Weekly Notebook presented by FK Rod Ends
Notes: Pennsylvania youngster Merkel blossoms
By Todd Turner
DirtonDirt managing editor
Trent Merkel (Teal Beard/wrtspeedwerx.com)
In Trent Merkel’s rookie Late Model season last year, the teenager found himself in the position of doing something he always imagined — racing against his dad.
In the Oct. 12 event at Path Valley Speedway in Spring Run, Pa., father Sean Merkel and son Trent Merkel started near the front of the field. Sean ended up taking the checkered flag with his son right behind him.
It was a lot of fun and a learning experience at the same time.
“After we did the redraw, he was just trying to give me some pointers to just to take it easy and be patient with everything, let everything fall into my hands,” said Trent Merkel, now 17 years old. “I feel like that made me better because I did follow him throughout the feature. So I feel like me following him, it made me better in every way possible. Because you know, I've watched him all my life … and it felt cool at the same time.”
Merkel was literally following in his father's tire tracks in that race, and he hopes to follow that path figuratively and become a successful Late Model racer like his 39-year-old father. He’s off to a good start with three Path Valley victories during his second season as he competes most weeks at Path Valley and BAPS Motor Speedway in York Haven, Pa., where he’s fifth in points with a best finish of third in the June 21 event.
He’s glad to have the support family, including parents Sean and Lindsay and his grandfather, Ken Merkel, who also helps out on the crew. Dad, after all, has carved out a successful career with Super and Limited Late Model victories at BAPS, Path Valley, Grandview Speedway in Bechtelsville, Pa., and Big Diamond Speedway in Pottsville, Pa.
"He wants to see me do better than him (and) take that skill to the next level,” the younger Merkel said. “Everything that he teaches me, tells me to do, I feel like I could do it in the next couple of years.”
While Dad started in quarter-midgets and progressed through divisions including slingshots and modifieds before landing in Late Models, Trent Merkel started in quarter-midgets too, although he’s a little hazy on the specifics of his father’s divisional path. ("I wasn't even born yet, so I don't know,” he said.)
The younger Merkel piled up more than 160 quarter-midget victories on dirt with seven championships and two national-level victories in 2023. He jumped into full-size cars with the Limited Late Models in 2024, running more than a dozen events and getting a feel for bigger cars and bigger tracks. He posted three top-five finishes in making a smooth transition.
"I think I had the racing aspect and the knowledge of (racing) from quarter midgets, but the only really tough thing I had adjusting to the Late Model realistically was the speed,” Merkel said. “At first, I took my baby steps, but after a few races last year and I figured out and understand how everything was working, I figured it out pretty quick and got adjusted to it very fast.”
Midway through his second season, he knows he still has learning to do.
“I feel like I could work on my patience. That’s always a big thing, learning where I put my car at and where it needs to be at, and driving the track,” he said. "I feel like I'm still learning that, too, but, sometimes I'm always a couple of steps ahead of myself or put myself in a bad spot that I don't need to be in.
“Last year my rookie year was a little rough, I guess, still learning everything and learning, learning my race craft and learning how everybody else races each other and how I want to race them and be raced.”
His first-ever Late Model victory in Path Valley’s second race of the season April 26 was memorable, but Merkel didn’t know he’d be standing in victory lane after leading all 25 laps.
“That was the first time I was there this year, didn't have any expectations. We rolled out of the trailer ... and we ended up winning,” he said. "I mean, with a couple laps to go, I kinda got a little nervous and I really didn't want to start, making the mistakes, but I pulled through it, I guess.”
The driver of the No. 118JR — his dad pilots the No. 118 — finds his father a great resource of racing knowledge.
“Me and my dad, we do the maintenance during the week,” Merkel said. “He shows me a couple of things here and there (and) he shows me what to do, what adjustments to make at the track. So whenever, if for some reason he's not there to help me, I know what to do.”
While Merkel runs in the Limited class, his father’s occasional starts coming in Super Late Models, so them facing off again like last season is somewhat unlikely.
“That was always one of my dreams ever since I was a little kid. I always wanted to race against my dad and at one point beat him,” Merkel said, remembering last year’s runner-up finish to his father. "I told him that he was lucky that we had (a) caution with like three (laps) to go, and I was setting him up in lapped traffic and I almost passed him. But then a yellow came out so I was all in his ear about that in victory lane. He was just telling me get out of here.”
Merkel’s racing goals include an eventual jump into Super Late Models or possible getting a shot at the big-block modified division popular in Pennsylvania. The rising senior at Boyertown Area Senior High School isn’t much into other sports these days, but he does spend summers working with the family’s Merkel Rebar business, installing the steel structure for in-ground swimming pools before the concrete is poured.
Sooner or later, he might get a chance to face off against Dad again on the racetrack.
"I don't know, he might be scared,” Merkel said with a chuckle. “I’m not too sure.”
Weekly highlights
• Tyler Bare of Rockbridge Baths, Va., earned $5,555 for July 19’s Junior Boone Memorial for Super Late Models at Winchester (Va.) Speedway.
