Well I think this forum is a nice idea, especially for those with no place to send their columns. I won't usually post mine here, because I write it for Terry and the Michigan Racing Scene, and we would rather everyone read it there. But from time to time I will post my columns here, especially ones like this one.

I would love to hear everyone elses opinion on this subject. Please post all your thoughts right here.



Howdy Racefans!!!

I will be touching on what could be a controversial topic to some this week, and a topic that will find some people filled with opinions and emotions, and others, not so much.

I was standing around a crowd of race fans, with different conversations going on, when I overheard a comment made by someone that almost made me scream. I wanted to say something right there and then, and maybe I should of, but I didn't, and it has bothered me every since. So where better, than here, to put forth a slice of personal philosophy. The comment went something like this, "I think all these Memorial races are stupid!!! The only reason they have them is to try and draw more fans in because they put the name of a dead racer on that race. The promoter is only playing on some dead guys name, to help make money!!!" I'm sure you can now understand how hard it was for me to NOT say anything, especially if you know me at all. I was flabbergasted!!! But I didn't say a word. Instead, it has festered inside me all weekend. I have thought about all the Memorial races we do have today, and where this idea has blossomed, and is heading for. We have 3 of them alone now at Spartan Speedway. I have never once thought these races were set up to try and increase attendance, or participation. I have always thought of these races as a tribute to these great men, who were loved and cherished by their families and the fans. We have these races out of respect for these folks, and do it with the families blessing, and backing, and usually full participation. It is usually a very emotional event. Now with all this said, I do realize that we (local short tracks in general) need to be very careful here. Every single person is born, and will die someday. This is just fact, and nature running it's course. So how does a track decide who to have a Memorial race for, and who not to??? This is where it is going to get very tricky to me. You just cannot have a Memorial race for every GOOD guy race car driver, or person, that passes away. There are not enough nights in the season to even consider that. And what about all the great ones that have passed, and never had a Memorial race?? Do you see what I'm getting at here?? This eventually could turn out to be a big soap opera type of emotional contest to see who should have a Memorial race, and who shouldn't!! Think about it. A few years down the line, we lose Racer Z to natural causes. He is loved and revered by all. He has raced consistently at 3 local short tracks, but not one of them step up to throw a Memorial race for him, because there is no where to put it on their full season schedule (other Memorial races). How is the family of Racer Z going to feel?? After dwelling on this for a day or two, it has started to scare me, thinking about the possible repercussions here. While letting my mind flow with these thoughts, I also wondered, how long should a track hold a Memorial race for one of their fallen hero's?? 1 year, 2 years, 5, maybe 10, or should it be forever??? Quickly, some that come to mind. I remember the Will Terry Memorial at Owosso a few years ago, but haven't seen it run in many years now. Why? The Tommy Bowles Memorial has been ran at three or four different tracks now. The Stan Perry Memorial is ran twice, once at Spartan, once at Angola. How long will that race go on?? Go look at the schedule for any Michigan short track, and there will be a Memorial race for someone on that schedule, won't there. The ASALM Series named their Rookie-of-the-Year award the Pat Bourdow ROTY Award. Now that is a great tribute to a great man, that will probably last longer than the Memorial races.

But back to the original point, nothing could be further from the truth, to think the only reason a track has a Memorial race is to try and increase profits. What the hell were you thinking when you allowed that to come out of your mouth!!! It is a good thing that Ma Ryan, or Amy Perry, or any Heeney Family member wasn't standing next to me when I heard that, or you might still be trying to pick yourself up off the ground!!! We honor these great men because we feel it is our responsibility to do just that. They deserve to be remembered, and honored. And we will do just that this Friday night as we run the Chargin' Charlie Ryan Jr. Memorial again at Spartan Speedway. But the butt-head that did say this has started me thinking about the big picture when it comes to Memorial races. I'm curious to what everyone else may think about this. How long should a track run a race for a fallen driver? How can a track honor ALL of their fallen hero's?? It really is a conundrum, and I think many will have differing opinions. You can send me your opinion to gb48507@yahoo.com.

That's the word from The "IN" Crowd!!!!

I personally would like to see a Memorial Night at tracks. A night where you could honor the memory of those racers who have passed. In the case of Spartan, could you have all three memorial races on the same night? With two of the memorials for the supers, it would a little tricky, but I think it could be done.

To go along with this, I would like to see some track honor a living legend once a year. Why do we have to wait for them to pass away before we honor them. Each year the honoree would change. The list for this type of even is long and I think it would bring out many people.

Dale

Last year at Springport, we had "Russ Densmore Night". Considering the weather was about the worst it could be all around the area, we had a real good turnout.

This past Saturday, Art Kimball was honored at Springport as he was presented with the 2007 Sportsman of the Year Award. Art ran his first race in 1940. With a racing career spanning seven decades, he is still racing. He claims that he is winding down his career this season at the age of 86, which has always been his car number. That is pretty incredible.

