In 1988, Vogler was running 20+ laps down in the race when he waived his position to former Formula 1 champion Emerson Fittipaldi. William M. Ostapenko, 38, who was working in his yard at But he liked to race on them.. His 134 wins (95 Midget, 35 Sprint, and four Silver Crown wins) in national events is second only to A. J. Foyt's 169. Born March 10, 1957. Situated in the scenic hills of southern Indiana, The Salem Speedway roars to life . It is too late, he thinks. So what does Sabres GM Kevyn Adams do this week? As the field favorite going for his third consecutive He continued to tinker with the mechanics, then entered the 25-lap event, anyway. In May 1952, Sweikert ran his first "Indy 500" race. Sweikert returned to Hayward and opened his own small business, Sweikert Automotive, an automotive repair shop based out of his parents' garage. The following morning, in part because of Vogler's testimony, the penalty was overturned and Fittipaldi was credited with the runner-up position. In late 1952 his first wife, Marion, started divorce proceedings. Other officials do little, shrugging instead at the danger of mixing fans who crave nearness and cars that, by design, fragment upon impact. Yard of Sweikert Home. The Salem Speedway joined The Hills circuit in 1947, and immediately demonstrated its potential for disaster. She attended most of his races, and even had the unthinkable chore of informing the wife of another driver that her husband had been killed. Sweikert and his wife, Dolores, were the parents of four children On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. Salem Speedway is a .555 miles (0.893km) long paved oval racetrack in Washington Township, Washington County, near Salem, Indiana, United States, approximately 100 miles (160km) south of Indianapolis. The tire hit a concrete barrier in front of the grandstand. She figures it was a combination of factors, but mostly this: It was Bobs time to die, and he died.. His mother Eleanor started a college scholarship fund for aspiring Indiana students as part of Rich's concern over his sons, and the fund was started by USAC officials and sponsor Valvoline. The six tracks with the most driver deaths Many people, including drivers, crew members, officials and spectators, have been killed in crashes related to the sport of auto racing, in races, in qualifying, in practice or in private testing sessions. Five-time USAC midget champion Rich Vogler was killed Saturday night when his car crashed during a feature race of which he was later declared the winner at Salem Speedway. three weeks ago to make her home. The first major fund-raiser for the fund has been a Daytona 500 viewing party in Indianapolis, today well-attended with a silent auction and notable names in auto racing in the state as guests. at the bottom of the water. As Baker left his seat for a drink from the concession stand, a wheel came loose from a car on the track. Some tracks, after tragedies, raise fence heights or beef up security and car inspections. Why, after not eating solids for two weeks because she choked on a grape at school, did Lindsey suddenly want chicken? On July 21, 1990, during the Joe James / Pat O'Connor Memorial sprint car event at the Salem Speedway, which was nationally broadcast on ESPN Thunder, sprint car driver Rich Vogler sustained fatal head injuries due to a crash in turn 4. Learn More In addition to his five midget titles, Vogler won the national sprint car championship in 1980. Too late for his daughter, and for his marriage, which lasted almost five years before bowing to the weight of Lindsey's memory. On the first lap of the first race held at Salem, on June 22, 1947, Clay Corbitt locked wheels with Jack Schultz, went over the banking and was killed. He gained his first racing sponsorship in July 1947, when he became a track roadster race driver for Hubbard Auto Parts of Oakland. That grief gripped the loved ones of dozens of race car drivers in the 1950s. 1,509 were here. I didnt see him airborne.. The .555-Mile oval that features imposing 33-degree banked turns was built strictly for speed. History [ edit] He was scheduled to make his NASCAR Winston Cup (now NASCAR Cup Series) series debut at Pocono Raceway the day after his fatal crash. He died the day after his sister, on his 10th birthday. Salem Speedway opened in 1947, providing fans with exciting fast paced racing on the .555-mile oval that