• Scoring a two-victory weekend in Crate Late Model action, Davin Kaiser of Winchester, Va., won July 18 at Dog Hollow Speedway in Strongstown, Pa., and July 19 at Hagerstown (Md.) Speedway.
• Scoring a last-lap pass, Brian Booze of Marion, Pa., captured July 19’s Limited Late Model feature at Hagerstown (Md.) Speedway.
• Winning a six-car Super Late Model feature, Tanner English of Benton, Ky., earned $5,000 in July 19’s Ray Brown Memorial at Paducah (Ky.) International Raceway.
• Scoring a weekend sweep, Mike Stearns of Aberdeen, S.D., won July 18-19 features at Miller (S.D.) Central Speedway.
• Austin McCarty of Bourbonnais, Ill., notched his fourth straight Kankakee County Speedway Crate Late Model feature on July 18 in Kankakee, Ill.
• Winning July 20 at Proctor (Minn.) Speedway, 71-year-old Tim McMann of Duluth, Minn., notched his first Late Model victory since Aug. 18, 2019 (also at Proctor). McMann has 51 career Late Model victories at Proctor, third most in track history behind Darrell Nelson and Harry Hanson.
• Rallying from his 10th starting spot, hometown driver Matt Ryan led the final four laps July 18 at Davenport (Iowa) Speedway in a race with four leaders.
• Ricky Weiss of Headingley, Manitoba, swept July 18-19 features at Dead Horse Creek Speedway in Morden, Manitoba.
Weekly news briefs
• Lavonia (Ga.) Speedway on Oct. 18 will induct its Hall of Fame members with Wesley English, Richard “Paperman” Pearson and Mike Shelton receiving honors. English, a five-time Southeastern Late Model Sportsman Series champion, died in April and Pearson, who wrote many race stories and took many racing photographs, died in 2017. Shelton has been a longtime flagger at Lavonia and other racetracks.
• 191 Speedway in Campton, Ky., has put a $300 bounty on Super Late Model driver Derek Fisher for its Aug. 9 event.
• Longtime Midwestern racing columnist and publicist Jerry O’Brien, a multiple-track Hall of Famer who produced copy about cars going around in circles for more 50 years, died July 14 at his Superior, Wis., home. He was 83. A racer from 1971-85, O’Brien provided columns and stories for The Checkered Flag Racing News, All the Dirt!, National Dirt Digest, DirtonDirt along with local newspapers like the Duluth News-Tribute and Superior Telegram. He was track reporter at his hometown track from 1975-03, Proctor (Minn.) Speedway from 1987-03 and Cedar Lake Speedway in New Richmond, Wis., from 1989-00. O’Brien was inducted into the Superior Speedway Hall of Fame in 2008 and will be posthumously added to the Proctor Speedway Hall of Fame on July 27.
• Boone County Raceway has announced details for Sept. 14’s second annual Ray Haase Memorial at the Albion, Neb., track with an $8,002 winner’s purse posted for IMCA-sanctioned Late Models. RTC3 Transportation along with 3F Express and Double T Travis Throckmorton are sponsors for the event that honors the late co-founder of Riviera Raceway in Norfolk, Neb.
• Hollis Speedway in Heflin, Ala., is seeking to hire a track announcer and lineup official. See the track's Facebook page for details or text (256) 368-8976.
• The winner of July 26’s Limited Late Model feature at Wartburg (Tenn.) Speedway will receive a guaranteed starting spot in Aug. 2’s $12,037-to-win Dylan Kennedy Memorial. The track will also distribute free backpacks to students and those donation school supplies will get free tosses at the dunk tank to try and get their favorite (or least favorite) drivers wet.
• Watson Logging added $250 to July 26’s Commonwealth Dirt Classic purse at the Ararat (Va.) Bullring. The Late Model feature pays $1,000-to-win.
• Hidden Valley Speedway in Clearfield, Pa., is mourning the July 22 passing of Olanta, Pa.’s Franklin “Pap” Clark, a longtime crew member and racing supporter who was the former crew chief for legendary racer Pokey White. Clark was 91.
• Buckshot Speedway in Clanton, Ala., disqualified Crate Late Model drivers Mike Combs and Austin Franklin from July 19’s feature. The pair engaged in rough driving with the Combs car eventually rolling over after Franklin failed to stop the prevent the incident. Franklin was disqualified for his on-track behavior and Combs was disqualified because his son and crew chief attacked Franklin’s father, according to track officials.
• Red Cedar Speedway in Menomonie, Wis., appealed to fans to throw household items in track dumpsters. The track has found a television and battery charger another items recently disposed at the track.
• BAPS Motor Speedway in York Haven, Pa., this week unveiled a new elevated viewing area for pitside observers outside turn four, converting a cargo container with stairs and railing to give folks a position to stand safely. Promoter Kolten Gouse said the turn-four entrance to the track had become congested with too many pedestrians, and the new viewing area and fencing will better separate cars and people to make it a safer viewing spot.
• The Tri-State Auto Racing News, a former Pennsylvania-based racing newspaper, plans an online revival at tristateautoracingnews.com. More details will be announced.
