In The Beginning.....by Jerry Wahl
It certainly does not seem like forty years since Gene Bundy, Dale "Lucky" Lutz, Gene Moore, John "Shorty" Miller, and myself sat around Bundy's kitchen table and laid out the groundwork that would become the Dayton Auto Racing Fan Club. An organization that has grown to nearly a thousand members from the humble beginning of less than one hundred.
Initally the club met monthly except for December with the number now cut back to seven monthly meetings.
The first meeting featured the chief steward of the Indianapolis 500 followed by many interesting names such as Blair Ratliff, Pete Wales, Johnny Vance, Bill Redwine, Russ Cledenen, Spike Iddings, Sonny Ates, Earl Baltes, Frank Dicke, Larry Dickson, Bob Pratt, and Rollie Beale. Any of those names rattle a bell? Of course there have been plenty of area racing personalties featured at the monthly meetings which are held January through April and September through November.
Then there was the big night when Karl Brown was president when we rented a ballroom in a downtown Dayton hotel and hosted our largest meeting to date. Longtime DARF supportor and founder of ARCA was featured that night in a tribute to Marcum who by the way held his first race at the old Dayton Speedway when his organization was known as MARC. Joining Marcum on stage was Chris Economaki, publisher of National Speedsport News, John Cooper president of Indianapolis Speedway, and big Bill France, founder of NASCAR.
Our second largest night was when NASCAR king Richard Petty was featured at the Christopher Club before a standing room only crowd with special thanks to Tommy Dill for making it happen.
And yes there was the night we paid tribute to Jack Bowsher when thanks to Linda Berry the one and only A.J. Foyt called the Christopher Club to razz Bowsher. As you probably know Foyt use to drive Bowsher prepared cars.
The night we paid tribute to the one and only Jack Hewitt was highlighted when his friend Tony Stewart called and conversed with Jack for all to hear.
Don Thompson's Dayton Speedway nights brought a lot of the ole timers out to relive the times at the once nationally recognized speed plant.
The Christopher Club played host to many outstanding racing personalities and many times our good friend down the road at TV-2, sports director Omar Williams would send a camerman up to shoot some highlights of the meeting. TV-22 was also good to do likewise.
I could probably fill all the pages of the newsletter recalling all of the special guests and nights we have had, each leaving a trail of history behind.
Not only has the membership grown, so has the number of tracks supporing DARF with seven initally, namely Eldora, Tri-County, Whitewater Valley, Limaland, Kil-Kare, Shady Bowl, and Clark County Fairground Speedway. This year eighteen tracks hosted DARF members at their tracks and another has expressed interest for '09..
Champions honored at the first "Banquet of Champions" in 1970 should bring back some memories of yesteryear to some of you long time readers. Those honored was Rocky Fisher, Jim Cushman, Neal Sceva, Jim Brandenburg, Ralph Latham, Dennis Miles, Floyd Gilbert, Larry Miller, Al Woodard, and Chick Hale. By the way, Hale was in attendance at the 40 year celebration of the DARF club on Nov. 25.
This year nearly 50 champions were honored at the banquet.
Seems a lot of fans have the idea DARF just shows up at race tracks on certain nights and gives shirts to the feature winners but that is far from the truth. In addition to the monthly meetings there is the annual race car show where all proceeds taken in at the door are used to provide for needy children at Christmas time, there are two free picnic's to the members, one at Eldora and the other at Shady Bowl. Then there is a DARF member's kids Christmas party each year where all kids receive a fine gift from the jolly ole fella in a red suite.
A very important event is the yearly injured drivers auction which provides funds to aid drivers and others in racing that might be injured.
Yes, it has been a long haul but I am surely proud to see how the club has grown and want to thank all the people that have joined and especially all the track owners and promoters that have contributed to the growth. Also to the many officers and board members who have worked so diligently to keep the club moving forward.
Yes, Gene Bundy whould be proud to know the club is still going strong after forty years. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Friends of the defunct Dayton Speedway gathered at Campioni's Pizza in Springboro on April 21 to celebrate the first year birthday
of the launching of the website www.daytonspeedwaylives.com
L-R Jerry Wahl, Don Wilbur, Bob Korn, Chick Hale, Bill Chambers, Dick Dunlevy Jr. (kneeling)...Gene Ingram photo/2009
DARF Honors Track
Champions
Dayton, OH. -
The Dayton Auto Racing Fan Club celebrated their 40th Annual "Banquet of
Champions" Saturday night by honoring champions of fifteen racing facilities and
two associations. The event was held in the original building that housed the
initial event in 1970, Haer's Party House, now know as Celebrations Banquet
Center on Stop Eight Road in Dayton.
Prior to
the honoring of the track champions and special awards presentations the second
annual "Hall of Fame" induction ceremony was held with former DARF president
Bernie Coppock doing the induction. Inducted was longtime drivers Chick Hale and
Neal Sceva, longtime car owner and sponsor Tom Stenger, noted racing reporter
Leal Beattie, and the legendary Earl and Berneice Baltes, former owners of the
Eldora Speedway.
DARF
president Bobby Sparks presented the other awards which recognized the champions
of Flat Rock Speedway, Gas City I-69 Speedway, K-C Raceway, Kil-Kare Speedway
and Dragway, Lawrenceburg Speedway, Toledo Speedway, Union County Speedway,
Waynesfield Motorsports Park, Shady Bowl Speedway, Limaland Motorsports Park,
Moler Raceway Park, 35 Raceway Park, Columbus Motor Speedway, and Eldora
Speedway.
Champions
of the Ohio Valley Karting Association and Ohio Valley Dwarf Car Association
were also recognized.
Many
special awards were passed out with the Gene Bundy Memorial one going to
Lawrenceburg promoter Dave Rudisell while DARF co-founder Jerry Wahl was the
recipient of the John Marcum Memorial award. Popular driver Jeff Babcock was
honored with the Dick Freeman Memorial and noted author/columnist Dave
Argabright was named the recipient of the Duke Dinsmore Memorial award.
The John
"Shorty" Miller service award went to third year promoters Kevin and Kim Moler
of Moler Raceway Park. Named rookie of the year was NASCAR Whelen All-American
Series driver seventeen year old Sloan Henderson while Jeff Babcock was named
dirt driver of the year and Nathan Herron received the asphalt driver of the
year award. Herron returned to be recognized as the DARF driver of the year
recipient.
Longtime
mechanic Jay Johnson picked up the mechanic of the year plaque. Receiving the
announcer of the year award was Union County Speedway man on the mike John
Murray.
Lone Star
Pawn Shop was, a sponsor of some seven race cars was named sponsor of the year.
Receiving workers of the year honors was Russell Cook and daughter Lynn. Tim and
Patty Bihm received the couple of the year award. Young Laykee Kemp was awarded
the special DARF's upcoming driver award.
Kentucky
Speedway was honored with the DARF outstanding service award while special
service awards were handed to Jackass Flats, home of the DARF monthly meeting
and Lang's Chevrolet for hosting the annual DARF race car
shows.
The last
award presented was the Presidents and it went to dedicated and hard working
DARF secretary Jana Sparks.
DARF would
like to thank all the tracks that hosted the club members throughout the 2009
season and also to the great group of people who attended the 40th Annual
"Banquet of Champions".
written and submitted by~Jerry Wahl