In Lapped Traffic
Monday, June 4, 2007
by Kathy Bell, Knoxville, Iowa – If you didn’t attend the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame induction ceremonies, last Saturday afternoon, you really missed out. The history of the sport is so alive at that ceremony it gives you goose-bumps just hearing the stories from the past.
My favorite story was how Rajo Jack, an African America racer, had to race to a completely different set of standards back in the days when black’s had to sit in the back of the bus. He had to hide his face at many race tracks that didn’t allow men of color to race and his wife had to travel with him because if he did win, he would not be allowed to accept a trophy from a white trophy girl or to have his picture taken with them.
Of course, I was proud to watch Ken Coles as he was inducted. He is a long-time race photographer who I have looked up to for many years in the racing media business. My congratulations also goes out to inductees, Shane Carson, Kenny Jacobs, Earl Gaerte and Emmett Hahn, all of whom I’ve done many stories on over the last 25 years.
Later in the evening, Shane Carson and Kenny Jacobs went on to race in the Master’s Classic (drivers over the age of 50) event. Shane was the 2006 defending champion. He had mechanical trouble in the #00 Larry Weeks car he was supposed to compete in. Thanks to 360 car owner, Dwight Snodgrass and driver Josh Higday, they loaned Shane the #2x to compete in but he had to start at the back of the pack. He ended up battling his way back to the front half with a tenth place finish out of 22 spots.
AJ Weaver won the race, Jacobs was second and Mike Peters third. Other well-known former races in the event were, Roger Rager, Tim Gee, Greg Rilat and Tony Moro.
Greg Rilat is the father of racer, Travis Rilat. Travis was entered in the 410 competition while Greg competed in both the 360 and Master’s events. Greg started racing when Travis was 13 years old. Two year later, Travis began racing at 15. Father and son began their careers racing Dwarf cars then moving on to 360 sprint cars. Travis said about six times a year they might end up racing against each other. Travis races with the ASCS National Series while Greg stays closer to home racing with the ASCS Gulf South Regional series.
Jerry Richert Jr. brought his car down to race in the 410 class after attending the NSCHoF induction ceremonies. His dad Jerry Sr. is a former NSCHoF inductee. When Jerry was putting his team together for the 2007 season he decided to paint his 410 and 360 sprinters after a calendar photo that hangs in his office. The photo is of his dad competing in the #63 sprinter against friend and rival Scratch Daniels in the #62 car. So, Jerry or JRJR as we used to call him when he raced here weekly at Knoxville, has a #63 410 sprinter painted in honor of his father’s former ride and a #62 360 sprinter painted like that formerly driven by 2007 NSCHoF inductee Scratch Daniels.
Did you know that for most of the first part of the Knoxville season, Canadian driver, Toni Lutar would fly in each week just to compete at the Knoxville Raceway?
Toni would grab a commercial flight each week landing at the Des Moines airport, get a room at the Airport Holiday Inn, tow the car down to Knoxville, race then head back home to Canada, via a commercial airline. He would leave his sprint car truck and trailer at the Holiday Inn where hotel personnel and local law enforcement would keep an eye on it during the week.
It cost Toni around $700 round trip for the 2100 mile (one way) trip. The biggest problem Toni met up with was when a connecting flight was delayed putting him behind schedule. He also said with the increasing price of fuel he looked for airline tickets to go up to as much as $800-$850, round trip.
Toni owns a couple of recycle yards back home in Whitecastle, Canada but he said he loves to race at Knoxville. Toni would love to make the A-Main at this year’s Knoxville Nationals. His best performance so far in the event is a 13th place finish in the B-Main.
Have you noticed that the Heskin brothers race car numbers are inverted? The older brother, Davey who is an 18 year old college student at Minnesota State University, Moorhead pilots the family owned #56 sprinter. This is Davey’s third year in a sprint car his first season as a 410 driver. He’s working hard for the 410 Rookie of the Year honor amongst some tough competition.
Danny Heskin, the 17 year old, younger brother is a high school student at St. Michael, Minn., where he also excels as a very talented goaltender on the hockey team. He drives the #65 sprinter in the 360 class. A nasty accident a couple of weeks ago sidelined the youngster for a couple of weeks. Danny is trying to decide what to dedicate the majority of his time to over the next few months as he has an opportunity to go places with his hockey career. Sprint cars or hockey, that is Danny’s immediate focus, which will he pursue at this time?
The boy’s dad, D. J. Heskin used to race. Both boys grew up at the race track watching their dad race. D. J. is a second generation racer. D. J. watched his own father, Dave race and D. J. began racing in his step-father Butch Maxwell’s sprint car.
For awhile, D. J. raced sprint cars while running Davey and Danny back and forth to go-kart races. Once the boys were old enough to race a sprint car, D. J. retired to help them with their careers.
Davey and Danny like racing at Knoxville, which is a 620 mile roundtrip for the family each weekend. The racing history continues as Butch used to be part of John Stevenson’s crew. He helped build race cars for others before fielding his own race car. D. J.s dad, Dave Heskin used to race for Marty Johnson, years ago. D. J. and Craig Dollansky grew up going to the races together because Craig’s dad, Bill Dollansky, used to drive for Butch Maxwell, D. J.’s step-father.
D. J. said his dad, Dave used to race in the Master’s Classic, however, his health has prevented him from traveling like he used to. Dave does listen to the Knoxville Raceway Internet broadcast to keep track of his grandson’s careers. D. J. said when Danny wrecked a couple of weeks ago, he immediately called Dave to let him know his grandson was alright because he knew he’d hear about the accident, almost immediately on the Internet.
Since racing can be tough on a family, D. J. said he has one rule the boys have to abide by. “I told them it’s a long trip down to Knoxville and they can’t quit on the way to the track. They can quit any time they want during the week but not on the trip down. It they do decide they want to pursue something else I guess I’ll just go to the cabin on the weekends,” he said.
Coming up later in the month at the Knoxville Raceway is the World of Outlaws weekend, June 15-16 and the USAC Midget Nationals on June 22-23. Until next time, stay safe and keep on turning left. I can be reached for comments at kbel@iowatelecom.net.
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