The Legends who have made Racing a Great American Sport!

Hall of Fame Awards Ceremony August 31, 2019

115th 1904 2019 Grundy County Fair Morris, Illinos The 115th Grundy County Fair is Proud and Honored to Present the following Inductees into the Mazon Speed Bowl & Grundy County Speedway Hall of Fame

Those Racers that have taken their final checkered Flag since we last met. Jack Markley Frank Gawlinski Sal Tovella Bobby Shell Bill Clemens Roger West Ray Young Scott Carter Vicki Carter Marks “Speedy” Hernandez George Holterman Congratulations to all the 2019 Mazon Speed Bowl Grundy County Speedway Hall of Fame Inductee's!

Hot Rods & Custom Cars Vintage & Current Race Cars Aluminum Fabrication & Repair Chassis Work & Roll Cages [email protected]

Morris Building & Loan Congratulates this year’s inductees! As your hometown bank, we admire your hard work and dedication. John Mendoza, Vice President

211 E. Jefferson St. , Morris, IL 60450 815.942.3232 www.morrisbl.net A1 Will County Storage 2660 S. Cherry Hill Rd Joliet, IL 60433 (near Briggs & Laraway Rds, 1 mile east of Chicagoland Speedway) 815.726.8819 www.WillCountyStorage.com Email: [email protected]

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Congratulations to All Maon Speed Bowl and Grundy County Speedway Hall of Fame Inductee s! God Bless and Great Success on your Fundraiser/ Reunion!

A1 Will County Storage ografos Family Billy Hulbert, Barb Carter, Scott Carter Hulbert would like to thank their sponsors for their support. Troutman Excavating Lallow Bar & Grill McCoy’s Service Washington Street Barber Shop Transport Colors Shorewood Fitness Quick Styx Graphics Heroes West T1 Racing

Congratulations to this years inductees into the Mazon Speed Bowl & Grundy County Speedway Hall of Fame.

Scott Pavlis

Scott started his racing career at the Mazon Speed Bowl in 1968 and raced there until the track closed at the end of the 1970 season. When the move to Grundy County Speedway came in 1971, Scott continued driving through the end of the 1974 season. Scott still holds the 6-cylinder track record of 17.65 which he set on July 26, 1974. Although a regular at the Mazon Speed Bowl and Grundy County Speedway, Scott also raced at Fairbury, Farmer City, and Raceway Park. Scott still enjoys going to all types of races and reminiscing about the fun of racing in the 60’s and 70’s. John Cowman

John Cowman, won the Sportsman Championship in 1991 at the Grundy County Speedway. John has been involved in midwest since 1986 at his home track in Morris. His Crew Chief, Gordy Enerson, with more than 22 years of racing experience and his pit crew, Bryan Hendrix, Matt Higgins, Dan Semlar, and Kerry Sharp, Billy Norman, Bob Johansen, and Mike Cowman took the Green #88 1991 Howe Design Camaro to Victory Lane many times and captured the Championship Title in addition to 17 Feature wins and more than 70 total wins between Heats, Dashes, and Features. The Mobil 1 Racing Camaro was featured in the 1992 Howe Racing Catalog and also in the R.A. Benson Motorsports Catalog for that same year. Cowman Racing Fans also paid a huge role in his racing success along with his Sponsors, Mobil 1, Mr. Z Auto Body, Tri-County Disposal, Anderson Garage, Advanced Compressor Tech, R.A. Benson Motorsports, J&J Bakery, Eagle Bodies and many others especially his wife Patty and children Mike and Katie. Special thanks to Engine Builders Mike Walker and Dan Strezo and to Frank Doherty for the use of his car one night in ‘91 and to John Sherbit for the use of his spare engine at the end of the ‘91 season. One of John’s biggest accomplishments was winning the Feature Race Opening Night in ‘92 as it was his first race ever. Racer, Larry Shuler was the first person to congratulate John when he pulled off the track. It was an #88 weekly staple to throw out Green #88 Racing T-Shirts to his fans and during the week, John and his Pit Crew mentored many kids by including them in preparing the car and making them one of the crew. John Cowman will always acknowledge his appreciation to Gordy Enerson who taught him the right way to race and dedicates his racing career to a well deserving friend in Gordy. Gene Lee Gibson The son of 4 time Hall of Famer and legend in the sport Todd Gibson, and HOF Brenda Gibson. Racing has been my life. The seat in my father’s midget became open when my brother Larry went to another ride in 1997. Started winning right out of the box. In 76 races from 1997 to 2000 I won 38 features, 6 DNF’s due to 5 engine and 1 flip, and 30 top 10’s of that 26 are top 5’s. We start the 7 hour drive to Grundy County Speedway in 1998 only after I was barred from NAMARS for putting on his back at Columbus Motor Speedway early in 1998. We won the first race at Grundy County and you all know what we did from there on. In 1998, 1999 and 2000 we won the SRCS Championship, Meyers Memorial, and Bob Lockhard Memorial as well as the UMARA Championship and the Illionois State Championship in 2000. I liked the longer races. My success is soley because of my father. He is a mechanical genious. We just didn’t break down. I also wanted to thank UMARA for welcoming us, especially now gone and past President Aaron Willis! He always stopped and thanked us for coming to compete. I know he understood what was involved for us to travel the distance we did and appreciated it. I want to thank the Hall of Fame Committee for voting me in to the Hall of Fame. I was sur- prised when I was notified, didn’t know you even had a Hall of Fame. Lastly I wanted to thank all my competitors that I raced against. I was treated with respect, an I hope I had made the feeling mutual. I had a lot of fun and made some good friends racing at Grundy County Speedway. I do miss it. Pat Wilda

