Anyone got Bloomquist stories?

[84wedge]

Because we're all ears.

[billetbirdcage]

The first time I ever met bloomer in person was at a Hav-a-tampa race in 1997 that had 2 complete shows Friday and Saturday. This was the first time at a big show for me as a racer and never raced with an open tire rule. It was July and 100+ degrees outside so track was a pile and rubbered in qualifying so you really couldn't pass either days.

I had to run a B feature so I'm at the Hoosier trailer trying to figure out what tires I need to buy for the B main and feature If I make it. So I'm asking the Hoosier guy what I should run and I hear a voice behind me say "get 3 28 compound tires" and turn around and it was Bloomquist. Well, I did that and made the show.

The next days race, me and bloomer started semi close to each other maybe a row or 2 apart. Again track was rubbered one lane on the bottom so you basically rode around for 100 laps and moved up if someone messed up or blew a tire. About 1/4 of way thru the race bloomer was running like 8th or 9th and I got by a guy and was now behind him. Going into the corners a few times I got in a little hot and wrinkled his LR quarter panel and tapped him 3 or 4 times over a few laps. Typical one lane rubber racing and race ends, no big deal.

I was at the pay line and hear a voice behind me say "Was that you beating on my quarter panel?". Again I turn around and it's Scott so here's the conversation:

me: "Yes"
Scott: "why the hell was you doing that?"
me: "Its not every day you can say you was beating the hell out of Scott Bloomquists car cause he was in the way".
Scott actually laughed and played along and said: "you got a point"

[Henry Every]

Thanks for sharing that Billet, great story.

[riddle28]

We were at PRI one year maybe 8 years ago, and we never get into the downtown scene after the show. So we go to this indoor go kart track in east indy, not nice places like they have now and not a great area either. Well theyve got this reverse direction banked slick track that actually races really good and the employees are just waiting til quitting time. Theres probably 25 of us there racing and getting back in line. In walks scott and his entourage and everybody let them cut to the front to see the show and cuz its scott. He runs his one race and leaves. So random but ill never forget it

[EvelB7]

Christmas last year, found a box with old super 8 films, racing programs, etc. One program from I-70 (1984 I believe) had the lineups and I was showing my wife that Bloomquist was racing (but I didn't remember him as he wasn't well known at the time). Put in one of the super 8 films; video I took in the pit area at I-70...Bloomer was pitted right next to us (my dad's car).

[TheJet-09]

I've shared some or all of this before, but I believe it was 1996, I attended a chassis class in North Carolina that was put on by Scott and Barry Wright. I remember Ricky Weeks was in the class. Anyway, on the first day they provided us with donuts. I had never seen Scott in person, and as we were standing there eating our donuts, I remember thinking "this guy is Scott Bloomquist?" He was still rather thin and gangly at that time. On the second day, Scott didn't show up until after noon (go figure), but luckily Barry was on time and a heck of a chassis mind.

There were only about 20 of us in the class, so it was a great time to learn stuff. I still have my notes and periodically refer back to them. It's interesting how Scott was touching on stuff we do today (like "working" the RF spring) some 28 years ago. He told us he'd lay under the car for hours on end, imagining how every part worked and how it moved while going around the track. He recalled one particular time that he needed the RR to be better. He actually fell asleep under the car, and when he awoke around 5 am, he thought "I've got it." He made the change, went to the race that night (I forget the actual track), broke the track record by something like four tenths, and of course blistered the field.

[EvelB7]

There was a seminar in Mooresville, NC around that time...he also gave a great (but simple) explanation on looking for tenths, or hundreths of a second. I couldn't attend the seminar for some reason (it was at a shop that was walking distance from ours) but debriefed a few who went to it. Always hated I missed it.

[TheJet-09]

^^^ Yes, it was in Mooresville at the Elliot-Neal school (I still have the certificate they gave us). I was in my mid-twenties at the time and had never been to NC, so it was quite memorable for a number of reasons. And very true on your mentioning the tenths. I remember him saying that many things could just be looked at as a "penny" but if you picked up enough pennies, you had something.

Imagine the number of rules written as a result of his ingenuity. I would have never guessed his passing would have such an effect on me, but I sure have felt bummed out since learning of it. He definitely lived life and did things his way, and with great success. I heard someone else describe him as that distant relative you didn't see very often, but was comforted in just knowing he was there.

[billetbirdcage]

Not sure if this is true or legend but this was told to me a long time ago.

Way in the past no idea on year, but bloomer was at some track for a hundred lap race and they was gonna do a fuel stop at lap 50. I believe this was a day show so real possibility of the track taking rubber late in the race. They have a drivers meeting and the promoter was explaining the fuel stop and if you could change tires, make adjustments or whatever. The promoter said you could do anything you want and retain you running spot. So Scott raises his hand and say "Anything you want correct?" Promoter "Correct" Scott: OK just making sure.

