Dan Benoit, long time Charlotte County Speedway driver, passed away this week after a long battle with cancer. Services for Dan will be at his home. All are welcome to attend the services which start at 2:00 on Sunday March 16. The address is 6590 Buckingham Road, Ft. Myers.
by Kim Benoit
Dan was born into a racing family his dad won a lot of races in the 60's and 70's. Dan was always involved in racing but didn't start racing himself until 1992 at Airbourne Speedway in Plattsburgh Vermont where he raced a 76 Monte Carlo and won 19 out of 21 races that year.
He also raced and won at Thunder Road Speedway in Barre Vermont from Enduros to a regular weekly class. 1992 was also the first year we came to Charlotte County Speedway as spectators. At that time Leroy rented a Road Warrior type car and Dan rented and raced it. The car broke early on. In 1993,1994,1995,1996 we were snowbirds only and Dan and his Father in law took turns racing at Charlotte County Speedway. In 1997 we moved fulltime to Florida. 1998 winning the track championship.
Dan and I had our 15 year Anniversary this year. We met through my father who had hired Dan and his brother to build him a race car to race in Plattsburg NewYork. We have 3 sons danny who is 16 and dabbled a little in racing at age 12 at CCMP is a big salt water fishermen. Codey age 14 and Has raced since age 10 (who at age 3 said he loved the smell of burning rubber) he lives ,eats and breathes RACING. Billy age 11 also loves racing and fishing as well and has just started in driving at CCMP.
Dan was diagnosed with Colon Cancer in 9/04 and has had radiation and Chemo since then he is still currently receiving Chemo presently. Racing I believe has had a big impact on helping Dan for this fight with cancer, he has more courage and strength than anyone I know!!
He is a great dad, friend, brother,uncle,son,brother in-law and Husband that anyone could ever ask for!! He's the kind of man that still will stop on the side of the road and help someone with a flat tire. Give a few dollars to a person that is down on there luck. He surely has a heart of GOLD.
As a fellow racer I believe he will race you hard and aggressive but fair!!
Also take a few minutes and read this wonderful article by Rebecca Richards. This was one of Rebecca's last contributions to KARNAC.com. She suffered a stroke shortly after writing this one.
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