Van Fisher and John Pertunnen were on thier way to stardom. What happened ?

[LimeTime]

 Top young drivers in Michigan. in the 1990s.

[drink more beer]

John p. On mike condon horses!!!!!!
 Back in hazel park days

[Mailbox Money]

To sum up the demise of both of them, I will just say..White powder and a high stakes gambler that went by the nicknames Ponytail or Hippy!The circuit was full of races that had pre-determined outcomes! 

[LimeTime]

To sum up the demise of both of them, I will just say..White powder and a high stakes gambler that went by the nicknames Ponytail or Hippy!The circuit was full of races that had pre-determined outcomes! 

Ponytail was the tall slender fast talking guy with a ponytail who painted houses right ? SO your saying he colluded with both these drivers  to try to mess with races ?

[Mailbox Money]

Pony was only about 51/2 ft. tall and wore custom clothes. I believe that his name was Jimmy Wint! He didn't do manual labor. When he shook your hand, he had callus free hands.(like a chick) J.P. was about 42 when he passed away and Van was down and out in Oregon. He passed away about 4yrs ago! Those were some "interesting times" in Michigan Racing history! It's a miracle that we all lived thru it,that's for sure!

[LimeTime]

Pony was only about 51/2 ft. tall and wore custom clothes. I believe that his name was Jimmy Wint! He didn't do manual labor. When he shook your hand, he had callus free hands.(like a chick) J.P. was about 42 when he passed away and Van was down and out in Oregon. He passed away about 4yrs ago! Those were some "interesting times" in Michigan Racing history! It's a miracle that we all lived thru it,that's for sure!

Thanks for all that info- I really wondered about these guys because they seemed like young future stars of harness racing, Van kinda acted like a bigshot and JP kinda energetic and serious from a distance you know. As for the house painter that was Nello - he had a ponytail too so I thought you meant him- very big bettor too, 3,4, 5 hundred a race.

[Overcheck]

Van Fisher passed just last year I think.  Brings back memories of old Jackson Raceway. Terry Buter, Vince Copeland, Brad Kramer, Don Harmon and a bunch of others.  Then on to Hazel Park and Northville.  Michigan was hopping back in the 80's!