The Five Flags Speedway in Pensacola, Florida is the next scheduled event on the 2019 ARCA Menard’s Series schedule. The Toledo, Ohio based organization ran their first event there in 1992 and their last in 1996. There’s been alot of checkered flags dropped since that time. But when ARCA first arrived, the track was somewhat famous for only having a wall on the frontstretch (the ARCA cars were finally welcomed with concrete surrounding the whole layout by 1994). 1991 Rookie of the Year Roy Payne scored his only ARCA win there in the inaugural run, Harold Fair Sr. took his first of two at the half mile in 1993, while Gary Bradberry used his first ARCA triumph to propel him to the top rookie crown in 1994! Also, short track ace Rich Bickle won his first ever ARCA pole (of two total) there in that first year!
And people like former NFL coach Jerry Glanville, current ARCA Menard’s Series car owner Andy Hillenburg, L.W. Miller (now married to Kelly Earnhardt…the late NASCAR star Dale Earnhardt Sr.’s daughter), Brad’s late car owner & NASCAR legend James Hylton…and even Dick Tracey (no not the comic book hero) strapped in for at least one ARCA lap in the ensuing six events.
The facility also holds a sad distinction of being the first ARCA event staged after losing then long-time President Bob Loga in an incident the week before in 1996…and the first with current President Ron Drager at the helm.
Joining the racers list who have taken a ARCA green flag at arguably the “Gold Coast’s” premier short track venue is current veteran campaigner Brad Smith. The Detroit, Michigan area native produced one start there in 1996 as he was attempting to rejoin the series on a full-time basis following his rookie campaign of 1988 and part-time schedules leading up to that season. It was not all that pleasant of an experience.
“We kind of decided to enter Pensacola at the last minute. But the only short track car was an old Petty Enterprises Pontiac we had and that was in pieces in my shop at home,” explained Smith. “And Wayne (Peterson) & Jerry Smith (no relation) only had superspeedway cars ready to go so we took mine and did our best to put it together quick but we still had a bunch of problems after arriving.”
Smith, who now holds a Master’s Degree in the engineering field, has worked full-time his whole adult life for all the major car companies. And with that, sometimes one thing has to give way for another, and this 1996 event was a prime example. And still being a somewhat young racer at the time, Wayne & Gerald wanted to teach their young driver a bit about race car mechanics.
“We’d find problems to correct at the track, but they’d show me but then have me turn the wrenches on it,” laughed the 50-year-old. “But it was a great learning experience because both have been around for so long and know so much!” Ironically, Brad still owns that car to this day!
Brad got very limited practice time and qualified 24th, the car skipping and popping most of the session. And with time running out, there were no more minutes left on the clock to fully repair all the issues prior to the green flag, which Brad did take but only made one circuit before pulling behind the wall with ignition issues and placing 25th (last).
However, he still looks forward to this visit. “(Promoter) Bob Sargent always does things first class. Plus its good to get away from the winters in Michigan to the nice weather in Florida!”
After Hylton’s sudden and tragic death last year, the team has scrambled to regroup and should be in pretty good shape for the 2019 season and started it off 19th at Daytona!
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