Spartan Speedway History

rebspeedway · Joined: 31 Jan 2007 Posts: 12

I can tell you guys came from my era. I had such a good time writing about the old drivers at "Rebel." 55 and 57 Chevys, Fords, Novas', Mustangs (out the ying-yang) Camaros' and of course Chevelles.

Write on!

Mark

sorrowtim · Joined: 17 Nov 2006 Posts: 180 Location: Haslett

Im actually just a kid. 31. Jackson was closed well before i was born. My racing memories all come from Spartan and from the Onondaga Speedway wich was right behind my house so we always got in free. Im so in love with michigan racing history beekuzz of the way I always felt at the races when I was a kid. I felt like i was in the presents of greatness and these guys were doing what i wanted to do. I raced in my dreams every night until I finally gotto pilot a racecar myself. The first driver I ever met in person was Charlie Ryan and he was so nice to me and my dad. after that he was my hero. Then I met other drivers and started hearing all the great stories from years gone by and it just sparked a feeling inside me that no drink or drug could ever come close to matching. When I went to visit the Jackson ghost track, I sat right where the flagstand would have been, closed my eyes and tried to imagine what it was like being there in the days when the stands were filled with 4500+ fans, the sound of them all cheering as their favorate driver thundered by at over 100mph. I could smell the food and the racing fuel and the burning tires as I sat there on that historic piece of asphalt. this is what racing is to me. Its a way of life, a feeling that dont go awy...EVER. I will be a racer, a race fan, and that same aw-struck kid till the day they cover me with dirt. ( and hopfully it will be some good racing dirt that they cover me with!) LOL!
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nastyboi

martyb · Joined: 27 Jul 2006 Posts: 67 Location: Rives Jct., Mi

The color of yellow was school bus yellow, which was the yellow that Fair used for all of his yellow cars. Early in my life ws spent going to Jackson as it was only 7 or miles away. There were an occasional trip to Spartan, Manchester and Butler. After Jackson Closed, My nights going to the races were pretty much spent going to Butler and Spartan with trips to Sandusky and Toledo in Ohio, Owosso, Kalamazoo, Hartford, Clarkes (I-96), and Berlin. I prefer the bigger tracks over 1/4 miles. I also used to go to the drags at Onadaga.
One of the first races that I remember going to was one of the "Northern 200" race that was held at Jackson for the super mods. I don't remember much about the race or the cars. The first car that remember was from Spartan in 1964 or 65. It was Joy Fairs silver Falcon with the headers coming up through the hood. It was neat to watch as fire would come from the deaders as he screamed down the straights thorughly outclassing the rest of the field. Another car that comes to mind was Ed Howe's green chevelle #11 with the ones painted like peanuts.
Just some more memories from the past. Thanks Marty Blume

schinde · Joined: 03 Aug 2006 Posts: 416

Not to hijack the thread, but,

I drive by the old Onondaga Dragway everyday, it is about three miles from my home on Bellevue Rd., and is now a horse farm. You can still see the lauch area, and the run of the track through the woods, although the majority of the strip itself is gone.

Too bad, I remember going there and watching the drags, and seeing the local rail dragsters, the coolest thing in drag racing, with the motor up front and the driver at the rear.

Way too cool, just like the old days at Spartan with cars like the Ford pictured in this thread.

have a good day,

mjs
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Short track racing is more fun than a human being ought to be allowed to have!

Mopar93 · Posted: Fri Feb 16, 2007 9:06 am Post subject:

Onondaga Dragway holds a lot of memories for me as well. I won the Stock Eliminator Championship there in 1973.

-Maurice

Mopar93 · Posted: Fri Feb 16, 2007 9:09 am Post subject:

Check out the sponsor on Dave Marcis' car at Michigan International Speedway. This was taken on pit road before the start of the race.

-Maurice

jc072651 · Joined: 11 Sep 2006 Posts: 21 Location: Okemos, MI

My father started taking me to what is now Spartan Speedway back about 1960. One driver I recall being dominate during those years was the diminutive Wayne Landon...who was occasionally racing as recently as a year or two ago. After being gone from the track for many years, when I returned (probably in the 80s) the dominate driver I recall @ that time was Chargin' Charlie Ryan Sr. However, in my opinion the all time dominate racer @ the track was Little Richard Simmons...in the figure 8s, when the figure 8s were really a big deal.

