By John Straitiff
The love of the automobile and need for speed has a long history in the Pennsylvania Great Outdoors region. Motorsports and automobile related events are very popular here and draw large crowds for family fun.
The race to build the first four-wheel drive car in the world was won by Twyford Motor Company of Brookville in 1904.
You can see a replica of this rare piece of American automotive history on display at the Jefferson County History Center. See more than 300 historically significant engines depicting 150 years of development of Industrial America at the Coolspring Power Museum, including a running replica of the very first internal combustion engine and the behemoth Snow compressor engine.
The sport of stock car racing is thriving and thrilling thousands at two local dirt tracks. Each weekend May through September, Friday nights at Thunder Mountain Speedway near Knoxdale and Saturday evenings at Hummingbird Speedway near Reynoldsville, the grandstands are filled with excited racing fans, each cheering for their favorite drivers. Thunder Mountain Speedway is known by drivers as “bad fast” and what diehard dirt fans would call a “motor track.” Here drivers need a big powerplant under the hood and a well handling race car to be able to navigate the wide sweeping turns and long straightaways. Super Late Models, Semi-Lates, Super 6 Late Models, Pure Stocks, and Front Wheel Drives make up the weekly racing program. The track has a reputation of hosting big specials with big payouts that attract some nationally known drivers. Hummingbird Speedway and legendary promoter Louie Caltagarone celebrated their 55th season in 2019. “The Bird” is known as a bull ring with loyal generations of fans who love the action on the wide but tight turns and short straightaways. This track provides close door-to-door racing where slicing through traffic is the needed skill to win. Super Late Model, Semi-Late, Street Stock, Pure Stock, and Front Wheel Drive divisions provide the racing excitement.
If you like chrome shining in the sun instead of dirt flying in the air, the many classic car shows and cruise-ins throughout the warmer months are just the thing for you. Some noteworthy events where you can see everything from muscle cars to restored antique beauties include: Fryburg’s Mayfest, Brookville’s Laurel Festival, St. Marys Airport National Aviation Day, and Auto-Rama at Clarion’s Autumn Leaf Festival. Maybe side-by-side drag racing is more your style? Once a month during the summer, the fastest hotrods in the region stand on the throttle and fly down the runway at the St. Marys Airport drag races
Demolition Derbies are fun, loud, smoke-filled affairs that pack the grandstands each year at the Jefferson County, Clarion County, Elk County, Sykesville Ag & Youth, and Wolf’s Corner fairs as well as the Knoxdale Homecoming. The track and covered grandstands at the Jefferson County Fairgrounds draw some of top Truck and Tractor pulling series teams in the Eastern U.S. demonstrating the power and thunderous roar of raw horsepower unleashed. Mud Races across the region and Jeep events add to the motor madness fun.
If off roading is more your style, ATV’s and dirt bikes can be used to explore trail systems in the Allegheny National Forest. Snowmobilers can also ride in the ANF and the Elk State Forest. Marienville is known as the Snowmobile Capital of Pennsylvania and Elk State Forest riders can use the West Creek Trail in Emporium to access the downtown businesses. Reynlow Park near Reynoldsville annually hosts the AHRMA Off Road Vintage Motorcycle Racing Series. The Piney Rail Riders, Forest County ATV Club, and Elk County Riders are ATV Riding Clubs that are working to help manage, maintain, and open more trails to the riding public. If you don’t own something to ride, you can still get in on the fun with ATV and Snowmobile rentals from DJ’s Russell City Store.
Find the keys to planning your own endless “motorhead” adventure at VisitPAGO.com
