2025 marks the 20th year that the Sahlen & Nonnamaker families have raced together. In that span a of time a lot of on track racing has occurred. As well lots of life has been lived together. This includes Weddings, Vacations, creating a Women’s Professional Soccer Team, Evenings at the Track hanging out and watching kids as well as grandkids grow up.
Joe Sahlen reflects back on how it all started – “Sahlen’s Packing had been sponsoring the Sahlen’s Six Hours of the Glen for a few years, and we wanted to expand our footprint into being involved with a race team on track as well. I had shared this with the Watkins Glen and Grand-American staff of this desire. There are a lot of different types of teams that race out there. The staff knew that Sahlen’s is a family oriented company, that we are focused and driven for success with a deep passion for cars and racing. And knowing all that, the Grand American Officials made the recommendation that we look at the Nonnamaker Family and their team. This led to introductions and conversations. And soon those conversations led to partnering up with their ROLEX and Grand-Am Cup campaigns with their 8 Porsche 911s. Will soon encouraged me that I shouldn’t just stop there and that I needed to get behind the wheel to truly immerse myself into the racing experience. And now here we are 20 years later, still enjoying the racing and having fun off the track as well.”
Over those past 20 years, you can often see the Sahlen & Nonnamaker families at the track in the evening with their motorhomes parked next to each other, hanging out together. Often the conversations drift away from racing to other areas of life – work, kids, soccer and general states of life.
Joe Nonnamaker shares his memory on that very 1st meeting – “I remember that race in 2004 at Watkins Glen. It was one of the most torrential downpours you ever saw at track. Cars were spinning every which way in the last turn. And somehow we survived that race to make it to the GT class podium. And there was Joe as the event sponsor handing out the trophies. We got to chat and from there the rest is history – 20 years later.”
In the span of time, 11 Children/Grandchildren have grown up in the Sahlen & Nonnamaker families. Often at the track you can see Will & Wayne Nonnamaker’s kids busily helping the team, whether that is wrenching, cleaning cars or even getting dinner ready. And at every Watkins Glen event, all the Sahlen & Nonnamaker children get together for great times.
One of the most memorable track events was the “Glow Stick” party at the Glen. All the kids had fun with the entire party filled with more neon than you could imagine and cool jams playing in the background.
Billy Sahlen reflects on the passing of the 20 years – “Wow, to think that 20 years have past. For me this connection with the Nonnamaker Family has been most of my adult life. It is amazing to think that Will’s son Ian is now the same age as I was when this all started. I remember him just running around the track with his little cars, and now it has all come full circle. “
Anita Sahlen remembers a vacation excursion in Utah many years ago – “ After one of our races at Miller Motorsports Park, we all went to a National Park. There was this great train ride, and then we all went to climb the big mountain there. It was quite a hike and the air was very thin. Ian was so small that Joe and Will kept taking turns carrying him on their shoulders up the path.”
Many a times, the Nonnamaker family has visited the Sahlens in Buffalo. And when this occurs there was either a dinner adventure at Chef’s in downtown Buffalo, or even more typically a wonderful dinner with a great dessert cooked up by Anita, eaten on their wonderful outdoor porch.
Wayne Nonnamaker reflects on the Sahlen 150th Celebration a few years back – “I was pretty cool to have our entire Nonnamaker family invited to the Sahlen’s Anniversary event held at the Buffalo Transportation Pierce Arrow Museum. Our Nonnamaker family has only been in business for 40 years. To be a family run company for 150 years is just amazing. This event was just over the top. And out front we were able to have the Team Sahlen Audi and our many Feather Flags, making for a grand entrance for all guests.”
On many occasions the Sahlen family has passed through Ohio – and stopped into the Nonnamakers on their way through. This has included times where Joe & Anita camp out at the Team Sahlen race shop with their RV before a Mid-Ohio race. And there have also been times where Billy has stopped in to say Hi on his way to & from Cedar Point. On one such occasion, Billy & Will took the opportunity to visit the Pro Football Hall of Fame to see all the Buffalo Bills enshrined.
Kris Nonnamaker remembers the crazy winter storm at Joseph & Kristen Sahlen’s wedding – “We had the pleasure of attending Joseph & Kristen’s wedding in late fall in Buffalo. As can happen up in Western New York, an ice storm came through. Everything was frozen over, branches were breaking off trees, power lines were down. But the wedding was still able to go forward. The reception had to be moved to a new location. Through it all, everyone persevered forward and made the best of it to have fun on this joyous occasion.”
The Sahlen & Nonnamaker family also share a common bond in being in the Food Industry. Sahlen’s of course is known for their amazing Hot Dogs, Hams and Turkeys. And the Nonnamaker family has been in the Fast Food business for over 30 years with their Subway Restaurants. This common bond has been the part of many chats about the industry and discussing the growth and expansion of each business entity.
Will Nonnamaker kicks around one of his special memories – “Besides racing, one additional area of passion that the Sahlen & Nonnamaker family shares is Soccer. Both Wayne and I played soccer in high school, and even attended the 1994 World Cup. Joe’s daughter Alex and her husband Aaran both played professional soccer. This led to Sahlen’s starting their own Women’s Professional Soccer Team. And in that adventure we had to honor and enjoyment of being involved in many aspects of the creation and evolution of this team. This included the fun of creating a name, Western New York Flash, and Team Colors, naturally red, yellow and black. Even to helping design the 1st team website. We attended many games in Buffalo and Rochester. And this included witnessing some of the dramatic Championship winning games that the Flash achieved.”
In the racing world, most partnerships don’t last 20 years. But then most partnerships are only based on the on track racing. For the Sahlen & Nonnamaker families the bond, connection and friendships go way beyond the racing. What the future adventures for the 2 families will be is yet to be written, but for sure it will be action packed and full of fun.
2025 Team Sahlen Campaign Partners:
honeybeeBase.com, Malco Products, Porsche Beachwood, Discovery Parts, ECS Tuning, Tarett Engineering, Guard Transmission, HubstandsPRO, Maxima Racing Oil, Pagid Brakes, NGK Spark Plugs, CM Racing Products, Grassroots Motorsports Magazine, Design Engineering Inc., OMP Racing, Bell Racing, Forgeline Wheels, Optima Batteries, All-Fit Automotive, Capri Tools, Fabspeed Motorsport, Eibach & Valco Cincinnati with Big Wrench Racing
