|
|
Photo by Josh Gore, DCN
|
|
September 7th 2005 - I THINK THIS IS SUCH A GOOD STORY, IT IS WORTH POSTING AGAIN! - BRONCO
By Jim Gorecki/The Dunn County News
Walking into The News office one afternoon, my ears perked up when I heard someone saying, “We raced at the Milwaukee Mile.” That someone was Menomonie’s own, Chris Loberg. Chris was at the front counter, speaking with the Lifestyles Editor, Deb Anderson, and showing her some racing photographs. Since I have proclaimed myself the “Unofficial-Official Race Guy” in the office, I just had to know what they were talking about.
You must have a little background on Chris Loberg, his racecar, and myself. The Milwaukee Mile Race Track is located on the grounds of the Wisconsin State Fair Park in West Allis, WI, and was located in my “backyard” as a kid growing up on South 79th Street, just north of I-94. The Milwaukee Mile is the oldest oval race track in the country. That is my personal link to this story.
A BOY AND HIS RACE CAR Chris Loberg, a product of Richfield, MN, grew up around a racecar and an auto shop that was just a block from his house. In this auto shop, was a blue, white and red 1976 Chevy Camaro Stock Car. He would go to the shop as often as his bike would carry him, to help the mechanics work on this car. He was ten years old at the time, and the mechanics put him to work on the car, glad to have help in the hard to reach areas. Chris told me, “They would put me up on the hoist because I had little fingers to get into tiny spots, and I could crawl under the dash and hold stuff for them.”
THE RACE CAR The car was originally owned and driven by Larry Smith, (his name is still on the roof), and painted in the colors and logo of the sponsor, B & B Auto Supply, with a big #15 painted on each door. In 1979, the car was sold to Lou Fegers, who raced it at Elko Speedway. Although the car was now out of sight, it was never out of mind for Chris Loberg. After years of searching and asking around the racing circles, the quest came to an end in 1999. Chris located the last known owner in Iowa, and called him. When Chris called the owner, he was being optimistic, but not setting himself up for disappointment, he expect to hear the car had been cut up into pieces or scrapped. The voice on the other end of the phone that fateful day surprised Chris by telling him, “Yes, I still have the car. It is in my farm shed. If you can get here, you can have it.” Like being reunited with a friend from the past, Chris wasted no time in getting the car from Iowa, and bringing it back to Menomonie. It was a bit rough looking, but it was the car he had been searching for.
THE CALL FROM MILWAUKEE This past January, Chris received a call from a member of the vintage racecar club he belongs to, Ken Gilbert. Ken said to Chris, “Are you sitting down? I have something unbelievable to tell you.” He went on to inform Chris that the promoters from The Milwaukee Mile, wanted to set up a vintage stock car race for the upcoming NASCAR Weekend of June 24-26, 2004. Chris couldn’t believe it, “They wanted include us in the NASCAR WEEKEND! NASCAR Craftsman Trucks and the Busch Car Series were going to be there, and they wanted us to race! It was an offer I couldn’t turn down.” Three different car clubs would end up being involved; I.M.C.A. Old Timers, Midwest Vintage Grand National, and the Northern Vintage Stock Car Racers.  Photo by Chris Burback
When Chris had first arrived at the track gate along the backstretch, he told me he first looked to the right, and then back to the left, and said out loud, “What am I doing here?” He also commented on the size of the track, which was twice the size of the longest track he had run on before, “The track was big, like a runway, wide, room for four wide in the turns even, and smooth, smooth as glass.” To Chris Loberg, Vintage Stock Car Owner, this was like the big time. He and the other drivers were given all access to the pit area, visiting with the NASCAR Drivers, and watching all the events on the track. With that racer’s gleam in his eyes, Chris said, “The track promoters were very pleased with the showing by the vintage stock cars, and I think there are plans to bring us back next year. They treated us like royalty. It was a dream come true.”
Getting the car prepared would be costly and time consuming, but it was well worth it for Chris. Loberg told me, “It was as if the town of Menomonie put their arms around me, and sent me and my racecar to Milwaukee to race. I couldn’t have done it without the help of so many.”
On Thursday, June 24th, the vintage stock cars took to The Milwaukee Mile with a field of 17 cars. Chris and the #15, B & B Auto Supply Chevy Camaro started 16th. When the green flag dropped, it was door-to-door racing, three wide in the corners, in front of a crowd of 2,500 onlookers, who gave the drivers a standing ovation at the completion of the race. It was a 25-lap race, and Chris found the racing line that carried him to the front of the field. He led the race for a few laps, until the car “just went away”, according to Loberg. He brought the #15 car across the finish line in second place, just behind the winner and club friend, Gary Stein of Northfield, MN. Chris had averaged 105 miles per hour for the 25-lap race. Local support came in many forms, and made the trip possible for Chris Loberg and his racer. He would like to acknowledge the following businesses in town; Body Works Athletic Club, Keyes Chevy, Randy’s Auto Sales, Berg’s Automotive Center, South Side Body Shop, and Chad Amundson Construction. “I couldn’t have done this without the help of so many, it is actually overwhelming,” stated Loberg. |
;)
