LANSING, Minnesota --The Chateau Speedway in Lansing has featured some of the area's best racing, thrilling fans across Southeastern Minnesota for 63 years. But Friday it was about paying homage to the legends that made their name at the track.
The first hall of fame induction night, 15 racers were forever immortalized in the history of the speedway.
Blooming prairie native Verlin Eaker last raced at Chateau more than 50 years ago. To be one of the first inductees is something special to him.
"It means a lot to me," Eaker said. "It's been that many years ago since we raced, and I'm still walking I'm not under the ground."
Its racing history rooted since the 1950s, induction committee member Klane Dushek said it was difficult to narrow down the inaugural list.
"It was a very tough decision to come up with the first class," Dushek said. "The drivers that are here are really enjoying seeing the guys that they're used to compete with."
Track legends from an older generation of racing came together. Some who hadn't seen one another for decades.
"It's hard to recognize them, sometimes ain't seen them for 20-30 years you know," hall-of-famer Mert Williams said. "It's just nice talking to them."
Even though the legends grow older, the memories of the Chateau Speedway live on.
"It brings back memories and of course some old stories come up about different cars and who run who off the track," Dave Bjorge said. "We were really close."
Hall of Fame Class:
Drivers: Dave Bjorge, Ole Brua, Verlin Eaker, Mike Guttormson, Don Lowe, Don McAllister, Dave Noble, Greg Pfeifer, LeRoy Scharkey, John “Sonny” Van Willigen, Mert Williams, Gerhard Wollenburg and Don Wytaske.
Legacy members: Howard and Art Smith
