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Memories of Santa Fe Speedway

By Dan Schmitt

 

I was twenty years old and really knew nothing about motorcycle racing. Yes, I read a few articles in magazines about motorcycle racing, but to me, it seemed like it took place somewhere else. But the gang at Ace Cycle World on Western Avenue in Chicago went to motorcycle races. In fact, they went every Wednesday night. I was invited to go along on my 1968 Triumph Bonneville on one Wednesday night to Santa Fe Speedway. This race track with large grandstands was only forty minutes southwest of Chicago off I-55. 

I still remember walking in, through the gates, fifty feet of concrete and there was the racetrack, behind the chain link fence, the track of clay. Practice was going on and it was just unbelievable. It was the coolest thing I ever saw. I said to myself right then and there, “man, I want to do this!”  

The gang from Ace;  Hud, VanSkike, VonEsser, Jimmy, D’wayne, Boles, etc, etc, all sat at the top of the grandstands on the far right side, right above the concession stand. The heat races were so fast, so quick, I have never witnessed anything so exciting. Sliding, on the gas, fourteen-second lap times, two-strokes, four-strokes, leg out, steel shoes, fast bikes, brave men, this was motorcycle racing and it was in Chicagoland.

 After the heat races, I went up to the announcer’s booth and talked to the announcer, Jan Gabriel. He told me that in order to race at Santa Fe Speedway, you had to get a professional license. To get a professional license you had to race amateur for two seasons. He also informed me that there were amateur races held at Sycamore Speedway on Friday nights.

 Luckily, my friend and fellow coffee truck driver, Joe Scarlata, was also interested in going motorcycle racing. Joe picked up an Ossa Scrambler, a set of used leathers and a Bell helmet. We went to Sycamore Speedway together, Joe racing, I went as his mechanic. The fastest guy out there, on his silver Triumph, was Al Blum. I wanted to race, but only had my Triumph. Joe bet me $10.00 that I would not race during the 1970 season. Well, I won that bet, I stripped down my Triumph and raced at the last race of the season at Sycamore Speedway, I fell down in my heat, rode cautiously in the Open B final and won that ten dollars. The following weekend, I traveled to Milburg Speedway in Michigan and completed my first season of amateur racing.  

 The following year, I bought a 1970 Triumph Bonneville for the street and converted my ’68 for racing. That included a fiberglass BSA gas tank, Dunlop K-70 tires, TT pipes, Ceriani forks and a roadracing style seat.  In 1971, I raced at Sycamore Speedway, Milburg Speedway and I even traveled to Delta, Ohio to race their TT track. This completed my two years of amateur racing. I applied for my professional license with the AMA and received my Novice license with number 115p. I ran my first race at Santa Fe Speedway in 1972 on a brand-new Ossa TT Scrambler bought from Ace Cycle World for $475.00. I had a new bike but I was not ready for the competition at Santa Fe.

Whereas the majority of the racers at Santa Fe were from the immediate area, Santa Fe was the center of the universe for flat-track racing in America. There were riders coming every Wednesday night to earn a living. Win enough money in the middle of the week to travel to the half-miles or Nationals on the weekends. This was pro racing.

Motorcycle racing came to Santa Fe in 1953. The Maywood Mustangs, a local AMA motorcycle club, began to promote races after the big war at Cole Linze’s baseball diamond.  This stadium was located off U.S. 66 (Ogden Avenue) only a few miles from Santa Fe, southwest of Chicago. It was a weekly program with twenty to thirty racers battling for a few hundred dollars per night. The Mustangs got together with Howard Teidt, owner of Santa Fe, and the racing began that June. Three of the racers in the early days were George Mack, Al Berquist and Pat McHenry.

 George Mack’s dad owned a Henderson Motorcycle shop in Chicago, so George was around motorcycles all his life. After leaving the Navy, he raced jalopies and then tried bikes. He related, “When we raced at Santa Fe, we all rode big bikes, 750 side valves. Around thirty to forty riders raced, we all made the program. It was a $300.00 One-Star Short-track. You could not ride within ten feet of the pole, because the cars tore it up on the weekends. It was a lot of fun and you could make a few dollars racing. I raced a salvaged surplus Indiana Scout and then got sponsored by Gale Johnson and raced a Harley.” George won the track championship in 1955 and 1956.

