Williams Grove Speedway facts for kids
| The Grove | |
|---|---|
Sprint Cars in 1985
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| Location | 1 Speedway Dr., Mechanicsburg, PA 17055 |
| Time zone | EST UTC -5:00 |
| Owner | Kathleen Hughes |
| Operator | Justin Loh |
| Opened | 1939 |
| Architect | Roy Richwine |
| Major events | World of Outlaws Sprint Cars All Star Circuit of Champions USAC Sprint Car National Championship Pennsylvania Speedweek |
| Dirt Oval | |
| Surface | Clay |
| Length | 0.512 mi (0.804 km) |
| Turns | 4 |
| Race lap record | 0:16.089 (TJ Stutts, TJ Stutts Racing, 2023, 410 Sprint Car) |
Williams Grove Speedway is a famous half-mile dirt racing track in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania, United States. It opened on May 21, 1939. The Hughes family has owned this exciting speedway for over 50 years. It has hosted many big national racing series and important races. The speedway has been running races for over 80 years, with events almost every Friday from March to October. It also holds special races, like the $75,000 National Open for sprint cars. This big race is part of the World of Outlaws series and happens every year in late September or early October.
History of Williams Grove Speedway
The Early Years (1930s-1940s)
In 1937, a car owner named Emmett Shelley suggested building a racetrack. He talked to Roy Richwine, who owned Williams Grove Park. The speedway opened on May 21, 1939, with its first race. Tommy Hinnershitz was the first winner.
In the early days, the speedway held "big car" races. These were under the American Automobile Association (AAA) rules. They also had American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) motorcycle races. Racing stopped in 1942 because of World War II. It started again in 1945.
After the war, the speedway got some cool upgrades. In 1947, they added lights for night racing. They also built a tunnel for people to walk through and a famous bridge over the track. In 1949, a big race called the American Championship Car Racing National Championship came to the track. Johnny Mantz won that race.
The 1950s: New Cars and New Races
The 1950s brought big changes to racing. Older "open wheel" cars started to be replaced by "fendered" cars. These were called Jalopy Stocks and became the weekly Friday night race. Their engines quickly got more powerful and they were renamed Modified Stocks.
NASCAR also visited the speedway in 1954 with its Grand National division. For open-wheel racing, the United States Auto Club (USAC) took over from AAA in 1956. Champ Cars raced yearly until 1959. Motorcycle and Midget races were also popular throughout this decade.
The 1960s: Sprint Cars Take Over
The 1960s were a time of major change for dirt track racing in Pennsylvania. The old Modified stock cars became faster with powerful V8 engines. Drivers like Bobby Hersh and Johnny Mackison Sr. won many races.
By 1963, Modifieds looked different. Their bodies were cut down and made lighter. In 1964, the first Super Modifieds appeared. These cars were even more specialized. Soon, the modern Sprint car design, with its tubular frame and roll cage, began to appear. This design is still used today.
On October 20, 1963, a huge race called "The National Open" began. Gordon Johncock, who later won the Indianapolis 500 twice, was the first winner. Ray Tilley set a record by winning 17 races in 1965, then broke his own record with 21 wins in 1966! By the late 1960s, sprint cars became the main weekly race.
The 1970s: New Owners and Big Series
In the 1970s, modern Sprint Car racing and Late Models were the main weekly events. Other types of cars like Midgets and Street Stocks also raced. In 1972, Jim Adams had an amazing weekend, winning three races in 24 hours!
Jack Gunn was a promoter who brought many talented drivers to the area. In 1972, the Hughes family bought the speedway and the park. They were only the second family to own this famous track. This decade also saw the start of big touring series for sprint cars, like the All-Star Circuit of Champions and the World of Outlaws. These series brought even bigger races to Williams Grove.
The 1980s: The Pennsylvania Posse
The 1980s were a golden age for local racing talent. Many top drivers moved to the area. The World of Outlaws started visiting regularly, bringing their best drivers. This led to a rivalry between the national Outlaws and the local drivers. The local drivers became known as the "Pennsylvania Posse."
Drivers like Steve Kinser and Sammy Swindell were national stars. But the Posse, with drivers like Lynn Paxton and Keith Kauffman, proved to be tough challengers. Sprint cars were also classified by engine size. The main division became 410 cubic inch Sprint cars. In 1989, 358 sprint cars were added as a new weekly race. The World of Outlaws also started a Late Model series in 1988, with its first race at Williams Grove. Larry Phillips won that first event.
The 1990s: Young Stars and Speedweek
The 1990s saw a new generation of young drivers rise to fame. Names like Kreitz, Rahmer, Shaffer, and Dewease started winning almost every week. Sprint car racing became so popular that the season started earlier, sometimes in late February or early March. This allowed more drivers to race before their own local seasons began.
