ProTree Posted July 30, 2003 Report Share Posted July 30, 2003 We have seen who the best Late Model racers are-How about the BEST SHORT TRACK RACERS in the Past You Have Seen-only list 2 drivers you have watched in the past that got your attention-my picks are Danny Stewart and Glenn Swabee(i know it's not spelled right,but you will know who it is)- I watched these 2 in the mid to late 70's and they kick'd butt week in and week out-I watched em on Fridays at Speed-a-Rama in Austin and Saturdays at Pan American on Topperwein Road in San Antonio and these 2 where in a class of their own- ?-WHO DO YOU REMEMBER Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
racerboy2002 Posted July 30, 2003 Report Share Posted July 30, 2003 THE FIRST TIME I EVER WENT TO SAN ANTONIO SPEEDWAY I WATCHED MIKE BALZER AND LARRY BENDLE BANG ON EACH TOTHER FOR THIRTY SRAIGHT LAPS AND THAT REALLY IMPREESED ME. ANOTHER GREAT BATTLE WAS BETWEEN JASON OATES AND BRANDON BENDLE IN THE LATE MODEL SERIES. THEY RAN SIDE BY SIDE FOR 20 STRAIGHT OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT UNTIL BRANDON PASSED IM ON THE HIGH SIDE COMING OFF 4. I THINK THAT NIGHT WAS IN BRANDONS ROOKIE YEAR IN THE LATE MODEL. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RookieRacer#0 Posted July 30, 2003 Report Share Posted July 30, 2003 i think you are talking about the OctoberFAST with Jason and Brandon. it was a good race Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ups88john Posted July 30, 2003 Report Share Posted July 30, 2003 over the years i have seen jason oates wage many battles with fellow competitors, but id have to say the best was with brandon. i havent seen such a clean race between to guys, and both were happy as can be at the end, no matter who won. at one time jason won 19 of 21 races i believe, that was boring, everynite it was who was gonna finish second. Brandon did the same in street stock and lm, but put them both on the track at the same time and look out. big john Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
racerboy2002 Posted July 30, 2003 Report Share Posted July 30, 2003 the year brandon won 21 in a row my father ran second to him most the time then the following yr my father won the championship, but at the beginning of the yr it was my dad versus who ever was in that blue 23 car. if u dont know who my father is he is terry bernsen. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
racerboy2002 Posted July 30, 2003 Report Share Posted July 30, 2003 justin i think it was in the middle of the yr or towards the end, the only octoberfast i can remeber brandon winning were blow outs over his dad. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HoosierDaddy Posted July 30, 2003 Report Share Posted July 30, 2003 Brandon would be my first pick. He is awesome, enough said. George Hagy also stands out, I was just a little kid at the time, but I still remember watching him, Jason Oates, and ken neal battle it out every saturday night in the real early 90's. Ervin Breiten was pretty tough too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FryarFan Posted July 30, 2003 Report Share Posted July 30, 2003 Of course, my bias runs toward the Beaumont Flyer, you don't win over 750 short track races and not be amongst the best...Freddy was incredible in his day and won from the Southeast to Texas on many different tracks. Freddy is #1 in my book. As far as our great state is concerned, Jimmy Finger and the Vita Fresh car was just as dominant at times in Texas in the late 70's thru the early 80's. You couldn't go to Meyer Speedway in the late 70's that he didn't just run away with the show. Austin, too. I know you asked for two, those are my two.... But from out west, the late great John Foster could be untouchable at times at HiWay 16. And, over the course of many years at SAS, you have to acknowledge the success that Larry Bendele has had. Several different classes of cars and 20 years in changing technology, and he still comes out on top more often than not. Just ramblings from an old timer. Billy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RookieRacer#0 Posted July 30, 2003 Report Share Posted July 30, 2003 racerboy i know in the 2000 octoberfast brandon and my dad ran side by side for a long time. We have the right side door on the wall at the shop. It has alot of tire marks on it. It was a really good race. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HoosierDaddy Posted July 30, 2003 Report Share Posted July 30, 2003 The 2000 oktoberfast was Brandon's first race back in texas since he had moved to North Carolina to work for Tex Racing. From what I remember that year brandon took the lead and ran away with it, but I may be wrong. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