  Al Berquist was there the first night. He tells how the program was run, “There were a lot of riders. So they ran two complete programs, one was standard start. One was a staggered or handicap start. They had two finals.  50-60 riders, they all ran together. This was Class A racing.  Only 6 riders made the finals. Four heat in each and two semis. I never got a first place on my Harley  but I rode an Indiana Scout for Bob Hansen out of Racine on the half-miles. It was so much fun riding, everyone was so good. After the racing everyone got along. Everyone was equal, you didn’t make much money. If I won everything  I could make $65.00. Ralph Farmer was the starter, George Elliot was Referee.”

Pat McHenry was only a spectator in ’53. He was a young drag racer, but after seeing the action at Santa Fe, he traded in his ’48 Panhead and picked up a ’26 Indian Scout. He remembers, “We didn’t pay any entry fee, just bought the pro license. When I started beating the experts, during my second year, I bought a ’37 Sport Scout for $200.00. In ’55, I set a few track records and finally won the track championship in ’58 and ’59. In 1959 they changed the rule to 250’s, so I put a NSU MAX engine in the Indian frame. I had a cam made, removed 8 pounds from the flywheel and changed the valve springs. I finished 3rd in two nationals. They started the TT races in the early sixties and I rode them also. I quit in 1964 and I went out as a winner.”  

 

With the change to 250cc machine, a new era began at Santa Fe. The AMA gave Howard Tiedt his first National in 1961. Carol Resweber, the four-time national champion, won the first two Nationals on his Harley Sprint. Gary Nixon grabbed the win in ’63 on a Triumph Cub. Then it was back-and-forth between Nixon and the ‘Harley Wreckin’ Crew’.  Roger Reiman took the win in ’64, Bart Markel in ’66 and Freddie Nix in ’68. Nixon took the other two. Nix and Reiman shared the track championship during those years.

 

Nixon moved from Oklahoma to Chicago to further his career.  He won his second career National at Santa Fe in 1963. The week before he won his first national at a roadrace in Pennsylvania. Gary stayed in Chicago during the summer, living at Logan Square Triumph. On hot summer evenings, he would sleep on the roof of this dealership and listen to the ‘el’ train at the end of the line just across Milwaukee Avenue.  He used to borrow the $2.00 for the entry fee. Gary said he depended on that $125.00 he could win, if he won everything on Wednesday night at Santa Fe, heat race, semi, trophy dash and the final. The Triumph Cub he raced was the one bike he did all of the maintenance himself.

 

Many racers in that era stayed in the Midwest to race. Most of the flat-track racing at that time was in the Midwest, with fairgrounds in Illinois, Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Iowa, Wisconsin. In fact, Gary said he raced 32 races during the month of August in 1967. One of the races he won during his quest for the national title was Santa Fe in ’67. Gary stated, “Santa Fe is where I learned to race. It may have been downplayed because of the 250’s, but all of the hot dudes were there.  Winning the first one unlocked the door.  I was pretty proud to beat the Harley factory guys three out of five times. I built that Cub 100 percent, Cliff help me out, but I took care of it. It was like a fine watch inside there.” 

 

 The era changed again in 1969. The two-strokes were not competitive because they had no engine braking and the bikes were not allowed to have brakes. But a little payola from a well-known Japanese factory to the AMA changed that. This cash was transferred by a well-know racer to a high AMA official in an airport parking lot. The following year, 1969, compression releases were allowed on the two-strokes, and it worked wonders. Dick Mann, one of the greatest racers ever, worked with Ossa, to build a stunning performer. Although swingarms were not illegal for flat-tracking, most everyone used rigid rear ends. Mann discovered a few years earlier, when he had to race his roadrace frame on the dirt, that a swingarm frame could be made to work on the dirt. With his own design for the frame and the Ossa 250cc two-stroke engine, he captured the National Short-track win at Santa Fe. The ‘Dick Mann Replica’ was created and Robert E. Lee took the National win in 1971. Just to show that the Harley Sprints were not dead, Markel won the National in 1970.

 One personality that should not be overlooked is Neal Keen. This Santa Fe regular was ‘guru’ of short-tracking racing. He had a van full of racing products and a good word of advice for all the young upstarts. With his partner, Charlie Chapple, they dominated the regular Wednesday night action. Bringing in local hero, Bill O’Brian, they ran their own little match race using the ‘Roadrunner’ and ‘Coyote’ symbols.

 The first TT National was held in 1969. Triumph mounted, Ed Wirth, won that first one. Another rule changed also changed the look of TT racing. Gone was the double program with Heavyweights and Lightweights. In the early days it was side-valve 750’s against overhead valve 500’s in the Lightweight class, and big motors, up to 80 cubic inches in the Heavyweight class. The dirt track rules were changed to allow overhead valve 750’s and Harley-Davidson was in a bind. The only bright spot was this, in the TT’s, the rules allowed the 900cc Sportsters engines to run in the Nationals.  Again in 1970, Eddie Mulder took the victory on a 750 Triumph.  