My earliest memories of midget rac- ing was when I was about 7 years old, sitting on the porch waiting for my dad Ray to ask me to go with him to Tony Saylor’s shop, so that I could watch him do what he loved, being the crew chief for Tony’s car. This was a dream for every little boy to be so close to the excitement of . 1973/1974 Bob Magee gave me my first ride and I started my career under the alias of “Pat Magee” –car #98, because that was the name of the registered driver, for which I took over for the first year. I was known as “Looper.” 1975 I became owner and driver of the #98. I raced dirt and pavement, using the same car, and depending on which track you were going to race, you prepared the car, for that race track. For many years on the 4th of July we raced pavement in the afternoon at Grundy County Speedway, and then we travelled to Mendota Speedway to race on dirt during the evening. We raced everywhere and every track. We travelled all over to Florida, Wisconsin, Michigan, Ohio – there weren’t many weekends that we sat at home. I raced the #57, (my favorite number for Tony Saylor). I also had a thing that if I bought a car from someone, I did not want to change the number unless it was taken. My most favorite memory was driving a Jim Anderson race car for a year. The car was #35 but I turned the five into a six and became #36 for Jim who took a year off from racing. In that car at Joliet Stadium during a heat race, was my first time on my head landing upside down at the start finish line, and no I did not win the heat race. I continued to race till about 1994 and then took a hiatus from racing and became a push truck driver for WOOMS and UARA. 1999 mid – season, I was back racing again. 2003 I turned over my driving skills to my son Patrick - car #57 and became the crew chief. My son wanted #32 for Michael Jordan, but since that # was taken, he took the #33. Patrick was named “Rookie of the year” for UMARA, using all his skills he learned from me. With Pat Wilda Cont.

Patrick in the driver’s seat, we won the 2005 “Car Owner Championship” for UMARA. 2015 to current I became a pit Steward for IRS, STARS and Powri. I continue to feed my addiction to racing by supporting the ‘Corsons’ and my God son RJ- helping to fulfill his dream of racing. Throughout the years and to this day, you gain so many friends that no other sport seems to measure up to this feeling. There are so many people to thank, but first and most important, my wife Kathy, who still stays married to me, knowing that racing will always be in my life, and for that I cannot thank her enough for all her support. Thank you to my dad Ray, who took a young little boy and introduced him to midget car racing, and to Bob Magee for my first ride. Thank you to my entire family, who either worked in the pits or attended the races.

Congratulations to all Hall Of Fame Inductees Bill George

Bill George is known as the inventor of the Middle Linebacker position. He played for the Chicago Bears for 14 years, and was selected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1974. He started going to races at Grundy County Speedway around 1973. He went initially because one of his customers in his Industrial Supply business was a racer, Larry Morris. He absolutely loved going to the races, because he was treated like a “normal” guy, not a football celebrity. Through the years, he also became a friend of Lee Schuler, and his son’s, Larry and Tracy. Many people are not aware, that after Bill’s football career ended; he did not go to Bear’s football games! His true passions were: his friend’s, hunting, and racing. He was most known at the track for always being willing to help anyone in need. Although my father is in the Pro Football Hall of Fame; he would be truly honored with his election to the Grundy County Speedway Hall of Fame. Thank you. Pat Kelly

Pat Kelly started racing in 1992 at Grundy County Speedway and Raceway Park. He also raced at Illiana off and on from 1999 to 2007. Along with racing at Grundy County Speed- way. During that time Pat won 2 late model championships at Illiana and 2 late model championships at Grundy County Speedway. My most memorable winning was in 2012. When my son, Nathan and I won there car divisions for that season. Pat in late models and Nathan in street stocks. Which holds the record for father / son in the same year at Grundy County Speedway. Pat may have retired from racing in 2018 but it hasn’t kept him out of the garage by any means. He now has passed down the torch to his son, Nathan and helps out with his late model car. In 2000 Pat won Grundy County Speedway and Illiana track championships and rookie of the year at Illiana. None of this would have been possible without the help of Elite Tradeshow Services, Inc. and Champion Drywall. Most of all for all of the support of the fans thru out the years. Dick Bartel

