Greetings from Franklin, Wisconsin
From the travels and adventures of the “World’s #1 Trackchaser”
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Hales Corners Speedway – dirt oval – Lifetime track #129
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My lifetime track #129 was one of the best and lasted a long time.
I made my first trip to the Hales Corners Speedway in 1983. At lifetime track #129 my visit was before I began writing my famous Trackchaser Reports. I didn’t begin writing those until about track #430.
My first visit to the track was on Saturday night, April 30, 1983. I was camping with my family at the Jellystone campground in the area. My only written commend from that night was “Coldest ever!”. Yes, late April in Wisconsin can be more than chilly. Long-time track favorite Bill Prietzel in the #12 was the feature winner.
A couple of years later I returned to the Hales Corners Speedway. I was a “racechaser” back in the mid-80s. Heavy duty trackchasing did not come my way until later. On a Wednesday night in mid-July I found the weather much warmer! I had come to the track to see the World of Outlaws sprint cars race. Steve Kinser, won the main, as he did more than 50 times when I was in the grandstands. The night before I saw Joe Shear (#36 above) win the ARTGO feature event (as he did frequently) at the Rockford Speedway. Then the day after Hales Corners, on Thursday, I traveled down to the Santa Fe Speedway. Ron Shuman in #21X won the WOO main. As you can see back in the mid-80s I was seeing some very good racing.
My research tells me the Hales Corners Speedway opened back on June 18, 1950. Sadly the track closed on September 1, 2003. Lots of tracks were opening following World War II. Not many of them had a 53-year run.
This is what one local writer penned regarding the demise of the Hales Corners Speedway:
By Bryan Gapinski: Franklin, Wis, August 18—The Hales Corners Speedway, Milwaukee area’s only dirt race track will close after a storied 55 years of racing, on September 1, with the annual Labor Day Demo Derby. Regular Saturday Night racing will take place on August 23, and August 30. The AMA Motorcycles will run an event on Friday August 29.
Rumored to be closing for the last ten years, the facilities owner John Kaishian has sold the parcel of land to Menard Inc, a home improvement store chain. The negoiations between the two have been ongoing for over a year. Last week the pair along with the City of Franklin finalized all the plans, and the signing of the contract will be made after the September 1 event. The property is located at 6531 South 108th Street(Hwy100) in Franklin. The track’s conditions along with increased retail business’s, and new housing in the area, made the land too valable not to offer for sale.
” The end was coming, however the developments came together so quickly we were forced to forgo the Farewell Tour for the track we had hoped for” commented Jim Wehner, the track’s general manager. Wehner’s office has been over loaded with phone calls regarding the announcement. “It’s been here for so long so many people are finding it hard to believe the end has finally come” stated Wehner.
Kaishian has mentioned in the past about possibily building a new facility south of the present track.
Modified and sportsmen type cars ran at the track on Saturday Nights until 1972, when the Modifieds were replaced with Late Model Stock Cars. In recent years other classes such as IMCA style Modifieds, Hales Whales, and a four cylinder class have been added. The track also hosted Thursday Night racing for many years in the 60’s, and early 70’s.
The was also the site for countless Badger Midget Series, and IRA Sprint Car Series events. The USAC National Midget Series sanctioned 36 events, and one USAC National Sprint Car Series event at the track.. The track also hosted the World of Outlaws, CRA, All Stars, and MSA Sprint Car Series. A weekly midget racing was held in the early years, and during the 1967-68 seasons. The track was also the site of flea markets, concerts, thrill shows, and tractor pulls over the years.
Do you have any experience with auto racing at the Hales Corners Speedway?
By the way you might have remembrances about this track. If so, please feel free to share them in the comments section below. If you have any photos from back in the day, send them to me at Ranlay@yahoo.com. I’ll try to include them here.
27 comments
Hi, Randy,
I am unfortunately not old enough/didn’t live close enough to remember this track, but I was gifted many boxes of photos from someone who’s father photographed the track in the 60s and 70s. There are hundreds and I’d love to figure out what you’d be interested in if at all!
