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Letters From Our Readers
December 10, 1999
Dear Mr. [Bill] Green, You do not know me. I am stationed in England with the same helicopter unit you were in when you were working for the 55th Rescue Wing out of Eglin AFB, FL. I have been keeping up with racing in Florida through the web and this Karnac site for sometime. I've used my late night shift to read every message for many months. I was born and raised in Plant City, I enjoyed many trips to Sunshine Speedway, and East Bay over the years, and look forward to returning someday. What I'm trying to say here is you are doing a wonderful job in racing. PLEASE don't stop before I get home in Jun 2000, I'd like to meet you and shake your hand. You appear to be a genuine good person, and those are hard to find. Thanks for what you do, and Thanks also to the webmaster of this site for such a place to stay in touch.
-SSgt Darren Petty
-56th TAC Fighter Group
-RAF Woodbridge, England _________________________ Hi!
I was just surfin' around the Florida racing sights and came across your
sight about"Hawgs' Alley" race track in Melbourne, Fla. It sure broght
back some old memories. I grew up in St. Lucie County in and around Ft.
Pierce. I was just a grade schooler when the old Ft. Pierce Speedway was
run by Doug Mullins. I remember a lot of the people in your racing photos
from those days and later. Billy Taylor, Jerry Harrison, Dick Crowe, Gene
Johnson, Royce and Rodney Barton, Hardie Sloan, and many others were names
I grew up on.
By the time I was a junior in High school, I hade built my own "hobby car"
in auto mechanics class. It started a career of racing on the local tracks
at Ft. Pierce, Vero Beach, West Palm, and several others which were not
repeat performances.
I remember the first time I saw a modified race car with a wing on top was
at Eau Gallie. I remember the first time I saw Red Farmer, he came out on
the track there with a square nosed shovel on top of the car for a wing!!
Anyway, just thought I'd drop a line to let you know I enjoyed your sight.
Keep up the good work!!
-Nicky Hobbs
__________________________________
To whom it may concern,
I just attended your 99 snowball derby and I felt that we
were very mistreated. We had a car in the show and all weekend the
officials were very rude to us. There was not one nice employee at the
track. also I have been racing all my life and I have never once been
to a track where you pay to get in the pits then can't even get into
the grandstands to watch a race. I feel the drivers are there to put on
the show and then they don't get treated with any respect at all. I'm
on a very successful team and have always been welcomed to every track
I've ever been to, definatly not yours. In fact we were told by one
official that he would be happy to never see us back again. I'm with an
ARCA driver and we will lose no sleep about not coming back, it's just
too bad because we've drove in the race a couple other times and really
enjoyed it. What happened this last year?
-JW __________________________________ November 23, 1999
After eight heart wrenching days of missing my new found friend, Bill Revard,
and one full day of doing everything I could to make it better for his son,
Billy, Jr. I came home to rest and sleep. I found I couldn't. I made my way
to my computer, and settled into my chair. I began to write and this is what
I put on the screen.
"On My Way To HEAVEN"
On my way to heaven, I made a short stop on a place called earth. It was
tough going at first, as I had to have someone do almost everything for me.
As time went by and I gained the experience of my surroundings. I learned one
very important thing that would help me make it through everyday. It was
friendship.
I was not truly happy, until I became good friends with my parents. Then I
had to do the hardest thing of all, become good friends with myself. This has
taken over half my time on my way to heaven. I had to learn to love myself
for who I am, not who I'd like to be. I had to live with my mistakes, along
the way, but I did learn right form wrong, love from hate, and that a hug
heals a lot of wounds.
So armed with my arms for hugging, a smile for brightening, a lust for making
people happy, I have stumbled along on my way to heaven. I must thank you
all, for enlightening my journey as of late. I have held bigger men than I,
and cried softly on their shoulder. I have hugged the world and felt it hug
back. My heart is so full of love for all the friends I have made in this
life, that it often spills over and out my eyes. I know now that no matter
what I do here on earth to make my short stay better, I am always truly
happiest when I'm with my friends.
THANK YOU for allowing me, to be apart of a friendship so big, that all the
"Tears In Heaven" will only make it grow stronger each day.
THANK YOU SO VERY VERY MUCH
BILL GREEN
________________________ November 15, 1999
Golden Gat Speedway I truely wish it were still around , most of my child hood was spent there.
My father and mother both worked there so I pretty much grew up there. My
favorite driver was
Jack Arnold , although I liked them all . I remember everything from the big
tractor tire in turn four to the wooden tower in the pits. How we all loved
those late night
protests that kept us there till the wee hours of the morning. I also
remember the feeling of standing in the flag stand , until Johnny Hicks would
tell me to get down again. My father and uncle both worked in the pits, so it
was great being able to go in the pits and see the drivers up close , even if
they were about to have a brawl. The
Dery's were very nice people to be around , including every one I ever met
there. I can sometimes still hear , and smell the fumes from the sprint cars,
although that was a long time ago. So although that's all I have I'm grateful
to have that.I was born on December 6, 1968. I still remember the FLORIDA 200
, the figure eights , the bombers, sprints , early models and even ANDY
CAPICE. If there are some more of you out there I'd be happy to read your
stories.
Thanks, Billy ________________________ November 12, 1999 Hi,
Love the site, I grew up going to Volusia county speedway in the 60's and
70's. I live in Indiana now and just came across this site, is Gary Flynn
the son of Larry Flynn? He was a childhood hero of mine in that gold #14
car.
