Randy's Raceway

29 Racers entered events during the 13th season of action at Randy’s Raceway in Kutztown, PA.  The 2013-2014 season began and ended with Shane Hiester taking feature wins and cementing his second place finish in the season Points Championship.  In between those two races Mark Williams won all the rest of the features except one that Brett Gilmore won on Nov. 5th in his only appearance this year.  Williams won 12 events in the team Gilmore stables.  Randy’s Raceway Rookie of the year Randy Stitzel managed a 17th place finish in the point run this season in his first full season.  Most Improved driver this season Brian Sponagle finished 11th in points and picked up a segment win as well.  Brian had 2 top ten finishes along the way.

25th-29th
Mike Feltenberger was 25th winner of 3 segments and had a top five finish in two outings.  Brett Gilmore was 26th with just a single appearance, picking up his 44th career Modified feature win, tying him all time with his Dad in that category.  Next came two ageless slot car veterans Sam Heller and Phil Levering with Adam Zapacosta finishing 29th. [Read more...]

50/50: There will be a box to put your losing tickets in with your name on the back, during the season there will be drawings among those tickets to win a prize.

The 13th annual Randy’s Raceway Awards night was held in early April and over 25 attended the event.  Awards were presented along with point money and many door prizes.  Brian Sponagel was named Most Improved Driver this year and Randy Stitzel won Modified Rookie of the year.  The Banquet race had 18 entries and the Road Course Veteran Bryan Kisthart won the event on the tight Tub track.  Shane Hiester was second followed by Randy Haydt, Toby Reinhard and Mark Williams.

Photos by Scott Bender

Randy Stitzel
Rookie of the Year

Brian Sponagle
Most Improved Driver

Food by Spuds

Race Prizes

Race Prizes

Race Prizes

Modifieds on the Tub

Line up for the Start

Veteran Shane Hiester handily won the season’s final race the Modified show.  He actually opened and closed this season with victories.  Hiester won 4 segments on the night in his brothers car (Sheldon picked the wrong one) this was his second feature win this season and seventh career Modified win. [Read more...]

The 3rd Annual St. Patty’s Day race was here and gone, the racers who attended all had a good time racing, socializing, food, green beer, and just having fun. Thirty-five racers from six states made the journey to Kutztown, PA. The snow was mostly all gone and that was a good thing because it made the parking around here a whole lot easier

Saturday was open for a 12noon to 5pm practice and sixteen racers took advantage of the pre-race track time. When practice was over we walked to the local tavern for dinner and enjoyed the local scenery.

On Sunday morning the doors opened at 8 am and fresh coffee was on along with donuts and pastries also green beer. As the racers entered to claim their pit space, Henry was there to greet them with his Final Word. [Read more...]

The 9 race Sportsmen season concluded Tuesday night at Randy’s Raceway on the Tri-Oval and Mark Williams capped off the season with his 3rd straight win and 5th of the season scoring 4 segment wins. Only 1 lap behind Sheldon Hiester scored 2 segment wins for a good 2nd place run. Only 3 pieces of track behind Mike Fitzgerald won 2 segments for an impressive 3rd place finish. Trailing Mike by only 5 pieces of track, Shane Hiester scored 3 segment wins for his 8th Top 5 finish of the year, and a 4th place finish. [Read more...]

Bill Brenner got his first H.O.  slot car set when he was 11 years old in 1963.  He had no idea then that 50 years later in 2014 he would be a regular racer at Randy’s Raceway in Kutztown.  Bill has been a steady and regular competitor here at the Berks oval since the early years.  Bill got that first set as a Christmas present from his parents, the old lock and joiner type Aurora track and T-Jet cars.
When Bill was 15 he began racing in competition in his hometown area of Manheim, PA.  Mainly racing against his buddy’s from High School at his house.  They would also take the track apart and reassemble it at other guys houses in different layouts.  So he had oval and road courses to hon his skill.  In 1967 Bill meet Kip in Lebanon.  I think everybody from this area knew Kip or at least heard of him if you’ve raced for awhile.  Around 1969 Bill began racing at Kips track and some of the guys he raced with were Bobby Gerhart and Randy Wolfe.  He raced at a track in Willowstreet PA that was a drag strip that actually had the Xmas tree from York Dragway.  In 1978 Bill meet Tom Hiester and began a long career at the Reading tracks that Tom has promoted.  Bill still races with the Hiester’s today and was a long time race sponsor donating around the holidays for many years.
So every winter all these years later Bill is still at it, still loves racing slot cars you can see it in his eyes, he really enjoys this hobby we all do.  Bill’s wife and daughters have always been supportive although he has had only limited success getting them to try a controller in their hands.
Bill has won features over the years and has been a driver in the Eric Beard stables for a number of seasons.  Bill and Eric met at a flea market over 30 years ago. They make a potent team and are strong competitors in the Modified division at Randy’s Raceway.  Some of the many places Bill has raced at other than the tracks at Randy’s Raceway are listed here.  Fry’s Hobby Shop, Smitty’s in Manor Township, Lancaster Shopping Center, The Fenton’s, Keith Guidon’s, Bob Zelano’s, Kips, Ed Reifinger, Kevin Reimert’s, Ted Van Pelt’s,  Billy Decker’s in the Poconos, Port Royal, Mifflentown both oval and road courses, Hiester’s Raceway, Woodland Raceway in Trooper PA, and Big T’s in Exeter.  Bill has also been part of the PA Tyco series traveling show off and on over the years.  Some of Bill’s memorable moments were winning the first race at the new Hiester’s Raceway in Sinking Spring, competing in a National event and making the top 15.  Although Bill may have never won a points championship you can always count on a good clean race and a hardy handshake from him.  He is always fun to be around and we are all glad to call him a friend.  Make sure if you get a chance congratulate Bill on 50 years and still going strong.

Mark Williams won the final Modified feature on the Tri-Oval in it’s current location.  I a real close finish Williams won his 8th main event in a row over Bryan Kisthart.  Williams won 3 segments and won by only 3 pieces of track over the Road Race specialist Kisthart, who won 4 segments.  Bryan has been so close this season to winning one and this one was about as close as he could get without winning the race.  Third spot went to Sheldon Hiester who had strong runs all night winning 4 segments as well.  [Read more...]

It was season ending Twin 15′s for the NASCAR Division on the 8 lane speedway at Randy’s Raceway and Mark Williams running the Budweiser #50 scored 7 segment wins on way to his 2nd win of the year. Only 1 lap of the pace Sheldon Hiester scored high 14′s, winning 1 segment to claim a solid 2nd place finish. Coming off a strong run on the Road Course Toby Reinhard ran his Purolator #21 to 2 segment wins for a career best Cup finish for a 3rd place finish. [Read more...]

Doubleheader action was on tap at Randy’s Raceway with the Modifieds opening up the night going 15 laps on 6 lanes, a field of 17 racers signed in and Mark Williams turned in a sweep on way to the win. Eric Beard collected 4 segment wins with his strong running #55 for a season best 2nd place finish. Billy Decker broke out of a late season slump scoring 2 segment wins for a good 3rd place effort. [Read more...]