A Lifetime of Going in Circles
As of the 2025 Chili Bowl in January, I will be 81 years old and very soon to be 82. I purchased my first race car in 1958 at the age of 15. It was considered a Jalopy or Hard Top under NASCAR sanction. As the age limit to drive at that time was 21, I hired drivers and raced it In central Calif., mostly locally at Atascadero Speedway but ventured out a few times to race at Fresno's Kearney Bowl and the San Jose Speedway. That means that I have either owned &/or been affiliated with race cars for 68 years excepting I missed 1 full year while in the service. Over those 68 years, I've wrenched on cars, built cars, built engines, been in the driver's seat, sponsored cars, co-sponsored series etc..
When racing sprint cars, I gave up the driving chores as my priorities were my family first and business interests second and both were growing fast. My Involvement with auto racing was my outlet or hobby and therefore I was not able to drop everything and go race with national tours or even to race full schedules locally with few exceptions. However, I enjoyed wrenching on the cars and I guess you would call it becoming more of a "car or team owner/manager".
During those 68 years, I have been involved with oval track racing both pavement and dirt, with over a dozen different types of racecars i.e. Jalopies, Modlfieds, Sprint Cars -both wing and traditional non wing, Modified Midgets, Midgets, Silver Crown, Dirt Modifieds, ARCA Stock Cars, NASCAR Truck Series, Busch/Xfinity Series, and NASCAR Cup Series.
I have had numerous drivers and a reasonable amount of success over the years for a hobby racer. Of course, you always want more no matter how much you accomplish. If my memory seNes me right, the total number of drivers who drove for me in cars I owned or was affiliated with throughout those years totals 47. Some may have only driven for me 2 or 3 times as perhaps they, or I, were traveling in different parts of the country. Others might have raced a full season or more. I think all parted ways on good terms and I have remained friends with many of them over the years.
Out of the 47 drivers I've had, 16 became members of either the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame, the West Coast Stock Car/Motorsports Hall of Fame or the NASCAR Hall of Fame. In addition, 2 other Hof members worked as crew chiefs on my various cars. To sum it up, 1 out of every 3 drivers who drove for me has become a member of a major Hall of Fame. Some were National Champions in their fields and others were local and regional champions. I'm very proud of the caliber of drivers I was able to attract.
Also, over the past 20 plus years, I have served on various auto racing Boards of Directors, (National Sprint Car Hall of Fame and Museum in Knoxville, Iowa, National Midget Auto Racing Hall of Fame in Indianapolis, Ind., West Coast Stock Car/Motorsports Hall of Fame headquartered in Danville, Calif.).
Most important to me are the contacts and friendships I have made throughout the country over the years. These friends come from all walks of life but all have a common interest.
After all of these years, my priorities have remained the same, as have my interests. I can't thank my family enough for supporting me and helping me to continue "Going In Circles".
Richard (Dick) Woodland
Woodland Auto Display
