[Mac man]

Originally Posted by Jerry Shaw I can't say that I remember that particular race, but the mention of the loss of Mike Waltz did put a chill in me. Having grown up spending many of my Saturday nights at Paragon, I remember when Mike came along. It was like 1970 or 1971 (that would have made me either 6 or 7). He was a really good driver, right out of the box. A serious competitor, almost from the get go. And I remember my uncle saying that Mike was enough of a pro, even at a young age, that he had earned the respect of most of the older drivers. And in those days, that was really saying something. I think he drove a real nice looking dark blue or black #2 (I'm not 100% certain on the color), was a always a fast qualifier, who liked a lower line at Paragon. One thing I do remember clearly though, is he was always a nice guy, when you met him in the pits. I wasn't at Bloomington the night he was lost and really I'm glad I wasn't, either. Because it was tough enough just hearing that this had happened. Hopefully, he'll never be forgotten. And who knows how great he might have turned out to be, had he not been taken early. Jerry

We were running that night. I remember the cage collasped. That was when some of the car builders were using thin wall tubing. I think Calivn Gilstrap was fatially injured that same year. that was between turns 3 and 4 . That was a bad year.