[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 156 (Thursday, December 2, 2010)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2053]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


              A TRIBUTE TO THE LIFE OF ALBERT ``AL'' POMBO

                                 ______
                                 

                             HON. JIM COSTA

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                       Thursday, December 2, 2010

  Mr. COSTA. Madam Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to Albert 
``Al'' Pombo who passed away on November 19, 2010. Al Pombo was an 
extraordinary man and a favorite of racing fans throughout California, 
but also a personal hero of mine. I ask that portions of an article 
published by The Fresno Bee be entered into the Record.

       Al kissed bumpers and babies in a hard-charging auto racing 
     career in the Central Valley that often angered competitors 
     while captivating fans, young and old, died Friday at 
     Veterans Hospital in Fresno. He was 85.
       ``He was just talented, very good--he was the best,'' 
     another former Valley racer, Dan Green, said Saturday of Mr. 
     Pombo, who launched his career at Merced Speedway in the 
     jalopy class in 1948, went on to compete in dirt cars, 
     hardtops, sprint cars and super modifieds and won more than 
     500 main events, seven NASCAR supermodified titles and 
     numerous championships at short tracks throughout California 
     before he retired in 1971.
       He actually came out of retirement for one final race, 
     driving Al Brazil's circle No. 3 sprint car at Clovis 
     Speedway in 1976. ``They broke the mold when they made him,'' 
     Kings Speedway promoter Dave Swindell once said of Mr. Pombo, 
     the state's top hardtop racer in the 1960s. Kenny Takeuchi, a 
     former announcer at Kearney Bowl and other tracks across the 
     state, once said: ``He was dedicated to the sport. Whether 
     it's God-given or not, he had real driving talent and 
     competition never fazed him. He was also good on dirt or 
     pavement, and that's rare to find today.'' Mr. Pombo was 
     particularly dedicated to the Valley. ``He had the ability to 
     go back East,'' Green said, ``but he never did really care 
     about going on to Indy and the big time. He was a local guy 
     and very few people beat him.''
       Mr. Pombo fancied the tight, quarter-mile oval at the old 
     Kearney Bowl, where his duels with Marshall Sargent riveted 
     the Valley racing audience in the 1950s and '60s and helped 
     pump racing blood back into the hearts of those still 
     mourning the 1955 Indianapolis 500 loss of Fresno icon Billy 
     Vukovich Sr.
       It was at Kearney Bowl--once Fresno Airport Speedway, and 
     then Italian Park Speedway--where Vukovich forged his career 
     from 1936-47 behind the wheel of the little red ``Old 
     Ironsides'' before crowds approaching 20,000 that routinely 
     arrived for Sunday night midgets. It was primarily there and 
     at Clovis Speedway that Mr. Pombo developed a Valley fan 
     following arguably only exceeded by Vukovich in the region's 
     history of auto racing.
       Mr. Pombo's popularity hardly faded deep into his 
     retirement as it was common to see him in recent years 
     smooching babies and being swarmed by kids and adults at 
     autograph sessions at Valley tracks. He couldn't be torn away 
     from his passion, even though he used a wheelchair in his 
     final months. He made his last appearance, signing his hats, 
     T-shirts and pictures per usual, Oct. 22-23 at the Trophy Cup 
     at Tulare's Thunderbowl Raceway. Mr. Pombo was taken there by 
     longtime friend Paul Reiter, his designated driver for years. 
     And, to the end, Reiter witnessed many who bowed to the icon. 
     ``People from way back would tell their kids to shake this 
     man's hands, the legend of all time,'' said Reiter, a former 
     soda vendor at Kearney Bowl. ``People would tell him, `You're 
     the greatest driver . . . you gave us so many nights of 
     thrills . . . I met my wife at the track and watched your 
     whole career.'
       Most memorable were the duels with Sargent that found metal 
     to metal and occasional fist to fist. So intense was their 
     rivalry, bleacher brawling was common among fans fighting in 
     defense of one or the other racers. And so prominent in 
     Valley racing annals, a tribute is still paid in the form of 
     the annual Pombo-Sargent Classic at Kings Speedway. ``We were 
     always the best friends in the world,'' once said Pombo, also 
     namesake of the Al Pombo Classic that continues at Madera 
     Speedway. ``But when the green flag dropped, we'd come out 
     fighting. Sometimes, we'd mix it up a bit, but we'd always 
     end up in the bar partying.''
       Daughter of Al Pombo's son, Tony, she said her grandfather 
     hadn't walked since falling and breaking his hip in late 
     June. Since, he had remained at Fresno's Veterans Hospital. 
     And it was there that Reiter would pick him up, drive him to 
     tracks in Tulare, Chowchilla, Madera and Hanford, and return 
     him the same night, as late as 2 a.m. ``He loved kids, he 
     loved people, he loved everybody,'' Reiter said. ``You 
     couldn't ask for a better guy. He was my hero.''
       Al was born in the Azores on June 3, 1925. He is preceded 
     in death by his wife Pat, and children Diana, David, and 
     Albert Jr. Al is survived by his children, Alisa and Larry 
     McDonald, Patty Micheli, Debbie Pombo, Tony and Susan Pombo, 
     Pat Ruch, and fifteen grandchildren and eleven great-
     grandchildren.

  Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in remembering the life 
of this remarkable man, and one of my personal heroes, as we offer our 
condolences to his family and celebrate his memory and service to our 
community and California.

                          ____________________