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(Allentown, PA 11-6-22) The 2022 class of inductees into the Dorney Park Speedway/Mahoning Valley Speedway Hall of Fame took place on Sunday afternoon at the America on Wheels Museum in Allentown.
This year marked the 11th such time the event is being held and honors individuals who made a lasting impression between the two eastern Pennsylvania asphalt tracks.
This year’s honorees included Joe “Reds” Protivnak who is second on the all-time Late Model wins list at Dorney Park with 18 victories. All of those triumphs occurred within a four year span between 1961 and 1965, which during that time the class was known as the Hobby cars. Reds also raced in the Sportsman Modified class, winning his first race in 1971.
Kermit “Bup” Christman raced Sportsman Modifieds successfully at the Park from 1971 until it’s closing in 1986. He then moved on to Mahoning Valley and continued his stardom through the 1990s. His son Rod and grandsons Brandon and Jacob carry on his legacy today.
Tim Parry enjoyed a great career at Dorney Park that saw him begin his winning ways in 1966 and up until 1983. 1966 was also a championship season for him in the Sportsman Modified division. He went on to added success when he moved to Mahoning Valley Speedway in 1987 and continued there until his retirement in the late 1990s.
1980 Late Model champion Al Hewett rounded out the list for Dorney. Al visited Victory Lane numerous times between 1978 and 1980 and was a constant front runner.
Mahoning Valley’s induction list saw the Rahmer brothers, Al and Fred Sr., George Steigerwalt Sr., Darryl Bruenig and Carman Bauman enter into the Hall.
When Mahoning became a paved track in 1970 the Rahmer’s paired up to be a reckoning force with regular visits to Victory Lane. Al was the very first Modified champion on the pavement and a four time winner that season. Fred Sr., had a half dozen wins between 1970 and 1973. They both competed in Sportsman and Late Models on the pavement while also having equally successful careers on dirt.
George Steigerwalt Sr., forged a great history at Mahoning that began during the track’s dirt days and then onward throughout the early pavement years. He was the 1962 Lehighton Stock Car Association Sportsman champion and Mahoning Valley champion. When George began running on the blacktop it was with the Late Model class with his signature “Flying 0.” His sons, Greg and Geno went on to formidable careers in the same class. Geno is the 2021 Late Model champion.
Carman Bauman was a noted car owner who saw several drivers take his mounts to Victory Lane although known more than his son-in-law and Hall of Famer Todd “Hollywood” Geist. Bauman’s cars where staples at both Dorney and Mahoning as well as a number of other area speedways.
Modifieds, Late Models, D/A Mods – Darryl Bruenig raced them all and quite successfully too. His best years by far where with the Late Model where he captured the 2003 class championship.
Paul Reinhard worked at the Allentown Morning Call for more than 60 years in the sports department. Paul not only reported on mainstream sports but also did a spectacular job of keeping readers up to date on all the weekly action at Dorney Park, Mahoning Valley and every other race track throughout the Lehigh Valley and most times the very next day after an event.
Also recognized where the 2022 Mahoning Valley Speedway Hall of Fame Series champions and top point finishers. In the Modifieds if was Kyle Strohl, Brian DeFebo and Lou Strohl. TJ Gursky was the Street Stock champion followed by teammate Josh Mooney and Johnny Bennett. The Hobby Stock champion was Cody Boehm with Corey Edelman second and Shayne Geist third.