Thanks
Bob Crowell
________________________ Hello again,
If you were looking for us in the results from Pensacola, we had engine problems on Thursday during practice. We broke a push rod and it did some damage to the cam shaft. It happened really early in practice and we tore the engine down that night in hopes of repairing it in time for friday, but we were not so lucky. We were all a little disapointed, that was the first time we had missed a race all year. After watching all the races were kind of glad we didn't race. It was more like a demolition derby than a stock car race. We had just put a new body on the car and had it looking really good. I dont think many cars went home with out some body damage. We are looking forward to the Snowball now. We will have it all back together by then and looking forward to end the season on a good note.
I read your article on the Bobby Allison and Ronnie Sanders feud at the Snowball. I was there, what a wild one that was.
-Wayne Johnston
________________________
November 10, 1999 Mr. Smith:
Your article is full of a lot of anger towards Dr. miller and Bubba The Love
Sponge. No good will come of this article, Bill has asked everyone to please
drop this topic and lets move on, you may have very well cost bill green his
job. Most real news article get both sides of the story before going off half
cocked....I personally like Bill Green, and think he posted that message when
he was a little up set. Doc did the right thing by confronting Bill on the
air..Bill gave his side of the story and apologized to Doc. Everyone was
happy. Now you have to post this article? Do you even know Dr. Miller Or
Bubba? Both of these guys are very very nice individual, and we are lucky to
have them in the Florida race market. I would ask you to please next time get
both sides of the story before you hurt someone's lively hood.
-Dean Rivett ____________________________
Hi,
I now live in North Carolina and enjoy many different types of racing and it is great, but I like to see what is happening at the place I enjoyed when I was younger and went with my Dad. That place was Hialiea Speedway in Florida. Here lately I have heard that the city has plans to build on that land after the current contract runs out and that the new management may close it down at the end of this season. Do you or any or your support writers know if this is true?
I have many great memories of Saturday nights with my Dad and stories from his youth at the old Hollywood Speedway and Hialiea Speedway and would like to share an opinion if I may.
The track has been there along time and many families have enjoyed spending Saturday nights at the races, those that moved into the area and now complain of the noise are no better than those that move next to an airport then complain of the noise and beg the cities to shut them down.
-Tom Zumwalt
________________________
November 13, 1999
Bonnie and Frank , I would like to take the time to tell you how well and
caring you handled Bills crash last night from true concern to putting up the
tarps it showed all you to do is care about the people that come thru all
your gates, the fans didnt need to see and the caring for Bill's family side
people not seeing him was not only from the heart but as we seen last night
how you have always felt. Thanks again for your big hearts and caring for
all. we are truly sorry for the loss of Bill and if there is any thing we can
do on our part we are more than willing and able. Please call if you need
anything.
- Jill & Wendell Overstreet
________________________
November 6,1999 Hi,
I´m David from Munich. I work for a travel serial called VOXtours. We
will do 38 minutes program about Florida. One story I would like to do
about stock car racing. We will be filming from the 21st of nov to the
6th. of december. Could you send me some dates for these days or could
you forward the message to someone who could give me some contacts,
addresses....
If you would like i could you provide you with more information about
the program I´m working for.
Hope hearing from you soon
Bye
David Enge
[Note: David called me from Germany and we advised him on shedules for the type of racing they want to film.] ________________________ Nov 1,1999
We enjoy the competition of the drivers, even if there is a low-car count,
but after the "deal" their officials & so-called flagman pulled on the 29th
in a couple of callsit is easy to understand the low car counts. The most
outstanding screw-up was the Eddie King call when he was LEADING the race,
got tapped by #22 car then by the officials was sent to the
rear........UNPROFESSIONAL AND THOSE WHO MADE THE CALL SHOULD APPLY FOR A POSITION AT KART-WORLD!!!! WE ATTEND RACES WEEKLY AT ONE OF THE FLORIDA TRACKS THRU OUT THE SEASON AND NOW UNDERSTAND WHY ORL. cannot KEEP THE TRACKS OR
STANDS FULL... POOR JUDGMENT AND SO UNPROFESSIONAL WHEN IT COMES TO THEIR OFFICIALS..ESP. THE FLAGMEN.
-TIM & SHARON
________________________ Oct 25, 1999
Thank you for an absolutely wonderful tribute to my fondest racing hero, Dan
Daughtry. Excellent pictures really capture the demeanor of the man in the
driver's seat and a few of his legendary rides. I had forgotten about the #98
Late Model Ford! It's great to see it again, I have very little memorabilia
to look over. I can see him behind the wheel of the #35 too. This computer
thing is getting better and better. I'm thrilled to be part of this tribute.
You've given me a good feeling that will last a long time. Just what this old
dog needed was some rejuvination, my tank's been on empty lately. Thank you
for putting a link to my site on the page too. Now, I'm going to go look at
it again and then send out the link to all my friends. I Love this page!
-Sincerely, Pops ______________
Oct 23, 1999 It's great to come here and see who's been racing and who's
won. Since I left Florida two years ago, I've been following
my favorites via the track reporters' stories, and race
results at Ocala Speedway and Columbia Motorsports Park.
Your information network is very important to those of us
who can't be there. Thanks.
-Pat Egger
Front Royal, VA USA - ____________ MORE MAIL ====================================== Back to top email: FlaLetters@karnac.com |
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