[Indy1808]

Very nice thread.
Great to read the stories.
Really good educational reading especially for someone who promotes, owns, sanctions, to really understand how to continue to keep the fans coming & gain the new ones. All the more reason to let the under 12 in free.

Anyway, since a babe in arms,
I, like a few others here, actually had 3 tracks that I grew up going to.
The Champaign County Fairgrounds (1/2 & 1/4 mile tracks) was on Friday nite.
Saturday was Macon Speedway.
And then Sunday was lil Springfield (Shaheens).
Also recall going to (special event races?) at the old Danville Speedbowl? speedway(extinct) & Fairbury's Am. Legion Speedway.

Sprints were always my favorite from the beginning. Watching drivers like Johnny Meyers, gentleman Jim Moughan, Gene Henson, Chuck Weyant, Olie Runion, Hershel Jenkins, Wib Spaulding, Ross Sowers, Chuck Amati, Wink Bridges, Ronnie Milton, Dean Shirley, Chuck Lynch, Larry Cannon, Bobby Carrigan, all the Stanridge & Camfield (drivers & families) Don Branson, Bubby Jones & all the Bettenhausen brothers and so many more.

The Champaign County Fairgrounds had the 1/2 mile with the 1/4 mile track inside of it.(the 1/2 is still there but 1/4 is gone.) The 1/4 is the track that was used for the every Friday night events but the 1/2 was utilized for the fair weekend events. For those of you that have been to Jacksonville Illinois Speedway it was very similar with the exception of larger covered grandstands.

My father was an official & a flagman. He later became secretary/manager of the Champaign County fairgrounds from the mid 1950's until he passed away in 1963 (at age 42). He and several others were a very influential on bringing automotive related events to the fair & fairgrounds, much to the chagrin of the many Horse owners there. Looking back he really had to be diplomatic with them since they were mostly the controlling shareholders of the Fair and made up most of its board members. Let alone their dislike of the noise & effect it might have on the animals.

When he passed away, I was only just starting grade school. Still in my early years, he had instilled in me & showed me the love he had for this sport of ours. I owe this allegiance to him as well as my patriotism to this great country and the freedom it stands for.

Reminiscing of those years before he passed, I spent many hours & long days, with him at the fairgrounds & track. I have vivid memories of riding the water truck many times with the track workers.
Even after his passing, our neighbor, (He was the official timer that was with the circuit) allowed me to continue going with them and their son, well into my late teens. Thank you George but even more so,
THANKS TO MY DAD.
Here is some video of them racing on the 1/2 mile in the 1970's.

YouTube Short