From Lernerville Speedway, image courtesy of Mike Campbell
Sarver, PA (December 14, 2010) The Lernerville Speedway Hall of Fame Class of 2011 includes three sprint car aces and one modified giant, as Brad Doty, Ted Wise, Jerry Matus and Lou Gentile have been selected to join the Legends of Lernerville Speedway. These four drivers will officially be inducted into the Hall of Fame during the Annual Awards Banquet at the Butler Days Inn on Saturday, February 26.
Between the three of them, Doty, Wise and Matus accounted for five Lernerville Speedway Sprint Car Track Championships between 1976 and 1984.
After winning the 1980 Lernerville Track Championship, Doty went on to World of Outlaws fame; piloting the Coors Light #18, (among other well known rides), before a tragic accident at Eldora Speedway in 1988 left him paralyzed and confined to a wheel chair. But Doty has enjoyed life after racing and has been the voice of the World of Outlaws on television since 1993 and is truly an ambassador of the sport!
Wise won the Lernerville Track Championship in 1976 in the Jim McMillin owned #5 sprinter, but drove throughout the area for over 35 years in a variety of cars and divisions. Wise is perhaps remembered almost as well for his quick wit and personality as he is for his driving prowess. Ted passed away in 2006 at the age of 73.
Matus is a three-time Lernerville Speedway Track Champion (1981, 1983, 1984) and the father of veteran sprint car driver Brent Matus and grandfather of sprint car future star Brandon Matus. Best remembered for piloting the Martha Dionise owned #15 purple sprint car, Jerry also drove his own cars alongside son Brent for many years. Two seasons ago, Jerry strapped into a sprint car with Brent one last time, (so far), to take a few laps with his grandson Brandon. Though just parade laps, it was the first time in the 40+ year history of Don Martin’s Lernerville Speedway that three generations of drivers took the track in sprint cars at the same time.
Gentile, winner of the six Track Championships in the Six Cylinder Modifieds, is best known around the Sarver oval as the longtime driver of the Emig #1 Modified. With 89 career feature wins, Lou is fifth on the All Time Wins list at the Action Track.
Chaired by Don Gamble, the Lernerville Speedway Hall of Fame committee is comprised of Bud Daum, Linda Fennell, Carol Gamble, DJ Johnson, Dave Kittey, Lou Long, Mike Lysakowski, Gary Risch Jr., Eric Westendorf, Walt Wimer and Tom Zuck. Founded in 2009, the Lernerville Speedway Hall of Fame recognizes significant achievement of drivers, car owners and track officials.
As mentioned above, this year’s class will be officially inducted into the Hall of Fame at the Annual Lernerville Speedway Awards Banquet, scheduled for Saturday, February 26 at the Days Inn on Route 8 in Butler, PA. Tickets for the banquet can be purchased by visiting or calling the speedway office (724) 353-1511 Monday-Thursday 10:00AM-4:00PM.
On behalf of General Manager Gary Risch Jr., the Lernerville Speedway would like to extend a Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to all of our employees, racers, car owners, crew members, sponsors, media members and fans! If you’re looking for the perfect gift for the racing fan on your shopping list, tickets are available online for the 2011 installments of the Firecracker 100, Don Martin Memorial Silver Cup and Commonwealth Clash, all sanctioned by the World of Outlaws. You can also purchase race tickets, Pic5 and Pic10 Fab Four Racing passes and Action Track gear by stopping in or calling the speedway office at (724) 353-1511 Monday-Friday from 10:00AM-4:00PM.
We’d also like to invite you to attend the Racer’s for Tots Christmas Party this Saturday, December 18 at the South Fayette Fire Hall in Cuddy, PA. Admission is $10 or the donation of an unwrapped toy. This is a great event that puts toys in the hands of needy children in our own communities! For more details, call (412) 952-4723.