URC Hall of Fame 2011 Inductees
Sponsored by:
 |
Hall of Fame Inductee #8 - Dave Kelly
Dave Kelly won five URC championships and was an accomplished modified racer before he came on the URC scene. Dave broke Buck Buckley’s career win record of 53 feature wins. Dave piled up an amazing 76 career URC wins. Dave’s first win came at his inaugural sprint car race with URC at Bridgeport Speedway on August 4, 1979. Dave Kelly helped earn URC a newfound respect and credibility among fans and promoters alike, as he and Glenn Fitzcharles put a modern day face on URC. To this day, Dave, Glenn, and Earl Halaquist are considered the greatest URC champions in the 65-year history of URC. Dave Kelly becomes the eighth person inducted to the URC Hall of Fame. |
 |
Hall of Fame Inductee #9 - Bert Brooks
Few people have had such a sudden and significant impact on URC, as did driver Bert Brooks. The Canadian born resident of Connecticut came to URC as an unheralded midget driver on opening day, April 24, 1954 at Manassas, Virginia. Although Brooks never sat in a sprint car, he went out and dominated the feature and to prove it was not a fluke, he won again at the same track 3 weeks later. Brooks destroyed the URC competition over the next 5 years, winning 4 championships and 37 career wins. Bert Brooks becomes the ninth person inducted into the URC Hall of Fame. |
 |
Hall of Fame Inductee #10 - Buck Buckley
Buck Buckley burst onto the URC as a 19-year-old teenager in 1970. Buck came within a whisker of winning the URC championship in 1971. Buck was not a points racer; he raced for wins…and win he did! His claim to fame was his dominating performances each time URC visited the lightning fast and tricky Flemington Speedway. When Buck finally retired, he was the winningest driver in URC history, breaking Earl Halaquist’s mark of 53 career wins. Along the way, Buck became an accomplished chassis builder. Buckley chassis was the hot ticket in URC and Central, Pa. for over 2 decades. Buck Buckley becomes the 10th person inducted to the URC Hall of Fame. |
 |
Hall of Fame Inductee #11 - Louis Kunz
Louis Kunz was with URC literally from day one. Louis and Harry Johnson are credited for creating URC. Louis served as VP and URC publicist under Johnson. In 1963, a rift developed between Harry Johnson and several of the top car owners, and Louis Kunz was elected President, a position he held for 17 years. Louis, along with his wife Florence, worked tirelessly promoting URC…he was truly the heart of URC. Louis stepped down as President in the Fall of 1978 and passed away on Nov. 11, 1989. Louis Kunz becomes the 11th person inducted to the URC Hall of Fame. |
 |
Hall of Fame Inductee #12 - Frank “Scats” Anfuso
Scats was elected the third President of URC and served two terms as Commander in Chief. Scats was also a charter member of URC. Scats earned five championships in his URC tenure as an owner with drivers Bert Brooks, Lou Johnson (2), Bobby Courtwright, and John Draucker. His genuine love for URC was infectious and his generosity and kindness filled the pits. Scats always presented one of the finest looking cars on the URC circuit with the familiar blue and yellow paint scheme highlighted by his Highway Auto Body logo. Scats raced with URC for over 4 decades, but after the tragic accident of John Draucker in 1979, his heart remained very heavy and he retired a few years later. Scats Anfuso becomes the 12th person inducted into the URC Hall of Fame. |
 |
Hall of Fame Inductee #13 - Buzz Rose
Buzz Rose is the only person inducted to the URC Hall of Fame that actually never competed, officiated, or held office in URC, but his contribution to URC was just as instrumental to its success. Buzz Rose resides in Glendale, Arizona and raced USAC sprint cars and champ cars in the fifties and sixties with and against the best racers of all time to include Foyt, Parnelli, Hurtibise, Branson, Rutherford, and McCluskey. Buzz was recently elected to the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame for his role as publisher, editor, and journalist. Buzz has written many comprehensive books on motorsports. URC was fortunate that Buzz Rose wrote two books, starting with “The History of URC, Volume One” that spanned 1947 through 1977 in remarkable detail. He followed that up with the second edition “Tow Money, Volume Two” picking up in 1978 and continuing into the new millennium. These books helped elevate the status of URC nationally, and are a necessary read for any sprint car enthusiast. Buzz Rose becomes the 13th person inducted into the URC Hall of Fame. |
|
|
