Remember your first Governor's Cup?

[Boneman]

It was my first and only visit to Golden Gate Speedway. I think the year was 1977. I was 16 and my dad let me borrow his Datsun truck, so I drove up from Miami to see the 100 lapper at St. Pete, and then the 200 on Sunday.

I'll never forget the "boat racers" from S. Florida were there. All weekend they were driving around on those old 3 wheelers (before it was common to see them in the pits). After the race on Sunday, they just gave them away!

[flraceguy]

Boy oh Boy... Given away one of those "old" 3 wheelers.. Damn at that time I would have given my left wing dingy away for one of those... LOL... of course at the time, what were they 90 cc's or something... and yes I do remember my first Gov Cup... It wasn't as many years ago as yours Rex, being that I am a little younger than your balding butt.... But...

LOL... Ok I couldn't resist... Gotta light up someone we all know...

[ALASKA54]

Yes and I want to forget it after AB195 told me what he witnessed.

[Kenny Alderman]

I went to all the Governor's Cup races at the Gate, except for when I was employed by Uncle Sam. I tried to qualify for three in the early 70's but didn't make the field. In those days between Howe, Eddy, Gregory, Senneker, Trickle and all the South Florida hot shoes, there at least 75 cars entered. Those were the days. We built our own cars and then everyone started buying cars from Howe. I my opinion, that changed everything as we know it today in short track racing.

[SeminoleWind]

"Boat Racers"? I'm assuming they were offshore racers dabbling in oval track racing, possibly funded by ??? Please tell us more!

[Old Sunshine Fan]

Yea... I remember some of the action... It was the greatest when Sat. you'd see a race at Sunshine and then Sunday you'd go to the Gate and see the FLORIDA 200.... they had the score keepers in the infield on flat bed trailers and temp pits right along the front straight (between the track and the score keepers).... can't put a date on the first one I saw... have seen MANY over the years.... but did witness a bad scene where a car went throught the pit area and hit a bunch of people... a very scary BAD scene... I think the worse injury was a broken leg.

The Florida 200 became the Gov Cup, and is still a great race to attend... I just miss those old days....but I still get the goose bumps when they come out of four to take the green for the start of the race (what a ROAR of engines) and me pacemaker jumps about 5 beats.

[Boneman]

Seminole, by "boat racers" I am referring to some of the local stock car teams that funded their racing by drug smuggling. Ever see Miami Vice? It often showed the fleet of speed boats that operated off the coast and delivered dope of all sorts to South Florida. The era of the Cocaine cowboy started in earnest in the 1970's, and unfortunately the drug money also flowed into racing, helping to change our sport for the worse.

Back on the subject of the thread: wasn't there a race on Friday night too? Wasn't that the original "Triple Crown"? Golden Gate on Sunday, St. Pete on Saturday and maybe De Soto on Friday?

[ModelCarMan]

I can't remember too much of my first one, but the second one was wild. Brad Malcuit or his brother got together with other race car and got up on top of the wall and rip down the fence and flag stand with Johnny Hicks. It was right in front on me and my mom scream like crazy. Lots of people thought that was his day, but it wasn't and he went right down to the figure-8 flag stand and finished flagging the race.

[Jim Fenton]

My first trip to the Governor’s Cup was in 1967 as a teenager crewing on my Brother-in-Law’s (Kenny Faircloth) Late Model, ‘Ol Midnight’, pictured below in the pits at the Gate.



I continued to attend every year subsequent to that crewing for Kenny until my first full year driving a Late Model in 1975 which I’ve chronicled in a previous post this past weekend “For a Few Gallons More” in the “Where Are They Now” forum at the bottom of this page.

I went to all the Governor's Cup races at the Gate, except for when I was employed by Uncle Sam. I tried to qualify for three in the early 70's but didn't make the field. In those days between Howe, Eddy, Gregory, Senneker, Trickle and all the South Florida hot shoes, there at least 75 cars entered. Those were the days. We built our own cars and then everyone started buying cars from Howe. I my opinion, that changed everything as we know it today in short track racing.

I couldn’t agree with you more Kenny.

Back on the subject of the thread: wasn't there a race on Friday night too? Wasn't that the original "Triple Crown"? Golden Gate on Sunday, St. Pete on Saturday and maybe De Soto on Friday?

Yes, through the 70’s, due to all of the out-of-town big guns being here for the Suncoast Classic 100 at Sunshine Saturday night then the Governor’s Cup on Sunday, Frank Dery held a big race at the Gate on Friday night called the Bicentennial 100.

