Clyde Ellis passed away

[myjones]

I was watching the Nascar awards banquet recently and was surprised by the middle segment where they ran a list of racing's notables lost in 2013.

My uncle (Clyde Ellis) was one of the names scrolling by. While I was of course aware of his death I hadn't known he would be mentioned there.

In reflection he belongs on that list, and note-able hardly describes the man.

He was a dirt track racer here in the Midwest until he had a near fatal crash and was partially paralyzed at a local track. After that he couldn't race anymore so he became a track official, track manager, track owner and traveling manager scoring the Midwest IMCA circuit. I just always thought of him as a family member, role model/mentor. His broken ribs, collar bone, severed finger, retina damage, skull fracture and paralysis of his left arm was likely due to his shoulder harness being anchored way too far behind the seat. In spite of all the damage he built a successful business empire in KC including many muffler shops, the track, and owning lots of real estate both commercial and residential. He also financed several small businesses some of which were close enough to be in competition with his own. A stranger would see his bad arm and think him handicapped but those who knew him were aware that he was the most able person they knew. He had the biggest heart and gave more second and third chances than most of us deserved. Traveling with him on the IMCA circuit is where I learned to love the sound of a Hemi wound up and getting it done.
Dale Berry
Hemi
33

[Kalstar]

I was watching the Nascar awards banquet recently and was surprised by the middle segment where they ran a list of racing's notables lost in 2013.

My uncle (Clyde Ellis) was one of the names scrolling by. While I was of course aware of his death I hadn't known he would be mentioned there.

In reflection he belongs on that list, and note-able hardly describes the man.

He was a dirt track racer here in the Midwest until he had a near fatal crash and was partially paralyzed at a local track. After that he couldn't race anymore so he became a track official, track manager, track owner and traveling manager scoring the Midwest IMCA circuit. I just always thought of him as a family member, role model/mentor. His broken ribs, collar bone, severed finger, retina damage, skull fracture and paralysis of his left arm was likely due to his shoulder harness being anchored way too far behind the seat. In spite of all the damage he built a successful business empire in KC including many muffler shops, the track, and owning lots of real estate both commercial and residential. He also financed several small businesses some of which were close enough to be in competition with his own. A stranger would see his bad arm and think him handicapped but those who knew him were aware that he was the most able person they knew. He had the biggest heart and gave more second and third chances than most of us deserved. Traveling with him on the IMCA circuit is where I learned to love the sound of a Hemi wound up and getting it done.
Dale Berry
Hemi
33

Well said, seemed like an inspirational guy.

[David Hodgkins]

Dale,

Sorry for loss man. You uncle seems like the kind of guy who made a habit of defying the odds. We should all strive to live life so delibrately.

Thanks for the heads-up and describing the type of man he was.

I'll say a prayer for him.

[myjones]

Dale,
Sorry for loss man. You uncle seems like the kind of guy who made a habit of defying the odds. We should all strive to live life so delibrately.
Thanks for the heads-up and describing the type of man he was.
I'll say a prayer for him.

Well said, seemed like an inspirational guy.

I guess the year end had me looking back and he came to mind. The sense of community in the local dirt track crowd here in KC mirrors a lot of what I see on the forum. Often we lose someone of his stature and wonder where that kind of strength comes from. The recent phrase "we are them going forward" is a very big challenge. Thanks for the lift guys

Dale

[Robert Andrew]

Dale, I'm sorry to hear of Clyde's death. I had the pleasure to meet him at one of his shops in the early 90s, and see some of his memorabilia. He was a wonderful guy. While I was very much aware of his business success, I had no idea that he had such an accomplished racing history. For him to be recognized by NASCAR, certainly speaks volumes about the respect they had for his contribution to racing. That is a real honor, and I'm sure that you're very proud. Best wishes.

[Vman7]

Dale, sorry to hear about your Uncle Clyde. Sounds like he had a very accomplished life, something his children and grand children can be proud of.

David

[myjones]

Dale, I'm sorry to hear of Clyde's death. I had the pleasure to meet him at one of his shops in the early 90s, and see some of his memorabilia. He was a wonderful guy. While I was very much aware of his business success, I had no idea that he had such an accomplished racing history. For him to be recognized by NASCAR, certainly speaks volumes about the respect they had for his contribution to racing. That is a real honor, and I'm sure that you're very proud. Best wishes.

Robert
Few people knew that before he built the new dirt track he flew the city fathers over one of the Nascar tracks down south to show them the financial impact on a city. That visual stuck and the city made the low interest loan to build Lakeside, with one caveat. They got to choose the location for it.