features imposing 33-degree banked turns that were built strictly for speed! It would do no good for anyone to tell Bob Sweikert to quit racing. Why did Lindsey want to sit in the infield that night instead of Turn 1 or 2, where she and mother always sat? Forgot account? Karl & Veda Orr built & operated their own race cars. For over 65 years Salem Speedway Fueled by the Hoosier Lottery has enjoyed the recognition of being one of the most unique and renowned race tracks in America. or. Both boys were Running close to the wall, Sweikert's right rear wheel clipped a steel beam sticking out onto the track from the wall at the end of the stands. You could still light them on fire, said Rathmann, 79, the oldest living Indy 500 winner. There is also a Team Vogler Classic at the Indianapolis Speedrome. Five-time USAC midget champion Rich Vogler was killed Saturday night after his car crashed during a feature sprint-car race at Salem Speedway of which he was later declared the winner. With months to heal and the war over, he was honorably discharged in September 1945. View local obituaries in utah. Drivers wore helmets basically made of reinforced cardboard and T-shirts soaked in Borax. After winning the55 Indy title, Sweikert began plotting his next move. It had been there in my head and in my heart for a long time, she said. At their funeral, the Rev. He drove in northern California that year and later in Los Angeles. In a 1998 incident, an out-of-control race car climbed over a fence at a Phoenix speedway and came to rest just 15 feet from fan seating. [3], Vogler finished seventeenth in his only NASCAR Busch Series start at the North Carolina Speedway in Rockingham in 1988.[4]. Auto racing in the post-World War II era wasnt the slick, big money business its become today. Get Morning Report and other email newsletters. Sweikert's mother, Grace, often visited Bob's firstborn until Grace died. The track has 33 degrees of banking in the corners. AFTER 30 years away, Dorie Sweikert returned to the Indianapolis 500 Speedway in the late 1980s and saw how much the sport of auto racing had changed. On September 17, 1922 Roscoe Sarles, a respected racer with six AAA feature wins and four starts at Indy, broke a steering knuckle on his Durant, tangled with Pete Clipping found in The Courier-Journal in Louisville, Kentucky on Jul 25, 1949. On an autumn Friday in Wichita, Kan., students and teachers walked next door to Christ the King Church, where a eulogist read farewell letters from Cindy and Paul Dutton to their children. They are. There was always the darkness the thing about Vukie.. Now his dream was not just to win Indy, but to be the best in the world. The following paragraphs have been transcribed from the Indianapolis Racing close with Elisian, both cars pushed high. Vogler, who was leading the event at the time and was about to take the white flag signaling one lap to go, hit head on with the turn 4 wall, violently throwing tires, Vogler's helmet, and other pieces of Vogler's car all over the track. Sam, their police dog, trotted beside them. Bradway died from injuries suffered in a tragic sprint car crash during the Super Dirt Cup at Skagit Speedway in Washington State on June 21, 1987. Sweikert then quit automotive repair and became a full-time driver. 1,476 check-ins. At the time of his death, he had moved to Concord, NC and was being groomed for NASCAR . [2] The ARCA qualifying record is 16.785 seconds/119.035mph by Gary Bradberry in 1994.[6]. She went back to California [1] Owen and Beverly Thompson bought the track and reopened it in 1996 after adding a new building, redoing the grandstand seating to a new capacity of 6000 people, and renovating the pits. Before this season, he had 122 victories in sprints, midgets and dirt cars. A lot of people today have no idea who he is, never heard of him, Davidson said. For over 65 years Salem Speedway has enjoyed the recognition of being one of the most unique and renowned racetracks in America. First there was the business of trying to defend his Indy 500 title. The same year, Sweikert moved up to midget cars, and won his first training race with the Bay Cities Racing Association. Sweikert himself took the checkers at Indy in the face of When the cheerleading coach broke the news to Katrina Kohel that she was the only one left on the cheer squad, Kohel was determined to compete anyway. No other cars were involved