On September 11 and 12 the United Midget Auto Racing
Association will sanction the last auto racing event ever to be held at
the Joliet Memorial Stadium. The event will include National,
Sportsman and Ford Focus midgets as well as Vintage midgets and will
likely also include Dwarf Cars, Legend Cars and go-karts.
Joliet Memorial Stadium was built
in 1951 and is dedicated to Joliet residents who fought in World Wars I
and II as well as the Korean Conflict. The facility built
originally for the purpose of hosting high school and college football
as well as track and field events, became the home to UARA midget auto
racing in May of 1952. Walt Weineke took the first checkered flag
and some of the best drivers in the country raced each Saturday night of
the summer there until August 30, 1986, when Dennis Devea crossed the
finish line as the last winner ever at Joliet Memorial Stadium.
After the final football game is played
this fall, the pavement track and the grass football field will be torn
up and replaced with a new olympic style running track and an artificial
turf playing field. But not before one last racing event takes
place on the historic, flat, ¼ mile paved track.
On September 11 and 12 the United
Midget Auto Racing Association will sanction the last auto racing event
ever to be held at the Joliet Memorial Stadium. The event will
include National, Sportsman and Ford Focus midgets as well as Vintage
midgets and will likely also include Dwarf Cars, Legend Cars and
go-karts. For ticket and further event information go to: www.umara.com.
I will be updating this page in the weeks
leading up to the event with Joliet photos from my personal collection.
(Left): Don Carter
Jr. celebrates his victory on August 31, 1985. Co-promoter for the Last Stand
event Mike Gugliemucci Jr. is to Carter's right wearing the Provimi hat. (Right):
Bob Richards after winning on June 21, 1980. Richards captured 23 feature at
the Stadium.
(Left):The famed
Stadium Clock in this 1966 heat race photo. (Right):
Jim McClean in the Bob Lockhard Monza#69.(note
the goal posts in the background).
Indy Midget 500-Indianapolis Speedrome-September
19, 1987
Ticket Stub for the 500-lap USAC
National Midget race run on the 1/5-mile paved oval. The event carried a
$17,655 purse, with Russ Gamester scoring the victory followed by Mel
Kenyon, Sam Isenhower (with relief help from Mark Dinsmore), Dan Boorse
and Jim Alvis.
Hut Hundred, Terre Haute (Ind.) Action Track-September 15, 1990
For the first time in four years, the
event is run at the 1/2-mile dirt track on the Vigo County Fairgrounds.
This photo shows great three wide action in the midway point of the
event, featuring: Stan Fox (Lewis#9), Stevie Reeves (Wilke#11), Kevin
Olson (Anderson#6), Warren Mockler (6R Racing#6) and John Heydenriech (Walder#5).
Jeff Gordon won the event over Mike Streicher, Olson, Reeves and Fox.
USAC Nat'l/NEMA/ARDC Lee (N.H.) Speedway-June 26, 1987
Car Owner Gene Angellillo waves as his
driver Drew Fornoro celebrates in victory lane after winning the USAC
Nat'l/NEMA/ARDC sanctioned feature at Lee USA Speedway. Fornoro's
car used a Nissan powerplant. Lee Smith, Bobby Seymour, Mike Osite and
Jeff Horn completed the top five.
USAC National Midgets Eldora Speedway-Sept. 24, 1989
Robby Flock (outside) driving the Brey
Brothers#21 leads Kevin Olson (Fiscus#7) and Rich Vogler (Wilke#11)
during the USAC Four Crown Nationals. Flock making his first appearance
at the track won feature followed by Vogler, Steve Knepper, Russ
Gamester and Olson.
USAC National Midgets Springfield (Ill.) Speedway-May 1, 1982
Ken Schrader (outside) driving the Nick
Gojmeric/Nick's SOS Garage/Horcher Brothers VW passed Larry Rice (#31
Rusty Kunz) to win the USAC National Midget Feature at Springfield
Speedway. Trailing Schrader at the finish were Mel Kenyon, Steve Cannon,
Jerry Weeks and Steve Lotshaw, with Rice finishing ninth.
Turkey Night Grand Prix-Gardena (Calif.)
Stadium-November 24, 1955
This event was very important in the
history of the famed midget classic. The race marked the return of the
event after a five-year break. It was also the first of five events run
at Gardena Stadium. Johnnie Parsons driving the Fred Gerhardt Offy#45
won the 150-lap event which was also the last under the sanction of AAA.
Parsons, Tony Bettenhausen and actress Valeria Allen are featured on the
program cover.
USAC National Midget Car Series - Louisville
(Ken.) Motor Speedway - April 29, 1995
Three wide action at the Kroger Midget
Classic. Johnny Parsons (69) running the lower groove finished second
behind winner Jack Runyon. Tony Stewart (1) was involved in a late race
crash finishing 12th. Randy Tolsma driving the Lewis#9 finished
third.
USAC National Midget Car Series - Milwaukee Mile (West Allis,Wis.) - June 26,1988
Jim Keeker (6) leads Jim Mahoney (93), Jack Calabrase (32), Jim Hettinger (85), Bob Cicconi (59) and Rich Vogler (11) through turn two during the opening laps of the 40-mile Skoal Classic.
The event was promoted by Dennis Wood and A.J. Foyt featuring the USAC Silver Crown, National Midgets and ARTGO Stock Car Series. Keeker won the event followed by Mahoney, Stan Fox, Hettinger, Calabrase, Dan Boorse, Mack McCleallan, Dennis DeVea, John Meyers and Ronnie Burke.
