Saturday night lights; Dirt is for racing

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Dillon White
  • 341st Space Wing Public Affairs Office
MALMSTROM AIR FORCE BASE, Mont. --  (Editor's note: This is the first story in a three-part series on the Electric City Speedway and Team Malmstrom's community involvement and participation in race track driving.)

Part of being a military servicemember is moving to new bases and becoming familiar with the area surrounding the base and taking advantage of activities that are available. It also means getting involved with the local community. 

One opportunity to head off-base and show support for Team Malmstrom is to cheer on the servicemembers, retirees and civilian contractors who race at the Electric City Speedway in Great Falls, at 2801 Old Havre Hwy. 

Spectators have included members of Malmstrom since it opened in the early '50s and throughout the track's history. Servicemembers have either raced or worked there as well. 

"People from base were there to watch the races from the beginning," said Dan Mann, Electric City Speedway owner. "There has always been two or three people from base who race here and we have a few employees from the base as well." 

The track was originally built by a group of local businessmen who formed Racing Inc. and opened the track June 12, 1953, and actually opened a month later than planned due to flooding. Today, the speedway is the fastest and longest consistently running race track in Montana. 

"The first night I was at the track was when I was ten years old," Mr. Mann said. "I started on a pit crew in 1986, then I raced in '87, '88 and '89." 

Mr. Mann said he wishes he could race again, but his track owner duties keep him too busy to race. 

"It's a religious experience, because every lap you're thinking 'God let me live long enough to do this again'," Mr. Mann said. 

This season, the speedway has been a popular place to race or work part-time for a handful of Malmstrom warriors. The speedway is also the go-to place to visit providing entertainment for anyone interested in motor sports, but speed, adrenaline and family fun seem to be the biggest reasons why people are drawn there. 

The track is host to six different car categories ranging from cars with stock engines and bodies to fully custom-built race cars capable of speeds in excess of 120 mph. 

"It's not as fast as a jet, but at least in a jet you don't have mud hitting you in the face," said Joe Bradley, 341st Civil Engineer Squadron mechanical engineer and car owner. Mr. Bradley owns car number 11 in the modified class that is driven by retired Air Force Master Sgt. Kevin Rinehart. Mr. Rinehart is a close friend of Mr. Bradley and helped him in the pits for five years before they traded places. 

"Kevin is a good guy and I can't think of anyone I'd rather have driving my car," Mr. Bradley said. 

"This is my rookie season, and it's awesome," Mr. Rinehart said. "It's something I watched when I was a kid and always wanted to do." 

"The fastest drivers come from Great Falls," Mr. Mann said, "They go to the slower tracks in the area and they are comfortable going faster than the other tracks can [physically] allow, and they do well." 

Being the owner of the fastest track in Montana is rewarding for Mr. Mann and has made the track a large part of his life for more than 15 years. He ironically bought the track from himself. 

"I have been a realtor since 1973 and became the owner of the speedway after buying it in 1990," Mr. Mann said. "I couldn't find anyone else to buy it, and I was the perfect buyer. I still do some realty, but my moonlighting at the track has taken over." 

For a few Malmstrom warriors, the lure of moonlighting at the track has gotten to them too. The next part of this three part series will cover the Malmstrom warriors who work at the track part-time. 

Electric City Speedway race times and details, go to www.ElectricCitySpeedway.com