Five Decades of Racing, Rowdys and Rods

A Racers Diary

By Rick Watson

I dedicate this writing to my late Step Dad Mr. Bob Reynoldson the man who took me to my first race, and who was one of the most honest, hardworking, wonderful men I ever knew. Also to my wife Mary who has encouraged me, and worked alongside of me to extend my racing career further than I ever thought possible, no one has ever given me more support than her, without her I would not even be racing today. Also to Mr. Guy Scheffler, a man who gave me my first break in racing, and was willing to give a young kid a chance. I thank you all.

Here's my story.

I was born in a very small rural town called Albion Nebraska. But there was something in that little town that would have a huge impact on my entire life. We had a County Fairgrounds, and at that fairgrounds was a race track. In 1964 when I was 7 years old my stepdad took me to my first race there. I knew immediately after seeing that first race that I was going to be a race car driver when I grew up. My family told me by the time I got old enough I would find other interests and move on. But I knew what I would do at age 7. Some years later my neighbor (Mr. Guy Scheffler) who lived just one block away started to build a race car, and I asked if I could help. I was 12 years old, the year was 1969. He said "let’s see what ya got boy". I guess I did ok; he kept me on with him for the next several years. I kept my mouth shut, and my ears open. He taught me a lot, and I also learned very quickly that racing is a lot different on the inside, than it is from sitting in the grandstands. As they say, “It’s always easier from the grandstands”. We towed the car 7 blocks to the track with a passenger car and a log chain. No we haven’t always had 18 wheelers with complete shops within to haul our race cars in like we do today. In those days we didn’t even carry an air compressor, and our tool box you could carry with one hand. Heck we didn't even have a trailer!

As the years went on and I got out of High School my buddies and I built several cars for both circle tracks and drag racing. The Kramer brothers were childhood friends of mine who’s Dad was a dirt track racer and a man whom I admired very much, Mr. Walt Kramer, but his two sons Bob & Scott did not follow their Dads direction in racing. Walt’s two sons went on to became drag racers, and anything I know about drag racing, I learned from those two guys, and believe me, those two guys knew everything there was to know about drag racing. I had many good times with them traveling up and down the highways, racing at the track, or just bench racing in general. I also owe a lot of my mechanical ability to those two brothers, they taught me a lot as well. But sometimes I wonder how I ever survived it. Those guys played hard, and raced hard. But I am proud to call them lifelong friends, whom I still keep in touch with to this day. But how all three of us are still alive today, can only be considered a miracle.

Another childhood friend of mine was the late Doug Austin, Doug and I made many trips to Mid-Continent Raceway in Grand Island NE in the late 70’s to watch the big time racers as spectators, and Doug also drove a stock car that I helped wrench on along with Joe Schilousky who was a mechanical whiz. We raced an old 55 Chevy and later a 69 Dodge Charger. That old Charger was a damn good race car, but the 440 cu. engine sure did help. Unfortunately we lost Doug at age 22.

In 1981 I moved from Nebraska to Colorado. I started to build my own racing team, I wasn't rich, but those were the best of times. I was the owner, builder, crew chief and driver. I had fair success racing at Colorado National Speedway. My brother G.B. and the late Doug Orth were a big help.

In 1989 I was offered a position with the Budweiser Racing Team based out of Sacramento CA. All the years of sacrifice and dedication had finally paid off; I had reached the big leagues of circle track racing. I started out as a pit crewmember, then with a multiple car team was offered the opportunity to work as crew chief. We were given everything we asked for, money was no problem, just win, we were told. I gave it my all for 3 years and the results were two points’ championships. We were the second most winning sprint car in the United States in 1990, Steve Kinser was first, and Doug Wolfgang was 3rd, two of the greatest drivers to ever strap into a race car. We had countless main event "A" feature wins along with a Gold Cup Challenge win in 1992. The Gold Cup Challenge race is the best cars in the world all together at one track. As we left the track after the Gold Cup win, in our brand new Peterbilt semi-tractor trailer, with two race cars back in the trailer and three spare race cars back in our shop, I thought to myself, how did I ever end up here, from a small rural town in Nebraska pulling a 1955 Ford with a log chain, to one of the premier racing teams in America. I had reached the top.

