Hero

I knew Chuck for years. The first winged car I ever saw was his. I helped some on the cars and went to many races with him.
My condolences go out to his family.
Thanks for the memories, Chuck. RIP.
Charlie Hunter

Chuck lived up to the old song lyric "the love you get is equal to the love you give". We were honored a few years ago to be able to vote Chuck into the Hoosier Auto Racing Fans (HARF) Hall of Fame, a very fitting inductee, and it showed by the number of votes he received from our membership how loved he was. Chuck was at our Banquet to accepts his Hall of Fame award and was truly touched by it, so much so that 2 weeks later we were shocked to see a huge ad in Speed Sport News bought by Chuck to thanks everyone for voting him into the Hall of Fame. He never took anything for granted and lived everyday to its fullest. A one of a kind guy that we will all miss. God Bless you and our deepest sympathies to the family. bob & vicki black:crying:

Dick Schulz, Sioux Falls I am posting this for the younger generation.
I was working with Frantsen and doing heads for Woodke and doing my
own deal. It would be a summer or post season race with a slightly bigger
purse. Racers would start showing up and they would be named Kenny.Jerry,
Chuck, Donny, Jan, Ray Lee, Leonard, Doug, Donny, Frank, Earl,Darrel, Roger,
Dick, Keith, and a bunch of other guys that we only knew the first name of.
It was the best and toughest racing anyone has been lucky enough to see. The
guys that rose to the top, well we learned their last name. Amati was high on
the list and he's in pretty good company. T

Dick Schulz, Sioux Falls I am posting this for the younger generation.
I was working with Frantsen and doing heads for Woodke and doing my
own deal. It would be a summer or post season race with a slightly bigger
purse. Racers would start showing up and they would be named Kenny.Jerry,
Chuck, Donny, Jan, Ray Lee, Leonard, Doug, Donny, Frank, Earl,Darrel, Roger,
Dick, Keith, and a bunch of other guys that we only knew the first name of.
It was the best and toughest racing anyone has been lucky enough to see. The
guys that rose to the top, well we learned their last name. Amati was high on
the list and he's in pretty good company.

ricochet, is keith frantzen still alive and building cars. i remember him racing at atomic (kc) in ohio in the early 80's. and bobby geldner..

RIP child hood hero one armed bandit!!!!!!!! you will be sorely missed

Keith ain't dead, he just smells that way. He is building wings and sliders with Lev.
Jerry is still kicking also but had to give most his stomach to cancer. He is still polishing
stainless for custom trucks and making knee pads. Last time I saw him he weighed about
110. Geldner had a bout with cancer also and I'm not sure how he is doing. He has two
boys racing that do pretty well but don't incite riots.

We continue to lose the good ones way before their time. Chuck was truly an entertainer as well as a great driver. The word "fan friendly" is next to his name no matter who you talk with. RIP.:crying:

When Sheldon was sick and in the hospital in Bloomington most of his friends called and told me that they would not visit him in the state that he was in and wanted to remember him they way he was before the cancer. One day I looked up and Chuck Amati appeared in the doorway and talked to Sheldon about "old times" and some of the races that they had raced each other. He knew he couldn't answer back and probably didn't even know that he was there, but that didn't stop him. He stayed for several hours and talked with me and offered his help if the kids and I needed anything. I will never forget it or him.... RIP, our friend, and hope you and Sheldon are up there today trading racing stories.

Suzie Kinser Hodges