"Where it all began..."
As we've rebuilt our website, we've decided to revamp the Guestbook as well. Please note that YOU MUST SUPPLY your first name, last name, contact phone number, and email address for verification. Upon your request, they will be withheld from public view. We've also added a security box where you need to type in the random letters below in the space provided to halt electronic spam.
Note that all entries are subject to editing for grammar, spelling, and content before being posted on the Guestbook.
Thank you.
Date:
02/20/2009,
1140 am, EDT
Name: Karen Specht
Email:
figure8racing@hotmail.com
Number: 29
AJ & Michele,
On behalf of the SAFER website administrators I would like to send our most sincere sympathies to you and all of the family at this difficult time. I saw your posting of dads passing and will also post a notice of it here for you.
"Pops" as so many referred to him, was a kind, generous person who will be missed by many.
GODSPEED Allan.
Karen Specht
Date:
11/30/2008,
8:45 am, EDT
Name: Joe Larsen
Email: jtl4858@aol.com
Number: 28
I saw some
questions regarding the Hall of Fame procedures and I figured I would explain.
Nominations are taken at a monthly meeting at the end of the
season. The Board records the nominees, then Joe Saraceno contacts the trustees
and gets their opinion. The list is narrowed down and the chosen person or
people is put in a "sealed" envelope, so to speak, and announced at the Banquet.
I am sure if there are folks out their who would like to see
someone nominated, I am sure they could contact SAFER and that person would be
considered.
Joe Larsen
Date:
11/17/2008,
7:22 pm, EDT
Name: Richard Fisher
Email:
threespeed1371@yahoo.com
Number: 27
Hey; great
site! Was turned on to it by a friend down here at Citrus County Speedway in
Fla. Brings back memories of Islip. I'll spread the word of your site. Keep up
the great job. Have a great day.
Thanks,
Rich Fischer
Date:
10/12/2008,
7:51 pm, EDT
Name: Benjamin Zell
Email:
ben_zell10@yahoo.com
Number: 26
Hi. My name is Ben Zell, the son of John "The Flyen Mailman" Zell. I was just wondering if you guys still hand out my fathers Sportsmanship Award. I was also wondering if you know a way for me to get some pics of my father racing being that it was 13 years ago. Thank you, have a nice day.
Date:
8/04/2008,
7:51 pm, EDT
Name: Ben Zell
Email: ben_zell10@yahoo.com
Number: 25
I just wanted to thank you guys for the story about my father. I didn't know much about him since he died when I was only seven. I have been racing myself last year. I raced at New Smyrna Speedway in a Mini Stock and got rookie of the year and finished 4th in points. I think my dad would have been proud being that I had no help and never raced anything in my life.
Date:
7/08/2008,
6:51 am, EDT
Name: Skip Schlatmann
Email: Skip@Bison-Trucking.com
Number: 24
Hello, my father in law is Ritchie Gomes. In 1967, he was the Figure 8 Champion for Islip Speedway. Dad is still alive and well.
I wanted to know how someone gets into the Hall of Fame. He was a great driver in both Figure 8 and Modifieds. Please let me know. Thank you.
Skip Schlatmann
EDITOR'S NOTE:
Skip, I believe the procedure is normally a person gets nominated in secret in the months leading up to the annual Awards Banquet in March. Outside the selection committee, nobody knows who is nominated, and then selected until the announcement at the Banquet.
Should anyone wish to clarify the procedure further, we'd appreciate it.
Date:
5/29/2008,
12:55 pm, EDT
Name: Charles Thorbin
Email:
chasthor05@yahoo.com
Number: 23
Memorial Race for Richie Thorbin this Saturday at DeSoto Speedway. Richie Drove the # 30 At Islip Speedway. Was a long time driver in The Figure Eights, Richie will be gone 2 years in June, Thanks.
Date:
4/11/2008,
12:45 pm, EDT
Name: Mike Fields
Email:
MikeF@LongIslandMotorsports.com
Number: 22
You would think so. Perhaps they're working on a new version of Webster's Dictionary! Seriously, I didn't notice it until you said something. I didn't do the logo. I was told that a friend of a S.A.F.E.R. member supplied it, and I simply placed it on the site, although I should have looked at it when I placed it there... Sorry.
Karen Specht informs me that the person/company that made the logo is correcting it. When we receive it, I'll place it up on the site ASAP.
