As I got out of my car, and into the heat I realized I did not even have to get inside to begin to experience what I came for. Right there in front of me was history. Cage less midgets on trailers, looking for all the world as if they were ready to race. Restorations, they nonetheless had remnants of races gone past as part of their aura. Dust on seats and seatbelts, along with a little ding here and there meant that these cars were meant to run, not just be adored. There was a Ford Cobra drag car with a name I recognized, Bruce Larson on the driver's door. There was an old 30's or 40's vintage sprint car on the grass that could have just come off the track at Port Royal or Williams Grove. It was this car that eventually started my day off on the right foot as its owner reached in, pumped the gas a few times and fired it up. He got in it, and drove away leaving me standing literally slack-jawed. 

But the real treasure outside, gleaming in the hot August sum was a real legend. This day, at this location was to be a tribute to a real Pennsylvania hero, Tommy Hinnershitz. Tommy is legendary not only in Pennsylvania open cockpit racing, but nationwide. I think it was AJ Foyt who rated Tommy as the toughest guy he ever raced against. 

To honor Tommy, one of his cars was on hand for all of us to see. No, it wasn't just a car. It was THE car in a complete racing package. Starting with an early 50's vintage fully restored pickup truck, resplendent in yellow and blue the picture started to form. In the back of the truck was a go-kart. Not just any go-kart but a full out replica of the car that was on an old, single axle open trailer attached to the truck. Painted in identical blue and yellow colors, with a red leather cover over the seats I began to envision the go-kart, with me as a kid being pushed around a small dirt track. Snapping back to reality I began to examine the treasure on the trailer that completed the picture. Immaculate in its restoration, it nonetheless was begging to be started. Begging to be on a racetrack with others, where it could show each of them what it was capable of. From the chrome bumpers, to simple suspension this was indeed a real racecar. When I came to the right side of the car, the side away from the rest of the people and cars I noticed fluid leaking from the engine, down onto the belly pan an onto the trailer. I can only relate it to tears. Tears from a car that was meant to race, but whose time had passed and whose driver was gone. The car of course was the Miracle Power Special, and I have to tell you it was one of the most stunning things in racing I have seen. Visions of this car pulling into Reading, or Williams Grove or Terre Haute to go head to head with its peers were spinning through my head. 

And the ghosts were beginning to talk to me. If I only knew what was in store for me.

Now, into a brick building I went, greeted by a woman and directed to a gathering of people. Inside that building, I was taken aback by what I saw. I have been a modified fan forever, but have always followed sprint cars too. I have not seen that many sprint car races in person, but I have the utmost respect for their pilots and for the history. Especially the history and here history came alive for me. 

You want some history? How about the black number 55 Sam Traylor sprint car built by the legendary Ken Hickey?  Restored to car show quality it was sharing space with a white #7 Hiram Hillegass built sprinter and two other 30's and 40's vintage sprint cars. The vision of a 4 car trophy dash immediately filled my head, with cars spewing dirt from narrow knobby  tires towards wooden guard rails, drivers with gritted teeth sawing big steering wheels back and forth to control the bucking beasts. 

And the ghost's voices were getting louder.

Oh there were midgets too. I am amazed every time I see a cage less midget; filled with wonder at the men who drove them 6, 7 sometimes 8 times a week on tracks from 1/8 to 1 mile in length on any surface imaginable. Here I could examine a black #33 with a Ford Ferguson engine, a #4 with a Williams crossfire in it, the #65 Balch Offy from California and a TQ from the 30's with a motorcycle engine mounted backwards to make it a front wheel drive car. Top that off with the Sheehan VW from 1981 (with Ken Hickey's name on it too) and you have an amazing technology spanning 30 or so years all corralled in one space. 

And the ghosts were telling me stories. 

More modern cars were there too. Bobby Abel's amazing 4-bar #2 blue and orange supermodified sitting next to what must have been one of it's most formidable opponents, the #91 of Kenny Weld. Can you imagine the bench racing these two cars must do when nobody's around? In line with them is the incredible Boop's Aluminum big-block sprint car driven to so many
> victories by Lynn Paxton. Still containing the dirt from its last race, it sits next to the #5 made famous by Mitch Smith. And then, a car I can vividly remember from the day it hit the track. The Charlie Lloyd built #56 Pocket Rocket driven by Smokey Snellbaker. The low hood, small wing, huge hood scoop and major offset put this car way ahead of its time when
> it hit the track. The Walt Dyer #461 Brickmobile that Lance DeWease beat the Outlaws with twice in one weekend rounds out that group. Again, if you listen closely you can hear them all reliving their days on the track, taking their legendary pilots to so many triumphs and arguing who was best.

