AT THE RACES

**** Summertime Friday nights were Race nights in Gibson County . The venue was the Milan Speedway . The track was built in the mid 60's by Haywood Western .


Some said Mr. Western built the track so his boy J.D. would have a place to race . J.D. Western was the hometown favorite in his car F - 90 .

Cars & drivers came from all over the area to run for prize money . Tough Guy Leonard Mann driving car# 007 was from McKenzie .

Taze Lofton drove car # 62 . You either loved or hated Taze . They said he was a college boy who only ran well out in front . The word was Taze would not fight his way through the pack . Fact was when Taze started in front he most often finished there . Lofton rarely made a mistake .

Another masterful driver was George Merriweather who had several rides #22 & # 308 among them .

These four were the best of the local boys . There were many other locals but almost all of the money was won by the big four .

There were twins from Camden who weren't good drivers but excellent daredevils . They had an airplane which they often flew under the Tennessee River bridge . This scared the Snot out of cars on the bridge & boats on the water .

The event would not have been complete without the Big Name Memphis boys . Hoyt & Eddie Ray Alexander , Sam Swindell , Black Jack Al McDaniel , & the crazy Gatlin Brothers were regulars .

About 3 times a year the legend Hooker Hood would show up . I don't recall Hooker winning much at Milan . J.D. was hard to beat on his home track & if Taze timed well enough to start on the pole he finished first .

There were some exciting crashes , cars flying everywhere . Sometimes the cars jumped the fences & ended up in the grandstands or the cotton patch . I don't recall any fatal injuries .

After bumping on the track , tempers could get out of control . Fights between drivers , pit crews , & fans were commonplace . These were really good fights , usually pretty bloody .

If you thought someone was cheating you could protest . You put 50 dollars down on the hood of their car & they had to tear the engine down right there .

If they were okay they kept your fifty bucks . If they were cheating they had to return all their winnings . Some of the best fights were at protests .

I spent many a Summer Friday night at the races . Sometimes I went to Riverside In West Memphis on Saturday night . It was a lot of fun .

J.D. Western died in a wreck on the highway in 1966 or 67 . Mr. Haywood kept the Speedway going for a few years but it wasn't the same .

I wish I could hear them start their engines one more time.

THANK YOU FOR READING !!!