In addition to the usual Usac and MSCS races in IL and IN, I picked up two new tracks this year. I am very thankful I was at the Ditch to see BC win after Thorsen shredded a RR. Scary bleachers there though. Need some new boards. Also got to see the Sat. race at Queen Creek AZ. In the middle of the desert the track stayed racy all night with no grooming like you see at Tri State. I highly recommend if you get a chance to go to Phoenix to try to see a race there.

Like a post above stated, the month of August was a tough month. After attending Belleville, it was hard to get excited to go back to the track. I probably stayed away from any track the entire rest of the month. I did get to one new track, Des Moines State Fair Speedway, to see a NSL show.

87 Races
15 Different Tracks
Central PA (Williams Grove, Port Royal, Lincoln, Susquehanna, Selinsgrove, Lanco, Trailways, Path Valley and Grandview)
Saw -WoO (Central PA), All Stars (Central PA & Eldora), USAC Sprints (Central PA swing), USAC Midgets (The week of rain in Central PA), USAC Champ Cars (Williams Grove & Eldora), NASCAR Trucks (Eldora, Martinsville, Daytona & Homestead), NASCAR Nationwide (Daytona - twice, Bristol & Homestead), NASCAR Cup (Daytona - twice, Bristol, Martinsville, Dover & Homestead) and Big Block Modifieds (Williams Grove & Eldora).
As far as good races - the one that sticks out in my mind is the Champ Car race at Williams Grove. Clauson almost got it at the end.

It was a good year.

I didn't keep real good records last year. figure I got to 43 to 49 shows. Saw some really good ones. Smackdown at Kokomo and Sprintweek at Putnamville get praise for racing when I didn't think it would be possible. As mentioned before Bryan's loss will always dominate 2016 memories.

Good thing you got to the Iowa State Fairgrounds this year. That track is no more. Sad deal. Read about it on Facebook and there are a lot of people who are on that sight saying they will never set foot on the Iowa State Fairgrounds again.

61 for us in 2016, new tracks were Fairbury NE, Beloit KS & Belleville KS. Was really looking forward to BMS this year, but apparently that isn't going to happen.

2016 was a great but bittersweet year for all of us race fans. First the good attended 22 races just down 1 from 2015. Attended Eldora 7 times and went to my first Kings Royal in years and Four Crown for the 2nd year in a row. BC won 5 times in the 22 races that I attended. Smackdown was the best races of the year even with the Tornadoes which was totally Nuts! Got back to the Little 500 after a year off and it was great. The Bunkhouse Gang went to 4 different tracks together Eldora 3, The Burg 1, LPS 1, Kokomo 1 and it really doesn't get much more fun than that. At Smackdown handed out each night the BC award to the driver finishing 7th each night in the A-main. Since Wednesday was a wash 17th place got it Saturday night as well. Winners Brady Bacon, Jarrett Andretti 2 times and Sunshine Tyler Courtney on his 7th place finish on the final night. The passing of BC in august was tough on everyone and we will miss him very much not just because of his racing but for the kind of man he was and the Class he brought to the table in everything he was about on and off the track! Prayers to his family and friends. Thanks for sharing him with us and we love you all! Many of you may or may not know this but the Bunkhouse Gang lost a great man and huge race fan and the Bunkhouse Boss Harvey Hendershot in December his loss will be missed and we can only hope we can make him proud by continuing his great passion for racing and life he instilled in all of us. Here's to a safe and happy, Healthy 2017 everyone. Hope to meet many more of you at the races.

_______________________
Scott McCloskey
Bunkhouse Gang member

Not a bad season, but I have had better, myself. Headed out 28 times but only got in 25 due to rainouts.

I thought the best weekend was the Indiana Dirt Classic at Kokomo with the All Stars. The heat formula was great with the inverts a la Australian sprint format. Too bad they are not having it again this year.

Everything at Butler Speedway up here was a mess. From running late (and I mean REAL late due to the uncontrolled modified division), dusty track conditions (the All Star race was the worst track conditions I ever saw) and the FAST/SOD debacle wherein it rained in the day and the track was nowhere NEAR getting it prepped in time. Eventually it was canceled. I will use severe judgement if I go there at all this year.

One interesting trip was leaving Eldora after Haud won the last round of Ohio Sprint Speed Week and making it to Butler in time to catch the last 12 laps of the Feature. I probably could have caught it all but this might have been the one night they were actually fairly close to being on time.

One new track for me: Montpelier. USAC Midget Week. BC won in sprints that night. It was the last time I got to see him win.

Starting out next weekend at the Half Moon for Chili Bowl night, then on to Volusia next month. Looking forward to going for we opted out of FLA last year.

Safe racing to all!

My wife and I had a good year in 2016 with me hitting 99 shows while Pat finished with 96 shows. We started and finished 2016 at the PPL Center in Allentown, Pa and in between we went to 58 different tracks in 12 states with 15 rainouts stopping our goal of 100 races for the second year in a row. We saw many good races in our travels with Kokomo (11 times) being our home track (it don't get much better than that!). We met many new friends along with old friends in our travels and this is often the best part of the racing scene. Hope to start the 2017 season off in late January in Florida. We miss Bryan and will always remember him in our memories.

Bruce and Pat Eckel

What is BMS?