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Robert Fisher came into the sport during the
hey day of the coupes and homebuilt race cars. In 1961 the building of
the new Speedway Park at Stoney Creek, by Merrittville Speedway’s owners
Ken Kavanagh and Bill Russell, as well as Merrittville’s founders John
Marino and George Cullen, helped to start not only a Friday night-Saturday
night dirt track racing tradition, but foster the growth of dirt track
competitors from the Hamilton area.
Bobby Fisher was one such Hamilton area
driver who caught the dirt track racing bug. At the time, there were
two divisions - Jalopy and Sportsman. The Jalopy coupes were a
learning experience, but as times were changing, the jalopies, based on
1930’s era cars, were giving way to the full-fendered 1950’s era, more
abundant late model division. With the retirement of the Jalopy
division and the beginning of the late Model division, there was an
immense popularity amongst both Niagara and Hamilton area competitors,
with most features starting 30 plus cars. Bobby Fisher #85 was one such
competitor, who along with other Hamilton racers, Frank Field, Jack
Hollis, Henry Shivak, Don Turner, the Deagles, would tow their late models
from Hamilton area to Stoney Creek & Thorold every Friday and Saturday
night honing their dirt track racing skills.
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While all of these competitors achieved much
success in the late model division, their true goal for all was to achieve
success at the next level, the Sportsman-Modified division. These drivers
would all graduate to the next level joining their pioneers and veteran
competitors, such as Eric Bradt, Bob Davidson, Bruce Van Dyke, Alex Gunn
in the Sportsman-Modified division. The Friday-Saturday night racing
tradition was now spiced up with these new entrants, challenging the
veterans for victory.
Bobby Fisher would come in to his own, when
he took over the former Alex Gunn #43 from Championship car owner
Wilfred “Wimpy” Nicholls for the 1965-1966 season. The now maroon #85
Chevrolet Coupe was very prominent at both Speedway Park and Merrittville
Speedway. For 1967-1968 the new “Super Stock” divisions allowed full
bodied modifieds 1960’s era cars compete against the familiar modified
coupes and coaches of the 1930’s. It was an era of transition. While
Bobby Fisher would not win a championship, he was one of the top
consistent competitors and helped foster the development of both the late
model and super stock modified divisions, along with his fellow Hamilton
area competitors, during the 1960’s.
When Speedway Park was sold in the early
1970’s and later paved, it spelled the end of an era for Hamilton area
dirt track racing and it’s competitors. During this time, Bobby Fisher
also retired from racing, but now admits he quit way too soon.
Today, now retired, Robert Fisher and his
wife, Giselle, spend their weekends camping at the trailer, but tonight
“Bobby we remember you, as we are pleased to induct you to the
Merrittville Speedway Alumni Wall of Fame, along with fellow Hamilton area
inductees, Wilfred Nicholls, Bruce Van Dyke, Bob Davidson Sr., Henry
Shivak, Don Turner and the Deagle Brothers. |
