60'-70's Vintage Oval Track Modifieds

more Latimore!

 

and more!

 

and a couple more!

 

Wow a bueatiful car !

 

Frank Hager from VA, if you are out there shoot me a line. I want to build a model of your # 7 from the Valley.

 

Sad news, just heard Holly Bunn passed away. He was a Real Champion and a Gentleman. Denny Z

 

Sad indeed, Denny ... That very first edition of the Langhorne National Open (better known later as the Race of Champions) helped put Hully Bunn on the racing map, and his distinctive-sounding name made him stick in so many memories. Lots of folks in my generation grew up hearing his name, and we never forgot it.

RIP, Hully ... and thanks, Denny, for passing the word along.

 

I'm here, and I assume I'm the guy you're lookin' for that ran a #7 at the Valley.

BUT I'm been here in South Carolina since '77.

Can't go to VA, well I guess I can now. Had an unpaid speeding ticket there for a few years!!!!. Got busted for using a fuzz buster .


Send me a PM.

 

C:\Documents and Settings\Ted McClure\My Documents\My Pictures\Ted's Supermodified

 

An interesting bit of trivia about Holly Bunn. He got injured racing @ the old Vernon speedway right around the same time Bernie Miller got hurt there. The year was 1953. Bernie Miller hit the water truck. But I'm not sure what happened to Holly. Dad couldn't remember for sure. Maybe someone on here knows.

 

Hey....where is everybody? Denny Z....do you, perchance, have an update on how Rene Charland is doing?

 

shamrock, Haven't heard a thing for a while. I just sent a message to Mike Gnip, he checks up on Rene every so often. I will let you know. Denny Z

 

Thanks Denny. Rene was a key player in the first race I can ever remember watching. It was at the 1/2 mi. dirt track at the Monroe Co. Fairgrounds (Rochester, NY) in, I believe, 1963. Kenny Shoemaker & Rene were 1st & 2nd for much of the race & Dutch Hoag was 3rd. My father & uncles, who were Dutch fans, told me to keep my eye on the orange #18. I did, and as the flagger started waiving the checkered flag, Dutch snuck under both of them coming off the 4th turn & took the win. I remember it vividly today, even though I was only 11 at the time. I was hooked from that point on!

 

shamrock, Mike Gnip replied to my message and said he will check in on Rene in a week or two and let me which I will report here. Also I will get an address for Rene in case anyone wants to send him a card. Denny Z

 

Last few pics I have on Bob Park....

In a spin with John Meade going by in the #79





Bob Riley in the George Leblanc #22 passing Bobby Park at the ROC





Bob Park losing an engine in front of Mark Engle #6, I believe at New Egypt





Bob Park #19 and Tom McCann #16 side by side at Islip with Gary Cretty in the #96 in hot pursuit...




Bob Park #19 battling it out with Fred Harbach in the #X90 (may be New Egypt as well)....





and Bob getting rear ended at Stafford on the front stretch in the middle of a pack....

 

this is martinsville

 

no....This is SPARTA!!! Sorry had too, if you've seen the movie 300 then you know what I'm talking about.

 

Hey Folks, Send Rene a card.
Amsterdam Memorial Hospital
Wilkerson Facility
Attn: Rene Charland Room 202
4988 State Highway 30
Amsterdam NY 12010

 

I would echo Denny's kind request for cards to the man known as "The Champ." Rene Charland entertained tens of thousands of folks in his long career, many of whom are no doubt fans of this board. A card from an appreciative stranger would surely brighten his day. Just a thought ...

 

#M2 that Leo Clarey was sharp

 

Great NASCAR article on Richie Evans, well worth reading, thanks Dr. John for the link on post #10988

 

Have to agree with Ralph, was a great read.

 

Heres a link to a HAMB album of some vintage Super Mods from the San Jose, Ca. area.
http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/album.php?albumid=28492

 

a few pics of the other Park brother Bill....a few more wins then brother Bobby and a few track championships at Riverhead where he is still going strong today...

a youthful Bill in one of his first rides the #20 Coupe....




Bill in his #20 vega battling Jim Kelly in the #22 Skyhawk at Islip (Brian Cholerton photo)






Bill in the infield pits at Islip (another Brian Cholerton photo)





another Brian Cholerton photo this time Bill with a checkered flag at Islip....




Bill at speed at Islip in the #20 vega




Bill onto the Troyer Pinto years in a skirmish at Islip with Don Howe, Ed Brunnhoelzl Jr and Wayne Anderson





Billy #20 and brother Bobby Park #19 mixing it up with a spinning Al Hansen



Billy Park #20 battling that Rapid Roman Richie Evans #61 during the All Star 200 at Islip ( a B & G Wurthmann photo)





Billy at Speed

 

The first time I ever took my wife, then girl friend to Islip we were sitting on the back stretch and Pat was loving the racing, then along comes Bill and gets tangled up in someone's wheels and vaults into the air and into one of the train rails that the track had as posts for cables to run through and to tie up the fencing to keep the cars & parts in. We looked up and saw the under carriage of Bill's car high above us and then he came crashing down right in front of us. He blacked out while still on the throttle with his tires blown out but wheels spinning wildly. My wife never forgets to remind him to this day when she sees Bill about that night. Bill says, he still can't recall what happened. All I know is that my wife was sold on racing that night and we hardly missed a race at Islip or Riverhead for up-wards of 20 plus years.

 

I remember one night at Riverhead, when one of the Park boys put a car in the stands in turn one, they cancelled the rest of the racing that night, to much damage to the fence and guard rail. Very scary.

 

My mother and I were discussing racing memories of the past and I thought I'd share a funny story with everyone. It regards a trip to Plainville Stadium (or as my mother likes to refer to it as the Splinter Palace).

We were sitting in the stands prior to qualifying and a familiar fan came walking up. Someone next to us asked why he was late. The gentleman explains that he just bought a brand new car (a chevette) and made sure he parked it well away from other cars. Someone asks where did you park it? The gentleman points over beyond the third turn. A few people in the section stand to look for it and one comments; "Jesus! So you parked it way over there. Is that even part of the parking lot?" The gentleman replies; "I don't care if it is or not. It won't get touched over there."

Time passes and the second modified heat comes out on the track. They take the green and a few laps later a mod blows through the third turn wall (with an apparent stuck throttle). The mod keeps going a little ways and drives up and over that gentleman's new car.

It was just one of those type of stories that put us in tears... Does anyone recall this incident occurring at that great little track? I know it a long shot.

 

Lots of cars went out of that place over the turn three wall over the years. I'll look through some of my photos and see what I come up with. Why does your mother call it the 'Splinter Palace'?

 

Zoera... When she attended the races with us, by that time the track was just a couple years from closing. The grand stands were worn and planks were splintering so much so that one who would make the mistake of "scooting over" to make room for someone, without getting up and shuffling over, usually ended up digging splinters out of a cheek on their hind end.

That would be absolutely wild if there was a photo of that very night. I don't recall if we ever seen that gentleman again, but I remember that incident.

 

Do you remember the car number or color? (or drivers' name?)