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Glenn (Paulsen that is)//////////
 

Jerry Burdick
 

Anyone able to help on this? I left the e-mail address on here in case anyone has info.

I had such a good time going to playland speedway every week-end during the 69,70, and part of the 71 year. I think a reunion would be great. I was a teenager then, but I sure remember some fast exciting races. Can anybody tell me what Glen Mckeigan Driver of the Z-62 car is doing these days? He was my favorite Driver along with Ron Tilley Driver of the Bad-ass 56 car. Are these guys still around? I always wanted to ask Glen Mckeigan what he did to his car to have that Cat like Howl every time he went around the track. I wish I had looked at his car to see what kind of set up he had under his hood. I was on the Gale Hevelone pit crew. #9. I'm trying to locate Gale right now. I was sure happy to find that Playland Speedway has a web site that you can go to. I've got so many fond memories of the races there at Playland. I'll never forget them. Wally Nisson, Frank Van Dorn, Don Brown, Paul Zdan, Elvin Hieman, I can still to this day tell you there car numbers and the color their car was.

Dennis Rarden
S.D. California

NOTE FROM DAN: I spoke with Glen 10-27-03 at the shop he shares with Don Doebelin (another Playland driver!) and Brad Perdue.  Glen had a chevy factory built 302 in that car and ran an over the counter chevy  cam developed for Trans-Am racing. It loved to run high rpms!!

Grandview fan
Guest
Posted: Thu Oct 16, 2003 6:18 pm

I just bought a house in Bellevue and my neighbors tell me that we live smack in the middle of an old racetrack called Grandview. This racetrack is located behind Stella's and I was wondering if anyone has any info on this track? 

Thanks 

From Dave Hellerich:
Raced there in the 60's when it reopened for a couple of weeks. Never new much of the old days there but got a story or two from some that did. Was known as the south omaha drive in at the time and the track sat at the base of the screen. 

When I first started racing the Plymouth coupe #23, we had a Midwest Stock Car Association, made up of local drivers and owners who kind of organized the sport and did some negotiating with track owners etc. They were approached by a fellow from Bellevue to run at his newly refurbished track at the South Omaha Drive In theater location. This was around 1962 or 3, come to find out it had been a race track many years before called Grandview. I think the races were to be run on Sunday afternoons but am not sure on that one, you entered off a street that ran in front of a Tavern or eatery on the east side (not sure of exact directions back then)? The large screen was still there and also a few trailer homes around, As most outdoor theaters, the parking was at a slope to the screen and graveled, the track was at the bottom of the screen and had been recently graded. Don't know if this was the original location but I think so, according to Bud Burdick and others who had raced there way back, there was a pond on the north corner just below turns one and two. With no guard rails many a contestant hurled over that end and ended up in the pond, Bud showed me a rather weathered card in his wallet that read something like " This certifies that Bud Burdick is a member of the Grandview frog pond club" I understand that all that got the dubious honor of ending up in this pond rec'd one of these cards. Can't recall if the pond was still there when we raced those few events in the 60's, With the slope of the land, spectators could sit on lawn chairs and watch the action from up top. Trouble with that was the rocks would keep sliding down onthe track surface and made for a not so good situation for the tires. After the first days races were over all money winners went to the office as usual to get paid but the owner said he did not have enough cash on hand so would mail each one a check. The old "Its in the mail" routine type thing, very upset drivers and assoc. pres. All left and swore not to go back, checks did show up though so next race was attended and things were a bit better but still not the best of conditions or payment options. Remember getting spun out and then hit so hard on the left front of that old Plymouth that I was blaced out for a moment and the spindle was broken on the axle. As most of us did in those days, towed there on a towbar and tried to get it home to 35th and center but was a futile attempt. A real fine fellow and Playland driver with just one arm named Dan Kuntz, had a tow truck for his salvage business and was attending that race so he graciously hooked up the car and took it home. Never would take any money for doing so, am not sure they raced at that track again, maybe once or twice more?? Anyway, if Bill Starrett is still running the Bellevue waste collection business, he was also racing then and probably could relate back to the original track?? Like so many of the down to earth, grease and smoke filled tracks of old, just memories remain. But am glad that I got to experience some small amount of time at them and hopfully can tell these stories to all that want to hear about those days


Guest
Posted: Tue Oct 21, 2003 9:41 pm 

Post subject: Re: Dave's post about Grandview 

Thanks so much for the info... The tavern by the entrance is still there! Its called Stella's. The old entrance is off of FLEETWOOD and FLEETWOOD turns into POWER DRIVE. I live on CHEVRO LANE (cute name dont ya think!?) lol 

I am still mapping out the layout for all of my neighbors. Its kind of hard with the track pretty much gone. 

You said the pond was between turns 1 and 2 ? Would that mean the track ran north and south and turn 1 was on the north east corner? 

Thanks for all of your help! 

By the way, I built street racers for the kids in the area... Racing still happens at Grandview!!! 

NOTE FROM DAN:  Please do go on John!!  More memories and stories please.

Dave Hellerich came through with info on Al  and a picture (added to his page).   Click here to see Dave's page!  Thanks Dave!  Anyone have info on Rich?

I put this post on dirtdrivers.com on 12-22-02:

I am looking for track photos, racing photos, stories, point sheets, anything Playland. Check out 
the Playland website at http://playlandspeedway.tripod.com email Dan Franks at race66@gotra.com if 
you can help. I am creating webpages for ex-drivers there. I want to capture driver history before 
it's too late.

Dave Chase Fan Posted on 01/06/2003 6:14:26 PM

I have some pics of Playland Speedway. I have a lot of memories of that wonderful place too. I'll 
email you in a day or two. 

iceman2 Posted on 01/06/2003 8:30:02 PM

Don't have any pics but do remember the first time I turned a lap there. Hit the wall on the south 
end, went thru the fence and had people that were sitting on the hill, running for their lives! 
Funniest damn nite of racing I ever had!

Dave Chase Fan Posted on 01/07/2003 8:27:24 PM

Iceman, I can't remember the year, likely 68-70 or so, but I believe I'm right that Wally Nissen 
went thru the wall at the entrance to turn 3, and managed to go all the way down to the entrance 
and back onto the track!

Of course there were several instances of cars hammering the walls and winding up wedged in 
between the guard rails and the plywood billboards. 

Another memory comes to mind now that I'm thinking about it. I recall a race, A-Feature I think, 
because it was dark, where Ron Tilley got 3 of those big wide tires cut down in one incident. He 
went to the pits very upset and I remember it sounded like he was trying to blow it up he was so p
issed. Dust flew everywhere as he came to a halt in the pits. He had that first bad-assed 65? 
chevelle with the small block that I swear he was twisting 9 grand. I still think he made a huge 
mistake the next year going to the big block in that car. I can't ever remember a more dominant 
car than the small block chevelle of his. (His prior years '56 chevys were strong too)

I rememeber a huge fight betw the Hasty bunch and Denny Fox too. Scary stuff. 

Funny how memories pop in like this after all these years.

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