Manzanita Speedway Rat Pac

God Speed 🏁

Our family is deeply saddened to inform the Manzanita Community of the passing of our beloved husband, father, and grandfather, Ted Bloomquist. We are relieved that his passing on Monday, September 30, 2019 was peaceful and painless. He enjoyed watching NASCAR up to the day before his passing, and we will continue to be lovingly reminded of him while watching the races for years to come.

Ted drove in front of a capacity house of nearly 4,000 fans alongside Gene Gunn, Avery Doyle, Sonny Sanders, Duke Billie, Leon Taylor, Don Davis, Len Pritchard, Glenn Booth, Roe Mounts, Hap Lunsford, and other drivers in the main events on Saturday, August 25, 1951 when “Manzanita Park” staged its first jalopy race. Although Roe Mounts won the feature race and Avery Doyle won the trophy dashes, Ted was among those that won the heat events. He went on to race midgets and stock cars throughout his years, and it pains us share that he’s ran his final lap.

A memorial to celebrate Ted’s life will be held at 11:00am on October 7, 2019 at Phoenix Memorial Park and Mortuary, 200 West Beardsley Rd, Phoenix, AZ.

God speed Ray 🙏🏼🏁

Rat pac member is trying to find family of those listed below to get photos to them.

For those of you who wanted information on services for Dennis.

Service for Dennis Spidell (aka Spider) will be June 3, 2018 from 10 am to 2:30 pm at Grand Missouri Mobile Home Park (in the Clubhouse) 4400 W Missouri Avenue Glendale, AZ 85301

DRP Safety Team

We lost a DRP Crew Member and friend yesterday. Till we meet again Dennis Spidell aka Spider, keep them safe for us buddy! RIP

https://www.facebook.com/CanyonSpeedwayPark/posts/1963379670344366

We are sad to hear we have lost Arizona racing icon Wayne Bennet. Our sincerest condolences go out to the Bennet family and all of his friends that are feeling the effects of this great loss.

Pictured below you can see Wayne accepting his induction into the 2017 Hall of Fame class at CSP this past season.

Per Judy McDonald:
I just got a notification from Arcadia Publishing that our Manzanita Racing book is being sold at the Cracker Barrel In Chandler (See below). I am so thrilled! I'm going to visit the Cracker Barrel as soon as I can, and I hope all of you that can will do the same. Larry lives!!
Good Afternoon,
I am happy to share with you that we have recently begun a scan based trading partnership with Cracker Barrel, and your title Historic Manzanita Speedway in Phoenix, The 9780738585178 has been chosen for the CHANDLER-AZCHANDLER-AZ location at 5022 E Chandler Blvd. If you are unfamiliar with scan based trading, this means that Cracker Barrel pays as they sell the book rather than upfront when the books are shipped to the store. One upside to this is that we can closely watch the progress of sales by receiving regular reporting from our scan based trading partner. All the titles have been chosen, so we will be unable to add new titles at this time. However, there may be opportunities to refresh the selection further down the road. If you are able to stop into Cracker Barrel to meet the store manager and find your book, we strongly encourage you to do so. We also hope that you will share the good news with your friends and family or via social media so that they will all go into the local Cracker Barrel to support your book. Congratulations on being placed in Cracker Barrel!
Jordan Crisp
Key Accounts Manager
ph: +1 843.853.2070 x176 and fax: +1 843.853.0044
www.arcadiapublishing.com I www.historypress.net

Rest in peace Mr. Marciano. Our condolences to your family and friends.

For those of you who raced with, or remember Paul Marciano Sr., he passed away today. RIP Uncle Paul 😭

Received this message, if anyone has any pictures, stories or history to add please do:
I was at first race at Manzy.....also drove a little micro midget in the infield back in mid 50's...............anyone have any information on this stuff..........still following racing (39 years at Knoxville) Nice site

Received a message from member Tony Bell, if anyone has anything to share im sure he would appreciate it:
"Im wondering if anyone has any pictures or info on Ed Bell. He raced at Manzy when I was just a little guy in the 80's."

Received this message and some cool pictures from Clint Fouche: Hi im looking for 4 drivers that raced on your speed way
they are
Ivan Russell
Jimmy Ray
Paul Banghart
and Robert Townsend
They Toured in South Africa in 1992 / 1993
if you have any information or pictures of them please
us in South Africa would love to know what they doing now and how they look

my email is
[email protected]

I received a request if you can help a member out please post it here. He asked " Hi, I was doing some searching on Evel Knievel and I happen to get this speedway! Evel jumped there in Mar of 1970, and I don't know much on it but was wondering if you happen to know anything about this, photos, or programs that had him in it. Thanks if you could help!"

Tomorrow will mark 5 years since the very last race was held at Manzanita Speedway. For many of us it has left a hole, an empty place that cannot be filled. For some it was just another race track that closed. For me it was my home, my weekend hangout, my childhood memories. As I got older and began to race it became my adrenaline rush, my escape from the world, my solace. When I hear the song "The house that built me", by Miranda Lambert it immediately takes me back, memories come flooding in, Manzy was the house that built me. "I thought if I could touch this place or feel it, this brokenness inside me might start healing...Out here it's like I'm someone else", i know many of you feel the same. Please share your stories and pictures, maybe it's your best memory, your worst memory, your first time at the track or your last, we want to hear about it. May the memories made and the friendships formed last forever. Rest in Peace Manzanita Speedway!

