2004 

Playland Speedway Reunion 
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The 2004 reunion was held on April 18th at McGees in Council Bluffs, Ia.  Over 100 people attended with about 80 there at one time. Thanks to Carol Elder and my daughters Jessica and Anissa for taking all these pictures.  The reunion was fun! We got over 90 people signed in!! Everyone seemed to have a good time. I got more compliments this time and we had lots of new faces.  
Gale Hevelone and Don Ronk Frank Prideaux, Rick Pfiefer and Roy Robertson Jim Brennan, Kim Elder and Chuck Gillespie Scott Gillette, Glenn and Al McKeighan Mel Kruger and Dan Franks Phil Kennon and Kim Elder

Bobby Parker with his wife Donna, and Pete Huffman were two of the greats from the midget era that attended. Mel and Joan Kruger attended again. What a gem he is! Really, all the guys are! 

Scott Neal elder_0013.jpg (38737 bytes) Don Ronk and O J Gay and Gerri Ronk Pam Wheeler Prchal and Dick Christensen Chuck Gillespie (right) Jim Brennan talking to Roy, Rick and Frank 
Don Ronk came out despite his health problems. He is great to talk to. Another of the truly nice folks that graced Playland Speedway. 


Don Ronk and Kim Elder Bob Fitzsimmons elder_0020.jpg (49761 bytes) Jack Anderson (?) Joe Estes and George Tangeman Glenn McKeighan and Me. 

Coming in from Des Moines was Gale Hevelone. It was good to see him again after all these years. The guy coming the farthest distance had to be Wild Bill Martin. Bill came 750 miles from Tennessee for his daughter's wedding and came over to see everyone. 


left to right, Kim Elder, John Wilcox and Don Brown elder_0074.jpg (39211 bytes) elder_0075.jpg (34832 bytes) elder_0076.jpg (38412 bytes) Howard Koziol, Kim Elder and Bill Martin Mark Zdan, Dan Franks, Kim Elder 
The Pafford brothers came over from Nodaway Iowa. Nice to meet those guys. 

We had a very special treat: Dale Swanson brought a very beautiful, professional scrapbook for everyone to see. Another special treat, Bob Golden co-owner during the L&G era, a very nice man! Bob made the rounds and talked with everyone. 

elder_0040.jpg (33477 bytes) Jim Nordstrom, O J Gay elder_0042.jpg (39046 bytes) elder_0043.jpg (39517 bytes) Delbert Grosse and family Joe Estes and O J Gay 

Bill Stawowczyk brought a couple of very nice scrap books of Randall Leazenby's. He graciously loaned it to me for scanning. Wait till you see the pics in there. Thanks Bill! You can see in these shots taht there were more scrapbooks this time and everyone really seemed to enjoy them.

elder_0053.jpg (39958 bytes) elder_0055.jpg (144943 bytes) elder_0056.jpg (37204 bytes) Where else would you see Don Brown, Mel Kruger, Dale Swanson and Sonny Miller in one place?! elder_0058.jpg (31495 bytes) Jim Boyd 


OK, the names I can read from the sign-in sheet. You'll notice lots of new names here: 
Stan Shinabargar, Jon Farris, Phil Kennon, O.J. Gay,Elvin Heiman, Frank Prideaux, Al Rocha, Chuck Gillespie, Cecil Hierg Sr., Jerry Mabbitt, Scott Neal, Rick Pfiefer, Bob Newton, Bart Hise, Jim Brennan, Jim Boyd, Lyle Christensen, Dick Christensen, Bob Aldrich, Pam Wheeler Prchal, Delbert & Nancy Grosse, Mike Knoble, Bob and Sandy Fitzsimmons, Jack Anderson, Daniel Storm, Jim Nordstrom, Joe Daub, Dayne Long, Carlos Negrete, George Tangeman, Joe Estes, Debra Petry, Sonny and Sue Miller, Mike Prchal, Bob Hague, Sean Geer, Jen Bradley, Ed Kellar, Jake Vincent, Joe Gascoigne, Don Brown, Mark Zdan, Jim Boyd, Bob Fitzsimmons, Paul Flock, Phil Heine, Howard Koziol, Troy Watson, Craig Hancock, Al and Glen McKeighan my uncles- Roy Robertson and Dave Franks were all in attendance.