After all the fast living in California I wanted to try racing in a more relaxed atmosphere. I missed Colorado so I returned in 1993, found the racecar girl I had always dreamed of. Mary said she had always been here waiting. Together with a retired gentleman Mr. Don Cambell, we built a modified racecar to race here locally just for fun. We still hold the track record on the oval at Second Creek Raceway just outside of Denver.

Mary and I decided to try our luck at drag racing in 1996 and during the beginning stages of construction all the small injuries I had over the years came to a head. After major back surgery the neuro surgeon told me I would never strap into a racecar again, I don't think I've ever had such a big lump in my throat after hearing that. I spent the next 12 months flat on my back, and the next several months after that, learning how to balance myself and walk again. My first triumph was getting from my bed to the restroom with no help. It took several months to get to the point where I could walk around the block. Then came getting into a passenger car and driving on the public streets again. I really felt I had my independence back after that. Thank God I had Mary, she had to do everything for me, and the household, plus work more than full time. That is a debt I will never be able to repay. During that time Mary still saw to it that I was able to race. She bought me a steering wheel and peddles that I could hook up to our computer desk so I could race sprint cars competitively online, while healing. The cars have all the same chassis adjustments the real cars do, and other than not feeling the G forces in the corners it is a very real sensation. The competition online is every bit as tough as well, and best of all I can't get hurt.

After I was healed up as much as I ever was going to be, I still had the desire for racing competition. Determined to travel around and race, and have some comradely with fellow racers, I found a place where all of us busted up racers go…..to the radio control racecar track! The cars are every bit as technical as their big brothers and the racing is just as competitive as anything I've ever been associated with. My wife Mary bought me the Sunshine Auto Repair, Fortrust, Pontiac Grand Prix NASCAR. And once again I was racing. After many years on the road I have no plans to return to that type of life style. It was all worth it, but not easy. My long term plans, are to keep racing rc cars, keep in contact with all of the friends I've made over the years, and to go home at night, and put my feet up and relax for a change!

Part II

2003

Part I of this writing was the original story that ran in a newspaper that I was asked to write, part II and beyond this point is simply a diary I have tried to keep up with……This year I completed my rookie season racing in the Nascar RC Division in Denver. The teams I competed against are some of the best in the nation. We had a point’s series that I was lucky enough to place 6th in.

Another high point of racing in 2003 was to be united after 30 years with "The Man" Mr. Guy Scheffler. He hadn't changed much, other than his blond hair had changed to silver but he still had the touch behind the wheel of a race car. I never thought we would get together again at the race track. It was such a great experience to be with him & his wife again, I felt as though I had made a full circle in my racing life. 30 some years later I was with the same people racing the same type of cars,(vintage cars now)and racing in the same area of Nebraska. I was even lucky enough to go to my parent’s house, after the races and sleep in the same bedroom that I had slept in all those many years ago. After looking back, that weekend answered a question I had in the first part of this autobiography. That is, I do know how I got to that point in my career with a new semi truck and 5 new race cars. I made it to the big leagues of racing because of a man who was willing to give a young 12 year old boy a chance. It was because of Mr.Guy Scheffler, the man who gave me my first break in racing.

Part III

2004

So far 2004 has already brought a clean sweep in the RC Nascar division at a new track located in Longmont CO. We set fast time, won our heat race and the main event feature race. Next weekend I plan on driving it like I stole it!

2005:

Can't believe the year is almost over. Because of my job and working all hours. I had to park the RC cars this year, but I was able to race online, and keep my racing streak going. It's unreal how they can almost make you feel like you are sitting in a real car going around the track. Dale Earnhart Jr. said other than the feel in the seat of your pants it's the same. I started racing in leagues, and then tried out for the World Championships. They had 55 drivers from 6 nations represented. We ran 4 tracks in 4 weeks. I shocked myself when I ended up 7th in the Sprint Car Division. 5th in the Late Model Division and 5th in the Modified Division. I think it was pure beginners luck. 2006 looks like it will bring a lot more online racing as I will be competing in 3 different leagues.

