Late Model driver and racing historian, Eric Zembower of Bedford, will be the featured speaker on Sunday February 16th at the Eastern Museum of Motor Racing located at the Latimore Valley Fairgrounds in York Springs. Doors open at 10:00 with the program beginning at 1:00.
Zembower’s discussion will be the history of the south central Pennsylvania and western Maryland area tracks, drivers, promoters and interesting people of auto racing from the 1936 through the 1980.
Speedway’s showcased include Bedford, South Penn, North Bedford, Saxton, Jennerstown, Windber, Cumberland, Roseland, Fort Ashby, Tipton, Hesston and the Cumberland Airport sports car races.
Started in 1975 as the Williams Grove Old-timers led by Hall of Fame sprint car driver, Lynn Paxton, the group soon started discussions to build a museum dedicated to local auto racing. Today the Eastern Museum of Motor Racing houses restored championship cars, super modifieds, sprint cars, midgets, stock cars, drag cars and motorcycles from area and national speedways past and present. An extensive research library and gift shop is also located inside the large building that looks over the restored 40 acres of the Latimore Valley Fairgrounds and racetrack. EMMR plays host to many indoor and outdoor vintage racing events and expositions during the year preserving the history of eastern auto racing.
“Our region has produced drivers and teams that are known far and wide. I’m happy Lynn set this up and I’m honored to tell our great racing story”, said Zembower.
On display will be the recently completed Gerald Chamberlain driven, Gus Frear wrenched, Don Rice Ford #31 Super Modified replica owned by Don Metzler of Martinsburg. After many hours of research and chasing leads to find the original car, only to find it was cut up for scrap, Metzler commissioned Frear to re-produce this historic race car.
The Museum doors will be opening at 10:00 am with the program beginning at 1:00. Admission is free.
For more information log onto www.emmr.org or call the museum at 717-528-8279
