Robey, Sunset's first winner, dies at 89
Nebraska Auto Racing Hall of Famer Glenn Robey, the first-ever winner at Omaha's Sunset Speedway whose victory-filled driving career spanned eight decades and ended as a successful Late Model team owner, died Dec. 19 in Omaha, Neb. The Council Bluffs, Iowa, native and Korean War veteran was 89.
Primarily driving with the number 8-Ball, Robey was among the region's top competitors early in his career while battling standout drivers including Tiny Lund, Johnny Beauchamp and Bob Kosiski, branching out from Omaha-area tracks to compete in Missouri, Minnesota and South Dakota. The multidivision driver's lengthy career included Late Model titles at Shelby County Speedway in Harlan, Iowa (1979) and Adams County Speedway in Corning, Iowa (1984).
Besides his track-opening victory at Omaha's Sunset Speedway in 1957, among his most famed victories was a 2001 triumph at the age of 70 at Eagle (Neb.) Raceway in his 52nd year of competition as he made an outside pass on the Limited Late Model undercard that thrilled fans at the UDTRA national event won by Rick Eckert.
Robey made his final career start in 2012 at I-80 Speedway in Greenwood, Neb., at the age of 81 and went on to field winning Late Models for drivers including Cory Dumpert, Nick Deal and Jake Neal.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Flavia, and a son, Curt. Survivors include four children and several grandchildren. Find a complete obituary at forestlawnomaha.com.