60'-70's Vintage Oval Track Modifieds

Rick Thorpe, 1974. Fred Smith photo.

 

Gary Cornelius, 1973. Fred Smith photo.

 

Ted Wolven, with a car (obviously) purchased from Mike Loesher. I saw him race this car at Lancaster (NY) Speedway in '76, but this may have been taken before that. Fred Smith photo.

 

Richie Evans, 1972. Fred Smith photo.

 

Jean-Guy Chartrand, 1972. Fred Smith photo.

 

This was passed on to me by a friend and old time racer.
Scroll down to the bottom of the page and click on the links (Otto Graham with the dates). There is some great info on guys and even better pics

http://www.dirttrackdigest.com/nostalgia/otto7608.shtml

Dr. John and Bull Father keep em coming

 

Aug. 1972 -- Roger Treichler debuts his new Vega, ready for Lancaster's "Series 70" rule change coming in '73. In the background is Sege Fidanza (77) in the coach he just purchased from Roger. Fred Smith photo.

 

Benny Stephens. Fred Smith photo.


Mark Lajeunesse (spelling?). Fred Smith photo.


Geoff Bodine 1971 or 1972. Fred Smith photo.

 

Al Sanders



trenton

Trenton Fred Harbach and Bob Park

 

Langhorne

Trenton Charlie J

Mid state

Gary Balough

Don Diffendorf

 

Graeme Bolia Shangri-la



Diffendorf



Greame Bolia

 

Paul Doig

New York State Fair

Langhorne

Gordie Isham

Don Diffendorf

 

Bullfather: That No. 23 coupe is Bob Owens (a.k.a. Bob McKenna), a local Western N.Y. racer. His mechanic (painted on the side of the car) is Ron McDonald Sr., who also used to race Mini-Stocks at Lancaster (NY) Speedway. McDonald also built a Mustang Modified for Steve Mal. Later, Ron's son, Ron Jr., started racing Mini-Stocks too. Their real names were Ronald McDonald, so they approached local McDonald's in the area for sponsorship and were told, "McDonald's does not sponsor BLODD SPORTS!" Of course, McDonald's later started sponsoring Cup cars...

 

Great pic of the great Bullet Bill" Strosahl. Absolutely one of my favorite drivers when I was a kid, and one of the nicest guys you'd ever want to meet as well - somewhere I have a pic of my sister and I next to him and the McClure 15 in the pits at Shangri-La in 1967 or 1968. He passed away several years ago.

An aside - I was working at Sugerman's department store in college and was sketching a modified during a slow day (I did this constantly in college) when a guy walks up and says "Hey, nice Pinto - my dad used to drive a coupe back when." Turns out it was Bill Strosahl Jr. He asked if I remembered his dad and I sketched out a later #15, right down to the staggered "F-O-R-D" letters across the hood, handed it to him, and said "He was my favorite driver growing up." I think he ended up giving his dad that sketch.

 

The # 73 Gremlin modified, I think that is Billy Osmun, not Gary Balough.

 

From the "anonymous" photographer who was out in the rain in Syracuse in 1977, IT IS GARY BALOUGH.

 

Geoff Bodine 1971 or 1972. Fred Smith photo.
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Thanks for sharing....Yes, that is Geoff Bodine but look just beyond Geoff's car...That Tant-Mitchell red Flying #11 sitting on the inside pole was driven by a pretty savvy race car driver too-Mr Ray Hendrick, aka 'Mr. Modified' with over 700 wins...

 

Cam Gagliardi at Lancaster (NY) Speedway, 1971. Gordon Reinig photo.

 

Buffalo's old Civic Stadium, mid-1950s. Lee Sexton photo.

 

Tom Maxwell. Terry Lynch photo.

 

Jim Shampine coupe, 1971. Terry Lynch photo.

 

Jim Rudolph, 1971. Terry Lynch photo.

 

Bob Merz Sr., 1971. Terry Lynch photo.

 

Dick Priest. Terry Lynch photo.

 

Bob Merz Corvair on the hauler. Terry Lynch photo.

 

Hey when you guys get a chance head over to Jack Hedstrom place, he's got tons of photos from himself and his father, both whom have done photography in racing. Jack still takes photos today of the modern style of racing. http://www.jacksracephotos.com/ Out of respect of Jack and his family, I wanted to plug his website and show you guys the hard work he put into it. Thanks for bringing forward the experiences we get when we look at the shots from old to new!
Remember folks none of these photos are mine, they were never taken by me, but a lot of local heros that where there in the ditches risking their lives half the time to get a shot of an old japlopy flying by on the edge of insanity! Some guys stood behind a pit wall but still always had to keep an eye out for what came next, doing Saturday night and Sunday video of racing, I know the other eye has always got be looking the other way. You know that what amazes me sometimes, some shots are so special because of it!!!

 

Socks Hulbert



Stich Mariano

 

Kenny Goodermotte

Jim Mott

Freddy Sheppard