The end result (Wolcott) was platted for the dirt track, a dragstrip and a Nascar track if/when it made sense. They even promised a separate interchange on 435 to the multitrack facility to avoid the RR crossing. As locals know that's river-bottom land and it flooded out a whole season with over 20ft deep of river over the stands and several feet deep in the concession bldg. With no relief on the note and a years lost revenue and the flood damage he eventually let it go. Several years later when Nascar wanted to build here the city was already on-board and chose a dry location with better access for traffic. So Kansas speedway is kind of a result of Clyde's dream. With Clyde growing up in a town with 3 dirt tracks it's no surprise he had the fever. If you haven't read local open wheel hot-shoe Bud Hunnicutt's book on that era here it's worth a read, it's called
"up on the wheel"
Dale

[Movieman]

Thanks for posting this. Good people should be remembered. We hear plenty abount the stinkers in this world but not enough about the many good ones that have touched our lives.
Again my thanks for this.

[myjones]

Thanks for posting this. Good people should be remembered. We hear plenty abount the stinkers in this world but not enough about the many good ones that have touched our lives.
Again my thanks for this.

One of the images in my head is from his first job after he lost the use of his arm. He went to work as a bartender because "it only takes one hand to pull a beer tap". Another was of him later as track manager breaking up a fight in the pits after a race. A white guy with an afro had a guy down whaling on him pretty bad, when Clyde said "that's enough, break it up". The guy didn't stop so Clyde with his one good hand grabbed a handful of hair, dragged him off and led him around with his face pushed close to the ground telling him to quit and walk away. It was kinda funny until the guy refused to cool off. Clyde lifted the guys head enough to put a hard knee<>all he had left> in the guys face, knocking him out cold. Then told the guys friends he was barred for the season for refusing to quit fighting.
Someone in the crowd noticed him looking all around at the ground where it happened and said what are you looking for Clyde, and he said I'm looking for a rock to hit the SOB with if he comes too and wants to fight some more. Hard to feel sorry for yourself with a role model that gets it done no matter the odds.
Thanks for the kind words
Dale

[myjones]

The next chapter of my families racing DNA story played out Friday night.
It brought to mind Dave Smith's passion for family that he expressed a couple weeks ago while giving me a lengthy plant tour and talking about who we all are in the world and the FF community.
"We are them going forward" is not just a phrase but how we should live our lives. My father passed away in April and was the other half of my exposure to racing at a young age. The Uncle above was Mom's brother so I got the bug from both sides of the family. Some of you may have seen Dad's story on the other forum including his (last ride)<> the casket towed to the graveside with his grandsons B-mod. Friday night the current owners of our
home track held the first annual Joe Berry B-Mod showdown in Dad's honor. Big purse, show-up money, a family suite for the event and shirts with Dad and his G-son Curtis's car on them. At the checkered flag they also had Mom present the trophy to the winner. The current owners of the track remind me of Dave Smith and so many others I have met here that have more class than any other segment of society I have seen in my lifetime.
Dale Berry Hemi33
Joe Berry T-shirt -2.jpg
dad rs.jpg

[myjones]

The next chapter of my families racing DNA story played out Friday night.
It brought to mind Dave Smith's passion for family that he expressed a couple weeks ago while giving me a lengthy plant tour and talking about who we all are in the world and the FF community.
"We are them going forward" is not just a phrase but how we should live our lives. My father passed away in April and was the other half of my exposure to racing at a young age. The Uncle above was Mom's brother so I got the bug from both sides of the family. Some of you may have seen Dad's story on the other forum including his (last ride)<> the casket towed to the graveside with his grandsons B-mod. Friday night the current owners of our
home track held the first annual Joe Berry B-Mod showdown in Dad's honor. Big purse, show-up money, a family suite for the event and shirts with Dad and his G-son Curtis's car on them. At the checkered flag they also had Mom present the trophy to the winner. The current owners of the track remind me of Dave Smith and so many others I have met here that have more class than any other segment of society I have seen in my lifetime.
Dale Berry Hemi33
Joe Berry T-shirt -2.jpg
dad rs.jpg

Last night was the second annual Joe Berry B-mod shootout at our home track Lakeside Speedway. Once again they asked Mom to give the trophy to the winner of the event and she agreed. It's not often you see an 85 YO trophy girl at a dirt track but she climbed the ladder down from the stands and made the presentation. The family suite and the one next to it was full of 4 generations of family and friends last night to watch Joe's G son race in the event. Dad's brother is still on the pit crew of the current track owner who's also a family friend so there was a friendly rivalry there as well. Neither of them won the race and my nephews car was trashed enough to leave the track hanging between 2 tow trucks so he has a lot to do before next weekend, he's fine just a bit poorer from the carnage but that's racing. Mom needed help down the ladder and asked me to go along with my daughter who's 6 months pregnant so we went with. I'll try to post up that pic of 4 generations giving away the trophy when I get it but here's the clincher. The winner held the trophy for the pictures then tried to get Mom to take it home because he thought she "might like to keep it" , THAT my friends is the "more class" that I mentioned in the above post and is still very true in the car hobby and racing teams. Mom told him "You earned it and Joe would want YOU to keep it" so he did.
As Dave Smith says, " We are them going forward" to which I will add, try to live up to the legacy.
Dale Berry