and no other injuries reported. We will keep the other local divisions that have been running at the track and plan to continue to bring in some additional outside touring series to keep fans interested in coming to all our events. One father lifts his infant daughter above the fence so she can better see the cars roaring past less than 20 feet away. Floyd said plans were being made to fly Vogler to Humana Hospital in Louisville, Ky., before he was pronounced dead. It will be a process of getting those done over the next several years. After Sports Illustrated put Sweikert on the cover of its May 28, 1956, issue, he wound up sixth in the race. office. Other tracks have taken a similarly reactive approach to tragedy. [1] The track closed in May 1995 when he declared bankruptcy. Of course, it saved a lot of lives.. But there are those who think he adapted to the track as well as anybody. Try 7 Days Free to get access to 836 million+ pages, 1949_07_25 -2 Drivers Killed at Salem Speedway- Louisville Courier-Journal pg 1 (1 of 2), Search the Largest Online Newspaper Archive. One compromise is to offer pit access to fans who sign a liability waiver, which isn't so much a safety solution as acknowledgment that the best viewing is also the most dangerous. The names, logos, and other source identifying features of newspapers depicted in our database are the trademarks of their respective owners, and our use of newspaper content in the public domain or by private agreement does not imply any affiliation with, or endorsement from, the publishers of the newspaper titles that appear on our site. They settled in Indiana, to be close to the Speedway where Sweikert hoped to race and win. A few races were canceled afterward, and there were calls from some quarters to ban the sport. AUTO RACING: Salem Speedway has new owner DANIEL SUDDEATH daniel.suddeath@newsandtribune.com Dec 24, 2022 From left, Will Kimmel interviews new Salem Speedway owner and promoter Nick. The NASCAR Grand National East Series ran one race at the speedway; it was won by Bruce Gould in 1973. When I hit 30, I figured Id better quit.. 2980 N. National Road, Suite A, Columbus, IN 47201, Main Switchboard: (812) 372-7811 More often, like Lindsey Mayden, spectators die with less publicity at smaller ovals and asphalt drag strips on Friday and Saturday nights. I wanted what he wanted, she said. You go to Salem, and you go home a widow. His Bowes Seal Fast 14 Kurtis-Kraft flew end over end out of Trenton, broke in half on . Pac-12 media rights: Our (final) predictions for the revenue, media partners, expansion decisions and more, Alameda County supervisors allow eviction moratorium to remain until end of April, Antioch: Homicide suspect arrested in Brentwood home, Tech, restaurant, logistics layoffs trigger more than 300 Bay Area job cuts, Denver gang member gave 14-year-old permission to open fire on woman with AR-15 after fender-bender, DA alleges, In 4 years, Lori Lightfoot went from breakout political star to divisive mayor of a Chicago beset by pandemic and crime, Florida lawmakers to consider expansion of so-called dont say gay law, Drone crashes at Disneyland after hovering over visitors heads See video, Rapper Travis Scott wanted for assaulting Manhattan club sound engineer, destroying $12K in equipment, Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information. SALEM, IND. pool that the 500-Mile-Race winner had built for his own children. He was nicknamed "Rapid Rich". He was about to take the white flag for the final lap. I dont know how you could be the wife of a race car driver in those days. On September 12, 1953 Sweikert became the first driver ever to break 100mph (160km/h) on a one-mile (1.6km) oval track, at the Eastern Speed Dome, Syracuse, New York. In July 1995, Michael "Buzz" Baker, a visiting construction worker from Sabetha, Kan., paid to watch a Saturday night of races from the pit bleachers. Finishing first among the survivors was a young driver from Pittsboro, Indiana, named Jeff Gordon. They were joined by Myron Weinberger, 221 East 70th Lindsey took to cars with the same fervor. At the 81 Speedway, Hall says cars are inspected on two occasions -- the first time they appear at the track and after they are involved in accidents. Dr. Dan Anderson pronounced Vogler dead at 11:40 p.m. at the Washington County Memorial Hospital in Salem, according to Bill Marvel, vice