Well, it's once again time make your plans to attend the Memphis Rodders Reunion. The traditional Thursday before Thanksgiving date is just around the corner, and the 2009 edition of the Reunion will "turn" it's attention to the rough and tumble world of dirt track racing.

It's not a real big secret around our hometown that this year's honoree will be sprint car racing legend Clarence "Hooker" Hood, but now it's time to make it public to anyone who hasn't heard. Hooker has had a few health issues this past year, but we are happy to report that he is now much improved, and is eagerly looking forward to meeting both old friends and fans, at this year's reunion.

The reputation Hooker has earned as a hardscrabble racer began in the late 1940's when he was still a teenager. He began racing midgets and motorcycles locally, where his seemingly natural skills on dirt race tracks became apparent. In short order, he became a winning driver at the Memphis Fairgrounds, and at Riverside Speedway in West Memphis Arkansas. Before long, he added stock car racing to his resume, and ventured forth with his 1954 Oldsmobile to the beaches of Daytona Florida, and the short-lived predescessor to today's NASCAR Superspeedways known as Memphis-Arkansas Speedway that once appeared in the farmlands near Lehi Arkansas.

While Hooker also raced on pavement, he was a dirt track racer at heart, and would eventually amass some 700 victories in sprint cars, and super modifieds on race tracks throughout the southern and midwestern US. In 1967 he had an incredible win-loss record of 57 wins in 63 starts. In 1999 he was inducted into the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame, acknowledging the many acomplishments of a storied career.

So join us on November 19th, 2009 as we honor a home-grown racing legend, and revisit old friends and members of the Memphis Rodders.

LK

Tags: Rodders Reunion, Rodders Reunion News, Hooker Hood, Tennessee Tornado