Sad news – ‘Racer Al’ Stageberg

[Jim Fenton]

I’m sure some of you might remember or be familiar with Al Stageberg, better known as “Racer Al”, who was a mainstay at Sunshine Speedway back in the day (60’s - 80’s) as both a car builder / owner than later on as a Tech Inspector.

You can read the story of Al’s sudden passing in this St. Pete Times article HERE.

Racer Al owned and operated Precision Automotive in Pinellas Park for years but he was probably better known as the owner / builder of the #6 Plymouth Late Model, the only Chrysler product in the Late Model class of the time that appeared at the track (Both Golden Gate & SS) on a steady basis for years and always had the potential of finishing up front.

Racer Al had potpourri of drivers in the #6 car throughout the years the likes of which included Billy Hancock, Sonny Alderman, David Scarborough and anyone else that happened to be between rides at the time but one of the most steady drivers in the #6 car was my brother-in-law, Kenny Faircloth.

Here are a few pictures of Kenny in Racer Al’s #6 car throughout the years as it evolved from the 1957 Plymouth Fury Land Whale to the smaller Dusters, etc.










I’m gonna catch he!! from my brother-in-law for telling on him but one of the stories that has stuck in my mind all these years about Racer Al was this;

Those of you who remember Kenny’s style of driving will recall that he was a ‘take-no-prisoners’ type of wheel-man.

Aside from being known as a Chrysler product / Torsion Bar expert Racer Al was also well known for his cynicism and off the wall remarks. These two men respected one another immensely but they had their moments as most relationships that combine an aggressive driver vs the car owner.

One night after a particularly rough Late Model Feature at Sunshine where Kenny had started out with fresh skin and a new paint job but used the chrome horn extensively during the race, while he was taking his helmet off upon exiting the car Racer Al handed him a Ball-Peen hammer.

Kenny said; “What’s that for?”

Racer Al replied; “There’s only one straight quarter panel left on the car so you might as well make it look like the rest of it”.

RIP Racer Al.

[AJ14]

I do indeed remember his cars . I was always a fan because his cars were unique .

[ancrdave]

The '56 Plymouth in the pits at Golden Gate - 1966

[Darren]

Jim

kool pictures of Mopar. loved your #FOUR. Question, take the late models of Al's day as shown, compare the street stocks at Sunshine Speedway when they closed in 2004 other then tires compare please. Thanks

[Darren]

also

I sure of first said - I am very sorry to of Al's passing.

[AJ14]

A big part of my argument against skinny racing tires is how great race cars used to look with as wide a tire as they can put on them . Nascar New England modifieds just look like modifieds should look . Add 14 inch wide tires to the asphalt modifieds in Florida and you've got a race car that looks like a race car . I think a big part of fan interest in stock car racing was the relatively stock body work with the very wide slicks .

[Jim Fenton]

Racer Al was one of those backyard innovators that was always thinking outside of the box and could put you in awe with some of his ideas.

Four out of five of his brainstorms would eventually end up in the scrap pile but it was that one that he would hit out of the park once in awhile that would make you say: “Now why didn’t I think of that?”

He reminded me a lot of Dave McInnis whereas I think either one of those two guys could build a rocket ship that would fly to the moon out in the backyard with just a screwdriver, a pair of pliers and a roll of duct tape. Sort of like in the movie The Astronaut Farmer.

As you would imagine, he spent a lot of time tinkering with Torsion Bar suspensions, lathing down the bar diameters little-by-little and experimenting with the tension strengths. He even devised his own tension tester for torsion bars. I remember that he would get calls from people running Mopars on other tracks asking for his advice.

I used to kid him about spending so much time on “That Mopar junk” and offered the advice that he could put a Chevrolet up front for half the time and expense. He would just laugh and fall back in the comfort zone that none of the Tech Inspectors of the day could find catch where he was cheating whereas everybody knew where to look on the Bowties.

Of course needless to say sharing some things with him at the time while we were buds came back to haunt us later when he became Tech Inspector at St. Pete. One of my many “Can’t learn to keep my mouth shut” lessons throughout life. (Unfortunately, I still haven’t graduated from that class).

Al was one of the good guys that remained in the background throughout his racing career.

He will be missed.

[Kenny Alderman]

Al was REALLY an old school kind of guy. He just a few months ago asked if I would paint his old Charger one more time. It almost seems fitting to me, he would be working on it up to the end. A lot of people might not know what a kind person he was. He was always helping out and guiding the less fortunate young people. Most of the Kramer boys come to mind, as some he took care of at one time or another.

I will answer the question about the 2004 Street Stocks verses the Late Models of the late sixties. Other than a quickchange, springs and shocks, and tires, there probably wasn't much difference. Most Late Models of that era had 1957 Chevy frames, the Fords had older frames too. All still had leaf springs in the back. Of course with Al's Mopars, most didn't know anything about what he had.

RIP Racer Al

[Darren]

thanks

for the infro. Sounds like they would have been more affordable as a latemodel to run. Something I do know, I enjoyed watching shorttrack racing a lot more back when then now, a lot more.