Story By: BOB MILLER / DIRT TRACK HEROES – PHILLIPSBURG, NJ – The tentative schedule for the popular tenth edition of the week long Quaker Steak & Lube Dirt Track Heroes Show is now confirmed for 2017. The successful event will once again begin its week long run at the Phillipsburg Mall located off Route 22 East in Phillipsburg, New Jersey.
Opening day is set or Sunday, March 5th with a salute to all of the racetracks and a special emphasis on the great racing that took place at the speedways located in Nazareth, Pennsylvania, including the half mile and both the paved and dirt versions of the larger National speedway and the Dorney Park Speedway. Highlighting opening day will be special tributes to Modifed and NASCAR star Tighe Scott and Author/Publisher Lew Boyd who has written many books including the “Paved Track/Dirt Track” publication. Both will be signing autographs and Lew will also be selling his book that day.
The upcoming show encompasses the majority of the local short track scene and will continue through Saturday night, March 11th. In announcing the tentative schedule organizer Bob Miller stated, “We have enjoyed a great run with this show and the schedule will pretty much be in sync with what we have done in the past but with special emphasis on cetain drivers who built the foundation of the sport as we know it today. We have worked out an exciting and diverse schedule aimed at being fan, driver, sponsor and organization friendly and once again look forward to a great show in Phillipsburg.” Miller further added, “With this being the tenth year of doing this show, the solid support from the sponsors, fans, all of the historical racing groups and current day speedways has made the event a special occasion for all of us involved with the production of this great show.”
Quaker Steak & Lube, or The Lube(r) to loyalists, the award-winning casual dining concept known for its Best Wings USA and over 25 signature sauces, is fully prepped and geared as the lead sponsor for the annual event. The original restaurant was built in 1974 in an abandoned gas station, decorated with license plates and old muscle cars. Originally a”cook-your-own-steak”establishment, The Lube’s signature dish is now its fabulous chicken wings and the wide variety of sauces used to season them. The Pohatcong Township (Phillipsburg, NJ) Quaker Steak & Lube is located at 1304 US Route 22, Phillipsburg, NJ, and welcomes all race fans and families to stop by their location when visiting the New Jersey area to be re-charged and re-fueled before or after the show.
The excitement for the upcoming show is at a fever pitch as Bryan Youngans, Marketing Manager of Quaker Steak & Lube stated, “We are once again excited to sponsor and be part of the Dirt Track Heroes Car Show. The event is extremely popular and even though the event is still five weeks from now we feel the excitement building from within as there is a constant buzz about the event at Quaker Steak & Lube.” Youngans further added, “Our involvement with a show of this magnitude is a natural fit for us as our restaurants recognize and salute the racing heroes of the past, present and future. We look forward to showcasing our Quaker Steak & LubeRestaurant at the 2017 event and becoming more involved with the show and local racing action in the future.”
The Phillipsburg Mall has proven to be a popular setting for this special event and will once again offer many varieties of new and vintage race cars, racing memorabilia, collectibles and photos on display throughout the Mall for the duration of the show’s run. The nine previous shows have brought race cars from all divisions of motorsports filling the Mall space and highlighted in a week long show celebrating the love each of us has found in attending races and meeting so many wonderful people associated with the sport. With an exciting and diverse schedule of events to whet the appetite of any true race fan, large crowds are expected to flock to the show to fill the wide walkways of the Phillipsburg Mall for the upcoming tenth edition ofthe show.
All historical racing groups including Flemington, Tri State, Nazareth, Reading and Harmony will have their memorabilia on display and their many scrapbooks open for the fans to take another long look at the glory years of racing and possibly find a picture or two they want to purchase as a keepsake from past glory or racing exploits. The show has remained FREE to the public as it has been since first landing at the Phillipsburg Mall ten years ago.
Cars on display will include big block and small block Modifieds, Sportsman, all divisions of Micro-Sprints, ARDC Midgets, all divisions of Sprint Cars, Slingshots, Stage One Modifieds, X-Cel Modifieds, Late Models, SpeedSTRS, Drag Racing Cars, Go-Karts and a broad variety of vintage and restored race cars. New Egypt, Bridgeport, Hamlin, Accord and Snydersville will again be among the many speedways involved with the 2017 edition of the show.
The week-long event will set aside one evening to salute the “Stars of Tomorrow” with a special night for the budding young racing talents competing with the many quarter midget clubs in the area and this night has proven to be one of the highlights of the week as many of the youngsters will be giving their first ever interviews to a large crowd.
The Quaker Steak & Lube 10th Annual Dirt Track Heroes Car Show will again offer a great keepsake event souvenir program book and shirt. For Dirt Track Heroes information, contact show organizers Bob and Donna Miller by phone at: 443 513 4456, via the website at TOTHILL98@aol.com or you may also contact Steve Pados at: 484-784-7756 or through email at: steveswp@ptd.net
Tenth Annual Quaker Steak & Lube
Dirt Track Heroes Car Show
2017 Schedule of Events
Sunday- March 5 – (Starting at 1:00) – Enterprise Car Sales, Jeff’s Automotive and Huston’s Automotive presents Dirt Track Heroes Car Show Opening Ceremony honoring racing legend Tighe Scott and author Lew Boyd (Paved Track/Dirt Track) with Driver Interviews and Autograph Session: Saluting Nazareth Speedways and Dorney Park Speedway
Monday- March 6 – (6:30 PM) – Alex’s Tire/Breidinger’s Speed Shop and Murante’s Auto Repair presents Straight Line Fever Drag Racing Night featuring Island Dragway, Harmony, Old Bridge and Mountain View Dragway
Tuesday- March 7 – (6:30 PM) Adam’s Brothers Used Auto Parts and Persa’s Auto Repair presents the “Stars of Tomorrow” featuring all Quarter Midget Clubs: Blue Mountain, Lehigh Valley, West End Raceway, Keystone, Oaklane, Phoenixville, South Jersey and Garden State
Wednesday- March 8 – (6:30 PM) – Hamlin Speedway/S&S Speedways and Smith Fabrication/Stage One Modifieds presents Hamlin Speedway all divisions, Snydersville Raceway, Mahoning Speedway, Accord Speedway, and Orange County Fair Speedway
Thursday- March 9- (6:30)- Searock Fabrication & Speed Supplies and Ralph’s Radiator presents New Egypt, Bridgeport, Grandview, Big Diamond Raceway and X-Cel Modifieds
Friday – March 10 – (1st Show (4 p.m.) – Premio Foods & RF International Muffler presents Special Edition “The Legends of Racing” honoring Grand Marshal Sammy Beavers with many legendary stars from Reading, Nazareth, Harmony and Flemington expected to participate.
Second Show- (6:30 PM)- Martocci Automotive, Dean’s Auto Sports and Carl’s Auto Repair & Chrin’s Automotive presents Salute to Open Wheel Racing Divisions-Thunder on the Hill, ATQMRA, ARDC Midgets, Action Track USA, Mid-Atlantic Sprint Series Sprint Cars, 358 and 360 Sprint Car Divisions
Saturday – March 11 – (1:00) –Premio Foods and Enterprise Car Sales presents Special Tribute to Open Wheel Racing Legends from Flemington Speedway & Flemington Speedway Historical Society, Harmony Speedway and Nazareth Speedways
Mall Hours: Sunday 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Monday-Saturday 10 a.m.-9 p.m. – *Schedule subject to change