[A1Sprint]

Rushville Nationals To Honor Memory of Crocky Wright
By Alex Wollf

The 50th anniversary season of the Dutch Mill Buffet UMRA TQ Midgets is a time for reflection. It is a time to remember and celebrate the history of an organization that started in 1961 when Mel Harpring was the first UMRA champion. It is also a time to reflect on the people who have been great supporters of the UMRA over the past half century. One man who was a great backer of the UMRA was Crocky Wright.
Crocky Wright was born Ernest Schlausky in New Jersey where his formative years came in the era of “the mighty midgets” and gave him a chance to see them race at the famed Nutley Velodrome in the 1930s. He also was a lover of motorcycle racing where his hero was a speedway racer by the name of Emerson “Crocky” Rawding. After serving in the military during the Second World War, the young Schlausky made an attempt at racing in midgets. It was during this period that Ernest Schlausky made a trip to New York City. He had begun to adopt the first name Crocky in honor of his hero when a truck with a business ad on the side of it drove past him in “The Big Apple.” The ad on the truck said “Wright” and after picking the name right off of the side of the truck from that day on Ernest Schlausky was known to the world as Crocky Wright.
Crocky would soon find his calling in writing about racing. He would go on to write articles for racing publications and books about the history of midget racing that proudly sit in the bookcases of lovers of the sport. Eventually Crocky would migrate from New Jersey to settle in Indiana. The state was the perfect place for Crocky as it was (and remains to this day) a hotbed of midget racing. Of the many books that Crocky had written was a history of three-quarter midget racing on the East Coast and it so happened that Indiana was a hotbed of those as well.
The TQ’s were the perfect car for Crocky as it combined his two loves with the midget car and the motorcycle powerplants. Crocky became a big supporter of the UMRA by coming out to the track to cover the races and also keep meticulous notes on the events. He also had a sharp eye for talent and at a UMRA event in Madison, Indiana on July 18, 1989 one upstart driver from Columbus, Indiana caught his eye. The driver was Tony Stewart. The date became so etched in Crocky’s mind that for many years he would purchase a cake on July 18 and bring from the trailer that he lived in across from the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and share it with employees at the track to celebrate the day that he discovered the future racing legend whose cause he championed in the early years.
Many stories about Crocky have been well documented. The fact that he was the only man ever fired from the Indianapolis Motor Speedway for driving the tour bus too fast. The fact that he was also a motorcycle daredevil at heart, performing the “wall of fire” stunt up until the age of 77! It has also been well documented that in recent years Stewart purchased a home in Columbus for Crocky to live in. In later years you could tell that Crocky was slowing down physically but his love of the sport never did. He could still be found in the press box at Eldora, Bloomington, and ORP whenever there was a big race. He even came out to the fair race in Columbus in July of 2008 and was in the grandstands as Jason Vest took his first career UMRA feature win. On December 23, 2009 one of the most colorful lives came to an end as Crocky Wright passed away at the age of 90.
However, the story does not end there as in his will Crocky set aside money to go towards the purse of the Rushville Nationals to be held on June 25 and 26 at the Rush County Fairgrounds. The Dutch Mill Buffet UMRA TQ Midgets invite race fans to come to the Rushville Nationals to honor the memory of a truly one-of-a-kind individual, Crocky Wright.

[Austin75]

I will be there running my mini sprint. Should be a lot of fun.

[JakeMoore]

We will see you down there! hopin to bring some more 600s down this year!

[MKTQ17]

The Rushville TQ Nationals honoring Crocky Wright is just 1 week away! In addition to the UMRA TQ’s we will be hosting the 1st Micro Nationals! With GREAT support from Rush County Business and Rush County Fair Board we are pleased to announce $1000.00 to win, $500.00 2nd, $300.00 3rd, $200.00 4th, $100.00 5th Friday and Saturday nights for the Micro’s. TQ’s will be $500.00 to win and $250.00 to the highest finishing Rookie each night. Friday night will be a non-wing show and Saturday night will be a wing show. This is also the Rush County fair week with a full midway and a great crowd. Hubler Chevrolet will be providing trucks for the driver intros and we will be collecting money for Riley Children’s Hospital. Last race we collected $830.00 for this worthy cause and seek to match it again each night as drivers will parade thru the stands with their helmet collecting cash. One lucky fan will win a ride in the Stars and Heights Hot Air Balloon.

Gates will open at 3pm
Hot laps at approx 5:30

Questions can be directed to:
Michael J Koontz UMRA Vice President
Mkoontz4@yahoo.com
812-327-5735