The many talented drivers in the area led to the creation of Pennsylvania Speedweek in 1991. This was a week-long series of races with bigger prize money. Williams Grove hosted the first race on July 3, 1991, which Steve Smith won. The 358 sprint car division grew, helping new drivers get ready for the faster 410 sprint cars.
The 2000s: Records Broken and New Series
In the 2000s, many track records were broken. Cars became faster, and drivers like Fred Rahmer, Lance Dewease, and Don Kreitz Jr. became legends. They started to pass older stars on the all-time win list.
In 2006, the speedway added a second night of racing each week. This was to include divisions from the nearby Silver Springs Speedway, which had closed. The "Saturday Night Series" began on April 15, 2006. It featured Super Sportsman, 358 Late Models, Street Stocks, and 4 Cylinders. In 2008, Morgan Hughes, the speedway owner, passed away. His daughter, Kathleen, took over running the track.
The 2010s: More Races and Big Events
This decade had the most events in the speedway's history, with two nights of racing for most of the season. The Saturday Night Series grew to over 15 races. In May 2011, the Morgan Cup challenge was created to add to the rivalry between the World of Outlaws and the Pennsylvania Posse. The winning team got to keep the Morgan Cup trophy for a year.
In 2013, Fred Rahmer, the driver with the most wins at the speedway, retired after winning his first National Open. In 2015, the National Open became a three-day event. This made it one of the biggest and richest sprint car races.
Track Records
All-Time Winners
| Name | Wins | Division |
|---|---|---|
| Lance Dewease | 110 | Sprint Cars, 360 Sprint Cars |
| Fred Rahmer | 91 | Sprint Cars, 360 Sprint Cars, 358 Sprint Cars |
| Greg Hodnett | 73 | Sprint Cars, 360 Sprint Cars |
| Don Kreitz Jr. | 61 | Sprint Cars |
| Ray Tilley | 59 | Super Modifieds, Sprint Cars |
| Keith Kauffman | 51 | Sprint Cars |
| Gene Knaub | 47 | 358 Late Models, 358 Sprint Cars |
| Lynn Paxton | 46 | Sprint Cars, Super Modifieds, Midgets |
| Smokey Snellbaker | 45 | Sprint Cars, Super Sportsman |
| Mitch Smith | 41 | Sprint Cars, Jalopy, Endurance, Go-Karts |
Record Holders
- Most modern-day wins: Lance Dewease
- Most wins in a single season: Ray Tilley, 21 (1966)
- Most consecutive wins: Steve Smith, 6 (1976)
- Most top five finishes in a single season: Keith Kauffman, 25 (1984)
- Most Point Championships: Fred Rahmer, 9 (1997-2000, 2004-2006, 2008, 2013)
Lap Records
- 1 lap (Pre weight limit): Brian Paulus, 16.140 seconds, April 26, 2002
- 1 lap (Post weight limit): Tj Stutts, 16.089 seconds, April 7, 2023
- 4 laps: Fred Rahmer, 1 minute 15.35 seconds, August 28, 1998
- 5 laps: Rick Lafferty, 1 minute 22.77 seconds, May 20, 2005
- 6 laps: Fred Rahmer, 1 minute 37.29 seconds, October 1, 2005
- 8 laps: Kraig Kinser, 2 minutes 13.88 seconds, October 4, 2003
- 10 laps: Jeff Sheppard, 2 minutes 45.28 seconds, April 13, 2007
- 12 laps: Sammy Swindell, 3 minutes 25.81 seconds, May 27, 2004
- 15 laps: Barry Camp, 5 minutes 03.13 seconds, September 30, 1988
- 20 laps: Lance Dewease, 6 minutes 08.77 seconds, August 30, 2002
- 25 laps: Todd Shaffer, 7 minutes 31.32 seconds, March 20, 2009
- 30 laps: Steve Smith, 9 minutes 30.24 seconds, May 29, 1998
Record Setting Years
- Most winners in a single season: 23 (1988)
- Most top 5 finishers in a single season: 40 (1983, 1987, 2008)
Youngest Winners
- 410 sprints: Gio Scelzi (16 years, 10 months)
- 358 Sprints: Chase Dietz (16 years, 5 months, 2 days)
- Super Sportsman: Dylan Cisney (16 years, 2 months, 13 days)
- 358 Late Models: Kyle Lee (15 years, 9 months, 23 days)
- Street Stocks: Chad Smith (21 years, 9 months, 16 days)
Media Spotlight
Williams Grove Speedway has been shown on national television many times. It has also been featured in books, magazines, and documentaries about racing. You can even find it in video games like Dirt Track Racing 2, Dirt Track Racing: Sprint Cars, and World of Outlaws: Sprint Cars 2002.
See also
