[schinde]

I can remeber when I was very young watching "Little Richard Simmons" driving his super six. A bunch of us, sometimes just friends, other times witht he Cub Scouts, (yeah, I was one, but never got past the Webelos stage, too much work on the farm and with 4H to be a scout) We would sit in a group just to the north of the announcer's booth, and cheer him on with a "Goooooooo, Little Richard!!!!!!!!!" cheer every time he came around the front stretch.

Good times, good memories.

have a good day,

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

[sorrowtim]

Mornin Schinde,
I was wondering if Little Richard Simmons is still alive. Im asking beekuzz I could swear that during last season, the announcer said he was killed in a Fig8 car. If Im wrong, I apologise to Richard and family for my misunderstanding. Please fill me in. Thanks,
TIM
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nastyboi

[Mopar93]

I heard that Little Richard Simmons was living in Florida. Someone else will have to confirm that, though.

From my memories as a kid, Little Richard Simmons is one of the few Figure 8 drivers that I can clearly remember. Probably because he was winning so much. Another who comes to mind is Bob Studt.

-Maurice

[lansingsportsrage.com]

I remember this conversation occuring last year on the old message board.. Maurice, perhaps you you can do a quick search on keyword "richard simmons" it will come up.

[MilegendPR]

"Lil' Richard is indeed alive and well. I saw him with Billy Simmons down at Daytona last week. He was out for the day with Billy for the ARCA Race and the Shootout.

Look over on Wild Bill's website WBVS Photos and you can see a picture of the two Simmons's taken on pit road.

Dave DeHem

[schinde]

Thanks Dave,

I was going to do some checking for sorrowtim, but hadn't had the chance. The last I had knew, he was still alive and kickin' and you have confirmed it.

Flat out, jsut a great, fearless racer in the figure eights, more than once I saw him take it straight through the intersection and making the near misses seem to be only by inches. That is probably why so many of us remember and love the figure eights, and why I so much like driving a bus in them, (the only two time feature winner in the Spartan bus figure eights, by the way, if my memory serves me, two feature wins and a second in the first one ran, won by Mike "the hammer" Ammerman.). I guess I should give it a shot in a car someday.

have a good day,

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

[sorrowtim]

Thanks very much guys. Im still tryin to find out who the announser was speaking of because we even had a moment of silence for this driver who apparently was part of Spartan History and had died at our track in a fig8 car. BUT... Im very glad to hear it wasnt Lil Richard beekuzz i knew of his rep of having great car controll and the ability to make the near misses look closer than they realy were. my vote for the painting goes to him for sure.
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nastyboi

[sorrowtim]

By the way: I REALY WANNA DRIVE A BUS IN THE FIG8. AND I REALY WANNA DRIVE A MOD!!! when i make my move up at Spartan, i want to be a mod driver. I figure if i can learn to run close with open wheels, Ill be one of the greats when I make the move to supers
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nastyboi

[ron1r31]

the man that was killed was clay hayward i think it was 1972or73 i was sponsoning his car. i also run the f8 for about 14teen years and it was a lot of fun. i got 2nd in the season champnship points in my 1st years of racing. i got to run with all the best of them lil richard larry austin c clark luby allen. i can't remember all of them but if i look in my books at home i can tell you a lot more of them. just to let you know i stated racing at spartan in the last part of 1965. god that almost make me as old as dirt.ron

[martyb]

Denny Pace was another Figure 8 and super six driver that comes to mind. Also from the late 60's, you have to remember Jerry "the Bear" Makara and John Anderson. Both went on to have pretty good careers in the Late Models. Anderson was one of the top Late Model pilots in the Midwest in the early 70's and dabbled some in NASCAR. Unfortunately, he lost his life in a highway accident several years ago down south. Chuck Hall is another of the figure 8 drivers that comes to mind also. Ron mentioned Lubie Allen. How can you foget that beat up Floresent red and white #60 Pontiac? Thanks Marty Blume

[rebspeedway]

Well, I knew this would open up a pile of great history, and guys I really appreciate that this has gone on for 5 or 6 pages, but I need YOU all to come with a vote and decide two drivers that would represent Michigan in short track racing in an illustrated book. (This would be someone that opted to stay on the short track, even though they might have flirted with the superspeedways briefly).
Please collaborate and lay down an answer. No rush.

Thanks again. Ain't history beautiful??

http://www.myspace.com/137136736

Mark

[martyb]

Mark - For what you are asking IS impossible to narrow down to just 2 drivers!! There have been so many great drivers over the years that have come from the state of Michigan. You have inovators such as Jack Conley, who word has it created the stroker motor, or Ed Howe, who really got the ball rolling on "store bought" chassis and complete ready to go cars. Then you have all the great super mod drivers from the late 50's and early sixties such as Nolan Johncock, John Logan, Nelson Ward, and Art Bennett. I didn't include Gordy Johncock since he got on to bigger and better things or Sam Sessions because he did race champ cars for a while even though he was better known for his short track racing. I know this is the Spartan Speedway board and most everyone will say Gary Fedewa and justly so due to his ability to drive anything and any surface. However for my votes, I'm going to have to go with Bob Senneker and Joy Fair. Both drivers dabbled a bit with the big time but chose to stay on the local and short track scene (yes in later years Senneker was prdominately ASA but stayed on the short tracks). They both used to race super mods early in their careers and both could drive dirt with the best of them. Both drivers had the "WOW' factor and by that I mean when they showed up they WERE the men to beat. Tracks would advertise their names if they knew they were coming to help draw a crowd. I remember and ad in the MARC Times many years ago where Spartan had in their ad "Joy Fair Will Be Here Tonight".
I again don't know how it can realistically be nailed down to Just 2 drivers from the state of Michigan with ALL of the great driver that we have had over the years!! Thanks Marty Blume

[rebspeedway]

Marty, I realize it's basically impossible because there ARE so many talented drivers, past and present, whoo really deserve to be painted and immortalized, but just painting 115 illustrations for my first book took me almost three years, and I'm going to be painting 100 illustrations for this one. Joy Fair is definitely on the top of the list though. I'll go back and read all the other posts and decide who the 2nd person will be.

I'm really sorry for having to put all this pressure on you guys to decide, but it's a tough world out there and I need to get the ball rolling! LOL!Remember, I'm communicating with a few tracks in each state, so it's an around the clock job reading and checking in on all the websites and it's real time-consuming.

Thanks agin, Folks. I applaud your enthusiasm, Michigan!! You guys are awesome!

Sincerely,
Mark

[KT]

I am with Marty on his votes, Bob Senneker and Joy Fair.
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Keith

www.myspace.com/ktfor3

[sorrowtim]

first id like to tell you Ron1r31, i am a fan of yours and have been watchen you and J drive for a few years now. Mod drivers are my fav. and ill never grow tired of the way you all drive inches away from eachother with those open wheels. I have nothing but the upmost respect for the skill it must take to do so. AWSOME!
Anyway, you mentioned that you started racing at Spartan at the end of the '65 season. i was wondering what class you were running at that time, and how does that same class compare to todays version of it? also, did you ever get to run a Jackson Motor Speedway? And finally, Who were some of the drivers that influenced you the most in Michigan Racing?
Just curious. thanks "NASTYBOI" Tim Sorrow
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nastyboi