Originally Posted by Brandon Morin 98:
I never thought we would see the day when a race that originated in Terre Haute at the famed half mile,and was named after the city of Terre Haute or the nickname for the city, would end up in Granite City, IL, with the same name as when it was in Terre Haute. This truly displays how today's world is....traditions just get swept aside and disregarded. Some of the best midget races I have ever seen where at THAT. I will never forget the 95 Hut Hundred with Kenny Irwin and Tony Stewart tangling during a slider in turn 2 in identical Steve Lewis cars. I think there is a painting out there of that moment somewhere.....thats how you know it was a historic moment...if they make a painting of it! I bet there were no paintings made from last years Hut Hundred and won't be one this year either....I know last years race was great, and I am sure this one will be great as well. Tri-State and Granite City are great facilities, but.........They just need to leave "The Hut" in Terre Haute, and get a new name.
If you had your way, the race would be dead. Like Brent said, the cars and fans neither one continued to support this event. And that was heartbreaking to me, to see the race slowly die. I grew up in that infield, so believe you me, you have no more emotional attachment to the Hut Hundred than I do. I was glad to see Tom Helfrich basically pull the race out of the trash can and keep it alive. In fact, he hosted three of the best Hut Hundreds in many years. But, again, fans from this region didn't show up in droves to support the event. The cars did, but they didn't. So it became no longer financially feasible for them to host it. Enter Tri-City Speedway and Kevin Gundaker. Not only do you have an old school racing promoter in Gundaker, that actually goes out and builds anticipation for his events, but you also have what has become the most exciting midget track in the country to run the race at. No, it's not held in the city I was born in any more. But, it has moved on to a couple of tracks that have and will serve the memory of this great race well. I look at it like they're memorializing one of the truly great yearly racing events, by keeping the name.
I've had this race circled on my calendar since the day they announced it.
Jerry
A man is about as big as the things that make him angry.
Winston Churchill
