Jennerstown Speedway Returns To NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series

For the initial time in a lot more than a 10 years, Jennerstown Speedway will the moment again race under the NASCAR banner, as the Speedway has signed a sanctioning agreement with NASCAR for the 2022 season.

Originating in 1929, the Jennerstown Speedway Advanced situated in Jennerstown, Pennsylvania, is just one of the nation’s oldest small monitor racing services that is nonetheless in procedure. The Speedway, which began as a quarter-mile filth observe, was sooner or later expanded to a huge half-mile dust oval.

In 1987, the long run of the Speedway would be forever transformed below the direction of Piney Lasky when he made the determination to pave the .522-mile oval and then sanctioned the Speedway with NASCAR. These decisions would make a prosperous heritage with some of the finest NASCAR motorists of all time.

NASCAR championship drivers these types of as Dale Earnhardt, Kyle Busch, Jimmie Johnson and Joey Logano have all competed at the scenic Laurel Highlands facility. The Speedway hosted 16 NASCAR Busch North Collection gatherings among 1987 and 2000, and 14 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour events among 1990 and 2006.

Even with thriving for lots of several years and internet hosting some of the nation’s greatest late model events, the Speedway shut its doorways at the completion of the 2008 race season. It appeared that race automobiles would in no way see the monitor once more.

In 2014, a nearby group of motorsport fanatics experimented with to save the Speedway by reopening the location and ran an abbreviated schedule. The group was unsuccessful in their work and once once again the long term of the Speedway was in question.

With the foreseeable upcoming exhibiting all indications the Speedway would indefinitely near, a group of community successful businessmen banned together to lease the Speedway and consider their hand at what could be the previous probability for the Speedway to survive. The good news is, the Speedway operated in 2015, and it began to flourish in the pursuing seasons.

Subsequently, in 2019, the Speedway was procured by John Morocco, Richard Pologruto and Larry Hemminger. The group, along with Common Manager Billy Hribar, have found document car or truck counts, file crowds and wonderful enhancements to the facility, including a $350,000 Musco LED lighting job.

“The Speedway is our field of desires,” states Hribar, who has served as the general supervisor of the Speedway since 2017. “The essential to our results is regularity. Motorists and followers both know we put the greatest fascination of the racers and lovers in intellect when making all conclusions. These decisions have permitted our method to develop from just 10 late types in 2015 to a report 34 late designs taking points in the 2021 season. The weekly crowd can exceed 5,000 admirers of all ages cheering for their beloved motorists. It is the place to be on Saturday evenings.”

So why make the selection to as soon as all over again make Jennerstown Speedway portion of the NASCAR Advance Vehicle Sections Weekly Series?

“It’s an superb chance for our lovers and drivers to showcase the Jennerstown success to the overall country,” Hribar reported. “Additionally, we felt the timing was right to provide Jennerstown back to its NASCAR roots, opening up internet marketing possibilities for both the observe and drivers as effectively as make it possible for the motorists to compete back again on the nationwide stage.”

NASCAR is just as energized as the Speedway is in the renewed partnership.

“We’re on the lookout forward to welcoming Jennerstown Speedway back to the NASCAR Progress Vehicle Components Weekly Sequence relatives of tracks,” said Brandon Igdalsky, NASCAR running director, weekly and touring sequence. “Jennerstown has these kinds of a storied background with NASCAR, and is going to be a wonderful location for showcasing proficient drivers on a weekly basis to the regional admirers who necessarily mean so a lot to the sport.”

Jennerstown Speedway will host its period-opener with a six-division show on Saturday, Might 7, 2022. For additional information and facts, make sure you visit Jennerstown.org.