Flinner says crash didn't end career
It has been speculated that John Flinner is finished racing, or at the very least taking a year off, because of a crash last fall at Challenger Raceway.
However, Flinner says his absence from racing so far this season stems from factors other than the Challenger ordeal.
"That doesn't have anything to do with it," Flinner said. "My girls, Taylor and Tanya, are both asking when I am going to get back into it. They say that people will say it's because of the crash that I am not racing anymore. That's not it."
Flinner owns a signs and graphics business, which, along with the fact that the weather has made it nearly impossible to race, is a major reason he has not been behind the wheel of a race car this season.
"There is more than one reason with my racing deal," Flinner said. "One of them is that I can't afford to lose customers. I have worked my life away by working and racing and not spending as much time with the girls as I should. They are still with me all the time, but they play volleyball at Seneca Valley. I even have the dorky sign on the back window with the ball and their names on it. I'm not the kind of dad who likes to go to games, but I go to the games. I stick it out."
Flinner is a lightning rod in the local racing scene, but there is no question he is a talented driver. His performance on the track has proven that. He is the only driver in Lernerville history to win five consecutive division championships. Flinner won the Late Model title from 2001 to 2005. He is third all-time in Late Model victories behind Lynn Geisler and leader Bob Wearing Sr.
The situation around the crash at Challenger still bothers Flinner. He does not like to fly, but he was airlifted to the hospital, which he says cost him dearly.
"That crash at Challenger cost me $68,000 to not get any medical assistance," Flinner said. "I signed myself out of the hospital the next day and didn't take any medication except for some aspirin. I didn't need to be flown to the hospital in a helicopter. Next time, just put some smelling salts under my nose."
By all accounts, his included, Flinner is not a laid-back sort of person, and he said the main reason he is not back to driving for car owner John Johnson is a disagreement over money.
"I'm going to race eventually," Flinner said. "I quit with Uncle John (Johnson) in November because we had a disagreement over money. I asked him to pay the racing bills because I was just tired of being in debt because of racing. I actually had the worst year of my life financially because of racing. In the summer, I turned down so much work because I would want to make sure the car was done."
Flinner said he wants to focus on his business and enjoy the fruits of his labor.
"Eighty percent is truck and racing graphics, and the other 20 is other stuff," Flinner said. "I've been in business for 23 years. I have a built-in pool at my house, and I think I have been in it four times. The sign shop turned into a race shop, and I have sworn that if I get back into (racing) I will not let that happen again."
Flinner and Johnson have mended fences, and when Flinner is ready to race, they will go racing.
"Uncle John is ready when I am ready," Flinner said. "He and my dad are both ready. But it will be tough, because I have to race twice a week to be good. In my career, I had won a feature every year I have raced at Pittsburgh (Pa. Motor Speedway), and last year I didn't. I was terrible there."
Flinner, 45, has said many times that he was going to retire. But since he kept coming back, he doesn't know why some people think he is done this time.
"People have written me off, and it's funny because I never said I was taking a year off," Flinner said. "True, every year I have said that I was quitting, but people have gotten used to that."
The effects of not running a full schedule could have contributed to Flinner's crash last year at Challenger's Fall Fest.
"The day I crashed, it didn't even happen in the main event, it was the D Main," Flinner said. "I watched Robby Blair's kid win the race Saturday night, and I was just going to pack all my stuff up and go home and not worry about Sunday. But I came back the next day, and I was pretty fast in hot laps, and that is the last thing I remember about that. I wasn't even racing for the big win. I should have just packed up and gone home Saturday; Lynn (Geisler) and Sammy (Stile) got into a crash together, and Lynn just went home. I should have, too."
Flinner said he will not just race for the sake of racing.
"My dad really likes to be at the races, and people have called with deals to drive Late Models and even Modifieds," Flinner said. "It has to be for either Uncle John or a better deal than that. I'm not just going to jump in someone's car and race, or it could be my own stuff again, but I got tired of ripping up my own car.
