QUAD CITIES, Iowa-Ill.—
On any given night, from Spring to Fall, you'll find a Quad City man going round and round with dozens of his closest friends in front of hundreds of his biggest fans. But the man who's made a name for himself at speedways across the region is now in the race of his life. News 8's Chris Williams introduces you to his inspirational story.Hershel Roberts makes the rounds behind the scenes like the mayor of the pits at dirt tracks across the region.
"He's like a father out here to all of us here", driver Todd Malmstrom told us.
The hard charging racer in the number 58 has 41 years experience behind the wheel, 289 career wins and 15 series championships. Some of those victories are legendary decades later like the time he won after spinning out. Hershel put the car in reverse and backed over the finish line before the competition.
Despite downplaying his legendary status, Hershel Roberts admits he has a lot of friends at the track. Some of these friends are men young enough to be his grandchildren and, despite the respect, they don't give the 67 year old an inch on the track. Each week they go wheel to wheel racing for the checkered flag and Hershel teaches them a few things along the way.
"When he passed me, about three weeks ago on the last lap, on the last turn it was weird. I mean, I was spinning my tires trying to beat him to the line but at the same time I was smiling and happy for him too. I'd lose to him every week", said driver Mike Murphy, Jr.
But it's what they've learned from him over the past three years that they'll each hold dear for life, on and off of the track. Because now Hershel is racing against a demon he knows will win some day.
"I know, eventually, it's gonna catch up with me", said Roberts. "I know, right now, I'm not as good as I was a year or six months ago. You can tell in your body."
He has stage 4 cancer in his pelvis. 3 and a half years ago the doctor gave him 6 weeks to 6 months to live. As recently as last summer his doctors called the family together expecting him to die. Each time Hershel climbs into the number 58 and keeps on running.
"I ain't giving up", he says. "I guarantee I'm not gonna be giving up and I'm gonna continue doing what I've been doing as long as I can."
His son Ken is the mastermind behind the 58 making the technical decisions at each race trying to match the car to the conditions. His loyalty to dad began decades before the diagnosis.
"I've learned more from my dad in the last 3 years, in just values and just who he is, and I can't be more grateful in the last 3 years to be part of this whole process and being around him", explained Ken Roberts. "It's made me a better person."
Hershel responded with a mix of joy and sadness, "I have had a good life. I've had a good family, wonderful wife, wonderful kids and if it ended today... I couldn't ask for better."
It hasn't ended, in part, because of his shiny red race car. When he climbs in and fires it up he doesn't just tool around like some sick old man waiting to die.
(nate beuselng) "He's our inspiration", explained driver Nate Beuselng. "To have the troubles he has and to keep racing, it makes you wonder why you complain about the things you complain about."
Hershel Roberts charges through the pack like a man on a mission to live and his doctors admit what he's accomplished is nothing short of miraculous.
Oncologist Doctor Mario Sy said, "If you have a reason why you want to be around, I think, it really helps quite a bit and, I believe, his passion for racing is what's driving him to continue how well he's doing."
Every 21 days Hershel takes chemotherapy in Bettendorf. Despite the pain and exhaustion, he smiles. The days following these treatments are tough. Sometimes he's so weak he has to be helped from the car.
"I'm gonna have to go through this the rest of my life", he explains. "I know that it ain't something that you look forward too but, I look at it like this, here I may have one week when things are low. I still got two weeks when things are up and there's a lot of people who don't have that."
The slow drip of the toxic, life saving, drugs and the prick of the needles he can handle and he does so with a smile. But during our conversation the smile slowly faded as he revealed what saddens him about this fight watching others suffer with cancer.
"Seeing a small child or seeing a young person that's got their whole life ahead of them. That bothers me."
Children are so important to Hershel he lists the names of his grandchildren on the 58 car and waves to them in the stands. On autograph night kids line up to meet the legend and on one occasion a woman even wanted Hershel to sign her baby's outfit.
Out on the dirt track, and in the pits, racing is a refuge from cancer. But even here there's no escaping the reminder of the demon who's gaining ground. Two hands full of medicine fuel him for just a few more hours just long enough for one more chance to win. But on this special Sunday night, on his home track in East Moline, behind the face shield of Hershel's helmet the strain was beginning to set in. We spent three weeks chasing this champion but for the first time he showed signs of slowing. Just days before the latest blood work came back with bad news. The cancer is beginning to take hold in his bloodstream again leaving Hershel to wonder how many more races he has left.
"I want to be remembered as a good father, good husband, good family man. Honest man that's always treated people the way he wanted to be treated", he said.
On this special Sunday night one more chance to win netted a 6th place finish. It wasn't what most drivers would call a success but, for 25 magical laps, it was just the therapy Hershel needed. He climbed out of the car feeling better and vowing to keep racing from the demon.
Last week, after we finished filming this story, the doctor ordered Hershel to temporarily stop racing due to some concerns with his condition. He has another driver filling in behind the wheel for now but Hershel says as soon as he gets the o.k. from the doctors he'll be back in the 58 looking for win number 290.
