Favorite TQ memory

STP · 2/9/09, 12:54 AM

I have only been involved with TQ racing for around 7 years. No, I have never raced, unless you count the little yellow race car I had when I was 2 that I drove around the poles in my grandparents' basement until it broke. But I do love the sport. Others who also love it know the feeling. There's something special about it that just can't be explained. I was hooked from the very first race.

Over the last several years, I have been fortunate enough to meet many who share this same love of a sport that many probably did not know about until now. The stories that they have told and memories are something that are beyond priceless. I wish every one could hear these stories because they are what TQ racing is about.

I have heard stories about TQs hanging from trees. I've heard stories about after race nights at Pizza King. Race road trips to other states. I bet if you ask the right person, they know all the drivers that drove any given car or whose car all the parts belonged to before they put them all together to make a new car.

So I challenge everyone to keep this thread positive and share your favorite TQ memory. I want to honor the past and carry it into the future.

midmad68 · 2/9/09, 3:58 AM

My favorite TQ memory would have to be seeing my dad (Walt Johnson) win the first ever Turkey Night for the TQ's at Bakersfield in 1992. I was only 4, but I remember standing on the right rear tire taking a picture with him in victory lane. He also ran second to Jay Drake at Irwindale in the 2000 TQ Turkey Night when Jay tied the record for most usac wins in a season. Unfortunately, that was the spot that he needed for the championship as he lost it by just two points. He also won the first TQ race at Irwindale in March of 1999. it was also the first ever race on the 1/3 mile track there and he did it with no brakes. He often tells stories of runing friday nights at Ventura and sunday nights at Ascot every weekend. After twenty years of trying, he finally won the usac TQ championship in 2001. Because of all of those years of racing in the TQ's, he has gotten to race with guys like Jay Drake, Cory Kruseman, Jason Leffler, and Josh Wise.

2/9/09, 8:18 AM

My favorite TQ story is one told me by Dick Dwenger, the two-time driving champion.

Seems a race was scheduled and Dick and his car owner pulled up to the address they were given. There was a group of people sitting outside having a picnic so they asked where the race track was. A gentleman got started for a tractor and a disc nearby and asked where they wanted it. They were race fans and wanted to have a race at their reunion.
The track was laid out in a field across the road and the race was held. I am not sure if this happened under UMRA or with the TQ group that existed before it was created. Seems like the name of that group was the Midwest Racing Association. Most of that information died with Dick Dwenger, Bob Lowe and guys like that. The Leisures would know.

My favorite memories about TQs come from the racers themselves, talking about their adventures and watching their faces. With some, it was the heat race just over and with others, like Dick, it was a trip down memory lane.

--There was the time Jon Linville and Mark Rutter were laughing following a heat race after Rutter splashed Linville with mud and momentarily covered his visor.

--Tony Stewart changing into his uniform behind a car door only to be captured on film by Jack Gladback with his pants down. I think that was his first ever photo in UMRA.

--Billy Puterbaugh doing a 360 around me in the infield at Rushville.

--Or the time one team learned at the awards banquet that another had borrowed a part off its car during a heat race, replaced it in time for the original team to run the semi and then borrowed it again for the feature. The acknowledgement came during their acceptance speech upon receiving their trophy.

Jim Morrison

racephoto1 · 2/9/09, 8:54 AM

AJ Nigh holding off Tony Stewart to make the A on Tony's last run at Rushville. Tony tried everything but apply the chrome horn to AJ.

The other one is when Bryce Townsend came up and was eating the UMRA for lunch. After a first night win at Rushville Nationals, someone paid to tear him down, thinking he wouldn't be back. WRONG ! The kiwi got his car back together, and ate them for lunch again. That little car was fast. Afterwards there were a few libations with the Ambrose boys. Those were the good ole days.

jontheturboguy · 2/9/09, 9:53 AM

Just a few.

-Driving to the middle of no where California (some where up north) to pick up my first TQ from Ken Bonnema, only to find out it was Jay Drakes winning USAC TQ.

-Racing that old bucket at the OLD Lawrenceburg speedway. Remember when they had yellow Christmas lights over the back stretch? That smell of the brewery across the way, the hog roast on fun fest that night, and the smell of methanol will never leave me.

-Winning my first ever heat race, on the first race night of the first race of the season. Bob Nichols came up to me and asked how I could get my helmet back on the feature......

