OLEAN, N.Y. — Rod Biehler remembers it as if it was, well, 40 years ago.
A radio personality in the Southern Tier since 1966, Biehler also had an avocation … stock car racing.
“I was the promotion director and track announcer at Bradford Speedway and I came up with an idea,” he recalled of an inspiration in 1982. “I went to the owner, Ray Schimp, and said, ‘I want to put on a car show, maybe one in Bradford and one in Olean.’ And he said, ‘I don’t want nothin’ to do with it … you take care of it.’”
That’s exactly what Biehler and his wife Joanie did.
“I got lined up with (manager) Gary Young at the mall in Olean,” he recalled. “We got 17 cars, none of them that looked what you would call pristine, but it was the first car show and from there it has progressed up to 40 years.
“We had it 38 years in a row, then Covid hit us two years ago. It started up again last year with the 39th and this year is the milestone.”
Biehler added, “It’s been a fun run and I’ve enjoyed doing it. (The mall) has been a tremendous venue for us, even through thick and thin that was going on there, we’ve always had tremendous crowds.
“When we first started, one main store complained because of the smell of the new paint on the cars … they didn’t want them near their store. Well, once they found out these people brought money in to spend … that made a big difference.”
And the show has grown, even as the mall has struggled as most of them have, countrywide.
He pointed out, “Over the years Gary said, by far, including Christmas, the car show is always the biggest event that’s ever held at the mall.”
The facility has changed hands but is still a big supporter of the show.
“They’re receptive to the idea,” Biehler said, “and they also want to put a best-foot forward to basically show that they’re trying to improve things (at the mall).
“The car count, in its hey-day, we had about 65 and we’ve got 55 this year and you’ve got to take into consideration the economy. The thing about car shows, it puts people in the stands, they like to see good-looking machines. It’s a chance for the car sponsors to get their names out there and people seem to like being around each other.”
And there are a number of area stock car fans whose love for the sport is not dissimilar from Biehler’s.
“I can remember, as a kid, going to the (Olean) Armory to watch the Bonnies and the Stith brothers, the camaraderie and how great it was,” he said. “It’s the same way with stock car racing … it’s something that’s been in my blood since I was little.”
Indeed, Biehler, 76, who works in sales and does remotes for WPIG, has been track announcer at eight local tracks over a span of six decades.
And, as with every year, he’s enthused about the latest car show.
“Todd Andrews has been one of the most successful drivers on a regional level and his 2005 car will be on display,” Biehler said. “We’ll also have Doug Hewitt’s 1979 NASCAR Modified and the 1952 Hudson Hornet of the late Chuck McKeirnan.
“The American Soap Box Derby cars will be there and a vintage rail dragster. In all, there will be 24 classes of cars and, Saturday afternoon ,eight people will be inducted into the Stock Car Legends Hall of Fame.”
All that at 40 years and counting.
(Chuck Pollock, an Olean Times Herald senior sports columnist, can be reached at cpollock@oleantimesherald.com)
