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Speed racer senior

In 47 years, he's been around the track more times than he can count. True of his trophies, too.

By MIKE CAMUNAS, Times Correspondent
Published October 9, 2007

In his 47 years of racing, Paul Grynewicz, 61, has many tales to tell. His latest win was Sept. 15 at the Citrus County Speedway.
	[Stephen J. Coddington | Times]

ADVERTISEMENT [Stephen J. Coddington | Times] Trophies are cramed into the rafters of Paul Grynewicz's garage in Hudson. He can't count the many trophies he has won. "I have no idea, thousands maybe?" Grynewicz said. "This and ten cents will get you a cup of coffee," he laughs while gesturing towards one of the many trophies.

HUDSON - Paul Grynewicz isn't impressed by trophies anymore.

But then again, Grynewicz said he has thousands. Same for wins. That's because after 47 years of racing -- primarily with Figure 8 Features -- he has lost track.

Grynewicz, 61, jokingly calls them dust collectors.

"The grandkids won't let us give them away," said his daughter, Evi Owens. "The trophies are scattered at the kids' houses; the grandkids have some. We even gave some to Salvation Army to make space."

That's not to say there aren't memorable wins. He won the 1983 Sunshine Speedway Winter National Pro Figure 8's Championship and the 1992 Auburndale Speedway Pro Figure 8's Championship. In 1992, he was named driver of the year at Hialeah Speedway.

Now, he's back at Figure 8's after racing FASTRUCKs and in ARTS (American Race Truck Series), where he was the 1997 Southwest Region points champion. On Sept. 15, he picked up his first Figure 8's win at Citrus County Speedway.

Old friend and speedway announcer Larry MacMillan knew Grynewicz wouldn't be away for long.

"It takes a special breed of person to drive a Figure 8 car," said MacMillan, who did the announcing at Sunshine Speedway when Grynewicz raced there for 44 years. "He's had to lay off for some time, but I think he knew he would come back."

Grynewicz started racing when he was 15. Back then, he bought his first car, which had a flathead Ford engine, for $25. He said he didn't have a clue to what he was doing and had to train himself about car engines by tearing stuff apart.

Grynewicz ended up racing at Sunshine Speedway when it opened in 1960, and then in the track's last race in 2004. He honed a knack for Figure 8 racing, and Grynewicz said it's about looking ahead and timing your pass through the intersection -- or the center -- of the Figure 8 track.

"You can't stop at the intersection (during a Figure 8 race)," Grynewicz said. "And there's no set rule, like the leader has the right-of-way at the intersection. It's really whoever gets there first, so it's like (playing) chicken."

His children, and their children, watch every race. Owens, who raced until she had two children, has only missed one of his races.

"Racing is all I've ever known," Owens said. "The one time he's been racing and I'm not at the track, I was in labor with my daughter. He was on the phone coaching me along, and then two weeks later, she's at the track with me."

Owens says the grandchildren have gotten into racing now that Grynewicz is back with Figure 8's. But Grynewicz said there are probably only a few more years in him before he retires for good. Grynewicz may retire in a few more years, but Owens has a hard time accepting that.

However, it's his daughter's sentiments that make Grynewicz realize he wouldn't have thousands of trophies if not for one thing -- his family.

"There is no other thrill to win a race," Grynewicz said. "As long as I got people in the stands that go and cheer, the wins are the same as before, but it was so important to have the family there. That's what really made racing worthwhile."

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Paul Grynewicz

Age: 61

Hometown: St. Petersburg

Occupation: Master plumber/owner of Century Plumbing

Family: Ten kids (five adopted), 15 grandchildren

Racing number: 40

Engine in Figure 8 car: V8, 350 Chevy block

[Last modified October 9, 2007, 00:44:07]