THE GASSERS ARE COMING! Photos & story by Joe Secka
T
he 2021 Gasser Reunion returned to its traditional June timeline after being disrupted by the Covid-19 pandemic. It was a relief to be heading back toward “normal” even if we are only partially there. The 2022 event not only brings hope that we will be seeing participation and daily schedules that we were used to seeing but there is a new element in the mix this year. Thompson Raceway Park was sold to the Kuhnle Brothers late last year and the facility has been appropriately named Kuhnle Raceway Park. The new owners didn’t wait long to announce a host of improvements they would be undertaking prior to the 2022 season opener. The “quick list” includes re-leveling and re-paving the shutdown area, re-paving, widening, and straightening the return road, adding additional lighting to return road, removing guard rails in shut down area and replacing them with concrete walls on both sides and the creation of a much larger social media presence to highlight races, drivers, and events. The Kuhnle family is not a newcomer to the performance arena and posted the following to introduce themselves to the track followers, “We’re aware a lot of you may be unfamiliar with our family and company. The Kuhnle family is a huge supporter and fan of ALL motorsports. Both dirt and pavement! We can’t begin to articulate how excited we are to carry the torch! Stay tuned for updates in the spring!” This news has certainly piqued my interest and, from what I have been told, hundreds of others are feeling positive vibes. My first trips to Thompson took place back in the early ‘60s. Yes, things were quite different back then and the “Gasser Reunion” has brought back a lot of those memories.
8 Cruisin’ Times ~ June 2022
Updated daily at www.cruisintimesmagazine.com