2009:

I have been racing only online the last couple of years and holding my own. However my wife thought I should get back into radio control racing (RC). So I dusted off my cars and equipment and headed to Ft. Collins Colorado to start racing again with the oval cars, NASCAR style. The guys I used to race with welcomed me back with great enthusiasm. It was great to be back, but I learned in a hurry that they had picked up a lot of speed since I raced with them last. To say the least I got my butt handed to me the first night back. So back to the wallet I went to make our car faster. The next week I showed up and won the Frost Buster 150. I was also the second fastest qualifier. So with that I went home with a big head and had a big party the next day.

2010

This year was an off year, my wife needed to have therapy and it just didn't leave enough coins in the kitty to race. I took in a few races as a spectator, but only drove in a few sim sprint car races in 2010 to keep my racing streak going.

2011.

I always wondered what my racing would or wouldn’t be like in 2011, because #11 is the number I have raced with a lot. I was hoping it would be a good year, but it ended up being more than I could have ever hoped for. My wife and I attended a race in Hays Kansas the year before in 2010 and made instant friends with a wonderful couple by the names of Ron and Avis Murphy. Together they had a vintage race car that would take your breath away. The car was perfect in every way. They had some books and pictures on display at a car show earlier in the day before the track opened for the sprint car and vintage car races that night, and my wife started to read some of the book to me as I looked at the car. Ron came over and started talking to us about the car and we just clicked. Maybe it was because we share the same birthday, who knows. But Ron and his wife were just wonderful people. Well in 2011 Ron called me on the phone and started asking me questions like, do you still have your racing fire suit? And do you still have your helmet? Well I’m thinking to myself, is this guy going to ask me what I think he’s going to ask me? Sure enough he asked me if I would like to race his car in the Nationals at RPM Speedway in Hays Kansas. My first thought was the doctor told me my full size racing days were over. I told Ron ”let me have you ask the boss that question”. I didn’t have a problem with it, as I had felt fine for years now. But I thought it was only fair to ask my wife what she thought. As Mary talked on the phone with Mr. Murphy, her eyes got kind of big and she looked at me and gave me a big thumbs up! WOW I went straight down and got my old racing bag out and washed the fire suit and dusted off my helmet, I was like a kid on Christmas morning. I hadn’t been this excited in years. We arrived at RPM Speedway and Mr. Murphy instructed me on how to drive the car as it had a two stick transmission and a hand clutch. By the way, if you’re shifting with your right hand, and pulling the clutch back with the left hand, what does that leave for the steering wheel? “Your knees”. Ron told me before the race not to worry about anything, just have fun, it will all come back to you, it will seem like you raced last week once you get going. Well he was exactly right. Being new to the car the track and the competitors, I elected to start in the back. After a few slow laps and getting the feel for the car, I took off and I felt as though I had never missed a week of racing, but oh what a rush it was! When I pulled into the pits my wife came up to me all excited and said you won, you won! I thought no way, I knew I passed a lot of cars but I couldn’t have won. Ron came up with a big smile on his face and said you did great you got third! Ok I can believe that, Mary got some slower lapped cars mixed up, but she gets a big A+ for enthusiasm and willing to work hard to help in any way she can. When Mary tightens the safety harness’s on me, believe me, I can hardly breath, but you can’t get them too tight. After that race a driver in the same race walked up to Mr. Murphy and said, “I thought you said Rick hadn’t raced in a long time”? Ron replied he hasn’t, can you believe a guy can go out there and drive like that after being away from it for that long? “No” said the other driver as he stormed off. As the summer went along Ron invited me to race at several other tracks, I will never forget the summer of 2011 as long as I live. I also will always appreciate the fact that my wife started reading the information at the car show the year before that lead us to meeting Mr. & Mrs. Murphy. I am also very thankful and humbled that Mr. Murphy called me that day to ask me to drive his race car. The highest honor a race car driver can get is to be asked by someone else to drive their race car, and I will always be indebted to Mr. Murphy for that. Ron’s equipment is always 1st class and a pleasure to drive.

2012

I started the winter of 2012 being a rookie again racing an RC Sprint Car. I found RC sprint cars to be much more challenging than the stock cars and my finishes showed it. Towards the end of the season the car caught fire and burned up a bunch of the electronics. So I called it a season for the RC deal and decided to concentrate on the big cars as spring was in the air. I drove the #38 modified for Mr. Ron Murphy again. Ron gave me lots of seat time and more laps behind the wheel than I could have ever imagined. I went to a new track as a spectator in Jetmore KS to watch the National ASCS sprint cars race with Brady Bacon taking the win there. I also took off where I left off in 2011 by crewing on the #12 XXX chassis, Myers Racing Engines, Sprint Car, with owner/driver Bob Schaeffer behind the wheel. Our first official win came at Ft. Morgan’s I-76 Speedway. We are racing at tracks in Colorado and Kansas.

