The Hoosier Race Report: The Circle Remains Unbroken

By Danny Burton

Danny Burton’s Hoosier Race Report appears courtesy of OpenWheelRacers.com

This story started long ago, but the other night is what caused me to think about it. My friend Carl’s dad passed away and we went to the viewing. Carl’s dad and family are some of the best people here in this town and the long line at the funeral home was strong evidence. We slowly made our way to where the family waited to greet friends. We stood behind a gentleman about my age, maybe a bit younger. Each of us said hello to various folks there whom we knew. I looked at my watch and guessed that we’d be in line for an hour or more. I would be about right.

We reached the place where mourners sign the guest book for the bereaved family. The gentleman in front of me did look a bit familiar and then he signed his name: Doug Southern. I signed my name and asked Doug if his dad was called Junior Southern. Doug lit up like a streetlight and said yes; Junior was his dad. I told him who I was and who my dad was and he again smiled the biggest smile I’d seen for awhile. My dad and Doug’s dad were good friends and apparently Junior had talked of my dad quite a bit over the years.

Soon enough we were comparing notes, mostly about, you guessed it, racing. Doug still does some go-cart racing, but he and his dad go to the world famous Bloomington Speedway most every Friday night. This confounded me, seeing that I, too, go to Bloomington most every Friday night myself. Doug told me about racing with Carl’s brother Mark in go-carts. He told me how Carl used to go to races all the time back in the day, which Carl had already told me.

Needless to say, time flew and we had made our way up to be greeted by the family. All things considered, the family was taking this well. Carl’s dad had lived a long and full life, and his passing was not a shock, though the feeling of sadness was present nonetheless. Carl greeted us all with his usual smile, with his wife and daughter by his side, as always. We told him a bit of how we, Doug and I, had a bond we didn’t even know of. And I told Carl that this turnout was a great statement by the community about his dad and the whole family.

We proceeded on, meeting the rest of the family. I had myself quite a surprise when Carl’s mom told us that she was related (either a sister or a cousin) to guy named Paul Brooks. This put me away; if Carl had told me that, I’d forgotten. You don’t have to necessarily be an old-timer to recall Paul Brooks, who owned sprint cars back in the 60’s and 70’s and also, I do think, worked on Indy cars too.

And now, to complete the circle: The other day our own John Levan shared with me a note sent to him by a former racer named Dave Norris. I’ve written about Dave here before; he also knew my dad, and his son Kerry was quite a racer too. I was asked to mention Dave here and I had been wondering just how I would be able to do that.

Earlier I described how Doug Southern and I were comparing memories and talking of people we both knew. You can guess that Dave’s name came up, among many others, including Kerry’s of course.

So down in Florida an old racer’s ears may have been burning, along with his son’s, and many other area racers’ too. And a gracefully aging editor in the Keystone State has his request fulfilled, teaching me a lesson: the more people you know, the smaller the world is.

I’ve also written briefly about my buddy Carl last summer when he had some health issues. That article was dedicated to him; this one is for Carl, his family (including Mr. Brooks), Doug, his dad, Dave, Kerry, and of course, my dad, James Lee Burton (1927-1987).

Filling out my dance card for 2006, I’m…

Danny Burton

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