O J Gay, Sonny and Sue Miller Bill Martin and Glenn McKeighan (standing) elder_0036.jpg (41455 bytes) The Paffords, Kathy, Ted, Bob and Dave elder_0038.jpg (43611 bytes) Dale Swanson 

elder_0067.jpg (30497 bytes) elder_0068.jpg (24106 bytes) elder_0069.jpg (39404 bytes) elder_0070.jpg (39109 bytes) elder_0071.jpg (29717 bytes) elder_0072.jpg (30330 bytes) 

Pam Prchal with her dad's jacket. Pam with Dad- Larry "The Hawk" Wheeler's racing jacket.  franks11.jpg (39769 bytes) Dave Franks and Dan Franks franks13.jpg (49731 bytes) franks14.jpg (39145 bytes) 

Pam Wheeler Prchal displaying her dad, Larry "the Hawk" Wheeler's racing jacket! My uncle Dave sitting beside me.  Dave pitted for Larry Jiskra.  Larry attended the last reunion, Dave didn't.  This time no Larry.  We can't get these guys in the same place at the same time.

elder_0060.jpg (28594 bytes) elder_0062.jpg (34221 bytes) Jim Nordstrom and Jin Boyd elder_0064.jpg (32630 bytes) Paul Flock Paul Flock (middle) 

Ted and Bob Pafford. Gerri Ronk (foreground) Delbert Grosse and family Joe Daub elder_0030.jpg (35419 bytes) Jeremy and Dan Franks, Sonny and Sue Miller Sonny talking with OJ Gay  Gene Quandt

 

elder_0046.jpg (40718 bytes) elder_0047.jpg (33681 bytes) elder_0048.jpg (35738 bytes) elder_0049.jpg (33625 bytes) elder_0050.jpg (33640 bytes) Bob Golden of Leazenby and Golden.... Playland Speedway ownres 

franks01.jpg (29341 bytes) Alonzo Grosse with his racecar. franks03.jpg (27331 bytes) franks04.jpg (28355 bytes) franks05.jpg (31482 bytes) franks06.jpg (32532 bytes) 

Thanks to Rich McGee and his staff at McGees. 

Thanks to Kim Elder Kim Elder for his help organizing and selling T-shirts.  Carol Elder for taking so many nice pics and putting them on cd.. 

Thanks to all the folks that bought t-shirts. 

Special thanks to all the helpers.  Wayne Ratliff The Wayne Ratliff family.  and his whole family, especially Tony who did such a great job giving away the door prizes. We managed to give away 100 passes to NRP, courtesy of Dave Freuer, and 50 passes to CCS, courtesy of Tom Gutowski. Kim Elder gave away a stack of free car washes, Rich McGee gave away a bunch of t-shirts, I gave away five t-shirts.  My bro, Wes Franks (Quality Construction) gave away a $25 gift certificate to Home Depot. 

My daughters Jessica and Anissa for taking pics and my sons Jeremy and Chance for helping out with set up. My son Jeremy and my friend Scott Gillette Scott Gillette were especially helpful loading the Devil Woman in the rain! Scott also helps me with the coupe in the pits when we race. See our race schedule HERE.

 

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We are considering another reunion in the late October/early November timeframe. Having so many new faces convinced me that I'm still not reaching enough guys. There are a lot more of them out there. 

O J Gay Frank Prideaux franks23.jpg (49924 bytes) Sonny and Sue Miller franks25.jpg (43111 bytes) franks26.jpg (34606 bytes)

franks27.jpg (34237 bytes) franks28.jpg (41048 bytes) Joey Daub Carlos Negrete left, Wayne Ratliff and Jack Anderson (?) franks31.jpg (40840 bytes) franks32.jpg (32394 bytes) 

Al McKeighan franks34.jpg (47319 bytes) Dick Christensen (?) Joe Estes bailing right before the rain and hail! franks37.jpg (46208 bytes) franks38.jpg (37132 bytes) 

franks39.jpg (48025 bytes)  Dale swanson and Joe Daub looking at the website Pete Huffman Dan Franks and Bob Parker

Joe Daub  franks45.jpg (44495 bytes) Frank Prideaux Dale and Mary Jane Swanson Rick Pfiefer (left) Uncle Roy Robertson 

franks49.jpg (38249 bytes) franks50.jpg (47624 bytes) Stan, Wild Bill, Jim, Dick franks52.jpg (46969 bytes) Harold "Cecil" Hierg and grandson 

Joe Estes and George Tangeman Mel Kruger and Ed Kellar  

Thanks to EVERYONE that attended.

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