Buzz's Road Trip to BCS on 18-July-2009

[VintageBuzz]

20-July-2009 PM: Added photo of Lou's award and misc. edits. ~VB

Buzz's Road Trip to BCS in Cheyenne, WY: 18-July-2009
So what if it was 900+ miles round-trip in a little over 24-hours. It was well worth it, as it was WARC Night at Big Country Speedway in Cheyenne, WY and I hadn't been to a race at this wonderful 1/5-mile paved-oval since I left Cheyenne back in 1974. There were also point-battles going on in several classes for mid-season bragging rights & a pretty large trophy. And at intermission right before the main-events, WARC honored their many Lifetime Members and their first five Hall of Fame inductees. WOW!!! What a night of intense racing and nostalgia all wrapped up into one fantastic event.
http://autoracingmemories.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=166&pictureid=1478
Photo by BCS Track Photographer: Michelle Clark
Amongst those many Lifetime Members in attendance Saturday night were these WARC heroes:
Clarence Krieger - Mr. #83G himself who is also the proclaimed "Mayor of Garden City" according to Chris Ertler who has now come forth with an explanation about that title in his posting below. For all of you who know Clarence, he hasn't changed a bit. In fact, he was telling me that he is now retired and can build race cars (& a CNS race truck) full time. What else can I say about about Clarence other than it was great to see him and to talk to him once again in person.
Darrell Stewart - The 1975 Track Champion who piloted his legendary KRAE / Hollenbeck Drywall #66 V8-powered Chevy Vega station wagon that year. For years, Darrell was a fierce competitor in this class with his #66 '57-Chevy and later with his awesome and wickedly-fast V8-powered Chevy Vega station wagon.
John Lucas - For years, the WARC flagman at Intermountain Speedway and the Cheyenne Timing Association (CTA) Dragway located just a few miles south of the oval track. I have photos of John flagging at both tracks and post them down the road a bit.
Jack Malick #21 - Dang! I forgot how towering-tall and massive this Gentle-Giant was, as I'm 6 ft. 2 in. / 230 lbs. and I was still looking up at Jack as we talked. Jack is one of the nicest guys you'll ever meet or compete against. Jack was telling me that he is still building race cars (he emphasized "Fords" as we both laughed) and still driving them at race tracks all over northern Colorado and at BCS in Cheyenne.
Greg Norman #68 and Richard Clark #4 - Both of these very nice guys contributed countless hours to WARC and to the speedway that both love today as much as they did back in the '70s.
Roger Jessell #17 - What a character who has not changes one bit since I knew him and his little brother John from our days in elementary school and junior high school in Cheyenne, WY. You see, Roger has always been challenged in the height and weight category and has always had this Woody Woodpecker (a bit of a trouble-maker) attitude going on when he is around people...or on a race track as he got into it pretty good with the #25 on the exit of turn 2 and into the backstretch-wall on Saturday night Now back in elementary school and junior high, I used to get really tired of guys beating the crap out of Roger and his little brother...as it happened almost on a daily basis. So, I would always step in and "try" to remove Roger from a situation that he probably provoked and/or escalated along with his little brother John. Sorry Roger...you are still that same "little squirrel" in my book. And from what I experience last Saturday night at BCS, many in the crowd there agree with my assessment. But, we all love you anyway! And yes, Roger, I would still step in on your behalf if someone was pounding on you for what ever reason.
Bill McHone - A most talented owner, builder, and driver who took over the legendary #64 Jack Hahn '55 Chevy and turned it into his own legendary #42 race car. Bill later terrorized his competition in this class with the #42 Chevy Camero. Years later, Bill dominated the modified class as one of top drivers in the entire Rocky Mountain area. And way back in the summer of 1970, Bill set aside enough of his valuable time to be one of my groomsman in the wedding of my wife Deb to me. And yes, I'm still married to Deb after all these years!
I'm probably forgetting more WARC Lifetime Members that were in attendance, but hey, I'm getting old too!
Now here is why I was at BCS on Saturday night 18-Jul-2009. WARC inducted their first five Hall of Fame members. Three of the five I knew and remembered quite well. The other two escape me and for that I apologize and am bound to research who they are and what they did to earn them this great honor.
Amongst the five Lifetime Members honored Saturday night were these WARC legends:
Pete Schwindt - One of the "Founding Fathers" of the WARC and Intermountain Speedway. Pete, or your family member, I was just a very young kid back in the '50s. But my Dad always spoke highly of you and shared several stories with me about you and him.
Elmer Balcaen - Elmer was a legend going back to the late '40s and continuing straight through into the late '60s and early '70s. I have a great amount of respect for Elmer as a friend, a fierce competitor in his '55 Chevy, and the father of four children who grew up and attended school with me and my sisters in Cheyenne, WY. Accepting Elmer's award was Kerry Balcaen, his oldest son and still a very good friend of mine. It was really great to talk with Kerry again.
Lou Wendzel - My Dad, my biggest hero, and the only reason that I would ever drive 900+ miles in a little over 24-hours. I'm so proud of my Dad and so thankful to WARC and all of its members for making this night possible for me and my two sisters. For my Dad's profile here at ARM, CLICK HERE (http://autoracingmemories.com/forums/showthread.php?t=29)
Sorry this was so long-winded. But hey, something like this only happens once in life if you were as fortunate as I was over the weekend! ~VB
http://autoracingmemories.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=166&pictureid=1045
July-2009 @ BCS in Cheyenne, WY:
Buzz Wendzel accepting W.A.R.C. Hall of Fame award for his Dad, Lou Wendzel.
Photo by BCS Track Photographer: Michelle Clark
http://autoracingmemories.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=166&pictureid=1477
http://autoracingmemories.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=166&pictureid=1476

