A LEGACY CONTINUES

Next generation of Heydenreich family getting behind the wheel

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When your last name is Heydenreich and you live in Bloomsburg, it is fair to say that you will have racing and coal dust running in your veins and have driven around in circles at some point in your life.

In this sense, going in circles means turning left, to go right.

The next generation of open-wheel racers to carry on the Heydenreich name are Dane and Cole Heydenreich, of Bloomsburg, sons of open-wheel racer Eric Heydenreich and his wife Jessalynn.

Their famed cousin is longtime open-wheel chauffer John Heydenreich, who lives in Indianapolis. The latter is a veteran of the USAC Midget National Series and USAC Silver Crown series and was the 1990 winner of the prestigious Chili Bowl Midget Nationals in Tulsa, Okla. The boys, Cole 10, and Dane 9 started racing go-karts when they were 4. They attend Central Columbia Middle School where Cole is in 5th grade, and Dane is in 4th grade.

Their younger brother Hank, who just turned 4, will probably begin his racing career near the end of next year.

Along with racing, the boys also have an interest in baseball. They not only enjoy playing the game but also attend Phillies games and they like motorsports-related video games.

“They are both pretty good racers in the go-karts and quarter-midgets,” Eric said. “Cole is an aggressive driver, and he enjoys racing the micro sprint.”

Cole expressed to his dad that he wants to run both the micro and go-kart this year.

“I wasn’t as aggressive a driver as Cole is,” Eric said when asked if he saw any similarities between his driving and the boys' driving when he was their age. “Cole is good at avoiding wrecks. They want to go to different tracks, and they want to run to have fun.”

Cole, who enjoys math in school (his mom has a mechanical engineering degree from Penn State), races Rookie blue go-karts, 125cc micro sprints, and quartermidgets. He may move up to the 250cc rookie micro sprintcar class at some point this year.

Dane, who likes social studies in schools races the Rookie purple go-karts and the quarter-midget.

“The quarter-midgets are great for side-by-side racing but on the other hand it is really hard to pass,” Eric said of the boys’ ability to run multiple classes and learn the art of racing. “In the go-karts, at a track like Greenwood, it’s a big track and it gets you better at being smooth and staying out of trouble. You run both (classes) and it helps you in the long run.

“That translated over into the micro for Cole and in his first time out last year he was pretty much up to speed with them and it’s a good class to learn in.”

Cole, who wanted to race motorcycles at Motorama in Harrisburg this year, was runner-up in the go-kart track title at Greenwood a few years ago.

During the winter months, the boys keep their need for speed going as they race Radio Controlled trucks with their dad at the Bloomsburg Raceway and Hobby shop.

The family suffered a devastating house fire on Febr. 19, 2021, in which they lost everything including the boys’ gokarts and related equipment along with their RC trucks.

While the family made it out alive, they lost their Beagle named Blue, despite a valiant effort by Eric to run back into the house and rescue her.

“We were lucky the quarter midgets were in the trailer in the driveway and the firemen on scene were able to keep the trailer from being involved,” Jess said. “Aside from a melted taillight, the trailer and all contents were spared.”

The racing family stepped right in to help ease the burden of their losses.

“Our families and racing community were incredibly generous,” Jess said of the support after the fire. “The board at Keystone Quarter Midgets was generous and replaced the end-of-season gifts that were given to the boys several weeks before the fire, including awards and photos.”

Jess’ family has no racing history, but her dad, Marty Chamberlin, a car and motorcycle guy, really enjoys helping in the pits.

With the family-owned coal business, Sones Coal Yard, and their involvement with concession stands at county fairs and the baseball schedule, the boys don’t run for points but have raced at places like Keystone, Lehigh Valley, and Snydersville, for the quarter-midget while they have run go-karts at Selinsgrove Raceway Park and Greenwood Action Track.

“I’ll probably run the micro more than the go-kart,” Cole said. “I like being either the pitcher or catcher in baseball.”

“I like that I can go to the track and have fun,” Dane said about racing. “I like being a pitcher and going to the Phillies games.”

Robert Ballou is Cole’s favorite driver while Brady Bacon is Dane’s favorite driver.

Their grandfather, Rich Heydenreich, also raced quartermidgets back in the day.

“I got a big ride in the midget at Bloomsburg Raceway last year when Eric wasn’t around,” Rich said. “I putted around and got my feet wet in the midget, but Uncle Freddy (Fred Heydenreich, John’s father) raced under Fred Charles. He had one of the few roadster midgets in Pennsylvania.”

Rich, who was an elementary school teacher in Bloomsburg for more than 30 years, having graduated from then Bloomsburg State Teachers College, now Bloomsburg University, still works in the office at the family coal business which has been around for more than 70 years.

“They have potential,” Rich said of his grandsons. “They like to work on the cars, and they are always tinkering with stuff, which is good. The big thing is that it’s a family thing. You hear that from a lot of people in racing, but it truly is. It is a good family sport.”

And when you’re a Heydenreich, racing, and anthracite coal run deep in the family veins.