HUSBAND AND WIFE COMPETE IN DIRT MODS AT TRI-CITY SPEEDWAY: LENNY LEIBOLD JR. AND CHANDA REITZ
by Brian Spaid

July 21, 2006 

   Some couples enjoy romantic walks on the beach. Some enjoy candlelight dinners. Still others like to ride bikes, watch movies or travel.

   At least one couple loves to race cars against each other.

   Lenny Leibold Jr. of Palmyra married Chanda Reitz of Dempseytown on April 8. They met at the race track while racing DIRT Modifieds at Tri-City Speedway. Together, they hope to build a new life for themselves. But, they both strive to race, even against each other.

   “It’s not really any different racing against Lenny,” said Reitz, who uses her maiden name at the track. “We still race each other hard.”

   Leibold, however, expresses a little less confidence.

   “It’s a little nerve wracking if I hit her. I treat her like all the other drivers on the track, but when I see her, I don’t want to hit her.”

   For the record, Leibold and Reitz are the first married couple to race in the same division at Tri-City. In the history of DIRT Modified racing nationwide, they are the second to do so. In the 1970s, Russ and Terry Kincaid did it in New York.

   Many fans of the Venango County half-mile oval know Reitz well. Following the racing footsteps of her father, Les, she competed with some success in the old Sportsman Modified division, even posting a win at Tri-City in 1997. She moved into DIRT Modified competition the following year, and has remained a faithful racer at Tri-City in her Bicknell No. 8. Without a DIRT Modified win under her belt, she still shows flashes of speed, including a third place finish in the last feature on July 9.

   Leibold is still an unknown racer to many fans. Hailing from Lebanon County, Leibold, 31, became interested in racing in his early teens as a pit crew member for easten Pennsylvania Small Block Modified legend Randy Fortna. He then started his own racing career in 1999.

   “I started racing Sportsman cars at Susquehanna Speedway (in Newberrytown),” recalls Leibold. “I raced there for about two seasons, then spent the next two-and-a-half seasons at Big Diamond Speedway (in Minersville).”

   In eastern Pennsylvania, if you want to race open wheel dirt track modifieds, you’re only choice is to race in the Small Block Modified class at tracks like Big Diamond and Grandview Speedway. But Grandview, which is located in Bechtelsville, is one of the toughest short tracks in the United States. Weekly, the track attracts between 50 and 60 cars. With such a large field, racing on Grandview’s one-third mile bullring is tough and hard-nosed.

   “Guys that race there tend to crash a lot because everyone is so aggressive,” said Leibold. “It’s actually cheaper for me to drive all the way to Tri-City and race, rather than compete and get crashed at Grandview.”

   So, Leibold and his father took their Small Block Modified race team on the road. They traveled throughout New York and Pennsylvania looking to race at different tracks and enjoy life on the road. A trip to Tri-City in 2003 changed everything for the Leibolds.

   “We loved it the first time we raced there,” said Leibold. “I liked racing with those guys because all of the racers are clean and willing to help each other out. Also, the track promoters were nice people.”

   As a result, Leibold became a weekly competitor at Tri-City in his Ford-powered Bicknell No. 13Jr. He continues to travel each week to Tri-City over four hours away from his home. Only now he comes up earlier and stays a little later than he used to in order to spend as much time as he can with Reitz.

   “It’s hard having a long distance relationship, but we keep in touch every day,” said Leibold. “We work well together in the pit area at each race. When I need help, she’s right there. When she needs help, I’m right there too. I’m planning to move to the Franklin area permanently later this year. I’ll bring the entire race team with me at that time.”

   Like Reitz, Leibold is still searching for his first career DIRT Modified win. His best feature finishes so far are a pair of thirds in 2005.

   “One of these days we’ll score a win,” said Leibold. “Hopefully, a one-two with Chanda.”