[Olen McGuire]

Hey Buzz, it sounds like you had a great time in Cheyenne and I'm sure you deserved it. Also your dad deserved that award and I'm looking forward to seeing a photo of it. I know what it's like to see some old friends that you haven't seen in a long time. When I got back to Alabama after many years it was great to see my old friends again but they sure looked a lot older than me for some reason. I'm really glad for you.~Olen

[lakeside #29]

Buzz, That sounds like it one really great event. Your Dad received a well deserved award. Congratulations Lou! These fellows were lengends and pioneers and helped further racing through their actions and love of the sport, I salute every one of them. Men like them made it possible for guys like us to get started in the sport, I only hope we have done as good a job as these gentleman did opening the door for future generations of racers.

Now as far as the "Mayor of Garden City". Mr. Krieger used to live on the south side of Greeley. I believe he lived in the small town of Garden City. According to a road map of the early '60's the population was 142. The town was located between Greeley and Evans to the south on highway 85.
One of his longtime sponsors was H & R Liquors in Garden City. I'm not sure if he was actually elected to office or not, but when Peggy was CARC secretary she got correspondence from him and he signed It "Mayor Of Garden City" so it's possible. He may of picked up the monicker from Reed Walker the long time Lakeside Speedway announcer.

Chris

[Evad347]

WOW

Now those were the days I do remember.. Those guys were the champs.
And there were quite a few others that ran very well during that time.
Glad we have this site.. Next time there is an event I will go to.....
Even though for me it will be over a 1,ooo miles.

Thanks for the great post

Dave Jolliffe Flagman during those days;)

[VintageBuzz]

Buzz, That sounds like it one really great event. Your Dad received a well deserved award. Congratulations Lou! These fellows were lengends and pioneers and helped further racing through their actions and love of the sport, I salute every one of them. Men like them made it possible for guys like us to get started in the sport, I only hope we have done as good a job as these gentleman did opening the door for future generations of racers.
Now as far as the "Mayor of Garden City". Mr. Krieger used to live on the south side of Greeley. I believe he lived in the small town of Garden City. According to a road map of the early '60's the population was 142. The town was located between Greeley and Evans to the south on highway 85.
One of his longtime sponsors was H & R Liquors in Garden City. I'm not sure if he was actually elected to office or not, but when Peggy was CARC secretary she got correspondence from him and he signed It "Mayor Of Garden City" so it's possible. He may of picked up the monicker from Reed Walker the long time Lakeside Speedway announcer.
Chris

Hey, Chris! Thanks for all the kind words. And from what I observed at BCS last Saturday night, there are a lot of youngsters getting involved in racing because of us oldsters. As for your "Mayor of Garden City" explanation...priceless! Was Clarence's "Racers Roost" garage the acting "City Hall" of this fine township? If so, all the beer that Greg Cederburg and I drank with Clarence at "City Hall" was not in vein. And amongst the most important things that his sponsor [H & R Liquors] could have provided Clarence was plenty of beer. Thanks again, Chris! ~VB

[VintageBuzz]

WOW
Now those were the days I do remember.. Those guys were the champs.
And there were quite a few others that ran very well during that time.
Glad we have this site.. Next time there is an event I will go to.....
Even though for me it will be over a 1,ooo miles.
Thanks for the great post
Dave Jolliffe Flagman during those days;)

Hey, Dave! Happy to hear that you enjoyed the article and could relate to that era. You jogged my memory so I added a note about Bill McHone to my original post above. So you bought Bill's yellow #42 Chevy Camero and promptly sold it? What part of Cheyenne did you live in back then? I grew up on the south-side just north of the Frontier Refinery and the old truck route through Cheyenne. If you are ever in northern Utah, look me up and we'll do some bench-racing together, or go see the USAC Sprint Cars race at RMR in Salt Lake City! ~VB

[VintageBuzz]

Hey Buzz, it sounds like you had a great time in Cheyenne and I'm sure you deserved it. Also your dad deserved that award and I'm looking forward to seeing a photo of it. I know what it's like to see some old friends that you haven't seen in a long time. When I got back to Alabama after many years it was great to see my old friends again but they sure looked a lot older than me for some reason. I'm really glad for you.~Olen

Hey, Olen! Thanks for all your kind words too. I've updated my original post with a photo of my Dad's award. I'm no photographer and it shows. But at least I got one shot off that didn't have a bunch of glare or reflections in it. You are 100% correct about all those old friends looking older than us observers! Take care, Good Buddy. ~VB

[Evad347]

Hey There,

I lived a few different places growing up in Cheyenne. But mostly after I graduated
I had a house on Bradley Ave. Right by the cemetery. But today it is a Parkway to the
weather center and maybe because a few little planes crashed into a few houses back
in the 70's. Some drug runners I think they were.?????? When living there I did garage
the #14 orange and black 55 Chevy that I believe use to belong to Denny Bell. But he sold it and I kept it for a guy so his wife wouldn't know about it.

:-) Can't think of his name at the moment.....