Motor SportsFriday, August 3, 2007 12:46 AM CDT

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Vintage race cars, drivers return to Fairbury Speedway

By Douglas Hamm
dhamm@pantagraph.com

Former stock car driver Art “Fireball” Fehrman wasn’t sure how today’s fans would respond when he founded the Illinois Vintage Racing Club last year.

He got his answer when the club made its inaugural appearance at an equally vintage track — venerable Fairbury American Legion Speedway.

“(Promoter) Rusty Allen let us bring four cars to Fairbury last year and it was just a trial race,” the 58-year-old Fehrman said. “I didn’t know if this event would take off, but when we were on the pace lap all the people on the front straightaway stood up and cheered.

“When those people were waving us on I knew then I was going to proceed. It’s just something about a ’57 Chevy and other old cars that people can relate to.”

Fehrman and his fellow club members will return to Fairbury Saturday with 10 vintage cars competing in a trophy dash, heat race and a 12-lap feature. Several other non-racing vintage cars will be on display beginning at 4 p.m. in the grassy area behind the grandstand.

An impressive lineup of former drivers will be behind the wheel of the 1972-and-older machines, led by former Fairbury track champions Roger Long, Jack Tyne, Bill Knippenberg, Bob Anderson, Marlin Riblet and Bobby Shell.

“All my buddies I used to race with will be there,” said Fehrman, whose home track was the now-demolished Santa Fe Speedway in Chicago. “For one night we’re going to take a trip down ‘Memory Lane.’ ”

The club has also made appearances at the Milwaukee Mile, Sycamore Speedway, Madison International Raceway, Kankakee Speedway and Grundy County Speedway.

“It’s overwhelming how it’s taken off,” Fehrman said.

Allen said last year’s vintage car display was one of the track’s most popular events.

“It went over real well,” Allen said. “The drivers have all their scrapbooks and pictures available for fans to look at and they sign autographs. It’s a chance to relive the old days.”

Fairbury also will have its regular program of late models, modifieds and street stocks. The late model points race is one of the tightest in the track’s history, with Daren Friedman (622 points) holding a slim lead over Junior Shickel (618) and Scott Bull (610).

“It’s been back and forth,” Allen said. “It’s just up for grabs.”

Web site set for launch

A Web site dedicated to dirt late model racing — DirtonDirt.com — will debut Sept. 4 from the World 100 at Eldora Speedway in Rossburg, Ohio.

The O’Fallon-based site is the brainchild of Colfax native Michael F. Rigsby, a former TV sports anchor for the NBC affiliate in Madison, Wis., and long-time National Dirt Digest writer Todd Turner. Rigsby and Turner are billing the site as a “one-stop shop for the dirt late model fan” that will feature video reports, text stories, downloadable audio and blogs.

“We’re going to bring all things dirt late model racing under one roof,” Rigsby said. “It’s incredibly difficult to get information on this stuff if you don’t know where to look. Not only will you be getting it all in one place, but it will be so much more timely than anything else that’s out there.”

Rigsby said DirtonDirt.com will provide on-site coverage of between 60 and 70 races from more than two dozen series around the country over the next year. Subscriptions to the online-only publication will cost $4.99 per month or $52 a year. Fans will be able to visit the site for a 10-day free trial.

Farmer City specials

After getting rained out last week, Farmer City Raceway will host a $2,000-to-win late model special tonight. The modifieds will be racing for a $750 first prize. There will also be racing in the sportsman, street stocks and hornet divisions.

See Scoreboard for area points standings

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