.90 Assoc. Uncle Buck Pig Roast Tradition Carries On
The Tradition know as the “Uncle Buck” Pig Roast continues July 13th & 14th at the Cecil County .90 Association race
A tradition like no other will embark upon us once again in a few weeks in Northeast Maryland. A Tradition that was started when one man decided to throw a pig on a grill at a local Super Gas Association Event for all to enjoy has now transpired into a tradition that even most can sit back and admire.
The story of Uncle Buck
That man, Ronnie Harple, a businessman from Bel Air, Md who owned Dump trucks, but had a love for hot rods and racing. Growing up, Ronnie became friends with pretty much everyone he met and became very close with George & Linda Donhauser also of Bel Air.
See race results from the last Mid Atlantic .90 Association race here.
George also had that same passion for racing as Ronnie did and the two teamed up to travel the Northeast winning National, Divisional & local Association Events throughout the years. George was the driver and Ronnie was the Crew Chief.
Along the way, Ronnie’s passion for cooking started to take over at the Division 1 events and their pits became the place to be for after hours eating, beer drinking and sometime late-night shenanigans. At that same time Ronnie was beginning his after-hour meals at the track, John Candy was staring in the 1989 hit film “Uncle Buck”.
Candy, was known for going above and beyond on his cooking skills and somehow along the way that name “Uncle Buck” made it’s its way over to Ronnie and it stuck as Ronnie was like the “Uncle” that fed all the Racers after a long hot day at the track.
The Tradition Begins
In 1993, that passion for cooking was raised to another level as at a local Northeast Super Gas Association Event at his home track of Cecil County Dragway, Ronnie brought along his smoker and decided to “Smoke a Pig”.
Little did Ronnie know 26 years later and 7 years since his passing from Pancreatic Cancer that this tradition would become on of the biggest and best .90 races and social gatherings on the East Coast. Racers as far west as California, as far South as South Carolina and as far North as Canada have embarked on what is now known as the “Uncle Buck” Pig Roast.
Find more Mid Atlantic .90 Association race results here.
What started out as a little BBQ with about 30 people has grown to well over 200+ strong friends and family, all there to celebrate the life and legacy of Ronnie Harple. The pits look like a mini Woodstock with campers, motorhomes and of course racers lined up in the fields to celebrate.
The series itself has grown over the years to include more classes, as in 2011 Super Comp & in 2013 Super Street were added to the event schedule to make it one big happy .90 family.
2019 Race Schedule
In 2019, the event will be held on July 13th & 14th at Cecil County Dragway in Northeast Maryland. All racers are welcomed to join in that weekend to race with us, break bread, and drink a few cold beverages at days end.
Racers & Fans can arrive as early as Friday, July 12th beginning at 5pm as Cecil County hosts it’s weekly “Friday Night Street Night” beginning at 6pm until the gates close at 11pm.
The action kicks off on July 13th as the Mid Atlantic .90 Series runs Race # 4 of it’s 2019 season. Gates will open at 8am with time runs beginning around 9:30am with Q1 beginning with Super Street, into Super Comp and then rounding out with Super Gas.
The Annual AMC day and NC 252 vs EAST COAST STREET CARS will also highlight the Saturday Action. Once racing is completed for Race # 4 in the .90 series, the 6th Annual W&T Pipeline Consultants Top 8 Shootout presented by POR 15 will highlight the afternoon.
This FREE Event is offered to members, allows 8 qualified racers from all three .90 classes that have earned points throughout the 2018-19 season in qualifying to earn a spot to claim the $1,100 top prize thanks to W&T Pipeline Consultants & POR 15.
All Racers will duke it out in 3 rounds of competition to see who the last car will be standing in each class to take home the Six-Gun Shooter Trophy done by S&W Performance Group. Once the racing is completed for the day, all racers and crew are welcomed over to the Donhausers for one of the best racers BBQ on the East Coast.
As the sun settles, a ceremonial lantern lighting is set up to allow loved ones no longer with us partake in the festivities.
On Sunday, July 14th Race # 5 will highlight the days activities at Cecil County along with the Summit ET Bracket Series event. Gates open at 8am with the Junior Dragsters getting first hit at the track in the morning till they are close to completion of their eliminator.
Then the Summit ET Series and .90 Series will alternate turns with hits at the track till they crown a winner. In addition, Sunday’s Race will be presented by Melling Performance Group.
Melling will provide some goodies for racers along with Gift Certificates to the winners to go along with the other great contingency the series offers.
If you would like more information about the series and how you can partake in the 26th Annual Uncle Buck Pig Roast you can visit their website at www.midatlantic90.org or find them on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter. – Rob Keister
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