YORK HAVEN, Pa. – For several years before his untimely passing, Greg Hodnett was viewed as one of the giants of the Central Pennsylvania racing scene, largely thanks to his prowess behind the wheel of veteran owner Mike Heffner’s potent sprint cars.
However, for much of the time before they linked up, Heffner would pass the mighty Tennessean on a regular stroll through the pits, say “hey” with a smile, and never think of anything more.
Everyone perceived Hodnett as a racing giant, but for some reason, Heffner’s impression sat somewhere between starstruck and intimidated.
After all, Hodnett raced like his stature: powerful, noble and determined.
“People don’t realize, I was always scared of Greg in the pit area when he wasn’t driving my car,” Heffner said. “He always had such a game-face look. I would just walk by and sometimes, I’d say ‘hi.’ And sometimes I’d be scared, but I never really knew him.”
In the fall of 2013, Heffner put fear aside and called Hodnett – a conversation that formed their iconic relationship and changed the trajectory of the entire Pennsylvania racing scene.
On Sunday, Hodnett’s life carried on in spirit at BAPS Motor Speedway, the place he was killed in a freak accident in September of 2018.
The event was “The Greg Hodnett Foundation Race,” highlighting the foundation started after Hodnett’s death, which aims to help the families of drivers that die in racing accidents.
Outside the main entrance Sunday, the foundation headed by Hodnett’s widow, Sherry, sold shirts and conversed with fans, many who adorned some kind of Hodnett merchandise.
Business carried on as usual for Heffner, the car owner for Hodnett’s final five years in racing. He chatted with many, perhaps about a Hodnett memory, perhaps about other things. He supported the foundation with his presence.
Heffner’s car, now No. 72 and wheeled by Ryan Smith, was parked in the pits on the other end of the track. At his core Heffner ached and smiled. He ached because the good old days are becoming older by the day, but smiled because of the legacy that’s now present.
“It always makes me sad, but there’s a lot of comfort that also comes with it, knowing that the foundation is keeping his memory alive,” Heffner said. “I always feel like he’s here with us every time I come to the track, no matter what track it is. There’s definitely sadness, but it’s coupled with kind of a security now, knowing that he’s here [in spirit].”
There were certainly no shortage of comforting moments in the Heffner-Hodnett bond. The two won three straight Central Pennsylvania sprint car titles to start their partnership from 2014-16, three track titles at Williams Grove Speedway, and more than 70 features.
But the proudest accomplishment happened in Hodnett’s final year, precisely 43 days before his death, when he won night one of the Knoxville Nationals.
Heffner, who couldn’t attend because of work obligations with Lelands.com Auctions, emotionally watched the stream on DIRTvision.
“I actually cried because I saw the tears in his eyes, too,” Heffner said. “That’s something he always wanted to do [win at Knoxville], and I always wanted to do too.”
In fact, the image of Hodnett in Knoxville’s victory lane is imprinted inside the “2” of Smith’s No. 72 with a silhouette effect.
While that night will live forever with Heffner, there are more lighthearted memories that live on, too.
“[Greg] would always try to lose a little bit of weight and he was in very good shape,” Heffner started, “and like I said, I don’t think he’s a guy you’d ever want to mess with, but we would catch him…”
Heffner paused, trying to remember.
“He would always stash … ah, I cant think of it,” Heffner said before turning to Sherry Hodnett.
“Hey, what would Greg always stash?” he asked her.
“Oreos!” Sherry Hodnett said. “And Pepsi.”
They both laughed.
“He couldn’t kick the habit,” Heffner said. “We would give him hell about that. But he was always such a good sport.”
Heffner still gets a good laugh to this day on his impression of Hodnett before that life-altering phone call in the fall of 2013. A daunting question of “are you interested in driving my race car?” turned into an hour-long conversation about everything.
“He was like a totally different person than he was at the race track,” Heffner said. “We had an instant connection.”
When asked who else he considered to drive his No. 27, all Heffner said was, “Greg was my No. 1 choice.”
To many fans, Hodnett – whose name was called for induction into the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame in January – remains their No. 1. And even years after his passing, Heffner and the entire racing scene still reap the benefits of his conversation with Hodnett.
For Heffner, it was all simply a dream he was fortunate enough to realize.
“It was a dream come true for me to get Greg Hodnett to drive my car,” Heffner said. “We had a lot of great years together and I’m so thankful. I’m so thankful that I got to know him like I did. And I’m just so thankful to see how he treated fans and other people because it really, really improved me as a person.
“Fortunately, I got to know how great he was.”
And through Hodnett’s immense skill on the track, as well as his personality off it, the rest of the racing community got to see just a little bit of that greatness as well.