 Coming to Santa Fe in 1972 was a learning curve for me. The Wednesday night program was a combined program, novices, juniors and experts all ran together. The fastest thirty-two made the A program, the next sixty made the B program. All of the money was in the A program, the winner of the B program made $25.00. You had to qualify with one lap, and I never qualified for the A program and only qualified for the B program once or twice. But, they did run four to six Friday night TT’s and there I did shine. I believe I made the Novice final at every TT. During my second year of racing pro, I collected the last five and one-half points at Santa Fe just racing the TT’s to advance to Junior.

 In the early 70’s, the I-55 corridor was busy with motorcycle racers coming north to race. They came from Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana and other points south. This became the era of the ‘Ragin Cagun’. Mike Gerald with a personality a mile wide and a quick right hand on the throttle became a regular fixture at Santa Fe. He won the ’72 National with a two-stroke and the ’73 National with a Honda 350cc four-stroke. He was getting some very soft, unattainable tires from Carlyle and winning on a regular basis. Darryl Hurst and Randy Cleek were there every week to keep him honest. The rules were changed to allow 360cc two-strokes in 1973.

 One of the stars from Ohio, Steve Morehead, remembers the racing in the early ‘70’s, “Back then, you could run Granite City near St. Louis on Tuesday, Santa Fe on Wednesday and Motor City in Flint on Friday, three short track races and then go to the state of Ohio and run at a fairground track and race every weekend. I probably did more racing back in the early seventies.  I used to run 60 or 70 times a year. There were a lot of good short-tracker back then, people that made their money on the little bikes, because some of those guys struggled on the big bikes. Back in the day of Darryl Hurst and Mike Gerald, on a big bike they got in their own way, but they were darn good short-track racers because that what the did. It was always cool to go to Santa Fe, if you could win at that racetrack, you basically ran against the best short-trackers in the world.”

With the combined program, one of the races that stands out during the early seventies was the Wednesday night when this young novice from Michigan wooped everyone. It was Steve Elo. He won his heat, semi and the final.

 Another great rider of that era was Terry Poovey.  “It meant a whole lot to me. My brother raced there when he was a professional.  He always talked about Santa Fe. All of the factory riders raced at Santa Fe. Everyone that was a good racer went there on Wednesday night. I always wanted to go there when I was a kid. The first time I went there was in June of ’75, and the first three nights I ever laid a wheel on the track, I won the feature, the first three nights. I beat Randy Cleek those first three races. He finished second. Randy was someone I always looked up to when I was growing up. He was a great racer and I wanted to be a great racer like him. I admired him a lot. Boy, if you could win at Santa Fe, you could win anywhere. It was a tough place and that first year I was there, I was the track Champion in 1975.  I was also the champion in ’79. Then in 1978, Steve Eklund came to SF and he made it real hard on me.  He was real good at SF.  If I had to say it, he was the best guy ever at SF.

 Yes, Santa Fe was invaded by the California boy in the mid-70’s. First it was Kenny Roberts taking the National win in 1974, Hank Scott took it in ’75 and Steve Eklund grabbed the wins in ’76, ’77 and ’78.

 The TT track at Santa Fe was a kidney shaped track using the turn one and two, turn into the infield, a right, over the tall jump, a short straight, another right and then left onto the back straightaway and then turn 3 and 4. Watching Mark Belsford on the 900cc Harley taught me how to negotiate 1 and 2. He would lock both the front and rear brakes and slide thru and set up for the infield, then get on the gas and shoot to the right and hit the jump in one easy motion. I picked up a good number of points and some cash at the TT’s at Santa Fe with my 750 Trackmaster Triumph. Short-tracking was still a struggle with the new 360cc rule. During the summer of ’74 and ’75 I went through over 20 pistons just trying to make the program at Santa Fe.  

 The TT National returned in 1977 and young Michigan rider, Jay Springsteen, took the National win on his way to his first National Championship title. This was the beginning of the end for the big twins as half of the field was mounted on 500cc singles. Steve Eklund took the victory in ’78 and ’79.

 Things began to change in the ’80’s. The combined program was ended, going to a Novice only and Junior-Expert combined program. The 500 were first ran at Santa Fe on the short-track, but the National short-track was not held every year. They tried to run quads, and the real fans did not like it. Amateur motocross was introduced and again the fans did not come out.  

