By Bill Green
After thirty plus years of racing in the Tampa Bay area, Keith Nosbisch has accomplished a lot in the sport. He holds over 750 feature wins and 10 championships from tracks and series across the south. At 52 years young, Nosbisch still competes full time in the United Dirt Late Model Challenge Series where he is currently third in the national points race.
“After so many years of racing, I had been kind of winding down the last few,” said the Valrico based racer known as The Catfish. “But when Bubba called and said he wanted to go late model racing, I thought this might be perfect timing. I could coach someone else in the late models I know so well, plus I could choose to race only the number of races I wanted to, along the way.”
This Saturday night Keith’s team-mate, Bubba Clem, know as “Bubba The Love Sponge” will take to the track with the “Catfish” in the show at East Bay. So after a great career of full time racing, Keith Nosbisch has started to give back to racing. His commitment to run all the UDLMCS races in 2008, helped series owner Ken Kenny sell the series to more tracks.
“I think Ken (Kenny) has the right idea,” said Nosbisch. “He’s taken late model rules from all of the southern tracks, including East Bay and worked the series so anyone owning a southern based late model, can compete fairly in this series.”
The same 20 something kid that started his career in Thunder Cars at Tampa‘s clay-by-the-bay, now stands atop the active late model driver heap in wins and pure local fan star power. His fan base stretches from the Mississippi river to the Carolina shores and continues southward, engulfing the sunshine state. So way does he still travel? Why put in all that time, money and effort when you’ve already accomplished so much?
KeithNosbisch0908-2.jpg”I just love the people, I really do,” said Nosbisch. “My fellow racers have become friends, some friends have become racers and the fans all over the south never cease to amaze me when we show up at the different tracks. I get to travel with my wife, Mimi. I get to race my brother Jackie and Kenny is debuting his new car this weekend at East Bay. Don’t get me wrong, I love East Bay, it’s my home track, but it really feels good to have someone tell you they came just to watch you race. It doesn’t get any better than that.”
As part owner of one of the oldest used auto parts suppliers in Tampa, Adams Used Auto Parts, Keith has never stopped showing up at work because he thought he could make a living at racing.
“Even when I won some 40 plus features in both 1986 and 1987, I never let it go to my head,” Keith said. “I really enjoy the racing, I love the winning… and as long as I can still compete for the wins, I’ll stick around for a while.”
Come visit with the Miller Lite Racing Team this weekend at East Bay Raceway Park. You’ll enjoy the United Dirt Late Model Challenge Series action, I guarantee it, plus you can shake hands, take photos with and even talk to local greats like Keith Nosbisch, Earl Person Jr and the always entertaining Bubba Clem.
