Profiles of veterans Spieker, Miller heading into ACS opening night

CORNING —  Practice is only four days away at Adams County Speedway for some test and tune.

Then on Saturday, it’s 2015 KCSI 95.3 opening night at ACS.

On opening night two legends will prepare to embark on the journey of trying to chase down another championship. Reaching into the record book back to 1983, Chris Spieker has obtained nine late model championship titles, and Greg Miller has achieved 10 pro-stock championship titles at ACS.

Both men have spent a great part of their lives devoted to a sport that they love and enjoy. This year they return with the same hopes as the 100-plus drivers competing in Corning, to bring home the title again. For these two sportsmen it starts with the determination to protect their reign as last season’s winners.

State champ

Chris Spieker, driver of the #56 Coor’s Light Late Model, prepares to defend his throne as last season’s ACS champion and his title of NASCAR Whelen All-American Series state champion.

Name: Chris Spieker

Age: 45 years old

Hometown: Massena.

What got you racing: I have been coming to the races since I was 2 weeks old. My Dad (Charlie Spieker) was involved with racing when I was born. He was either part of a crew or crew chief on at least four different cars in the early 70's. The cars he helped with were driven by Varel Schmidt, Ernie Stender, Butch Kerkmann, and Larry Carr.

What are you looking forward to in 2015: This will be our 25th season racing so I am looking forward to proving that we are still one of the top teams in the Midwest.

What is most exciting about driving your car: The speed, seeing how hard you can drive it into the corner and the challenge of making your way to the front.

My Sponsors: Crop Production Services, Dyna-Gro Seed, Schafer Welding, IROC Racecars, Chapman Livestock, Erickson Construction, Bower Farms, Lefty's Pump and
Plumbing, Lewie and Patti Morris, and Ed's Lawn Equipment.

My Crew: David Spieker, Spenser Erickson, Will Erickson, Tim Erickson, Tom Schafer, Justin Schafer, Drew Williams, Pat Spieker, Beth Spieker, Lane Spieker, Chase Spieker,
Austin Williams, Scott Karstens.

My Family: Wife: Shana, Daughters: Allison and Marissa, Son: Loudon.

None of the Achievements we have accomplished could have been done without great help and lots of sacrifice by the crew and their families, as well as my family. Thank You
all for what you have given up in the past 24 seasons so that we could go win many races and championships.

Lorimor driver

Greg Miller driver of the #83 Northland Oil Pro-stock readies himself for another season of door-to-door battling with some of best drivers that the Midwest has to offer as the defending track champion.

Name: Greg Miller

Born: July 30, 1955.

Hometown: I was born and raised in Creston. Now I reside outside of Lorimor.

What got you racing: My dad raced before I was born, so that inspired me to have that racing bug. I'm all about being competitive. My goal is to win it doesn't matter what I'm doing I want to win. My parents did not want me to race, but that did not stop me. I just had to do it.  I'm so glad that I did. In my early years of racing in the 70's I was racing at Ringgold County Speedway and Decatur County Speedway. My only pit crew back then was Paula. The track officials didn't want women in the pit, but I said she is my only help and she is going in with me. They finally agreed to let her in the pit.

Many won’t remember, but at Corning they used to let us change a tire on the track, on a yellow flag. One year, when Sammy Armstrong was the flagman, he had made an announcement that there would be no more changing the tires on the race track. Well, I had a flat in turn one, Paula brought the jack and the tire to the car, I got out of the car to help change the tire, while Paula was telling me “He is heading down here”. Sammy was out of the flag stand and heading for our car. Sammy marched up and said “I told you NO MORE CHANGING OF THE TIRES ON THE TRACK!!  Now hurry up!!”

What are you looking forward to in 2015: I've met a lot of nice people and have had a lot of fun racing. Well, like always I look forward to having fun and winning some races. It will be fun to run side by side with my boy AJ.

What is most exciting about driving your car: The most exciting thing about our car is feeling that Ford power when I put the hammer down.

Crew members and family: Gary & Judy Nissen (which are also the car owners), my wife Paula, my sons AJ and Jesse, our 3-year-old grandson Ethan can often be seen in the pit helping out, our daughter Rebecca and Granddaughters, Olivia, Ashley and Addi are in the stands cheering me on. It is a family sport for sure.

Sponsors include: Nissen Auto, The Exchange, Wenzig Construction, Mid-State Machine, Crop Production Services, Creston Automotive, Creston Livestock Auction, Brown Family Club Calves, Sweet Trucking & Bailing GTS Bowman Machine, T&S Industries, Charlie Brown Auto Salvage, Super Wash. To be competitive you need a lot of people backing you up. With the help of all these great people and sponsors we hope to make some return trips to the Miller Lite Victory Lane again this season.

ACS racers

Racing at ACS should be amazing this year in the Chat Mobility Hobby Stocks with names like Andy Davison, Luke Ramsey, Kurt Hansen Tom Myers, Dave Weeda, Buck Schafroth, Tim McCollum, Jerry Richards, Chris Bates, Matt McAtee, Curtis Gaunt, John Sandbothe, and Ryan Sutter and all others ready to compete scheduled to return to action at the fast half mile.

Competition stiffens in the Stalker Chevrolet B-Mods with drivers like Jerod Weston, Josh Sink, Shawn Kralik, Dave Schafroth, Troy Fudge, Dusti Carlisle, Bret Sheppard, Bryce Allen, Andrew Clark, Cody Werner, Ron Thompson, Dustin Jarillo, Dustin Sheppard, Dave Orr, Ed Hamilton, Lenny Campbell, Ralph Risius, Ryan Jenkins, Kenny Darnold, Christine Jarillo, Tyler Fudge, and Chris Vannausdle among others all hoped to make appearances at ACS.

Speed is on the minds of the Northland Oil Pro-stocks like Joe Zadina, Tony Hardisty, Brad Derry, Craig Garner, Kevin Sharp Clay Mercer, Chad Helvie, David Nail Jr, James Carroll, Jason Rold, Barry Sandeman, AJ Miller, Steve Churchill, Adam Hensel and Glen Hoyt. They also have Dillon Carlise and Dusty Van Horn making the transitions into a new class and many more ready to take the field.

No front left wheels needed for the Poet Biorefining Modifieds while drivers like Jeff James, Brian Foote, Jeff Wiggins, Todd Van Eaton, John Davis, Eric Hanna, Daniel Foote, Russell Stewart, Ryan Peckham, Ryan Schaffer, Cody Bristow, TJ Patterson, Ben Wolverton, Josh Most all looked forward to by the wonderful fans at ACS.

The track will rumble as the Coor’s Light Late Models have Jason O’Brien, John Hampel, Sterling Perkins, Paul Glendenning, Colton Leal, Dave Carlisle, Michael Leal, Josh Most, and others prepare to call Adams County Speedway home for 2015.

A new direction

Adams County Speedway prepares to make a statement in 2015 as a place for drivers, crews and fans to call home on Saturday nights. Mark Wyman has been hired as the new race director at ACS this year. Rick “Gator” Gastrost has been brought in as the new flagman for this season. Tom Myers and Tiffney Knipe have been brought in to bring the food at ACS to a whole new level of tasty.

Grab a friend, grab a seat and enjoy some of the finest racing around on Saturday nights at Adams County Speedway.