racerboy2002 Posted July 31, 2003 Report Share Posted July 31, 2003 in his first late model octoberfast brandons belts came loose while leading and he ran with them like that for a while, as the storys i heard and thats why he didnt finish one of the octoberfast. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RookieRacer#0 Posted July 31, 2003 Report Share Posted July 31, 2003 Brandon did end up winning it but him and my dad ran side by side for a few laps and put a lot of rubber on each others cars Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tazmachine69 Posted July 31, 2003 Report Share Posted July 31, 2003 Having to only pick two from who I have watched at the track since I have been there I would have to say the best ones are Brandon Bendele and Mike Balzer. I think we have had alot of talented drivers at our track Joe Aramendia comes to mind too. But as far as some of the most entertaining to watch would have to be Beaver Stelzic (spelling?) and when the Barker brothers raced in the Charger class. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fireman Posted July 31, 2003 Report Share Posted July 31, 2003 nobody was more fun to watch than Beaver back in the day when the field was inverted and you had to pass the rest of the field for the win. can anybody remember the bounty on Beaver? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NickHolt Posted July 31, 2003 Report Share Posted July 31, 2003 The Beaver Bounty. Sure, I remember it well. In fact, I helped Mark and Frank Opiela redesign their LM in an all-out effort to claim that bounty. One night Mark jumped in their rebuilt car and beat Beaver fair and square. Some people say that Beaver slowed down to let Mark win, but anybody who knows anything about Beaver knows that's not the case. By the way, I also spent a couple of days over at Beaver's shop working out the bump steer. No sense in playing favorites, right? Nick Holt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matt5858 Posted July 31, 2003 Report Share Posted July 31, 2003 I would have to say Leland Waddell. He won 17 out of 21 races in one season at SAS. Thats Awsome. He is also one of the nicest and most friendly drivers I know and will ever know. By the way, what ever happened to Beaver Stelzing. I heard Rumor of something bad, but I will not add to the rumor. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RodneyRodriguez Posted July 31, 2003 Report Share Posted July 31, 2003 Beaver is alive and well, ran top 5 @ TSRS race @ SAS this season in Bobby New's car. Didn't appear to be to rusty whatsoever. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HoosierDaddy Posted July 31, 2003 Report Share Posted July 31, 2003 Racerboy- Your right, the innaugural Oktoberfast in '97 was brandons first ever race in a latemodel. He was in Larry's car because I beleive larry was injured at the time. Brandon led the beginning of the race but then pulled in because the belts came loose. He had stayed out hoping for a yellow but just couldnt risk racing with no seatbelts any longer than he did. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe Aramendia Posted August 2, 2003 Report Share Posted August 2, 2003 HoosierDaddy You are almost right, But Brandons first race ever in a Late Model was not in Larry's car. (I will let some of the trivia people figure that one out.) Joe Aramendia Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ups88john Posted August 2, 2003 Report Share Posted August 2, 2003 thats rite, he was in joes car. big john Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe Aramendia Posted August 2, 2003 Report Share Posted August 2, 2003 You win Big John, Also I won the 1st Octoberfast in Late Model. My vote for best drivers would go to the Bean Bandit, John Kelly,Mr Oval Componets,Rick Rapp,Slick, and soon Brandon. I almost forgot (Jumpstart) Jason Oates, and Larry Spindele. Joe Aramendia Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
say10bye Posted August 3, 2003 Report Share Posted August 3, 2003 The best short track racer I can remember formost and always was TIDA driver Slick Yoemans from High Point,North Carolina. He could take on any short track and come out a winner. CC was his home track and he enjoyed Longhorn, Altus, San Antonio and a whole bunch of others. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
see86go Posted August 3, 2003 Report Share Posted August 3, 2003 Speaking of Jimmy Finger, does anyone remember the Aqua Fest 100 at Speed-O-Rama where he and Freddy Frayar ran inches from each other for about 70 laps while battling for the lead? A yellow then came out, and i think Jimmy either ended up with clutch or transmission problems and Freddy Fryar went on to win. That was one of the most exciting races I have ever seen. Sometimes, they were hanging two wheels in the dirt when they were lapping people and they just stayed glued to each other. Also, Leroy Brooks and Glenn schwabe were great short track racers in their time. Craig Schmidt www.craigschmidtracing.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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