In keeping with a tradition of writing a story each year about one of our Racers at Randy’s Raceway, I figured it was time to tell a bit of Randy’s story. Randy like most of us started racing at his parents house when he was a kid, building his own track in the garage. Remember that building part of the story for later. Randy raced on the road course an 18×8 setup after transitioning away from trains. His early group of neighborhood friends included Kenny Gilmore and Terry Meitzler and they had organized racing including keeping points averaging 10-15 kids each race. Sometime around 1973 or so Randy raced at Beck’s Sportshop in Kutztown where he meet Tom Hiester and raced with his group in Reading a few times in those early days. Racing with Tom’s group from the mid 70’s through the early 80’s when he built his second Road Course in Texlertown. No organized racing there just for fun and that track still exists today at least we think.
Randy stopped organized H.O. racing for a time until the mid 90’s when he got back into it this time with the Tyco’s. He raced again with the Tommy Hiester group who was still going strong as well as Big T and Ed Reifinger. During this time Randy also raced in the Berks Series as well as the PA Tyco Series and the Wizzard Road Course Racing Series. At the Hiester and Big T tracks Randy meet many of the core group that would come to race in the next phase. In 2000 Randy meticulously built his famous Tri-Oval in what most people would call a second floor apartment Dining Room. The track building which over the years has number about 8 tracks including two that were designed and built as portable tracks which have been carried around the area and raced on by many. This is what sets Randy apart in my opinion from someone in the hobby who is a racer because Randy takes great pride in building tracks and maintaining them as well as promoting races at his house as well as other venues. Randy is always helpful with other guys tracks and has become a go to guy in the area for wiring, lap counters and general help. He is also well versed on the computer programs as we all know to well.
Randy opened that first track in the Dining Room for the 2001/ 2002 season and when asked did he ever think 18 seasons later that the group would still be going strong he said he never imagined. He always hoped it would survive but never expected to meet so many good friends and see the support stay so strong over the years. Randy has done a lot of slotcar racing including Oval racing with AFX, Tyco, Lifelike and T-Jets. Road Course racing with Magnet cars, Tyco, Lifelike and Storms. And maybe his true passion has become T-Jet racing with ECHORR. This is a very professional group of guys which Randy has become an intrical part of. Henry Harnish introduced Randy to this type of racing and lent him cars to get his feet wet over 10 years ago.
Randy the racer has won Championships at Randy’s Raceway, Ed Reifingers, Big T’s, Berks Series, Berks / Lebanon Series, ECHORR Nostaglia Race Championship, UFHORRA Novice Class Champion as well as Team championships with ECHORR Challenge in Kutztown and the Meet in the Middle in Kansas City.
Tracks where Randy has Raced include Randy’s Raceway, Hiester HO Raceway, Randy’s Raceway II Woodland SPD.,Big T’s, Little T’s, Ed Reifinger Speedway, Laudan Seigfried Raceway, Tom Wenner Raceway, Bob Zelano’s, Paul Barkaski’s, Fred McCollough’s, Rich Schmitz, The Fenton Brothers, Kevin Reimerts, Ted Van Pelts, Wizzard Raceway and many other tracks. With ECHORR stops have include Randolph Raceway, Springfield Slotcar Club of NY, Hiram Durant’s tracks, Len-Jet H. O. Raceway in Ashland MA owned by Peter Lintros.
In addition to all that Randy does so much behind the scenes that many have no idea. Randy is an avid toy and slot car collector and it is said that he even has a room where much of this is displayed. At Randy’s Raceway alone he has 8 championships and 66 career Features wins placing him 3rd all time. Also third in all-time Segment wins with 759. Randy is more than a Racer and many of us have people like him to thank for hours of fun and good competition over many years. Thank you Randy from all of us.
