I literally grew up at Wall Stadium, in Belmar, NJ, spending many of my Saturday nights as a child in the first turn stands with my dad and friends. The track meant even more to me as I grew older, as I became a crew member on a street stock. I took my love for racing and what I learned at Wall to the much larger and faster Flemington Speedway. Here I was part of a team that won a track championship and the biggest race of the time for street stocks, the Race of Champions.
My team and I moved up the ladder to D/A modifieds, where we won, and then to the Nascar modifieds. The team eventually split up and I went on to work on cars that ran on both the ROC Tour and the Nascar Whelen Modified Tour. While I didn't get to Wall often during those years, I never missed a Turkey Derby.
Wall Stadium took on a new meaning for me with the birth of my son. I could no longer spend the late nights working on a car. He took up most of my time, and still does. He went to Wall for the first time when he was 1 and a half. A practice session to see how he would react to the noise of the cars. He seemed to love it. Immediately I flash forwarded to a time when we could sit together in the stands and share our love for the racing. I thought about how great it would be if he showed an interest in racing and we could get a car to compete there with.
The last few years my dreams have nearly been stolen from me by the uncertainity surrounding the track's future. Thankfully, to Cliff Krause, Wall Stadium will race in 2011. I will be in the stands with my three year old hoping the track is around long enough for him and I to make some memories, and who knows, maybe even some history of our own there.
For more details on the near future of Wall Stadium check out Wall Stadium To Race In 2011
And be sure to become a follower to keep up to date on this great state of JERZEEBABY
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