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2012 Hall of Fame
Freeman Brothers
Eddie Freeman:
January 18, 1950 - March
8, 2007
Racing Team
The Freeman Brothers
were perhaps the most
popular doorslammer
racers at a track that
LOVES its doorslammer
racing, Maryland
International Raceway.
Driver Vernon, crew
chief Eddie, and
promoter Johnie had a
gigantic fan base and
truly could run with the
very best in the
business.
In fact, when the
Freemans raced their
all-motor 1968 Camaro
during the MIR Mountain
Motor Nationals, they
usually ran well enough
to qualify in fields
populated by the top
professional Pro Stock
racers in the world. The
only thing keeping them
out of the fields was
the body style of their
race car. The Pro Stock
category has a strict
five year body rule
(from the current year),
which left their 1968
Camaro illegal, but
which left their fans
screaming even louder
when they ran quicker
than the pros!
The Freeman Brothers
have raced at MIR since
1968. For years, there
was no such thing as a
doorslammer race without
that sinister black and
red Camaro in
attendance. But their
on-track performances
were just a part of
their appeal. The
Freeman Brothers were
huge men with oversized
personalities to match!
The annual Mountain
Motor Nationals always
kicked off the same way,
with the Freeman
Brothers participating
in a time-honored
starting line ritual.
The race had always been
billed as "The Race
where we throw away the
rule book," indicating
that racers could stuff
in the biggest motors
they could at the lowest
weight possible (within
the bounds of safety).
Each year, the skit
kicked off with track
owner Royce Miller
taking a rule book out
to the starting line to
inspect the first pro
car ready to go down the
strip. He would
"consult" the rule book
and attempt to measure
the car for "rule
infractions." To the
crowd's delight, Eddie
Freeman would stride out
to the starting line and
engage Royce in a lively
exchange, which always
culminated in Eddie
removing the rule book
from Royce's hands and
throwing it as far away
from the starting line
as he could. The MIR
crowd ate it up. Eddie
passed away in 2007, and
Royce Miller made the
decision then that this
popular tradition would
end with Eddie.
The Freeman Brothers
show didn't end on the
starting line. Once the
racing began, their
demeanor turned
decidedly serious and
they did everything they
could to take the win.
Eddie made horsepower
that rivaled the top
crew chiefs in the
country, and Vernon
muscled that horsepower
down the MIR 1320, often
using up every inch of
the surface side to side
as he rode the romping,
stomping Freeman Bros.
Camaro to another win.
The Freeman Brothers
raced throughout
Maryland, Virginia, and
North Carolina, but they
always came back home to
MIR. And as the
racetrack that has the
best doorslammer fans in
the world, it's only
fitting that this team
of the biggest and
baddest doorslammer
racers joins our
esteemed list of
Legends. Welcome home,
Freeman Brothers.
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