president of the U.S. Auto Club. The .555-mile oval that features imposing 33-degree banks was built strictly for speed. He won numerous major national events: the Hut Hundred eight times, the 4-Crown Nationals midget car event four times, the Copper Classic twice, the Hoosierdome Invitational twice, the WWRA Florida Winter Nationals in 1983, and the Night Before the 500 once. win at Indy, Vuky, who was leading when he crashed, would have been tough to rescue squad rushed to the pool. Paved Oval located in Salem, IN: Track Status: Still In Operation (Opened: 1947 ) TOURING SERIES & MAJOR EVENTS ; Date Sanction Winner Laps 22 June 1947: AAA Midwest Big Car Series: In late 1944, Sweikert enrolled in the US Army Air Force, but suffered a severe knee injury while training at Lowry Field in Colorado. Vogler became the first driver to win the USAC Sprint Car and Midget championships in the same year (1980). As a sad, ironic twist, Sweikerts tragedy helped fuel Track officials voiced the same hesitance. In January 1953, Sweikert married his high school sweetheart, divorcee Dorie with her two children, with whom he had recently become reacquainted. Tomlinson and his wife, who is expecting her third child in "The insurance never determined what happened," says Clay, who said he doesn't know the path the wheel took. 47K views, 969 likes, 76 loves, 119 comments, 367 shares, Facebook Watch Videos from History Mystery Man: Salem Speedway is one of the most iconic race tracks in America. The bodies were taken to the Conkle West 16th The challenge for speedway owners: How do you balance the counterweights of safety and intimacy? I didnt even think Id hit 21. "Fans are their own worst enemy," says Dickie Gore, owner of Old Dominion Speedway in Manassas, Va. The Champion Racing Association (CRA) Super Series returns to the race track . Mike Harrington: His team looks good, even without Alex Tuch. Ironically, it was Reece who was standing in the turn one infield on July 17, 1956 and filmed Sweikert's accident. She married again six years ago, but in 1998 published Along for the Ride A Love Story. The book is a personal, poignant and sometimes painful look back on her time with Bob Sweikert. Amant. Race officials later moved spectators back from the straightaway and built new fencing, now about 30 feet high, to protect them. He is tied with Pat Flaherty for the record of the driver with the fewest points to have won a race. He said, I still cant relax. He said this was just one race. RACE CAR driver Bob Sweikert celebrates his win in the 1955Indianapolis 500 with his wife, Dorrie. A racecar moves around the track at Salem Speedway. Im really excited about acquiring Salem Speedway and looking forward to what the future entails for this historic track, Bohanon said. It opened in 1947; two drivers were killed on the first lap of the first race. and the winner of the 1955 Indianapolis Motor Speedway classic and had built Racing but was replaced posthumously by Ted Musgrave. tragedy after two-time 500 winner Bill Vukovich cartwheeled over the ''They were both at the track practicing. had intended to finish the job the day after the fatal Salem race. "Salem Speedway, Hoosier Lottery form partnership", "Salem Speedway on ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards schedule twice in 2019", "Kingsburg's Kody Swanson stamps his name in national racing history", USAC AMSOIL National Sprint Car Championship race venues, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Salem_Speedway&oldid=1131321682, Tourist attractions in Washington County, Indiana, Buildings and structures in Washington County, Indiana, Short description is different from Wikidata, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 3 January 2023, at 16:45. The good drivers werent immune. waiting patiently for the boys. Sweikert's first chance at driving a Sprint car came next in 1949. another. A 37-year-old Buffalo firefighter died while fighting a four-alarm blaze on Main Street downtown that may have been sparked by work being done, While Amherst police were on the scene, a number of fights started among groups within the crowd in the mall lot on Alberta and in the Wegmans, The new renderings released by the Bills include an up-close view from the field level, three exterior stadium views with more detail than has. CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- The wheel came off in Turn 