Bill Brenner Celebrates 50 Years in Slot Car Racing

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.