Alan Magner’s love for racing started at a young age when his parents, Glenn and Sylvia Magner, took him to the races during the summer while they worked as employees at Brownstown, Twin Cities and Bloomington speedways.
Glenn Magner was a scorekeeper at all three tracks over a 25-year period. In 1977, Magner’s parents, along with Bill and Shirley Mitchell of Columbus, promoted Brownstown Speedway for one season.
But it would be nine more years before Magner started his own racing career.
The North Vernon native, who turned 50 on Aug. 3, began his racing career in 1986 when he purchased a used go-kart and raced at the North Vernon Kart Club at the Jennings County Fairgrounds.
He raced karts for five years, competing at Southern Indiana dirt tracks and in specialized road-course events. He won 45 feature events in karts.
In 1994, Magner made the decision to start racing an open-wheel modified. Magner and North Vernon racecar owner Larry Hartwell built the car. Magner raced in the modified division for 10 years until 2004. After that season he stopped racing for two years because he was building a new house for his family.
Toward the end of the 2006 racing season, Magner connected with Kevin Borgman and Stacy York to help them develop their race team. In 2007, after a two-year hiatus from racing, Magner was back on the track driving in the Indiana Super Stock Division.
The team would win the Brownstown track championship in 2008 and 2009 and finish fourth nationally in the UMP National Series standings in 2009, despite running a limited schedule that year.
In 2010 and 2011, Magner and Borgman made the move into the Indiana Late Model Series for crate late models. In 2012, the duo upped the ante by adding a super late model to their stable of racecars. Late in 2013, Magner and Borgman would hook-up with Columbus native Joe Janowski, who now lives in Carmel.
In 2014, the team decided to combine their efforts so they could bring the race team to a stronger level. Magner and Janowski then added Columbus resident and businessman Steve Vawter to the fold. So far in 2015, Magner is third in the weekly super late model points at Brownstown and second in the Indiana Late Model Series points.
“Steve (Vawter) has given us this unique opportunity for Joe and myself to compete in both the super late model and Pro (Crate) Late Model Series this year between our Bad Medicine Motorsports and Magner Racing Inc. entries,” said Magner, who currently has 19 career wins between modifieds, super stocks and late models.
“I have to thank the fans who come out each week to support local racing. It means a lot to us. I want to thank Kevin Borgman and Bobby Magner for all of the dedication and financial support to keep the cars competitive each week. Crew members Andy Wienhorst, and Brad Erwin are a huge asset to our success.
“There are others that have been instrumental in our team’ success over the years and I want to give a special thanks to Larry Hartwell, Mark Barber, Steve “Bones” Wainscott, Jeremy Petro, Butch Beach, and a special remembrance for a good friend, Scott Owens, who lost his battle with cancer a few years ago.”
During the week, Magner is an operations manager at Decatur Mold Tool and Engineering in North Vernon. He is a 1983 graduate of Jennings County High School. He is married to Hope native Tammy Flora, a 1984 graduate of Hauser High School. They have two children, Jordan and Tori.
The race teams sponsors include CS Prototyping LLC, Vawter Properties, National Karting Association, Borgman Farms, Brad Erwin Customs, Print Worx Graphics, Advanced Shocks, VP Fuels, Hendren Engines, Barry Wright Race Cars, Bob Pierce Race Cars, Warrior Race Engines, Tranter Race Engines, Bob Poynter Ford, Beck’s Seeds, Kendall Farms, Fresh Printz, Integrated Health of Indiana, RE Suspensions and Decatur Mold.
Moffatt Wins Sprint Car Feature at Twin Cities
Joss Moffatt of Columbus won the 20-lap 410 sprint car feature Aug. 8 at Twin Cities Raceway Park in Vernon. Moffatt, who started fourth, took the lead on the second lap and went on for his second overall win of the 2015. Drew Abel of North Vernon finished third in the feature event. The event drew 27 entries.
Good Weekend for Tony Stewart Racing on dirt
Ronnie Combs of Greensburg won the Midwest TQ Racing League (MTQRL) feature event Aug. 8 at the Shelby County Fairgrounds in Shelbyville. It was the 100th race in the history of the series. Combs, in the Tony Stewart-owned entry, outdueled Stewart-teammate Callie Wolsiffer of New Palestine for the win.
Joe Godsey of Edinburgh, driving a Stewart-owned open wheel modified, raced to his 15th overall win of the season on Aug. 7 at Lincoln Park Speedway in Putnamville.
Racing flashback—-40 years ago
(Results from 1975)
Ira Bastin won the late-model feature at Brownstown over Doug McCammon and Noel Witcher. Herman Burton of Columbus won the hobby stock feature over Gene Minor of Columbus and Chuck Warren. At Twin Cities Dee Kramer won the 6-cylinder feature over Gary Herbert and Johnny Robbins. Harold Lucas won the hobby stock feature over Chuck Gilpin of Columbus and Bill Smith of Columbus. Dick Gaines won the sprint-car feature at Bloomington over Bob Kinser and Bobby Black of Columbus. Ira Bastin won the late-model feature over Ray Godsey and Ernie Barrow.
Local racing results
Twin Cities Raceway Park
(Aug. 8)
Non-wing sprint feature: 1. Joss Moffatt 2. Bub Cummings 3. Drew Abel 4. Brent Karraker 5. Jordan Kinser
Super stock feature: 1. Tyler Cain 2. Matt Boknecht 3. Gary Rahe Jr. 4. Steve Hollars 5. Kevin Jones
Modified feature: 1. Matt Hamilton 2. Greg Amick 3. Richie Lex 4. Matt Boknecht 5. Sam Wray
Pure stock feature: 1. Mark Bruce 2. Mickey Hines 3. Troy Clark 4. Donnie Wilson 5. Ross Smith
Hornet feature: 1. Austin Burton 2. Todd Cain 3. Jacob Owens 4. Cody Perry 5. Wesley Napier
Upcoming racing schedule
Brownstown Speedway
(812-356-5332)
Tonight
Hall of Fame Classic-super late models, Indiana Pro late models, modifieds, super stocks, and Hornets
Twin Cities Raceway Park
(812-346-7223)
Tonight
Crate late models, modifieds, street stocks, pure stocks and Hornets
Lawrenceburg Speedway
(812-539-4700)
Tonight
Non-wing sprints, modifieds, pure stocks and Hornets
Paragon Speedway
(765-537-2366)
Tonight
Non-wing sprints, super stocks, pure stocks, bombers and Hornets
Bloomington Speedway
(812-824-7400)
Friday, Aug. 21
Season finale-non-wing sprints, super stocks, modifieds, RaceSaver sprints and hornets
