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LOCAL TRACKS: Loney part of Penn Can Hall of Fame class

scott walsh, the times-tribune, scranton, pa.
·6 min read

Aug. 4—Penn Can Speedway in Susquehanna announced its 2023 Hall of Fame class. Among the 10 individuals to be inducted is Mike Loney of Taylor.

In 36 years of racing, Loney has 62 career wins across Street Stock (39), Open Sportsman (16), Modifieds (6) and 602 Crate Sportsman (1), which occurred May 26 at Big Diamond Speedway in Minersville.

Other members of the class of 2023 include:

—Joey Grammes of Kunkletown, who ranks 13th on Penn Can's career Modified wins list with 21.

—Lou Sparks Sr. from New Milford, a multiple-division winner who also helped with many projects at the track.

—Ken Sparks Sr. of Hallstead, another track multi-division winner.

—Chuck Towner Sr. from Susquehanna, a multiple-time winner in full-fendered cars and longtime supporter of the track. He, Lou Sparks and Ken Sparks are being inducted posthumously.

—Denny Decker of Deposit, New York, who during a three-year stretch at Penn Can won 32 of 34 Street Stock races. He had his career cut short by a racing accident in 2012.

—Mares Stellfox from Pocono Lake, who was the first female feature winner at Penn Can in August 2006 in a URC Sprint Car.

—Kenny Underwood of Tunkhannock, a multiple-race winner in Four-Cylinder Stocks at the track who has more than 100 career feature wins.

John Ross from Hallstead is the fan inductee, while Susquehanna's Bob Mess is the employee inductee.

These individuals will be recognized during a ceremony on Hall of Fame Night at Penn Can on Aug. 25.

On Friday at 7 p.m., racing continues at Penn Can with the rescheduled Fan Appreciation / Autograph Night. Fans can go down onto the track and meet their favorite drivers, take pictures and get autographs. All divisions are in action plus the Dirt Modified Nostalgia Tour.

Racing halted

On July 27, a petition for a preliminary injunction was filed by the Town of Bloomsburg against Bloomsburg Fair Raceway. It sought to prevent the raceway from holding any racing until it can show it can be conducted within the 65-decible level established by the town's amended noise ordinance.

A judge granted the injunction July 31. As a result, racing at the track has been halted, starting with Thursday night's scheduled program. Racing was also scheduled for Aug. 24 and Aug. 31.

The raceway said it plans to litigate and fight the matter.

Still perfect

Scranton's Johnny Smith made it five wins in as many starts, taking the checkered flag in the NY6A Hoosier 600 Tour event at Penn Can.

His brother Mikey Smith from Scranton finished second in the feature. It was his fourth second-place finish of the season to go along with two wins.

After seven of 14 races, Mikey Smith leads the series standings with 646 points, 20 more than Eric Wise. Johnny Smith is ninth with 550 points.

Fast tracks

Nick Rochinski of Dickson City took the lead on lap 9 and went on to win the Modified feature at Big Diamond Speedway. It was his first victory of the season and second career checkered flag at the Minersville track. Bobby Trapper Jr. from Scranton finished eighth. ... At Evergreen Raceway in St. Johns outside Drums, Lake Ariel's Micah Adams won the Four-Cylinder Stock 25-lap feature. Adams started 15th, worked his way toward the front, pulled alongside leader Jimmy Ayre on a lap-18 restart and took the lead for good. It was his third win of the season. Adams also placed fifth in the Late Model 30-lap feature. Older sister Mackenzie Adams was eighth in the 602 Crate Sportsman Modified 30-lap feature. Dillon Beadle of Hamlin won the 12-lap Novice feature, his second win of the season. ... Jordan Thomas from Harding finished third in the Empire Super Sprints feature at Outlaw Speedway in Dundee, New York. Thomas is scheduled to compete in the ESS races at Utica-Rome Speedway in Vernon, New York, on Friday and at Fonda Speedway in New York on Saturday. ... Kolyn Schane of Lake Ariel earned his first career 602 Crate Sportsman feature win July 22 at BAPS Motor Speedway in York Haven. ... Hamlin Speedway was postponed by rain last week. Race No. 2 of the Junior Slingshot Rising Star Series is rescheduled as part of Saturday's program at 7 p.m. All divisions are in action.

