After Another Successful Show, Plans Already Underway For Dirt Track Heroes 2019

Story By: STEVE PADOS / DIRT TRACK HEROES – PHILLIPSBURG, NJ – The Eleventh Annual Quaker Steak & Lube Dirt Track Heroes Show completed its week long run at the Phillipsburg Mall over the weekend and the event staff never skipped a beat with great shows and great crowds each night and interviews with a host of legendary racers that whisked us back to the “Golden Era” of the sport.

Even though the event staff was saddled with a few roadblocks due to the unforgiving forces of Mother Nature, the event was brought to a blazing finish Saturday evening headlined by an interview and autograph session, the presentations of the “Tas” Awards and a catered buffet luncheon from the Flemington Speedway Historical Society headed up by President Dennis Tretter. The Saturday event was sponsored by Premio Foods. Premio Foods, which sponsors the efforts of Willie Osmun, Sammy Martz and Steve Davis, offered giveaways throughout the final day at the show along with many handouts to the fans in the Mall. Please check out out their fine product line and their fine recipe page at: www.premiofoods.com.

The Quaker Steak & Lube Dirt Track Heroes staff would like to thank all of the racing fans, drivers, sponsors and vendors for their support, dedication and patience in making the show not only a great success but a keepsake remembrance to keep the past, present and future of racing alive and well. . Quaker Steak & Lube was the headline sponsor for the event and amazing associate sponsorship was provided through IRCO Community Federal Credit Union, Premio Foods, JPA Masonry, Smith Fabrications/Stage One Modifieds, Phillipsburg Easton Honda, Martocci’s Automotive, Hamlin Speedway/S&S Speedways, Alex’s Tire/Breidinger’s Speed Shop, R&T International Muffler & Brake, Jeff’s Automotive, Murante Auto Repair, Clean Run Auto Repair, Speed Tec, Adams Brothers Used Auto Parts, Upstate Auto, APS Powdercoating, ARM Automotive, Smitty’s Collision Center, Gardner’s Auto Service, Penn Jersey Food Marts, Carls Auto Repair, Dean Autosports, Huston Automotive and Ralph’s Radiator. Nightly interviews and 141 race cars provided the race fans a full appetite of racing fun before the regular 2018 racing seasons begins. Mike Vecchio from the Mud Boss racing series, brought along many of his scaled racers and put on exhibitions throughout the day.

With the eclectic Quaker Steak & Lube Restaurants the lead sponsor of the event, the excitement and the pulse for the week long show was at full tilt with each day as the diverse schedule of the week long show offered a bit of everything to all racing fans. The 55 stores making up Quaker Steak & Lube annually sell more than 80 million wings per year and “The Lube” is recognized as “The best wings in the USA.” The Phillipsburg location has also been dubbed “The Official Restaurant of the Dirt Track Heroes” show. To contact the restaurant, call: 908-454-2900 or check out their website at: www.thelube.com Before or after the show head to Quaker Steak & Lube and get recharged and refueled in a great sports setting.

Emcees Ed and Steve Pados, Bobby Stull, Justin Beltrame and Alex Greenzweig worked overtime throughout the week to keep the shows rolling along each day and evening. IRCO Vice President Greg Collins thanked the local racing community for their continuous support of the event and talked of the various offerings from the IRCO group and pointed out the IRCO commitment to the show since the show first began in 2008. Donna Miller co-organizer of the show with her husband Bob thanked the great crowd on hand and the Pados Brothers for their total commitment to making sure the event was a total success from day number one.

The show played to a full house and then some in interview fashion to allow the fans to connect with their favorite drivers they cheered for when they dominated the local speedway scene and the crowd never died down throughout the autograph and interview session as the Pados Brothers weaved their way through the crowd to conduct interviews with many of the great personalities on hand for the event. A great meal was provided through the Flemington Speedway Historical Society and was well received by all on hand.

Ed and Steve Pados took center stage with the presentations of the “Tas” Awards. Presented with the prestigious awards were Billy Osmun, Kenny Brrightbill, Ray Liss and the late Harry Dee. Gary Davidson was award the Bill Singer Award. Flemington President Dennis Tretter and Vice President Ace Lane Jr took to the microphone and presented special awards to longtime member Joe Opitz for his dedication to the society and followed up with awards to Ed and Steve Pados for a very successful eleven year reign with the Dirt Track Heroes Show and their support of the Flemington Speedway Group. Steve Pados was also honored by Accord Speedway Promoters Gary and Donna Palmer for being the right guy for the right job regarding the history of racing.

The great fan base of racing came out to the Mall event and were transported back to a time when they could hop into their family jitney and travel less than a half hour to witness the excitement of a night at the races. All historical racing groups including Reading, Flemington, Harmony through Greg Collins, Tri State, Friends of Nazareth and Bob Snyder Photos and Snyder Video, Mike Ritter Photos and Archie Myers/Harmony had their memorabilia on display and their many scrapbooks were open for the fans to take another long look at the glory years of racing to possibly find a picture or two they wanted to purchase as a keepsake from past glory or racing exploits. More information regarding Dirt Track Heroes is available by calling: 443-513-4456 or contacting Steve Pados at: 484-784-7756 or at: steveswp@ptd.net

Event Organizers Bob & Donna Miller are already in the planning stages for the 2019 edition of the Dirt Track Heroes with the dates selected as March 3rd through the 9th in 2019. More show information will be announced shortly. Special thanks to Quaker Steak & Lube, IRCO and all of the great associate sponsors for their outstanding support of this event. Watch for Quaker Steak & Lube at the Thunder on the Hill events at the Grandview Speedway.