Racing Stories Here, Let's Hear 'Em!

[Hondo]

Well, since a drag strip is 1/4 mile, maybe I can sneak this story in here.........

Back "in the day" (early '70s) fresh outta high school I experienced working for a funny car racer named Don Schumacher........ maybe you've heard of him.
Well, after one evening of qualifying, we had some engine issues. Back then, you loaded up after each day's racing and went to the motel. Didn't leave the rigs parked at the track like today.
Well, it's about 2:30 - 3:00 AM, we'd gotten the motor back together and fired it up. Obviously, woke up some people but some enjoyed it.
So, I'm draining the water and oil out of the engine and this Karmann Ghia, pulls up. I looked around and "Shoe" is talking to the driver. I head over to see and it's Richard Tharp, driver of the Blue Max Mustang funny car. (A well know "character") Sitting in the passenger seat is Miss IHRA, the event beauty queen.
After a couple minutes of chit chat, a couple guys and I walked to the rear of Tharp's car. Those Karmann Ghia's had a kinda nerf bar that ran on top and the length of the bumper. "Us guys" thought it would be funny to pick up the rear of their car. It was FUNNY........ until Tharp put it in reverse and matted the gas. So three of us are standing there holding up this car with it screaming knowing we can't set it down. Tharp's hanging out the driver's window laughing and saying "I got all night boys." Yes, we cried "Uncle........"

Man, those were fun days (and nights).....

[Brian Conn]

...................... I got to attend Olympic Stadium a couple of times but can't remember much about it.  I do remember Greg Weld was there......  Sure wish I could see all of it again.

Perhaps this will jog your memory.......Olympic Stadium    located just north of present day I-70 and 435 in K.C,MO.   now days its the site of a U-Pick and Pull auto salvage.

[Lefturns75]

The first trip I made there I was pretty young and about all I knew is that if it was loud and had numbers on it it was a race car.  I don't remember who won or what I watched but none of the cars had a roll cage.  I thought all those guys must be made of steel and fearless to do that.  The later trip I made is when I saw Greg Weld.  I knew who he was from seeing some photos and a couple articles about him and that roadster looking car he drove.  I figure it was around 67 or 68 as it was after that bad year in USAC when we lost all those drivers.  Come to think of it, it was probably 67 because A.J. Foyt had won Indy about a month before.   Thats how my old brain keeps track of things, events.  If I can't remember exactly when, I can remember an event during the time and it gives me the year.  Sucks to be old.   

[bandit2026]

After I retired for the second time I got a call from a friend who worked at the local bull ring. He said the guy could use some help from someone with my skills. So the next week I'm driving the water truck 3 days a week. My partner in crime, Randle and I would water the track all day Wednesday and Thursday  then race on Friday. While I was filling the truck racin randle would ride around the top to dry a place for me and the water truck. One cloudy overcast Friday I was filling the truck and I heard a heavy crash, since I couldn't see the track from the water truck I stepped up over turn 4 to see Randel crossways of the track and the left front corner of the ol LTD pushed in. I watched for a while and finally he ran out of talent and blam hit the wall again. He straightens out and drives over to the turn where I'm standing and says its still really slick and he doesn't know what to do. I just looked at him and said whatever you do don't slow down. 

[Dirtman]

Yeah, old Hales Corners Speedway used to get some serious ruts in the corners. When my son was young he laid down in one one night (after the races) and you could put a board over it and not touched him. Plus it had it's share of rocks around the track too!!! We ran windshields sometimes and you could hear the the stones and big rocks cracking off it all night!



Rett

[sentsat71]

Have a couple or so from the fan/grandstand side of things.

Wa-a-a-a-a-a-ay back in 1971 when I was going to the Fairmont, MN on a somewhat regular basis, most times on my own for the first time. In 1971 the track dropped the  modifieds in favor of late models. Well, so happens there is a team from nearby town to mine, making them a favorite as that was as close to a hometown team as I could get back then. The original driver more or less quit part way into the season, as the huge half mile track was a bit unnerving to him (later years he became a track champion, more than once IIRC). The team put a veteran driver in the car, who had been the track champion in modifieds just a couple of years before, so I knew who he was. Plus he had been one of many favorites of mine as well. He got the lead early in the 20 lap main event and was holding off the dominant driver that season for all 20 laps. Needless to say i was really cheering him on, yelling "encouragement all the way. In the row in front of me was a gal and I think one or two of her kids. Yes, my driver/team won...  The next week I sat in the same area. In looking around I see this gal and kids now sitting two rows behind me and further down. LOL
Then a couple of years ago, I was at an event at the Kossuth County Ag and Motorsports Museum in Algona, IA. This driver was there, though not sure as one of the guest speakers or just there because the Museum was talking about their 1975 racing season, the last IIRC that had sprints as the main draw. I walked up to him and told him about that race so many years before. Think he was surprised that someone mentioned that race to him and the way I cheered. Could see the pleased look on his face as he simply thanked me. Also told him that I have never cheered like that for any driver or team since then.

The other for now, was opening night in April 1996 of the Perris Auto Speedway, several miles south of Riverside, CA. The SCRA sprint cars were the featured draw and only thing running. This was the first time Since Ascot closed at the end of 1990, that sprints cars had a track in the LA Metro area, though close to 60 miles east of the Ascot location. Good thing we got there when we did. By the time qualifying had begun, the announcement was made that there was SRO at the track already, and CHP and CalTrans had to put of signs on the freeway several miles west of the track, telling those still wanting to come, that the track had no more room for fans....