"I wouldn't mind owning my own Sprint Car. I tell Danny Holtgraver that all the time. I think those guys spend more time washing the right rear tire than anything else."
Ultimately, Flinner made it clear that he plans to return to race again.
"I ain't dead yet," Flinner said. "It ain't over."
Lernerville on SPEED
Don't forget that Tuesday's World of Outlaws Late Model Showdown at Sarvertown was taped for broadcast on SPEED Channel as part of the overall WoO television schedule. Tuesday's race will be broadcast at 12:30 p.m. May 27. The WoO Don Martin Silver Cup race July 17 will also be televised July 22 as part of the package that includes 25 races in 2007 to be televised. Six of those broadcasts will be the Late Model series and the rest will be the Sprint Cars.
Sharon Speedway opener
Sometimes Sharon Speedway gets lost in the crowd of Pittsburgh "area" tracks. Just because the track is right over the border in Ohio that doesn't mean it is a long and difficult drive; in fact, from downtown Pittsburgh it is only 82 miles to Hartford.
Saturday night Sharon will again open its season, just as it has done since 1929. Today the track features Sprint Cars, V-8 Modifieds, E-Mods and Pure Stocks. Racing Saturday will be for points, because of the weather delay there will be no warm-up week before points.
Defending champions at Sharon include Jarod Larson in Sprint Cars, Brian Swartzlander in V-8 Modifieds, Harry Wisler in Pure Stocks and Russ Dunn in E-Mods. Tickets for Saturday's show are on sale now and at the gate; adults $11, kids 12-15 $5 and 11 and under are free. Seats under cover are $16 and a pit pass is $22.
The track will also be assisting a food drive Saturday. From 4 to 6 p.m. if you donate at least two items, non-perishable preferred, of food you will receive a $2 discount on the price of a general admission ticket.
Mercer adjusts schedule
Mercer Raceway was forced to make a change to its schedule this week. The weather forced track officials to push back Wednesday's practice session to Thursday in preparation for Saturday's season-opener.
Saturday's opener is also a Family Night so tickets are $10 for a family, $11 for individual adults, $5 for kids 6-15 and children five and under are free. Pit passes are $25. Gates will open at 3:30 p.m. and racing will begin at 7 p.m.
"Our $10 family nights were very successful last season," Mercer owner Vicki Emig said. "With their success we've scheduled five of them for this season, one per month, starting with Saturday."
Bob Felmlee of Franklin is the defending Sprint Car champion, the third of his career at the track. Mercer's Frank Guidace won his career-first championship last season, in V-8 Modifieds. Brian Booher of Sandy Lake is gunning for his third consecutive Stock Car championship, a feat that has never been accomplished at Mercer.
New this season will be weekly appearances by the Mod Lite division. Also, the Mercer Mini Stocks have been made into a new weekly division.
Opening nights
Mercer Raceway and Sharon Speedway are not the only tracks scheduled to open the 2007 season this weekend. Motordrome Speedway is scheduled to open tonight. Pittsburgh's Pa. Motor Speedway and Hummingbrird Speedway will open its season Saturday and Pittsburgh Raceway Park will hold racing Saturday and Sunday.
Next weekend there are more openers. Dog Hollow will open April 27 followed by Roaring Knob and Marion Center April 28 and Tri-City and Challenger Raceway's Spring Fest V April 29. After that the only local track left to open the season is Jennerstown Speedway which is slated to open May 26.
Additional Information:
Sustained success
Here's a look at the drivers with the longest reigns as division champions at Lernerville Speedway:
Five in a row: John Flinner, Late Models, 2001-2005.
Four in a row: Joe Kelley, Pure Stocks, 1998-2001; Lou Blaney, Sprint Cars, 1972-1975.
Three in a row: Lynn Geisler, Late Models, 1992-1994; Ed Lynch Jr., Sprint Cars, 2003-2005; Dave Pegher, Semi-Lates, 1974-1976; Lou Gentile, 6-Cylinder Modified, 1986-1988; Dave Hoffman, Late Models, 1975-77.
Two in a row: 23 drivers have won consecutive championships.
