Allentown Produces Many Race Drivers--

Gene "Gino" Swarthout, 1960s-early 1970s Race Driver

by Ron Taylor

While growing up in little Allentown, NY, in the 1940s I well remember my next door neighbor, Gene Swarthout. 

Gene had quite a successful racing career around the tracks of western NY/PA in his early driving years in Modifieds and Late Models.  Later he went on to drive other Cars and below is a list of the accomplishments of Gene in his own words.  Following the listing are a few pictures from his Memory Book and captions which Gene supplied.

Gene "Gino" Swarthout

1969 & 1970 United Racing Club Sprint Cars

1969 Rookie of the Year

1970 Champion

Raced with U. R. C. at the following tracks:

• Fonda, West Lebanon, Owego & Middletown, NY.

• Bedford, Boyertown, Reading, Nazareth, Williams Grove & Abbottstown, PA.

• Harrington, DE.

• East Windsor & Flemington, NJ.

• Essex Junction, VT.

• Thompson, CT.

• Charlotte & Raleigh, NC.

• Canada.

 

• Raced IMCA Sprint Cars at Macon, GA & Tampa FL Nationals in 1971 by invitation as the URC Champion.
   

• Raced Super Modifieds at Oswego, NY.
   

• Raced Winged Sprints at Williams Grove, Selinsgrove, Boyerstown, Jennerstown & Oil City, PA.
   

• Started by racing Modifieds and Late Models in Western NY and PA.

 

"1961 at Angelica Raceway; Do those look like slick tires?  (But it was good enough!)"

"Buck's car at Perry on a good day.  (Old Irv Hall's car.) Mid 60's."

"Buck and Me with Dick Hodgkiss's Hildabrand sprinter on Oswego, NY asphalt.  Mid 60's."

"Don Collin's Sprinter at Harrington, DE.  Me at work & under power.  (Check the dirt trail off the tires.)  Won 1969 Rookie of the Year in this car."

"Jim Shaw's Sprinter at Flemington, NY.  Great Ride! Nice Hat.  Won 1970 Championship in this car."