Family and friends of Mike Atkinson, an Irwindale Speedway racing official since the track opened in March, 1999, celebrated his life in the track's main grandstand at 5 pm Saturday afternoon. Approximately 500 persons attended the two-plus hours event to honor the beloved long-time racing official. He was found deceased at age 63 in his residence on February 11.

The celebration of life honored the memory and character of Michael A (as he was known). His family occupied the front rows of the grandstand. His two daughters, Sarah and Jannie, spoke to the gathering. Others also spoke about the beloved racing official who was a humble, honest, kind friend to everybody he met.

IS track announcers Tommy Mason and Jeffrey Best served as co-emcees. Tommy said, “This is where Mike A would want his celebration of life to be held.” He added, “Everyone knows Mike A. He was everyones' friend who would give you the shirt off his back.”

The track PA system played appropriate music during the late afternoon celebration of life. “Just One More Day” played as guests entered the grandstand. Vince Gill sang “Go climb high on the mountain”, followed by Bett Midler's recording “You are the Wind Beneath My Wings”. Later in the program “Daddy's Hands” by Holly Dunn represented the love Mike's two daughters have for him.

This written tribute will present comments by speakers in the order of their appearance at the microphone at the front of the grandstand.

First speaker Mike Hancock, Mike's son-in-law and Sarah's husband, paid tribute to Mike A and related his biography and early racing involvement. In synopsis -- Mike was born May 22, 1957 in Glendale to parents Art and Louise Atkinson. His love of racing started early as he accompanied his CJA jalopy race driver father to Ascot and Gardena Speedways. When Mike was eight his dad obtained the Orange Show Speedway lease and became the track racing promoter. Mike helped his dad in many ways, including cleaning the premises and painting crashwalls. In 1968 his dad was the promoter at San Gabriel Valley Speedway on Rivergrade Rd in Irwindale. It later changed names to Rivergrade Speedway and finally Speedway 605. Mike worked on track crews and in 1982-84 raced street stocks and pro stock cars. His dad Art died in 1980 and in his early 20s Mike ran OSS from 1980-84 as the promoter. Mike also worked construction and on the railroad.

When Irwindale Speedway opened in March, 1999 Mike applied for a job and was hired as a track steward. He became chief steward in 2011. The oval track closed during 2012. When the second promoter, 211 Entertainment LLC, took over in 2013 Mike became the track racing director. He called it “his dream job” and occupied it until his untimely death.

Mike's daughter Sarah was born on 4/24/89 and her sister Jannie followed on 5/10/91. They and his granddaughter Remi (Sarah's daughter born on 7/25/19) were all the joys of his life. When his daughter Sarah wed on October 18, 2018 it was the first time many had seen Mike wear a tie. Mike rarely showed emotion, but his granddaughter lit up his life. He carried her around in the race control booth between races he officiated.

People never knew how hard Mike worked at the track until he passed. No one person could fill his shoes. He collected a lot of stuff. He even ran a toy drive at the speedway. He was a great person, better father and grandfather. The entire family is saddened by his passing. The family thanks everyone present here for honoring Mike by their attendance today. A minute of silence in memory of Mike followed.

Then IS multi-series champion driver Ryan Partridge drove the track's convertible legend car “Lugg Nutt” from the pits and performed donuts in the infield and blew two tires in tribute to Mike A. Emcees Tommy and Jeffrey then related stories of their early involvement at the track as “Night of Destruction” drivers in enduro cars. They spoke about their close relationship with Mike A. They related being locked in the pits once at 4:00 am while preparing their demolition derby/enduro cars after Mike went to bed.

The second speaker was Tim Huddleston, a three-time IS late model champion and current IS co-promoter/president. He said: “Irwindale Speedway was 'Mike's house' not just because he had an apartment on the premises. He was always present overseeing operations and performing maintenance. He oversaw both the dragstrip and oval track. Mike was so humble. On our organization chart Mike A was right in the middle of everything. All the things Mike did here went off the chalkboard. He gave his daughters great advice up in race control. I know we cannot replace Mike with just one person.”

Speaker three was Jason Galvan, a part-time driver and pit reporter at IS after 2013. He said Jim Cohan, the 211 Entertainment president & IS promoter from 2013-18, could not be present because of an out of state commitment. Jason pulled out his I-phone and read the email he received from Cohan. “In 2005 I bought the track's racing school. In 2012 we were evicted because the track operator declared bankruptcy. In 2013, I signed the track lease to operate the speedway. The first three key people I hired for their knowledge of the track were: Bob Klein as general manager, Manny Gonzales as facilities manager, and Mike Atkinson as racing director. At weekly staff meetings Mike A gave brief, wise comments, usually about ten words. He had wisdom and was always calm and cool. He just wanted to race Saturdays. He had his two daughters with him in race control and it was a family operation. Irwindale Speedway was his life. My single best decision was to hire Mike A. On January 27, 2018 we ran our last race. Love and prayers from 211 Entertainment, LLC to Sarah and Jannie for their loss. I know they will carry on in their dad's tradition.”

