Article by Ken de la Bastide - The Herald Bulletin, Anderson, IN
ANDERSON ? The founder of the Pendleton-based American Speed Association, Rex Robbins, died Sunday following an extended illness.
Robbins, 80, founded the American Speed Association in 1968 at Anderson Speedway and over the years developed the short track late model series into a national touring series that spawned the careers of Mark Martin, Alan Kulwicki, Jimmie Johnson, Rusty Wallace and Dick Trickle.
The national tour started in 1973, and Robbins sold ASA in 2003.
Known as an innovator in the sanctioning of stock car races, Robbins, through the ASA, was the first to require the use of the HANS head and neck restraint system, brought crate motors to the series as a cost-saving measure and ran the last five laps of every event under green flag racing conditions.
ASA also incorporated the technology and designs of cars on the highway to the racetrack in the 1990s.
During his tenure with ASA, Robbins negotiated the contract that brought the traveling series to live television through a partnership with The Nashville Network.
Robbins, along with his late wife Becky and several partners, owned and operated Anderson Speedway until they sold the local track to Rick Dawson and Action Entertainment.
?Rex was one of those irreplaceable legends in racing,? Dawson said Monday. ?His forethought and innovations led to success at the local and national levels. Anderson Speedway would not be what it is today without Rex?s influence.
?Becky and Rex were great inspirations to me, and this loss is going to be difficult,? he said. ?I will continue to use the advice he instilled in me to make racing continue to prosper. Our hearts and prayers go out to Kelly and Brian and Rex?s families on their loss.?
Mark Gundrum, vice president with the ARCA Racing Series, worked as a vice president of marketing for ASA in the 1990s. He remembered Robbins as a leader in the racing industry.
?Rex was a visionary in the world of racing,? Gundrum said. ?He was an innovator and survivor and was an industry leader.
?He was not against pushing the envelope that provided the best short track racing for 30 years,? he said. ?Rex had a positive influence on everyone involved in that series.?
Gundrum said he had been receiving telephone calls from racers and promoters throughout the day on Monday.
?Purists may have thought some of his ideas were out there, but he was setting a trend,? he said. ?Anyone who worked or raced for him had the greatest respect for him. He will be missed.?
