Cheryl Hryn Racing gives away 112 bikes, 4 scooters at Grundy County Speedway Kids Night

Cheryl Hryn Racing at Grundy County Speedway gave away 112 new bikes and four scooters for the annual Kids Night.

Kids activities included power wheels, face painting and games that ran all night under the grandstand, and hundreds of kids got to take to the track for the Candy Scramble, a footrace to see who can grab the most candy.

“I used to race at Illiana (in Schererville, Indiana) and they used to host a kids night,” said Cheryn Hryn, who runs the kids night and giveaway. “The track only wanted like 20 bikes. So the first year I did it I think we had like 60 something bikes, and I don’t ever tell anybody no, so I kept just taking in the donations and all that stuff to try and make it as big as it is right now.”

Donations originally came from racers, though sponsors and fans have come through with their own donations in recent years.

Hryn is doing another giveaway at the Grundy County Speedway on Sunday, Aug. 4, for Back to School night. There, she will be giving away 250 backpacks to kids.

“Right now these are the times people are needing some help,” Hryn said. “Kids 11 and under get in for free, and parents have to pay to get in. But they can get in and get a free backpack, a jumpstart for school.”

The races for the night included the Super Late Models, Street Stocks, Super Cup Series, Crown Vics and Midgets. The bike giveaway winners were announced during the races.

National Sprint Car Hall of Famer Sammy Swindell participated in the Midgets series, starting his night winning heat No. 1, but ended up leaving the track because of car issues. Jim Anderson ended up leading the race.

Andy Jones won the Super Late Models in his No. 52 car, surpassing No. 6 Dave Gentile, Jr. in the final few laps and Jonathan Stevens won the Street Stocks in the No. 57 car. Landon Hocking took first in the Super Cup Series and Jerry Legner won the Crown Vics series.

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National Sprint Car Hall of Famer Sammy Swindell (#11) chases #93 Travis Mahoney. (Bryce Parker)