Pictured are Don and Jerry Frank, founders of Stateline Speedway, who were recently honored with a memorial bench in Sugar Grove, Pa.

Family members of the late founders of Stateline Speedway have created a memorial to honor them in Sugar Grove.

Don and Jerry Frank, founders of Stateline Speedway, have been memorialized with a special bench in front of The Bucket Cafe in Sugar Grove, Pa. Tom Abbott and Joni Hansen came together with their family members to create this touching tribute to honor their late fathers.

“We just wanted to remember them,” Hansen said. “The bench came out beautiful. Everybody knew those two – they were just good guys.”

She said the family came up with the idea for the memorial bench after they decided not to sponsor races at the race track. Stateline Speedway is currently up for sale.

“Tom wanted to come up with something we could remember them by,” Hansen said. “He’s the one that found this bench, and he said we should all put in and have this the bench built and put in Sugar Grove so they’re always remembered. It came out so well. They were such great guys – they were so honest.

Don and Jerry Frank founded Stateline Speedway in Busti on July 21, 1956, along with their partners Len Briggs, Lloyd Williams and Marv Thorpe. Abbott and Hansen remember spending a lot of time at the track in their youth, along with their cousins Kevin, Tom, Jerry “Chub” and Jimmy.

“There’s just so many memories – I could probably never choose one,” Abbott said. “Maybe the times on Saturday nights when the races were going on with my dad, or when we were out Friday night there until midnight or 1 o’clock in the morning. You know, all the cousins and the dads getting the racetrack-ready. I guess those are probably my favorite memories of spending time at the racetrack.”

Abbott said the racetrack employed thousands of people over the years. He said he was impressed that the partnership between the Franks and the other founders lasted so long. For about 30 years, the Franks, Briggs, Williams and Thorpe were in business together.

“Partnerships in business are pretty tough,” he said. “They lasted 30 years together. I think Lloyd died he wasn’t around for the last 15 years. But to have a partnership like that that lasted for 30 years – it’s pretty special for four families.”

Abbott said the reaction from the community has been great.

“Those guys were the staples of the town since the early 50s,” he said. “They employed so many people and they were good to everybody.”

For those interested in viewing the bench, it can be seen in front of the Bucket Cafe in Sugar Grove at 14 Main Street. Interviews with both Don and Jerry Frank regarding Stateline Speedway can be seen on Youtube under “Stateline Speedway: Don Frank Remembers” and “Stateline Speedway: Jerry Frank Remembers.”