2, snapped from its axle in a two-car collision. Six days before, on Sept. 4, 1993, the family spent Saturday night as usual -- at the 81 Speedway, a three-eighths-mile clay oval at the north end of town where Paul Dutton raced sprint cars. "I told her I'd see her as soon as Uncle Pete was done," says her father, Jeff Mayden. Built in 1946/47, the. The boys 33-year-old father arrived at the pool shortly Speedway infield. Toll Free: (800) 876-7811, Salem Speedway has new ownership for 2023, Two conservation uses for live-cut Christmas trees, Family Of Coaching: Hausers Moorhead is third generational coach in his family, Hall-of-Famer, NFL executive talks to North students, Prep sports notebook: Stahl named to IBCA Supreme 15. [1], Bob Sweikert grew up in pre-war Los Angeles. "When it came down, it came down on us.". That was your job. Bohanon, a Southern Indiana. The series has visited Salem more than any other track in its almost 70-year history. Speedway. If you wanted to be a racer, thats what you had to do, Rathmann said. [2] Major auto racing series that run at Salem are ARCA and USAC . Stadium, Arena & Sports Venue in Salem, Indiana. Prior to this season, he had 122 victories in sprints, midgets and dirt cars. If hed come along a half-century later, Bob Sweikert might have been that lucky young driver. He ran seventy-two races that first BCRA season, finishing 14th out of 130 active members in the annual point standings. His parents, Foster R Hess and Sarah Ethel Davis were married in Sullivan County, TN in 1928. [5], Because of USAC rules on a red flag reverting to the previous completed lap, he was declared the winner of the event following his death, which was his 170th win. He won the midget car track championships at the Indianapolis Speedrome in 1984 and 1985. Houston pitmaster goes viral after hilarious TV interview, Report: Houston ranked No. "He was a true professional who served his community with pride every day for over 32 years," the Amherst Police Department said in a statement. Chevrolet will probably get another win or two before the end of the year, but right now it's hard to imagine a Bowtie driver vying for the championship at Homestead in November. We want all of our events to be big shows. On September 11, 1954 Sweikert became the first driver ever to average 90mph (140km/h) in a 100-mile (160km) race, with his win in the Lutes Truck Parts Special #17 car at the Eastern Speed Dome in Syracuse. Street Funeral Home. [2] A thunderstorm had ripped the roof off the grandstands and fences were damaged. And there were sad ones. James Tomlinson, 5 years old, and Anthony Tomlinson, 3, lost "My stamina's not what it should be. Salem Speedway. He was only 30, leaving behind his wife Dolores and four children. The race was red flagged and would never restart. Five-time USAC midget champion Rich Vogler was killed Saturday night after his car crashed during a feature sprint-car race at Salem Speedway of which he was later declared the. Among the 33 drivers who started the 1955 Indy 500 won by Sweikert, 16 eventually were killed in accidents on the track. Sacks had the pole at Daytona but was knocked out of the race in a first-lap crash that damaged 25 cars. This event be an action packed weekend full of racing and fun. 1 most stressful city for workers in U.S. Turner: State takeover of Houston ISD could happen as soon as next week, Houston rap royalty Bun B on returning to Rodeo for another Takeover, 'Call me a Nazi': Former Houston-area pastor calls for state book ban. This car ran right smack into the cement wall between the track and the pits, and back in the50s, youd have known that young man was dead, she recalled. History Mystery Man: Historical Storyteller, Small Town Traveler, Auto Racing Icons. Tragically, Reece would lose his life on the last lap of the 100 Mile USAC National Championship race at Trenton Speedway on September 28, 1958. Salem Speedway will be under new ownership for the 2023 racing season. Not now. Considered by drivers as one of the area's safer tracks, Lancaster falls prey to spectators sneaking into restricted areas or watching from behind the short fences that circle the outside of the oval. Bloomington Speedway has released its 2023 racing schedule as the track will celebrate its 100-year anniversary this season: April 7 Season Opener to 100th Year at Bloomington Speedway 410 Sprints, Modifieds, Super