Michael Allen Watson II, 28, of Wake Village, Texas, died June 18, 2014, in a Dallas hospital. His family still has no idea what caused his death. His uncle, Jerry Rubly, said the young man’s body has been sent for an autopsy as the family anxiously awaits answers.
“We didn’t think it would take this long to get the results back, but we still don’t have any answers,” he said Monday, July 1.
Watson was the manager of Home Zone Furniture in Texarkana and was born May 19, 1986 in Texarkana, Texas. He was a lifetime resident of the Texarkana area.
As a means to celebrate his nephew’s life and to help preserve his great-nephew’s future, Watson’s uncle is hosting a benefit July 5 at Texarkana 67 Speedway.
“I work with Texarkana 67 Speedway and since Michael was my nephew and Michael Bret is my great-nephew, the racing community has come together in a way like no other I have ever seen,” Rubly said.
On July 5, Rubly and his racing friends are hosting a benefit race for young Michael Bret who is just 18-months-old.
“That night we are running a $1,000 to win limited modifieds, $300 to win factory stocks, $150 to win 4-cycle-pole-race and we’re also running Cruisers and modifieds. The race is called ‘The Firecracker 40,” Rubly said.
The name for “modified racing cars” comes from the fact that they are not stock but rather “modified passenger cars.” This differentiates them from stock cars in that were based on production cars in the early history of NASCAR.
“We will be having an auction for a raffle at the track. And, we will be passing the helmet for donations,” Rubly said.
The raffle will include items such as autographed NASCAR memorabilia, the front nose off of NASCAR’S Wood Brothers #21 car that Bill Elliot Drove, jackets, and shirts and more, he said.
“A racing helmet also will be passed around to collect donations and all the money raised from the helmet and the raffle will go directly to a trust for Michael Bret, my 18-month-old great nephew,” Rubly said.
Racing begins at 8 p.m. and tickets are $10 at the gate.
Texarkana 67 Speedway is a 1/4 mile dirt track ring just north east of Texarkana. There are numerous racing events that take place on the dirt oval. Everything from Sprint Cars to Motorcycles. Almost every famous race car driver started on dirt tracks and worked his or her way up the ladder. Most drivers in NASCAR started out on the dirt tracks in the south before making it to the big time.
Watson is survived by his wife, Brooke Buckley Watson of Wake Village, Texas; his son, Michael Bret Watson of Wake Village, Texas; his parents, Mickey and Kellie Watson of Texarkana, Texas; one brother, Sean Watson of Arlington, Texas; one sister and brother-in-law, Heather and Chad Doddy of Mt. Pleasant, Texas; his grandparents, Wilma Watson of Texarkana, Texas; John Rubly of Wake Village, Texas; his uncle, Jerry Miller-Rubly of Texarkana, Texas; and a host of friends and other relatives.
If you would like to donate to young Michael Bret Watson, contact Rubly at 903-244-9512.
