Tom Straley

Tom Straley was born June 18, 1939, in Lansing Michigan. For as long as he can remember, Tom has been obsessed with cars and going fast. Turning that obsession into a career seemed only natural. Building hot rods and engines started early in high school along with machining and welding skills. Early racing included drag racing and street racing in the late fifties. Moving to Freeport, Michigan, and meeting Wayne & Ruth Landon proved to be the turning point to oval track asphalt racing and the beginning of a lifelong friendship. In 1958, Wayne also secured Tom his first ride in a Super Modified at the old Speedrome in Grand Rapids. Tom built the #82 super modified that won the first heat race in which it was entered at Spartan Speedway and many other events in Michigan and Indiana over the next two years. During this time period, he had become a skilled tool and die maker and attended college at Michigan State for a year.
  from The Michigan Motor Sports Hall of Fame