More than 520 people have died in U.S. auto racing accidents in past 25 years

I know this is nit picky but...

I guess it would be expected from Charlotte reporters, and the NASCAR view of automobile racing history that, "Saturday night short track racing goes back more than 50 years to the sports roots in the south." Short track racing is over 110 years old ALL over the USA. Sure the majority was open wheel, but there was stock car racing as well. Legion Ascot Speedway on Los Angeles had stock car racing in the '30's and I'm sure many local auto racing historians can tell you of many short tracks in the STL area before WWII.

Plus, when brought to the public in '91 the HANS device, no one noticed, the first major racing champion (F1) to die (1994) and bring attention to the product was Ayrton Senna. The NASCAR racers knew of the HANS but refused to wear it. It took Earnhardt's death to bring it to USA racers attention, even though it was a USA designed and built product.
 
This is a dangerous sport that we love and it will never be 100% safe. Everyone, fans included, needs to do their best to minimize the risks. Many drivers around here don't even wear fireproof gloves ($100 or less) or driving suits ($200). Hard to believe something that basic is not an enforceable policy. I don't expect local tracks to ever install SAFER walls but I do expect the fences to be strong enough to keep the cars out of the grandstands.
 
Racing was first held on the Missouri side of the river in 1903 and in 1910 on the Illinois side. If you look at the Midwest Motorsports Museum website and click on the tab "Closed Tracks" you will see a list of "most" of the tracks that no longer exist within a 100 mile radius of the Arch. The longest continuous form of racing in the St. Louis area is Midgets. They first raced in January 1935 at the old "Arena" on Oakland Ave and have raced every year since, except for the war years when no one raced.
 
Hi Eileen, we met a few years ago at a Gateway SCCA event. I'm a history nut, and being involved in motor sport all my life. Started collecting books on the subject many years ago. When I moved here from California, the first thing I did was to locate the local tracks and wow, was I in for a wonderful surprise, so many great tracks to choose from. I'm a bit of a track chaser, the local racing is second to none. Of course I started to looking to the history of local motor racing, after finding a photo of Barney Oldfield in St. Louis with his Peerless. This car still exists along with the Blitzen Benz that he and Bob Burman drove. There are posters advertising the Benz and Oldfield racing in St. Louis. Wouldn't it be great to get these great old race cars to visit St. Louis for some centennial or local Horseless Carriage event.

Eileen is there a group of like minded people (Racing historians, like yourself.) that meet occasionally or would the STL fan club be the best bet?

Jamie
 
I do not know of a specific group that is only into St. Louis racing history. I think that within each end of the sport (open wheel, stocks, sports cars, monster trucks, motorcycles, karts, 3 kinds of boat racing, 2 kinds of drag racing, stage rally, drift, vintage racing, radio-controlled, land speed records, etc.) in St. Louis you will find people who are into the history of that form of racing. The St. Louis Auto Racing Fan Club is always a great place to start. Yes, we are very fortunate in the quantity, quality, and diversity of racing St. Louis enjoys….and we have, in my opinion, "The World's Best Racers" with over 330 national championships in everything but Formula One cars. We've already missed the 100th Anniversary of both the first race on the Missouri and Illinois sides of the river. At the 48th Annual Banquet of Champions on January 17, 2015 we will celebrate the 60th Anniversary of the Fan Club and this year is the 75th anniversary of the legendary Seebold (boat) Racing Family. I would LOVE to see a section of race vehicles at the annual Easter Car Show organized by the Horseless Carriage Club. There is also quite a collection of vintage race vehicles of all varieties in St. Louis. Please like the St. Louis Auto Racing Fan Club's Facebook page. We post a list of everything that is scheduled to race that week in St. Louis on Mondays….which is no small feat with over 600 "race days" this year and a schedule that keeps changing. By the way the final SCCA Club Racing weekend is October 25-26 and it is FREE….stop back by and say hello!
 
Thanks, Eileen.
I alway felt it would be great publicity for the local dirt tracks (and other types of racing) to have some race cars at the Easter Car Show. Just think of the comments if someone had there late mode therel... "where do you race that?" The Easter Car Show is wonderfully diverse. Every year I talk with this nice fellow who has a very cool original 1936 Hudson Terraplane. What fun. This year I entered a friend's Morgan while he drove another of his cars. Next year I'm going to take my '32 Chevy coupe, center steer, vintage modified. I think people will get a kick seeing the old racer. Perhaps I can get some other oldies to join me.
 
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