Just a suggestion

KT · Joined: 13 Aug 2006 Posts: 145

Spartan has honored Chuckie Ryan with a special night and race so how about the same thing for Brian Heeney? He was a third generation driver and his family has and does support Spartan. So how about the WILD CHILD 50 for mods. Make it a big mod show paying something like $2000 to win so it will bring in a lot of cars. Make the announcement early and maybe talk to Dixie (they are the only pavement track that runs mods on Fridays) about the race so maybe they will give their guys the night off so they could come down and run it.
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Keith

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Mrs. T2 · Joined: 26 Jul 2006 Posts: 179 Location: Lansing, MI

What a wonderful idea...I second that Keith!!! I like the sound of "The Wild Child 50" too.
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Lack o Diesel · Joined: 26 Jul 2006 Posts: 230 Location: Charlotte

I say make it the "Wild Child" 49, and the 1H leads the first lap.

lansingsportsrage.com · Joined: 26 Jul 2006 Posts: 1082

I think this is not a good idea.

sweeper · Joined: 26 Jul 2006 Posts: 80

why?

sweeper

lansingsportsrage.com · Joined: 26 Jul 2006 Posts: 1082

Memorials should be reserved for drivers who were victims of accidents on the track or whom contributed significantly to the track and were victimized off the track.

This is no way discounts the loss to the Heeney and Clark families, having a lost a child of my own I can appreciate the significance of the loss.

I also realize that many folks who were close to Brian and Brad are still in shock and mourning and are still trying to come to grips with their loss and a memorial may seem like an admirable way to establish a legacy. I happen to not agree in this situation.

Lack o Diesel · Joined: 26 Jul 2006 Posts: 230 Location: Charlotte

While I understand that this forum is for posting and sharing your opinion, let me be completely frank and say that in this instance your opinion sucks. The way I, my family, my team and many other competitors feel is that Brian (and his family) have significantly contributed to the track and its many successes. I don't know how well you know Brian, but we have had the pleasure of sharing the race track with him for SEVERAL YEARS. As drivers we learn a great deal from one another both on the track and off. If Brian hasn't been a valuable contribution to Spartan Speedway, then I don't know who has.

lansingsportsrage.com · Joined: 26 Jul 2006 Posts: 1082

The Heeney Family are legendary at Spartan Speedway.. Brian was an outstanding guy and was a pure joy to be around -- and was on the road to being a Spartan Legend himself.

Its distribuingly sad to see the ramification of such a poor choice.

As I said in the original post.. now is probably the wrong time to make such decisions and to comment on them, so I'll shut up.

KT · Joined: 13 Aug 2006 Posts: 145

governor72 · Joined: 26 Jul 2006 Posts: 213 Location: Charlotte

Keith, you said some of what was on my mind.

I just would have not been as politicly correct as you were.

The, Governor

61SSracer · Joined: 27 Jul 2006 Posts: 147 Location: Holt, Michigan

Mr lansingsportsrage.com,

In my humble opinion you may have said one of(if not) the Stupidest things there is in your post. I don't know you nor you me, but I do believe you Must have the Biggest set of Balls any one man could have to come on here and state such a Stupid ass comment like you did !

If anything you should have learned from racing at Spartan---Spartan Speedway racers are All family, and to lose one of the Family hurts us all.
What you said could ONLY be seen as a Slap in the face to All your brothers and sisters in the racing community, so PLEASE do as your last post says and SHUT-UP ! ! Sorry to the HEENEY family and everyone else that has to read any of this expecially my post, but that just pissed me off ! !

Chuck aka SHAGGY #61SS

Mrs. T2 · Joined: 26 Jul 2006 Posts: 179 Location: Lansing, MI

You know we also lost one of the best racers that will have ever drove Spartan Speedways bullring, Chargin' Charlie Ryan, respectfully! Chargin' Charlie did not pass away at the track, but after just another night of racing. Did you see the fans reaction to the Chargin' Charlie Memorial Race for the SLM's? It doesn't matter who, what, where, when, or why...we are all family!

This is coming from someone who knows all about the generousity of Spartan Speedway Staff, Drivers, and Fans.

We lost our tattoo shop to an electrical fire almost 5 years ago. One of the first people to come to make sure we were all right and ask if we needed anything was a Spartan Speedway Fan! A competitor Street Stock driver, Howard McDonough, and his race team used to hold a party for the team and earn money for the team every year. That year he along with members of his team donated that to us. Members of the Heeney Family were one of the many people to support us by getting a tattoo from us in our new location when we re-opened. I can keep going with stories of how we personally have been touched by the entire Spartan Speedway Family, but the tears in my eyes are making it hard to see the keyboard.

Point is the Heeney Family has been supporting Spartan Speedway for a very long time, generations! And we, like family, feel their pain and cry for them.

Respectfully,
Mrs. T2

wait a sec....I love Perry's idea of a 49 lapper with the 1H leading the first lap
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schinde · Joined: 03 Aug 2006 Posts: 416

Part of a memorial race is to recognize the impact that a driver had on his fellow competitors.

For the following reasons, a memorial race for Brian Heeney would be appropriate. I am sure there are more reasons than what I list below.

Brian was always a pleasant fellow at the track, a tough competitor on the track, and a helpful gentleman when his assistance was needed.

Most of the time, you could tell he was truly enjoying himself, even when things weren't going his way.

It was also unique and wonderful to watch him interact with Tracey when she would pull up to the track to run her modified.

Brian has done his family name proud at the track with his success in the modified division.

Many of us will miss his presence on the track and the chance to race with him.

As such, running a "Wild Child" Memorial seems fitting to me.

schinde

lansingsportsrage.com · Joined: 26 Jul 2006 Posts: 1082

Mopar93 · Posted: Mon Oct 09, 2006 9:05 am Post subject:

Patrick (lansingsportsrage.com), your feelings with your situation are very understandable now that you've explained yourself. Your first mention was not very well worded. We can all leave it at that...

Back to the "Wild Child 50" (or 49) idea...

I think this is a cool idea also. On the "49" idea where the 1H leads the first lap, there could actually be 50 green flag laps.

The green would wave as the drivers come off turn four. But for that entire first green flag lap, everybody stays at a pace lap speed and stays in line. Then as they come off turn four to finish the first lap, they pick up the pace.

Another idea is a 19 car field instead of 20. There would be just one car on the front row starting on the outside. The inside spot would be empty for obvious reasons.

On another note while we're on this subject. I'd like to see various sections of the grandstands designated as memorials to various fallen heros. It wouldn't have to be an entire section from top to bottom, but maybe a 5 or 10 row section going from step to step (the yellow steps). Each of these sections could be painted differently to help identify them. There are many Spartan Speedway heros from the past who could be remembered in this way.

-Maurice