That being said, whoever did the graphic did a hell of a great job updating the old outdated logo, and deserves many kudos for it!
Date:
4/11/2008,
12:40 pm, EDT
Name: Will Batsche
Email: 22fig8@verizon.net
Number: 21
Mike, I like the new logo. The car reminds me of the Dean. However, isn't it ASSOCIATION?
Date:
3/14/2008,
6:48 pm, EDT
Name: Walter Johnston
Email:
wizgrand@gmail.com
Number: 20
Just curious, but how come there are no listings for earlier than 1988 for Hall of Fame? I know people were inducted prior to that, right?
Date:
3/07/2008,
11:48 pm, EDT
Name: John Zell Jr.
Email:
jzell14@apmail.apsu.edu
Number: 19
Just wanted to say hello to everyone. Sure would like to see the Figure Eights at a 20 car field again. Thanks to Ricky Swanson and YOUTUBE, I was able to watch about all last seasons Fig 8 Races. Currently living in Gastonia , NC just outside Charlotte. Miss Riverhead a lot. Cya and Good luck.
Date: 1/29/2008,
6:31 pm, EDT
Name: Denise Sergio
Email:
Figure8_00@yahoo.com
Number: 18
If you
wouldn't mind could you post this it is for a good cause.. I know it has nothing
to do with racing but a lot of our family and friends are diagnosed with
Autism.. Thanks Denise
The band, Five for Fighting, is generously donating $0.49 to
AutismSpeaks for *each time* this video is viewed. The funding goes toward
research studies to help find a cure for autism. When you have a moment, please
visit the link below to watch the video and pass it along to your loved ones.
They are aiming for 10,000 hits, but hopefully we can help them to surpass this
goal.
It doesn't cost you anything but 4 minutes of your time. http://www.whatkindofworlddoyouwant.com/videos/view/id/408214
Editor's Note:
1) First off, we apologize for not having this post up in a timely manner. This has languished in our inbox for almost a month without being read; totally our fault.
2) We should note that to find out more and/or donate to Autism Speaks, go to www.AutismSpeaks.org.
Mike Fields
Date: 12/18/2007,
1:00 pm, EDT
Name: Charlie Hargraves
Email:
charlie74p@aol.com
Number: 17
I am in the process of putting together a list of the most popular drivers of all time. If you all would send me email concerning your top 5 favorite drivers of all time, and a list of your top 5 favorite drivers that race today. They must be figure-8 drivers from any track. Also be sure to check out the newest figure-8 racing website at www.hargravesracing.bravehost.com and visit our racing blog, message board, picture album, classifieds, and all of links.
Thanks and hope to here back from you soon, again this is not about who was, is the best, but about your favorite drivers. Email them to me at charlie74p@aol.com or post them on the my website, or here at safer8, thanks.
Charlie Hargraves
Hargraves Racing #74
Date: 12/01/2007,
9:30 am, EDT
Name: A.J. Van Ness
Email:
racinteam18@tampabay.rr.com
Number: 16
The sight looks real good. Keep up the good work.
Date: 11/26/2007,
6:56 pm, EDT
Name: Allen Van Ness (Pappy)
Email:
www.pappyfig.8@aol.com
Number: 15
I hope all
the drivers/owners/crews get together to work on getting the div. back.
Hopefully the track will work with everybody to get racing on Long Island bask
to some thing we all will be proud of. Good luck.
PS: Hi Kenny Reinik. You worked on my crew with Bobby Mason. Hope
your family is well. Nice to hear from you.
Date: 11/18/2007,
1:10 pm, EDT
Name: Karen Specht
Email:
Figure8Racing@hotmail.com
Number: 14
Al, we don't make the choices of who is inducted to the Safer Hall of Fame. Many very qualified and deserving people have been chosen based on their merits in years past. We are sure that those making the decisions of inductee(s) are considering and choosing carefully. We know that regardless of who is picked, they are deserving of this honor.
Karen
Date: 11/18/2007,
1:02 pm, EDT
Name: Allen Van Ness (Pappy)
Email:
www.pappyfig.8@aol.com
Number: 13
Bill Steen. He was one of the best in the fig8 division It is time to put him in the Hall of Fame as soon as possible. He finished second in the points many times. He won the 2000cnampionship with a handicap at the time. He always had nice looking cars week in and week out. He was a great representative of the division. Please vote him in. There are drivers like Don Howe and others in the Hall. I am a member and would like to see Bill there with me.
