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OSWEGO, NY (July 3, 2024) – This Saturday, July 6, the Pathfinder Bank SBS race at Oswego Speedway will be named the Karl Schartner Memorial, honoring the memory of the longtime car owner and crew member. Former SBS track champion Andrew Schartner will also be driving his father’s self-built No. 18 car for one final ride, making this an emotional event for the Schartner Family.
Karl Schartner’s journey into motorsports began at the now-defunct Westboro Speedway in Massachusetts. He was influenced by his mother, who was a passionate race fan. Alongside his brother and brother-in-law, Karl built and raced cars during the 1960s.
After serving in the military, Karl took a break from racing to focus on family. In the 1990s, he rekindled his love for the sport when his son Andrew turned 8 and started racing at the Syracuse Microd Club. With support from friends like Keith Titus and Andy Fusco, the Schartner Family borrowed a car, leading Andrew to a successful stint in Microds from 1998 to 2004, and later Mod Lites at Brewerton Speedway from 2005 to 2009, where he collected two feature wins.
Karl and his family moved to Central New York when the company he worked for, Chemlime, offered him a managerial position in Syracuse. This led to another notable chapter in Karl’s racing story as he became involved as a tech inspector at the Brewerton Speedway. Cory Reed, a longtime acquaintance, knew Karl’s expertise and recruited him for the role. Karl’s integrity made him a perfect fit for the position during a time when the Speedway needed it most, and he dedicated himself to ensuring fair play.
Andrew’s path to Oswego Speedway was paved by his friendship with Alan Aaserud, son of car owner Tom Aaserud. After a successful test session in 2008, Andrew joined the Aaserud Racing Team for 2009, taking over for veteran driver Dave Gruel. He piloted the Crow Motorsports, Ray Hedger-built ride for Aaserud through 2016. During this time, Karl continued to support his son’s career and innovate, ultimately deciding to build a car from scratch for Andrew for the following year.
The decision to build his own No. 18 car stemmed from Karl’s desire to incorporate some of his own ideas that came to mind during his time around SBS racing. Karl, having built cars through Andrew’s life, saw this as an opportunity to build one more for his son. Andrew drove the car to victory in its maiden voyage, a moment he cherishes deeply.
“Obviously, winning the first time out in that car is a memory that I’ll forever cherish. My Dad was never very emotionally vocal, but I remember that moment vividly. After we won, he came up to the car and leaned in. He said, ‘Thank you, thank you so much for that.’ That was probably the moment I felt the best about delivering that win for him,” recalled Andrew.
This Saturday’s race will be the last time Andrew drives the car his father built. Reflecting on why this will be the final race in that car, Andrew acknowledges the special connection that he shared with his father through racing. When asked why he has decided not to retire from racing but to make this the last race with his Dad’s car, Andrew said: “You know, I really tried to let all the emotions subside and really think about what made it fun and what made me want to keep going. The number one question everyone always asks is, ‘I can’t believe you’re still doing this. It’s a lot of time and effort, so why do you do it?’ I asked myself that question again after my Dad passed, and the answer is the same as before. I just loved the feeling I would have when I got out of the car and looked at him after a win or a good race. It was the conversations we had afterwards, like when we’d go out to eat. Obviously, I love racing, but what made it special was sharing those moments with him. I know I’ll miss being in the car, but I could see that what made it so special was being with my Dad. I feel like if I just keep racing in that car, I’ll be chasing memories that I can’t recreate. It’s just not going to be the same. I don’t want to be chasing a high that I can’t have again. That is why this will be the last race in my Dad’s car. If someone else wants to put me in a different car, we can talk about that, but I think it’s time to end this chapter with my Dad’s car.”
The Oswego Speedway’s decision to name the race in Karl’s honor is a fitting tribute to a man who brought joy and camaraderie to the racing community. Andrew expresses deep gratitude to the Speedway for naming Saturday’s race in honor of his Dad, as well as for all of the support he has received from his crew, family, and friends, especially Bryan Haynes with MARDON PC who has been instrumental in helping the team over the past two years.
“I’m incredibly humbled and thankful for what the Speedway is doing,” Schartner mentioned. ”I don’t necessarily think I deserve it; I feel a bit conflicted about it, but I truly believe he deserves this honor. He brought so much happiness, joy, and engaging conversation to the Speedway. I mentioned this in his eulogy—countless times, people who were upset with me early in my career would just end up chatting with him because of his presence. He had a way of drawing people in and enriching their lives. I’m grateful he’s getting this recognition. While I sort of benefit from it in some ways, I’m just really happy to see him honored this way and it goes to show the impact that he had, because a lot of people keep telling me that they want me to do this because my Dad would want to see this, and they want to be a part of it because they want to make my Dad proud. I can’t emphasize enough that we wouldn’t be here this weekend, and probably wouldn’t have been here the last year or so, without Bryan Haynes and the rest of the crew, because they single-handedly have done more for us in the last two years than I’ll ever be able to repay them for, and specifically this weekend too. I’m beyond thankful for them because I get the opportunity to do this one more time at the least. I just wish Dad could be here to see it himself because he truly deserves it.”
While this may be Andrew’s final race in his Dad’s Schartner Racing Chassis, he remains open to future opportunities in racing. His father’s legacy will continue to inspire him and a significant portion of the racing community in Central New York. As Andrew prepares for this emotional race, his goal is to honor his father’s memory and cherish the moment with those who have supported him along the way.
“I’m just trying to enjoy the moment,” Andrew said. “Obviously, I want to win; that’s the goal. But, I’m just trying to enjoy every aspect of what we would normally do on a weekend. We’re going to go up there, talk about how to make it faster, then do the race, and hopefully, we’ll go have a drink and eat something afterwards. It’ll just be like it was; he just won’t be there with us. But we’re just going to try to have fun for him. Obviously, I’ve touched on Bryan and there are more who have had a huge impact, but definitely Tom Aaserud, Russ Brown, and Brian Sobus. There is going to be a lot of people I’m going to forget to thank, but those guys need to stand out first and foremost for all they’ve done for me and my Dad. There’s also going to be a lot of crew guys there this week; my crew guy Scott was like my Dad’s best friend. He was there when we got a win last season with this car which ended up being the last one with Dad here and something I’ll remember forever. Scott is also going to be there for this last race as well, so that will be really exciting and very meaningful to me. I’m just very thankful for all of the people that have helped me over the years, again Bryan (Haynes) for all he has done for Dad and I through MARDON and with his friendship and also I’d like to shout out Arnold’s Family Restaurant who has been with me since the very beginning. We’re super appreciative and really looking forward to doing this one more time on Saturday.”
All in all, Andrew has 14 SBS wins at Oswego Speedway, tied for sixth all-time, including two with his father’s car. He has over 20 SBS heat race wins, over 60 top 5 finishes (fourth all-time), and is nearing 100 top 10 finishes (sixth all-time). He was Rookie of the Year in 2009, winning a feature in his debut season, followed by a Mr. SBS title in 2010. His career continued to flourish with SBS Classic Championships in 2011 and 2013, and a Track Championship in 2014, none of which would have been possible without his father’s support.
Saturday’s 30-lap Karl Schartner Memorial is part of a major weekend at the Speedway presented by Burke’s Do It Best Home Centers of Oswego & Fulton, featuring Twin 40-lap features for the Novelis Supermodifieds, full programs for Pathfinder Bank SBS, and J&S Paving 350 Supers. Fireworks will cap off the night. General admission is only $20, with kids 16 and under admitted free with a paid adult.
