Folks Of Interest Broadway Bob (Union Grove, WI)

My 10-yr. old boy picked this up last summer at the Time Machine Nationals. (What a great show! We've been going there since 2007; Great Lakes Dragaway).

We'll be keeping ol' Bob in the original package!

 

Awesome!

 

Well its nice to see another Racine dude on here.

Do I know you?

 

Jimmy FLintstone is the greatest....
he will do just about anything you need.

 

i havent heard anything about bob lately, is he still with us? what a guy!

 

Heard he was still with us but not doing well. With the amount of partying he did in his life he should have the body of a 120 year old.

 

He's having a tough time but the track keeps him smiling!

 

Yes, he was pretty rickety-looking the last time I saw him there at the track.

 

I just moved down here this past June, I don't really know anybody here yet, I took my Super Bee to the McDonald's cruise on Hwy 20 a few times over the summer, but I don't remember ever seeing your T-Bird.

 

Broadway Bob has retired to a health care home.

His health has been on the decline but, he is doing his best at trying to raise a little bit of hell and commotion.

Curt R

 

That guy could party a great promoter that was always willing to help out a little guy. He helped me and a lot of my friends out and kept us running.

 

HEY, I grew up in Union Grove and I never heard of Broadway Bob.

 

Then you were living under a rock,or you never made it to the drag strip.

 

Thanks for that friendly response.
I graduated from UG High in 1964 and then left for over seas for Uncle Sam. I spend many summer days riding my bike out to Great Lakes Dragway and later driving my 40 sedan.

 

The "Olympics of Drag Racing" at Union Grove was founded by Broadway Bob and has been one of the most entertaining drag races in America forever. Bob would have a little bit of everthing there and probably was the main factor in giving him the "Broadway" nickname.

 

Back when Bob owned the track and we both lived on the NW side of Milwaukee I took care of his drivers, last one I remember was a light blue 75 Caprice convert. He got it painted red after a while, didn't turn out too bad. Last time I saw him (2 or 3 years back) was standing in line at the track snack bar, we embraced, told me his wife was not well, heard he was in the care home last fall. Don't know if Mary is still with us or not. We did a lot of interesting things back in the bracket racing days in the late 70s early 80s. I was fortunate to win the Division finals in Super Pro @ Indy in 82, I still am over whelmed by the party in Kenosha Feb. 83. It really put a nice cap on my bracket career and Mr. Metzler made it happen. Hell after we won the race he called the Milwaukee Journal from the motel in Indy and got me a big write up, that was a good one for the bro in laws to see I'll tell you. He's an original right up there with Ben Christ and Ron Leek that's for sure.

 

BB put on a great show and got me hooked on drag racing.

I still race at GLD, but it isn't the same. There is no show, nor are there fans.

Labor Day (Time Machine Nationals) and Nitrous Street Brawl are the only events that draw the fans.

BB could get it done every weekend! Heck, he was a show in himself

 

Now that you mention the show thing, @ his 70th bday party he was sitting on the nose of a jet car while it was doing it's flame pops. Far out old man.

 

I was at a indoor car/ truck show at the Arlington Park horse race track. My friend built a raised 4 wheel drive Chevy Pickup right before they were popular.Bob walks up to us,overwhelmed on its hight,so impressed he says " come with me!" we walk up to the snack bar selling beer, throws down a $100 dollar bill! Tells the vendor " start. Pouring!" when this ones gone,I'll put up another $100! He bought suds for everyone!!! What a guy!

 

Didn't mean to be unfriendly,I figured anyone that grew up around there and was into cars knew of Bob.Heck I know a girl that grew up in Kenosha and I asked her one night if she's ever heard of guy named Broadway Bob,and she replied "everyone knows who Bob is" LOL
The first time I met Bob was in I think 1989 and was cruizing HWY 100 in my 69 GTX and Bob pulls up next to me at a red light and says nice mopar you should bring it down to the drag strip this weekend I'm having Mopar drags on Sun.

 

Small world, i grew up 5 blocks away on 50th and Rohr. Guessing you remember the A&W on Villard.




UOTE=mike hohnstein;7305967]Back when Bob owned the track and we both lived on the NW side of Milwaukee I took care of his drivers, last one I remember was a light blue 75 Caprice convert. He got it painted red after a while, didn't turn out too bad. Last time I saw him (2 or 3 years back) was standing in line at the track snack bar, we embraced, told me his wife was not well, heard he was in the care home last fall. Don't know if Mary is still with us or not. We did a lot of interesting things back in the bracket racing days in the late 70s early 80s. I was fortunate to win the Division finals in Super Pro @ Indy in 82, I still am over whelmed by the party in Kenosha Feb. 83. It really put a nice cap on my bracket career and Mr. Metzler made it happen. Hell after we won the race he called the Milwaukee Journal from the motel in Indy and got me a big write up, that was a good one for the bro in laws to see I'll tell you. He's an original right up there with Ben Christ and Ron Leek that's for sure.[/QUOTE]

 

last time i seen him a couple years ago , he was not moving very well. i still run there once in a while. leek is a good shit, heard he sold byron but it has to stay a dragstrip. i prefer byron over gld but , i like anywhere i can hook good enough to break shit.

 

It’s been a tough week for Broadway Bob.

His Doctor at ManorCare checked his blood count and it was very low. So on Friday April 6th he was admitted to United Hospital System in Kenosha. He was given two units of blood on Friday and is resting comfortably. They ran some tests on Saturday April 7th and will continue more testing on Monday April 9th.

United Hospital System is located at 6200 Sheridan Rd. Kenosha WI. 53143

Please keep him in your thoughts and prayers on this Easter Sunday !

Curt R

 

thinking of Bob.

truthfully, I feared Curt's post was going to tell of his demise.

glad to hear he is still fighting on

 

lets hope he is with us for a long time. the grove would not be the same without him.

 

Hope he's ok
I was just at Big Daddy's museum and was talking to his crew chief and we got talking about the track and Bob, he had some good stories.

 

Damn this sucks....
he's a icon for the area.....

 

To The Friends of Broadway Bob :
Broadway Bob was released from United Hospital Systems today Tuesday April 10, 2012 at 3M. The internal bleeding has stopped and he is now back at ManorCare resting comfortably.

Curt R

 

I went to Union Grove frequently and have a hat signed by Bob....hope he recovers!