I wanted to let the racing community know that my father Mike “Mickey” Stroud passed away this morning (Sunday 1/20/08) at about 8:30am. For those of you who did not know him, or only met him in recent years he had been fighting a great battle against cancer for the last 5 1/4 years. He went peacefully with his family at hand after fighting an uphill battle since surgery a few weeks back.
Midget racing was one of my Father’s greatest passions. My grandfather Jack Stroud and his brothers in law Jimmy Miller and Lane Curry began racing on the west coast in the late 1930's. After my grandfather retired from driving he became a car owner with my Father at his side as mechanic as soon as he was old enough to sneak into the pits. Together they won a lot of races with drivers such as Bob Tattersall, Bob Wente, Danny Frye Sr. and a host of other great drivers behind the wheel. I think one of the things that made my dad the proudest was that together with Bob Tattersall as driver they were able to win the 1969 USAC Midget Championship. I always thought this was also significant since it was a kind of an end of an era. It was the last USAC National Midget Championship to be won with an "Offy" motor.
Dad began driving in 1971 and continued on until about 1984. He had some success, winning races with the SLARA organization and others over the years. He also spent a few years concentrating on running USAC races from coast to coast. Most of all, during his racing years, he had made life long friends and relationships that still carry on today. I think that most of all that he was proud to call himself a “Racer”, and I know that how he would like to be remembered.
I think that Dad thought the family legacy might have ended with him until I decided it was my turn behind the wheel after graduating from college in 2001. The last seven racing seasons have been the best time of my life. To those outside of the racing community there is just no way to describe the feeling of running up a down the road and working in the shop as a Father and Son racing team. We had some help along the way but primarily it was just us, which really made things even more special. I cannot begin to list the number of things he taught me about racing and life along the way. He was always behind me no matter what happened, at the track as well as in life. I hope that I was, and will be able to make him as proud as he made me over the years. Jack Hewitt said it best in his biography, although I cannot find the exact quote, that he did not have any other heros, his Dad was the only hero he needed. I have always felt the same way about my Dad. I am comforted by the fact that I know my father was a Christian and knew Jesus. We will be together again someday. As I write this I am sure he is having a heck of good time in heaven with his Father, Tat, Danny Frye Sr., Bob Wente Sr., Shannon Finley, Mike Hill, Stan Fox, Kevin Doty, and the list goes on and on. My hero is gone from this earth, but I know he has gone on to better place where the cushions are always heavy and the rods never come out the side. Someday we will race together again as Father and Son.
We are currently making funeral arrangements and when I get the details together I will post them here. We would love it if anyone who wishes to send something would make a donation in his name to the Siteman Cancer Center, which is associated with Washington University St. Louis and Barnes Hospital St. Louis. I will post information on how to do so below. This is a great group of doctors, without whom I am sure we would have had far less quality time with my father. Although my family’s hearts are broken we know that because of this great facility we had many more days with him and made many more good memories.
Posting this on behalf of the Stroud Family
In Memory of my father, Mike Stroud
Thank You, Steve Stroud
Donations can be made through this link, https://aisweb.wustl.edu/Alumni/OnlineGift....iteman?OpenForm
or if it does not work. You can go to: www.siteman.wustl.edu and click on the “how to help” link and follow it through to the donation section.
Funeral arrangements have been made for the wake to be Tues. 3-9pm and the funeral to be Wed. at noon.
Both will take place at Baue Funeral Home in Cave Springs. It is located at Hwy 70 at the Cave Springs exit.
for more details take a look at www.baue.com
thx, Steve Stroud
Midget racing was one of my Father’s greatest passions. My grandfather Jack Stroud and his brothers in law Jimmy Miller and Lane Curry began racing on the west coast in the late 1930's. After my grandfather retired from driving he became a car owner with my Father at his side as mechanic as soon as he was old enough to sneak into the pits. Together they won a lot of races with drivers such as Bob Tattersall, Bob Wente, Danny Frye Sr. and a host of other great drivers behind the wheel. I think one of the things that made my dad the proudest was that together with Bob Tattersall as driver they were able to win the 1969 USAC Midget Championship. I always thought this was also significant since it was a kind of an end of an era. It was the last USAC National Midget Championship to be won with an "Offy" motor.
Dad began driving in 1971 and continued on until about 1984. He had some success, winning races with the SLARA organization and others over the years. He also spent a few years concentrating on running USAC races from coast to coast. Most of all, during his racing years, he had made life long friends and relationships that still carry on today. I think that most of all that he was proud to call himself a “Racer”, and I know that how he would like to be remembered.
I think that Dad thought the family legacy might have ended with him until I decided it was my turn behind the wheel after graduating from college in 2001. The last seven racing seasons have been the best time of my life. To those outside of the racing community there is just no way to describe the feeling of running up a down the road and working in the shop as a Father and Son racing team. We had some help along the way but primarily it was just us, which really made things even more special. I cannot begin to list the number of things he taught me about racing and life along the way. He was always behind me no matter what happened, at the track as well as in life. I hope that I was, and will be able to make him as proud as he made me over the years. Jack Hewitt said it best in his biography, although I cannot find the exact quote, that he did not have any other heros, his Dad was the only hero he needed. I have always felt the same way about my Dad. I am comforted by the fact that I know my father was a Christian and knew Jesus. We will be together again someday. As I write this I am sure he is having a heck of good time in heaven with his Father, Tat, Danny Frye Sr., Bob Wente Sr., Shannon Finley, Mike Hill, Stan Fox, Kevin Doty, and the list goes on and on. My hero is gone from this earth, but I know he has gone on to better place where the cushions are always heavy and the rods never come out the side. Someday we will race together again as Father and Son.
We are currently making funeral arrangements and when I get the details together I will post them here. We would love it if anyone who wishes to send something would make a donation in his name to the Siteman Cancer Center, which is associated with Washington University St. Louis and Barnes Hospital St. Louis. I will post information on how to do so below. This is a great group of doctors, without whom I am sure we would have had far less quality time with my father. Although my family’s hearts are broken we know that because of this great facility we had many more days with him and made many more good memories.
Posting this on behalf of the Stroud Family
In Memory of my father, Mike Stroud
Thank You, Steve Stroud
Donations can be made through this link, https://aisweb.wustl.edu/Alumni/OnlineGift....iteman?OpenForm
or if it does not work. You can go to: www.siteman.wustl.edu and click on the “how to help” link and follow it through to the donation section.
Funeral arrangements have been made for the wake to be Tues. 3-9pm and the funeral to be Wed. at noon.
Both will take place at Baue Funeral Home in Cave Springs. It is located at Hwy 70 at the Cave Springs exit.
for more details take a look at www.baue.com
thx, Steve Stroud