Date: 11/07/2007,
7:10 pm, EDT
Name: Mike Fields
Email: liracenews@hotmail.com
Number: 12
Hi Denise, Thanks for the kind words on the site. Plans for the banquet are sometime in March as usual. For now, we have no plans to place a message board on the site.
Date: 11/07/2007,
7:08 pm, EDT
Name: Denise Sergio
Email:
figure8_00@yahoo.com
Number: 11
Any word on the SAFER Banquet yet? I know it is a little early, just curious. The website looks great. Is there anyway to possibly put some type of forum on it?
Date: 10/27/2007,
4:57 pm, EDT
Name: Allen Van Ness (Pappy)
Email:
www.pappyfig.8@aol.com
Number: 10
SUBJECT: BILL STEEN
The fig8 division has lost one of the best out there. Bill retired because the cost got to be too much. Guys spending over 10,000 dollars for a motor alone.500dollars for tires. When have a wreck it cost a lot to replace the parts. Sorry to see him go. He will be missed as he had a big fan base. No cars is the fault of cost to be competitive. Lower the cost and maybe you will get some of them back
Date: 10/26/2007,
10:21 pm, EDT
Name: Walter Johnston
Email: wizgrand@gmail.com
Number: 9
It's nice to see this site being so well maintained once more. Hopefully, it will fulfill the mission of reinvigorating Figure-8 racing on LI and beyond.
Date: 10/7/2007,
3:47 pm, EDT
Name: Allen VanNess
Email: pappyfig8@aol.com
Number: 8
Glad to seeing you back; looking forward to the site updates.
Date: 10/6/2007,
10:23 am, EDT
Name: Mike McCormack
Email: Macnmbsc@aol.com
Number: 7
51 Figure 8
Islip Speedway 1974/1975
Myrtle Beach Speedway
Myrtle Beach, South Carolina
Tech Inspector/Speedway Official
Date: 10/6/2007,
00:36 am, EDT
Name: Ken Resnick
Email:
heattech@optonline.net
Number: 6
As a former figure 8 racer from Islip Speedway (1979-1982,
partnered with Ray Theiss), I'd like to say how nice the website looks.
Congrats.
Ken Resnick
#03 1979-1982, later sold to John Zell.
Date: 10/3/2007,
1:36 pm, EDT
Name: Mike Fields
Email: liracenews@hotmail.com
Web: http://www.LongIslandMotorsports.com
Location: Long Beach, NY
Number: 5
I
was thinking that I have a lot more to do. But when I viewed what is on the
server, I just deleted a lot of 'extraneous' garbage that is no longer current.
There's still a couple of pages I'd like to do; but that's not
crucial to keeping the site going.
I would like to ask someone with a digital camera (and who knows
how to use it) to take some head shots of the drivers that are missing on the
Roster page. We'd like to get everyone's
photo up on the site.
The two things that the person should look at is a neutral
background (remember you sponsors and potential sponsors; take it without beer
bottles in the background) and proper lighting.
Thank you.
Date: 10/2/2007,
3:37 pm, EDT
Name: LEAH MAYNOR
Email: LEAH28RACING@AIM.COM
Web: http://WWW.MYSPACE.COM/LEAH28FIG8
Location: NEW YORK
Number: 4
GOOD LUCK TO ALL
Date: 10/2/2007,
2:54 pm, EDT
Name: Bill Batsche Jr.
Email: 22fig8@verizon.net
Web: http://www.islandmovingsupplies.com
Location: Ronkonkoma, N.Y.
Number: 3
Mike, thanks for bringing the site back from the dead.
Date: 10/2/2007,
1:48 pm, EDT
Name: Denise Sergio
Email: Figure8_00@yahoo.com
Location: Ridge, NY
Number: 2
Mike,
Great Job on rebuilding the web-site, it looks great..
Denise
Double Zero Racing
Date: 10/2/2007,
9:53 am, EDT
Name: Mike Fields
Email: liracenews@hotmail.com
Web: http://www.LongIslandMotorsports.com
Location: Long Beach, NY
Number: 1
Congrats to Roger for winning another championship. When are you planning on giving someone else a turn? LOL