Saturday evening of Thanksgiving weekend, in nearby Celebration, Florida. From
when I was nine- years old and to when I was nearly 19, my grandfather took me to that
track nearly every Saturday night to watch the stock car races. Bobby Brack was the
winningest driver to have ever raced at that speedway, which closed in 2005, and he was
my idol! I’d cheer him on, then say hello to him in the pits after the races. He was larger
than life to me.
After Brack retired from racing, and I had gone on to college, I quit going to the
races. Some years later, I saw him at a fishing tournament. It turned out he loves to
fish. So, he and I had become reunited and he has since been an instrumental part of my
fishing team.
The reunion was a great walk back in time, as some 400 drivers, car owners and
fans were on hand in that hotel ballroom. Most of the top drivers were there. It was also
an “eye-opener”, as I’ve not seen most of these guys since I was a kid, 35 years ago; I
had a “visual” in my mind of what they looked like back then, so you can imagine how
taken I was over how differently they looked that night! Time does indeed march on!
Brack, incidentally, was inducted into the Hialeah Speedway Hall of Fame that evening,
along with 11 others.
Me and Bobby Brack, after his induction into the Hialeah Speedway Hall of Fame
Bobby Brack with yellowfin tuna caught aboard the MARC VI this summer
Brack at Hialeah Speedway in "the day"
1974 - Me and Brack after he won his sixth straight, annual 200-lap South Florida State Championship, at Hialeah Speedway
1970 - Me and Brack after he won the 200-lap South Florida State Championship, at Hialeah Speedway
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5 comments:
My Grandfather Washington Columbus "Dub" Conger owned a car that raced at the Hialeah Speedway. I have a picture of him and his car on my Facebook page. Dave Conger
Why is it that I see very little mention of Bobby Brack as the driver of car number "Zero". My dad took my brothers and I on Saturday nights to Hialeah back in the middle to late 70's, and I remember Brack was the most popular driver, but I remember vividly that he drove a beautiful black car -- number "Zero". In surfing the web today all I've seen of Brack is #57.
Marlins4428 I believe that my cousin Mark Baker was the owner, builder, and mechanic on the Zero car when Brack was driving it. They won a bunch of races with that car.
Marlins4428 I believe that my cousin Mark Baker was the owner, builder, and mechanic on the Zero car when Brack was driving it. They won a bunch of races with that car.
Marlins4428 I believe that my cousin Mark Baker was the owner, builder, and mechanic on the Zero car when Brack was driving it. They won a bunch of races with that car.
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