Hi Leo, Thanks for thinking of me. I know that lots of people see this page about the Hales Corners Speedway. Maybe there is a collector among them who would like those photos. I’m not in a position to do much with them unfortunately. Those were definitely the golden years of short track racing. The 60s and 70s are the years I think of most fondly. All the best, Randy
Randy, just your typing brings a tear to my eye as I realize how old I’ve become. Magic words of years past like Hales Corners, Santa Fe and now you can add Rockford to that list. Heck! I could even add Solder Field and O’Hare Stadium to the list. BUT, Wilmot, Sycamore and Jefferson are still running, and I just might take a ride down to Wilmot, one of the tracks of the modifieds of “me youth”, this Saturday. They had the Outlaws this last Monday, but I only remembered just now. If I remember correctly, Wilmot has some of the best ground beef Bar-B-Que. Sycamore’s is pretty good, too. The question of the ages all around Chicagoland IS, Why the HECK can’t the Joliet “Dirty O” get their act together?? The site has so much potential, and they just about sell out just about every time they have their few yearly events. If they put together a weekly card, I would make the trip often. My brother moved to just about a mile from the track as they were building it. He has had very few exciting nights and a whole bunch of frustration in the over 20 years since. THANK YOU for reading this.
Hi Jim, Thanks for your note. Yes, some really big nomes in the short track racing world are no longer with us. We have some great memories. I’m not sure how long the remaining tracks can hang in there. We’ll see. All the best, Randy
It was a family event to watch our uncle (Mom’s brother) Smilin’ Jim Boehles #97 race. The best memories!
Just wanted to know if anyone remembers Bob Yorkey. I m his daughter Fran. I grew up on that track. Best memories every. MY dad passed away about 10 years ago. Just remembering the best times with him. Still have a need for speed at the age of 60.
Hi Franny, I hope someone sees your message and remembers your dad. Those were the golden years of stock car racing. All the best, Randy
My intro to short track racing came in the late 1950’s when my grandparents picked me up every Wed night to got to Cedarburg Speedway and watch my Uncle Nick ace in the modified class .In the mid 60’s, my buddies and I went to 3 dirt modified short tracks every week sanctioned by MSC… Wed at Firemans Park in Cedarburg, Thursday at State Fair Park and Saturday at Hales Corners. My favorite was Johnny Reimer but Miles Melius, Billy Goeden, Billy Johnson, Don Schuppel, Fuzzy Fassbender, Aaron Solsrud, Ron Ludtke and many others always ensured that we’d have a great night of racing and dust. From 1966t o 1968 my future wife and I were at Hales Corners every Saturday to cheer for Reimer in the A3.. In later years, I was on the pit crew of George Scheffler’s ’67 Chevelle sportsman at Hales Corners.
Sure miss Hales and other SE Wisconsin dirt short tracks. Too bad development and changing residential attitudes doomed them.
Hey Dennis, Yes, like you lots of us were at the tracks “back in the day”. I was just listening to a podcast about Alan Kulwicki. The guy telling the story said they raced dirt at Cedarburg and Hales Corners when Alan was just getting started. Thanks for sharing your experiences. I remember Johnny Reimer when he was racing in Oregon, Wisconsin. Best, Randy
Randy,
I have any number of memories of Hales Corners as my father and several of his friends were shirt-tail relatives of John Kaishian, the track owner and worked the track every Saturday during the summer. We the 8-10 young teens would arrive at the track early and clean up the stands, and sit low in the turn 1 bleachers during qualifying so that we’d be sprayed with mud. Later we sold hot dogs or did other jobs, and of course stayed late with our dads closing things up after getting to watch the evening’s events. I still remember that one early Saturday when I was allowed to drive my dads new ‘62 Pontiac around the track a few times after being admonished to “not wreck it”. Our family moved to California in the mid 1960’s so perhaps my memories were of a different era, but they will always be remindful of a great place at a great time. Oh, and as for my favorite, it will always be “Fuzzy the Hound Fassbender”.
George, I remember the name “Fuzzy Fassbender”! The good thing about your Hales Corner memories is that you will have them forever! Best, Randy
The one thing that brings back memories of Hales Corners is a Polish sausage with sauer kraut on a bun. The smell of oil, dirt and that delectable taste of South East Wisconsin will always remain with me. My older brother took me as a kid on occasion and I loved every second of it…..and that Polish sausage…….
I can taste that Polish saugage right now!
My dad, Roger McKenzie, ran Precision Engineering back in the day. Just curious if anyone has pictures of any of his cars. I spent many weekends at the track growing up. He always promised to take me back into the pit when I was old enough. Unfortunately he passed before we had the chance.
