| Remembering Clyde Hart on July 3rd | by Jane Smith
Samsula, Fla (June 30, 2003) This Thursday, July 3rd, the annual Clyde Hart Memorial will run at New Smyrna Speedway. The "Best of the Best" Super Late Models will journey to New Smyrna for the 125 Lap Sunbelt Super Late Model race that honors Clyde Hart.
Clyde Hart was a man with a heart for racing. If there were only two cars to show up at either Orlando SpeedWorld or New Smyrna Speedway, that was a race to Mr. Hart. "It only takes two to make a race" was his motto.
Clyde Hart saw that racing was a family sport therefore kids were allowed in the pits with their family. Of course they had to be supervised but they could be there. Robert Hart, son of Clyde and now owner of the sister tracks, has continued what his father believed and kids are part of the racing family and together at a track.
Once a year the "old green truck" that sits next to the flagstand at New Smyrna Speedway is dusted off and brought down off it's perch. That was Clyde Hart's truck and it was put there to watch over New Smyrna Speedway and the racing family that Clyde loved so much. On Thursday, ,the old green truck will proudly take its place in the parade lap for the Clyde Hart Memorial.
Since kids were part of the picture at both tracks, this year the Memorial will add a Kids Bike race before the main events. At 7:00 p.m. the kids of New Smyrna Speedway will feel for themselves the "asphalt beneath my feet" as their race around the half mile track.
"This is the best thing and I am very excited," said youngster Alex Fortune who ran a bike race at Orlando. "I was going to practice after the races last Saturday night just to see how it felt but we got rained out. So I guess I will go out green just like any other novice to New Smyrna." he added smiling like a happy kid. Clyde Hart would have loved that bike race.
On Thursday the third, pit gates will open at noon. A good number of Super Late Models are expected as many drivers were very fond of Clyde Hart and his love of racing. Expect to see Wayne Anderson, James Powell III, Barry Willoughby, B.J. McLeod, David Frohlich, David Rogers, Jay Middleton, Justin Drawdy and many more.
On the program with the Clyde Hart Memorial will be the FASCAR Sportsman, Super Stock, Mini Stock and Strictly Stock. Qualifying for the Clyde Hart Memorial will be at 6 p.m. depending on number of cars. The Kids Bike Race will be at 7 p.m. Grandstand will be $15.00 with pits $25.00.
Clyde Hart was famous for his hat and that smile he would give when he watched his beloved New Smyrna Speedway. This Thursday is for Clyde Hart and everything he gave the racing family of Central Florida.
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