How Steve got started and the #30 team materialized

Steve started working on Thunder cars in 1986. He worked as a crew member and crew chief for Jeff Newman for 6 years. During this time he was educated by Jeff in the areas of body work, fabricating, electrical wiring and plumbing of a racecar. Understanding the car became an obsession. He watorked day and night to learn as much as he could from the Jeff. Jeff taught him to build engines and the process of setting up a racecar from the frame to the suspension and what it takes to get the car on the track. He learned common ideas that led to many wins and 2 championships. The fuse had been lit and Steve could not get enough of the sport.

After Jeff Newman quit full time racing, Steve began racing on his own. At first he could only afford to race oval track Quads with engines that were equal to Micro Sprint engines. These Quads were wild if not insane and that was perfect for Steve. He raced the quads for 2 years, In 1993 he won the PA Amateur District 6 Championship and had a few wins. In 1994 he was on a mission. Brad McClelland hooked him up with Eddie Sanders Racing Engines, which normally built engines for Micros. Steve won 11 races that year including one at a ½ mile track in Celina, Ohio and one at Challenger Speedway against their outlaw quads. He finished 1994 by winning the PA Expert District 6 Championship.

In 1996 Jeff Newman said let’s race again and this time your going to drive too. So they built another Thunder car. Jeff drove at Trailways and Steve drove at Lincoln. That was Steve’s first year of driving a Thunder car and he won his 4 th race out. He won a total of 3 races that year and ended that year with the “Rookie of the Year” title at Lincoln. Steve raced for Jeff and his wife Vickie for 4 years. That ride ended with a lot of wins and experience as the Newman’s packed up for Hawaii. Aloha!

Year 2000 Steve got an offer to drive for Staub Brothers of Bonneauville, which he gladly accepted. They won 10 races together and set a few time records at Lincoln over the next 4 years ending in 2003 with the Lincoln Speedway Thunder Car Championship.

In 2003 Steve also tried his hand in the 358 division with the help of Paul Stein, Jr. and Steve’s father in law ken Gebhart. Steve was just looking for some experience to prepare for the following year in the 358 division. He managed 2 wins in the 6 races in ran that year. That sparked the interest of Donnie Owens a friend of Steve’s father in law and owner of Catoctin Development. Donnie offered to help monetarily and that paved the way for what would turn out to be a very promising year of 2004. Steve finished 2004 in the top 10 in points at both Lincoln Speedway and Trailway-Speedway.

2005 Donnie took over as car owner and Ken Gebhart built a new engine and bought the team a nice trailer. With Donnie and Ken 100% behind the Steve and a phone call to some Thunder car buddies the new #30 team immerged. Chet McCormick a former Thunder car driver agreed to help on the team and he brought along his brother Andrew McCormick and their father Chet McCormick, Sr. The team started the year out focusing on the Trailway-Speedway points championship. They set their goal high and accomplished it. Steve and his crew won the Trailway championship and had one win.

2006 was the first full year of 410 racing and finished with a 13th place finish at Lincoln speedway. The year also included several great nights were we almost had our first checkered flag. With the addition of Kirk dewease and our new trailer, we are very hopeful that 2007 will show even more Improvement.