Jesse Wentz has just completed one of his best years in racing since he started driving super sprints 10 years ago.
For the first time in his career, the Manchester native chased the track championship at the Lincoln Speedway in Hanover, Pa. and finished fifth in overall points with several top-five finishes throughout the year. Wentz also had a top-five finish at Grandview Speedway in Betchelsville, Pa.
Wentz finished the season with a dazzling display of driving skill in the Pennsylvania State Super Sprint Championship.
Wentz started in the rear of the field in the consolation race and worked his way through the pack to win. Then in the 40-lap championship event, he started 20th in the 24-car field and passed some of the top talent in central Pennsylvania sprint cars to place third.
Wentz is a driver who gets the most out of his equipment. He has achieved a better record over the years than many drivers with better-financed teams.
Because of his finances, Wentz is unable to race as often as he would like. He races one night a week at Lincoln Speedway in Hanover, Pa., but would like to race on Friday nights.
Fielding a competitive super-sprint team is not cheap, but Wentz has been a top contender over the years on a limited budget. That makes him one of the most unusual competitors in sprint car racing. Not only is he the driver and car owner, but he also builds his own chassis.
While most of the drivers purchase their chassis from well-known builders throughout the Midwest, Wentz builds his own car in his shop in Manchester. And the results speak for themselves. He is as competitive as anyone.
But the chassis is only part of a winning team. A good motor plan is just as important. Most of the cost is in the motors. Every 10 races the motors are either freshened or rebuilt. Keeping a motor program going can be difficult financially.
Wentz is on the edge of being a dominant factor in sprint car racing in the East, often considered the most competitive in the country. He has been riding that fine line for some time, seeking that financial help to put him over the edge.
Wentz and his crew feel if they could get a few more sponsors or a major sponsor, he could be the next track champion at Lincoln and also be a top competitor at Williams Grove Speedway.
There is no off-season in racing anymore. Wentz has a new chassis with only three races ready to go for next season. His crew, Joe Topper of Manchester, Charlie Singer of New Windsor and Denny Stambaugh of Gettysburg, Pa., has been getting ready for next year.
Weekend results
The 75-80 Dragway had its last day of racing last weekend. Reuben Standifer of Mount Airy won Class I over Robbie Hudlow of Monrovia. Larry Hoff of Westminster went four rounds and Tom Higgs of Sykesville went three rounds. In Class II, Chris Hruska of Mount Airy was runner-up. Erve Hare of Mount Airy was semifinalist and Billy White of Carrollton went five rounds. Westminster's Roger Jorss and Steve Dustin and Mike Stambaugh of Union Bridge all went four rounds.
On Sunday, Nov. 6, Joe Henry of Mount Airy won Class I over Norman Morris of New Windsor. Standifer was a semifinalist and Mount Airy's Joe Mayne and Nathan Etzler both went three rounds. In Class II, White was the winner and Marion Ford of Hampstead split first place in the motorcycle class with Antoine Brown of Washington.
75-80 Dragway will end its season with an awards banquet on Saturday.
At Mason-Dixon Dragway, Sam Battaglia of Taneytown went to the semifinals in Class II. David Smith of Mount Airy was runner-up in the Junior Dragster division and his brother, Joey, was a semifinalist.
Racing continues at Mason-Dixon today with the annual Turkey Race.