1^st Photo: Matt Buda; 1983 Race of Kings.

2^nd Photo: Sam Barlow; 1992 First Modified

3^rd Photo: Kustom Keepsakes; 2003 LV 200

Sam Barlow is an East Greenbush, New York resident, who in started going to the races at Lebanon Valley Speedway in 1958 as a child.  He was a fan of Doug Garrison who drove the yellow X.  A few years later, he was working on Fred Maxwell's car at Pine Bowl Speedway.  He was later on the pit crews of Earl Cross' number 27Jr. and Pat Casey's number 41.

In 1978, Lebanon Valley Speedway started the Spectator Division, and Sam built a car, A 1968 Plymouth Road Runner, for this division, with the assistance of Len Peckham and Joe Trudeau.  It was fast and Sam won four races his first year.  In 1983 he won the Big Block portion of the Race Of Kings in the Street Stock Division.

In late 1984 he moved to the 320 Modified Division.  In August of 1985, Sam had a very violent wreck, crashing into the starters stand and rolling over 8 times.  One week later, with the help of Fred Frattura, he was back in the former Keith Williams number 44.

In 1992 Sam moved up to the Big Block Modified Division in car number 1.  He ran this car for the remainder of the nineties with the assistance of Garry Waters Racing Engines and Don Ackner Racing.  One of his pit crew members was "The Professor", Win Slavin.  Sam ran his last race in the 2003 Lebanon Valley 200.

Sam has also been the alternate pace car driver at the Lebanon Valley Speedway since 1996.

Since his last race, Sam has stayed active on the racing scene, as he has been the LVS reporter for the Kim Hart radio show and Crash Menders' former show. 

In 2009 he helped on Matt Pupello's 358 modified, and in 2010 will be assisting the Salisbury modified team.  Also involved with that effort will be shock specialist, Al Kugler, and one of the best car builders of all time, Willy Miner.

----Alan Albright

Additional Comments:  We personally want to thank Alan for sharing the pictures and the in depth story behind a true friend of LV, Sammy Barlow.

We are looking for information and photos about the Valley's history.

If you would like to add to our project, Please contact us at:

hotrod@lebanonvalleyclassics.com