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Manzy was another Ascot. Doesn't seem so bad when it's the smaller tracks without as much history, but this one will be missed.

In 1975 the only track that Norman ran at regularly that had a Modified class was Tulsa. the NCRA had 8 races tthat year and the only top 3 that we had i n the first 4 races eas a third at Tulsa with David Moore in the 17. Mike Peters in the 71 did not finish any of the first four races.We went to Dewey for an ncra modified only race on a Sunday evening in June and Gene See in the 117 dominated the race. The track stayed very tacky and nobody could keep up with Gene, he lead from flag to flag. We had amiss in the n71 and Mike drove his heart out to finish 4th,Larry Wilson was 2nd and Darrel Jennings was 3rd. Mike won the last 3 NCRA features,he finished 3rd in the final standings with only 4 finishes in 8 races. The cars had to run with the Supers at the Dewey and Wichita weekly races. Mike finished in the top 10 in points at both places with 3 or 4 feature wins at Dewey. Most of the Super drivers did not mind when one of our cars finished in front of them. In late August there was a special afternoon 50 lap feature for the supers at Fayetteville AR. Norman was from that area and his mother (my grandmother) still lived there. The races were supposed to start at 2 pm,we were late leaving Tulsa, the cars had finished 1,2,3 the night before at Tulsa and we stayed out late eating celebrating The road from Tulsa to AR was the old Hgwy. 33 and it was narrow and crooked. We got there about 1:55pm and had to guess about what tires and gears to use. It was just Norman and me to work on the cars. Larry Coleman was in the 17 along with Mike and Gene in their cars . The track was a very small 1/4 , and very dry. there were several good supers there to race enough cars for 2 heats of 9-10 cars. Mike and Gene were in the 1st heat, It started bad withGene and Chick Shaddox getting together with Chic doing a slow roll, Mike won the heat. They ran a Trophy dash with Mike and James Eubanks on the first row for winning the 2 heats. james got around Mike and won the trophy dash and they gave him a huge trophy. Mike came in and was pissed at himself for finishing 2nd, he said any time you start on the pole you should win the race. I commented that he lost to a very good driver and car and that it was a super, he said he still should have won the race. All the cars were allowed to start the Feature, the track was the driest that we would run all year, the cars were really going slow. I think a racing go cart could have won that day. We put a 6.14 gear in all the cars, Mike and Larry put on drag tires and Gene ran Marsh tires, we had quit running the Jaloneys. Mike got a good start and James Eubanks Followed him the whole race, he said that he was waiting for Mike to make a mistake, he never did try to knock Mike out of the way or put a slide on him. Mike McClelland in his number 87 super tried to pass Larry and did't clear-him and ran over the 17. Mike had a slow roll over and the 17 had a flat and the hood was torn off of it.Larry even had tire marks on his helmet Shane Carson spun off in turn 1 and landed in some blackberry Bush's.

Ray

I heard rumours of that last time I was in Phoenix in 2007 from a friend of mine, it sucks and I'm affraid if we don't do something soon State Fair Speedway in OKC is subject to the same fate.

Here's some cool stuff from the Steve Foster collection. The business card from Chris Economaki is too cool.

Ya know I have always wondered why nothing has ever been developed on the north/northeast corner of the Fairgrounds , it is very accessible from 10th St. or May Ave.

To All, I got my Flat Out Magazine yesterday and Bob Mays has a nice article on Benny "Wahoo" Taylor, got some nice pics to go with the Article and the #13 Suchy car is in a pic and it is a really good read.

Hey David, didn't Shane run the Gambler 100" car with Coors Light sponsorship? If so, do you have any pictures of it?

John Stewart

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I have a stupid tech question-

With that eternal concern about 'Ackerman' on frontends, would a shorter steering arm on the left front make a difference? Seems like this would slow down the speed at which the right front would turn, keeping it closer to 'in toe' as it turns to the right.

-note--If this is a brilliant idea, give me credit, ---IF IT'S A STUPID IDEA, blame it on JD or Uncle a! Just kiddin.

This is only my opinion,...I think the true Ackerman is the best way to go. The reason is if the car is in a turn and the track is smooth but some small waves that could let one front wheel or the other be the dominant wheel that steers the car the Ackerman geometry would work like it is designed to do. Some cars run rr weight & others run lr weight, it would be the best way to go. Some race tracks have long sweeping turns that continus from the start of one turn through the end of the next turn (ie: turn 1 & 2 or 3 & 4). I mentioned before, all of us have heard one or the other of our front wheels scoot when we park the car (on asphalt, concrete or dirt) It even leaves rubber marks on concrete drives. ...Luther

Does this mean it is better to have the wheels uneven at full turn to the right, or even?

I have gotten my definition of Ackerman mixed up, is it the uneven toe or the cure for it?

