Rube Weyant, midget driver and Patriarch of the Weyant Family
(Gene Weyant Collection)

Mike Weyant and kid brother Scotty
(Marvin Scattergood Photo)

Scott Weyant with brother Mike and father Gene
(Marvin Scattergood Photo)

Forth-generation driver Korey Weyant, 19, with father Scott and grandfather Gene 
(Scott Weyant Collection)

K. Weyant after claiming his first sprint car main
(Scott Weyant Collection)

Chuck Weyant, note his younger brother, Gene, in background. 
(Marvin Scattergood Photo)

Tony Weyant with father Chuck
(Tony Weyant Collection)

Evan Weyant with father Tony (Tony Weyant Collection)

Evan Weyant with a new trophy
(Tony Weyant Collection)

Duke DeRosa with crew members (from left) Rusty Kunz, Howard Lehmann, unknown member and a very young Keith Kunz
(Marvin Scattergood Photo)

Zach Barr after winning his first mini-sprint feature
(DeRosa Family Collection)

Sonny Russell on a qualifying run.
(Marvin Scattergood Photo)

Jerry Russell looking like an Outlaw
(Marvin Scattergood Photo)

Steven Russell, 4^th generation driver
(Jerry Russell Collection)

Over the years many racers called Springfield, Illinois, home.  Some passed their drivers test for the Indianapolis “500” and raced there. Many competed locally while others raced in some of the toughest sanctioning racing bodies around the country such as AAA, IMCA and USAC. Drivers included the Beechler brothers, Donnie and Ron, Allen Crowe, Floyd Davis, Port (grandfather) and Dave (grandson) DeFraties, Duke DeRosa, Bobby Dunn, Jr., Rex Easton, Donnie Lehmann, Chuck Lynch and son (Chuck Jr.), Jim Moughan (grandfather), Jimmy (son) and Joey (grandson), Harry Myers, Steve Orme, Oscar Russell, Sr., Tommy Scott, Dick Standridge and sons (Randy, Rick, Robbie, and Ron) and the Rube Weyant Family. Davis won the 1941 Indy 500 with co-driver Maurie Rose and Crowe lost his life at the wheel of a USAC sprint car in Ohio, June 1963.

Two more additions to the Springfield mix are Bessie Lee Paoli and Joe Shaheen. Bessie Lee had two superior seasons as a Big Car owner. Her driver in 1952 was Chuck Stevenson who raced her Springfield Welding Special to the AAA (American Automobile Association) point championship. The following year Art Cross qualified the same car for a 12^th starting grid position at the Indy “500” then raced it to a second place finish behind the great Bill Vukovich. At that time Ms. Paoli was the only woman Indy car owner. For four decades Joe Shaheen was the backbone for auto racing in central Illinois. He was a successful small businessman who built the Springfield (Illinois) Speedway in 1947. He handled the grooming of the quarter-mile dirt track himself and was the race promoter there until the track closing after the 1988 season. He owned a small fleet of midget racers and promoted racing at several other tracks, one as far away as St. Charles, Missouri.

This story is dedicated to all drivers and loved ones of the Russell and Weyant families. Both families have been well-regarded in the open wheel auto racing community for over 65 years and their achievements continue today. The patriarchs were Oscar Russell, Sr. and Abner Rufus “Rube” Weyant. Rube, in addition to racing and was an owner/proprietor of a successful small business in St. Mary’s, Ohio and with wife, Grace. They began a family there before relocating in Springfield, Illinois.

Nowadays, there are many more second-generation drivers and it is often said, “They have racing in their blood”. But when it comes to the Russell and Weyant clans, racing was “in the genes”. These two families have raised several second, third and fourth mechanics or racers. The fourth-generation drivers are Evan and Korey Weyant and Steve Russell. The one and only fifth-generation driver is Zach Barr.

Steven Russell, the youngest of the group and is 8 years of age and has been racing in the quarter-midget class since he was 5. He is increasing his driving skills by racing in the 2004-2005 indoor Illinois go-cart series at DuQuoin, Peoria and Springfield. Ten year old Evan Weyant is looking to move up from the quarter-midget class.

Korey Weyant, 19, came up through the ranks from quarter-midgets, mini-sprints, midgets to sprint cars. He raced 31 times in 2004 in 6 different states and won his very first sprint feature on the dirt at Lincoln (Illinois) Speedway in June, 2004. Several months later he competed against the finest of the World of Outlaws.

