Northeast Dirt Track Star Bob Schmidt Making First Dirt Track Heroes Appearance

Story By: JUSTIN BELTRAME / DIRT TRACK HEROES – PHILLIPSBURG, NJ – With the Dirt Track Heroes honoring a famed triple digit car number “555” in Richie Smith another three-digit car will be making his first appearance. Bob Schmidt and his familiar “333” will be on hand all week at the Dirt Track Heroes show. Schmidt whose career began at age 16, at the Beach Lake race track continues today at age 79 in the Vintage Modifieds. Schmidt raced many tracks such as Honesdale, Moc A Tek, Weedsport, Penn Can, Herb Harvey, Accord, Nazareth, Orange County and even in Canada throughout his racing career. He was the 1975 Sportsman champion at the now defunct Moc A Tek Speedway. During that 1975 season, Schmidt accomplished an amazing feat by winning three 100 lap features in one weekend. This started at Penn Can on Friday, then Moc A Tek Saturday, and capping of the trifecta at Herb Harvey’s on Sunday. In 1976, he switched to Orange County as this was his favorite track growing up as a kid. Schmidt dreamed of winning on the “Hard Clay” and that he did in a memorable season in 1977. He won two of the first three features of the season and was set to contend for the Sportsman title. The native of Greeley, PA wound up with a pair of feature wins, two runner ups and six other top 5 finishes but came up 68 points short of the title. The title was won by a young up and coming star by the name of Brett Hearn.

Today Bob is following the Northeast Vintage traveling series and still competing at a high level. He had to make a few modifications to the car by adding the roof flap to help exit the car easier, but on the track, he is still a force to recon with. In 2017, Bob had a scare at the Accord Speedway, as he got into the loose stuff and hit the wall which sent his car barrel rolling over three times before coming to a rest on its’ hood. He was fine without a scratch on him but more disappointed in himself. Last year during Nostalgia night at Orange County, Schmidt charged from the back to second place, and was closing in on the leader but ran out of laps. With victory lane still in his sites he is energized for the 2019 season in his Precision Engine powered “333”. These are just a few stories of Bob’s career, and he is excited to be a part of the 2019 Dirt Track Heroes Show to see some familiar faces from years past, and share even more stories with the crowd.

Quaker Steak and Lube Restaurants is the lead sponsor for the Dirt Track Heroes Show. The Quaker Steak and Lube chain 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 and Lube and get recharged and refueled in a great sports setting.

The Dirt Track Heroes Show is extremely proud and thankful to the great list of associate sponsors assembled for the upcoming show. To our loyal racing fans, we ask that you please support these fine institutions whenever you have the opportunity to do so. These great sponsors are the life support of the show and to do the show without them would be extremely difficult to accomplish.

Sponsors in 2019 include IRCO Community Federal Credit Union, Phillipsburg Easton Honda, Premio Foods, Smith Fabrications/SOM Modifieds, Adams Brothers Used Auto Parts, Hamlin Speedway/S&S Speedways, A.R.M Automotive, R& H Auto Sales, APS Powdercoating, Upstate Auto, JPA Masonry, Gardner’s Auto Service, Speed Tec, Murante Auto Repair, Jeff’s Automotive, Smitty’s Collision Center, Carl’s Auto Repair, Dean Auto Sport and Joe’s Garage.

Current and Vintage or restored race cars represent racing’s past, present and the future of racing and the past represent what many race fans refer to as the “Golden Era” of auto racing. Either way, the spirit of the event itself takes the great fan base of the event 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. While some of the cars in attendance are original works, some of the race cars are replicars, re-created to look much like the racers the legendary drivers drove to glory at one of the many speedways that hosted racing events. Those great cars and the preserved memories gain far more impact when the fans have the opportunity to chat with many of the drivers who will be making special appearances during the week long event.

All historical racing groups including Flemington, Tri State, Dorney Park, Harmony and Nazareth will have their memorabilia on display and their many scrapbooks open for the fans to take another long look at the glory years of racing and possibly find a picture or two they want to purchase as a keepsake from past glory or racing exploits. Dale Snyder Videos and Bob Snyder Photography, MiBest Collectibles, Wayne Stayer and Mocatek are also in place for the show.

The Dirt Track Heroes Car Show will again offer a great keepsake event souvenir program book and shirt. The Phillipsburg Mall is open Sunday 11 AM to 6 PM; Monday through Saturday from 10 AM to 9 PM. For Dirt Track Heroes information, contact show organizers Bob and Donna Miller by phone at: 443 513 4456, via e-mail at: TOTH98@aol.com or at their website: www.thunderonthehillracingseries.com. You may also contact Justin Beltrame at: 484-772-7184 or at: justin.beltrame@gmail.com or Steve Pados at: 484-784-7756 or at: steveswp@ptd.net

Twelfth Annual Quaker Steak & Lube
Dirt Track Heroes Car Show
2019 Schedule of Events

Sunday- March 3 – (Starting at 1:00) Upstate Auto and Jeff’s Automotive presents Dirt Track Heroes Car Show Opening Ceremony honoring “Rapid” Richie Smith with Driver Interviews and Autograph Session: Saluting Nazareth Speedways and Dorney Park Speedway

Monday- March 4 – (6:30 PM) A.R.M Automotive and Joe’s Garage presents Photographers/Media/Announcers Night with round-table interviews and racing stories from behind the fence and in the pits

Tuesday- March 5 – (6:30 PM) Adams Bothers Used Parts, Carl’s Auto Repair and Dean’s Autosports presents the “Stars of Tomorrow” featuring all Quarter Midget Clubs: Blue Mountain, Lehigh Valley, West End Raceway, Keystone, Former USAC 1/4 Midget National Champion Anthony “Chops” Chrobak will address the crowd

Wednesday- March 6 – (6:30 PM) Smith Fabrications and Hamlin Speedway presents Hamlin Speedway all divisions, Snydersville and Oreville Raceway and Accord Speedway

Thursday- March 7- (6:30) Phillipsburg Easton Honda and Smitty’s Collision Center presents New Egypt, Bridgeport, Mahoning, Grandview, Big Diamond Raceway and X-Cel Modifieds

Friday – March 8 – (1st Show (4 p.m.) JPA Masonry and Speed Tec presents “The Legends of Racing” with many legendary racing stars from Reading, Nazareth, Harmony, Orange County and Flemington expected to participate in round-table fun.

Second Show- (6:30 PM) APS Powdercoating and Murante Auto Repair presents Salute to Open Wheel Racing Divisions-Thunder on the Hill, ARDC Midgets, Action Track USA, Mid-Atlantic Sprint Series Sprint Cars, 358 and 360 Sprint Car Divisions

Saturday – March 9 – Premio Sausages and R&H Auto Sales presents Special Event beginning at Noon

Saturday – March 9 – (1:00) Premio Sausages and Flemington Speedway Historical Society presents All Star Tribute to Frankie Schneider with Flemington Speedway & Flemington Speedway Historical Society

Mall Hours: Sunday 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Monday-Saturday 10 a.m.-9 p.m. –
*Schedule subject to change