Roger Regeth - Photo Courtesy of Joe Slack
The
highly-successful 37-year-old racer said, "There are a lot of excellent drivers
around here. But sometimes their equipment doesn't measure up. “I have great
respect for guys like J.J. Smith, Pete Parker, M.J. McBride and Jerry Smith to
name a few, because they are good drivers who have the equipment to go with
it.”
Regeth,
a full-time automobile wholesaler, emphasized that you must be willing to pay
the price for first-rate equipment. “You can’t cheat a race car,” he said. “You
have to use the best equipment you can find if you expect to win races.”
The
veteran driver also gives a lot of credit to his mechanics. “When I come to a race,
I just jump into the car,” he said. “I rely on my mechanics, Mike and Jim
Randerson, Gene Weber and Tom Schmidt to keep it running. The most I ever have
to do is chase down a part once in a while.”
Roger’s
racing career was inconspicuously launched in 1961. “I used to hang around a
garage when I was living in West Allis
“I
ended up driving and I managed to take second place in the race. I wasn’t
really scared the first time I drove. It bothered me at first that I might roll
the thing over. But once the starter’s flag fell, I forgot about being afraid.”
Regeth
was involved in only two noteworthy mishaps during his 15 years of racing.
“I
broke seven ribs during a race in Rockford ,
Ill.
“Then,
last year, a gas line break caused my car to become engulfed in flames. Things
were hairy for a minute. But I got to the fire extinguisher as calmly as
possible. The fire didn’t bother me for long. In fact, the very next night I
went out and took first place in a race.”
How
big is the driver’s role in racing?
“There’s
a big difference between driving on a dirt track compared to asphalt,” Regeth
assessed, “If the tires aren’t right or the car isn’t handling easily on a dirt
track, a driver can make up for it some. But if your equipment causes you to
slide on an asphalt track, you’re pure history.”
Regeth
quickly gained prominence as a race driver. He won track titles in Hales
Corners, Cedarburg, Slinger and Waukegan ,
Ill.
Then,
from 1963 until 1969, he was on the USAC circuit. Once, he finished ninth in
point standings and also took 17th before leaving USAC. “Running USAC was quite
expensive,” said Roger. “After a while, things just weren’t paying off.”
Regeth
moved to the Fox Cities and competed on short tracks in 1970. In 1973, he drove
Gene Wheeler’s ‘72 Chevelle equipped with a 427 engine to 17 feature
triumphs. He captured the title in De Pere and finished second in the standings
at Shawano.
In 1974,
Regeth won six races with Wheeler before the twosome parted as friends. During
the remainder of the season, Roger joined Jerry Sheriff and Mark Randerson and
piloted their Camaro to 17 more victories. That brought his number of first
place finishes to 23 for the year.
Last
season, the Kimberly driver won 26 races and was the track champ at Shawano, De
Pere and Oshkosh
Regeth,
who says top competition brings out the best in him, isn't resting on previous
accomplishments this season.
In order
to remain competitive, he’s constantly having his vehicle improved. He now
drives a '73 Camaro that weighs less than 2,500 pounds and contains a 350 cubic
inch motor. Most drivers have heavier machines and run engines in the 450 cubic
inch range.
“Having
a lighter car is a new thing,” said Regeth. “So far, we’re having luck with the
lighter car. You have to keep trying to make changes for the better and attempt
to stay ahead of the competition.”
Regeth
usually races six nights per week. His wife, Marianne, is also a big auto
racing fan.
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