44TH BARS show heats up local motorsports season

WAUKEGAN – More than 50 participants and several hundred fans braved a chilly Earth Day weekend to see race cars and custom street cars April 20 at the 44th BARS (Babicz Auto Racing Services) Let’s Go Racing Motorsports & Custom Car Show presented by Larry Roebuck at Waukegan Harbor Marina.

Mel Babel of Pleasant Prairie, Wisconsin, brought his 1965 C-10 Chevrolet Pickup Truck - Restored 1969 IRA Super-Modified, which received the Larry Roebuck Best Appearing Overall Award.

“This is an honor with all of the many great looking race cars and street vehicles that participated,” said Babel, who worked on pit crews for Kim Mock and Dennis and Sam Spitz over the years. “This car has a lot of history with it. The late Bill Klein drove it and it raced at a lot of tracks. I can drive it now, which I did last year at Wilmot Raceway for IRA Founders Night. I am looking forward to that again on Memorial Day weekend, May 25.

“This is really a pleasant surprise,” added Babel, who started up the car and revved the engine during the Racing Roundup live remote podcast hosted by Jim Tretow, veteran national radio, TV and racetrack commentator and announcer. “It took a lot of hours to restore it, but it is virtually race ready now. This is the way we used to take race cars to the track back in the old days. Open trailer with a pickup truck carrying our tools, fuel, jack, a tire rack with the spares tires and wheels and the car on an open trailer so everyone saw it going down the road and would sometimes follow us to the racetrack or ask where we raced it. Those were the good ol’ days and I enjoy remembering the history of local short track racing.”

“Mel’s entire setup from the truck to the race car and even the trailer itself is immaculate with all of the chrome polished and shining and the fuel cans, everything, so authentic,” said Roebuck, who has been involved in the BARS show since its inception.

Roebuck was a driver at Waukegan Speedway in the late 1970s and at Kenosha County Fairgrounds Speedway (now called Wilmot Raceway) and the now-closed Hales Corners Speedway. He sponsored the Best of Show Award at BARS through his former business Larry’s Mobil in downtown Waukegan. Roebuck also was a crew member for his son, Matt, when he raced a Lightning Sprint.

The show originated at Belvidere Mall in Waukegan. It moved to Lakehurst Mall and then to the Factory Outlet Center in Kenosha, which both have been torn down. The show was outdoors at Glen Flora Plaza, Lynch GM Superstore in Burlington and Wilmot Service/BP Convenience Store in downtown Wilmot.

“There will be a 45th BARS show next year right here at the Waukegan Harbor Marina thanks to the relationship and cooperation of Green Town on The Rocks; Robert Allan Kutzler, Harbor operations manager; the Waukegan Police Department; city of Waukegan, and, of course, the drivers, crews, car cruising enthusiasts and the public who supported this traditional season opening event for car shows and the racing scene,” said Mike Babicz, a 2023 Southeastern Wisconsin Short Track Hall of Fame inductee and track voice of Wilmot Raceway and other area motorsports events. Babicz made the announcement with Kutzler during Racing Roundup.

Colin Sivia, a fourth-generation racer running a winged outlaw sprint kart, received the Youth Best Appearing Award in memory of Lois Hafford. The award was presented by Allen Hafford, Lois’s grandson, and Hafford’s son, Giovanni.

“This means a lot to me because Allan Hafford has been a big part of our family on and off the racetrack,” Sivia said. “I have to thank my mom and dad, Grandpa [Darrell Dodd] and all of my sponsors and everybody who helps.”

Top 10 award recipients were Mike Sivia of Zion (1937 Chevy), James Sivia of Beach Park (1965 Chevelle), Ron Celesnik of Pleasant Prairie (1970 Camaro), Jimmy Sivia of Winthrop Harbor (IRA Wisconsin WingLESS Sprint), Jordan Funderburk (IRA Lightning Sprint), Tyler Kuxhouse of Antioch (IRA Wisconsin WingLESS Sprint), Derek Crane of Racine, Wisconsin (IRA Wisconsin WingLESS Sprint), Ryan Marshall of Kansasville, Wisconsin (IRA Wisconsin WingLESS Sprint), Hafford of Beach Park (IRA Wisconsin WingLESS Sprint) and Scott Carpenter of Pleasant Prairie (Bandit 4-Cylinder Stock Car).

The next show BARS will be at 4 p.m. Wednesday, June 12, at the Culver’s on Highway 75 in Paddock Lake, Wisconsin.

For more information or to register, email Babicz at michaelbabicz@aol.com.