60'-70's Vintage Oval Track Modifieds

Friend of mine posted this on Facebook. Guy looks familiar.

 

Yeah it does look like Daytona. I can't believe he flat towed that coupe all the way from Ozone Park Queens.

 

Reutimann's left front wheel doesn't look too good.

 

Found these shots my father took way back when, while rumaging thru the attic along with a couple of boxes of old programs fom middletown, reading, flemington and nazereth from about '75 to '79 is what i've looked at so far.......

 

A small boy was hurt in this wreck at Seekonk in the sixties. He was unconscious for a long time time. When he woke up the first thing he told his parents was "Billy said he was sorry" Soon after the boy became a Billy Clarke crew member . They are still friends today, and Billy is still actively racing at Seekonk, he first started racing there in the late forties!

 

Not sure but wasn't this photo in Stock Car Racing Magazine?

 

Bill - agreed 100%. I grew up at Shangri-La and Dutch (along with Bullet Bill Strosahl) was a favorite. Dutch was one of those drivers that I watched as a kid and just wondered "how does he manage to do that and not wreck himself or others?" Always fast and always clean, and as you said someone who always had time for the fans - it was rare that we didn't see him with a smile on his face. Aside - Back in the day, Jeannie C. Riley came to the Tioga County fair to perform a concert. We went over and out of sheer coincidence Dutch and his wife were sitting in front of us in the infield. I looked at my dad and said "Hey, that's Dutch Hoag!" and Dutch turned around and smiled. I think he signed more autographs and said hi to more people than JCR did that day.

One of the guys who really lives up to the term "legend."

 

The first time I ever went to Riverhead in 1985 (I think it was), I saw this car and Frank Saladino's Pinto pull out of the pits and thought "What the hell?!?!?!?" Loved seeing something different from the standard Cavaliers. Spoke with him in the pits afterwards and he mentioned that the body on the car had been active as a race car for almost 20 years. Very cool. Does Jeff still have this car, or did he sell it or get rid of it? There was someone else out on Sound Ave. who had a black Pinto mod at that time, saw it at their farm bt never saw it at the track.

 

I'll race you to 600! lol : )

 

Bakes, Shamrock 3x Bill and Dr. John: Thanks for all of the info on Dutch Hoag. Without ever seeing him or meeting him, that's kind of how I had him pegged. Lucky guess. All of the stories and info that everyone brings to the table along with all of the photos is what makes this a great thread!

 

Here is what I have left of the Hoag's in my scrapbook:

Dean Hoag in the #77 coupe battling with Larry Groover in the #10 coupe and Dave Nichols in the #34 Corvaire



Dean again in the #77 coupe this time battling Jack Crawford in the #71 coach and Gail Clark in th Falcon



A bad night for Dean, but from the headline on the photo, Dutch must have won the feature...




Dean in the #77 battling Ben Stevens in the 3X coupe with
Don Diffendorf in the S/360 sedan on the outside




Dean this time in the #7 Gremlin of his Dad battling the #4 Seamons built pinto of Wayne Edwards and the #15 McClure Special being piloted by Graeme Bolia




This is Dutch looping what must be the Turner Bros #18 pinto inf front of Roger Griffith #8




Dutch in the #18 again battling Wayne Anderson in the #20




And one more of Dutch in the #18 battling Chuck Kerfien #14 and M. Howard in the #98

 

And the last few...


Dutch Hoag in the #78 Vega




Dean Hoag in the #7 pinto battling Wayne Edwards for back to back wins




Dean in victory lane





Dean again in victory lane with what looks like a Troyer built mod




and one more time





and an oldie of Dutch in the Turner Bros #18 coupe tracking down the Dick Barney owned #14 coach and I believe Roger Burdick in the #54 coupe

 

That is Roger in the 54, but I believe that's Bob Merz in the 18. 1970 Langhorne?

 

whatever happened to that car??? Any Islanders know?

 

hank mathon ,son of islip speedway welder al mathon, got it next. put a hemi in it for
oswego, and went no -where. if i remember right,first nite out,had brake issues
and stuffed it in the wall

 

The picture was at Lincoln Speedway, car was driven by Roger Sowers and owned by Luke McCoy.....Didn't work, but Roger and Luke were a major force with their regular mounts in the 60's

 

I call this thread wide '5' wheel heaven,it is quite a reference as to how many varieties of mag/aluminum hubs were used back then. Keep it comming.

 

I've only been around modifieds for the last several years. I crew on a team that actually builds their own chassis'. We race Stafford weekly and occaisionally race tour types. Im straying out of the time period slightly with these pics but maybe some folks might remember names or cars.

For the last 3 or so years i have had a chance to race with Luther Hosmer. What a great guy. Im sure the Riverside guys will recognize his name. I spot for the driver. Here were are in Victory Lane at Thompson.
http://www.racerhub.com/photos/showphoto.php?photo=89659

We plan to race a few shows again this year with Luther.

Here is a former Boehler car that was purchased by Brian Schofield that we took to South Boston , Thompson and Seekonk for Tour Type events. Car was driven by same driver as above.

http://finishlinephotography.smugmu...on-Meltdown-250/8215570_8VDZB#129885317_8P2ff

An "interesting" chassis.

We also did a couple of races with the Czarnecki brothers. Great guys they are.

Admittedly these links above arent of 70's so i didnt embed the pics. Hopefullly i dont get voted off the island. This thread is great , it gives me a glimpse into the history of modifieds and thank you to those who contribute.

 

only rebel rousers get booted off the island............. okay that's not true

 

WOW.. Congrats on the 500...Oh how I love this Thread.. Amazing photos, Info about the Drivers and Cars I love so much in my youth..

Thought it be fun to post these ..

So much so that thru my Cancer Deal I wanted to do something to relive my youth.. love of Modifieds and Slots.. Got 2 routed Ovals and plan on a another larger one .. 1/24 scale .. lots of Heavy Brass builds.. and have a bunch more in the works..and having a blast doing it.. so much so the Hotrods are just sitting lately...haha

some modifieds



How about some jalopies..




Thanks woodguy

 

Great stuff. I saw your layout on another website. I, too, built and raced these things about forty-five years ago at some local hobby shops. I'm also considering building a routed oval for my basement to run my old cars and some new cars (modifieds and late models). Sure brings back lots of memories, and would be nice in the cold months and to introduce the grandkids to our old hobby. Good luck with your racing.

 

very nice work

 

Woodguy... amazing track work. So amazing I have no idea where the lanes go or come from. Do you have a schematic of it? Thanx, Gary

 

Woodguy some great slots there!!!

 

wayne anderson still races weekly

 

Close up of one... Body on..



Body off...






bunches of fun to run.. and yes they do fly...crazy fast

wood