Xcel modified driver Jason Gastley is racing in the memory of his late friend and mentor Matthew Warner. The former Legend car racer met Warner, of Pine Grove, Pennsylvania, late last year, when Gastley bought Warner’s Xcel modified.
“I was looking for an Xcel mod and found that Matthew was advertising one for sale, so I messaged him,” Gastley, 34, of Lebanon, Pennsylvania, said. “Before long we were verbally communicating. I drove to his house to see the car. He was so welcoming to me and went over everything about the car with me.”
Gastley returned home, gathered up his money, and went back to Warner’s shop to purchase the car two days later.
“[Matthew] had setup books, and offered to stay in touch with me to help me through the learning process,” said Gastley. “He told me what the car would do [and] how it would perform by breaking the turn down to three points — entry, middle and exit. He explained the changes that take place throughout the night and what I would have to do to adjust the chassis and fix any problems I had.”
Warner raced Gastley’s car weekly at Linda’s Speedway in Jonestown, Pennsylvania. He brought with him his two sons, Matt Jr. and Trent, who also raced.
“On Christmas, Matthew texted holiday wishes to me and my family,” Gastley said. “He told me how much it meant to him that his car went to a good family.”
A few days later, Gastley received a text from Matt Jr. that his father had Covid. On January 16, Warner had passed away. He was 46.
“I was very shocked,” said Gastley. “It happened so fast.”
Jason Gastley raced last weekend at Lincoln Speedway in Abbottstown, Pennsylvania. He plans to compete with Warner’s old car in events at several Pennsylvania dirt ovals, including Big Diamond Speedway in Pottsville, Grandview Speedway in Bechtelsville, and Linda’s Speedway.
“I kept Matthew’s paint scheme on the car and added my number,” Gastley said. “I’m going to race to make Matthew proud. I know there is a learning curve for my rookie season, but his tips will get me through it.”
Mike Adaskaveg has written hundreds of stories since the website’s inception. This year marks his 54th year of covering auto racing. Adaskaveg got his start working for track photographer Lloyd Burnham at Connecticut’s Stafford Motor Speedway in 1970. Since then, he’s been a columnist, writer, and photographer, in racing and in mainstream media, for several outlets, including the Journal Inquirer, Boston Herald, Stock Car Racing, and Speedway Illustrated. Among Adaskaveg’s many awards are the 1992 Eastern Motorsport Press Association (EMPA) Ace Lane Photographer of the Year and the 2019 National Motorsports Press Association (NMPA) George Cunningham Writer of the Year.
