Maynard Troyer

MAYNARD TROYER BIO

Born into an Amish family in Plain City, Ohio, Maynard Troyer’s path to modified stock car racing stardom was not what you would expect.  Farming and carpentry were trades in which the Troyer’s were known.  When Maynard’s family moved away from the Amish order and became Mennonites, the family farm became mechanized and with it came Maynard Troyer’s love for automobiles.

In 1956, Troyer went to his first stock car race.  The track was Powell Speedway near Columbus.  Within weeks of his first visit to a race track, Maynard purchased a stock car, brought it to Powell, and in storybook fashion, won his first race.  By the late 50’s Maynard had left the Mennonite church.  He packed up his family and moved to Sarasota, Florida to start a carpentry and cabinet making business.   A late model stock car was purchased and he began racing, and winning, at the nearby Bradenton Speedway.  In 1964, on the advice of a family friend who promised work in upstate New York, Maynard left Florida and moved to Rochester.  While there, the stock car bug bit him again.   Maynard acquired another late model to compete at the nearby Spencer and Lancaster Speedways.  The wins quickly followed.

A partnership with Rochester Ford dealer Dave Nagle was formed in 1966.  After another winning season in late models, the decision was made to go modified racing in 1967.   For the next ten years, the Troyer/Nagle team, called Nagle Racers, racked up numerous modified wins and track championships throughout the Northeast with their immaculate, red Ford Falcon and Pinto bodied cars emblazoned with the number 6.  The duo even had a brief foray into NASCAR Grand National (Winston Cup) racing in 1971.

The partnership between Nagle and Troyer ended after a successful 1977 season.  In 1978 Maynard branched out on his own but the wins and championships continued.  In fact, 1978 was Maynard’s best season ever as he captured 35 feature victories.  Toward the end of the 70s decade, Maynard was becoming busier with his growing chassis building business.  That business, Troyer Engineering, would change the face of modified racing, mass-producing asphalt and dirt modified chassis to hundreds of competitors throughout the Northeast.

Maynard retired from driving in 1982 to concentrate on his chassis and racing parts business.  He sold the business in 1999.  Maynard Troyer passed away 2018 at the age of 79.  His impact on the sport of modified stock car racing was immense. 

Maynard Troyer’s racing career highlights:

• Over 200 pavement modified feature wins.

• Over 40 pavement late model feature victories.

• Modified track champion at Fulton Speedway (1968, 1969, 1972, 1973).

• Modified track champion at Lancaster Speedway (1975, 1976, 1978, 1979).

• Modified track champion at Spencer Speedway (1975, 1978).

• Late Model track champion at Spencer Speedway (1966).

• NEARA modified series champion (1978).

• All-Star Racing League series champion (1970).

• Three-time Lancaster Modified 200 winner (1973, 1974 and 1975).

• Three-time Stafford Spring Sizzler winner (1977, 1978 and 1979).

• Two-time Race of Champions winner at Trenton (1976) and Pocono (1977).

• Two-time Oswego Modified 200 winner (1975 and 1976).

• Winner of the 1973 Utica-Rome 400.

• Winner of the 1975 Stafford 200.

• Winner of the 1977 Dover Downs Atlantic Coast 300 (with relief driver Geoff Bodine).