November 17, 2004
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Famed Pioneer Dirt Late Model Star David Speer Passes
By Doc Lehman
Columbia, KY --- One of dirt Late Model racing’s most fierce, competitive and successful racers has passed away. James David Speer, 62, of Columbia, KY, died early Wednesday morning November 17, 2004. Speer spent many years racing dirt Late Models during the formative years of the ‘modern era’ of dirt Late Model racing and raced with the top series and drivers while accumulating hundreds of feature wins. He leaves a wife and four children.
Speer, born September 2, 1942, was retired. Speer leaves a wife, Brenda, and four children: James David II, Jane, Mark and John Daniel, and four grandchildren: Brittany Speer, Matthew Speer, Justin Ford and Allen Ford.
Speer delighted race fans and frustrated fellow drivers by utilizing an exciting on-the-gas driving style while racking up scores and scores of feature wins in Kentucky as well as races throughout the midwest and southeast. Speer came into prominence throughout the country in the 1970’s and early 1980’s and among his many career highlights Speer started seven consecutive WORLD 100’s with a best finish of third in addition to making the starting field of the DIRT TRACK WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP three times. In addition to hundreds of feature wins Speer was also a multi-titled champion at tracks such as Taylor County Speedway and Florence Speedway.
During his career Speer drove many of the top dirt Late Models for a wide variety of high-profile car owners and teams, including the Duncan Machinery #59, the famed Paul’s Pipeline car, the JW Hunt owned #12, the Napper Motorsports car #12, the Ruth’s Motors car, the CJ Rayburn ‘house’ car as well as drove for fellow racers Fats Coffey and Gerald Dixon and others. His last ride was in the Chubby Baird owned #8 during the mid-1980’s.
Services for Speer will include visitation on Thursday November 18 at 4:00 PM central time at the Grissom Funeral Home in Columbia, KY. The funeral will be held on Friday November 19 at 1:00 PM central time at the Grissom Funeral Home.
Cards and notes can reach the family at: Brenda Speer, 399 New Concorde Road, Columbia, KY 42728.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Famed Pioneer Dirt Late Model Star David Speer Passes
By Doc Lehman
Columbia, KY --- One of dirt Late Model racing’s most fierce, competitive and successful racers has passed away. James David Speer, 62, of Columbia, KY, died early Wednesday morning November 17, 2004. Speer spent many years racing dirt Late Models during the formative years of the ‘modern era’ of dirt Late Model racing and raced with the top series and drivers while accumulating hundreds of feature wins. He leaves a wife and four children.
Speer, born September 2, 1942, was retired. Speer leaves a wife, Brenda, and four children: James David II, Jane, Mark and John Daniel, and four grandchildren: Brittany Speer, Matthew Speer, Justin Ford and Allen Ford.
Speer delighted race fans and frustrated fellow drivers by utilizing an exciting on-the-gas driving style while racking up scores and scores of feature wins in Kentucky as well as races throughout the midwest and southeast. Speer came into prominence throughout the country in the 1970’s and early 1980’s and among his many career highlights Speer started seven consecutive WORLD 100’s with a best finish of third in addition to making the starting field of the DIRT TRACK WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP three times. In addition to hundreds of feature wins Speer was also a multi-titled champion at tracks such as Taylor County Speedway and Florence Speedway.
During his career Speer drove many of the top dirt Late Models for a wide variety of high-profile car owners and teams, including the Duncan Machinery #59, the famed Paul’s Pipeline car, the JW Hunt owned #12, the Napper Motorsports car #12, the Ruth’s Motors car, the CJ Rayburn ‘house’ car as well as drove for fellow racers Fats Coffey and Gerald Dixon and others. His last ride was in the Chubby Baird owned #8 during the mid-1980’s.
Services for Speer will include visitation on Thursday November 18 at 4:00 PM central time at the Grissom Funeral Home in Columbia, KY. The funeral will be held on Friday November 19 at 1:00 PM central time at the Grissom Funeral Home.
Cards and notes can reach the family at: Brenda Speer, 399 New Concorde Road, Columbia, KY 42728.
