tete; Mike Faust; McKenzi Smith; Alli Cushman; Spatz Alexis; Fabian Cushman; Mark Evans; Lawson Szerencits; Anthony Chrobak; Owen Cassel; Peyton Cassel; Jayda Cushman; Michael Faust Jr.; Samantha Maguire

FIVE MILE POINT SPEEDWAY Kirkwood, N.Y. June 21

MIKE COLSTEN REMEMBERED MODIFIED (51 Laps) — Nick Rockinski, Justin Holland, Danny Johnson, Brett Tonkin, Rusty Smith, Frank Yankowski, Dillon Steuer, Brian Puckett, Frank Cozze, Tommy Collins, Dan Creeden, Dan Vauter, Alex Yankowski, Randy Fox, P.J. Fox, P.J. Goodwin, Marc Goodwin, Joey Colsten, Jerry Higbie, Danny Tyler, Pat Ward, Brian Malcolm, Glenn Knapp, Bailey Boyd, Shaun Walker, Ken Titus.

GRIT CRATE SPORTSMAN (25 Laps) — Doug Snyder, Dale Welty, Gordon Smith, Gary Smith, Josh Landers, Brian Calabrese, Brandon Edgar, Seth Zacharias, Brian Malcolm, Doug Smith, Blaine Klinger, Evan Nugent, Justin Slezak, Mike Nagel Jr., Jeremy Hamilton, Rich Talada, Marty Goodwin, Meckenzie Marsh, Adam Gilbert, Brad Weaver. DNS — Eric Winsor.

GRIT 600cc MODIFIED (20 Laps) — Jared Green, Dylan Robinson, Chace Scutt, Matt Cole, Ali Scutt, Larry Furman, Andy Bolles, Dustin Jones, C.J. Jochum, Josh Towner, Brian Root, Samantha Jordan. DNS — Nolan Smith. DQ Jeremy Williams.

FWD FOUR CYLINDER EXPERT (20 Laps) — Tim Vandemark, Justin Pope, Cory Valape, Kenny Underwood, Tony Frezzo, Shawn Mills, Mike Jenks, Dave Simms, Bruce Illenberg, John Maynard, Sean Lynch, Chris Wesser, Rich Wagner, Cameron Reichenbaugh, Ron Wheeler, Jeff Hayes, Scott Beach, Dakota Fuller, Jason Colwell, Brian Salmini, Randy Lane, Josh Wilder.

HAMLIN SPEEDWAY June 18

JUNIOR SLINGSHOTS (20 Laps) — Braxton Dembek; Brayden Traver; Chase Zimmer; Christofer Tittle; Rilee Ike; Jakoby Thompson; Marissa Lord; Logan Mears; Reanna Davis; David Luethe; Griffin Hendershot; Dylan Hahn; Garrett Chillot; Brayden Granger; Trevor Houghton.

ALL-STAR SLINGSHOTS (20 Laps) — Andrew Turpin; James Hendricks; Lydia Novarro; Chase Zimmer; Brad Crandall; Bryan Preville; Matt Frost; Cole Perez; Mike Lapicki; Nate Freed; Paul Ennes; Brent Schantz; Derek Desilva; Chase Bixler; Stephen Ennes; Cole Armstrong; Jayden Gaskins; John Schantz.

XCEL 600 MODIFIEDS (20 Laps) — Kaden Ayre; Brandon Graner; Tim Bauer; Thomas Nettleship; John Ayre; John Martinsky; Olivia Schmeltzer; Aubrey Ayre.

ROOKIE 600 SPRINTS (20 Laps) — Jordan Nonnemacher; Kate Mattern; AJ Wright; Sonny Tete; Connor Mirabelli; Adam Sadlon; John Oliver; John Martinsky.

WINGLESS 600 SPRINTS (20 Laps) — Jordan Tittle; Morgan Rochelle; Joseph J Smith; Cody Powell; Hunter Metzgar; Brandon Nicholas; Jordan Nonnemacher; AJ Wright; Matt Brown; Tony Parlanti; John Oliver.

STAGE ONE MODIFIED TOP DOG (20 Laps) — Johnny Fugelo; Gavyn Krupp; Mark Mohr; Mertz Matthew; Colin Cox; CJ Fritz; Chad Riddle; Joel Price; Stephen Smith; Rob Tete; Mike Faust; McKenzi Smith; Alli Cushman; Spatz Alexis; Fabian Cushman; Mark Evans; Lawson Szerencits; Anthony Chrobak; Owen Cassel; Peyton Cassel; Jayda Cushman; Michael Faust Jr.; Samantha Maguire.

SCOTT WALSH covers motor sports for the Times-Tribune. Contact him at swalsh@timesshamrock.com; 570 348-9100 ext. 5109; and follow him @swalshTT on Twitter.

SCOTT WALSH covers motor sports for the Times-Tribune. Contact him at swalsh@timesshamrock.com; 570 348-9100 ext. 5109; and follow him @swalshTT on Twitter.