Anyone Race Central PA early 80's Options

[kmart]

I only raced Joe a couple times, but he was definitly fast.....He won the Woodward Nat in 84(?) and I finished 3rd. He took it to Monte Grey and Damian Bernal pretty good.

Kmart

[Mike'Ultimat...]

State collage ABA national in 80..Hal knows what i'm talking about....maybe he will tell us his story

[WILD ZEBRA]

quote:

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I spoke with my buddy Spang as the Madesto name rang a bell. He recalls racing a Jason Modesto at the Sweet Arrow track back around 84. He thinks he was from northern PA. Spang would have been 15 in 84.

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Thats probably the right time frame. Where's Sweet Arrow, Harrisburg area? That would be close enough to where we lived. Next time I talk to my mom or brother I'll ask what town they raced at.

[Racer]

Sweet Arrow I never got to race but it was open when I raced in the area 89-90 after moving back to NJ.
Sweet Arrow was ABA if I remember right and was on the road from York to Cedar BMX. It was near the split from 81 and 78 in Pine Grove, PA. I raced York alot (89-90) but I dont think York was open till 82 or later.
Some long haired hippy, no good varmit, 1 pedal start, named Shannon also raced York back then.

[raybeard]

Sweet Arrow was in Pine Grove PA. It was often refered to as "the cow path". In the early days other than the first straight the track was very narrow and after the second turn it wound uphill to the finish line.

The original York track (York Cycle Raceway) opened in June of 1983. The track was located on the west end of town behind Miller Automotive. It moved to the current location around 1986 just after the name was changed. The name change was due to the track being run by a parents organization, the bike shop was no longer involved. Joes father Don Sword was the original head (president) of the parents group. Dons Swords could have passed for a member of ZZ Top.

[deluxx bmx]

I was/am from central PA,we raced Reading,Phoenixville,Hickory Run and Lebanon..all were NBL..there was a track on the west shore near Dillsburg that was ABA..some of those tracks were not around to long(Dillsburg,Hickory Run) there was also a ABA track right along the PA Turnpike,also not there anymore..Pine Grove had Sweet Arrow,already talked about...also a short lived track at Sleepy Hollow MX park..they now use whats left of it for lil MX'ers...We mostly raced in Jersey cause the racing in the early 80's was much better..i think P-ville was the only one to have any NBL nats at it but Reading had PA states alot..York also,but that was ABA i think too..we did not race alot of ABA other then Nats...There was also some indoor stuff around that time frame in Harrisburg...and in Valley Forge at the Military school that Suburban put on....that should be it i think for South Central PA...ask Lopes, he never forgets....deluxxy

[DRAGULA]

I raced Woodward a lot. And the North and South Park nats in 85. Any one here know Spanky from York? If so how is he?

[raybeard]

Spanky is the same person as Spang, John Spangler. We eased up on the nickname after high school. I talk to John all the time. Tried to Nextel him tonight but he didn't answer. Give me a name and I'll tell him you said hello.

[DRAGULA]

Thanks Raybeard. Mike Meckenberg. We were coming back from South Park one time with his dad driving ( painfully slow) and had oreo races. We would drop em outa the back windows of the van and which ever one went the farthest won. Good times.

[raybeard]

Funny story. I went to many races in the back of that old Ford work van. Was his old man wearing the black beanie. In 25 years I don't know if I've seen him without that beanie. LOL! I'll talk to John tonight.