Last year, Chuck Burt stunned me at the Petaluma Speedway pitboard pre-race when he told me this would be his last year pacing sprint cars. As a lifer in the race world, Chuck's presence at all the big races around California was a given, so I laughed and said get outta here, man. You'll be here until you can't turn left anymore. Chuck came back with, "Well.." and there was that pause. He never got specific, but he absolutely stunned me. He wore his life on his body, certain parts not working as well as when we were young, but I never expected him to straighten me up like that and pronounce the end of an era. I quickly changed the subject to the day's topics and we went on about whatever tickled our fancies as usual. I knew Chuck from the races. Chuck was friends with longtime Petaluma Speedway promoter Jim Soares and I met him through Jim. Every race I went to over the last 20 years or so with any stature to it had that Ford Ranger in front of it come main event time with the Hoserville sticker on the side and the same, sometimes grumpy, always entertaining Pace Truck Chuck Burt at the wheel. Front and center of the field, lights flashing, totally in charge of the 18,000 odd horsepower behind him. When the lights went out on Pace Truck Chuck's truck and he pulled to the infield, you knew it was go time. Never has two simple moves like turning off the lights to a truck and pulling into the infield meant so much to a racefan, and Chuck got to live it every race night for decades. He lived in Petaluma, and he had a track to work at 5 minutes away from his house but he was a big game hunter, pacing fields and keeping cars at safe speeds, lights flashing for the Civil War Series, King of the West, World of Outlaws, and whoever else had all the names and excitement for the weekend. I spent more than a little time with him at races all over Caifornia. He'd always be there like that blanket you're so glad to see after a 3 hour ride home that started at 11:30pm when the checkers flew. The stories he had were top notch. He'd seen it all from the infield. Mostly however, the thing I'll remember from every single time I saw him, he'd always, always make it a point to say hi to me and we'd talk for a couple minutes. In a sport with so many great people, he shined as one of them. I'll always fondly remember Chuck as one of those guys you always respected because he earned every bit of it with his kindness and friendship.
Pace Truck Chuck Burt saw his final checkers last night and the race family mourns his loss. The lights that shined so brightly on his Ford Ranger have been shut off forever, but his memory will remain in the minds of racefans everywhere. Pace Truck Chuck Burt will be missed. RIP friend.
Ron Lingron, Announcer/Petaluma Speedway
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very, very sad news, spent a memorable summer years back traveling up and down California with Chuck pacing sprint cars - Chico, Calistoga, Tulare...I had a blast. Once you got to know Chuck he had a huge heart and great stories. Was a long ago drag racer from Illinois. Ccndolences to family. Hoserville has lost an original. Rest in Peace My Friend.
Tim Kain
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Chuck always welcomed me to CA, always had a smile and always told me a good story, we shared many over the years. The man only had friends on this planet I'm guessing, the sprint car game has lost another good one!
I'm not a big Facebook guy and have less than 300 friends, Chuck is the 9th to pass and virtually all of them were Sprint Car friends, this is a bit unsettling to say the least.....
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