Can anyone help out Nicole here? Thanks. Randy
Has Nicole checked with Pat Heaney? It’s been a while since I got any from him but as far as I know he’s the guy with all the Hales Pics. The email I have is below, not sure if it’s current.
patrickheaney2796@sbcglobal.net
By the way, I took the Bernie Binion (Rubber Duck) pic above when I was 11 in 1972. I do have a few more if you would like to see them.
I remember my dad taking me to Hales every Friday night. I also remember the Thursday night Sportmans night. They would run motorcycles, snowmobiles, demo derby, rollover contests. I remember being there the night Kevin Olson’s throttle stuck open and ran directly into the third turn wall. I was told that the impact was so great that it popped out of their sockets. Not sure if it’s true but they took him away in the ambulance. Thinking about Hales has bought back a lot of memories.
Hi John, Thanks for your post. I didn’t make it up to Hales until much later in its lifespan. From everything I’ve heard it was the place to be for dirt racing up in Wisconsin. Right off the bat I’m remembering the track announcer (Jack?) saying “You don’t have to drive fast to enjoy fast driving”. Nice to have all of those memories, isn’t it? Best, Randy
Watched many races there, took my first girlfriend to several races, and I lived in New Berlin, the next town over and would fall asleep with the sound of the cars racing on Saturday night
My excellent stepfather and mother used to take me here on Friday nights (Saturday?) and what a blast I had every time especially during the Demolition Derby’s! Also, my stepbrother would go with us occasionally and I think we even headed over to The Organ Piper for pizza and Pacman games on special nights. Great family memories indeed.
I went to hales corner speedway once as we were camping in the area as I was growing up. Good races. I just remember a lot of beating and banging of the race cars when they were racing.
I worked at Hales Corners Speedway for several years in Security. This track would have made it longer if it wasn’t so mis managed by the owner. The place was falling apart and barely could pass a health inspection from the city. In it’s final days it was infested with drugs and heavy drinking that lead to a lot of DUI’s. I’m glad it’s gone before some one was killed but the activity off the track as well as for the junk that was always flying off the track into the stands. They will never build another dirt track like this due to the cost and the insurance that would have to be paid on it. No one wold be crazy enough to bank roll this.
Was there snowmobile races in the late 70s early 80s?
While searching some history about City of Franklin, I ran across your Hales Corners Speedway article. My grandfather Jacob Falk owned the original property. He used it to raise his heifer cows for his farm across the highway. When he retired in about 1948 from farming he leased out the farm to become the Hales Corners airport. He then sold the property that eventually became the speedway. The first year after the sale it was used for baseball fields but the second year it was turned into the race track. The original owner purchased one of grandpa’s sheds and moved it across Hwy 100 and until the closing of the track the shed was used for maintenance work. My cousin Ronnie and I attended many of the races in the early days watching the race drivers like Miles Milious. Fuzzy Fausfender and others. We also parked cars across Hwy 100 on grandpa’s lower farm property when the lot at the speedway filled up. I believe we use to charge about $.50 per car and of course grandpa left us keep whatever we collected. It was rather sad when the track was sold. I am happy that the big oak tree in the parking lot was kept. I still remember seeing grandpa’s cows resting in the shade of that big tree. Thanks for letting me put a bit of this famous part of Franklin’s history on your web page.
jerry Falk
Jerry, Great information. I love it when folks who know the back story of a particular track share it with others. All the best, Randy
I started going to the track in 1976. Got to know a lot of people there. I also drove the demo derby,and then drove in the Hales Whales. What a blast.i also helped Dave Gittens film,from there I started working for Jim Wehner.
Then moved into security for Jim wetzel.
I even tried my hand at being a flag guy for the derby. I would like to thank all that had a hand in letting me try the things I was able to do at the race track.
Just to pass this on, I have heard from many many people ,how they miss the track. I also do miss it.
The dirt track was like no others around here.
Wish someone would try to get another dirt track started before too long. I would be happy to pick up where
I left off. Until then , thanks for letting me speak my thoughts. Mike Reed
i will always love the track and i raced the rubber duck car after we pulled it out a guys backyard in 1982 we then put a snoopy dog on top seeing the hole were the rubber duck sat for many race nights my monte carlo then ran with snoopy on it always knowing what started this snoopy thing for us its sad to think i wrecked the rubber duck and had send to the scrap yard i know now i should have restored it would that have been something to show now so sad to see hales only history now but thanks john for running the track for us so we can always remember what fun it was out there Saturday nights 85 snoopy mike haeuser