BALLSTON SPA, N.Y. — One would be hard-pressed to find a speedway anywhere in America without a pit area populated by fathers and sons.
At Busch and Nextel Cup events, dirt-track wizard Buzzie Reutimann can watch as engineers and crew members tweak son David’s Toyotas. But at the short tracks, it’s more likely that father and son will both be cranking the wrenches, talking and building their relationship as they get the son’s car ready to race.
Guy and Kyle Sheldon both race modifieds at Howie Commander’s super-fast Lebanon Valley Speedway, so for them the relationship is constantly changing. At 18, Kyle is in his second full season racing big-block DIRT modifieds. His father and grandfather’s car was available when his dad, who made the traditional progression from the full-fender classes to the sportsman to the modifieds, moved to Bob Devine’s No. 42.
At first, Guy worried about Kyle’s safety, but didn’t have to race him, as the youngster usually ran at the back of the pack. But that all changed this season when Kyle won on the second night of racing.
“Kyle got his first win, so now he’s just another guy out there,” says his father solemnly. “He says that I’m just a backmarker now, so I’ll have to show him.”
But he can’t maintain his faked sternness for more than a few seconds, turning to a prideful smile and tales of his son’s first victory.
“It was quite an experience,” he says. “I was going to the front that night and got crashed, which was probably good. If I didn’t catch and pass him, my crew would never have forgiven me and people would have said that I let him win. On the other hand, if I’d passed him, my wife would have killed me. I got from the rear back to 15th, but I couldn’t see him at the end, which was the worst part of the whole deal.”
Rain won the next week, but Guy ran down leader Ronnie Dwyer the following week and inherited the lead when Dwyer crashed with three laps remaining. Guy Sheldon won the race, while his son finished fifth.
Eddie Marshall is 12th on the all-time winner’s list at Lebanon Valley Speedway, one spot ahead of his father Ernie, who was the 1970 champion. His only regret in racing is that they didn’t race against each other more.
“We were in a couple of races together, but I was still in the 358s when he was big in the modifieds,” recalls Ed.
“But I do remember the first time I raced. He told me to remember two things: ‘Don’t get into the turns too deep,’ which is the most common mistake‚ and ‘Don’t get in too deep with your foot on the brake.’ He came with me for years and years after he stopped racing and helped me with mechanical info and, more importantly, moral support. That’s the part I miss most, as he’s only here occasionally now.”
John Flack and his son, John, Jr., are the only father-son duo to claim Lebanon Valley modified titles. The latter, who retired at a relatively young age after back-to-back titles in 1988 and 1989, is now fielding cars for his son Keith.
“My dad only came to the track three times all the time I raced,” recalls John, Jr. “I think he figured that if he was here, I’d try to impress him and get in trouble. That’s why I don’t put any pressure on Keith. We want to run good, but it’s been great already just keeping the family together, working toward a common goal.”
Lebanon Valley has a number of other father-son combinations, including Kenny Tremont, Jr., the all-time victory leader in his father’s famed No. 115; defending champion Andy Bachetti and his father Scott; and two-time champion Dickie Larkin and son Ryan.
Check out your local short track and you’ll find similar stories.