Welcome to OpenWheelRacers.com

First, I want to thank you for stopping in.

Now, you are wondering what is in store? Well, as the name implies this site will endeavor to cover the open wheel racing action from coast to coast and beyond. Yes, you will also find news from some of the full-bodied stock car series.

I’m sure you are also wondering who is the driving force behind this site and where did he come from. I will try and answer that question in the next few lines.

I have been involved with this sport for over forty years, first as a fan of the sport at many eastern speedways. At the age of 16 I ventured from the grandstand to the pit area where I served as a stooge on modifieds, a few sprint cars and midgets.

After a serving my country for 3 ½ years and getting married to my first wife, I started taking photos for a local trade paper that was the now long defunct Keystone Auto News. After about a year I was asked if I would consider writing a column. Those efforts mainly covered the sprints of the United Racing Club, the central PA sprints, and the midgets of the American Racing Drivers Club.

These efforts led to my being asked to perform the public relations duties for the United Racing Club in the late 1970’s. I held this position for a little over two years, when I left the organization because of the death of my first wife. After about a year I fond myself being drawn back to the sport that I loved. This led to my serving as a corner flagman at the Nazareth National Speedway, while it was under the control of Lindy Vicari. My next role as an official was with the United Racing Club as I served as their registrar and later as the technical inspector for quite a few years.

When I entered the computer age, really not that many years ago, I had the pleasure of corresponding with a gentleman by the name of Len Calinoff. In fact the correspondence started when I sent Len an e-mail inquiring if he was someone that was on the United Racing Club mailing list when I was with that organization. The response came back in the affirmative and we had a lot of IM’s in regards to the old racing days.

Well, one night I’m asked if I would like to be part of a new web site that would be devoted to open wheel racing. Needless to say my answer was yes.

From that time over five years ago when OpenWheelRacing.com was launched, until this week I was totally devoted to that site.

Well, as they say ‘times change’.

So, it was my decision to branch out on my own and launch this new site. A site that I hope will continue to pay respect to my departed friend Len Calinoff.
There, you now know who I am and where and how this site came into being.

But, whom will you also find contributing to OpenWheelRacers?

I am glad to tell you that most, if not all, of the former members of the OpenWheelRacing site will be joining the staff here at OpenWheelRacers.

Danny Burton will serve as Assistant Editor and continue to bring you if fantastic ‘Hoosier Race Reports’. Tom Avenengo will also continue with his reports for the Oakland Valley Dirt Oval. Jim Morrison, Heath Hamilton, Ron Hedger, and just about all of the other staff members of OpenWheelRacing will be joining us here.

Since this is a new site, and believe me, still a work in progress please be patient as we get things rolling and establish our presence on the Internet.

If anyone wants to contact me they can do that via e-mail at taz70739@yahoo.com. All that I ask is that you give me a few days to reply.

Once again thanks for stopping by, and I hope you find your stay enjoyable.

John LeVan
Publisher & Editor