31st Annual Berks-Schuylkill Oil Heat Association Reading Fairgrounds Motorsports Show Ready To Roll This Week
Story By:Barry Angstadt/ Reading Motorsports Media Photos By: Ace Lane Jr./Racersguide.com
Muhlenberg Township, PA – Just days away from its opening, a popular off-season gathering of motorsports enthusiasts continues to add to its attractive three-day lineup of celebrities and activities.
On February 4, 5, and 6, the 31st Annual Berks-Schuylkill Oil Heat Association Reading Fairgrounds Motorsports Show presented by the JeffreyHogueRealtor.com Action Track USA will take place at the Fairgrounds Square Mall in Muhlenberg Township near Reading, PA.
Hoosier Tire Mid-Atlantic and EnerSys have signed on as associate sponsors of the event, along with OMS Racing, Slinger Warehouse, and Kim’s Kreations. The show has been condensed from its previous week-long run to a Thursday, Friday, Saturday format.
Show organizer Brad Reinert is committed to keeping the show at its current location because, “this is where all those wonderful memories were created…this is where the Fairgrounds became the Home of Champions, and this is where the show belongs,” explained Reinert.
Interest among racers is high, noted the second-year organizer, as many have contacted him to state their plans to display both vintage and modern day racing vehicles when move-in begins at 9 p.m. on Wednesday, February 3rd. “We still have display space available for race cars and local speedways and racing clubs”, said Reinert. “There is a lot more mall space available to us than ever before, but I need race teams and organizations to contact me as soon as possible if they’d like to display their cars. We will have cars from all divisions of local motorsports at this year’s show, and several of the area’s speedways, clubs, and sanctioning bodies will have displays set up at the mall. Vendors who do business with racers as well as tracks and clubs who want to be involved with the show should also get in touch with me as soon as possible.”
Reinert can be reached at 610-401-3348 or by email at breinert40@comcast.net.
Now in his second year as the event’s coordinator, Reinert also made the following recent announcements:
The Everett Express, Gerald Chamberlain, confirmed his plan to attend the show on Friday and Saturday.
Current drivers Craig Von Dohren, Ryan Watt, John Willman, Rich Tobias, Mike Bednar, Joe Mooney, James Morris, and Brad Arnold have also committed to be there on Friday and/or Saturday. Reinert is still inviting drivers, both past and present, to attend either Friday night, Saturday afternoon, or both for interviews and autograph sessions. “I know drivers like to meet their fans and give back to those who support our local speedways, and this is a perfect opportunity to do just that,” said Reinert.
Pepsi has been named as the official drink of the BSOHA Reading Fairgrounds Motorsports Show, while Johnny & Hons Smokehaus will be the official food vendor during the three-day run. Johnny & Hons staff members will be grilling up hot dogs and burgers as well as their hugely popular selection of Smokehaus treats.
The New Egypt Speedway will have a display at the show, as will BD Motorsports Media’s Brett Deyo and his wildly successful Short Track Super Series. Deyo will have schedules and STSS apparel available at the show.
Pete Knappenberger is planning a live remote broadcast of his Racers Roundtable Show on Friday night. Drivers and race promoters will be interviewed during the broadcast from the mall.
Reinert wants to acknowledge the businesses who are donating prizes and giveaway items for the show: the Reading Fightin’ Phils, Reading Rocks, Ollies Bargain Outlet, Bear Creek Ski Lodge, Dino’s Wings & Things, and Action Track USA.
This year’s schedule of events is as follows:
Thursday, February 4 is Track and Club Night, when representatives of local speedways and racing clubs will be interviewed about their plans for the upcoming season.
Friday, February 5 is the Racing Legends Reunion, featuring interviews with former drivers who competed at the Reading Fairgrounds and other well known speedways.
Saturday, February 6 will be highlighted by a couple of special events. There will be an autograph session with drivers from past and present, along with introductions of those who will be signing autographs. The autograph session will run from noon to 4 p.m., with drivers taking turns at the tables. Following the session, at 4 p.m., rising country music singer TJ Bebb will perform at Center Court. A Berks County resident, Bebb has gained quite a following as he continues his rise to country music stardom.
The show’s Awards Presentation will take place after Bebb’s performance (approximately 6 p.m.).
Other highlights of this year’s show will include:
Alley Racing – a very popular activity of the past few years, the model car method of down the ramp competition will once again be held all three days of the show with racing beginning at 6 p.m. on February 4 and 5, and at 10 a.m. on Saturday the 6th. Anyone interested in participating or having questions regarding the Alley Racing events should contact Mike Feltenberger at 610-223-4181 or by email at StarterOne@aol.com.
Silver Crown Car on display – Rich Tobias will have his No. 17 USAC Silver Crown car at the show. This is the car with which Tobias competed the past two seasons at the Silver Crown race held on the Moody Mile in Syracuse, NY. The car’s appearance is also to build awareness of the return of the USAC Silver Crown division to Williams Grove Speedway on June 10 of this year.
The winner of the Grand Finale` – when the Reading Fairgrounds held its final event, in June of 1979, Dave Kelly drove his beautiful Mustang-bodied No. 17 to victory. That car has been restored and it will be parked inside the mall for this year’s show, on the very site where it carried Kelly to that memorable triumph nearly 37 years ago.
Lookin’ Sharp – fans attending the show need to stop by the Bob Hilbert Sportswear display to pick up a 2016 Berks-Schuylkill Oil Heat Association Reading Motorsports Show commemorative t-shirt. The Bob Hilbert staff will also have other racing apparel on sale at the show.
Show Benefits Local Causes – such as South Mountain YMCA Camps and the One Wish Foundation, both of whom will have a significant presence at the show. The South Mountain YMCA offers Operation Purple Camp for children whose parent(s) are active and full-time members of the Armed Forces. The kids can go to camp in the summer to have fun and forget (for at least a little while) about the stress of having one or both parents serving in the military.
The One Wish Foundation is a local organization that creates fantastic memories by granting wishes of terminally ill children.
In 2015, through the efforts of Reinert and the JeffreyHogueRealtor.com Action Track USA, two children were able to attend Operation Purple Camp at no charge to their parents. Two more kids will have the same opportunity this summer, courtesy of Action Track USA.
Some of the groups and speedways that will be present at the show include the Reading Fairgrounds Racing Historical Society, the JeffreyHogueRealtor.com Action Track USA on the Kutztown Fairgrounds, Linda’s Speedway, Lanco’s Clyde Martin Memorial Speedway, New Egypt Speedway, and Brett Deyo’s Short Track Super Series.
Dirt Modifieds, Late Models, Sprint Cars, Micro-Sprints, Slingshots, USAC SpeedSTRs, Midgets, Quarter-Midgets, and Karts are just some of the different types of racing vehicles that will be on display during the three days.
