Dick and Wanda Boness

In the 1956, Dick Boness and his brother, Fred, Jr., convinced their parents, Fred and Nina, that the family dairy farm would be a good site for a race track. The family’s farm was located on the site of Mile B Speedway and despite the fact that that track had been closed for years; the outline was still visible in the pasture land. Dick prevailed and opened a ½ mile dirt track that fall. After being shortened to ¼ mile and paved, Spanaway Speedway became the longest lived racing facility in Pierce County.

In the 40+ years that Dick and Wanda operated Spanaway Speedway, the facility hosted nearly every form of motor sport. National organizations like NASCAR and USAC conducted events at Spanaway as did virtually every other local racing association. The track not only provided a consistent home for family oriented entertainment but also served as the proving ground for many racers on their way to national prominence. Daytona 500 winner Derrike Cope raced at Spanaway before moving to the south, USAC Silver Crown and NASCAR Truck Champion Mike Bliss raced both midgets and supermodifieds at Spanaway. Seven time Indy 500 driver Davey Hamilton raced in the midgets and Indy 500 winner Tom Sneva ran supermodifieds before moving to the mid-west. West Coast stock car legend Ron Eaton has said he learned how to race at Spanaway and NASCAR drivers Randy Tolsma (who also raced USAC open wheel cars), Chad Little and Dirk Stephens all tested the tight bull ring early in their careers. Local stars Don McLeod and Ken Longley were named the top drivers in Spanaway Speedway history with Jackie Kuper also in the top five. Other top local competitors included Dennis Kitts, three generations of the Sauls family and Rick Moss. Anyone who raced in the northwest eventually raced Spanaway.

Dick and Wanda also built Olympia Tenino Speedway (now South Sound Speedway) near Tenino and operated both Ephrata (WA) and Stateline (ID) Speedways during their long association with local auto racing. Dick and Wanda sold the track, which is now a housing development, in 2003 and retired to their Eatonville home. Very few people have had the impact on any local sport that Dick and Wanda Boness had on Tacoma/Pierce County auto racing.