Then Galvan, who moved to Bakersfield for a TV sports broadcasting job, gave his personal comments. “Here at Irwindale officials are people you can name and respect. Mike would tell a new photographer to get a bright safety vest and would say 'don't get runned over out there'. The only thing Mike A enjoyed more than racing was talking about his family.”

R. Partridge, who worked closely with Mike A as chief driving instructor and did school cars maintenance, came to the mic after parking the “Lugg Nutt” car in the pits. Ryan, a 60-time IS feature winner, said Mike A gave everyone encouragement to continue. He was totally selfless. Ryan recalled multiple IS operators but there was only one Michael A. He helped more racers than anyone will ever know. Mike paid out of his own pocket for practice time, tires, and repairs for drivers in need. He also gave money to them for repairs after a crash The work Mike A did for the short-track community will never be forgotten.”

Skid plate cars were an innovation Mike A and Robert Rice got off the ground and that series became a fan-favorite. Emcees Tommy and Jeffrey related stories about that four-cylinder, low-budget class that enabled many spectators to leave the grandstand and become “racers” on a limited budget. Mike A wanted to see everyone have the opportunity to get on the race track the emcees added.

Ron Zabala, a childhood close friend and neighbor of Mike A, spoke about Mike's early years. (A large LA County Fire Department red fire truck from Station 169 in El Monte came onto the half-mile with red lights flashing and siren blaring. It made several clockwise laps in tribute to Mike A before returning to the pits.) Zabala continued: “I knew Mike for more than 50 years. He was three years younger than me. Mike was about 18 or 19 when he first ran Orange Show Speedway as the promoter. He was an ex-racer and knew what they wanted a race track to be. Mike loved for fans to come out to the race track and enjoy themselves.”

Next Jannie Atkinson used hand-written notes and spoke softly, but emotionally about her dad. She recalled fondly “walking through the pits talking to my dad.” She added many other memories of her dad. She concluded by saying, “Thank you all for being here.”

Sarah Atkinson-Hancock followed her sister and was accompanied by her husband Mike and their 20-month old daughter Remi, who will have a sister Tessa born later this year. “There is so much I want to say. I loved my dad. He and mom divorced and I spent summers with him. My dad was all over the place here (at IS). Thanks so much for coming today in tribute to my father.” Sarah included several humorous memories of Mike that drew laughs from the audience.

Sarah was in the race control booth with Mike officiating races as chief of timing/scoring. She has been appointed Mike's successor as racing director and will do her best to fill his shoes. Jannie has been named chief of timing/scoring. As the sun was setting, the song “Daddy's Hands” played over the track PA system.

Other unplanned speakers then came from the audience and spoke about Mike A.

  > A driver told about Mike helping to run the recent “Irwindale Speedway Christmas Lights Parade” from before Christmas to January 10. He added that Mike had a diplomatic way of getting slow or disabled cars off the track by radio from the booth or while driving the ex-police car IS control car during night of destruction events. 

   > Bob Klein, the IS GM under two IS operators, stated: “Mike A knew more about running this track than I will ever know. I have fond memories of working with Mike. Rest in peace Michael.”

  
  > A man came from the crowd and told a brief story about meeting Mike A away from the speedway. Mike was working in El Monte on a catapult for water balloons.

  > Mark Anderson spoke about working with Mike as a track official. He said Mike “handled problems calmly by the rules and the job did not change his personality, He was just a humble, nice guy.”

At 7 pm Paul Blevins, current IS operations coordinator and former chief starter for IndyCar and the Indianapolis 500, ascended the starters' stand with his flags. A PA announcement called for race cars to come onto the track and stop on the front straightaway in rows of two as they do before races. There were 24 race cars assembled behind the IS Ford Mustang pace car. Cars included Bob Bruncati's NASCAR ARCA West No. 9 car, two Spears modifieds, five pro late models, two spec late models, two race trucks, four racing school late models, and eight enduro four-cylinder sedans. Two IS race emergency pickup trucks, several Jan's Towing tow trucks and a Jan's Towing heavy duty wrecker brought up the rear.

Starter Blevins waved the green flag and all vehicles took several slow memorial laps in tribute to Michael A. Paul waved the white and checkered flags as attendees waved checkered flags they had been given upon entering in a fitting tribute to a life dedicated to racing. All vehicles returned to the pits and were on display for attendees near the pit entrance.

Shortly before 7:25 a member of the IS fire/rescue crew came to the mic. He read a message to God that said, “Thank you for giving us Mike A, through Christ our Lord Amen.” With that all attendees who had not signed paper tablets on tables under the grandstand with messages about Mike for his family were invited to do so. Many did just that and remained gathered in groups talking and partaking of food and beverages available from the IS concession stand.