Latest from Greg Billing
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A two-time Daytona 500 champion raced in the area this weekend. He’ll leave with these memories.
Two-time Daytona 500 winner set to race at local track
Former Marion Local teacher, athletic director Wilker dies at 69
Timing not perfect, but taking over Shawnee girls program is for Cooper
Dirt Late Model Dream: Bloomquist makes history at Eldora Speedway
Bloomquist in pursuit of Dirt Late Model Dream repeat at Eldora
Streaking Bradford softball a D-IV state final four hit
Northeastern junior fulfills goal by qualifying for state track
Springfield’s “Fab 4” looking for state title runs
Greenon sophomore on track event she’s the favorite to win state in: ‘The 400 is basically a death mission for your body’
.jpg "Greenon sophomore on track event she’s the favorite to win state in: ‘The 400 is basically a death mission for your body’")
WL-S back in regional semis: ‘We definitely feel better this year’
Multiple regional qualifiers boost district-champ WL-Salem girls
High School Track: Shawnee foursome sets district record in 800 relay
High School Tennis: Area district qualifiers eye state berths
HS Track: Tecumseh boys 3,200 relay team keeps dream season alive
Catholic Central relay misses record, but wins district title
High School Softball: Resurgent Springfield falls in sectional final
North Dakota native sweeps World of Outlaws races at Eldora Speedway
High School Tennis: Northeastern’s Calhoun reaches district tourney
High School Track: Shawnee sophomore Glass dominates at CBC meet
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Former NASCAR Cup driver Sterling Marlin has seen his share of tracks in his racing days. Shady Bowl Speedway, though, left an impression on Marlin. And his No. 114 late model. While local driver Josh Smith was holding off the field for his fourth late model feature win, Marlin was trying to hold his car together. The two-time Daytona 500...
Former NASCAR Cup Series driver Sterling Marlin has a history with the Miami Valley. Marlin visited the Dayton Dragons for a promotional event in 2002. He attended a Dayton Bombers game in 2005 to help boost attendance. And on Saturday, Marlin gets to experience the World’s Fastest Three-Tenth’s Mile Paved Oval. Marlin, the two-time...
Stan Wilker, former athletic director and teacher at Marion Local High School, passed away at his home Monday following an illness. He was 69. Marion Local football coach Tim Goodwin said there are ADs. And then there are ADs like Wilker. »RELATED: Ohio State’s first Rose Bowl-winning QB dead at 91...
Three seasons since she last coached, Kari (Kitchen) Cooper wasn’t actively searching for a return to high school girls basketball. In the time off the court Cooper was working on obtaining her certification in physical education, was hired at Rockway Elementary School in the Clark-Shawnee Local School District, and in recent weeks...
During his highly successful racing history at Eldora Speedway, Scott Bloomquist has seemed so dominant that at times he could beat the field with one arm tied behind his back. On Saturday night he perhaps felt like he did. »RELATED: ‘Sweet satisfaction’ not revenge for Bloomquist at Eldora Bloomquist led the final 61 laps...
Fifteen different drivers have tried, starting with Freddy Smith back in 1994. None have succeeded. To date, no driver has repeated as the Dirt Late Model Dream champion at Eldora Speedway. Tennessee’s Scott Bloomquist, the polarizing driver fans love to cheer and jeer, takes another shot at living the Dream when the defending champion...
Don’t ask Bradford High School softball coach Shon Schaffer what to expect from the Division IV state softball final four. After this season – and especially the Railroaders’ last game – Schaffer knows to expect the unexpected. “The town is abuzz of these softball girls doing things that quite frankly no one...
Dayna Ranard has coached some outstanding high jumpers at Northeastern High School. When she saw Max Queen in gym class she knew she’d found the Jets’ next one. Ranard just had to convince Queen. “In basketball I realized I could jump pretty high when I started dunking,” Queen said. “She was my gym teacher and...
To hear Springfield High School track coach Michael Davis say it makes you do a double take, much like when senior Quincy Scott unleashes one of his electrifying long jumps. The Springfield Wildcats didn’t win a track meet during the regular season. This, despite qualifying four athletes in five different events to the Division I state...
Last season when Greenon High School sophomore Delaney Benedict first tried the 400-meter run at her coaches’ request, she said “the 400 is basically a death mission for your body.” These days, Benedict likely prefers a minute of pain – or 55 seconds in her case – compared to assistant coach Eric Brickson&rsquo...
Last season in the Division III softball regional semifinals, West Liberty-Salem’s seventh inning rally fell short. This season the Tigers are making sure it doesn’t come down to that again. West Liberty-Salem’s aggressive approach at the plate – scoring runs early and often – has carried the Tigers into a second...
Then a seventh grader, Lydia Moell couldn’t have picked a better day for her first pole vault lesson three years ago. Well, except for that winter blast Lydia and her father drove through to get to Columbus. “I remember because it was on Valentine’s Day and my husband drove her over in a snowstorm,” said Becky Moell...
Separately they are standouts in their own events. Together Matt Jarzab, Robie Glass, Jack McCrory and Cyres Cooper are stellar. The Shawnee High school foursome established a new district meet record in the 800-meter relay on Saturday, blazing to a 1:31.01 at Graham High School. They lowered the previous best of 1:31.19 set by Carroll in...
The senior superlatives keep coming for Catholic Central High School’s Colin Kelly and Jack Brougher. And Friday they look to add another distinction to their high school careers – state qualifiers. Kelly, who was voted as having the best eyes – blue, for those wondering – by his Catholic Central classmates, and Brougher...
The Tecumseh High School 3,200 boys relay team will go down as the best in school history. But the team of Stephen Mattingly, Ethan Adams, Clay Mastin and Garrett Gemmaka isn’t ready to be retired to the record books just yet. The Arrows kept their dream season alive with a runner-up finish at the Division II district track and field...
The main goal for Catholic Central High School’s girls 3,200 relay team on Tuesday was to chase down a personal record. They came up shy, but the Irish foursome settled for the next best thing. Catholic Central’s relay team of Bridget Engel, Lauren Stannard, Sydney Yontz and Addie Engel won the district championship at the Division...
When it comes to softball, fellow Greater Western Ohio Conference teams have played the big sister to Springfield’s little sister role. Traditional GWOC powers have typically taken advantage of being stronger, faster and more experienced against Springfield in recent seasons. The Wildcats, though, are growing up. »RELATED: Monday&rsquo...
After sweeping two straight features on what’s been called the Mother of All Sprint Car Weekends, it was advice from his father that World of Outlaws driver Donny Schatz took to heart. “If you are worried about what is behind you,” Schatz said, “you are going to have a hell of a time handling what’s in front...
The Northeastern High School tennis program had won 10 straight Ohio Heritage Conference championships entering the season. Senior Jake Calhoun wasn’t ready to see that come to an end. He felt the same about his own high school career entering this week. »RELATED: Saturday’s high school scores »RELATED: Saturday&rsquo...
As he pursued the high jump record he covets most, Shawnee High School sophomore Robie Glass took a break from his jumps at the league championship meet to help set a record in the 800-meter relay. And he wasn’t done there. Glass won four events at the Central Buckeye Conference championships on Friday, an effort that led CBC coaches...