16th Street Speedway RIP 9 years

Al Pierce · 9/18/08, 3:34 PM

When I first saw this thread I had flashbacks to the original 16th Street Speedway, across from IMS, Night Before the 500, drivers that were qualified for the 500 running midgets. Ooops, that was more than 9 years ago. :crying:

ronmil · 9/18/08, 4:39 PM

Never got to see a race there, but I remember the closing day very well. I had intentions of going, but had attended a USAC Silver Crown race at Terre Haute the night before, and just wasn't able to make it to Indy for the finale at 16th Street Speedway. I was able to get to Indy in time for a USAC sprint and midget double header that night at IRP. My mother and I stopped to eat at the MCL on Crawfordsville Road before heading out to Clermont, and I remember many people being in the restaurant who had been at 16th Street Speedway and hearing them discuss the race.

Pat O'Connor Fan · 9/18/08, 6:01 PM

Tim, there are so many folks on IOW who won't have a clue about your post :eek:

Pat O'Connor Fan · 9/18/08, 6:07 PM

If that place was still running like it did for those few good seasons, Kim and I would have worn out a car by now, just on all of the Saturday night round-trips to Indy.
We attended a bunch of the events there, and truly enjoyed going there.

Mud Packer · 9/18/08, 8:58 PM

I think about the place every time I pick up my 16th Street Speedway hat. It has gotten dirty from just hanging around so I washed it about a month ago. I believe it is time to start wearing it again. Most people wouldn't know what it was so it might be a conversation piece.:O:

DonMoore10 · 9/18/08, 10:05 PM

I recently read that there are some plans to renovated the place for a girls soccer team. :rolleyes:

E.P. · 9/18/08, 10:50 PM

Random thoughts on 16th Street...

It was the facility that I learned first hand that Steve Knepper in his prime was smoother than a 40 year old scotch.

I still smile when I think about watching Drake put Smoke on his head during a caution.

Watching Larry Martz's reaction while he watched Drake put Smoke on his head during a caution.

Selling Smoke IRL shirts out of the :dologob: trailor a few days later in Rushville and seeing Smokes reaction when I argued with him that Jay gave him what he had coming. A classic argument that lasted until midnight after everyone left the VFW or Legion or where ever we were.

Was is Leffler and Drake that threw down in turn one? Or was it Leffler and Ricky Shelton?

Seeing Billy Shipman be a man and protect the fans by stopping a brake puck from going into the crowd. :rolling

John Wolfe...man that old sled of his was one car we never put on the scales to check for minimum weight.

Running for my life in the infield from a mother bird who felt she needed to protect her nest. Man was she :censor:!

I wonder with the price of gas these days if Ron Smoker would drive from Buffalo, NY to strap into Bobby's #24?

Wondering why there would be 40 people in the grandstands while 1.5 miles away Victory Field had 5000 in the stands?

Summer Fizzle

RIP Kenny Allison

Ain't no glammer being in the slammer!

9/19/08, 6:25 AM

It was Shelton and Leffler --- but on the Stewart and Drake thing I have a couple of thoughts --- I wonder how Jay would feel now when he has so much responsibility getting cars to the racetrack? -- I reminds me of a quote I got from Brian Tyler who said "in Michigan the way we dealt with problems was deal directly with the guy - not some other guy's racecar" - And most significantly, when Tony needed a place to live - who gave it to him, and how did a kid from Columbus become the Rushville Rocket? The answer, as you know EP, is Larry Martz.

interpreter66 · 9/19/08, 7:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mud Packer

I think about the place every time I pick up my 16th Street Speedway hat. It has gotten dirty from just hanging around so I washed it about a month ago. I believe it is time to start wearing it again. Most people wouldn't know what it was so it might be a conversation piece.:O:

same thing when i wear my 16th street shirt,nobody know's about it and when you tell them they have this blank look on thier face:confused:

cmakin · 9/19/08, 7:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by interpreter66

same thing when i wear my 16th street shirt,nobody know's about it and when you tell them they have this blank look on thier face:confused:

Man, even this California "kid" living in Texas knows what the 16th Street Speedway is. Both of them.

It saddens me to drive past the current abandoned incarnation and still see the "pit entrance" signs, knowing that I will never see a wheel turned there, other than what I had seen on TV years ago.

I do believe that I might have parked on the back stretch of the original joint before. . . .

