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Who We Are: The Bloomington Legacy

The Willard Colfax Memorial Infield

The Willard Colfax Memorial Infield

On a memorable day in 1992 I headed south to Bloomington Speedway to meet with Mike Miles and the late Carey Pittman to discuss joining the staff the next season. As I drove through the main entrance on a beautiful day what I saw was visually stunning. Red clay, a beautiful green infield, and the trees in Fall colors.

Sometimes the Historic Bloomington Speedway is a place too many take for granted.

In the late 1990's I was chatting with Richard Harvey who was the owner of Stinger Chassis Company in California. He looked across from the pit area and made a simple but profound comment. ""You know," Richard said, "the guy who is in charge here takes pride in this place." The guy was Mike Miles, and the observation was on point. Yet, when pride is evident at a place like Bloomington Speedway leadership is always important - but that pride is also the work of many people.

Time passes, faces change, and institutional memory can fade. So, it is time for a little refresher. For many years you have heard me or Brad Dickison refer to the Willard Colfax Memorial Infield. Yes - we made that up - but it was name we gave that beautiful green space while Willard was still among us.

Willard's story is a great illustration of what this racetrack is all about. Willard was tall guy that stood out in a crowd and loved nothing more than taking care of the Speedway. On race night he would occasionally walk under the tower, look up and wait to hear his name. There was nothing wrong with that. Once he looked me dead in the eye and said, "I do a good job." He did.

Mike Miles has a delightful story. He recently said "remember when we brought that monster truck in the infield. Well, it turned a couple of donuts and Willard got so mad he went home, and he wouldn't talk to me for a week,"

There is more to this tale - you see Mike and Judy Miles, and former Speedway leader Dennis Richardson didn't just hire him. In his obituary was this sentence, Survivors include his caregivers, Mike and Judy Miles, and Dennis Richardson, all of Bloomington.

That's our Speedway.

There's more. When Willard's beloved Allis tractor was up for sale Henry Bryant, who cares for the property with the same reverence as Mike and Willard did- purchased the piece. It could not leave the family.

Willard Colfax was a hidden hero. So, when you hear Willard Colfax Memorial Infield over the Public Address - that is not an offhand remark. That is a salute to a Legend of the Red Clay.

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