ONE ON ONE WITH STEVE BROWNE TODAY: Had the opportunity to talk with Steve Browne today on a recent visit to Junior Blankenships shop during a sales call. Steve is presently the shop foreman for Bill Collins Ford. He got his start in the sport after purchasing a used race car from the late Bob Tarter around 1973 or so. He was able to lead the standings on his own financing, but got involved in a rollover at the intersection and demolished the car. The following year, Ray Crain, Tarters primary driver parted ways with Tarter and Browne became his primary driver of the #69 Figure Eight car. Together, the pair had an incredible racing career at Fairgrounds (1980 title, the final year the track operated) until he retired in 1995 from racing. He competed in Figure Eight, Late Models and Super Late Models at Charlestown, Sportsdrome and Louisville Speedway. His driving style was much like the drivers he admired such as Charlie-Janet Reichmuth and Bob Miller. He took pride in driving Tarters cars and stayed out of trouble as much as possible. Toughest competition through the years came from Andy Vertrees, Smokey Bishop, Paul McNear, Ron Hargesheimer (Sledgehammer), John Perkins, Miller, Reichmuth, Pee Wee Holbert, Rance and Larry Harmon. FUNNY STORY: Steve told me a tale of a couple of competitors (he wasnt one of them, but they will go unnamed) who got into a feud on the track at FMS and it escalated into the pits into a brawl. The police were summons and one of the perpetrators were apprehended and handcuffed to the chain link fence gate. They were in pursuit of the other only to find him 15 minutes later whaling away at the handcuffed captor. Steve is one of the true gentleman of the sport and still visits the speedway on occasion. He seems to be in really good health, loves his job and visits right here on the Fairgrounds Motor Speedway Facebook Page. Say hi to him!
Posted on: Tue, 07 Oct 2014 01:53:16 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015