Race starts with bloomer starting mid pack or so and bloomer is flying and gets to the lead before they get to the half way mark and do the fuel stop. Well, Scott's crew brings out lead and start bolting lead on the car along with changing tires and adding fuel. Scott goes on to win the race and just makes weight after the race.

He purposely ran light to be able to get the lead before it rubbered, then at the fuel stop the crew added the lead needed to be at minimum weight, lol.

[EvelB7]

100 lapper at Charlotte, yes-very true. They put up bonus money to win from back in the pack, like an additional $1,000 per position (and I think Scott started maybe 15th to 18th). Schlieper was leading at halfway, think Scott was in second- they watered the track during the 50 lap break and when they sent the cars back out Schlieper backed it into turn one wall, knocked the rear over a good 6 inches (he tried to keep going on the restart). Bloomer won, got all the bonus money he could.

[chathamracefan]

My personal favorite is the first time I saw him race in person. I knew of the name, but he ran the ARCA race in 1991 at Springfield IL mile. He started outside pole. On lap 1, he spun a 360 coming out of turn 2. No yellow came out as he kept going. He fell to the back or near the back & was passing cars like a madman for about 30 laps. Got back up to the top 5 or so & was clearly on his way to victory. Then the motor let go. Box score shows he finished 26th that day but when I left I knew with my own eyes what the hype was all about.

[Buford.Justice]

I saw Scott sitting in the Grandstands at Brownstown on a Saturday afternoon back around 1992. it was early and there was hardly anyone sitting in the stands. It was the Jackson 100 event. So I sat down beside him to talk some. He had seen me before and remembered. He was just relaxing and looking over the track. As it turned out, he had the track and it's surface figured out pretty well as he said how the track would be and that he felt pretty sure he had the car to win that night and then he smiled and joked that he drove faster getting there on the highways than he would be going that night. I said, you got that right. Later on that night was just as he said, Blackslick and he won the feature.

[84wedge]

I'm gonna bump this up in case there are more stories to share.

[TDRacin®]

I saw Scott sitting in the Grandstands at Brownstown on a Saturday afternoon back around 1992. it was early and there was hardly anyone sitting in the stands. It was the Jackson 100 event. So I sat down beside him to talk some. He had seen me before and remembered. He was just relaxing and looking over the track. As it turned out, he had the track and it's surface figured out pretty well as he said how the track would be and that he felt pretty sure he had the car to win that night and then he smiled and joked that he drove faster getting there on the highways than he would be going that night. I said, you got that right. Later on that night was just as he said, Blackslick and he won the feature.

That must have been 90 or 91, Moyer won in 1992. I was there for that race, which I ended up there after traveling to NC from VA for the big three day STARS weekend. I had been traveling with Bobby Allen that year with Larry Moore driving for him. That year It rained like a mofo all weekend so on my way back home I decided to try and find Boober Bare's place off I81. I stopped in a convenience store that I guessed was close to his home but they never heard of him. Somehow I did find someone (or I searched a phonebook at a payphone) who gave me rough directions to his shop and I was able to find it. So I stopped in and asked him what his plans were for the weekend. He was flipping through a weekly dirt racing newspaper and said he was thinking about going to the Jackson 100 at Brownstown, wanna go? I said, hell yeah! We all jumped in his toter and rolled out to Brownstown. He was telling me how it was one of the trickiest tracks out there and how hard it was just to make the feature for this race. He did, but dropped out and finished like 18th. Sorry for the OT, but that was a fun adventure for me (and a new track)!

[84wedge]

That must have been 90 or 91, Moyer won in 1992. I was there for that race, which I ended up there after traveling to NC from VA for the big three day STARS weekend. I had been traveling with Bobby Allen that year with Larry Moore driving for him. That year It rained like a mofo all weekend so on my way back home I decided to try and find Boober Bare's place off I81. I stopped in a convenience store that I guessed was close to his home but they never heard of him. Somehow I did find someone (or I searched a phonebook at a payphone) who gave me rough directions to his shop and I was able to find it. So I stopped in and asked him what his plans were for the weekend. He was flipping through a weekly dirt racing newspaper and said he was thinking about going to the Jackson 100 at Brownstown, wanna go? I said, hell yeah! We all jumped in his toter and rolled out to Brownstown. He was telling me how it was one of the trickiest tracks out there and how hard it was just to make the feature for this race. He did, but dropped out and finished like 18th. Sorry for the OT, but that was a fun adventure for me (and a new track)!

That's awesome. How old were you?