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By DINO OBERTO
(Allentown, PA 11-3-24) The 13th Annual Dorney Park Speedway/Mahoning Valley Speedway Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony took place on Sunday afternoon, November 3, at the America on Wheels Museum in Allentown.
The annual affair brings together an outstanding array of past racers, owners, mechanics and others who played a key role in the long history of the two eastern Pennsylvania short track asphalt tracks.
Don Hersh was the very first Sportsman Modified champion at Dorney Park in 1960. And during that decade he was one of the top winners notching 13 victories between 1960 and 1969. He is tied for tenth all-time in the class with fellow Hall of Famers John “Peepers” Yerger and Del Hahn.
Norm Behler who won back-to-back Sportsman Modified championships at Dorney Park in 1970 & ’71. Behler began racing at the Park in the mid-1960s and continued to do so through most of the 1970s. He would see the checkered flag five times with the Sportsman class between 1969 and 1972.
The late John Markovic, Jr., was a noted drag racer and of course always had his two sons tagging along, Johnny and Terry. The elder Markovic competed at tracks such as Wind Gap, Hatfield and the Allentown Fairgrounds where he won a class title.
But, through their family run business, Broadway Speed Shop in Bethlehem, the boys got affiliated with many of the area’s circle track racers with much attention concentrated at Dorney Park Speedway that eventually led them in the direction of oval racing.
Chances are that anyone who raced the ‘Park’ also walked through the doors of Broadway Speed Shop. John helped virtually every driver who ever competed there and likewise at Mahoning Valley and Evergreen Raceway.
And his sons’ careers are well documented with some amazing accomplishments that earned them entry the HoF in 2014.
Jeff Schmeltzle was the 1982 Dorney Park Speedway Late Model champion. He was known as a very smooth and competitive driver who may not have racked up many wins but his presence each week was always felt with consistent solid runs. He won his first feature in 1981 and his last during his championship season.
Jeff’s signature No. 54 was one of the most prominent cars of that time period and as a matter of fact when he sold his car to current Mahoning Valley Speedway Hall of Famer Darryl Bruenig, he kept the same number and interestingly so too did the success of the 54 go along with it.
Pete Lovell has the distinction of winning the very first Late Model feature at Mahoning when the track reopened in July of 1970 as a pavement facility.
And not only did he win that initial feature with the class, but Pete would go on to claim four more victories that same season and be crowned the very first Late Model champion. He was also named Rookie of the Year.
Kevin Kromer started racing at a young age in ¼-Midgets before going down the path of a professional career in stock cars. He did race a Sportsman at Dorney Park, but it wasn’t until he moved his talents to the ¼-mile Mahoning Valley that he started to make a name for himself.
Kevin began running Mahoning in 1987 in an upright Sportsman car but would eventually switch over to the more traditional low-slung machine by the start of 1990s. He first won at Mahoning in 1991 and his last came in 1997. Kevin also competed at Evergreen Raceway, winning a Late Model feature there in 2001. And when Flemington Fair Speedway was paved, he made a number of starts there as well with the Modified.
Kevin is also a Super Cup Stock Car Series National Champion in 2019 and was also the Series’ Northern Division champ in 2018, 2019 & 2021.
Dino Eckhart was a two-time Mahoning Valley Speedway Late Model champion (1993 & ’94).
He made a lasting impression on all who knew him. As a driver his success was eminent, winning in not only Late Models but Street Stocks as well and always as a very clean and respectable driver. He also raced Modifieds. Off the track he was an individual who would go above and beyond to help his fellow racers.
Always recognized by his infamous Car Country No. 56, that same number was passed down to his sons, Tony and Trans, who like their popular dad carried it to Victory Lane.
And as a homage to Dino, this past season at Mahoning Valley, Frankie Althouse designed his Street Stock as tribute scheme that brought back great memories of a great driver.
Barry Fisher entered the Hall of Fame for his remarkable career at Mahoning Valley Speedway.
He was a standout in the Street Stock division, winning back-to-back titles in 1990 and ’91 and in 1992 when he would also take top honors with the Late Model class.
Always a class guy both on and off the track, Barry remains one of the best in the business even though his racing days are behind him.
Drivers, car owners and crew members are all deserving candidates for the prestigious Dorney Park Speedway/Mahoning Valley Speedway Hall of Fame but so too are those select individuals who covered the races as members of the media and this year Gary Grim was honored for his great work as a motorsport journalist.
Whether it was with Keystone Auto News, Area Auto Racing News, most all local papers and also program books, Gary did an outstanding job of covering the races from Dorney, Mahoning, Evergreen and more. His work has helped preserve the great history of local short track racing.
