FORT WAYNE, IN (December 27, 2023) – “Returning indoor racing to prominence at the Memorial Coliseum” was the goal that Ohio native Tony Barhorst announced when he and Jack Calabrase joined forces to present their first Rumble in Fort Wayne in 1998. This weekend, Dec. 29 and 30, will mark the silver anniversary of that venture that has indeed kept Fort Wayne, and the Memorial Coliseum in the forefront of the off-season indoor racing.

Continued Barhorst, “Jack and I were aware of the history of indoor racing on the hockey rink floor of the Coliseum, which came to an end in 1989 as construction began on the adjoining Expo Center. He owned the popular NAMARS Midget group, and I came from a promotionally oriented family, so the two of us got together after seeing the completion of the Expo Center and agreed that it was time to get the wheels back turning during the winter in Fort Wayne.”

It took several weeks of banter between the two before it was finally determined that the duo would tackle the venture which has turned into a welcome and anticipated mid-winter event for starved race fans.

It was a challenge, for sure. “The biggest obstacle for me was literally constructing a race track on an empty concrete floor inside of a massive building. Concrete barriers and fencing with posts and cable had to be obtained and trucked in,” recalled Barhorst.

It was Russ Gamester winning the final event on the hockey floor in 1989 and Tony Ellliott capturing the first race inside the Expo Centers in 1998.   The daring venture has survived. 

“Special moments that stand out are when Tony Stewart came in to observe and ended up competing when John Heydenreich let him borrow his Wild Goose midget,” remembers Barhorst. “We started Tony as a promoter’s option at the rear of the field. The feature was 100 laps back then, and Tony sliced his way through traffic to take the lead. The exhibition brought a tear to the eye of many a veteran driver watching. However, he hit an infield tire and flipped the car on lap 64. Tony Elliott went on to win his 2nd in a row of the first two races in 1998 and 1999.”

Tony Barhorst sold his dream to Larry Boos in 2015, who continues the Ft. Wayne tradition into this year’s 25th round, with two full days and nights of action presented by Jason Dietsch Trailer Sales on the purpose-built 1/6-mile concrete oval inside of the Expo Center.

Both Tony and Larry agreed, “these are special moments: watching the Quarter Midget, Kart, 600cc Midget and even young Midget drivers competing indoors, in Fort Wayne as they forge their way to NASCAR, USAC, World of Outlaw and other notable series.”

Tickets for the race may be purchased on race days at the Coliseum. Complete event information may be found on the Rumble’s website www.rumbleinfortwayne.com and for those unable to attend in person, the event will be live-streamed on Pit Row TV.

FORT WAYNE, IN (December 26, 2023) – With a rich heritage of indoor racing dating back to January 1953, no other city has hosted more such events than Fort Wayne, Indiana. In recognition of that fete, along with the silver anniversary running of the Rumble in Fort Wayne inside the Allen County War Memorial Coliseum Expo Center, Mayor Thomas Henry has proclaimed Friday, December 29 as ‘Rumble in Fort Wayne Day’.

Fort Wayne’s indoor racing began with the construction of the War Memorial Coliseum in 1953, with events staged on the tight hockey rink-sized oval through 1989.  A short hiatus followed while the Expo Center annex was being constructed and in 1998, indoor racing returned in a larger, more modern facility under the leadership of Tony Barhorst and Jack Calabrase and the new name of Rumble in Fort Wayne. In 2015, Barhorst turned the Rumble over to Larry Boos, who continues as the mentor leading into this year’s December 29 and 30 running.

The prestigious proclamation from the Office of the Mayor, City of Fort Wayne reads….

WHEREAS, auto racing is one of the most popular sports in all the world and few places on planet Earth are more known for its auto racing heritage than the great state of Indiana; and

WHEREAS, since 1953, the Allen County War Memorial Coliseum and the City of Fort Wayne have played host to more indoor auto races than any other venue or city in the world, including the first-ever event for the United States Auto Club in 1956; and

WHEREAS, with the creation of the RUMBLE IN FORT WAYNE in 1998, founders Tony Barhorst and Jack Calabrase, resurrected the rich tradition and history of the original Indoor Midget Races by moving them from the Coliseum Arena to its current and permanent home in the Coliseum Expo Center; and

WHEREAS, over its history, the RUMBLE IN FORT WAYNE has brought over 100,000 fans to Fort Wayne to see stars like Tony Stewart, Mel Kenyon, Dave Darland, Russ Gamester, and the late Tony Elliott, while also helping launch the careers of young racers such as: Austin Prock, Erik Jones, Justin Peck, Zeb Wise, and Emerson Axsom, and

WHEREAS, the RUMBLE IN FORT WAYNE, under the current stewardship of Larry Boos, is celebrating 25 years of enriching the lives of Fort Wayne area fans, and the worldwide television audience, by providing both world-class auto racing thrills and family entertainment along with a platform for hundreds of veterans and young race drivers to pursue their dreams and enjoy a moment in the national spotlight;

NOW, THEREFORE, I THOMAS C. HENRY, Mayor of the City of Fort Wayne, Indiana, do hereby proclaim December 29, 2023, as 25th RUMBLE IN FORT WAYNE DAY in Fort Wayne, encouraging all citizens to duly note this occasion.

