Started at the Terre Haute Action Track with Dad in the 1960's to watch our Fav. A.J.Foyt and Moms Fav ole Herk when the races were done we would go to the Blue Bonnet Diner in Brazil,IN which was right on U.S. 40 and wait for Drivers to stop in and visit always Foyt & Herk and many more.
Then in my Teens we began to Go To Lincoln Park Speedway back then they Ran Sprints on Friday Nights and Late Models on Sunday night each week then later they moved to Saturdays only been going there ever since
Bob N!!.....unless it was a spl show @ Kearney Bowl for Midgets,they always ran Supers on Fri,San Jose Sat,Clovis 1/2 Dirt on Sun!!..Old San Jose Spdwy was my home track startin in late 50's.........
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Brucer'
Originally Posted by Sausage:
As an aside, one night at Baylands they interviewed a 13 yr. old Jeff G. They couldn't let him race because of their insurance, but he was already in Indiana at the time racing.
Raced Class "C" Flat track motorcycles @ Valleo late 60's,in the era of Kenny Roberts Sr.#80y.....
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Brucer'
Terre Haute Action Track was the first one. In 1969, I believe. I remember two black cars with roll cages. One was Ziggy Snider (I think). I was 6 at the time.
Alton Speedway (later known as Godfrey Speedway, among others) as a youngster with my parents in the late 50's. Then it was Tri-City Speedway in Granite City with my oldest brother during the 60's to see Sprint Cars. Then when I got my drivers license, it was Granite every Tuesday night for AMA Pro Short track bikes, places like Belle Clair, Godfrey, St. Charles, MO and Little Springfield on weekends.
First trip to Indiana for USAC was 1977 Hulman Classic at Terre Haute and been goin ever since.
Started out at the Johnstown, PA Speedway and Jennerstown (then dirt) around 1959. Remember the three 'big guns' as dad called em - Gerald Chamberlain, Johnnie Grum, and Blackie Watt in the modifieds (jalopies). Graduated to Port Royal early 60's - "super modifieds" morphing into sprinters as I grew up! How can you beat the weekly regulars - Mitch Smith in the Gary Wasson Special, Johnnie Grum in the Fletcher American 66, Pete Swarmer in his homemade super running against the "store-bought sprinters", Leroy Felty in the Velvet 7, Lynn Paxton and Bobby Allen in the Shorty Emerick Chevrolet #1 and 1A sprinters, Cowboy Jim Kennedy in the huge wing #7, Elmer Ruby in the #711, a young Keith Kaufman starting out, Smokey Snelbaker in the 880, and occasional visits in later years by Opperman and Kenny Weld. I could go on and on since the more I write the more memories keep popping up!
Originally Posted by Tumey's 55:
One addendum, the trip to Bloomington was made sweeter by a stop at a relatively new hamburger joint on the north side, McDonalds. This was one of the few Greasy Mc's around and at this time was a carry out only. We would grab a cheeseburger and I got to listen to my dad and granddad relive the race on the way north on 2 lane 37.
Posted via Mobile Device
Setting in same McDonalds reading this post brings back a lot of great memories
Originally Posted by AustinSprinter:
Bob N!!.....unless it was a spl show @ Kearney Bowl for Midgets,they always ran Supers on Fri,San Jose Sat,Clovis 1/2 Dirt on Sun!!..Old San Jose Spdwy was my home track startin in late 50's.........
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Brucer'
It may very well have been a special show, Brucer. Like I said, I was just 3 or 4 years old. I can't even tell you how often we went. I'd guess not too often, but it seems like it was on Sunday nights. The only reasonably vivid memory I have is of a car hitting one of the light poles, which I believe were on the outside of, and very close to, the track. My recollection is that the driver was killed. I do, however, remember Vukie's red #1. I know the races had an impact on me, because every time my brother and I raced our bicycles in later years, I was always Billy Vukovich.