I fully agree on the idea of honoring living legends. The "Poor Paul" name has been added to the Harvest race at Spartan this year. Paul Zimmerman should be honored while he is still around.

-Maurice

I think Dale has the right idea.. I'd like to see two races like this.. The Racers Memorial.. and the Hall of Fame.

1.) Spartan Speedway Racers Memorial.. and then you can do an honor roll of drivers who perished at the speedway racing over the last X years.. X=whatever number of years the track thinks is right.. I'd say 5 years.. but maybe something a little shorter or a little longer would be better. Then you also include a roll call for drivers who died of other causes that year.. its a sincere way to recognize those who left the racing community without establishing a have/have not crowd.

2.) Spartan Speedway HOF Race.. you could incorporate this into having a little HOF ceremony where a minimum of one, and a maximum of 5 drivers are added to the HOF. A little HOF Building could be added in the Grassy Area down behind the Turn Four STands.. where photos, videos and so forth of the HOF drivers could be shown and displayed. HOF memorabilia could be sold, they could have HOF autograph sessions. For the HOF race.. every living driver in the HOF could be put into a convertible type car and they could do a HOF parade lap. The HOF would be a way for the truly great driver to be remembered in perpetuity. Maybe the oldest member in the HOF of each class.. or just in attendance in general or something like that could do trophy presentation that night for each class.

I happen to agree with part of what the guy said. A great deal of the fans do not know who died anyway and I never heard of Will Terry myself and I was there that windy day he died. I don't remember even hearing his name before he died so why try to force stuff down some one elses throats who don't really care? I was critized for voting to can cel the races the night Perry died but if you remember most voted to race. I paid my respect by loading when I knew he was gone, no vote needed. No disrespect to the deceased and the Perrys,Terrys and Heeneys and others but many others have died with no fanfare and just maybe because you knew them and liked them or what ever will not make the common fan care. I can agree with maybe one year and drop it. Every night does not have to be in honor of someone. One night to honor veterans a year is plenty.We are in the competition business,many have fallen with not even a mention at the prayer invocation.

Even you cannot control the fans opinions and not listening to them and trying to tell them how to feel will cause yet another empty seat in the bleachers.

Nascar has not had a Big E memorial race and that would be great for profits, I would bet my life on. Why not? Respect of not making money on his death? It could be taken as respect or disrespect depending on the opinion of one fan at a time. That is what fills one seat is one fan.

Well Ed I think it is worth it to have a memorial race for a guy if everybody wants it. True there aren't enough nights a year to honor everybody but not everybody would like to have a fuss made over them either. Do I think they are using a dead guys name to make money sometimes well yeah but I don't think that hurts the meaning of a tribute. I am gonna post a link to the Potomac Speedway schedule after this post, count how many memorials there are it will frighten you.

As you may know I built a Jay Woolworth tribute car even though he isn't dead (or even retired) because without Jay I never would have driven a race car at all. Not before, not now. I learned a lot about racing and about life in Jay's barn and thought it would be cool to do something Jay would get to see instead of waiting till he was gone. Next is an Ironman #V8 tribute car. Then I think I'll be myself but as far as racing goes everything I know and am is because of those 2 guys. Why wait till they are gone. We need to bring back old timers nights. Show those guys a good time for all the good times they showed us once a year. That is a tribute too.

http://www.potomacspeedway.com/details.cfm?id=11

NASCAR didn't run a "Tribute" race because they were too busy selling Earnhardt's death every week..

'Nuff said

I like the idea of having a "Memorial Night" to represent any and all drivers all on one night.

At Spartan, there is currently 3 memorial races. Everyone has already witnessed one major problem that can occur. RAINOUTS. That means rescheduling. And that can be very difficult, especially if two of those memorial races rainout.

If they are all done on one night, then there is only a chance of one rainout, rather than a possible three rainouts.

There is no reason why it wouldn't be suitable to put Stan Perry and Charlie Ryan, Jr both on the same trophy. They raced together, they could also occupy the same trophy. That could be the Super Late Model race. Then the Modified show would currently have just one driver on the trophy, Brian Heeney. Do them both on the same night.

Maybe other drivers could be thought of from the past who are no longer with us to also add to these trophies.

By devoting just one night to remembering the fallen drivers, that would then leave much more room for other scheduling on the remainder of the already short and unpredictable racing season we have here in Michigan.

-Maurice

Wow Rocky,

I counted 9 different Memorial races this season at your track. Now that's a lot. I can see where they will have to amend something sometime soon, that list will only grow as time goes on.

Interesting.

We have an "Old Timers" night every year at Spartan. As a matter of fact, it is this Sunday, with our Vintage Car display all weekend. I usually let Bill Lackey introduce them all, he seems to KNOW most of them!!!! LOL

I re-counted them there are 10!!!

But as long as things stay calm over here and they aren't having a Jake Riethmeier memorial later this year or next year I'll stay happy Ed no need to make it 11. LOL