[Dick Monahan]

Unlike most of the above, my parents had no interest in cars or racing. When I was 14, there was a loud engine running in the field behind our house. It was three local lads, about 5-6 years older with what I soon learned was a dirt modified. I started "helping" them. I soon talked my father into taking me to the closest local track, the Dracut (MA) Speedway. They ran "cut-downs" (early supermodifieds made by chopping, channeling and narrowing early coupes), but the first night turned out to have an added attraction ... the 3rd race of the newly-formed Northeastern Midget Assn!

About midseason, the dirt modified owner asked if I wanted to go with them to the Cheshire Fairgrounds, outside of Keene, NH. Of course, I went. For the next 6 years, it was Keene on Thursdays, the Rhythm Inn Speedway in Miller's Falls, MA on Fridays, and occasionally Claremont (NH) Speedway on Saturday. In '59 we ran Stafford Springs, CT (then dirt). That winter, we built a sprint car (from scratch) with which we ran URC for the next 3-4 years.

As with my parents, our kids have little interest in racing. My wife thinks I killed it by taking them to too many races while I was president of NEMA. Unlike the parents you see streaming out of the track when it goes too late, I always had to stay to the end, and they grew to dislike it. Oh, well, that's how it goes.