Meet Gene Tharpe, the man who originally built Desoto Speedway! Today he gives us a tour and talks about the track’s history!
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I come back to this video every now and then. Gene is an absolute champ. Regardless of how many races he may have won. What a wonderful man to still be able to reference the history this speedway. I hope you can have Gene there when this whole pandemic has become manageable and we can all go racing together again. It would be a fitting tribute to this gentleman if we could experience him enjoying a victory lap on the track that he started so many years ago. Please consider this. Thanks.
Definitely be cool to see those schematics of the track copied, framed, and hung.
Anybody else really want the new T shirt but can't find it on the store?
reminds me of field of dreams build it and they will come. Great to pass the history to the next generation.
FRANK!!
Is this Jeff Favignano playing Lance Bostrom? or is it just me?
Now you need him to come back and see it how it is now
I could both hear and feel the respect in both Garett and James' voices for this guy. What an incredible video. This doesn't have nearly enough likes.
The late great legend Butch Lindley was fatally injured there. One of the few fellow drivers Dale Earnhardt feared.
I was going to this track when I was a kid to watch the drag races and demolition derbies
August 4th 1978 is my dad's birthday!!!!
Something like this is golden! Most of the times, history is hard to find, or anything you can find is just from paper or internet.
Freedom motocross track? That would be awesome collaboration with motocross youtuber.
CED, Frontier, LBU, CES, Complete Lighting all can help.
He certainly is someone that loves the culture of american racing, old and new.
You should frame those plans for the track and hang them in some of the offices.
Need a picture of him and Cleetus shaking hands or something and put it up at the entrance with a little description of the history
That was cool to get some history from him. Thumbs up
CLETUS MCFARLAND
WHAT A DUMP THAT TRACK LOOKS LIKE JUNK.SPEND SOME OF THAT YOUTUBE MONEY RESTORING THE TRACK BLEACHERS AND ASPHALT LOOKS LIKE CRAP.I WOULD NEVER PAY A DOLLAR TO GET IN THERE LWT ALONE BRING FRIENDS AND FAMILY.THANK GOD YOUTUBE IS FREE.FROM SRQ MY WHOLE LIFE AND THAT PLACE LOOKS LIKE SHIT
i remember going here years ago.. glad its back up and running. hoping to come to some future events
You should put in a crown Vic and let him rip !
You should try to frame one of those old master plans.
Look how far you've come in just a year with this place!!! You dne America right Cleeter!!!
I want to recover all the buildings with Rpanel
I hope you make Gene a honorable FF member with a free entry pass to come and visit for lifetime.
Very interesting!
I think you guys need golf carts poor man he sounded tired of all that walking
Cleetus this is awesome……..you have know idea how great you are. I am coming down from the great white north to race on your track. You are fucken great …..
Yeah don’t stick your finger in that !!
@Cleetus McFarland. Me and a few homies love your videos. We all are in the car seen with some “stock†cars and would love to come join you for a track day of fun. Few people will blow the tires off and do some drifting. If you’d like some guests at some point just let me know we have a small group of like 10-15 people.
You might give this man honorary status with a lifetime pass and a special seat. First member of your Hall Of Fame
That's very cool that you had a chance to talk with the original owner! Those plans are awesome history!
homeboy's nose is effed up LOL