LOCAL TRACKS July 28-30 results

PENN CAN SPEEDWAY

July 28 results

MODIFIEDS — Darwin Greene Sr., Danny Creeden, Brett Tonkin, Kevin Hartnett, Brad Szulewski, Frank Yankowski, Casey Plummer, Brandon Fritsch, Alan Komar, Dan Burman, Brian Malcolm, Nick Petrilak, Brian Franko, Brad Schaffer, Alex Stanton, Travis Brockner, John Michael Phillips, Bud Phillips, Matt Sobiech

602 CRATE SPORTSMAN — Alex Konopka, Mike Schane, Mike Nagel Jr., Ray Leonard, Mike Wilcha, Ralph Mele, Allen Kellogg, Kolyn Schane, Amanda Scholtisek, Marty Goodwin, Jim O'Hara, Brad Weaver, Joe Novak, Charlie Towner, Travis Rooney, Michael Samony, Ned Fitch, Tim Howell, Tommy Groover, Brett Wooster, Adam Mudge

NY6A HOOSIER 600 SPRINT TOUR — Johnny Smith, Mikey Smith, Eric Wise, Preston Brown, Mark Reynolds, Jeff Tinkman, Chuck Bruce, John Smith, Will Fisher, Dave Johnson. DNS: James Thomas, Cooper Thomas

600cc MODIFIEDS — Brett Gray, Brenton Miller, Nate Oropallo, Chuck Lohmeyer, Jeff Baldwin, Larry Furman, Tori Straway, Phil Burns, John Dinniny, Darwin Greene Jr., Brenton Payne

FACTORY STOCK — Eric Beach, Darren Davies, Rich Sharpsteen, Adam Gilbert, Kevin MacDonald, Jordan Towner, Mike Chilson, Charlie Gilbert, Justin Slezak, Kyle Spoor, Brad Chilson

FOUR CYLINDERS — Collin Mills, Bryant Beach, Brian Salmini, Jeff Sterling, Rich Wagner, Andy Bolles, Rob Sterling, David Benson, Jim Backowski

FIVE MILE POINT SPEEDWAY

Kirkwood, N.Y.

July 30 results

59th HEATH MEMORIAL MODIFIEDS (40 Laps) — Bob Hackel, Corey Cormier, Tom Collins, Brian Malcolm, Dan Creeden, Nick Roshinski, Seth Zacharias, Steve Davis, Jake Dgien, JR Fulper, Bailey Boyd, Rich Powell, Cory Plummer, Art Bray, Jimmy Zacharias, Cale Ross, Josh Keesey, Dylan Scribner, Jeremy Slosek, PJ Goodwin, Daniel Margiewicz, Brett Tonkin, Ken Titus, Alan Komar, Ryan Jordan, Justin Holland, Billy Fiske

CRATE SPORTSMAN (25 Laps) — Travis Green, Tighe Sherlock, David Dickey, Mike Nagel, Matt Richardson, Ray Leonard, Blaine Klinger, Brad Weaver, Greg Crooker, Matt Brewer, Luke Powell, Kyle Smith, Mike Mondak, Toby Lehr, Ned Finch, Josh Fedo, Scott Torbitt, Gary Smith, Marty Goodwin, Dale Welty, Bill Davey, Jr., Chris Clemens, Jason Benjamin (DNS)

600cc MODIFIEDS — Ryan Jordan, Aiden Miller, Justin Ladue, Ryan David Kadaronak,, Nolan Smith, Tyler Smith, Samuel Hubbard, Ajay Tuttle, Jared Green, Steven Cole.

FACTORY STOCKS — Lawson Albanese, Buck Mills, Sr., Malon Schoemaker, Randy Fox, Kevin McDonald, Josh Towner, Justin Sleezak, Billy Schoemaker, Adam Gilbert, Buck Mills, Jr., Kevin Welch, Curtis Stickle, Trever Wells, Cayden McPhearson, Todd Sutliff, Mike Girjatowicz, Tommy Groover, Todd Koegel, Rich Sharpsteen, Rick Glover, Chris Woodard, Josh Wilber

FOUR-CYLINDERS — Shaun Mills, Bryant Beach, Kenny Underwood, Tim Vandermark, Brian Salmini, Chris Yob, John Maynard, Andy Bolles, Nick Kennedy, Colin Mills, Jason Colwell, Jr., Dave Simms, Justin Folk, Rich Wagner

FUTURE SPORTSMAN — Garrett Zacharias, Derek Schafer, Charlie Towner, Avery Decker, Buck Brown, Tom Davey, Lance Hill, Devin Green, Lucas Fiske, Jay Lozenski, Tim Harris (DNS)

SCOTT WALSH covers

local motor sports for The Times-Tribune. His "Local Tracks" column appears

Fridays. Contact him at

swalsh@timesshamrock.com and follow him on Twitter/X

@swalshTT.