Photo by numbers....

[carolwicks]

The Veterans of Racing!

I don't remember the name of the man on the far left but the others from left to right after him are the infamous "BUGSY" Stevens,, Gene Bergin, Bill Wimble, Leo "The Lion" Cleary and Billy Harmon. This photo was taken by me at NSS on the 2nd. annual Modified Reunion... AWESOME!
carolwicks aka OZ

[Frasson118]

Man on the left is Ray Miller, a top runner at Stafford Springs in Connecticut.

[Frasson118]

This is Roger Hill from NC. He traveled up North on many weekends racing against the New Englanders. He is now strictly a car owner. His car, with Ronnie Silk driving was 1/3 of the battle for the Richie Evans Memorial race last year... one of the best races I've seen anywhere... ever! Ted Christopher won it, Silk 2nd and Bobby Grigas III was 3rd.

His team will be back this year, but with James Civalli driving.

[Frasson118]

ASA & ARTGO racer, Bob Strait (Michigan, I believe), had a pretty good career, but it's hard to pull off a lot of wins when you run against Bob Senneker, Joe Shear, Butch Miller, Mike Eddy, Dick Trickle, Mark Martin, Alan Kulwicki, and dozens of others, every week.

Arguably one of the toughest full-bodied circuits in that time frame, that there ever was. If you could win even once in a while, you HAD to be very good.

[John Berti]

Ed Patnode, M-80. Big Ed Patnode from Westfield, MA was a 2 time Riverside Park Speedway champion, winning modified titles 1968 and 1974. Ed won 27 Riverside features from 1952 and 1970 and ranked 9th on the all-time Riverside win list.

[John Berti]

This has got to me one of the strangest looking race cars I've ever seen. It was raced at Riverside Park Speedway in Agawam, MA and the year it raced is unknown. The car had no number, the driver is likewise unknown to me.

[Jim Fenton]

Kevin Crooks after a few wins in his
Flathead Ford B Sportsman car,
Sunshine Speedway in the early 60's.





And yes, it was not unusual at the time for the
Flagman, or the Race Director, or both for that
matter to hop aboard for the checkered flag lap.

Here is Benny Moore standing on the nerf bar with
his other leg inside the door enjoying Kevin's
checkered flag lap while shaking his hand.

(Photos courtesy of Walt Craver & Gordon Lee)

[ModelCarMan]

WOW I've never seen a flagman do that before!!! Before my time I guess???

[Jim Fenton]

Yep, isn’t that just too kewl??

So many of the old ways from racing have gone
by the wayside these days haven’t they?

Can you imagine if the flagman hopped onto the
side of a Late Model or a Modified these days say
at NSS or wherever and took a spin with the driver
on the checkered flag lap hanging on with one
hand & waving the flag with the other?

You’d have to call the EMT’s to revive the
promoter I’m sure! LOL.

Here is another example of that with both the
flagman of the day (passenger side whose name
escapes me) and the Race Director Benny Moore
(who also shared flagman duties at the time)
hanging off the sides of Wild Bill Larimer’s
B Modified for his checkered flag lap after a win.

BTW, check out that wing as well as the
dual-quads on Bill’s Modified!!

Ahhhh....the good ol' days.....




If someone from back in the day (or from any time
for that matter) could help me remember the name
of that flagman I would appreciate it.

I’ve just had the privilege of receiving a bunch of
old Sunshine photos from some friends which I’m
currently cataloguing and adding to my collection
accordingly.

Here he is again standing far right in the winner’s
circle at Sunshine Speedway along with Jim Gray
(second from left) and Benny Moore (4th from left).

The identity of the others in this shot are unknown
to me but I assume are all associated with the car
in the background.

Doesn’t Jimmy Gray look like he just graduated
from High School?

Again this is circa early 60’s.

(Photos courtesy of Walt Craver & Gordon Lee)

[ocalasp76]

GREAT PICTURES..I really enjoy this thread.
Thanks guys.
-JIM-

[Kenny Alderman]

Smokey Barker is on Bennie's right. I believe the flagman is probably Jay Hulse.

[Jim Fenton]

Jay Hulse wasn't the name I was thinking of
for the flagman but you're probably right.

Thanks Kenny....

[ModelCarMan]

HARDY MADDOX

[jacko241]

I know this is out of order, but wanted to get a couple of my cars on here..

[jacko241]

from earlier times....