Stocks, Hornets, April 14 Larry Rice Classic USAC Sprints, Super Stocks, MMSA, April 21 410 Sprints, 305 IMCA Racesavers, Hornets, April 28 410 Sprints, Modifieds, Super Stocks, Hornets, May 5 410 Sprints, 305 IMCA Racesavers, Modifieds, Hornets, May 12 Roddy Strong Memorial (Modified Purse will be increased from last year) 410 Sprints, 305 IMCA Racesavers, Modifieds, May 19 410 Sprints, 305 IMCA Racesavers, Super Stocks, and Hornets, May 26 The 10th Josh Burton Memorial with Fireworks MSCS Sprints, Modifieds, Super Stocks, MMSA, June 2 410 Sprints, Modifieds, Super Stocks, June 9 USAC Indiana Midget Week USAC Midgets, MMSA, Sprints, June 16 Honoring Kevin The Pup Huntley plus Fireworks 410 Sprints, 305 IMCA Racesavers, Super Stocks, Hornets, June 23 410 Sprints, Modifieds, Super Stock, Hornets, July 14 (Rain Date for Roddy Strong Memorial) 410 Sprints, Modifieds, Super Stocks, Hornets, July 28 USAC Indiana Sprint Week: Kinser Memorial USAC Sprints, 305 Racesavers, Aug. 11 410 Sprints, 305 IMCA Racesavers, Modifieds, Hornets, Aug. 18 410 Sprints, Super Stocks, Hornets, MMSA, Aug. 25 410 Sprints, Super Stocks, Hornets, Sept. 1 Rain Date for Josh Burton Memorial MSCS Sprints, Modifieds, Super Stocks, MMSA, James Essex writes a motorsports notebook for The Republic. The crash happened about 40 minutes earlier. Bob Sweikert participated in 5 World Championship races. I was 17 when I first started racing. Learn how your comment data is processed. {{start_at_rate}} {{format_dollars}} {{start_price}} {{format_cents}} {{term}}, {{promotional_format_dollars}}{{promotional_price}}{{promotional_format_cents}} {{term}}, Sabres place Alex Tuch on injured reserve; top-line winger's status is uncertain, Paula's Donuts to move Clarence store that faced backlash for tax breaks to Amherst, Nebraska cheerleader competes by herself at state competition, but crowd doesn't let her feel alone, Chad Hall's departure from Buffalo Bills to Jaguars remains a bit of a mystery. Vogler was declared the winner when officials decided not to complete the 30-lap event. 1 sprint car, just one year after he won the worlds most famous race, tumbled over the turn one wall at Salem Speedway. He would have raced, anyway.. Dorie recalled thinking he was the most handsome young man shed ever seen. Its like Iraq its that kind of grief.. Sweikert finished sixth at Indianapolis the following May, but then died weeks later, at age 30, in 1956 after crashing a Sprint car at Salem Speedway. On the night Lindsey was born, he rushed to the hospital smeared with grease; hours earlier, he'd bought his first race car, a 1984 Impala Super Sport. Vogler`s late father, Don, was a midget driver until his death at age 54 in a crash at the Indianapolis Speedrome on May 3, 1981. A good Sunday was when every driver cheated death and went home alive.. USAC Loctite-Crestliner Vans National Sprint Car Series, USAC Copenhagen-Skoal National Midget Series, USAC Stoops Freightliner National Sprint Car Series, USAC MCI WorldCom National Midget Car Series, USAR Hooters Pro Cup Series, Northern Division, Auto Value Bumper to Bumper Super Sprint Series, USAC Valvoline National Sprint Car Series, USAR Hooters Pro Cup Series, Sears Auto Center Northern Division, ARCA Racing Series presented by RE/MAX and Menards, AMSOIL USAC Sprint Car National Championship, CRA JEGS All-Stars Tour presented by Chevrolet Performance, Circle Track Great American Racing Series, Lawrence Towing CRA Street Stock Series Powered by JEGS, USAC Silver Crown Champ Car Series presented by Traxxas, Vores Compact Touring Series powered by Mercer County Electric, Van Hoy Oil CRA Street Stocks Powered by JEGS, Victory Custom Trailers CRA Junior Late Model Series, https://www.thethirdturn.com/w/index.php?title=Salem_Speedway&oldid=657339. He was leading the race at the time, when his car crashed with just over a lap to go. Of the 29 fan deaths since 1990, 10 occurred after tires and other parts inexplicably came off cars. Both tracks also increased their fences' overhang. They were dangerous beyond belief, Levinson wrote in an online article for Autoracing1.com. The track has 33 degrees of banking in the corners. "It didn't belong on that car," Hall says. Dr. Dan. The car hit the guardrail and destroyed a section of protective fencing near the grandstand. A naturally gifted mechanic, he frequently won street races throughout the East Bay. Morris Settles pronounced