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As mentioned by OSF, Sunshine Speedway/Golden Gate Speedway Figure-8 racer Lester Slone has passed... He was the 1970 World Figure-8 champion taking the measure of the rest of the field at the Islip, LI, NY Speedway... Here is Lester's Obituary:
Slone, Lester L., 76, of Pinellas Park passed away peacefully at home on January 31, 2016, surrounded by his loving family. Born in St. Petersburg on Christmas Day, 1939. Educated in Pinellas County School System, native of Florida with ancestry dating back to the mid 1800’s. He was an automotive machinist and local race car driver. He was well known for his abilities to build precise engines and fast cars. His racing career spanned from the late 1950’s to the mid 1970’s. In 1970 at Islip Speedway in New York he won The World Figure 8 Championship that was televised on ABC Wide World of Sports....
Another of the great Figure-8 drivers from Sunshine and Desoto Speedway has also passed... Bill Miller would have been 72 years old on March 26th... Miller was the lead driver for the famed black & yellow Camaro team that feuded with the Meyer Mustang team for several years... They would run the Figure-8 race at Sunshine just before intermission then load up and haul butt to Desoto where the Figure-8 feature was always the last race on the card... Arrangements for Bill are under the direction of Garden Of Memories Funeral Home in Tampa...
Also, former Legend Car racer Bobby Byars also passed recently... Bobby was from the Ft. Pierce area, I believe... He and grandson Kyle Dombeck raced Legends at Orlando SpeedWorld and other tracks that were part of the traveling Series in the early 2000's... I have not been able to find an obituary on Bobby or any other info on him yet... We were very good friends and this really came as a big shock to me... RIP my friend...
Photos:
1) One of Lester Slone's early Figure-8 cars in 1969...
2) Lester with his 1970 championship trophy...
3) Lester at Golden Gate after a Tornado class win...
4) Bill Miller after one of his many Figure-8 victories...
5) Bobby Byars with grandson Kyle Dombeck...
Slone, Lester L., 76, of Pinellas Park passed away peacefully at home on January 31, 2016, surrounded by his loving family. Born in St. Petersburg on Christmas Day, 1939. Educated in Pinellas County School System, native of Florida with ancestry dating back to the mid 1800’s. He was an automotive machinist and local race car driver. He was well known for his abilities to build precise engines and fast cars. His racing career spanned from the late 1950’s to the mid 1970’s. In 1970 at Islip Speedway in New York he won The World Figure 8 Championship that was televised on ABC Wide World of Sports....
Another of the great Figure-8 drivers from Sunshine and Desoto Speedway has also passed... Bill Miller would have been 72 years old on March 26th... Miller was the lead driver for the famed black & yellow Camaro team that feuded with the Meyer Mustang team for several years... They would run the Figure-8 race at Sunshine just before intermission then load up and haul butt to Desoto where the Figure-8 feature was always the last race on the card... Arrangements for Bill are under the direction of Garden Of Memories Funeral Home in Tampa...
Also, former Legend Car racer Bobby Byars also passed recently... Bobby was from the Ft. Pierce area, I believe... He and grandson Kyle Dombeck raced Legends at Orlando SpeedWorld and other tracks that were part of the traveling Series in the early 2000's... I have not been able to find an obituary on Bobby or any other info on him yet... We were very good friends and this really came as a big shock to me... RIP my friend...
Photos:
1) One of Lester Slone's early Figure-8 cars in 1969...
2) Lester with his 1970 championship trophy...
3) Lester at Golden Gate after a Tornado class win...
4) Bill Miller after one of his many Figure-8 victories...
5) Bobby Byars with grandson Kyle Dombeck...
Attached Files
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