sorrowtim · Joined: 17 Nov 2006 Posts: 180 Location: Haslett

The Onondaga Speedway was right behind my House. I lived just off Bellvue Rd. on Byrum Rd. from '76-'86. We lived in front of the gravel pits and rented our home from Sherrills Escavating. The whole nieborhood got in free beekuzz you could hear the cars like they were racin down yer driveway. we had a trail that went back to the old track after it closed and at that time, in was an airstrip for small planes. We used to lay at the end of the track while they took off and landed over our heads. It was cool. Of course we got in trouble every time we did this, but it was worth it everytime. We walked up and down the track all the time. just some ol memories comin back to me LOL!
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nastyboi

sorrowtim · Joined: 17 Nov 2006 Posts: 180 Location: Haslett

Maurice! SWEET picture! Thats the stuff I like to see. How many other old NASCAR pix you got? And if you dont mind me askin, were you runnin at Michigan when Ernie Ervin had his bad crash? Also, what was it like being in the race with the greats like Earnhardt, Petty, Waltrip, And Allison, ect?
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nastyboi

Mopar93 · Posted: Fri Feb 16, 2007 8:04 pm Post subject:

Ok Tim, you want another cool picture, I'll give you another cool one...

Check out the car hauler in this photo and also check out the sponsor:

Kinda makes you feel pretty good having an open trailer, wouldn't you say?

-Maurice

sorrowtim · Joined: 17 Nov 2006 Posts: 180 Location: Haslett

Maurice,
Keep em comin brutha! That one is way cool. Its come a long way hasnt it?!
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nastyboi

Gusey Racing · Joined: 26 Jul 2006 Posts: 192 Location: Charlotte MI

I like the Dave Marcis picture best.
Since Dave Marcis is my all time favorite driver.
I even own a shop/crew shirt of Bob Marcis's.
I have a lot Dave Marcis pictures and collectables.
Of course I always wear my Dave Marcis hat.
There is a lot pictures of Dave's old cars on www.marcisracing.com

Mopar93 · Posted: Fri Feb 16, 2007 9:57 pm Post subject:

My photos are kinda hijacking this thread, so maybe after this weekend, I'll start another message thread and show a few more photos that I took way back when I was dreaming of becoming a race car driver.

To stay on-topic, I'll put in my vote for Joy Fair. He is probably the most likely candidate to end up in this book.

-Maurice

Mopar93 · Posted: Mon Feb 19, 2007 3:41 pm Post subject:

Here's an old NASCAR photo that is appropriate for this message thread because it includes a driver who has raced at Spartan Speedway.

This photo was taken during a rain-delay at Michigan International Speedway in 1969. The 4th car in line, the #01 Ford was driven by Bill Massuch. His son, Phil drives around Michigan today and can also be found at Spartan Speedway occasionally as he helps out Jack Koone, Jr.

I don't remember who drove the #81, I'm sure it could be looked up, but I definitely remember the #25. That was Jabe Thomas. His son Ronnie Thomas drove in later years and was Rookie of the Year in NASCAR.

Jabe Thomas almost always had an ex-Petty Plymouth. He would run most of the short-track races and if something went wrong with Richard's car prior to the race, Jabe would step out of his own car. Rumor also has it that Jabe would somehow spin and bring out a yellow flag at a most appropriate time. Jabe invented the "happy face". Anytime I ever got his autograph, he would sign it along with #25 and a happy face, everytime. He was very well liked throughout the garage area.

-Maurice

martyb · Joined: 27 Jul 2006 Posts: 67 Location: Rives Jct., Mi

That rainbow colored 01 was built by a gentleman from Jackson by the name of Patton. Bill Massuch started the year off strong at Jackson and was chosen to drive the car. I believe the race was the "Yankee 600" which was shortened by rain and Bill Massuch finished something like 24 or 25th. Other drivers that drove that car were Bob Senneker and Art Bennett and maybe Mel Gilette.
Back in the late 60's there were a couple of rainbow colored cars that raced at Jackson. The first one that comes to mind was the car that Dick Decker owned. Another one that ran in 1969 was driven by Les Housel. Les was always a top 10 car but hardly ever won. He finally won a feature in 1969 beating the track champ for that year - Bob Carnes.
Speaking of track champs at Jackson, in the 25 years the track ran, there were only 2 two time champs in the headline division. Ed Todd won in 1965 and 1968 and Dave Mulder won back to back championships in 1970 and 71. "Lil" Richard Simmons was practically unbeatable in the super six class. In 1970, he won the 2 Sunday afternoon shows, which were the only races he raced at Jackson that year. He raced at Jackson for the rest of Jackson's life starting in 1971 and won an incredible 32 features in a row over the next couple of years. His streak was stopped by none other than his son Billy Simmons. Thanks Marty Blume