Racin and Rockin
Encyclopedia
Racin and Rockin is an annual motorsports and music festival held at Springport Motor Speedway
, located in Springport
, Michigan
each summer in celebration of true Americana
; Short track motor racing
, Rock-n-Roll
and A Pig Roast
.
The first Racin and Rockin was held in 2005 and is held annually. Racin & Rockin IV will be held this year on July 26, 2008. The Auto Racing
portion of the festival will feature racing in the following classes: Modifieds, Sportsman, Ponies and Pures. The Music
portion of the event will feature The Basement Dawgs.
return to life after 3 years dormant. The brainchild of Matt Schindewolf; who is affectionally known as the Racing Hippie ; was attending the Michigan Short Track Racing Club annual charity bowl-a-thon and was impressed with the support and genorisity the racing fans were giving local Michigan Modified Racing Association racer Buck Harsen who had lost everything in a home fire that winter . Matt who is the Director of Public Service for the City of Brighton, Mi
decided that local short track racing needed to give back to the fans who supported the sport he loved so much.
From the mouth of Mr. Schindewolf,
; in the Pony Stock race Kenny Clark of Grand Ledge, Mi
; and in the Michigan Legends race Levi Rouster won the feature.
Off the track and after the race, the Basement Dawgs took to the stage to provide the live music while track owner Paul Zimmerman manned the BBQ.
; in the Sportsman race Walt Obrinski of Duck Lake, Mi; in the Pure Stock race Aaron Spearling of Otisville, Mi
and in the Pony Stock race Brent McCort of Onondaga, Mi
Off the track and after the race, the Basement Dawgs took to the stage to provide the live music while track owner Paul Zimmerman manned the BBQ. Nearly 1000 fans joined the racers in the pits after the race to partake in the food, music and festivities. Most drivers stayed well into the night, showing off their cars and signing autographs. Many camped
overnight, which started a tradition
.
driver Maurice Randall saw Racin and Rockin moved up into June. The cooler temperatures made for a more enjoyable evening of racing, music, food and fun . A record crowd was on hand to witness the event.
Springport Motor Speedway
Springport Motor Speedway is a 3/8th mile, high-banked, oval short track located northwest of Springport, Michigan.Springport Motor Speedway opened in the fall of 1989 under the name of Michigan Ideal Speedway...
, located in Springport
Springport, Michigan
Springport is a village in Jackson County of the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the village population was 704. The village is located within Springport Township on M-99.-Geography:...
, Michigan
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
each summer in celebration of true Americana
Americana
Americana refers to artifacts, or a collection of artifacts, related to the history, geography, folklore and cultural heritage of the United States. Many kinds of material fall within the definition of Americana: paintings, prints and drawings; license plates or entire vehicles, household objects,...
; Short track motor racing
Short track motor racing
In North American auto racing, particularly with regard to NASCAR, a short track is a racetrack of less than one mile in length. Short track racing, often associated with fairgrounds and similar venues, is where stock car racing first got off the back roads and into organized and regulated...
, Rock-n-Roll
Rock and roll
Rock and roll is a genre of popular music that originated and evolved in the United States during the late 1940s and early 1950s, primarily from a combination of African American blues, country, jazz, and gospel music...
and A Pig Roast
Pig pickin'
A pig pickin is a type of party or gathering held primarily in the American South which involves the barbecuing of a whole hog . Females, or gilts, are used as well...
.
The first Racin and Rockin was held in 2005 and is held annually. Racin & Rockin IV will be held this year on July 26, 2008. The Auto Racing
Auto racing
Auto racing is a motorsport involving the racing of cars for competition. It is one of the world's most watched televised sports.-The beginning of racing:...
portion of the festival will feature racing in the following classes: Modifieds, Sportsman, Ponies and Pures. The Music
Music
Music is an art form whose medium is sound and silence. Its common elements are pitch , rhythm , dynamics, and the sonic qualities of timbre and texture...
portion of the event will feature The Basement Dawgs.
History
Racin and Rockin was first held in 2005 as the highlight event of Calhoun County SpeedwaySpringport Motor Speedway
Springport Motor Speedway is a 3/8th mile, high-banked, oval short track located northwest of Springport, Michigan.Springport Motor Speedway opened in the fall of 1989 under the name of Michigan Ideal Speedway...
return to life after 3 years dormant. The brainchild of Matt Schindewolf; who is affectionally known as the Racing Hippie ; was attending the Michigan Short Track Racing Club annual charity bowl-a-thon and was impressed with the support and genorisity the racing fans were giving local Michigan Modified Racing Association racer Buck Harsen who had lost everything in a home fire that winter . Matt who is the Director of Public Service for the City of Brighton, Mi
Brighton, Michigan
Brighton is a principal satellite city of Metro Detroit located in the southeast portion of Livingston County in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 7,444. Brighton forms part of the South Lyon-Howell-Brighton Urban Area...
decided that local short track racing needed to give back to the fans who supported the sport he loved so much.
From the mouth of Mr. Schindewolf,
"I know when we are gigging and the crowd is enjoying us and the music is sounding sweet, I'm in seventh heaven.
I get off on the people enjoying the music and having a good time. The money invested is secondary to me, and getting paid for doing it is one of those, "You mean I get paid to have this much fun?" types of things. I get off on fronting the band and working to make sure everyone has fun.