-Jacking up a UMRA official's golf cart with Matt Arrington so that the rear wheels were in the air come time for him to move.

TQ2M · 2/9/09, 10:18 AM

My favorite memories are from the early 80's fair weeks. There was a groop of us that would travel the entire week and camp together. I remember a night at the Columbus KOA when I was about 12 yrs. old when Bob Runner Dave Blankenship Jr. Robby Flock, Allen Yeagle, Mike Nigh, Mark Rutter and many others jumped the fence at the pool after our parents went to bed. I learned ALOT that night! The best times were not the racing but the friendships that were formed then that are still strong today.
Joe Monroe

SP Motorsports · 2/9/09, 11:15 AM

Being relatively new to TQ racing, there were many great experiences just last year. As many have said, it was the people and atmosphere we remember more than the racing.

We remember how willing to help and anwser questions everyone was when we started poking around asking about everything.

We remember the excitement of the fair races and are still excited about these as it's the direct connection to racing's roots.

We remember being included in Melvin's fish fry last year, even though we didn't have a car and weren't on a team.

And most of all, we remember the warm reception we received from everyone when we finally showed up at the track with a car for the first time. Whether it was help with the car, or the welcome from the drivers at the drivers' meeting, it sure felt great!

You can race anywhere, with any kind of car. It is the people that make TQ racing the place we want to be.

badcoupe · 2/9/09, 1:21 PM

Either finishing a motor up at 4:30 in the morning and winning the feature in a close race with ron combs. Either that or Jim berry getting another win last year at osgood with my brother at the wheel. Nights after the indoor shows hanging with Bob Nichols since my brother was driving for him. Good times indeed

Revolution Racing · 2/9/09, 1:56 PM

I have several... Racing TQ's here in California was just awesome back in the late 80's early 90's. Among them;
Getting the chance to race with guys like -
Walt Johnson (and getting to know his wonderful Mom & Dad)
Gary Schroeder (same with his folks too)
Pus, all the names you are used to hearing (Drake, Kruseman, Leffler, Jones, Wise, etc...)

Getting the chance to race in New Zealand

Putting on two shows in Paris, France at an amazing indoor sports complex

Racing on Turkey Night. On DIRT like God intended....

The good 'ol Pacific Coast Nationals.

Ascot.

Man, I could go on for a while here....
:thumb

Knoke77 · 2/9/09, 2:12 PM

Way to many memories to list them all but one that always sticks out in my mind was back in 1995.

We had a two race weekend where on Saturday we ran at Montpelier followed up with a show on Sunday at Kokomo. After running Montpelier many teams hauled butt over to Kokomo and got hotel rooms. After getting settled in a few teams met up to finish off the evening. This group consisted of a group of guys that always had a good time after the races.

Travis Welpott and girlfriend
Toby Welpott
Chris Coers and his cousin
Derek Scheffel and his crew
Me
a few others that I can't remember. All in all I think there were around 12 people.

At the time I was not 21 but managed to sneak into the hotel bar along with the rest of the group. Needless to say my eyeballs were about ready to fall out of my head the next day and I was almost late in getting to the track with the car. I ended up sleeping on the floor in Derek's room and almost froze to death until someone finally put a sheet over me. My dad chewed my butt from one turn to the other when I finally arrived.

Another funny moment that night was watching Derek get stuffed through the small glass window above the door of Travis's room because he lost his key and the clerk wouldn't give him another. That and Chris getting ran out of the pool for jumping the fence and going swimming after it was closed.

Another moment I will never forget was my first win in a TQ which came at my home track in Columbus. I was leading about half-way through the feature when there was a bad crash and Travis Welpott had to be taken to the hospital for a checkup. We had to wait for another ambulance to show up so they got us out of the cars until it arrived. I was so nervous I could hardly sit still. Jackie Brock took me off to the side and gave me some of the best advice I have ever received. I kept worrying about Terry since he has always been on of the best in a TQ. She reminded me that he was no different then me and that he put his pants on the same way I do which is one leg at a time. She got me calmed down and focused on what I needed to do and I took the win with room to spare.

