[revjimk]

Originally Posted by WinglessLovers My wife and I were able to attend 106 races this year up from 99 the previous year. We saw racing at 54 different tracks in 10 states and scored 26 new tracks to our list (see profile if interested in seeing the complete list). We also write for Hoseheads.com and moved to Indiana almost four years ago to be able to attend the best non-wing racing in the country on a regular basis. We visited Kokomo Speedway 14 times during 2017 and enjoyed every race there. Our three top races of 2017 were the USAC midgets at Macon (so much action you didn't know where to look), an awesome show. The USAC midget race at Susquehanna Speedway in PA was second with Justin Grant stealing the win on the last corner of the last lap as Spencer Bayston and Tanner Thorson ran each other to the limit on the last lap and both slid high in turn four. Tyler Courtney's first Kokomo win during Smackdown was a great race with him coming back from flipping earlier in the evening with Brady Bacon advancing from 18th to 2nd at the finish. As Mr. Goodnight stated earlier it was a good racing season with many quality shows witnessed. Wishing everyone a healthy and Happy New Year and hoping that 2018 will be just as an exciting year of racing. Bruce and Pat Eckel

106 races is really impressive... makes me think how impressive Brian Clauson's attempt at 200 was... & he had to do a lot more than watch!

[revjimk]

Slight diversion: This is where it started for me, might be gone soon.... at the South end of Blue Ridge Parkway: http://www.eastsidespeedway.biz/speedwaynews.html

[revjimk]

Found this too... this old country boy was still racing at 74 in 2009
Check out Blue Ridge mountains in background of track.... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QURatX2i84k

[revjimk]

Originally Posted by revjimk Slight diversion: This is where it started for me, might be gone soon.... at the South end of Blue Ridge Parkway: http://www.eastsidespeedway.biz/speedwaynews.html

Tony Stewart to the rescue????

[Al Pierce]

That is very impressive Bruce, especially with the amount of rainouts last season. I only had 54 and I think I saw you at most of those. I was down a few but I'm not real good at record keeping. Here's hoping '18 will be a great year. See you around the Ocala area in Feb.

[davidm]

Originally Posted by revjimk Well, we moved from NYC to Shenandoah Valley of Virginny from 1960-66 (just south of Central Pa.) & I would bug my old man to take me to the dirt track races (the old coupes: jalopies, sportsmen, modifieds) In 1966 we moved back North, I went to 2 races on pavement & lost all interest. In 2010 I was visiting in upstate NYC, a friend gave me a Circle Track magazine that mentioned Central Pa. sprint scene. I was heading to southern Pa. the next day, looked for a race on the Internet (Clinton County, Pa, winged 360s, Gravel was just a beginner) When those cars accelerated out of the first turn, I was hooked. Next race for me was Sammy winning WG National Open Took me a while to figure out I preferred wingless cars in a bullring... inspired by watching videos of Kokomo. Then I started going to Indiana...

Do you recall any of the tracks you attended when you lived in the Shenandoah Valley? Conococheague speedway now Hagerstown Speedway or Winchester might have been one's you could have easily gotten to. I started going to Hagerstown Speedway in 1965.

[scottyCbus]

So 2017 was a good year for this guy race wise. I went to 21 races at 10 different tracks with 7 trips to Eldora as the most at any track. Down one race from 2016 which I went to 22. Got back to IMS for the first time in years to watch the Indy 500 and was reminded just how special that place really is. The race was great with lots of action. Made it back to T.H.A.T in 2017 for the first time in couple of years and the racing was great as well. But the high light for me for the 6th year in a row was the Kokomo Smackdown week with the final night being some of the best racing I've seen in along time. The feature was one of the best ever and full of drama and lead changes and battles through out the entire field. With all the restarts at the end and just how racing is you can lead all the laps you want but if you don't lead the last one then the other laps you led don't mean a whole lot. What a finish it was and afterwards was just completely nuts lol! Looking forward to many more adventures in 2018 and a goal of mine is to go to a few tracks that have never be to Next season.
_____________________
Scott McCloskey
BunkHouse Gang Member

[revjimk]

Originally Posted by davidm Do you recall any of the tracks you attended when you lived in the Shenandoah Valley? Conococheague speedway now Hagerstown Speedway or Winchester might have been one's you could have easily gotten to. I started going to Hagerstown Speedway in 1965.

The ones I went to were Eastside Speedway in Waynesboro (up for sale now) & Devil's Bowl outside of Staunton (long defunct). Winchester was the big rival to Eastside & their top dog Bill Nalley would come down to battle our star Smokey Stover.
My one visit to Hagerstown was a few years ago for Pa. Speedweek, race was slow, boring follow the leader, & after I read that my boyhood hero Smokey got seriously injured there, I'm not going back.
You should try to find a copy of self published book "Tales of the Track" by Steve Strosnider. It covers all those tracks & drivers, good pictures & stories.
The 3rd track I went to in my youth was Danbury, Ct. after we moved north in 1966. It had recently been paved, & 2 races there caused me to lose interest & begin my 40 year hiatus from dirt track racing

[WinglessLovers]

Originally Posted by revjimk Wow... can I assume you're retired with a decent pension? I think we met at Path Valley, no? USAC midgets at Susky was my favorite race of the year too....

Revjimk,

The answer to question one is yes. The answer to question two is yes and the Susky race was excellent from the beginning to the climatic ending.

Bruce Eckel

[revjimk]

Originally Posted by WinglessLovers Revjimk, The answer to question one is yes. The answer to question two is yes and the Susky race was excellent from the beginning to the climatic ending. Bruce Eckel

Hope to see you again this summer!