Trone Not Having Much Fun

Trone Not Having Much Fun

By Brad Vores June 5, 2008

When racing causes you more stress than your businesses do, it might be time for a break.

That’s exactly what John Trone is doing with his Trone Outdoor No. 39 sprint car team.

Trone parted ways with driver TJ Stutts over the weekend and picked up his equipment on Tuesday.

So now what happens?

“I am parking the car and going to the beach for a couple of weeks,” Trone said on Monday night. “Racing gives me more stress than my businesses do and when that happens, you know it’s time to get away from it. I have no idea what I am doing right now and I’m not really thinking about it to be honest. I just want to enjoy time at my beach house and enjoy life a little bit.”

Trone hasn’t had much to enjoy this year as his sprint car team has struggled at area speedway’s. The team had three straight DNQ’s at Williams Grove Speedway.

“I’m tired of being depressed about racing,” Trone stated. “It sucks when you aren’t doing well. It seems like we would make one step forward and three steps backward. TJ and I are still friends but sometimes you just have to do what you have to do.”

Trone admitted his team isn’t the only team that has struggled this season.

“Sometimes things just don’t work out,” he added. “Look at Greg Hodnett. He’s one of the best drivers out there and he’s had a terrible year. It happens but it’s just time to get away from it for a while.”

Trone said he lost track of the amount of phone calls that were fielded by his office and cell phone on Monday about the ride.

“Everyone wants help in this sport,” he said. “I had a ton of calls from car owners and drivers but right now I haven’t decided what I am going to do. We’ll see who calls and see what might be out there but for now, the car is parked. It might be parked for good or I might return to the track after I get some fresh air and see what’s best for my business.”

Stutts could return to a family-owned car on a part-time basis.

It’s certainly not what local racing likes to see but it could be a more common happening this year as cars begin to fall off the tour.

And in the battle for cars on Saturday night, it’s one less car in an already sluggish car count at Lincoln Speedway.

URC HIGHLIGHTS WEEKEND ACTION
The URC Sprint car series invades Central Pennsylvania this weekend with racing Friday night at Williams Grove Speedway and then Saturday at Lincoln Speedway.

Friday night’s event at the Grove will be the third annual Rislone Sprint Nationals paying $4,000 to the winner and $1,000 to the 10th place finisher of the 25-lap event.

Pat Cannon won the first Rislone Nationals in 2006 and Ed Aiken won last year’s event. Both drivers will be in competition tomorrow night along with more than 50 other 360/358 sprint car drivers vying for the big payday.

URC will be led to town by five-time defending and current points leader Curt Michael who will be making his first Grove start in the Bill Gallagher owned sprinter. Joining Michael from the URC ranks include Chris Coyle, Becca Anderson, Dave Ely, Brian Seidel, Davey Sammons and more.

Cannon will lead the local contingent of limited sprint drivers while the likes of Cory Haas, Chad Trout, John Westbrook, Dave Calaman and more will be in competition.

Current Cindy Rowe Auto Glass 410 Sprint car points leader Fred Rahmer is also expected to be in the field in the CJB No. 51 with a 360 power plant under the hood. Rahmer is also expected to compete with URC on Saturday night.

Time trials will set the feature lineup on Friday night. They begin at 7 p.m.

Joining the URC Sprinters at Lincoln will be the 410 Sprints in a regular program along with the final 18 laps of the rained out feature on May 17th.

The 358 Sprint cars are back at Trail-Way Speedway tomorrow night while the Micro Sprints return to the track for Saturday night action.

The 358 late models take the track Friday at Path Valley Speedway joined by the Legends and micro sprints while the late models are back in action at Bedford Speedway.

Hopefully the third time will be the charm for the Camera and Autograph Night during the Saturday Night Series this weekend at Williams Grove. It has been rained out twice now. Super Sportsman and 4-cylinders will be in the infield for the fans to get an up close view.

The USAC Wingless Sprints are in competition at Hagerstown Speedway Saturday night joined by the late models on Team RAACE Night. It will be the first Membership Program Hospitality event of 2008.

The Joe Whitcomb Memorial highlights Saturday night action at Selinsgrove Speedway as the 358 Sprints race in the memory of the late sprint car driver, who was killed at the track during the 2003 season. The race will pay $1,771 to win. Blane Heimbach is the two time defending winner of the event.

Port Royal is back with a regular Saturday night show that will be highlighted by the 30-lap Pete Swarmer Memorial for 410 Sprint cars.

Susquehanna Speedway Park returns with a regular Saturday Night stock car program.

PIT STOPS
Sprint car owner Joyce Swope passed away Sunday after a year long bout with heart problems. Joyce was the wife of Floyd Swope and owned the No. 71 Sprint car driven by Brian Leppo. Joyce has been instrumental in the sprint car operation ever since they began to own cars 15 years ago. She will be missed by her friends and family. Joyce was laid to rest yesterday in East Berlin. Cards can be sent to 92 Hoffman Rd, East Berlin, PA 17316. Rest in Peace Joyce…

It was all Donny Schatz on the World of Outlaws sprint car tour last weekend in Ohio as he won Friday night at Attica Raceway Park and then again Saturday at Eldora. In the process, Schatz took the top spot in Outlaw points for the first time this season. His ARP win came over Joey Saldana, Shane Stewart, Chad Kemenah and Jason Meyers while Saldana was once again runner-up at Eldora over Stewart, Jac Haudenschild and Daryn Pittman. The Outlaws are in action this weekend Knoxville Raceway with a two night show…

Racin’ Jason Covert won a special late model event Sunday night at Hesston Speedway over Jeremy Miller, Bo Feathers, DJ Myers and Chris Harr…
The USAC Wingless event at Grandview Speedway was rained out on Tuesday night after all qualifying was in the books. Officials are looking at their options for the makeup feature in 2009...

Last night’s USAC show at Williams Grove was also canceled because of rain…

Pennsylvanian’s Kramer Williamson and Glenn Fitzcharles were inducted into the 2008 Class of the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame in Knoxville, Iowa last weekend. Others inducted were Brent Kaeding, Earl Wagner, Bob Hampshire, Doug Howells, Louis Espinoza, Dick Jordan and John Padjen. Over 300 guests celebrated with the inductees…

All that kept Judi Bates from winning last Friday’s Masters Classic at Knoxville Raceway was a race car with no brakes. Bates lost her brakes during the second lap of the event but nearly won the Classic event, losing the lead in traffic to Randy Smith on lap 22 and settling for second in her first ever start on the track. She earned $2,000 for the runner-up spot…

We’ve always said the folks at Knoxville Raceway are some of the best ever and this proves it. Last week, Attica, Iowa, a small unincorporated village just south of Knoxville was struck by an F2 tornado. The tornado destroyed the town’s fire hall and many other buildings in the sleepy town. Knoxville will donate a portion of each ticket sold during this weekend’s World of Outlaws visit to the town to help rebuild. The track will also set up an area where fans can donate to the cause as well. For those who have been to Knoxville, Kinfolks Eatin Place is located in Attica. Let’s hope the weather is great for the track this weekend and a record number of fans turn out for the WoO event…