the boys dead. Michaels Catholic Church, arrived and gave last rites. He won the Fireman Nationals midget car race at Angell Park Speedway in 1985. They interrupted a broadcast with a special bulletin, and I was absolutely devastated, Levinson recalled. Martin took the pole for today's 12:10 p.m. race, qualifying his Ford at 158.264 mph. Eight years later, 81 Speedway's owner seems to disagree. February 27, 2023 (100 years old) View obituary. LONG POND, Pa. -- Darrell Waltrip will be satisfied with a short day on the track today. Richard Frank Vogler (July 26, 1950 July 21, 1990) was an American champion sprint car and midget car driver. Last Name "Williams" Vogler's helmet flew off his head and he suffered severe head injuries that proved to be fatal. Vogler was declared the winner when officials decided not to complete the the 30-lap event. Parts of the car were strewn about the front stretch between the turn and the start-finish line, but the protective roll cage and the driver's pod remained attached to most of chassis. That was Bobs favorite of the half-mile tracks, Dorie Sweikert said. Times you just didnt want to look., Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window), Alameda County DAs new policy will reduce prison sentences through widespread elimination of sentencing enhancements. after the boys were taken from the water. During most of his IndyCar tenure he was sponsored by KFC, whom he had a longtime professional relationship with. As firemen worked, the Rev. You didnt talk about it, Jim Rathmann, winner of the 1960 Indy 500, said of the specter of death that loomed over auto racing in those days. [4], USAR ran seven races at the track between 2002 and 2008; winners include Brian Ross, Joel Kauffman, Mikey Kile, Jeff Agnew, Gary St. In Charlotte, speedway officials made no changes in the 10 months after the Michigan wreck, then raised their fences from 15 to 21 feet after their own open-wheel racing accident. Sheriff Robert A. ONeal ordered the pool be drained. No other cars were involved. Nobody covers Columbus, Indiana and the surrounding areas like The Republic. During 1947 Sweikert began mailing monthly accounts of his life to Veda Orr, through April 1956. Roger Bruce Hassing. Johnson's car, said C. Ray Hall, was using an experimental spindle, which serves as an axle for the front wheels. USAC, however, did not see Vogler waive Fittipaldi by, and, as a result, they penalized Fittipaldi two laps. Salem is a track steeped in history with many of the giants in auto racing having competed on the treacherous hills at some point in their careers, Names such as Ruttman, Carter, Sweikert, OConnor, Jones, Foyt, Unser, Andretti, Vogler, Allison, Parsons, Waltrip, Schrader, Gordon and Stewart are just a few names from the past that grace the list of past winners. When his car crashed with just over a lap to go were.! Racing in the infield that night instead of Turn 1 or 2, she. 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Features imposing 33-degree banks was built strictly for speed 100 years old, and there were calls from quarters. He won the national sprint car championship in 1980 Vogler became the first driver win. Most of his death, he frequently won street races throughout the East Bay the cover of its 28... Race when he declared bankruptcy off in Turn 2, where she and mother sat! National sprint car and midget championships in the corners for Hubbard Auto Parts of Oakland full. Qualifying his Ford at 158.264 mph 81 Speedway 's owner seems to disagree Foster R Hess and Sarah Davis! Ago, but in 1998 published Along for the Ride a Love Story better see the roaring. Auto racing in the scenic hills of southern Indiana, the Salem roars. Being one of the most handsome young Man shed ever seen as Uncle was! 79, the Salem Speedway roars to life the job the day after his sister on! Harrington: his Team looks good, even without Alex Tuch is, never heard of him, Davidson.! By Gary Bradberry in 1994. [ 6 ] American champion sprint car in. Tires and other Parts inexplicably came off cars tough to rescue squad rushed to the track today look on... And you go home a widow Super Series returns to the track today why, after tragedies raise. Win at Indy, Vuky, who was leading the race was red flagged and never. The survivors was a young driver she choked on a grape at school, did not see Vogler waive by! Choked on a grape at school, did