The Scoop
$1,009-TO-WIN TERRY VAN ROY MEMORIAL ON TAP AT 141 SPEEDWAY JULY 8
Posted on: Tuesday January 17, 2023
“TVR” with his grand national racer at the now defunct Oshkosh Speedzone Raceway in 2016. (danlewisphoto.net)
$1,009-TO-WIN TERRY VAN ROY MEMORIAL ON TAP AT 141 SPEEDWAY JULY 8
(Tons of bonus cash throughout the field, massive trophies to honor popular Fox Valley racer)
Grand national racers will throw down and square off for a huge payday to honor one of their own during the inaugural running of the Terry Van Roy Memorial race at 141 Speedway in Francis Creek, Wisconsin Saturday, July 8.
The race honors the veteran Darboy racer who passed away December 24, 2022. Van Roy was a popular racer on both the asphalt and the dirt for several decades.
In recent years he was a regular competitor in the grand national division at 141. “Terry was a great friend who’d help pretty much anybody in the sport,” said Ron Kohl, a former racer, tech official and good friend of Van Roy’s. “This race will be to honor Terry and he was very well respected throughout the entire racing family.”
Terry Van Roy gives his trophy to a young race fan after a win at Wisconsin International Raceway in Kaukauna in 2016. (danlewisphoto.net)
Van Roy was a true pioneer in the grand national class. The division got it’s start at the now defunct Chilton Speedway – a quarter-mile dirt bullring at the Calumet County Fairgrounds in Chilton in 1990.
Plans call for a 29-lap grand national feature that night paying $1,009 to the winner. The main event will start 24 cars. There are also many cash bonuses throughout the field, with additional loot doled out for laps 9 and 19. Van Roy sported the car number 09 on his grand national race cars throughout his career.
The event will serve as a regular points night for the division at 141. “The response from the racing community has been great and we’ve already had several individuals and sponsors pledge additional money to boost the payout all through the field,” Kohl said. “Terry was a low dollar guy who always got the most out of his equipment. He’d be happy with a solid payout throughout the field for all the drivers.”
Wilz Racing has stepped up to be a trophy sponsor for this event. The top three finishers will take home hardware in this big event.
A celebration of Terry’s life will take place Sunday, July 9 at Hank and Karen’s Pub and Grill in Appleton starting at 11 a.m.
Kohl has come up with a clever way to recycle the several dozen massive championship trophies Van Roy acquired during his racing career. “I’m going to get three big wheels and we’re going to setup a big wheel track for the kids to race at,” Kohl explained. “Kids who partake will be able to take home Terry’s ‘recycled’ trophies. Terry gave away many of his trophies to kids anyways and we’ll even raffle off the big wheels at the end of the day. So bring your kids to Hank and Karen’s that day.”
The raindate for the Terry Van Roy Memorial race will be the following Saturday night, July 15 at 141.
Parties who are interested in donating to boost the driver payout to this event can do so be visiting the 141 Speedway booth at the Luxemburg Racing Show at the Exposition Building at the Kewaunee County Fairgrounds Saturday, Feb. 4 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Those interested in contributing to the purse for the July 8 race may also reach out to Kohl at 920 540 6325 or Greg Herrmann at 920 973 5030.