The front wheels are aligned straight ahead. When you turn left or right the wheels stay aligned to make the turn in a true radius to each other with the Ackerman design. If not true Ackerman, one wheel will be on a different radius during a turn causing it to scoot trying to maintain the turn. Confusing?....Luther

Thus Ackerman is the cure and not the disease.

Yes, Doctor !...Luther

It still looks like a shorter steering arm point on one side or the other would help.

Found these in an old photo box.

Randy P.

I wish for a Lawton Speedway pit pass like those. Prefer purple or orange if possible.

For some reason when my Dad would bring a pit pass home, it almost seemed as if you could get a flashback of the kind of night it was, a snapshot of the dust, mud, cars, smells, noise for just a split second.

To All.

Been out to Kyle Tx for the NCWS West race this past weekend, USAC midgets were in support, believe Chad Boat won with little Swindell 2nd. Ran into old friend Darrell Cleveland who was there helping Wendell Miller and his son who besides racing sports cars is trying out the midgets. Darrell and I had a short talk about our last get together,he could not come because his mother died but will diffently come to the next one, he has a lot of history with the Old Man, Don Engel & a few others.

Hate to here about Manzy to, haven't raced there but afew times but have tested there several times, it is a lot like our old Fairgrounds track, tons of history!!!!! I'm like uncle a I feel this might be the last year at SFS, just seems like except for a small group not much interest in saving it, who knows it's been a pretty tough place might make it a few more years but would be nice to see somebody come in and spend a couple mil on the place and do some real promotion.

John the last Gambler champ Shorty had in '87 was Silver, White & Red just like the Gambler house sprint cars, I don't have any pic's of it but I'm sure Shorty does. He crashed it pretty hard a Tulsa flipping off turn 1 and bent it pretty good, we straighten it but most not have got it back perfect because it wasn't the same after the crash even though it was still fast.

I'm still going to agree with Luther about the ackerman, I'm not an engineer but I feel quite sure all the cars that I personnally built were faster if the ackerman was correct. I can't tell you about Kinser,Schutz, Wright or any others but anything I had was ackerman correct, who knows with these cookie cutter cars maybe it doesn't make any difference!!!!! The 01,94,10,2nd 01, Both Parson 76's, All Rich 76's, Gambler 76's, Mr Bill's 97's, Helm's 12$, Bishop's 9's & the 20's that Gary drove all had ackerman correct sterring, can't tell you about the 61J I didn't build it and I'm not going to look at it, it's not my problem but if I had built it, it would be correct!!!!!!! Don't know exactly how many Championship's or races won with these cars but it was a few.

Going to try and post another Peter's story this week, I was coming home Sunday and got to thinking about him and a race at Lawton in the Och's #1, that Charlie Och bout made me piss my pants at that race, God Rest His Soul!!!!!!!!!

To All,

First of all, thanks Brian for including me in on your steering geometry dilemma. Hells bells, even with correct geometry I had a hard time hitting my own hind end with both hands on a Pogo Stick. (coil over) LOL

David, you should write a book. All kidding aside you have some fantastic stories to share that bring back so many memories, and should be read by our new crop of pre-Madonna racers. If it were not for guys like you, Luther, Leep, Shorty, I could go on and on but most of our current drivers don't really know what it took to field a Race Car back then and what it took to man handle some of those beast around the track. Like you said now days it's all cookie cutters and you ask the Driver do you want Chocolate Chip, Oatmeal, or a Sugar Cookie. Sugar. I know it aign't quite that bad but at times it seems to be the norm.

The closing of Manzy kinda hits home closer than most know and I'm afraid SFS is soon to follow. I have something I would like to throw out there for response, rebuttal, suggestions, or advise. If we as a group could get Fairgrounds Speedway on the Oklahoma Historical Society list it would mean government funding for improvements and restoration of the site. I have delt with the Historical Society in the past on Sign and Building projects that I thought would never get off the ground, but are today a reallity.

So with the help of all interested parties we can make it happen. Keep in mind the Historical Society over rides State and local government policies.

Save our Track - Save our History

Brain , I still have some of those Pit Passes you hung from your belt loop from late 70' and into the 80's and in a bunch of colors, even found a Pit Pass from 81 Speedway NCRA that they use to staple onto your sleeve of your shirt.

David , I agree you should write a book of short stories about racing in our area in the '70s and '80s. I would but a copy.

Did you help with the CL Boyd 65 car when Mike drove it?

Ray

One would think they would have instituted Ackerman into todays frontends from the manufacturer, but it doesn't appear that way to me.

I think in terms of 'gearing' whereas the right front needs to turn at slightly different rate than the left front when it comes to left front draglink mounting.

Yet I have seen steering arms milled down on the backsides, to get them at an angle that more or less pushes the end out towards the tire.---------------

----------------That's it, the angle of the steering arm is corrected.

I have a few front ends out here and see if they're all in need of work.