Schoenfeld not ready for slow life
Senior citizen keeps life on the fast track
by Allan Steele - Of The Journal
For most 70-year-olds, retirement brings about the simple joys of life. An afternoon spent with the great-grandkids or maybe a leisurely walk through the park highlights the day.
For Sonny Schoenfeld, retirement means racing down a track at 115 miles per hour in his red dragster and showing everyone that you’re never too old to have fun.
“There’s no way you’ll see me sitting in a rocking chair,” the 70-year-old Schoenfeld said Sunday, after winning the Super Pro division of the Wix Cash Bash at Drag City Raceway. “You’ve got to enjoy the heck out of life.”
Senior citizen keeps life on the fast track
by Allan Steele - Of The Journal
For most 70-year-olds, retirement brings about the simple joys of life. An afternoon spent with the great-grandkids or maybe a leisurely walk through the park highlights the day.
For Sonny Schoenfeld, retirement means racing down a track at 115 miles per hour in his red dragster and showing everyone that you’re never too old to have fun.
“There’s no way you’ll see me sitting in a rocking chair,” the 70-year-old Schoenfeld said Sunday, after winning the Super Pro division of the Wix Cash Bash at Drag City Raceway. “You’ve got to enjoy the heck out of life.”
The following article was written over 10 years ago and shown here as published in the Journal newspaper.
Schoenfeld, from West Valley City, Utah, has been racing for nearly a half century. In a cruel twist of fate, Sunday’s final found him paired against 17-year-old Aaron Marcum of Meridian and his ’27 Ford T-Bucket.
Schoenfeld’s reaction? “It’s been a long day. Maybe I’m too old to be doing this,” he says after the race, with only a hint of a sly smile.
The sports cliché of experience vs. youth was evident as both cars smoked their tires and roared up to the starting line. Schoenfeld’s dragster jumped out at the green light and quickly closed the staggered advantage of Marcum.
The youngster finished in 7.15 seconds (102 mph). The driver with 39 grandchildren, 13 great-grandchildren, and too many trophies to count, finished in 5.79 seconds and 115 mph.
After the final race, everyone was packing up and loading the race cars onto trailers, some with cash and trophies won during the day, others with only memories. At the far end of the raceway was Schoenfeld and his family.
The red dragster sits nearby, cooling down. As the trucks, trailers and motor homes began to file out of the raceway, it seems each one stopped to congratulate the champion. There are handshakes, hugs and plenty of waves.
It was at this moment that Schoenfeld seemed to be in his element. He smiled and the gleam in his eye was that of a man who loves to race.
“This is what keeps you alive,” he proclaimed.
Sure beats a walk in the park.
Schoenfeld’s reaction? “It’s been a long day. Maybe I’m too old to be doing this,” he says after the race, with only a hint of a sly smile.
The sports cliché of experience vs. youth was evident as both cars smoked their tires and roared up to the starting line. Schoenfeld’s dragster jumped out at the green light and quickly closed the staggered advantage of Marcum.
The youngster finished in 7.15 seconds (102 mph). The driver with 39 grandchildren, 13 great-grandchildren, and too many trophies to count, finished in 5.79 seconds and 115 mph.
After the final race, everyone was packing up and loading the race cars onto trailers, some with cash and trophies won during the day, others with only memories. At the far end of the raceway was Schoenfeld and his family.
The red dragster sits nearby, cooling down. As the trucks, trailers and motor homes began to file out of the raceway, it seems each one stopped to congratulate the champion. There are handshakes, hugs and plenty of waves.
It was at this moment that Schoenfeld seemed to be in his element. He smiled and the gleam in his eye was that of a man who loves to race.
“This is what keeps you alive,” he proclaimed.
Sure beats a walk in the park.
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