[DiehardRaceFan]

http://herald-review.com/lifestyles/...fcc8de6ed.html
Central Illinois Midget racing legend, part of the Midgeteers, Chuck Marshall, passed away. He was 97 years old. Chuck is a member of the National Midget Hall of Fame, inducted back in 2010.

[mscs20]

At the 2010 Chili Bowl, Chuck attended every night of it. Enjoyed it immensely. Then he was 91....and at the induction ceremony....when they called his name, he literally ran to the front and jumped on stage...again at 91. One of the best speeches I every heard, most of it "R" rated, but that was Chuck. There was a restored Offy midget on display that he had ran some. Tried hard to talk them into letting him hot lap it during one of the breaks when Hewitt was doing 2 seater rides. He said "I'll whip his ass if they let us run together" lol. He was truly an entertainer. I was fortunate to grow up around him and hear story after story that made me appreciate the "old school", the ones who layed the ground work for this thing we enjoy so much.
With pictures of Chuck Marshall, Larry Cannon, Bubby Jones and then AJ Foyt, as a kid I never needed wall paper in my room. Foyt once mentioned that in a midget, Chuck and Don Branson were the 2 toughest drivers to race with when he started.
RIP ole buddy.

~Steve Thomas~