JUST AS RACE TEAMS EXPERIMENT, RUMBLE STAFF IS SET TO EXPERIMENT AS WELL

FORT WAYNE, IN (December 23, 2023) – Experimentation is one of the fundamentals of any successful racing program. Race teams continually challenge themselves with suspension set-ups, tire compound choice and even driver changes.  That desire to address challenge has transferred over to the Rumble in Fort Wayne management team, as for the first time in recent memory, the racing surface is being tackled during this year’s silver anniversary running of the race, December 29 and 30.

“Don’t get me wrong, the racing inside the Allen County War Memorial Coliseum is good,” stated promoter Larry Boos, “but it is lacking the side-by-side, wheel-to-wheel action that once graced the syrup covered 1/6 mile concrete oval, and we want to try and bring that back.”

The racers have noted that even though the track is concrete it is akin to dirt track racing, with the track conditions continually changing through the course of the long day of action that features Midget, winged and non-winged 600cc Midgets, Go-Karts and Quarter Midgets. 

Veteran dirt-track Sprint Car racer John Ivy (Fremont, OH) races in multiple divisions at the Rumble and noted “every time we hit the track; we just have to chase the rubber. What was there one race, will be completely gone the next time we are out there. It is the same thing that we hunt during the summer. Yes, it is a challenge, and it gets frustrating but that is what racing is all about; it gets exciting for us drivers and the fans like.  I like this new approach being tested”

“After watching the excitement of the racing action during the Atlantic City Indoor Championships, we approached Len and Davey (Sammons) and asked them what they did to the surface,” said Boos. “They were very gracious and willing to share as much information as possible to help us. So, we are taking that newly found knowledge and putting it to test.”

The base will remain soda pop syrup but will be layered throughout the weekend with a liquid rosin product like what is used at dragstrips throughout the Nation.  The rosin is easy to apply and becomes ‘race-ready’ instantly.

“This new process will be initially tested during Thursday evening’s (Dec. 28) optional practice sessions, as we apply and test it. The word of this testing has spread among the teams and they are anxious. We all are.”

Friday and Saturday each feature full racing programs for all of the divisions, with the Karts and Quarter Midgets highlighted during the afternoon, while the Midgets and 600’s are showcased in the evening session. Tickets for the Jason Dietsch Trailer Sales sponsored event are available race-day.

FORT WAYNE, IN (December 18, 2023) – At 6’8”, Trey Osborne has never been hard to notice in the pit area, but when it came to being on track behind the wheel of a race car, the 20-year-old Quarter Midget graduate had been relatively unnoticed. That all changed during the 2023 racing season and ‘Tall Trey’ is hoping to transition that momentum to this year’s Rumble in Fort Wayne presented by Jason Dietsch Trailer Sales, December 29 and 30.

Osborne will again be behind the wheel of a Kenyon Midget owned and prepared by the legendary Kenyon brothers, Mel, and Don.  “When I was 12, we were doing some shop tours and while visiting the Kenyon’s, something just clicked. The two of them seemed to be very interested in me. A strong friendship developed, and soon thereafter, I was driving their Kenyon Midget,” stated Osborne.

While running on a low budget, Osborne single-handedly embarked on a Sprint Car campaign this season. He would arrive at the track in a pick-up that one wouldn’t think could travel another mile, and the car sat on an open trailer. There were no sponsors on the car and no fancy graphics. “I just put the money where it was needed – in the race car,” quipped the lanky red-head.

He was able to parlay his commitment and enthusiasm into a trio of feature wins throughout the Hoosier state. He caught the eye of multiple team owners and has since picked up some notable rides for 202. He will be gunning for a pair of USAC (United States Auto Club) Rookie of the Year titles (Sprint and Silver Crown).

“Now I just want to make my presence known at the Rumble,” Osborne stated determinedly.  “I’ve been with the Kenyon’s four years at Fort Wayne, and in 3 of those years, I failed to make the feature either night. The 2021 race weekend was good, though. We finished 6th the first night and 4th the second. But I want to change that, I want to win, not suck.”

“I had some good runs with the Quarter Midget at Fort Wayne, where I learned to be smooth and aggressive at the same time. I need to apply those moves to my Midget.”

Osborne will have two opportunities to move the Kenyon brothers into victory lane. Complete racing programs will be staged Friday (Dec. 29) and Saturday (Dec. 30) nights as the Rumble in Fort Wayne celebrates its silver anniversary.

Joining the Midgets both nights will be winged and non-winged 600cc Midgets, Quarter Midgets and multiple divisions of kart racing.