Florence Speedway
Ex-racer lends hand to Hall of Fame expansion
By Bryan Ault
Special to DirtonDirt
Hall of Famer supporter Jeff Alsip. (Bryan Ault photo)
UNION, Ky. (March 21) — When the National Dirt Late Model Hall of Fame board needed someone to lead its expansion efforts at Florence Speedway following the passing of treasurer David Poole last December, Jeff Alsip decided to step up.
The retired dirt racer from nearby Walton, Ky., has proven to be a perfect fit for the role.
“I raced out here for probably, 25, 26 years, and I mean, I know everybody,” Alsip said while spectating at Florence during Saturday’s Northern Allstars-sanctioned Spring 50 won by Justin Rattliff of Campbellsville, Ky. “I’ve been in the construction trade since I was 14 years old. I’ve been doing that, and I’ve known a lot of the people in the trade, and I know a lot of people that have not only helped out the drivers, but also are drivers.”
What ultimately motivated Alsip to take on the position with the Hall of Fame was a response to how the racing community poured into his own life. His 9-year-old grandson, Drew Manocchio, was diagnosed with lymphoma and leukemia six years ago, and, through various auctions for race car door panels, quarterpanels and other racing memorabilia, funds were raised to help the family with Drew’s medical expenses.
Alsip — who said Drew is “in remission” and with a wry grin, noted he’s “full of piss and vinegar now” — felt a calling to give back when he decided to take on the Hall of Fame’s $200,000 construction project. The support that racing people gave him for fund-raising efforts to assist his grandson stuck with him.
“The amount of help and stuff that I got from the racers … I mean, I had doors from Scott Bloomquist, and then, you know, Dale McDowell and (Tim) McCreadie and Darrell Lanigan, and they all donated doors and stuff,” Alsip said. “I mean, the Bloomquist door sold for $1,800. And, you know, I just felt like this was my way of kind of paying back and helping and stuff like that.
“I mean, it was national guys, too, and a lot of Hall of Fame guys were (donating), so that meant a lot to me to have those guys reach out and donate doors,” Alsip added. “There was one guy, I can’t remember his name, but in Nebraska, he ended up buying, like, $8,500 worth of doors. And we ended up raising a little over $25,000 in one night.”
Along with the touching story about his grandson, Alsip also experienced the racing community come to his aid after someone stole his own car and trailer a decade ago.
“A lot of the racers donated money for a reward, and we ended up getting that back and stuff, and (being involved in the Hall of Fame is) just kind of a give-back thing that I feel like was necessary for me to do,” said Alsip, who started racing in the modified division in 1993, moved to Late Models and had a two-year stint in the ARCA Series before returning to Late Models and Crates, primarily wheeling around Ohio and Kentucky.
Alsip said the new Hall of Fame building on Florence’s ground should be completed by July 1. The addition, attached to the existing structure, adds 3,500 square feet to the hallowed landmark, making it bigger and better for fans and drivers.
“It'll be done in time for the North-South (100),” Alsip said, referring to Florence’s marquee event scheduled for Aug. 6-8. “I mean, there’s no doubt about that. I think we’re kind of, with the way I’ve got everything scheduled, I think we’re going to have plenty of time.
“It's all volunteer, you know, I’m doing all this voluntarily,” he added. “I’m not making a nickel off of it, and, you know, it’s just like I said, it’s just something that I want to give back to.”
Hall of Fame secretary Kelley Carlton, the new building is “about 60 percent complete.” Carlton said the building needs to have drywall, electricity, plumbing, an HVAC unit and epoxy floor and a PA system installed. Along with Alsip and Lanigan, local racers Jesse Lay and Jeff Raisor have also contributed to the project.
“Finding funding was difficult,” Carlton said in a message, adding that the building will have an annex named after Poole. “(Special event promoter) Cody Sommer allowing us to do the 50-50 at (the Gateway Dirt Nationals at The Dome at America’s Center in St. Louis, Mo.) has been the biggest factor that has allowed us to do this financially. Also, gifts from amazing benefactors like (longtime sponsor) Mike Reece and others have been huge.”
The additional space will give future inductees plenty of room for memorabilia, but Carlton said one of the primary reasons for the growth is the need to have an indoor space to host the Hall of Fame induction ceremony held during the Lucas Oil Dirt Late Model Series-sanctioned Sunoco North-South 100 weekend. Instead of an outdoor tent, the new facility will provide a comfortable space instead of being outside in the Bluegrass State sunshine during the dog days of summer.
“They're running out of space in there,” Alsip said, glancing over at the door to the current building which honors the sport’s greatest drivers and contributors. “I mean, they need to kind of expand, and this gives it more room for them to expand and give them more to do.”
