Coming up this weekend 25 July 2015 Shadybowl is having a race to remember one of the legends on local racing. They will race the Denny Shatto Memorial Late Model Race. It will be 110 laps of hard driving, fast racing, and close competition that pay $2000 to win. With drivers like Jim Lewis, Josh Smith, John and Shawn Stroble, Scott Sullenbuger, Mile Ward, Russ Bobb, Jesse Gade, Arlis Williams and many more drivers.
Shadybowl is known for having memorial races for drivers. This is different Denny only drove once but was one of the best car builders in Ohio, if not in the whole Midwest. His cars won many races on all type of tracks, in several series and on both dirt and asphalt.
In the late fifties he started building cars with his best’s friend Wayne Wattercutter who drove them. The Shatto race team would race as many as 5 times a week. They would race twice on Sunday at New Breman Speedway and Eldora Speedway. They raced tracks that are still around today like Shadybowl Speedway, Eldora Speedway, Columbus Speedway, and Toledo Speedway. He also raced at tracks that are now just a memory like Kil-Kare Speedway, Dayton Speedway, Queen City Speedway and New Breman Speedway.
He races at other track all over the country in 1983 thru 1985 when his cars raced the American Stockcar Association (ASA). He raced in Canada, Ohio and all across the mid-west.
While his cars race in the ASA his driver was Don Gregory Sr. They raced against the best. Many of the drivers moved up to NASCAR such as Mark Martin, Rusty Wallace, Davey Allison, Alan Kulwicki and Dick Trickle. He had some great sponsors like Valvoline Oil Company, Champion Spark Plugs and A-1 Auto.
He work on NASCAR cars for the Ward Brother’s out of Celina Ohio during 1980 and 1981. He prepared the bodies and help where he could.
He once had Harry Gant drive his car at a special event at CMS against locals and other NASCAR drivers. Harry started 17th because of a flat tire during qualifying. Harry drove the wheels of the car and got up to 3rd place before mechanical problems put him out near the end of the race.
Denny had many of the biggest names in Ohio racing drive his cars over the years. He had his best friend Wayne Wattercutter driver his car. He also had Don Gregory, Jerry Mitchell, Dick and Dennis Kelly, Larry Kiser, John Vallo, Dick Dunlevy Jr. and many others during the years.
Over the years Denny Shatto’s cars won many raced but he never raced local for a championship. He raced were he wanted and when he wanted. He was his own man; he built his own cars and picked his drivers. He owed nothing to any series or track.
He loved racing and the legacy is carried on by his son Kevin, Wife Chris and the Jerry and Kathy Gross. Kevin and team are still building race cars and choosing his drivers and racing the tracks that he wants to race at.
The 110 of Shatto/Gross racing is there and still going strong and keeping the memories of Denny Shatto alive.
Shadybowl is known for having memorial races for drivers. This is different Denny only drove once but was one of the best car builders in Ohio, if not in the whole Midwest. His cars won many races on all type of tracks, in several series and on both dirt and asphalt.
In the late fifties he started building cars with his best’s friend Wayne Wattercutter who drove them. The Shatto race team would race as many as 5 times a week. They would race twice on Sunday at New Breman Speedway and Eldora Speedway. They raced tracks that are still around today like Shadybowl Speedway, Eldora Speedway, Columbus Speedway, and Toledo Speedway. He also raced at tracks that are now just a memory like Kil-Kare Speedway, Dayton Speedway, Queen City Speedway and New Breman Speedway.
He races at other track all over the country in 1983 thru 1985 when his cars raced the American Stockcar Association (ASA). He raced in Canada, Ohio and all across the mid-west.
While his cars race in the ASA his driver was Don Gregory Sr. They raced against the best. Many of the drivers moved up to NASCAR such as Mark Martin, Rusty Wallace, Davey Allison, Alan Kulwicki and Dick Trickle. He had some great sponsors like Valvoline Oil Company, Champion Spark Plugs and A-1 Auto.
He work on NASCAR cars for the Ward Brother’s out of Celina Ohio during 1980 and 1981. He prepared the bodies and help where he could.
He once had Harry Gant drive his car at a special event at CMS against locals and other NASCAR drivers. Harry started 17th because of a flat tire during qualifying. Harry drove the wheels of the car and got up to 3rd place before mechanical problems put him out near the end of the race.
Denny had many of the biggest names in Ohio racing drive his cars over the years. He had his best friend Wayne Wattercutter driver his car. He also had Don Gregory, Jerry Mitchell, Dick and Dennis Kelly, Larry Kiser, John Vallo, Dick Dunlevy Jr. and many others during the years.
Over the years Denny Shatto’s cars won many raced but he never raced local for a championship. He raced were he wanted and when he wanted. He was his own man; he built his own cars and picked his drivers. He owed nothing to any series or track.
He loved racing and the legacy is carried on by his son Kevin, Wife Chris and the Jerry and Kathy Gross. Kevin and team are still building race cars and choosing his drivers and racing the tracks that he wants to race at.
The 110 of Shatto/Gross racing is there and still going strong and keeping the memories of Denny Shatto alive.