The loudest ghost to speak to me  was that of Ted Horn. There, sitting against a wall in the back of the building is the tail section from the car in which he was killed. Crumpled and still grass stained, barely faded from time the mystique surrounding this piece of racing history drains the words from your mouth when you see it. It speaks of a man taken too early from this world, before he had the time to share his talents with more. The mystique becomes even more pronounced when in a glass case dedicated to Ted, you come across the goggles that he was wearing in that same crash, found years after the accident in the upholstery of the car.

There is a tribute to Tommy Hinnershitz inside as well. A mock-up of his garage, tools, spare parts and more takes up a good portion of the building. There is an engine block on a workbench with a hole blown out the side. Broken pistons and forgings for parts yet to be made. When you stop and look, you have to listen real hard. When you do, you can hear grinders, smell fuel and see the sparks flying. It doesn't take much, just take a look yourself and you'll see what I mean. Next to this display is a Hiram Hillegas chassis, with a hand-hammered aluminum body on it. Not a speck of paint. Again, close your eyes and you can hear the bargaining going on for a good price, and what color it should finally be painted. 

And the ghosts were really talking now, and I didn't want them to stop. 

I left the building and took a short ride to an old 1930's fairground dirt track. There were more cars there, all on trailers but with stories to tell nonetheless. The immaculate Crack n Riley 30's sprint car restored by Bill and Brian Watson. Next to it was one of the most famous dirt cars ever, the Parnelli Jones driven #98 JC Agajanian dirt car. Doug Post's restored midget, a modified and a sprint car in a trailer, a couple of modifieds...more than I can remember because the ghosts were overwhelming me with sounds of races long past and I forgot to write down what I saw!

Sounds dramatic, doesn't it? But I swear it's true, and it's all because of the Eastern Museum of Motorsports Racing in Latimore Valley Pennsylvania. I was privileged enough to be invited to the official dedication of their new wing on Friday, August 17, 2001. This invitation came from Dizzy Dean as the result of a column I had written for Area Auto Racing News concerning the Langhorne Speedway. Since the EMMR was honoring Langhorne last year on the day after the dedication Dizzy thought it would be a great opportunity for me to share some stories, and hear some others. 

It was unfortunate that I had a previous business commitment that precluded me from attending on that particular day, but I made a point to be there for the dedication. In reality, a better thing could not have happened to me had I scripted it out. I was a little late getting there, but witnessed the dedication and got to spend 4 hours regaling racing with some of the greats and to talk a little about the museum itself. 

I met my friend Stan Lobitz down there, and got to renew a relationship that has seen far too much time between visits. I also met Stan's partner in race car restorations, Bill Kiemel and was shocked when after introducing myself he said "You're Sam's kid, aren't you?" I had completely forgotten that Bill helped my dad put his sportsman modified together back in the early 80's. I spent time with Dizzy Dean, and was left wanting more. Re-living some old Reading days with him seemed to pass too fast, but it was more entertaining to watch Dizzy regale a young female newspaper reporter with some amazing stories about himself. He is indeed a master storyteller. Lynn Paxton gave me some time as well, and I got to ask him what it was like to drive that big-block sprint car. I'll not go into detail, but I got to share some laughs with him about the old days, and to lament that today's race fan needs a real history lesson to truly appreciate the sport. With that, another memorabilia fan turned and remarked that it should be taught in school. Joe Hiesler talked with me for a while too. We got to chat about the museum, and how wonderful it was for the sport. 

I told them all that I was not going to write a blow-by-blow description of the day's activities, that I would leave that to others. I just wanted to try and capture the essence of the museum, the track and the people that run the place. These people, Lynn, Dizzy, Joe, Stan and countless others have created a gem of a place just south of Harrisburg. Take some time to visit on a Saturday or Sunday and spend a few hours with the ghosts.

I hope I succeeded in giving a vision of racing past, and I hope the ghosts never stop talking.

Scott Pacich
Area Auto Racing News
Under the Radar
pacich711@cs.com
(570) 820-1613