9/18/08, 4:39 PM	#12 Re: 16th Street Speedway RIP 9 years
ronmil Senior Member Race Count Last Year: 48 Join Date: Jul 2007 Posts: 18,881	Never got to see a race there, but I remember the closing day very well. I had intentions of going, but had attended a USAC Silver Crown race at Terre Haute the night before, and just wasn't able to make it to Indy for the finale at 16th Street Speedway. I was able to get to Indy in time for a USAC sprint and midget double header that night at IRP. My mother and I stopped to eat at the MCL on Crawfordsville Road before heading out to Clermont, and I remember many people being in the restaurant who had been at 16th Street Speedway and hearing them discuss the race. __________________ Ron Miller

9/18/08, 8:58 PM	#15 Re: 16th Street Speedway RIP 9 years
Mud Packer Senior Member Race Count Last Year: 59 Join Date: Jul 2007 Posts: 5,094	I think about the place every time I pick up my 16th Street Speedway hat. It has gotten dirty from just hanging around so I washed it about a month ago. I believe it is time to start wearing it again. Most people wouldn't know what it was so it might be a conversation piece.:O: __________________ Mike Be nice to people on the way up. You might need them on the way down. Jimmy Durante

9/18/08, 3:34 PM	#11 Re: 16th Street Speedway RIP 9 years
Al Pierce Senior Member Race Count This Year: 49 Race Count Last Year: 43 Join Date: Jul 2007 Posts: 1,423	When I first saw this thread I had flashbacks to the original 16th Street Speedway, across from IMS, Night Before the 500, drivers that were qualified for the 500 running midgets. Ooops, that was more than 9 years ago. :crying:

9/18/08, 6:01 PM	#13 Re: 16th Street Speedway RIP 9 years
Pat O'Connor Fan Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Posts: 8,029	Tim, there are so many folks on IOW who won't have a clue about your post :eek:

9/18/08, 6:07 PM	#14 Re: 16th Street Speedway RIP 9 years
Pat O'Connor Fan Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Posts: 8,029	If that place was still running like it did for those few good seasons, Kim and I would have worn out a car by now, just on all of the Saturday night round-trips to Indy. We attended a bunch of the events there, and truly enjoyed going there.

9/18/08, 10:05 PM	#16 Re: 16th Street Speedway RIP 9 years
DonMoore10 Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Posts: 1,474	I recently read that there are some plans to renovated the place for a girls soccer team. :rolleyes:

9/18/08, 10:50 PM	#17 Re: 16th Street Speedway RIP 9 years
E.P. Senior Member Race Count This Year: 22 Race Count Last Year: 17 Join Date: Jul 2007 Posts: 288	Random thoughts on 16th Street... It was the facility that I learned first hand that Steve Knepper in his prime was smoother than a 40 year old scotch. I still smile when I think about watching Drake put Smoke on his head during a caution. Watching Larry Martz's reaction while he watched Drake put Smoke on his head during a caution. Selling Smoke IRL shirts out of the :dologob: trailor a few days later in Rushville and seeing Smokes reaction when I argued with him that Jay gave him what he had coming. A classic argument that lasted until midnight after everyone left the VFW or Legion or where ever we were. Was is Leffler and Drake that threw down in turn one? Or was it Leffler and Ricky Shelton? Seeing Billy Shipman be a man and protect the fans by stopping a brake puck from going into the crowd. :rolling John Wolfe...man that old sled of his was one car we never put on the scales to check for minimum weight. Running for my life in the infield from a mother bird who felt she needed to protect her nest. Man was she :censor:! I wonder with the price of gas these days if Ron Smoker would drive from Buffalo, NY to strap into Bobby's #24? Wondering why there would be 40 people in the grandstands while 1.5 miles away Victory Field had 5000 in the stands? Summer Fizzle RIP Kenny Allison Ain't no glammer being in the slammer!

9/19/08, 6:25 AM	#18 Re: 16th Street Speedway RIP 9 years
psullivan Posts: n/a	It was Shelton and Leffler --- but on the Stewart and Drake thing I have a couple of thoughts --- I wonder how Jay would feel now when he has so much responsibility getting cars to the racetrack? -- I reminds me of a quote I got from Brian Tyler who said "in Michigan the way we dealt with problems was deal directly with the guy - not some other guy's racecar" - And most significantly, when Tony needed a place to live - who gave it to him, and how did a kid from Columbus become the Rushville Rocket? The answer, as you know EP, is Larry Martz.