Pedon Gets Bigger Props from Me

[gobirds85]

My hat's off to you guys, I've spent many days in the stands at one type of racing or another. Props to all who turn the wheel or the wrench.

Spent a lot of time at Grundy over the years. I must admit, midget racing is not at the top of my list, but not because I don't enjoy it and don't appreciate it. Just have others higher.

Yesterday went to IMSA racing at Road America. Have always loved that track and road racing in general and had my camping button on my hat yesterday from 1976. So have been going there for quite a while.

I've raced karts on dirt and pavement ovals, sprint tracks, street circuits and road courses (Road America, IRP, Blackhawk Farms, etc.). I then raced mini sprints on dirt up in WI (Wilmot, Sun Prairie, Plymouth, Chilton, Beaver Dam, etc). I raced a 360 winged sprint car on dirt ovals for a year with the MSA in WI. My last drive was a midget with the UMARA on pavement ovals, mainly Grundy County. I have raced, owned, managed, wrenched, crewed and sponsored some form of racing for over 40 years of my life. I don't even like to think of the $$$ I blew through, but I don't regret one bit of it...well, maybe a few bits.

RA is a fantastic facility. The president of RA is Mike Kertscher (and I probably spelled it wrong). I used to race mini sprints against him and on nights at Wilmot he would stay at the house. He worked his way up from clean up crew to president. Hell of a guy and a fantastic racer.

 

[Phantom]

The sad reality (one of many in today's world) is the epidemic of short tracks closing left and right. Grundy is the last asphalt track standing after this season when Rockford closes. Lost Illiana some years ago (thanks a lot, neighbors) and Lake Geneva before that. Madison is still going and of course the greatest short track of all time, Slinger. But Midwest tracks (especially asphalt) have been dropping like flies in the past 20 years.

 

[gobirds85]

The sad reality (one of many in today's world) is the epidemic of short tracks closing left and right. Grundy is the last asphalt track standing after this season when Rockford closes. Lost Illiana some years ago (thanks a lot, neighbors) and Lake Geneva before that. Madison is still going and of course the greatest short track of all time, Slinger. But Midwest tracks (especially asphalt) have been dropping like flies in the past 20 years.

There is one more pavement track standing in Illinois. Take a guess. I was really surprised about Rockford closing but they have been screwing the late model drivers for some time, so they knew the writing was on the wall. I believe they sold to one of the hospital groups up there? If they did, they made ton of $$$.