‘Broadway Bob’ Metzler takes a final bow
By Chris Bennett
Correspondent
The advertising that promoted Great Lakes Dragaway is as distinctive as the man who helped bring the venue to life.
Yell “SUNDAY! SUNDAY! SUNDAY!” to anyone in southeast Wisconsin who’s turned on a radio in the last 25 years and they’ll likely think of drag racing legend “Broadway Bob” Metzler.
Metzler, who helped co-found Great Lakes Dragaway in the Town of Paris, south of Union Grove, died July 27 at the age of 83 at Manor Care in Kenosha, an assisted living facility.
A public graveside service with full military honors will take place at 1 p.m. Monday, Aug. 13, at Southern Wisconsin Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Union Grove.
The military played a key role in Metzler’s life and legend.
According to a 2005 story in Southern Lakes Newspapers, Metzler won seed money for his race track while playing blackjack when serving with the Marine Corps stationed at Camp Pendleton, Cal.
He enlisted in the Marines in 1944, fully expecting to serve in World War II.
“By the time I got through boot camp, the war was almost over,” he was quoted as saying in 2005, “so I was discharged in 1946.”
But not before winning what he estimated to be roughly $17,000 in gambling wins which, in modern dollars, he thought would be about $150,000.
Metzler returned to the area after his time in the Marine Corps and joined several local hot rod clubs at a time when that endeavor gained steam in America.
“I raced in modified stock car races, but didn’t do too good,” he admitted in 2005.
“But I had such a love for racing, and everyone knew it, so they suggested that I build a track just for drag racing.”
He did so near Union Grove, situated ideally between Milwaukee and Chicago. Great Lakes Dragaway opened in 1955 with assistance from members of local clubs.
“I put up the money from my winnings, and bought a piece of farmland from Paul James,” Metzler said back in the day. “And then I gave free admission and shares of stock to all the clubs who worked.”
Metzler sold the track in 2005 but maintained a presence there. He operated a gift shop/souvenir stand on the track’s grounds.
T.C. Christiansen owns and operates Kenosha’s Sunset Motors, which specializes in maintaining British motorcycles. He has known Metzler since the late 1950s.
Over Labor Day weekend, Christiansen will be inducted into0 the Great Lakes Dragaway Hall of Fame.
He gained fame racing his Norton motorcycle at Great Lakes Dragaway, earning the nickname “The Norton Hogslayer” for his dominance of Milwaukee-built Harley Davidson motorcycles. Christiansen is the subject of a documentary film that details his racing exploits.
He describes Metzler as “probably one of the most famous drag strip owners in the country” and probably the only one who got in the National Hot Rod Association Hall of Fame.
“We were great friends,” Christiansen said. “We partied together and raced. I knew him a long time.”
Metzler’s flamboyant style of dress, which included loud pants, flashy t-shirts and crazy sunglasses, earned him his legendary Broadway Bob nickname.
Christiansen said Metzler definitely knew how to party.
“He was a serious drag-racing party guy,” Christiansen said.
“By the time he got done with an event, he was usually pretty blasted.”
When asked about Metzler’s business acumen, though, Christiansen responded with one word.
“Ruthless,” Christiansen said. “I’ll tell you what, that’s what you had to do to run a drag strip. There’s a lot of controversy with those places.”
Metzler invented events to help his business. He started the Olympics of Drag Racing, which proved so popular he instituted another on Labor Day weekend. Racers could attend Metzler’s Labor Day Spectacular and hope to win a respectable purse.
According to his obituary, Broadway Bob is survived by his sister, Carolyn Metzler, and her friend, Rev. Prochnow, of Cape Coral, Fla.; a nephew, Billy Metzler; other relatives; and many friends.
He was preceded in death by his parents; wife; daughter, Patty; infant son, William Robert; and four sisters: Delores, Arlene, Audrey and Shirley.
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