Racing. Well, let me tell you a story...... From the late 50’s through the 70’s I was a streetcar racer. I was running a 1960 Biscayne with a 348 CU in block (yeah, that’s right) the notorious 348 truck motor as a D stock champ for more years than I can remember at the long-gone Oswego Drag Way. Back then I was working at Caterpillar and that is where I met Lee Schuler and family. Lee sold me my first stock car, which was just a shell and when I asked Lee where the motor was, he pointed to several boxes and baskets and he said, “there, there and over, there. That car was my 1956 Ford Fairlane. My first stockcar race took place at the Raceview Park in Blue Island. I had never been in a stock car, let alone on a circle racetrack and I finished the race with the fenders still on and all my body parts! WOW, that was a learning experience and I fell in love with the sport of racing! When I opened the Union 76 Station on Jefferson St; in the 70’s I got involved in pushing the midgets at the Joliet Memorial Stadium with Bob Cardwell. That was when I was introduced to the world of mini stocks, and as I am sure you can guess, I started racing. I ran a Volvo at the Stadium because I was handling the towing for McDowall Motors. It just so happened that Mr. McDowall raced Volvo midgets...... How lucky can one guy get?!?!??? I really did not know much about Volvo motors and oiling systems at the times so after many sets of bearings, almost weekly, I switched over to an English Ford Cortina. Along with my mechanic Al Chesko we ran a very successful campaign against the rear drive Volkswagen winning fastest times, trophy dashes and feature wins. When mini stock car racing met its’ demise, I returned to the stock car races at the Grundy County Speedway. Let me tell you, Stock car racing is certainly not like it used to be Back in the day it was “Run what you Brung”. Around that time, I stepped up a class and my son started racing which was just an absolute thrill for me because I got the chance to race against him. I feel it is imperative to add that at this time in my racing career, my company, Dick’s Towing Service, INC. was just getting started. J.R, my son worked the night shift and therefore had much more time to work on his car to make it more competitive at the track; so if he ever won a race against me, that is why...... Dick Bartel Cont.

Until recently my staff and I were happy to provide tow trucks and donate our services at the track in Morris. Although I have not raced for the last 3 years, my car #76 stands ready to go. As you can see, racing has been a huge part of my life. Due to the success of my towing company and the rehabilita- tion and updates I am working on at my farm in Minooka, I just have not had the time to get her out on the track, but I still have the fire inside of me. I have raced at the raceway, Illiana and even the red clay in Alabama. When I do race again, I will be racing for the fun of it. I will start in the back of the pack and if I finish with all the fenders still on, maybe a few paint scrapes and my body intact, I will call it a good night. As always, I will continue to love and support stock car racing. David Thompson

David started racing midgets in 1988. His father in law Klaus Wever bought him his first car. He won rookie of the year honors with 2 clubs that year - NAMARS and UMARA. David built his own chassis after he had a very bad crash at Baer Field Speedway. He created a template and built his own chasis. His entire care was a inhouse midget. Thompson chassis and Wever Craft Engines. With his Thompson chasis, he earned many fast times at Grundy, and his car became known for its handling abilities. He was a front running car, homemade chasis and VW motor. Circle Track magazine and Joliet Herald News both did articles. He became known as the “Monarch of Minooka” and “Speedy Thompson”. During his career he drove for Klause Weaver, Mike Ohlendor (The fastest sportsman midg- et he ever drove.), Chuck Reneuvrel, Rich Shumaker (2000 Rumble winner), Rick Peterson, Donnie Lehmann, Glena Windsrup and Jerry Smith (Also had a Thompson Chasis). He ended his career with a National win and a Sportsman win in the same night. He finished 2nd in points 4 times, runner up to DeWayne Pierson, Steve Thinnes, John Meyers and Dave Gough. David would like to thank his wife, Heidi, and his father in law, Klaus for all the long hours working on his motors and all the other drivers he had the pleasure of driving for. Special thanks to Steve Hunt, Steve Beard and TJ Domark and especially to Everett Holt, for showing up whenever we needed him. Bob Richards

THANK YOU for all the thrills and memories that I will cherish the rest of my life! I would like to thank all the people who made this possible AND OF COURSE ... THE GREAT FANS.

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WE WOULD LIKE TO CONGRATULATE ALL INDUCTEES TO THE HALL OF FAME THIS YEAR!

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Billy Hulbert, Dee Tattersall, Bobby Richards & Mike Motherway

Jon & Taylor Fenske, Ryan & Scott Shilkuski, Christopher Adrien & Susan Spencer Adrien

A Special Thank You... From The Grundy Agricultural District Fair To All The Racers Reunion Committee Members Jim Anderson Brian Nolte Bill Hulbert Bob Richards Ron Kessler Bob Thorson Gary Onsen Bryan Thorson Larry Morris John Warren Glen Myers Joe Kirkeeng Gordy Enerson Don Marshall

and everyone who has helped with Photos & Memories! Thank You!!!