[fishnman]

This "Fraternity" of open wheel racing is special. Has been for as long as I have been addicted to this sport, my first race ever till now. Mind you, I don't quite remember my first race, August 1963, I was two weeks old! Whether it be drivers, owners, mechanics, promoters, fans, photographers and whoever else, just something about this crazy fraternity that cannot be matched anywhere for the passion, heart and desire to pursue this sport to all ends.

One thing about this fraternity is the friendships that come about. I have made so many great friends chasing sprint cars and midgets that sometimes I feel I am blessed beyond what any normal person should be. From Ascot to Lernerville and countless tracks in between, I have had the pleasure of acquainting a ton of great people. Some of those have turned into great friendships. I have had the pleasure of making great friends on this message board. I have made lifelong friendships at Lawrenceburg thru the years. Bob Sell, one of our photographers, I have known for around 18 to 19 years now. HUGE open wheel fan, and as I just found out a couple of years ago, knows what the hell he is doing with a camera. Tom Bipes, track champ in 91, whom I used to see race at the burg when I would sneek out of town while in the Air Force in Oscoda MI ( 8 hour drive) just to catch the weekly show at the burg. He is always sneeking over to my house on Sunday night to have a beer (or four) and catch the Speed report and Wind Tunnel because he don't get Speed Channel and wants to hear on either of these shows that maybe 'Ol' Tony Stewart is thinking about making a surprise announcement that he is sick of Nascar and is making a full time return to sprints and midgets and plans on running the entire Indy car schedule next year. Joss Moffatt, one great kid. I still say a little traction control might help you out! (Inside joke there). Dave Rudisell and his lovely wife Kim, man you talk about hard working people, it is nice to see a couple of "youngns" with that old school work habit. We sure have been through alot the last three years, and sometimes by Thursday I wonder if I am going to have the energy and if my messed up legs are are going to make it to Sat. But once hot laps fire, and you Rudy see that "**** eatin" grin on my face, you know I wouldn't rather be anywhere on this earth. Thanks buddy for giving me the chance to help make this thing happen every week.

Then comes the friendship I developed with Mel Johnson. I have known "of " Mel since about 85 or so. Every visit I made to the burg thru the years Mel always made it up to the stands to say hello to people, thank them for coming, and always send an invite to come back. Come back I did, every week. Seemed like a big family reunion every Saturday night. My two daughters, Britni and Erin, ages 24 and 21 now, were there with me just about all of the time. Britni asked me one time when she was about 6 " Daddy, who is that man"? I told her "That is Mel Johnson, he runs the races here". So about a week or two passed and she walked right up to him and said 'Hi Mel", next thing I know here she comes with a box of popcorn. Whered' you get the money for that"? She replied, "nowhere, Mel gave it to me". That right there shows you what kind of man he was.
I 'Officially" met Mel in 2007. I very quickly seen what he was made of. One of a kind, straight to the point, and he always seemed to be right about everything. The biggest heart you could imagine, and a sense of humor that is unreal. He was there everyday, and everyday he would show up and have a fresh cup of coffee for me, large mind you with two creams and two sugars, and a sweet tea for Rudy. " Where the hell is our leader" he'd ask, "Hell, I dunno" I'd say. " Call him and tell him to get his ass over here!" Same thing, everyday since 2007.
Along with Mel came his wife Patti, Son Timmy and daughter Terri, and all the rest. His son Tony, who passed away a while back. Talk about a close knit family, and all of them as decent a human as you can find anywhere. They are all there at the burg, every Saturday night, still carrying on that reunion I spoke of earlier.
Talk about tough, toughest man I ever met. One time last year he had catarac surgery on a Tuesday, then a blood transfusion on Wednesday morning, at 1 or so Rudy and me came back from a late lunch and there was Mel, on the tractor with the drag smoothing things out. Dave tried to get him to go home and rest, but all he could say was, "you go do some promoting and I'll do this".
October of 2007 when Mel, Rudy and myself went to Charlotte for the WoO finals. Mel made us laugh all the way there and all the way back. While there Scott Gerkin mentioned to me, " They don't make them like Mel much anymore. I remember times at L-burg when after the night was over, and he might have made a few hundred bucks, he would go to a driver that had some bad luck and just give him a hundred or two and tell them thanks for coming, hope this helps you out a bit." Yep he was right , they don't make them like Mel much anymore.

My friend, I am going to miss you. You will always be a part of L-burg Speedway. Your fingerprints will be on that place from now on. You will be there watching over us I am sure, Telling me "slow down Reesey", or asking me when Timmy jumps in the tractor, "What the hell is that boy doing now?". Or asking me to "Get Rudys ass over here a minute." I do know for a fact that you will lend us a hand now and then from that big racing fraternity in the sky.

Godspeed my friend

[ChaplainJackie]

That was a very nice post Dave, I wanted to say something about Mel too. When Dave Rudisell called me to ask me to pray for Mel and his family I sat down and asked God how should I pray.God showed me that Lawrenceburg Speedway is not about the size of the track or the new grandstands or the clean restroom that flush. Lawrenceburg Speedway is the people, everyone that has entered into "the burg". It's the promoters that have given their time and talents to build on Lawrenceburg's history. It's the staff that have been kind and helpful to the fans, drivers and their families. It's the generations of fans that have supported their drivers, waiting for their driver to come out, cheering and encouraging them on till they take the checkers. It's the drivers that have driven here and we have been blessed with the best. Mel played a big part in the history of Lawrenceburg Speedway. So I thanked God for Mel Johnson, for his life and his love for Lawrenceburg. I thanked Him for the kind of man Mel was, the husband father andf friend. Thank you Mel Johnson!