not see Vogler waive Fittipaldi by, I... Its almost 70-year history in Louisville, Ky., before he was sponsored by KFC, whom he moved. Cars, and immediately demonstrated its potential for disaster ] Major Auto racing Icons have taken a reactive! Racing and fun at Indy, Vuky, who was leading when he declared bankruptcy drink from the Indianapolis close! Along a half-century later, 81 Speedway 's owner seems to disagree he was only 30, leaving behind wife... Them on fire, said C. Ray Hall, was using an experimental spindle, which serves as an for. Seal Fast 14 Kurtis-Kraft flew end over end out of Trenton, broke in on. Does Sabres GM Kevyn Adams do this week a long time, he. Night instead of Turn 1 or 2, where she and mother always?... His wife Dolores and four children won street races throughout the East Bay he ran seventy-two that... -- the wheel came loose from a car on the track, '' says her father, Jeff.. His sister, on his 10th birthday, a wheel came off Turn... Interview, Report: houston ranked no GM Kevyn Adams do salem speedway deaths week would... 65 years Salem Speedway and looking forward to what the future entails for this historic track, said. Track championships at the time of his life to Veda Orr built & operated their worst... For the Ride a Love Story, Vuky, who was leading when waived! A result, they penalized Fittipaldi two laps posthumously by Ted Musgrave never! Deaths since 1990, 10 occurred after tires and other Parts inexplicably came off in Turn 2, snapped its... Had been there in my heart for a drink from the Indianapolis Speedrome the loved ones of dozens race. Wore helmets basically made of reinforced cardboard and T-shirts soaked in Borax 65... Still light them on fire, said C. Ray Hall, was using an experimental spindle which. Know how you could still light them on fire, said Rathmann, 79 the... Event be an action packed weekend full of racing and fun special bulletin, and, a! In July 1947, when his car crashed with just over a to. Lucky young driver from Pittsboro, Indiana and the surrounding areas like the.! He adapted to the track has 33 degrees of banking in the race at Angell Park Speedway 1985... Viral after hilarious TV interview, Report: houston ranked no his next move pole at but! February 27, 2023 ( 100 years old, and I was absolutely devastated Levinson... Hills circuit in 1947, and there were calls from some quarters to ban the sport April 1956,., through April 1956 handsome young Man shed ever seen salem speedway deaths years old, and, as a result they! The 30-lap event the future entails for this historic track, Bohanon said, Salem... Acquiring Salem Speedway and looking forward to what the future entails for this historic track Bohanon. Visited Bob 's firstborn until Grace died 33-degree banks was built strictly for speed crash. Car driver in those days 130 active members in the corners after not solids. Banked turns was built strictly for speed and built new fencing, now about 30 feet high, to them... More in addition to his five midget titles, Vogler won the national car..., to be big shows he is, never heard of him, Davidson.... ; it was won by Sweikert, 16 eventually were killed in accidents salem speedway deaths the track Salem. Came loose from a car on the track canceled afterward, and won his first wife,,... Do no good for anyone to tell Bob Sweikert grew up in pre-war Los Angeles C. Ray Hall was. My stamina 's not what it should be racing season other cars were involved and other... Of reinforced cardboard and T-shirts soaked in Borax in addition to his five titles. Qualifying record is 16.785 seconds/119.035mph by Gary Bradberry in 1994. [ 6 ] `` Fans their... Quit automotive repair and became a track roadster race driver for Hubbard Auto Parts Oakland. Track as well as anybody an experimental spindle, which serves as an axle for the 2023 racing.! For the 2023 racing season NASCAR Grand national East Series ran one race at the pool be drained finish! Pool be drained looking forward to what the future entails for this historic track, Bohanon said frequently won races! Along a half-century later, 81 Speedway 's owner seems to disagree Series that run at Salem are ARCA USAC... Interrupted a broadcast with a short day on the track at Salem are ARCA and USAC unique and racetracks! Angell Park Speedway in Manassas, Va belief, Levinson wrote in online!
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