2/9/09, 3:58 AM	#2 Re: Favorite TQ memory
midmad68 Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Posts: 102	My favorite TQ memory would have to be seeing my dad (Walt Johnson) win the first ever Turkey Night for the TQ's at Bakersfield in 1992. I was only 4, but I remember standing on the right rear tire taking a picture with him in victory lane. He also ran second to Jay Drake at Irwindale in the 2000 TQ Turkey Night when Jay tied the record for most usac wins in a season. Unfortunately, that was the spot that he needed for the championship as he lost it by just two points. He also won the first TQ race at Irwindale in March of 1999. it was also the first ever race on the 1/3 mile track there and he did it with no brakes. He often tells stories of runing friday nights at Ventura and sunday nights at Ascot every weekend. After twenty years of trying, he finally won the usac TQ championship in 2001. Because of all of those years of racing in the TQ's, he has gotten to race with guys like Jay Drake, Cory Kruseman, Jason Leffler, and Josh Wise. _________________________________________________ Last edited by midmad68; 2/9/09 at 4:02 AM.

2/9/09, 8:18 AM	#3 Re: Favorite TQ memory
bigmojo5 Posts: n/a	My favorite TQ story is one told me by Dick Dwenger, the two-time driving champion. Seems a race was scheduled and Dick and his car owner pulled up to the address they were given. There was a group of people sitting outside having a picnic so they asked where the race track was. A gentleman got started for a tractor and a disc nearby and asked where they wanted it. They were race fans and wanted to have a race at their reunion. The track was laid out in a field across the road and the race was held. I am not sure if this happened under UMRA or with the TQ group that existed before it was created. Seems like the name of that group was the Midwest Racing Association. Most of that information died with Dick Dwenger, Bob Lowe and guys like that. The Leisures would know. My favorite memories about TQs come from the racers themselves, talking about their adventures and watching their faces. With some, it was the heat race just over and with others, like Dick, it was a trip down memory lane. --There was the time Jon Linville and Mark Rutter were laughing following a heat race after Rutter splashed Linville with mud and momentarily covered his visor. --Tony Stewart changing into his uniform behind a car door only to be captured on film by Jack Gladback with his pants down. I think that was his first ever photo in UMRA. --Billy Puterbaugh doing a 360 around me in the infield at Rushville. --Or the time one team learned at the awards banquet that another had borrowed a part off its car during a heat race, replaced it in time for the original team to run the semi and then borrowed it again for the feature. The acknowledgement came during their acceptance speech upon receiving their trophy. Jim Morrison _________________________________________________ Last edited by bigmojo5; 2/9/09 at 8:23 AM.

2/9/09, 12:54 AM	#1 Favorite TQ memory
STP Senior Member Race Count Last Year: 1 Join Date: Jul 2007 Posts: 410	I have only been involved with TQ racing for around 7 years. No, I have never raced, unless you count the little yellow race car I had when I was 2 that I drove around the poles in my grandparents' basement until it broke. But I do love the sport. Others who also love it know the feeling. There's something special about it that just can't be explained. I was hooked from the very first race. Over the last several years, I have been fortunate enough to meet many who share this same love of a sport that many probably did not know about until now. The stories that they have told and memories are something that are beyond priceless. I wish every one could hear these stories because they are what TQ racing is about. I have heard stories about TQs hanging from trees. I've heard stories about after race nights at Pizza King. Race road trips to other states. I bet if you ask the right person, they know all the drivers that drove any given car or whose car all the parts belonged to before they put them all together to make a new car. So I challenge everyone to keep this thread positive and share your favorite TQ memory. I want to honor the past and carry it into the future.

2/9/09, 8:54 AM	#4 Re: Favorite TQ memory
racephoto1 Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Posts: 4,253	AJ Nigh holding off Tony Stewart to make the A on Tony's last run at Rushville. Tony tried everything but apply the chrome horn to AJ. The other one is when Bryce Townsend came up and was eating the UMRA for lunch. After a first night win at Rushville Nationals, someone paid to tear him down, thinking he wouldn't be back. WRONG ! The kiwi got his car back together, and ate them for lunch again. That little car was fast. Afterwards there were a few libations with the Ambrose boys. Those were the good ole days.

2/9/09, 9:53 AM	#5 Re: Favorite TQ memory
jontheturboguy Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Posts: 276	Just a few. -Driving to the middle of no where California (some where up north) to pick up my first TQ from Ken Bonnema, only to find out it was Jay Drakes winning USAC TQ. -Racing that old bucket at the OLD Lawrenceburg speedway. Remember when they had yellow Christmas lights over the back stretch? That smell of the brewery across the way, the hog roast on fun fest that night, and the smell of methanol will never leave me. -Winning my first ever heat race, on the first race night of the first race of the season. Bob Nichols came up to me and asked how I could get my helmet back on the feature...... -Jacking up a UMRA official's golf cart with Matt Arrington so that the rear wheels were in the air come time for him to move.

