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During the late winter/early spring of 1983 there were rumors floating around the SE Wisconsin racing circles that Capital Super Speedway, in the Madison area, had been sold to two Milwaukee area brothers Bob and Tony Zidar.
The rumor was they were going to remove the pavement from the big, fast 1/2 mile and cover it with dirt. Being a cub reporter for Checkered Flag Racing News, and a driver at nearby Hales Corners Speedway, I arranged for an interview to get the real story from the new owners.
I went into the interview for a story and I walked out with a job.
Bob and Tony Zidar were two successful concrete repair contractors in the Milwaukee area. They owned a dirt late model driven by Bill Prietzel... a local guy that came thru the rough and tumble local sportsman scene. With chassis by Randercar and engines from Prototype Engineering they ran Saturday nights at Hales Corners and ran the occasional special events in WI, IL and IA with an NDRA show tossed in on occasion.
Bob Zidar was the hands on guy in his regular business. You'd see him on the job site shoveling dirt, finishing concrete... doing anything that his workers did but mostly doing them faster and better.
Bob's brother Tony was the salesman... he was loud, sometimes hard headed but dedicated to making money. Money they often spent on dirt track racing.
When I went into that interview I admired their enthusiasm... dedicated to do what was needed to make Capital a success. Evidently they knew they needed help so they asked for info on a potential candidate for the open position of advertising man. I guess I must have raised my hand because I got hired for the princely sum of $175.00/ week plus some extra cash for working race nights.
I was hooked.
Working for the brothers was a lesson in what and what not to do when promoting a track. We made plenty of mistakes (like thinking the liberal minded students in nearby Madison would come to the track and buy lots of beer) to hitting a bunch of home runs with the fans and sponsors.
Bob was a hard worker and a great man to work for. He rebuilt the grandstands, built a $60,000 rest room facility for the customers and always was giving 150% to the track.
I stayed there for almost two seasons... I left when brother Tony and I had a major blowout when I was in the pits one Friday night doing driver interviews for the night when Tony thought I should be selling tickets, flipping burgers or cleaning toilets. I left and never came back.
We went to the World 100 in 1983. Driver Bill Prietzel didn't make the show but Bob worked hard as car owner/crew chief giving all he had.
The brothers sold Capital around 1987. A group of racers bought it and covered it with clay. It went back to pavement again.
I got word today on FB that Bob Zidar had succumbed to cancer. A long battle had left him in rough shape. I would imagine he never gave up. He wasn't that kind of guy. He left behind a wife, five (?) kids and 18 grandchildren.
You get to meet a lot of different folks during your lifetime... some good some not as good. There will always be one or two who you really looked up to or gave you a shot that no one else would give you.
Bob Zidar was that guy for me.
Rest in Peace.
The rumor was they were going to remove the pavement from the big, fast 1/2 mile and cover it with dirt. Being a cub reporter for Checkered Flag Racing News, and a driver at nearby Hales Corners Speedway, I arranged for an interview to get the real story from the new owners.
I went into the interview for a story and I walked out with a job.
Bob and Tony Zidar were two successful concrete repair contractors in the Milwaukee area. They owned a dirt late model driven by Bill Prietzel... a local guy that came thru the rough and tumble local sportsman scene. With chassis by Randercar and engines from Prototype Engineering they ran Saturday nights at Hales Corners and ran the occasional special events in WI, IL and IA with an NDRA show tossed in on occasion.
Bob Zidar was the hands on guy in his regular business. You'd see him on the job site shoveling dirt, finishing concrete... doing anything that his workers did but mostly doing them faster and better.
Bob's brother Tony was the salesman... he was loud, sometimes hard headed but dedicated to making money. Money they often spent on dirt track racing.
When I went into that interview I admired their enthusiasm... dedicated to do what was needed to make Capital a success. Evidently they knew they needed help so they asked for info on a potential candidate for the open position of advertising man. I guess I must have raised my hand because I got hired for the princely sum of $175.00/ week plus some extra cash for working race nights.
I was hooked.
Working for the brothers was a lesson in what and what not to do when promoting a track. We made plenty of mistakes (like thinking the liberal minded students in nearby Madison would come to the track and buy lots of beer) to hitting a bunch of home runs with the fans and sponsors.
Bob was a hard worker and a great man to work for. He rebuilt the grandstands, built a $60,000 rest room facility for the customers and always was giving 150% to the track.
I stayed there for almost two seasons... I left when brother Tony and I had a major blowout when I was in the pits one Friday night doing driver interviews for the night when Tony thought I should be selling tickets, flipping burgers or cleaning toilets. I left and never came back.
We went to the World 100 in 1983. Driver Bill Prietzel didn't make the show but Bob worked hard as car owner/crew chief giving all he had.
The brothers sold Capital around 1987. A group of racers bought it and covered it with clay. It went back to pavement again.
I got word today on FB that Bob Zidar had succumbed to cancer. A long battle had left him in rough shape. I would imagine he never gave up. He wasn't that kind of guy. He left behind a wife, five (?) kids and 18 grandchildren.
You get to meet a lot of different folks during your lifetime... some good some not as good. There will always be one or two who you really looked up to or gave you a shot that no one else would give you.
Bob Zidar was that guy for me.
Rest in Peace.
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