It is also chronicled below at the beginning of the article covering the 1975 Governor's Cup race from the Florida Raceweek paper I posted last weekend in the forum “Where Are They Now?” at the bottom of the page.

[ancrdave]

Although it began in 1963 as the Florida 200, I saw the first actual race for the Cup in 1965 which featured a great battle between Wayne Reutimann and Bobby Allison before Wayne prevailed...

This race came about thanks to NASCAR's inability to provide a good field of cars... The first race in 1962 was actually a NASCAR GN race (won by Richard Petty)... The field of cars really wasn't very strong and Frank Dery decided he could put on a better show with his own Late Models in 1963... That's how it all got started... By the way, anyone know who the Governor of Florida was in 1965 who commissioned the Cup?

The boat racers were the recently deceased Bill Elswick and Bob Castoro... Elswick went on to race some Winston Cup events for RAHMOC... Cars #30 and #31... they were real weapons in that '77 race and nearly killed me and Bobby 5X5 Day while we were taking pictures over in turn three that day... Castoro was put away for some time due to the drug thing... Not sure if he's out yet or even still alive...

The car that took the flag stand down was Robert Hamkee's Nova...

[Old Sunshine Fan]

top of the wall and rip down the fence and flag stand with Johnny Hicks. It was right in front on me and my mom scream like crazy. Lots of people thought that was his day, but it wasn't and he went right down to the figure-8 flag stand and finished flagging the race.

Yep... you're right on that one... I also was right behind Johhny and I helped hold the stand steady (lots of live wires sparking around) while they got Johnny down out of the stand. I stood under the stand with my arms crossed and resting on my head to steady that thing. Hey, I think I remember your Mom screaming lol.

[flvideo]

Wasn't the florida 200 incorporated into the Florida triple crown in the early 80's? The tripple crown was held thru the 80's and into the late 90's I am thinking.
The first Gov cup I can remember was 1985 at Sunshine. The last year the Gate was open the Gov cup was scheduled to run there and I went to tape it and it was rained out. That was the last time I was at the Gate. Dave what year was that? My memory has faded a lot. Bob...

[Jane]

Here is the first one that I ever wrote back in 1999 - exactly ten years ago.

Wayne Anderson Wins The 1999 Governor’s Cup 200


-joins his father on the list of winners-


October 23, 1999 -by Jane Smith

With a full moon glowing over the race track, thirty two of Florida's finest drivers came to race for the huge silver and wood trophy that is called the Governor's Cup. Earning the honor of having your name added to this trophy is by all means, an honor.

Inspections took place from l2:00 noon until 2 P.M. when the track
was opened for hot lapping. As the cars waited their turns to take
to the racing surface, you could feel the excitement in the air. And
for a change, we watched this event from the grandstands where you
could see the whole track. The only mishap during hot laps was for
B.J. McLeod who hit the wall in turn 4 but with a great crew and alot
of determination, the car was fixed and ready for qualfying at 6:00 P.M.

As all thirty two cars lined up for qualfying, you could see the hope in
each driver's face and the faces of his crew. Eric Black, a 17 year old
high school Senior from Vero Beach, was the first car to take to the
track. Following Eric was Chad Dokken, brother of Michael Dokken who
drives NASCAR Craftsman Trucks. And a surprise driver was in the bunch, Chris Grimes who is one of our SpeedWeeks drivers from Wisconsin but has moved to Georgia now. No mishaps during qualfying, everyone made it thru the turns just fine with B.J. McLeod being the last car out.

Wayne Anderson was fast qualifier with a 18.185 followed by James
Powell III, Jacob Warren, Jack Cook, Dick Anderson, Mike Fritts,
Bobby McClelland, David Rogers, Pete Orr and Jimmy Cope. Regular
races were run and it was time for the BIG BOYS to take to the track
for their 200 lap race.

After a few caution laps and the crowd waving to the drivers and the
drivers waving back, the green flag was dropped and the race begun.
James Powell III took the lead from the green flag but caution was
flown and Wayne Anderson got the jump. The first caution came out
for Tony Amigo in the #77x when his car turned around on the front
stretch but was able to continue racing.

For many fans in the stands, the best part of this race was seeing
Wayne Anderson in first place with his father, Dick Anderson in
second. Father-son raced each other by the book and put on a very
good show. Close behind the Andersons was James Powell III, Jack
Cook and Pete Orr.

