I just wanted to take a moment to share a memory about
how the place smelled and sounded every Wednesday night, When you
showed up around 5PM for sign up you could almost smell the way the
track would be that night. The pits always had that oil smell from
years and years of dust control and oily cars. On a typical Wednesday
some teenage kids would be out there running around in what ever
equipment was running that night to prepare the track. Big Bertha as
they called it would be circulating and we would all be on the fence
looking and studying and formulating our strategy. On National
nights, in the early days, they would actually start working on the
track early and we would all wonder why they couldn't just do that on
Wednesdays also. Anyway, the actual smell of the place may just be my
longest lasting memory.
Mike was Santa Fe Speedway Track
Champion in the Junior division in 1982.
And Today what is Mike Doing?
I have been flying for American Eagle for 15 years
and I am currently a Captain on the EMB-145 out of Chicago O'hare.
This is the Embraer 145 I fly for American Eagle,
but it doesn't compare to gettin' around Santa Fe Speedway in the 14
second range. Mike Farley
I still ride enduros
and ice race.
"The skills and
knowledge I have learned from my friends in the motorcycle racing
community have been the most valuable asset in my life. After I
retired as National Number 89 I managed the American Flyers Road
Racing Team to ten AMA National Championships with riders Todd
Harrington and Dr. Bob Meister. I am most proud however, of the fact
that this year will be the 11th Dirt Track National in a row that I
have produced. (3 LaSalle, IL) (3 Joliet, IL) (3 Houston, TX) and now
back to Joliet for the second year. Basically, I am just a true flat
track fan (probably from that "ON ANY SUNDAY" LOBOTOMY we all gave
ourselves at an early age.
As any other racer
trying to promote a race can tell you, it always takes months of
lobbying each year just to get back on the schedule before any of the
real work starts. The best way to keep this race in Joliet on the
schedule is to take advantage of the new $20 ticket price, bring five
friends, fill the stands, and show the track there is more to racing
than just the World of Outlaws".
Hope to see you at our event, round
2 of the 2005 AMA Progressive Insurance Flat Track Championship series at the
Route
66 Speedway (Half-mile) May
21st,
in Joliet, IL
