I don't remember Curtis losing a wheel, but he did lead a lot of the race. He was in the No. 4 Ford owned by a guy in Ohio, and the car was a former Holman-Moody car which had been driven by Fred Lorenzen. It was still pearl white, and still had the baby blue interior. I think the only car Charlie drove at the Fairgrounds that was connected with Harry Hyde was the former Delmonico Foods No. 29 Plymouth (later No. 12), that Pete Viviano, the president of the speedway and president of Delmonico, gave to Harry to use as a spare for the Andy Hampton and Jesse Baird Pontiacs after Earl Balmer had moved up to NASCAR. You'll remember that Balmer's Ford was also No. 29 with Delmonico Foods on the quarter-panel, but that was his short track car. The Plymouth was the ARCA car for longer tracks. As a matter of fact he was leading the ARCA race at Daytona in 1964 when it blew. Charlie asked Harry to let him drive, and Harry, with the understanding that he'd get out of it if one of the Pontiacs went down. Charlie brought along his own No. 12 64 Chevrolet as a backup in case that happened.
Reading your message again and noticing that you said at the Sportsdrome, I wasn't involved over there in the early 60s, but I know that Charley drove a Pontiac owned by Melvin Black, who ran the 'Drome, at Daytona in 1961.
Rex White & Smokey Yunick's 427 Mystery Motor cars - 2 more - Junior Johnson & GC Spencer in the Ray Fox car
The '61 USAC Stock Car Champion Paul Goldsmith and '61 NASCAR Champion Joe Weatherly are shown during a promotional tour for the record-setting Nichels Engineering Pontiac Teams. Shown in the middle is a teenage Linda Vaughn, Miss Pontiac.
No, sir. My name is Isaac. I'm young blood, only been around 10 years or so. I do body work and paint to Todd's cars. The old man used to call me "Mr. Isaac", but that's another story.
Thanks. Glad to know you. Jack used to have a sidekick with him at the tracks named Buck. Dog... Thanks for all those great photos. I was visiting the Indianapolis Motor Speedway museum, the old one at the corner of 16th & Georgetown, at the old main gate, when I heard cars on the track. I went out to the first turn grandstands and sat down, and was then treated to the site of two Pontiacs roaring down the front straight, through the first turn, down the short chute, and into the second turn. I watched for an hour or so. I went out and asked what was going on, and found out that they were going for the Stephens Trophy, which I think went to the U.S. made stock car that completed 500 miles quickest at IMS. They also were going for a 24-hour record, I believe. There were two cars, both NASCAR stockers, one maroon, and the other black and white and equipped with a flashing red light and also reportedly with an operating police radio on board. I was told that the International Association of Chiefs of Police were holding their convention in Indianapolis at the time, and they were doing it as a big promotion, inviting the chiefs out to watch.
I know Buck. He took over driving the hauler for a while, after Jack's passing. I think he has problems with his ticker at the moment. His son helps on the pit crew.
heres one of the greatest driver from the chicago area ken finley in his 777 one from illiana 1965 and one from santa fe speedway 1962
Not sure if it went through, but I just sent you a PM. I flagged a lot of ARCA races from about 62 until 72 or so. I am INTERESTED. E-mail me at indybigjohn@roadrunner.com. Thanx...
An old friend of mine, Moose Myers - as was his car owner, Jim Stovall. This photo was taken at Heidelberg...
Great stuff, guys! I'm almost certain that the Langhorne shots above are USAC, not NASCAR. The #26 Ed Martin Ford is Curtis Turner's, and in that time period, Curtis was banned from NASCAR and racing USAC (the Norm Nelson Plymouth and Roger Regeth Ford would also indicate that). Indybigjohn - as a kid in the 70s, our family went to Speedweeks every year. Moose was one of my favorites too, and the Stovall 0's were always immaculately turned out. Got to see him run a Camaro at I-70 a couple of times, too. Always loved the ARCA races - Myers, Dotter, Woody Fisher, Ramo, Hutch, etc.
Glenn, those are some great photos! Please feed the beast! I especially liked Curtis with the purple 56, the chick and his plane. Only two things he is missing that he was famous for is his booze and a cigarette. Thanks Pops!
I think Dale Sr learned a lot of his driving technique from watching Pops! Did you ever hear the story how Turner lost his pilots license? Seems he was flying from Florida up to North Carolina and ran out of booze. He landed his plane on Main Street of a small southern town to purchase more liquor and when taking off tore out the towns power lines. An FAA representative was standing by at Charlotte to confiscate Turners pilots license when he landed!
He did that stunt in Easley, South Carolina. That's less than five miles from Greenville-Pickens Speedway and about 15 miles from where I'm at. The folks up there still talk about it!!!!!
Yes, I read about that and when he and Weatherly got together, watch out. Little known fact to many is how much Turner had to do with the building of Charlotte Motor Speedway. What a colorful character he was. Then again, back then most of the drivers were.
Rex White's garage - - - 427 Mystery Motor car - retired for a Merc / Where is it now?? - - - - Louis Clements - Rex's partner - in front of the Merc - - -
Not sure about the 63, but somebody in Louisville bought the 61 from Clements. Dog, you have a lot of great photos from stocks and drags. Not too many of us cross over like that, and I'm glad to meet another one.
Incidentally, Dog, Buster let me stand in for him once during a preliminary day while I was working at IRP. Also, I had been up on the flagstand once during an SCCA national for just a race or two. I think I have the distinction of being one of the only starters to have started nationally-sanctioned races on an oval, a road course, and a drag strip.
Way cool!! I was very lucky - my Dad was a big NASCAR fan and loved the drags also. He brought me to West Hampton drag strip in the late fifties and lit that fire in me. We would go to Freeport, Islip, Old Bridge to watch the roundy cars every week and made it to Darlington & Daytona every year to see the NASCAR cars! Back then Islip was on the NASCAR circuit also - to see 30 or so new cars battle it out on that 2/10 mile track was awesome! Unfortunately Islip could not make the cut for the modern era NASCAR circuit! He was friends with Louis Clements so we always got the tour of the shop when we would go down south to visit relatives. They would have to drag me out of there when it was time to leave!
The Jalopy Journal
