› Forums › Forums › WHERE ARE THEY NOW ? › JOE TANNER TRIBUTE …..How Do You Remember ?
vindicator.
dinoTrack Manager ’65-’72
F.T.A Club Pres.
This is long overdue,and I thought I’d kick it of, and let all his old freinds give their impressions. Joe “T”…was for me almost a father at the the track. The man earned the respect of all who came in contact with him….thats quite an achievement. Joe was a had the solution for any situation and we couldn’t have run the show the way we did ,without the “Captian” at the wheel. Mornings he’d be in the inspection lanes,then afternoons he was every where, keeping things in order. We all miss him and son Charlie ….our Dover memories would have a big Gap ,without the rememberance of Joe “T” for Tanner……add your stories here .
anonymous
I Remember JOE “T”
Dino could not have said it more right !
I feel one of the reasons everyone had such respect for him was no matter the situation he showed respect to all.
He was in my opinion the man that kept all the ducks in line.
I was always greeted by Charlie in the inspection lanes with his big smile and “your all set Tommy”…he really made you feel welcome.
JOE “T” and son CHARLIE Are Remembered
dinoDon’t think Joe ever made the Reunions….But Charlie Did… Remember he worked for Redman Chevrolet in Stamford. He and my brother put together a B/G Anglia …sorry it was never completed …see it unfinished in the Photo section -1969 N.Y.C.Auto Show. Later He operated a little Convieniance type store. Always stopped in Wingadale on way home from track at what he called “the Chicken Shack”.
dover1320
I never met either of them but from what i ‘ve been told they were as good as it gets. I have an award that was given to Charlie in OCT. 69 and says: For his excellence as president , From the F.T.A. He was the one that kept together and made it look easy !. Brian M.
digger
i knew them both well, i worked with joe at redman chevrolet,my first job after the army 1967. they were both great.
vindicator😀 😀 😀 Hey ol’ “Joe T” and his son Charley…two “special” dudes…’cause…I (and everyone who ever knew ’em) sez so! 😆 😆 😆 saw Charley for years after Dover closed @ Summernationals/E-Town every year(Antone too…)..can still “see” his ever present smile…seems like yesterday… 😀 😀 😀 …time really does “fly”…when you are havin’ fun ‘eh 😆 😆 😆 Drake
babycakesWithout a doubt ‘Gentleman Joe’T,and Charlie were great assets to Dover.With all the pressure they had on there shoulders every weekend,both greeted you with respect and a smile.We just took them for granite,however,when you think about it today,both had a big plate to handle! I talked to Charlie a bit at the Dover Danbury Show,I think it was in 2000? I thank V Bob very much for taking a photo of Charlie,Al S. and me together at that show,as a humble memory for me to treasure.
vbobHEY
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super-sport-pete
joe could have written the manual on how to run a dragstrip with sucessful results.knew what to do it seemed whatever went wrong,especially “PHYSICAL DISAGREEMENTS”.seen a couple at least,he never lost!
don-kauer
I don’t think you would want me to write how I remember Joe T. but I must tell you that I left in handcuffs my last day at Dover in 1972………I will say disagreements and all….Joe T. Rest in Peace………….
super-sport-pete
HI DON,you must have done something worthy of all that attention.some day i will meet you +you can tell me the whole story! your post made me recall that in 1972 i was also wearing “bracelets” but for something i did not do.a VERY messy situation for me for years after.i was let go in about an hour. anyways,joe always seemed all right for what i saw.
don-kauer
Well lets say it got out of hand and I ended up using my hands…..Not to say it was the right thing to do but I was still young (28) and was not used to talking things out……..Especially when I knew I was right….It ended up being a real good thing for a few reasons….I got heavier in to the street racing….. I never went back to Dover…..I started winning a lot at Ct. Dragway, National Speedway and other places………..I had trouble competing at Dover because I was ALWAYS legal… 🙂 🙂 I would get to the final rounds and would lose to someone I knew was not legal…….When I got away from there my whole racing career changed…I won a couple of AHRA National meets and a NHRA Div. One Points meet in Jersey…It was fun and I got my sanctioned Drag Racing roots from Dover so for that I stay in touch with the Dover people………. 😀
mikey
Don, I know exactly how you feel, I just didn’t quite get the “cufflinks” put on. I towed Pat Hennebery’s “Six Fiend” Camaro out to Dover One Sunday, just to race the car one last time with the Six Cylinder in it. The head was cracked and leaking water, but we’d drain the block after every pass so the motor wouldn’t lock up. Pat made it all the way to the final. Pat in the right lane, Tommy Iorizzo(sp) in that pretty green Fenemore Auto Body Camaro in the left. Pat actually had him covered, his car was closer to the index that day. Lights come down, Pat’s gone, RED Light, Pat never new, and was hauling butt. Tommy just sees Pat getting smaller and smaller, lights come down, BAM, Tommy’s outa there! Car goes to the right, into the right lane, Tommy over-corrects and the car goes off the left side of the track. Pat is by now, “over the hill” and into the shutdown area. Tommy is still hammer down. Now, does anyone remember the rule”First or worst”? I’m thinking Pat won the Money, right? WRONG! If you belonged to the FTA, that rule did not apply. That is the only time that I can remember seeing Pat speechless. I, and a couple others spoke for him, and almost got arrested. I had a similar thing happen to me once, and saw others have that problem too. Joe T. was a good guy, But FTA was in his veins instead of blood. For the most part, he was Ok, but every once in a while, the “horns” came out. ………………Mikey 😆
dinoNice story but Tom Iorrizzo was Never in FTA. I was as, was a number of others that can attest to that .Joe was more than fair to most and as any Umpire will tell you…They love ya or hate you.He called them as he saw them.There where very few arguements…Most Dover guys minded their own business and played by the rules. Need to hear both sides of a story to get the truth.Unfortunatly Joe can’t defend himself on this .I saw Every run from the tower and had communication to my Brother( event director & Tech) and Joe ( track Manager).Lot of ‘in -tower’ discussions ,nobody heard. What you discribed was a situation where the Double Foul or double Breakout DIDN’t apply .In Joes estimation Pat was out -no question. I never heard First or Worst…did hear And we had a sign at one time on tower that said FIRST Foul Looses.Your ‘worst’ implication would be that Tom crossed the center line .Must have been real minor to have Joe dismiss it. He had the last say.Joe was a personal freind of mine and your discription of him is a little off…..The topic says “Tribute”, as in lets remember the good stuff. Lets Hear Pats side of story Too…would like to hear if he remembers Joe’s justification.His attributes far outnumbered his detractions.
dover1320
Joe left in October 72 i have his plack that was given to him & said” Thanks for the years of friendship” Joe T. It’s got brass on it nice piece from the FTA.