2013

This year found me back behind the wheel of the #38 Ron Murphy Special. I got to race at some new tracks, and as always, I listen close to everything Ron tells me as I figure he forgot more about racing than I know. By the way, Ron started racing the same year I was born. Bob Schaeffer took the year off from sprint car racing, so my schedule was not quit as hectic this year.

2014

I was lucky enough to be called back to sit behind the wheel of the Murphy Motorsports car. Ron and I really seem to click, and his craftsmanship and knowledge of how to set up a race car suspension is awesome. Ron Shaeffer went back to battle in the sprint car wars, and I was once again there to wrench on his car and cover his back side. I had a fairly decent year with both teams.

2015

WOW what a year, I drove for two different race car teams, raced at some new tracks, and was able to fulfill a dream I did not think would ever happen. I got to race at the famous “Belleville High Banks”. I also wrenched on the Schaeffer sprint car again. Bob and I aren’t getting any younger, but we can still show the young guys how it’s done every now and then. Sometimes I wonder if it ever gets under 100 degrees in the Midwest in the summer time. I don’t know how people live and work back there, the humidity is unbearable, and it’s all I can do to survive a weekend of racing back there.

2016

I won my first race of the year driving the 38T car for KB Murphy in Goodland KS. I also raced the 38H car for Ron Murphy the highlight of the year was at Norton KS where I raced Mr. Murphy’s car but also raced Ron Falks $1.98 car. What a great weekend. From there I headed straight to Boone IA for the Super Nationals 6 straight nights of racing with 906 race cars entered. I was escorted into the track by the track owner, given a free ticket and interviewed by the announcer before I even saw my first race. Crewed for Bob Schaeffer, and once for Jeff Heffner in the 14 car.

2017

I drove the #38 modified for Ron Murphy again. Ron turned 78 this year and has no plans of slowing down. For the second time I got to race on my favorite track, the High Banks of Belleville, I even won there this year. If you ever have a chance to see a race at Belleville GO, it is a bucket list track, one of the fastest dirt tracks on the planet. Ron himself raced in Kansas, Iowa and Oklahoma this year. I also crewed for Bob Schaeffer on his sprint car. We had a very limited schedule but we did race in Kansas and Nebraska, but all of the dirt tracks we raced on were junk. Nobody either doesn't know how to prepare a dirt track for racing or they don't want to spend the time and money to do it. Mary and I went to Lakeside Speedway in Kansas City this year to watch the Lucas Oil Late Models and that track was very well prepped. I also took the plunge this year and got a new gaming computer and started racing on iRacing, (iRacing.com). It is unbelievable how real of a simulation it is. All the tracks and cars are laser scanned so everything looks exactly as it really is. I was fortunate enough to place 2nd out of 177 drivers in a time trial competition in the dirt late model division.

Well that about raps it up for now. Just remember, racecar spelled backwards is racecar!


Rick Watson's Racing Resum


Years (1969-1974) Nebraska

Scheffler Racing Team (Stock Cars)

Boone County Raceway

Years (1976-1978) Nebraska

Austin Racing Team (Stock Cars)

Boone County Raceway

Riviera Raceway

Years (1979-1981) Nebraska

Kramer Racing Team (Drag Cars)

Kearney Dragway

Years (1982-1988) Colorado

Rick Watson Racing Team (Stock Cars)

Colorado National Speedway

Years (1989-1992) California

Budweiser Racing Team (Sprint Cars)

Professional Traveling Team

Years (1993-1995) Colorado, Wyoming

Campbell Racing Team (C.A.R.C. Modifieds)

Second Creek Raceway

Big Country Speedway

Years (1999-2012) Colorado

Watson Motorsports (Radio Control Cars)

Years 2011-Present Kansas

Murphy Motorsports (vintage modifieds) Kansas

Years 2011-Present Colorado & Kansas

Schaeffer Motorsports (Sprint Cars)