Zach Barr, now 15, started in quarter-midgets and he was the very first (JSCA) Junior Sprint Cars of America champion. Other highlights for this rising star include winning the Illinois Regional Champion for Senior Honda and also crowned Senior Honda and Senior Stock Champion for (SCQMA) Sangamon County (Illinois) Quarter Midget Association 2 years in a row. In 2004, he began racing a mini-sprint and after several heat wins, he scored his first feature win at the St. Francois County Raceway in Farmington, Missouri.  He will continue to race his grandparents’ (Frani and Duke DeRosa) equipment in 2005.

Weyant Family Tree:

"Rube" Weyant (Driver)

.  Gene "Stooge"(Driver)¼> Mike (Driver), Scott(Driver)¼> Korey (Driver) (age 19) 

.  Chuck(Driver)¼> Tony(Driver)¼> Evan (Driver) (age 10)

.  Virginia¼> James "Duke" DeRosa(Driver)¼> Tera¼> Zach Barr (Driver) (age 15)

.  Lillian¼> Rusty (Kunz) (Mechanic), Chuck (Kunz) (Driver), Keith (Kunz) (Mechanic)

.  Nopie¼> Gracie (Castelman)…> Rich Hayes (Husband)(Driver)

. Joann¼> Jerry(Driver)¼> Steven (Driver) (age 8)

Russell Family Tree:

Oscar Russell, Sr (Driver)

. Oscar “Sonny”, Jr(Driver)¼> Jerry(Driver)¼> Steven (Driver) (age 8)

Joann Weyant Russell is the common link between the families. She and Oscar “Sonny” Russell, Jr. were husband and wife. Sonny loved to compete and because of his height he raced a sprint car. On a sunny October afternoon, something went terribly wrong and his sprinter began flipping and rolling more times than anyone could count. He was alert when recovered from his racer. His eyes and mangled arms were a major concern. It was nearly a week before he learned his sight would return and he would keep both arms.  A health issue plagued Sonny and he passed-on in 2003 but lived to see grandson, Steven, compete and win.

The Weyant family like many others had that one particular person that kept high spirited relatives on a common path. Rube’s wife, Grace was “the one”. She was affectionately called “mom” or “grandma Grace”. She was overlooked as racing Mother-of-the-Year by a local racing fan club for a number of years. Grandma Grace was finally chosen. She smiled and told the audience, “It’s about time”!

Many family members made their home on Springfield’s near northeast side on Ardmore Avenue. There were so many relatives living there that rumors would circulate from time to time that the street name might be changed to Weyant Avenue. Some years earlier, the families had carved out a short oval track on a field at the other end of Ardmore. When most youngsters their age were learning to ride a bicycle, a Russell or Weyant lad was learning to keep his racer between the imaginary fences. Relatives took turns keeping the track area mowed using a riding lawn mower. When two or more mowers arrived it usually evolved into some friendly rivalry on the dirt. This gave non-racing family members a taste of competition.

Gene Weyant was tagged with the nickname “Stooge” and was called this by fellow racers and family. Most the time he raced his V8-60 Ford midget against other Fords and on occasion against the more powerful Offenhauser midgets with occasional success.  His type of racer was often called, “Offy-Killer”. His older brother Chuck raced during an era when many drivers didn’t come home at the end of the day. His racing career took him from coast to coast and he competed in four Indianapolis “500”. His rookie year was 1955 and he competed again in 1957, 1958 and 1959. During his 4 years at Indy, six drivers died in practice or on race day. He competed in several other AAA, USAC car divisions as well, winning 10 midget features.

James “Duke” DeRosa captured the MARA (Midwest Auto Racing Association) point title in 1977, driving his cousin’s Rusty Kunz midget car. The following year he finished second in points then came back to claim two more titles in 1979 and 1980.

The trio of Kunz brothers took a slightly different racing path. Rusty became a much sought after midget mechanic and mentor for his younger brother, Keith. Chuck raced motorcycles and midgets and Keith also raced motorcycles as a youngster.

After a successful racing career, Jerry Russell started Eagle Chassis in October of 1997 and his very first sprint chassis was produced one month later on November 19th. The chassis continues to be a favorite among winners. The 2004 Knoxville National (Knoxville, Iowa) winner was Danny Lasoski in Tony Steward’s Home Depot/Eagle Sprinter. Chad Kemenah raced his Eagle Chassis sprinter to the runner-up spot. Jerry holds a unique position on the family trees as he is the grandson of both patriarchs and his son, Steven, holds a similar spot but as a 4th-generation driver.

Keith Kunz is making his presence known today with his Fontana Automotive/Valvoline Bullet midget. In September, 2004 Dave Darland drove it and led all 25 laps at the Eldora Speedway (Rossburg, Ohio) to win the USAC (United States Auto Club) 4-Crown Nationals midget class.

My special thank you to: Frani and Duke DeRosa, Joann and Jerry Russell, Gene, Scott and Tony Weyant who took time to supply facts and photographs.