Primary Spotter 09

My first experience with racing came, at 10 years old, at Stafford Motor Speedway.  We lived near the track and my cousins and I went through the field and under the fence to watch and saw Freddy Desaro, Bugsy Stevens and Richie Evans race modifieds that would hook you on racing. 

My uncle Clarence Benton at one time actually owned the speedway when it was dirt.  At that time my dad actually drove racecars.  He found out it was tougher than it looked. 

while we watched Evil stopped and told us kids to come over and we then received a grand tour of the Evil Kneival road show   One of my fondest memories was when Evil Kneival came to Stafford. I was 12 at that time and at a pre jump practice session including the fact that Evil’s cane was hollow and full of booze. I still remember that like it was yesterday.

  Our family moved to Thomaston Ct, when I was 13 and I never went a racetrack again until I met my husband Bo Gunning.  So that was 18 years of absence and when I left Stafford there was a bounty out on Richie Evans because no one could beat him.

  When I went to the track again with Bo, WOW, had things changed.  He won that night but no one dominated like before.  Body styles had changed and the competition was fierce.  Still a thrill to watch but somehow fewer fans. 

I soon found out that racing would take a far more demanding roll in my life than I had ever imagined.  The entire family has to be one hundred percent committed to the sport and the pursuit of victory.  Sitting in the stands was hard at times especially when the fans would say something bad about Bo in front of the kids.  One night Bo had a turn one wreck where he hit the wall and broke his neck, the car basically exploded and the track fell silent.  Somewhere behind me I heard someone say good, hope he’s dead!  A scuffle broke out but that’s about as bad a night as you can ask for.  In racing Bo has driven for a number of different owners.  But the most fun we ever had was for a short time when Dave Anderson asked Bo to drive ~ it was just a blast.

Bo told me about a practice session where he was going to help out Lance Conley with his SK and possibly shake out a new tour modified at this session.  When he came home he had a limited ride with Eddie at TS Motorsports to end out the season.  After a few shows he was asked to drive a full season with Eddie and it’s been like a dream come true.  Hopefully the team can come together and they can be competitive and gain a sponsor.  Bo deserves one and his whole family is behind him 100%.

Tammy Gunning

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