Growing up in a race car family I have met everyone who has been my idols. Johnny White was my grandfather and Jimmy White my father. Rapid Rich Vogler was no time for yesterday or last place, petal to the floor and no time for second place and always had you on your feet. I miss flying with him and listening to him talk about his passion for racing. He will always be my hero of racing. I remember him telling me why he never brought extra cars to the track and his passion for Nascar which he sadly was one day short of doing. He is missed as is alot of the driver's who has gone to early.
Growing up my Dad would watch Thursday night Thunder. We happened to be watching that night Rich was killed. It's one of the few moments I remember vividly like it was yesterday. I was 11 years old when that happened.
I watched Thursday night thunder every week and saw the crash that killed Rich Vogler. He was a bulldog for sure. Some other very bad crashes on that show but it was great racing and I wish it was still on !
Mel is a great person had the chance to watch him in person, an to talk with him after the race,dream come true! Rich was a man on a mission! Sadly never got to meet Rich, I cried that night,
Had the pleasure of seeing Mel Kenyon, Rich Vogler, Sleepy Trip, Doug Wolfgang, Jac Houdenschild, Jack Hewitt, Jimmy Sills, Every Kinser (I think) look, almost everyone who raced a Sprintcar or a Midget and came down to the arse end of the World, Sydney, Australia to ply their trade, I've seen em' up to and including Thomas Mezerol (I hope I've spell it right) and Rico Arbreu, I've seen them all, but was only ever disappointed once, and that was with Sammy Swindell, and you won't guess what he was doing!!
I remember the "Turkey Night Grand Prix" back in about 1999 and their was signature event and Tony Stewart hated these and tried to leave as soon as possible. A five year old kid was there in a driving suit just like Tony's Home Depot suit and was about to reach the front of the line when Tony said 'outa here, see ya' and started to leave. Mel saw what was happening and grabbed Tony and got him to sign for the kid telling him 'You gotta do this!'. It is the kind of man Mel was and one of the few people that Tony would have listened to. Mel had not qualified well that night and had missed the show but shortly before the feature was to start it was announced that the field was being enlarged, and Mel was in the race. There is a book, "A Hand For The Wheel" and if you read it you will know much more about racing, and about Mel Kenyon. I never understood why Mel was so well thought of by those who were so involved in racing until I read this book. Their are people who tear the sport down and people who build it up and the best of the 'builder uppers' is Mel.
I believe That Rich V. is the only man to ever WIN the race he lost his life in, met him raced against him with Dave Gable back in the day. Mel Kenyon is an old friend, I run into him every summer at the Kenyon midget races, been to his shop and had the grand tour, if he likes ya and if your polite, don't go in their ah cuss in like you just got wrecked on the way, he'll give you the grand tour of his shop just like he's known you for years. NICE GUY....
Growing up in a race car family I have met everyone who has been my idols. Johnny White was my grandfather and Jimmy White my father. Rapid Rich Vogler was no time for yesterday or last place, petal to the floor and no time for second place and always had you on your feet. I miss flying with him and listening to him talk about his passion for racing. He will always be my hero of racing. I remember him telling me why he never brought extra cars to the track and his passion for Nascar which he sadly was one day short of doing. He is missed as is alot of the driver's who has gone to early.
👍these films are awesome
Love this little feature, I want more of it now!
Excellent video.
I have had the honor of meeting and seeing the great Mel Kenyon race indoor at Ft Wayne Indiana!
Was that the night Tony Stewart flipped him near the end of the feature?
Growing up my Dad would watch Thursday night Thunder. We happened to be watching that night Rich was killed. It's one of the few moments I remember vividly like it was yesterday. I was 11 years old when that happened.
That was my wedding night. I taped on my vcr while on my honeymoon and watched it when we got home.😞
more of that stuff great vid
I watched Thursday night thunder every week and saw the crash that killed Rich Vogler. He was a bulldog for sure. Some other very bad crashes on that show but it was great racing and I wish it was still on !
Man Mel, was a man among men, wow, what car control, without fingers. Dam that’s badass
I can’t remember Kenyon running Midgets and Sprints teamed with Kinser in the 60’s … Angel Park Wisconsin
Mel is a great person had the chance to watch him in person, an to talk with him after the race,dream come true! Rich was a man on a mission! Sadly never got to meet Rich, I cried that night,
Got to see Mel Kenyon race in the FargoDome. Sad to never see Vogler.
This looks cool
Had the pleasure of seeing Mel Kenyon, Rich Vogler, Sleepy Trip, Doug Wolfgang, Jac Houdenschild, Jack Hewitt, Jimmy Sills, Every Kinser (I think) look, almost everyone who raced a Sprintcar or a Midget and came down to the arse end of the World, Sydney, Australia to ply their trade, I've seen em' up to and including Thomas Mezerol (I hope I've spell it right) and Rico Arbreu, I've seen them all, but was only ever disappointed once, and that was with Sammy Swindell, and you won't guess what he was doing!!
Wow!
I remember the "Turkey Night Grand Prix" back in about 1999 and their was signature event and Tony Stewart hated these and tried to leave as soon as possible. A five year old kid was there in a driving suit just like Tony's Home Depot suit and was about to reach the front of the line when Tony said 'outa here, see ya' and started to leave. Mel saw what was happening and grabbed Tony and got him to sign for the kid telling him 'You gotta do this!'. It is the kind of man Mel was and one of the few people that Tony would have listened to.
Mel had not qualified well that night and had missed the show but shortly before the feature was to start it was announced that the field was being enlarged, and Mel was in the race. There is a book, "A Hand For The Wheel" and if you read it you will know much more about racing, and about Mel Kenyon. I never understood why Mel was so well thought of by those who were so involved in racing until I read this book. Their are people who tear the sport down and people who build it up and the best of the 'builder uppers' is Mel.
I believe That Rich V. is the only man to ever WIN the race he lost his life in, met him raced against him with Dave Gable back in the day. Mel Kenyon is an old friend, I run into him every summer at the Kenyon midget races, been to his shop and had the grand tour, if he likes ya and if your polite, don't go in their ah cuss in like you just got wrecked on the way, he'll give you the grand tour of his shop just like he's known you for years. NICE GUY....