It was fifteen years ago today that we lost a great sprint car driver and a really nice young man.
I've been chasing sprint car racing for almost fifty years and I've been fortunate to have watched
a lot of wonderfully talented sprint car drivers. Foyt, Parnelli, Vogler, Branson, McCluskey, Bigelow, Pancho, Rollie, Stewart, et al.......Robbie was as good as any of them. I'm reminded of Eric Gordon's comment back then when he opined that few in the '94 Indy 500 field could carry Robbie's helmet bag.
Almost gave up on racing after that night at Winchester. I recall the next evening at IFG when a
fellow asked me if I knew how Robbie was doing and the grapefruit sized lump in my throat when I
had to inform him that Robbie didn't make it.
I believe it might have been Bill Rose who came up with the "No Regrets" decals with respect to
Robbie Stanley. That thought helped me deal with the loss and I carry that decal on my truck
to this day.
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What a fine young man and talent that was taken from us way too soon. His career in Nascar was on the upswing and who knows what might have been.
I recall the Hoffman car being damaged earlier in the evening (turn two shunt?) and then thinking later that if they had not been able to repair the car and get him back out there, he may still be with us today.
He was a real racer that had no fear and I still miss seeing him to this day.
i was there also on that night working on a car that was damaged in that wreck.
i went to the king of wings there two sunday's ago, my first time back since that wreck and got chill's when the car of ryan litt hit the wall then came slowly down the track in almost the same spot as robbie . a night i will never forget but wish i could!
I was making two and three races a week durring these times but never seen him run pavement. He was one to watch no matter winged or not, paved or dirt.
I vividly remember him in the family 47 a few times at Union County Speedway running the top when nobody else would. By halfway thru the race he was passing two and three cars a lap.
Unfortunately we never had a chance to see Robbie race.
We ran Stanley quarter midgets the past two years and my son won numerous races and a championship at Mini-Indy.
I was cleaning up my shed on Saturday and found a Robbie Stanley sticker left over from our QM days. We put it on the Mini-Sprint Saturday night at Lawrenceburg.
He was one of my favorites back then....I still think about him and his bright future whenever I see one of the autographs I got from him as a kid.
I wasn't there that night, luckily, but it obviously had a huge effect on USAC racing and the racing world as a whole.
No Regrets!!
This is very hard for me. There are so many memories of the times our families spent together, racing 1/4 midgets all over the country, tearing the wing off the trailer on the way to Limaland, backing over the gas meter at my shop, and a single most memorable moment on a saturday in August, 1992. I had taken a bad flip in Lincoln 2 weeks before. We were running the Jack's tool race at IRP that weekend. I qualified 2n or 3rd quick which locked me in for Saturdays feature. Things just didn't seem right in my head yet. Saturday morning we were working on the car at Stanley's, Robbie was helping me change the rear end and do maintence on the car. we were putting the tailtank back on and I asked if he was doing anything tonight. Saying no, he said he would be able to come out and help me. I told him to bring his hat if he would like to run our car that night. He had never asked to run our car but you could always tell he would given the chance. We started last in the feature, ran third with the race going green to checker! We had a great time that night, I wouldn't change the circumstances for any reason. I had to miss Robbie's services because Sherry and I were married that weekend. Very different emotions each year at this time.
Originally Posted by streihawk8:
This is very hard for me. There are so many memories of the times our families spent together, racing 1/4 midgets all over the country, tearing the wing off the trailer on the way to Limaland, backing over the gas meter at my shop, and a single most memorable moment on a saturday in August, 1992. I had taken a bad flip in Lincoln 2 weeks before. We were running the Jack's tool race at IRP that weekend. I qualified 2n or 3rd quick which locked me in for Saturdays feature. Things just didn't seem right in my head yet. Saturday morning we were working on the car at Stanley's, Robbie was helping me change the rear end and do maintence on the car. we were putting the tailtank back on and I asked if he was doing anything tonight. Saying no, he said he would be able to come out and help me. I told him to bring his hat if he would like to run our car that night. He had never asked to run our car but you could always tell he would given the chance. We started last in the feature, ran third with the race going green to checker! We had a great time that night, I wouldn't change the circumstances for any reason. I had to miss Robbie's services because Sherry and I were married that weekend. Very different emotions each year at this time.
No Regrets!!!!
Mike Streicher
Really enjoyed the story and you thoughts on Robbie.
Now I have a story. I mailed you guys a check many years ago for a Rich Vogler T-shirt. If I remember right, it was when you car was sponsored by a casino. Not only did you send me the shirt, but an autographed hero card from Rich and a really nice hand written letter that you guys wrote. You guys thanked me for my interest in Streicher racing and for my support for Rich and the team.