I also enjoy (usually) doing what I do with Racin' and Rockin'. Similar to putting on a good show, I want and hope, that Racin' and Rockin' is indeed taken for what it is intended to be, nothing more than a fan appreciation night, and a driver/crew appreciation/mid summer night's worth of racing and fun and food. If it is enjoyed by everyone, then I am more than satisified. As are those who help me put this event on, from those on the front line preparing the things for the event, from food to trophies, to contingency awards, to helping with the logisitics and set up and event day organization, to keeping track of the award money and making sure it gets to the right person, we are all working to make this one great night of fans, crews, drivers, track workers, promoters, and everyone else involved having fun and a good memory to recall when we are all too old to do this anymore.
Remember the genesis of R&R. I was complaining to Big Ed and the Governor about missing racing because of band practice. Big Ed told me I ought to hold band practice at the track, the Governor thought so too.
Next thing you know, R&R was born."
2005 : Racin and Rockin I
Racin and Rockin was held on July 9, 2005. The inaugural event drew a strong contingent of racers from all over Mid-Michigan each of whom were striving to become the first ever Racin and Rockin champion. On the track, the race winners were; in the Modified race Bill Luckhurst of Ovid, MiOvid, Michigan
Ovid is a village in Clinton and Shiawassee counties in the U.S. state of Michigan. Nearly all of the village is located within Ovid Township in Clinton County. The population was 1,514 at the 2000 census.The village is on M-21, about east of St...
; in the Pony Stock race Kenny Clark of Grand Ledge, Mi
Grand Ledge, Michigan
Grand Ledge is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. The city lies mostly within Eaton County, though a small portion extends into Clinton County, and sits above the Grand River 12.7 miles directly west of downtown Lansing. The population was 7,813 at the 2000 census...
; and in the Michigan Legends race Levi Rouster won the feature.
Off the track and after the race, the Basement Dawgs took to the stage to provide the live music while track owner Paul Zimmerman manned the BBQ.
2006 : Racin and Rockin II
Racin and Rockin II was held on July 8, 2006. The largest crowd of the season turned out in force to participate in the event. On the track, the race winners were; in the Modified race Dick Mauer of Owosso, MiOwosso, Michigan
Owosso is a city in Shiawassee County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 15,713 at the 2000 census. The city is located on the eastern side of Owosso Township, but is politically independent...
; in the Sportsman race Walt Obrinski of Duck Lake, Mi; in the Pure Stock race Aaron Spearling of Otisville, Mi
Otisville, Michigan
Otisville is a village in Genesee County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 882 at the 2000 census. The village is within Forest Township.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the village has a total area of...
and in the Pony Stock race Brent McCort of Onondaga, Mi
Onondaga, Michigan
Onondaga is an unincorporated community in Onondaga Township in the southwestern corner of Ingham County in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is situated on the Grand River at approximately 20 miles south of Lansing and approximately 15 mile northwest of Jackson....
Off the track and after the race, the Basement Dawgs took to the stage to provide the live music while track owner Paul Zimmerman manned the BBQ. Nearly 1000 fans joined the racers in the pits after the race to partake in the food, music and festivities. Most drivers stayed well into the night, showing off their cars and signing autographs. Many camped
Camping
Camping is an outdoor recreational activity. The participants leave urban areas, their home region, or civilization and enjoy nature while spending one or several nights outdoors, usually at a campsite. Camping may involve the use of a tent, caravan, motorhome, cabin, a primitive structure, or no...
overnight, which started a tradition
Tradition
A tradition is a ritual, belief or object passed down within a society, still maintained in the present, with origins in the past. Common examples include holidays or impractical but socially meaningful clothes , but the idea has also been applied to social norms such as greetings...
.
2007 : Racin and Rockin III
Racin and Rockin III was held on June 16, 2007. The track operating under new promotor and former NASCARNASCAR
The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing is a family-owned and -operated business venture that sanctions and governs multiple auto racing sports events. It was founded by Bill France Sr. in 1947–48. As of 2009, the CEO for the company is Brian France, grandson of the late Bill France Sr...
driver Maurice Randall saw Racin and Rockin moved up into June. The cooler temperatures made for a more enjoyable evening of racing, music, food and fun . A record crowd was on hand to witness the event.
Top 5 Finishers
| Year | Class | Winner | 2nd Place | 3rd Place | 4th Place | 5th Place |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 | Modifieds | Bill Luchurst | Bill Engle | Earl Miles | Jason Parish | Chris Ozanich |
| Pony Stocks | Kenny Clark | Scott Quaal | Gerry Persails | Kyle Trinklein | Willie Conroy | |
| Michigan Legends | Levi Rouster | Ryan Meldrum | AJ Thompson | Jerry Warden | Krissy Kilbourn | |
| 2006 | Modifieds | Dick Maurer | Phil Luckhurst | Larry Wallace | Chris Ozanich | Dan Loughan |
| Street Stocks | Walt Obrinski | Pat Dent | Harold Patrick | Scott Sigman | Corey Davis | |
| Pure Stocks | Aaron Spearling | Wayne Parkhurst II | Russell Potter IV | Doug Patrick | Bryan Passick Sr | |
| Pony Stocks | Brent McCort | John Ward | Kyle Callahan | Harlan Oleski | Joe Bates | |
| 2007 | Modifieds | Chris Ozanich | Leroy Ellis | Jason Parish | Harry Foote | Earl Miles |
| Super Late Models | Harry Foote | Jon McNett | Evan Barrett | Joseph Taylor | John Dunivon | |
| Sportsman | Dan Lewis | Jack Koone | Damon Place | Steve Oberst | Jimmy Johnson | |
| Pony Stock | Jimmy Scavarda | Thomas Conroy | Darren Bohne | Jerry LaFontaine | Edson Rowley III |