2/9/09, 10:18 AM	#6 Re: Favorite TQ memory
TQ2M Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Posts: 33	My favorite memories are from the early 80's fair weeks. There was a groop of us that would travel the entire week and camp together. I remember a night at the Columbus KOA when I was about 12 yrs. old when Bob Runner Dave Blankenship Jr. Robby Flock, Allen Yeagle, Mike Nigh, Mark Rutter and many others jumped the fence at the pool after our parents went to bed. I learned ALOT that night! The best times were not the racing but the friendships that were formed then that are still strong today. Joe Monroe

2/9/09, 11:15 AM	#7 Re: Favorite TQ memory
SP Motorsports Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Posts: 145	Being relatively new to TQ racing, there were many great experiences just last year. As many have said, it was the people and atmosphere we remember more than the racing. We remember how willing to help and anwser questions everyone was when we started poking around asking about everything. We remember the excitement of the fair races and are still excited about these as it's the direct connection to racing's roots. We remember being included in Melvin's fish fry last year, even though we didn't have a car and weren't on a team. And most of all, we remember the warm reception we received from everyone when we finally showed up at the track with a car for the first time. Whether it was help with the car, or the welcome from the drivers at the drivers' meeting, it sure felt great! You can race anywhere, with any kind of car. It is the people that make TQ racing the place we want to be.

2/9/09, 1:21 PM	#8 Re: Favorite TQ memory
badcoupe Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Posts: 954	Either finishing a motor up at 4:30 in the morning and winning the feature in a close race with ron combs. Either that or Jim berry getting another win last year at osgood with my brother at the wheel. Nights after the indoor shows hanging with Bob Nichols since my brother was driving for him. Good times indeed

2/9/09, 1:56 PM	#9 Re: Favorite TQ memory
Revolution Racing Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Posts: 222	I have several... Racing TQ's here in California was just awesome back in the late 80's early 90's. Among them; Getting the chance to race with guys like - Walt Johnson (and getting to know his wonderful Mom & Dad) Gary Schroeder (same with his folks too) Pus, all the names you are used to hearing (Drake, Kruseman, Leffler, Jones, Wise, etc...) Getting the chance to race in New Zealand Putting on two shows in Paris, France at an amazing indoor sports complex Racing on Turkey Night. On DIRT like God intended.... The good 'ol Pacific Coast Nationals. Ascot. Man, I could go on for a while here.... :thumb

2/9/09, 2:12 PM	#10 Re: Favorite TQ memory
Knoke77 Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Posts: 380	Way to many memories to list them all but one that always sticks out in my mind was back in 1995. We had a two race weekend where on Saturday we ran at Montpelier followed up with a show on Sunday at Kokomo. After running Montpelier many teams hauled butt over to Kokomo and got hotel rooms. After getting settled in a few teams met up to finish off the evening. This group consisted of a group of guys that always had a good time after the races. Travis Welpott and girlfriend Toby Welpott Chris Coers and his cousin Derek Scheffel and his crew Me a few others that I can't remember. All in all I think there were around 12 people. At the time I was not 21 but managed to sneak into the hotel bar along with the rest of the group. Needless to say my eyeballs were about ready to fall out of my head the next day and I was almost late in getting to the track with the car. I ended up sleeping on the floor in Derek's room and almost froze to death until someone finally put a sheet over me. My dad chewed my butt from one turn to the other when I finally arrived. Another funny moment that night was watching Derek get stuffed through the small glass window above the door of Travis's room because he lost his key and the clerk wouldn't give him another. That and Chris getting ran out of the pool for jumping the fence and going swimming after it was closed. Another moment I will never forget was my first win in a TQ which came at my home track in Columbus. I was leading about half-way through the feature when there was a bad crash and Travis Welpott had to be taken to the hospital for a checkup. We had to wait for another ambulance to show up so they got us out of the cars until it arrived. I was so nervous I could hardly sit still. Jackie Brock took me off to the side and gave me some of the best advice I have ever received. I kept worrying about Terry since he has always been on of the best in a TQ. She reminded me that he was no different then me and that he put his pants on the same way I do which is one leg at a time. She got me calmed down and focused on what I needed to do and I took the win with room to spare.