Fantasy NASCAR Racing

Rostek was from Fort Collins, CO, known to his family, friends and racing community as "Johnny", was born and raised in Fort Collins, Colorado.  He loved and lived life to the fullest, with an overwhelming passion for cars and airplanes. At 13 he worked hard to purchase his first car.  A few years later, he began flying lessons at Crisman Field in Fort Collins.  In 1943, he and his wife Shirley, set out for Seattle, Washington to work at Boeing Aircraft.  John as an Aeronautical Draftsman, drawing plans for B-17 type aircraft.  Shirley worked as a Riveter.  He then joined the Army as an Engineer, and was stationed in Fort Belvoir in Alexandria Virginia.  He returned to his home town, after military service in 1947, and began looking for old cars to rebuild and race.  In 1949, he and Lou Wentzel were part of creating the Interstate Racing Association, which sanctioned Stock Car races at tracks in Cheyenne, Greeley, Longmont, and eventually, Fort Collins. John began competing in races nearly every night of the week through this association, and when Speedway Park opened in Fort Collins in May of 1950, he had a home track.  The races in these early days of Colorado racing often saw entry lists of well over 50 cars, and John thrived in events where the racing was close, and the driving was often rough.  He drove his way to five championships with the Interstate Racing Association, and began traveling to other tracks in Denver and Colorado Springs.  At each track, his bold driving style and winning ways made him a fan favorite.  He won championships at Pikes Peak Speedway, and not only fit six USAC races into his busy schedule in 1958, but drove a race-