July 2006 - Inside Line Column - by Floyd Busby

In 1945, the first season of midget racing following the war, Bob Barkhimer won the BCRA championship, winning six main events. In
1946 he won ten and in '47 four before "hanging it up" following several injuries. He had begun racing pre-war, winning a number of races. In 1948 he became the BCRA business manager. From there he took over operation of the San Jose Speedway the following year and formed the California Stock Car Racing Association. In 1954 he joined forces with Bill France Sr., and on a handshake, brought NASCAR racing to the West Coast where he ran the sanction on his 22 race tracks. He promoted numerous other events throughout California.
His was a storied life, coming to an end on June 18 at the age of 90. At the July 1st Lakeport race Floyd Alvis drove the checkered flag memorial lap in remembrance of "Barky"
During his tenure as a race promoter in the early 50's, when midget racing was on a downturn throughout the nation and some sanctioning organizations were folding, Barky promoted a number of BCRA midget races with the knowledge that he would lose money, thus he was instrumental in the continuation of BCRA during those lean years.
Unlike the flamboyant J.C. Agajanian to the south, Barky never sought the limelight. He would always be "behind-the-scene" as far as the fans were concerned. But, he was foremost when it came to the racer. Numerous times he would pull out his wallet and give a struggling racer a helping hand.
I can remember at the San Jose Mile AMA Camel Pro Series races on the one-mile fairgrounds track, one of his many promotions, seeking to speak to him, I would go to the uppermost corner section of the grandstands...and sure enough, there he would be among the fans (who had no idea who he was), sitting and watching.
Its rather interesting as how Barky came to meet Bill France Sr. Bill Jr. was stationed in the Navy at Moffett Field on the Peninsula. Bill Sr. aid that there was this fellow in Northern California named Bob Barkhimer who promoted many race tracks....why not get a hold of him and meet. Bill Jr. did that. He and Barky hit it off. He traveled to a number of Barkhimer race tracks with Barky and his associate Margo Burke. He stayed at Barky's home on weekends.
This led to a good report to Bill Sr. and Barky was asked to come to Daytona Beach....from there, the handshake and NASCAR was a major player on the West Coast.
In my early days of producing printed programs I was aghast when I realized that I has misspelled his name on the cover of the indoor motorcycle race program at the Santa Clara County Fairgrounds.
I walked up to apologize and he quickly put me at ease with a chuckle and a "don't worry about it" reply.
In his later years I, along with Ken Clapp on most occasions, would visit Barky at his Los Gatos home, far up in the Santa Cruz mountains. One time as Barky and I we strolled his steeply-inclined property he spoke of his many tracks in the heyday of promoting. Most of his tracks were operated by retired stock car drivers. He related that not all were honest with him on the balance sheet. And, during his earlier retirement years he was a profuse letter writer to racing publications, stirring the pot at times to the anger of some. His pastime then was visiting flea markets where he would pick up all kinds of items. His storage shed was full of odd items and holiday decorations that he would display next to the winding road at the base of his property. When he could no longer drive, one of his former race driver friends would take him on the flea market excursions.
The last time I visited Barky was several months ago with Clapp. Although ill and nearly blind, Barky's mind was sharp. I marveled at the conversation between Barky and Clapp as they reminisced about the "old days" and the various characters who played a part in local and national auto racing. Clapp and Barky had a lot in common. Ken had purchased Bob Barkhimer Associates years ago when Barky retired. I only wish that I had taken a tape recorder with me!
In thinking about "the old days", it brings to mind the stark contrast of today and yesteryear. Back in "those" days, one had to be 21-years of age to enter the pits or become a race driver. A "rookie"
usually was just that - a 21-year-old rookie. Today the picture has changed. A rookie now can be a 15-year old emancipated driver with nine or ten years experience in quarter midgets, karts, 250cc or 600cc midgets. That's the case with our newest member Justin Grant of Ione. Justin made his first full midget start over the Fourth of July weekend at the lakeport Speedway and shown himself to be very talented and stable.
It was truly the "generation gap" at the Reno-Fernley race in late June. Floyd Alvis, at 71 with seven driving and five car owner titles to his name, won the feature on the fast 3/8-mile dirt oval.
Second was Darrin Bolton, who has just turned 16. The talented Bolton was also second earlier at Watsonville. We look forward to seeing him on the pavement soon with a new asphalt car that the family has obtained.
The July 8th race at the Stockton "99" Speedway will mark the final time that the midgets run on the fabled quarter-mile paved oval before its destruction at season's-end.
It has been a long and fruitful journey since Ed Normi won the first BCRA sanctioned race there in May of 1948. Since then 71 midget races have been sanctioned by BCRA at Stockton. Along the way such drivers as Freddie Agabashian, Johnny Boyd, Bill Vukovich and Chuck Stevenson were joined by many, some famous and some not. During the period of the late 1980's to mid 90's BCRA ran there only twice.
Current track promoter Ken Clapp has run the midgets as often as he could over the last decade with some races co-sanctioned with USAC, as is/was the finale.
Those readers who have ventured into the Stockton facility may not be aware that originally the public entrance was at the turn-one end of the track in a different location. The first year of operation in 1947 the track was dirt....but with a dust problem, the track was paved. There was a drive-in movie theater near turn-one for many years with some gamey movies to entertain the race fans between events. As a youngster, I believe at the first BCRA race, Margo Burke, co-promoter with Bob Barkhimer, handed me a counter and I stood there double-checking the patrons.
The annual BCRA "Jack London Bash" picnic and Hall of Fame inductions are set for the El Dorado County Fairgrounds in Placerville on August 12. All three BCRA divisions run at the track that evening. Fans are invited to the picnic for ti-tips, hot dogs, chili, potato salad and all the timings. 10a.m, to 3 p.m. BBQ at noon and inductions at 1:30. To be inducted this year are: midget drivers Dean Holden, Tim Joyce, and Victor Mencarini. Midget owner Howard Segur Jr., midget lite owners Harley VanDyke and Gary Dennett and hardtop drivers Jim Graham and Ben Gregory. $15 advance, $20 at the gate. Call the office at (209)830-9928. Come along and then enjoy the races in the evening.