Published: June 20, 2018
Standing the test of time
Kewaskum’s Willie Goeden honored by
longtime fan
By Nicholas Dettmann
ndettmann@conleynet.com 262-306-5043
It was known as Project 72.
That’s all Kewaskum’s Willie Goeden was told
and was going to be told for a week.
The surprise awaiting him, though, brought
tears to the eyes of all who were there to witness it.
Around Christmas time, Michael Moore, a native
of Columbus, Georgia, but originally grew up in Cedarburg, sent an email to
Goeden’s Auto Body in Kewaskum. He included a picture of a young boy, about 9
or 10 years old, riding in a race car driven by Goeden in 1977. The boy was
Moore.
“I was curious to see how Willie was doing,”
Moore said.
He also shared how he chose “72” for his car
number in honor of Goeden, a 12-time track champion in southeastern Wisconsin,
including the 1981 late model championship at Slinger. Then he shared what he
wanted to do: to have the exact paint scheme on his car that matched what
Goeden drove in 1977, then come up to Wisconsin with it and race at Road America’s
June Sprints, which wrapped up Sunday in Elkhart Lake.
Goeden’s children, including Nanci Czuppa, got
the message as well and went to work on creating a memorable surprise for their
dad in time for Father’s Day.
“My daughter Nanci gave us tickets the week
before and she said, ‘I’d like you to stop up there at Elkhart Lake and that’s
all I will tell you,’” Willie said, adding what was happening was being called
Project 72. “She just said stop up there.”
Goeden arrived at the track Friday, was picked
up by a golf cart and was taken to a large motor home and trailer.
“I said, ‘What’s all happening?’” Goeden said.
He added, “I got out and met this fella, Mike,
and he said, ‘I’m from the southern part of Georgia. I came up here to race.’
And he says, ‘You probably don’t remember me.’” Goeden tried to remember but
came up empty.
“He said, ‘Forty years ago, when you were
racing at Cedarburg, I was one that got in your car and you gave me a ride
around for the parade lap. I got in and we went around in your race car,’”
Goeden said. “He said he lived in Cedarburg at the time and always went to the
races.
“He said, ‘I wanted to meet you again.’” About
an hour passed, all the while a car sat under a tarp in a tent.
“He says, ‘Before we get lunch, why don’t we
uncover the car?’” Goeden said.
The tarp was pulled and there it was: Moore’s
Mazda painted just like Goeden’s 1977 Chevrolet Camaro late model he raced on
tracks throughout southeastern Wisconsin five or six nights per week. It had the
white base with blue covering the roof and hood and with the red trim.
But here was the best part: The number 72 was
exactly how it was on that Camaro as well as the rabbit logo to symbolize
Goeden’s nickname. Goeden’s name was also on the door.
Moore and Czuppa said there wasn’t a dry eye
nearby. Goeden was no exception, either.
“A couple tears came out of my eyes,” Goeden
said.
He admitted he had a quick inkling to get in
the car and race it.
“But I knew I couldn’t,” he said.
On the dashboard of the car is a photo of Moore
riding with Goeden in the aforementioned moment in 1977.
“It brought back old memories,” Goeden said.
That car had a profound effect on Moore, who
raced the deckedout Mazda in the Spec Miata class at Road America over the
weekend.
“That was like larger than life to be next to a
stock car like that,” he said. “He said, ‘Hold onto the roll bar.’ For that, it
made a lasting impression.”
Moore’s father raced at Road America and other
tracks in the region, so racing was in his bloodline. But, that moment when he
met Goeden, who was fresh off championships in the late model division at Hales
Corners and Cedarburg in 1976, Moore’s mind was made up.
“He was one of my favorite guys,” Moore said,
referring to Goeden. “I told him how important that one night meant to me.”
During a full-course caution in one of the Spec
Miata races, word quickly spread about that No. 72 car as the public address
announcer got wind of it via social media. So, during the caution period, the
story was explained. Soon after, Moore recognized people
waving along the side of the track. He didn’t
know why.
When he got back to his pit area, he found out
why.
“It was an incredible experience,” Moore said.
Czuppa doesn’t have strong memories of the car, but remembered what life was
like for the family during those summers of racing.
For five or six nights a week during the
summer, whether it was Cedarburg, Hales Corners, Slinger or somewhere else, the
routine was get up in the morning, clean out and repack the cooler, wash the
driver’s suit, take a nap and pack up and head to the track.
And Czuppa said to see the salute people gave
Moore while driving that No. 72 was chilling.
“It’s good to know that dad’s reputation or
dad’s legacy is still known out there and that he’s known as an excellent
driver and has a good family,” she said. “To have that reputation feels good.”
As for Goeden, who was inducted into the
Southeastern Wisconsin Short Track Hall of Fame in 2007, he had one thought
once he cleared his eyes of tears.
“One of the best Father’s Days I’ve ever had,”
he said.
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