2017 Hall of Fame
Bob Banning, Dave Reitz,
Tom Sneden
The Bob Banning Dodge
team was one of the top
drag racing teams in the
sport but they got their
start right here at MDIR
on the first day the
track was open! Tom
Sneden, Dave Reitz, and
Tom Chastang originally
got together in 1960
with a home built DeSoto
powered fuel dragster.
But the guys saw the
Mopar Super Stocks run
at York in 1962, and
said, "Hey, that would
be fun." The three
racers went into their
local dealer -- Bob
Banning Dodge in
Hyattsville -- and
expressed their desire
to run one of the great
new Super Stock Mopars.
Mr. Banning kindly met
with the young racers
(who had not thought to
make an appointment).
After about three weeks,
a deal was struck! Tom
Sneden recalls, "I think
he got tired of seeing
us and threw the keys
over for a 1963 Aluminum
Super Stock Plymouth!
Mr. Banning was such a
nice man and was always
so easy to deal with. We
just walked in and
started talking to him!
He met with us and
listened to us and liked
us and he signed up."
The factory car was more
than ready for drag
racing but after the
team tricked it out a
bit more, they became
the terrors of the Mid
Atlantic. Soon after,
Mr. Banning said "Hell,
I sell Dodges, too!" So
he added a Dodge Super
Stock to the team. Dave
Reitz drove the
Plymouth, and Tom Sneden
drove the Dodge. The
team won about 75
percent of the time in
local super stock shows.
Mr. Banning reported
that he really enjoyed
hearing from the public
about when they saw the
Super Stock cars being
towed up and down the
highway in the region.
The team was always
polite to the fans and
Mr. Banning liked that
the team represented him
the way he treated his
customers. In fact, the
cars were so popular
that Mr. Banning
remarked that he had
been approached in
airports and even in
Europe by people who
recognized the Bob
Banning Dodge name! The
team decided to go even
faster in the late 60s
and built a gas burning
Dodge Charger funny car
to race in NASCAR's 2400
lb. injected class. The
Charger looked great but
was made to look at
stock as possible. After
all, Bob Banning sold
Dodges, not funny cars!
With Mr. Banning
providing the best
equipment and
facilities, Tom Sneden
at the wheel, and Dave
Reitz turning the
wrenches, the Bob
Banning Dodge team
racked up some truly
historic wins. In 1966,
they put a 4-speed in
the Bounty Hunters Super
Stock, added a street
hemi, and won a huge
NASCAR super stock meet
the first time Tom ever
drove a 4-speed! The
team won the AHRA Ultra
Stock points
championship in 1969 and
won the prestigious
Turkey Trot Nationals at
Gainesville in 1970.
Another time, they built
a brand new funny car
and didn't have time to
test it or tune it. But
they entered the biggest
funny car show of the
time -- the King of
Kings event -- and sent
all the traveling pros
packing!
Unfortunately, Dave
Reitz won't be with us
as we celebrate his
contributions. Dave
passed away earlier this
year but was racing --
and winning -- at MDIR
and elsewhere in the
restored Bounty Hunter
Mopar Super Stock
(which, by the way are
owned by Bob Banning,
Jr., continuing this
terrific relationship
across the generations).
Dave Reitz worked for
Bob Banning Dodge for 44
years starting back in
1965.
Tom Sneden remembers his
long time friends, "Mr.
Banning paid for
everything. He gave us a
shop to work in. He
supplied everything. It
was worth that much to
him. Dave raced and won
right up to his recent
passing. Bob Jr. now
owns both of the Bounty
Hunter cars and I
couldn't participate
without him. It's been a
partnership that has
gone on for nearly 60
years. It's been
wonderful to be with the
Bannings all these
years. Dave and I didn't
always see eye to eye
but we worked together
very well. We are all
one big family. It's
nice to see all the kids
grow up. We often had
our families with us in
the winner's circle and
when you see all the
children grown and all
the grandchildren, it's
just very nice."
It's nice indeed to
witness this terrific
team that brought such
renown to Budds Creek
and the surrounding
region. We are proud to
recognize the Banning
family, Tom Sneden, and
Dave Reitz as true
Legends of Budds Creek
for 2017.
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