• Bob Gardner of East Peoria, Ill., is suspended from DIRTcar-sanctioned competition for six months. The DIRTcar suspends runs in conjunction with his penalty issued by the MARS Championship Series after his July 18 retaliation against Daryn Klein at Farmer City (Ill.) Speedway.
• Any 602 Crate Late Model driver sweeping Aug. 1-2 action at Needmore Speedway in Norman Park, Ga., and Cochran (Ga.) Motor Speedway will receive two Hoosier tires and $100.
• Fiesta City Speedway in Montevideo, Minn., has dropped the modified division because of low car counts. The division has average 7.6 cars over five events and twice drew just four entries, including July 18’s most recent event.
• After electrical issues cut short July 18’s racing program, Tri-City Raceway Park has issued discounts for wristband-holders for three upcoming events at the Franklin, Pa, oval. Shortly after Jared Miley’s flag-to-flag victory in the Super Late Model feature, electrical issues darkened the lights on three poles and repairs couldn’t be made quickly. The rest of the night’s program was cancelled. Makeup features will be spread among the next four programs with July 18 wristband-holders receiving a $10 discount on grandstand admission on Aug. 1, 8 or 15.
Weekly points
DIRTcar (Supers): Jason Feger of Bloomington, Ill., has 2,329 points to lead Tyler Erb (2,215) and Dennis Erb Jr. (1,882).
IMCA (Limiteds): Kale Kosiski of Ralston, Neb., has 747 points to lead Cory Dumpert (740) and Zach Zeitner (735).
USRA (Limiteds): Lucas Peterson of Stockholm, Wis., has 3,728 points to lead Cade Nelson (3,432) and Jason McFadden (3,418).
WISSOTA (Limiteds): Tyler Peterson of Hickson, N.D., has 1,280 points to lead Kevin Burdick (1,163) and Devin Fouquette (1,091).
American All-Stars (Crates): Ronnie Martin Jr. of Buena Vista, Va., has 398 points to lead Justin Williams (389) and Darren Slone (342).
Crate Racin’ USA (602 Crates): Brett White of Kosciusko, Miss., has 694 points to lead Devin Whatley (675) and Cody Parsons (660).
Crate Racin’ USA (604 Crates): Ben Davis of Poplarville, Miss., has 659 points to lead Sid Scarbrough (646) and rookie Brody Williams (604).
DIRTcar (Crates): Brandon Sweitzer of Lincoln, Ill., has 916 points to lead Denny Woodworth (907) and Chase Wilson (896).
RUSH (Crates): Jason Genco of Frewsburg, N.Y., has 1,316 points to lead Davin Kaiser (1,299) and Jeremy Wonderling (1,265).
Ultimate (Crates): Chandi Currence of Clarksburg, W.Va., has 324 points to lead Kolbe Kimbrew (232) and Derrick Shaw (221).
Upcoming weekly specials
Among non-touring and independent special events coming up for Late Models at dirt tracks around the country:
Bedford (Pa.) Speedway (July 25): The Gary Martz Memorial pays $3,000-to-win for Super Late Models with extra money donation for through the Martz family.
Dacotah Speedway, Mandan, N.D. (July 25-26): The North Dakota Governor’s Cup presented by Dakota Community Bank & Trust includes a pair of $2,000-to-win events for WISSOTA Late Models.
North Florida Speedway, Lake City, Fla. (July 25-26): The Summer Slams includes a $1,509-to-win 602 Crate Late Model event Friday and $2,509-to-win Limited Late Model event Saturday.
Big Sky Speedway, Billings, Mont. (July 25-26): WISSOTA Late Models are part of the two-day program with mods, sprints and compacts also in action.
East Alabama Motor Speedway, Phenix City, Ala. (July 26): Super Late Models battle for a $10,000-to-win payday topping a six-division card that includes 602 Crate Late Models.
Cottage Grove (Ore.) Speedway (July 26): The Virgil Hanson Memorial Logger’s Cup pays $4,200-to-win along with lap money for one of the most lucrative summer events on the West Coast.
Selinsgrove (Pa.) Speedway (July 26): A $5,000-to-win Super Late Models highlights the first of a two-day weekend that concludes with a $10,099-to-win sprint cat event Sunday.
Beckley (W.Va.) Motor Speedway (July 26): The Keith and Ellie Bills Memorial pays $3,036-to-win for the Super Late Model division (the event was originally an American All-Star event for Crate Late Models).
Viking Speedway, Alexandria, Minn. (July 26): WISSOTA Late Models make a rare appearance at the half-mile oval (modifieds aren’t on the card).
Silver Bullet Speedway, Owendale, Mich. (July 26): DIRTcar-sanctioned Super Late Models chase a $3,000 payday out of a $10,900 purse with five divisions on the undercard (Crate Late Models aren’t in action).
Brownstown (Ind.) Speedway (July 26): The Jackson County Fair Race includes six divisions with Super Late Models and Crate Late Models in action for the fifth annual Don Gardner Memorial; no purses were publicized.
Eriez Speedway, Hammett, Pa. (July 27): The Hess Garage and Salvage-sponsored Dick Litz Memorial pays $2,900-to-win for Super Late Models with the track’s regular divisions (minus econo mods) in action.