 Chris Carr was there to witness the final years at Santa Fe. This is his story, “It was a great way to make a few extra dollars in the middle of the week between national races. I first went to SF in 1983, as a pro novice, and hung out there in the Chicago area so I could make a little money and stay on the road another week. It was a neat stop for us to go to during the years. Unfortunately I caught the tail end of it.  I wish it was still there.  Hopefully someone will get the idea in their head and build another Santa Fe. The Wednesday night races were almost like a National because a lot of the Pro experts were doing the same thing.  They would hang out and make a few hundred bucks during the week. They always had a nice crowd on Wednesday nights, and it was always a part of the historic aspect of flat-track racing, it played a big part of that. It was a big part of growing up.  You had to race SF, and it got you ready to run the Nationals.”

I started TEAM CHICAGO at Santa Fe in 1977, but that’s another story. (click here for the official Team Chicago History) I went roadracing in 1981, but still raced a few short tracks at Santa Fe.  I never made the program.  In fact, I’m probably a better short-tracker now than I was back then, at least on the ice short-tracks. I never felt that the AMA ever treated Howard Tiedt fairly. He pioneered the 500’s in the eighties, and the AMA refused to give him a short-track National the following year. I don’t pretend to know everything, but he was never given a fair shake by the AMA. Santa Fe and Ascot Park were the two centers of flat-track racing in this country, and without them, the sport has suffered. I am just happy I had a chance to be part of this great era.

 But the memories live on at www.up-front.net. Chuck Weber and Bill Sparks have begun to bring pictures from that wonderful era of Santa Fe Speedway at that website. The three-part Gary Nixon story, with rare film footage and pictures of his quest for the national and world titles, is now available on DVD. Priced at $20.00 each or $50.00 for the set, They are available at www.garynixon.com or e-mail Dan Schmitt at realteamchicago@sbcglobal.net

  SANTA FE RESULTS

The Sixties Short Track & TT Results & Early Track Champions

 

Early Track Champions-1953-Bill Tuman,1954-John Swanson,1955-George Mack,Buzz Simmons{tie}1956-George Mack,1957-Pat McHenry,1958-Pat McHenry,1959-Jim Koplinski,1960-Tom Cates

1961

1st Santa Fe National Short Track Winner - Carol Resweber

Current #1 Plate Holder – Carol Resweber

Track Champion-   Ed Clifford

1962

Short Track National Winner – Carol Resweber

Current #1 Plate Holder –Carol Resweber

Track Champion-Carrol Resweber

1963

Short Track National Winner – Gary Nixon

Current #1 Plate Holder – Bart Markel

Track Champion-Roger Reiman

1964

Short Track National Winner – Roger Reiman

Current #1 Plate Holder – Dick Mann

Track Champion-Roger Reiman

1965

Short Track National Winner – Gary Nixon

Current #1 Plate Holder – Roger Reiman

Track Champion-Fred Nix

1966

Short Track National Winner – Bart Markel

Current #1 Plate Holder – Bart Markel

Track Champion-Fred Nix

1967

Short Track National Winner – Gary Nixon

Current #1 Plate Holder – Bart Markel

Track Champion-Fred Nix

1968

Short Track National Winner – Fred Nix

Current #1 Plate Holder – Gary Nixon

1st Houston Short Track National Event Winner – Gary Nixon

Track Champion-Fred Nix

1969

Short Track National Winner – Dick Mann

Current #1 Plate Holder – Gary Nixon

1st National TT held at Santa Fe won by Ed Wirth

Houston Short Track National Winner – Ronnie Rall

Houston TT National Winner – Skip Van Leeuwen

Track Champion-Neil Keen

 

The Seventies Short Track and TT Results

1970

Short Track National Winner – Bart Markel

National TT Winner – Eddie Mulder

Current #1 Plate Holder – Mert Lawwill

Houston Short Track National Winner – Mert Lawwill

Houston TT National Winner – Jim Rice

Track Champion-Neil Keen

1971

Short Track National Winner – Robert E. Lee

No National TT Race was held.

Current #1 Plate Holder – Gene Romero

Houston Short Track National Winner – Jim Odom

Houston TT National Winner – Dick Mann

Track Champion-Charlie Chapple

1972

Short Track National Winner – Mike Gerald

No National TT Race was held.

Current #1 Plate Holder – Dick Mann

Houston Short Track National Winner – Kenny Roberts

Houston TT National Winner – John Hateley

Track Champion-Robt.E. Lee

1973

Short Track National Winner – Mike Gerald

No National TT Race was held.

