Local Stock Car Racing

Local Stock Car Racing

carlg.jpg (53940 bytes) Bink Mobil
Driver: Gary Deem
Born: 7/3/54
Hometown: Duncansville
Occupation: Owner-Deem Motors

Facts: Racing for 18 years, wife LaVerne, daughter Tonya

Little known fact: Gary earned eight letters in football, basketball and baseball at Hollidaysburg

Year you started driving stock car?
1980--the year my daughter was born.

How did you get started racing?
My bother, a friend and I would always go to the races. They decided it would be fun to have a race car, went out and bought one and asked me to drive it. I eagerly accepted and have been driving ever sense. We just started out of nowhere, out of friendship. We grew up around race tracks and would go all the time with my dad, but never owned a car until my bother and his friend bought one.

Who are your sponsors?
Outback Steak House, Meadows Go Cart, George's Lawn Care, Yingling Tree Service, Wohler Construction, Luigetta?s in Hollidaysburg, Subway, CPR Supplies and myself Deem Motors. I don't believe it is sponsoring. I think of it more as selling advertising--a moving billboard. When I am on the track or out in the public people see the ads and to me that is advertising. When I am in the paper and they write a story about my race and winning they usually include my sponsors.

How many car have you owned?
I have owned 8 cars to date. You should only keep them for 2 years or so and then fatigue sets in and it is time to sell the car. Right now I drive a Monte Carlo body and Chevy motor 406 aluminum block, built by Dave Harris. We use aluminum blocks because they are about 50 pounds lighter.

How many wins do you have?
So far I have 3 championships. The 85 championship in Jennerstown, the 94 Late Model Championship in Hidden Valley up in Clearfield and this year's Late Model Championship at Winber speedway.

Tell me about the different kinds of racing at the area tracks.
There are feature races where you have to win your heat in order to qualify for the feature. In addition there is king of the hill and Austrian pursuit. King of the hill has two racers going head to head for 5 laps. Austrian pursuit is very interesting. The top ten qualifiers go out single line on a track and you win by not letting anyone pass you. It's a process of elimination. If you get passed, you're out.

How many different tracks have you been on?
I have been on 8 different tracks. Clearfield, Bedford, Hagerstown, Hidden Valley, Challenger, Winber, Winchester and Thunder Valley.

Which tracks do you like the best?
The small tracks because you don?t have to have a big motor and you can show yourself as a driver.
On the big tracks, like Bedford, if you don?t have a big motor you might as well stay home. I mean I will be ok coming out of the turns but by the time we get top of the straightaway the guys with the power pass me. My car is best suited for places like Winber Speedway where it's more the driver and not the car.

How many people are in your pit crew?
I have a great pit crew. My bother Bob, Scott Jackson, Charlie Burk, David Lee, Randy Arnold, Mike More, Con Von, Carl Williams, my daughter and my wife. This year one very special member of my pit crew passed away 2 weeks into the season. He was only he was 42 years old.

Clifford Beck--Bink to us, was my best friend and a lifetime member of the crew. His name is on the car in two places. We worked together on a Monday night and he died on Tuesday in his sleep. It was really hard on all of us to go on racing. In his memory I named the car the Bink Mobil--so every time I go out he is with me. The week after he passed away I won my first race. And it was so emotional it was great. When I race I pray to have a good safe race--now it's let me and Bink have a good safe race. It's almost as if he is with me in the car. Losing Bink and winning the championship in Winber has made this a very emotional year for all of us.

Would you like to see more information on local stock car racing. There are over 200 drivers racing at 9 local tracks in this area. Give Gary Deem a call and let him know that the Internet is the perfect vehicle to post schedules, events. results and point standings. Let him know you saw his profile at Green Banana MarketPlace and want to see more local race coverage.