Pit stops began around lap 85. When all were done, it had David Rogers up front and B.J. McLeod working his butt off to get back a lap which he did and worked his way up to fourth place which was around lap l44. At this point, l5 cars out of the 32 were left on the track. On Lap l55, B.J. took over the third place but lost it to David Rogers which put B.J. back into fourth when a front tire flew and put B.J. into the wall. The race was red flagged (the first red flag and only red flag of the race) and the track was cleaned. And B.J. was fine, thank goodness.

Wayne Anderson won the race with Jack Cook, David Rogers, David
Reutimann and Rob Underwood behind him. Wayne was obviously
very pleased about his win as he told the crowd, "my dad has his name
on two of these plagues, now I have my name on one. This win means
more to me than you know." With that, Wayne Anderson was surrounded by family, friends, and fans and the l999 Governor's Cup ended once again.

-Jane Smith


Finishing Order:

1. #84 - Wayne Anderson
2. #96 - Jack Cook
3. #11 - David Rogers
4. #237 - David Reutimann
5. #51 - Jacob Warren
6. #09 - Rob Underwood
7. #77 - Daryl Shelnut
8. #64 - Jim McCoy
9. #73 - Chad Dokken
l0. #2 - Jeff Emery
11. #88 - Travis Kittleson
l2. #27 - Mike Good
13. #77x - Tony Amico
14. #78 - B. J. McLeod
15. #44 - Brad May
16. #61 - Jimmy Cope
17. #92 - Dick Anderson
18. #43 - Dennis Schnenfeld
19. #23 - Dave Schwendeman
20. #38 - Shane Sawyer
21. #70 - DeWayne Dempsey
22. #37 - James Powell III
23. #10 - Eric Black
24. #12 - Billy Bigley, Jr.
25. #12w - Justin Drawdy
26. #14 - Keith Vitale
27. #30 - Pete Orr
28. #27x - Mike Fritts
29. #16 - Bruce Lawrence
30. #99 - Bobby McClelland
31. #1 - Chris Grimes
32. #74 - Barry Willoughby

************************************************** **

Finishing Order:

1. #84 - Wayne Anderson - Should be there this year
2. #96 - Jack Cook - No Longer Races
3. #11 - David Rogers - Should be there this year
4. #237 - David Reutimann - NASCAR
5. #51 - Jacob Warren - No Longer Races
6. #09 - Rob Underwood - Races Dirt at Volusia Speedway Park
7. #77 - Daryl Shelnut - Wish He Would Come
8. #64 - Jim McCoy - Had Joe Winchell in his car last time I saw him
9. #73 - Chad Dokken - Not Sure where he went
l0. #2 - Jeff Emery - I think he road races now or something
11. #88 - Travis Kittleson - Lives in North Carolina and has no Super Late
l2. #27 - Mike Good - Maybe his son will race
13. #77x - Tony Amico - Not Racing that I know of
14. #78 - B. J. McLeod - Should be there
15. #44 - Brad May - would love to see him there
16. #61 - Jimmy Cope - would love to see him back behind the wheel also
17. #92 - Dick Anderson - Retired
18. #43 - Dennis Schnenfeld - Not Sure Where He Is
19. #23 - Dave Schwendeman - Not Sure Where He Is
20. #38 - Shane Sawyer - He does race still but in North Carolina I think
21. #70 - DeWayne Dempsey - Love to See Him There
22. #37 - James Powell III - Has Been Racing Dirt Every Now and Then
23. #10 - Eric Black - Disappeared
24. #12 - Billy Bigley, Jr. - Has Won Before and Needs to come back
25. #12w - Justin Drawdy - He is racing Snowflake
26. #14 - Keith Vitale - Not Sure Where He is Now
27. #30 - Pete Orr - We Lost Pete
28. #27x - Mike Fritts - Man, I wish we would come
29. #16 - Bruce Lawrence - Needs to Come Back
30. #99 - Bobby McClelland - No Longer Races
31. #1 - Chris Grimes - Not Sure Where He is
32. #74 - Barry Willoughby - Lives in Seattle now and no longer races

[Frasson118]

What a shame... only 4 on that list are likely to be there this year.

[Frasson118]

My first was about '82 or '83, at Golden Gate. I remember Jimmy Cope winning, Ed Howe acting like an ass behind the wheel, and a whole bunch of guys I'd only read about before.

Denny Nyari
Dave Weltmeyer
Mike Eddy
Mark Malcuit (with the coolest nickname ever... Captain Sizzle!)
Mike McCrary Sr.
Milton Burysek, maybe (?)
Robert Hamke
Dick Trickle
and a bunch more.

That was a great time for LM racing, not only in FLA, but all over the Eastern half of the country.