From Rat pac member Sandy Combs:

After almost 40 years involved in auto racing in Az. I have decided that the 6 big boxes of racing programs need to go. I have programs from almost all the tracks in Az plus a few out of state. I am not looking to sell these items, but would like to get them to who really wants them and hope they would bring back memories for their families.

Here is a list of what I have;

Manzy Mags 1978-1989,
Canyon Raceway programs 1985-1994,
some 1992 and 1993 Western Racing News newspapers,
1992-1993 Veach racing news
1987 Firebird speedway,
a CAR speedway when art adams and one when veach was promoter,
1978 Globe speedway,
1980-1981 Western world programs,
1981 Jimmy Caruthers memorial program,
2001 Stock Car racing magazine w/article about Canyon in it,
1993 Dwarf car racer magazine
1983 Arizona Racing Magazines
IMCA yearbooks 1987, 88, 90, 97
Tucson raven raceway program
Corona speedway program
92 raceway park program
93-94 CAnyon Raceway thunder in the desert / sprint car world series program
1978 Western Racing News calendar
1987-88 PIR Copper World classic program
OUt of state programs..
1994 Joplin 66
1988 Placer County speedway
1993 Spanawy speedway
1991 kalispell racing park
1987 quechan speedway
1994 Monett speedway
1991 Rocky Mtn speedway
1993 Batesville speedway
1989 Yellowstone speedway
1992 Az SCCA program

Again these are not to sell but if it takes more than a few stamps to send I would like to be reimbursed for any postage. I have already sent some out to some to people who have lost their loved ones in the racing community. Its kinda like a labor of love for me. My email is [email protected]. Please share this for me. Thanks.

Connie Jo Hall's Obituary on The Arizona Republic

We would like to send our condolences to the Hall Family after hearing of the passing of Connie Hall. May God comfort you at this time.
http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/azcentral/obituary.aspx?n=connie-jo-hall&pid=169986805& .jQGEbvDH.gbpl

legacy.com Read the Obituary and view the Guest Book, leave condolences or send flowers. | Hall, Connie Jo Haggard Born April 29, 1936 in Safford, AZ.-- Returned to Heavenly Father March 2, 2014 in Phoenix, AZ. Connie Graduated from ASU in Physical Fitness. While there she met her

Received these pictures along with this message from Tammi Ferguson, thanks for sharing Tammi:

As a child one of my favorite places to go racing with my family, my dad Gary Ferguson owner of the 96 Invader car & my uncle Dana Finley who was the driver, we thought we would send some photos & give a big congrats! & Happy Birthday to Windy McDonald. From Los Lunas & Albuquerque New Mexico!

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=zamJ0v6FVpo

From rat pac member Ron Raines: I HAVE A FRIEND THAT FOUND A BOX OF PHOTOS AN SCRAPBOOKS OF A RACER STEVE CASELL THAT RACED AT MANZANITA SPEEDWAY. HE WOULD LIKE TO RETURN THEM TO HIM OR HIS FAMILY THANKS FOR ANY HELP WITH THIS RACED IN 1970 1980 THANKS RON RAINES EMAIL ME [email protected]

Special Thanks to Rat pac member Tommy T Howard for sharing this with us, anyone remember these?

Phoenix, Manzanita Speedway, 1950s

Paula Beard, Thanks for sharing with us!

flickr.com My dad, William Blessing, took these photos during the time was was working in the pit crew for drive Bill Cheesbourg.

From: Arizona Open Wheel Racing Museum
Hey Manzanita Rat Pac....We are trying to locate anyone who knows information about an old midget car owner and racing promoter by the name of Doc McGuire...He was involved with Bobby Ball and others in the 1950's...Does anyone know if he has relatives or family still in Arizona...We are searching for information for the Open Wheel Racing Museum...Thank you.

Our thoughts and prayers go out to the Leffler family... Heaven has gained another great racer...God speed Jason!

Maynard Rossen asked if the following pictures were familiar to anyone, said previous homeowner left the two framed pictures behind.

Maynard Rossen asked if the following pictures were familiar to anyone, said previous homeowner left the two framed pictures behind.

Per Rat pac member Barb Romey Bryant: Billy Ansell passed away last night. Long time Manzy family. Long time member of my family. He will be missed. No details yet.

From rat pac member Tisa Sawin: "Does anyone have some old Manzy mags form the 80's when Moe Margrave was the flagman? This is my grandfather and he just passed away and I would love to find some of the old pics"

Per Windy.....A memorial ceremony for Don "The Fuel Guy" Appley will be held on Saturday, February 9 at the Arizona Motorsports Hall of Fame at 36th Street and East Broadway. Paul Neighbors and Ken Bowers, members of the Racers for Christ, will begin the service at 3:00 pm. Hope to see you there.

Our thoughts and prayers are with the Boat family today, as Mr. Bill Boat passed away this morning. Please feel free to share stories or memories you have. May the Lord comfort you at this time.

Rat pac member Ray Cameron asked: Does anybody know where I can find race pictures of the 2007 SCRA Factory Stocks? Specifically looking for the 4L Race4life.us Camaro factory stock

From Rat Pac Member Tim Handrich: Have a non fb friend who purchased a 84 Stewart chassis sprint car that Billy Boat may have raced around 85 and 86. He is looking for photos from that era to help restore the car to look similar to that time. Thanks.....