Family, Friends Plan First-Ever Guy Griffin Memorial Race At Mercer
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MERCER, PA — While it has been four years since a dirt track race featured Guy Griffin in the number 11 car, his legacy carries on.
Michael’s Mercer Raceway Park, along with Griffin’s friends and family, will honor the late driver with the inaugural Guy Griffin Memorial Race.
The race, proposed by Mercer’s announcer Jim Balentine and Dan Horstman, who served as not only a friend of Griffin’s but also a member of his pit crew, is planned for Saturday, July 31, 2021. It comes four years after a race where Griffin was involved in a wreck, suffering a traumatic brain injury and broken neck.
For three years, Griffin recovered surrounded by family and friends, including wife Stacey, daughter Rachel and Horstman, but was moved to a nursing facility, where he resided for several months before recuring pneumonia weakened his body, and eventually died. Stacey still attends races at area tracks, making friends with people all over, partially because of her late husband’s connection.
“It was something we always did,” including
attending races to support other drivers and growing friendships. “From racing, I think I met a million people,” Stacey said. “So many people liked Guy, he had so many people who looked up to him.”
Griffin’s death occurred during the COVID-19 pandemic, limiting the number of people who could grieve with the Griffin family and close friends, including Dan Horstman and his sons Nelson and Michael, who all had been involved with Griffin’s racing career.
The older Horstman said he was approached by Balentine, an announcer at Mercer, about the idea of a memorial event on the local dirt track Griffin raced. “Guy was liked by so many people, and he was so happy to meet with fans, particularly kids,” including Hortsman’s children, his own daughter and stepdaughters plus grandchildren. “We want to see this continue on, growing each year and continuing Guy’s impact on people,” Horstman said.
Jim Balentine, who has known Griffin since the late 1980s, has records of Griffin’s involvement in dirt track racing, which has included Karts, Micros, 6 Cylinder mods, Big Block mods, 410s the 305, eventually 600 micros. Throughout his career, Griffin earned wins at area tracks, including Mercer — 1997 modified track champ, 4 career wins; 2011 Outlaw sprint warrior champ 7 career wins; Sharon — 3 big block modified wins; Hickory speedway 1993 micro sprint champ; Sharon –Green flag sprints 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2010, 2011 champ, 37 career wins.
He took a break from racing until 2015, when he earned the 600cc Sprint championship at Deerfield Raceway and 10 feature wins; then in 2016, finished third in points at the Deerfield Raceway, earning 7 feature wins, plus raced in Lebanon, Pa., Tennessee, Indiana and New York.
All of that changed July 2, 2017.
Of the spur-of-the-moment decision to attend the race at the Path Valley Speedway in Franklin County, Pa., where the accident occurred, Stacey said, “That weekend, that Fourth of July weekend, we got rained out at Deerfield,” Stacey said. “We made the decision to go, Guy got right on the phone and called everyone to tell them. We had a truck full. That day it was so hot, probably 90 degrees. And everything was
odd about that day,” Stacey said. “To this day, l don’t know exactly what happened,” Stacey said, but the injuries included a broken neck and trauma to the head.
Nephew Nathen McDowell is following in his Uncle Guy’s footsteps, as a driver himself, using the same number as Griffin. McDowell said his exposure to racing starting when he was very young, “I was a couple days old when I went to my first race to watch him. My favorite number has always been 11, which that was his number,” he said of the selection in racing under number 11.
Not getting started until July 2019, McDowell said, “I never got to be in the track with him, but the best memory was always getting to be in victory lane with him.”
McDowell is planning to race his 358 modified in the event honoring his uncle and plans to progress to the 410 for the 2022 season.
The race will take place Saturday, July 31, with gates opening at 5 p.m. and racing at 7 p.m. The evening’s events will include 410 Sprints, with a $2,500 top prize; Big block mods, 305 Sprints, Limited Mods, Junior sprints, kids’ Power Wheel Race, plus autograph night and meet the drivers.
In addition to the events at the racetrack, there will be 50/50 raffle with proceeds to be used to help pay down expenses related to Griffin’s care prior to this death, and commemorative T-shirts.
For information, visit michaelsmercerraceyway.com
If there are any additional questions, please reach out to Dan Horstman at 724-646-1364
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