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By SCOTT ROUSSEAU Dirt Track's First Superstar "I remember that it was really early in the morning th all due respect to the great names 1956, but we didn't go to any nationals that year. We who raced before, with and after rode in a lot of farm towns and got me some more seat when we got there, so we slept in the car until daylight," he says. "Then when they put the coffee on, I him, Carroll Resweber most likely time. I didn't start going to nationals until '57." was dirt track's first superstar. And it didn't take long for Resweber to start winning went over to get some, and pretty soon I heard Blessed with incredible, raw talent, them. Before season's end, he would score two wins in engines on the track, and I knew they were practiche came, he shined bright as the sun, and he suffered a the eight AMA National races held that year, his first one ing. I needed to check my gearing, so I remember cataclysmic end, just like a real star does. coming on the half-mile in Columbus, Ohio, on june 16, putting my jacket and everything on, and firing up the Unlike many of his peers, Resweber, a self-described motorcycle, but I don't remember even going on the 1957. Resweber recalls that his tremendous gift of balHarley-riding "wild one" on the streets of his native Port ance served him particularly well that day. racetrack. The next thing I remember is waking up in Arthur, Texas, didn't really know much about motorcycle "You talk about picking up my foot," Resweber says. the hospital. "They tell me that it was dusty, but I don't remember racing before he got involved in it. "In the main event, I was sitting there with Everett how bad it was," Resweber continues. "What happened Brashear, joe Leonard, Brad Andres and AI Gunter, and "I'd only seen one race before I started racing," Resweber, now 69, says. "I didn't even know they raced I'm thinking, 'Man, what am I doing here?' But I got to was that they let six go out, and then another six go out. motorcycles on dirt. I remember I went to this race and the corner first, and about three laps later, my steel shoe I was in the second pack and was catching up to the first stood down in the number-one corner, and I seen this came off! I couldn't put my foot down, and that's when I pack when somebody in there fell, and somebody ran guy coming, and it looked like he laid it down, so I just really noticed that it works better. Sit in a chair and pick over his motorcycle and then somebody else ran over started running to get out of the way. When I turned your foot up, and feel where the weight of your butt on him. They ended up taking five of us to the hospital, and around, all I saw was this big cloud of dirt, and away he the chair goes. When you pick your foot up, that's just jack Gholson, a good friend of mine, was killed." In addition to the fatality, the accident ended the went. It was joe Leonard. That really got my heart more weight on the rear wheel." careers of Resweber and Dick Klamfoth. Resweber picked up his foot and picked up even pumping, and joe became my idol. A few years later, I was sitting on the starting line with this guy who had more race wins in 1958. The title battle ultimately "I was in a body cast for 4 1/2 months, and I couldn't impressed me so much." came down to Resweber and his good pal Leonard at walk without help for two years, and my left arm didn't Soon after Resweber crossed paths with the game's the season finale Peoria TT Resweber recalls that he work for two years," Resweber recalls. greats, such as Leonard and Everett Brashear, they were only needed to finish ahead of Leonard in the race. Today, Resweber says that he is over it, over wonderconvinced that they were standing in the presence of Resweber finished third, and Leonard was fourth, and ing how much more winning he might have done. with that, Resweber earned his first career AMA Grand "When I was recovering, that was kind of frustrating, greatness themselves, as Leonard recalls. "We raced in Du Quoin one time, and Carroll won National Championship. but it was going to be my last year anyway," he says. After that, his career exploded like a supernova. "The factory was pulling out of racing, and I was workhis amateur heat, and he was faster than all us [Experts) were," Leonard says. "Everett told me then, 'We're Through 1959, where he won three of 10 nationals; ing a deal with a fellow named Paul Fisher to go Late going to have problems with this kid.' I said, 'I see what through 1960, where he won four of 12; and through Model [stock car) racing. But just before that accident happened, that was my best year at Springfield. I'd gotyou mean.' The guy ended up beating us so bad that he 1962, where he won five of 12 - including four in a row drove me into car racing!" ten a good start that year, and after Those who saw Resweber ride ~ about 40 laps, I came up on Bart Carroll Resweber P), feel up and hauling, Illads Barl Markel (8) al Livonia, Michigan, June 5, 1960. marveled at his incredible balance ~ Markel, and I was wondering what I and feet-up style, skills learned on, of ~ was going to do to get by him. Then all things, a Cushman scooter. ~ my bike started missing and it quit. I "I just loved to get sideways on a ~ pulled off, and when it was over I motorcycle," Resweber remembers. asked who won, and they said, 'Bart "I started doing it on a Cushman 1E did.' I almost lapped everyone at scooter on a high school playground. Springfield in 1962. I could do no We'd start making big circles and wrong that day, but the gas tank split then just tighten 'em up and tighten open." 'em up until we got sideways. We just After relearning how to walk and played like kids do." also regaining some mobility to his To Resweber's benefit, that damaged arm, Resweber ultimately returned to racing - albeit behind the horseplay translated well on the big dirt track Harleys, with their scenes - when he accepted an offer spindly, 3-inch-wide tires. Soon, from former H-D racing boss Dick O'Brien to come to work in the facResweber had made friends with Brashear, and he began traveling tory racing department in Milwaukee. with the racing veteran. Resweber spent 20 years there. He retired in 1992 and moved back to "Everett got me hooked up with Ralph Berndt," Resweber says. Port Arthur, where he still lives today. Berndt was a very talented And every once in a while, Resweber shows up at the races. He mechanic who worked in the racing department at the Harley-Davidson factory, and he hap- - there was just no stopping Resweber. Nobody on the still follows the game, and he is always surprised when pened to have a spare motorcycle upon which he placed track could beat him to take the number-one plate away. someone recognizes him, which is somewhat of a mystery. After all, how could any self-respecting dirt track In the end, it was taken away from him in a single, vioResweber for a trio of three smaller races in Wisconsin. lent incident. diehard not recognize its first superstar? Maybe because Resweber proved himself worthy by winning all three. Resweber never really acted like one. Resweber says that he remembers very little about "So then I went home for the winter, and Ralph called "For me, racing was strictly business," he says. "But I me and told me that if I would come back up there, he September 16, 1962, in Lincoln, Illinois, a day that radiwould have done it for nothing." CN would give me a ride," Resweber says. "That was in cally changed his life. W r-------------------------------------...,w g 86 FEBRUARY 9,2005 • CYCLE NEWS