Current #1 Plate Holder – Mike Brelsford

Houston Short Track National Winner – Kenny Roberts

Houston TT National Winner – Mike Haney

Track Champion-Corky Keener

1974

Short Track National Winner – Kenny Roberts

No National TT Race was held.

Current #1 Plate Holder – Kenny Roberts

Houston Short Track National Winner – Mike Gerald

Houston TT National Winner – Dave Hansen

Track Champion-Mike Gerald

1975

Short Track National Winner – Hank Scott

No National TT Race was held.

Current #1 Plate Holder – Kenny Roberts

Houston Short Track National Winner – Darryl Hurst

Houston TT NationalWinner – Kenny Roberts

Track Champion-Terry Poovey

 

1976

Short Track National Winner – Steve Eklund

No National TT Race was held.

Current #1 Plate Holder – Gary Scott

Houston Short Track National Winner – Bubba Rush

Houston TT National Winner – Rick Hocking

Terry Poovey won the Talladega Alabama Short Track National.

Track Champion-Steve Elo

1977   {return of T.T. National}

Short Track National Winner – Steve Eklund

National TT Race Winner – Jay Springsteen

Current #1 Plate Holder – Jay Springsteen

Houston Short Track National Winner – Jay Springsteen

Houston TT National Winner – John Hateley

Track Champion-Rob Beary

1978

Short Track National Winner – Steve Eklund

National TT Race Winner – Steve Eklund

Current #1 Plate Holder – Jay Springsteen

Houston Short Track National Winner – Steve Eklund

Houston TT National Winner – Steve Eklund

Track Champion-Rob Beary

1979

Short Track National Winner – Rick Hocking

National TT Race Winner – Steve Eklund

Current #1 Plate Holder – Jay Springsteen

Houston Short Track National Winner – Ted Boody

Houston TT National Winner – Mickey Fay

Track Champion-Terry Poovey

 

The Eighties Short Track & TT Results

1980

Short Track National Winner – Scott Parker

National TT Race Winner – Ronnie Jones

Current #1 Plate Holder – Steve Eklund

Houston Short Track National Winner – Ronnie Jones

Houston TT National Winner – Kenny Roberts

Track Champion-Steve Elo

1981

Short Track National Winner – Alex Jorgensen

National TT Race Winner – Mickey Fay

Current #1 Plate Holder – Randy Goss

Houston Short Track National Winner – Jay Springsteen

Houston TT National Winner – Steve Eklund

Track Champion-Tim Mertens

1982

Short Track National Winner – Alex Jorgensen

National TT Race Winner – Ricky Graham

Current #1 Plate Holder – Mike Kidd

Houston Short Track National Winner – Jay Springsteen

Houston TT National Winner – Ricky Graham

Track Champion-Steve Eklund

1983

Short Track National Winner – Doug Chandler

National TT Race Winner – Mickey Fay

Current #1 Plate Holder – Ricky Graham

Houston Short Track National Winner – Terry Poovey

Houston TT National Winner – Steve Eklund

Alex Jorgensen won Short Track National in San Jose, California.

Track Champions-T.T.-Steve Eklund   Short Track-Alex Jorgenson

1984

No Short Track National held at Santa Fe this year.

National TT Race Winner – Randy Goss

Current #1 Plate Holder – Randy Goss

Houston Short Track National Winner – Randy Goss

Houston TT National Winner – Ricky Graham

Bubba Shobert won Short Track National in San Jose, California

Randy Goss won Short Track National in St. Louis, Missouri.

No noted Track Champion                                                                                                                                                                                      

1985No Short Track National held at Santa Fe this year.

National TT Race Winner – Doug Chandler

Current #1 Plate Holder – Ricky Graham

Houston Short Track National Winner – Randy Goss

Houston TT National Winner – Scott Parker

Jay Springsteen won Short Track National in San Jose, California.

No noted Track Champion


1986

No Short Track National held at Santa Fe this year.

National TT Race Winner – Doug Chandler

Current #1 Plate Holder – Bubba Shobert

No noted Track Champion

1987   no Short Track National held this year

National TT Race Winner-Steve Eklund

Current #! Plate Holder-Bubba Shobert  

No noted Track Champion

1988

Santa Fe held its last Short Track National on June 24, 1988.

Short Track National Winner – Ronnie Jones  {race was not Grand National Series, It was part of 600 National Championship Series}

No noted Track Champion

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