Remembering a friend we all lost 20 years ago

There are certain dates we never forget. There are those situations in life we experience when we recall where we were and what we were doing when certain news broke. Monday was one of those days.

While much of today's racing generation may not remember or realize it, we lost a true pioneer of our sport 20 years ago when Keith Knaack lost his battle with heart disease on June 4, 1992. Knaack defined what racing was during his time with us and his legacy has been carried on in the two decades since his passing.

For those who may not know who Keith was, he is the reason the IMCA Modified exists today. In fact, he's one very important reason we're all able to enjoy our summers at the race track, regardless which track we visit on a given night.

It was in the late 1970s when Knaack and Larry Sommerfelt came up with the idea to create a newer, cheaper race car to help boost the struggling sport. After the first appearance of the IMCA Modified in 1979 at Vinton Speedway, now known as Benton County Speedway, the idea quickly grew. Interest was high, more cars were built and, in just a few short years, the IMCA Modified was booming in popularity all over the Midwest. It was already big enough in 1982 to crown its first "national" champion, Dale Fischlein of Davenport, Iowa.

More IMCA Modifieds compete today at race tracks across the country than any other type of race car under any other sanctioning body. All of this because of Keith Knaack's passion for the sport of racing.

On the 10th anniversary of his passing in 2002, I was editor of Hawkeye Racing News. Keith created HRN in 1967 and built it from the ground up, making it the go-to source of racing information for every race fan in the Midwest. As a kid, it was a dream of mine to sit behind the editor's desk of my racing bible and I was grateful to have that opportunity in the early 2000s. That year, I shared a few words about Keith and his impact on racing. Below is my column from the June 5, 2002, issue of Hawkeye Racing News:

Ten years ago this week I was just starting to experience life beyond high school. Like every other summer weekend, I chose to spend my time at the races. It was at the races that weekend when I learned of Keith Knaack's passing.

Having grown up in Vinton I was very aware of Keith's presence in the community. While I was just a typical kid who often failed to see beyond my own interests, I was still aware of and understood who Keith was and what he stood for - after all, I read this paper from front to back every week. Even at that time, however, it could not possibly have been truly understood the impact Knaack would have on our sport. After his passing, Hawkeye Racing News remained, and continues to be, the leader in racing coverage throughout the Midwest.

I knew he was a very well-respected businessman and made a significant impact on the racing world with his purchase of IMCA. While not everyone was in complete agreement with Knaack's ideas and beliefs, what was recognized and accepted was his passion - a sincere passion to help take auto racing to a new level.

It has now been 10 years since Keith's death. Both through and since that time, racing has seen many changes, improvements and expansions. New tracks have been built all over the country and a renewed passion has been instilled in those who make their travels to the track every week. In fact, this paper now covers 100 race tracks throughout the Midwest and countless series and special events. That wouldn't be possible without the dreams and determination of those like Keith Knaack. On this, the 10th anniversary of his passing, everyone at Hawkeye Racing News would like to take the time to say thank you to a friend who gave us a dream by fulfilling his own. Thank you, Keith.

While our sport continues to change and evolve, the sentiment has remained the same. IMCA continues to lead the way when it comes to affordable auto racing across the country, despite a struggling economy. Our sport has both survived and thrived due to Keith's vision some three-plus decades ago.

Yes, it's more expensive to go racing now than in 1992. There are also higher grocery bills and higher heating costs. There are more bills arriving monthly in the mail than there were 20 years ago - there are cell phones, the Internet and others. There are also more options fighting for our entertainment dollar. There are more charities and causes asking us to donate our money. There are also more means by which we receive our racing information, sometimes making it easier for us to stay home and wait for results rather than make our way to the track.

Racing has seen its struggles. Car counts have suffered at many tracks throughout the country. Fan attendance has been down in many areas. Social media, while seen as an asset to most, has its drawbacks at times.

Through all of this, however, Keith's dream, his vision and his passion are still clear and very much with us today. The Modified came from his vision, which allows us to enjoy our weekends and occasional weeknight at the race track. Regardless what the outcome is on race night, we must still maintain our appreciation, passion and love of the sport because of individuals like Keith Knaack.

While many of today's racers may not have known Keith Knaack or even knew who he was, he is with you every time you make your way to the track. Each time you strap on your helmet, tighten your belts and pull out of the staging area, the passion he brought to the sport rides with you every lap you turn.

As I said 10 years ago, we should respectfully take the time to appreciate and thank one person whose vision so long ago gave us a dream by fulfilling his own. Thank you, Keith.