60'-70's Vintage Oval Track Modifieds

Retired Lancaster (NY) Speedway Modified and Late Model driver Bill Bitterman suffered a heart attack today and is hospitalized in the Buffalo area.

Bill won his first Late Model feature in '71 and his first Modified feature in '76 (leading Maynard Troyer across the finish line during a Wednesday-night show).

Please keep him in your thoughts and prayers. If you would like to send a Get Well note:
Bill Bitterman
43 Unionvale Rd.
Cheektowaga, NY 14225

UPDATE: Heard from Mrs. Bitterman he had two blocked arteries and stents were installed. He may be able to go home Oct. 26. That's good news -- could have been much worse...

 

The Rome, NY DPW garage was probably short on orange paint that week.....

 

nice 70's Islip shots of Harbach, Bill Park, Tom McCann, etc. Bullfather

Here's a few more George Wagner I have left in my files....

Frank Conway built this hornet that George Wagner drove a few times on the island, but they seemed to have the big tracks in mind for the car...

here it is in the pits at Islip next to the trusty vega



At Trenton I believe with George driving it....





At Freeport with George dueling with Dan McNamara in the #71





An old business card from Frank Conway and Cromwell Auto Body



Frank Conway put Teddy Wesnofske in the hornet at Freeport as a team car to George Wagner in the vega and they ran together for the remainder of the season, but then George was out of the X-9 and back into his own modified #11 at Islip by the next season.

I don't recall George having much success with this first #11....




However, George drove this red and orange #11 to a few wins at Islip







losing a left rear tire in front of Lenny Fischer #77 and Bob Park #19 in their Troyer pintos










Some things come full circle....this is actualy George Wagner's son George Wagner III that wound up driving the Frank Conway built X-9 chevette after Teddy Wesnofske and Gary Winters. I believe George's son in law was also involved in racing. If I am correct, Eddie D'Hunt, married George's daughter. He raced a street stock #9 at Islip before moving onto bigger things in spotting and public relations for Sprint Cup Teams...

 

You gotta love the flagstand, track roller, safety barrier all-in-one !
Anyone know where all those shots of the #22 were taken? Looks like Colorado, etc.

 

col. sanders???

by the way last post on the trunk of the coupe it reads Yellostone Lincoln Mercury.

 

Great memories...thanks, for posting this.

Say...wasn't this the Leto coupe that Tommy Corellis used to run at Lebanon Valley and select Fonda Speedway major events prior to Ken taking it for it's final ride at "The Moody Mile?"

 

Ahhh... fond memories of early late model action at Fonda Speedway. I recall the early days of that division at Fonda as modifieddriver stated. I also seem to recall that Harry later went to a more capable motor and raced this very same frame and shell in the Modified division untiil going to the black 27 coupe. If my recall serves me correctly, Harry later sold this car to Jim Riggi, to (once again) be raced in the late model class with yet another motor reduction (in order to comply with the rules modifieddriver spoke of). Jim Riggi's sponsor (State Street Body Shop in Schenectady, NY) painted the body a beautiful candy-apple red with gold leaf lettering as the number 21. Later, Jim also attempted to follow in Harry's footsteps with this ride and (once again) upgrade the motor to make his own debut in the modified division. This car (and Jim Riggi) retired from racing soon thereafter when Jim flipped this car end-over-end for several rotations exiting the Fonda Speedway 3rd turn coming to rest just shy of the end of the grandstands literally inches from the front of cow palace (which is adjacent to the beginning of the 4th turn).

As best I recall, in departing the ride depicted, Harry took a ride for a couple seasons in a beautiful black coupe for few years, then, in the white and red-lettered 44 (formerly driven by Dexter Dorr). My last memories of Harry racing was in the black 27 Charlew Construction-sponsored Gremlin. The orange or red marker lamps he installed on the rooftops of his cars (except the 44) were a signature trait of Harry's cars.

As for my regard for Harry Peek? I think my nick here says it all. I think modifieddriver will concur that he was a gentleman both on and off the track...not to mention a talented driver and tech.

I'll have to dig up my Clancy Miller Photography (RIP) archive from cold storage and see if I can contribute some sharp shots of Fonda modified rides from back in the 70s.

 

I stumbled across this sight while searching for some pics of my father's race cars.After looking at 45 pages I found one that The Bullfather(thank you for the email) had posted of Sonny Hutchins #91 from the mid/late 60's.It appears to be my fathers modified.He and Junie Donlavey were friends for as long as I can remember.Junie always ran the 90 my father ran 91.Sonny drove both cars.My father sponsored(Billmyer Ford) Junie's Grand National car and the modifieds in the late 60's.Both cars were later painted Blue/White and Gold just like the Grand National car.My father owned/raced cars through the mid 70's in North Carolina and Virginia.I was just a kid at the time but I know we ran Southside and Wilson NC.Would love to see any pics from Wilson from early 70's.He got back into racing when he retired in the 80's and had late models that ran South Boston VA,Orange County and Ace Speedway in NC until 2003 when he passed away after a battle with cancer.Still have many more pages of photos and comments to go through but I am enjoying every minute of it.

 

jman91, What's your Dad's name? I raced with Sonny and Junie (Eastern Bandits) I bet I knew your Dad. Denny Z

 

I'm quite sure this is the same car. "

 

I remember calling Harry and asking for some advice. He said come on over and we'll talk. I sat at his kitchen table while he drew a diagram on how to make the leaf rear springs for my under construction Chevette bodied modified.

If you go to the Landrum Racing Spring web site and look at their technical information about leaf springs, it's almost exactly what Harry drew and told me that night .

Harry was a real gentleman and one heck of a good racer. He left us too soon.

 

Jack Billmyer

 

jman91, The name doesn't ring a bell, but I bet I would know him if I saw him. Denny Z

 

*** I was at Fonda the night Harrys 27 black Gremlin caught a wheel & flipped about 7 times down the frontstretch.The car was way up in the air,& I dont think Harry really ever recovered from that wreck....

 

Bullfather,

You found a couple of more gems. This looks like the 1973 All Star 300 at Islip as shot through the fence.

In the first shot Moose Hewitt #23 and Richie Evans #61 lead the pack. A few cars back you can see the blue and white X3 of Jim Hendrickson.

Thanks,

JBull

 

This shot captures the #39 of Sal Accardi pulling into the pits. A unique vega with a custom 3 tier hood (like to see a full shot of that again). Behind him you have Wayne Anderson #15 racing with Jimmy Tyler in the #08 and the #27 vega of John White. The #27 is the original Charlie Jarzombek vega. It was purchased by John White (probably his dad) who if I have my facts straight was J.J. White who used to be the sponsor on the back deck lid of Charlie's coupes when he ran the red/white/blue #1.

Neat stuff!