Jennerstown Speedway Hall of Fame Presented by Tri Star Motors Somerset, PA

Born March 7, 1964, the driver of the 31 car, is Mark Cattone. He is from McKeesport, PA, and has raced for 43 years in Four Cylinders, Late Model, and Motorcycle divisions and is a current crew chief for all divisions. He has competed at Jennerstown, Motordrome, Clearfield, Toledo, Winchester, Nashville, Columbus, Oswego, PPMS, and many other speedways. Throughout his career, he has won over 100 features and 10 championships. His most memorable races have been racing in the Piney Lasky race and the Steel City 100’s. His family has been his biggest supporters, including his children Carissa and Taylor.

Michael “Mike” Nelson was born in Pittsburgh, PA in 1954. His father was a part of the PRA pit crew in the circuit that ran 4 nights a week in the 50s with Heidelberg Raceway as the flagship track. Nelson attended these PRA circuit races in the 1950s as an infant hidden in an empty tool box in the pits. During the height of Heidelberg, Nelson was there for the dirt races into the asphalt years during his highschool and college years.

In 1982, he began video taping local races as a hobby, later becoming a business full time in 1985. He taped races from Feburary to November in 12 states, with over 100 events. He later announced at Clearfield Speedway after the paving of the track in 1986. In 1987, he was hired by the Lasky family to announce and also joined NASCAR. Nelson hosted the TV show “Chase to the Checker” for five years.

1988 marked when Nelson was hired to work full time as a marketing director for Jennerstown. Along with being busy at Jennerstown, he announced at Motordrome during the early NASCAR sanctioning at both tracks.

Doug Black has been going to the Jennerstown Races for over 65 years—first as a spectator and later as a member of a pit crew. In the mid 50’s, a friend’s grandma and aunt would pick the two boys up and drive from Confluence to Jennerstown’s ¼ mile dirt track. Those two ladies loved those dirt balls that hit them in the face. Doug told them that he was going to live by that dirt track. For the past 47 years, he has lived less than one mile from the track.

Doug began working on pit crews in 1972. Today he continues to assist drivers with ignition, wiring, and electrical problems in all divisions. He has no favoritism–he wants great racing for the entire racing community. He has helped on pit crews at Jennerstown dirt and asphalt, Bedford, Hesston, Thundervalley, Motordrome dirt and asphalt, Roaring Knob, Latrobe, and a Pocono Invitational.

This guy is lucky to be married to a woman who loves boys in fast cars. Together they have created a successful business, Black’s Specialty Service, two daughters, and have been blessed with three grandchildren.

Edward Lynn Houpt (Hippie) was born Janurary 10, 1942 and is from Somerset, PA. He raced for about 6 years and is being inducted into the 2023 Jennerstown Speedway Hall of Fame. Houpt competed in the Street Stock division at Jennerstown, Motordrome, Latrobe, Ebensburg, Meyersdale, and Cumberland.

His favorite memory from racing was when he was driving the number 11 Chevy that caught on fire with two laps to go. He finished the race and was met by firetrucks rather than a victory lap. His biggest accomplishment was winning the Piney Lasky Birthday race, years later his son, Dave Houpt won the same race. His legacy will be carried on by his three children, eight grandchildren, and five great-grandchildren.