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You probably have never heard of Ed Eng, neither had I until just recently, but he appears to have been one of those unique characters from the early days of racing here in the Sunshine State.
Eng was born in Nashua, N.H., of French-Canadian parentage on June 30, 1904. On his birth certificate, he was officially listed as Edward Bellefleur. He changed the Bellefleur to Eng because as he put it, “It was easier for the sports writers to put it in the headlines."
“Speedy” Ed Eng was known, and respected, from Maine to Miami Beach and his inevitable cigar was as famous as he was. The stogie was a superstition with Eng and he never entered a race without one clinched firmly between his teeth.
He began his racing career as a kid, hanging around the pits when he was barely out of knee-pants. Ed won his first race at the age of 16 which was also his first time out. In later years he raced out of Jacksonville, FL and in 1938 he was the Florida Beach Champion in Stock Cars and Florida Midget Champion as well.
After retiring as a driver, Eng worked as an official. Unfortunately he lost his life at Jacksonville Speedway on July 4, 1952 while working as a flag-man at the track. Standing near the race course, he was injured fatally, when a race car went out of control and veered into the infield.
Ed was inducted into the Jacksonville Stock Car racing Hall of Fame in 1991.
Eng was born in Nashua, N.H., of French-Canadian parentage on June 30, 1904. On his birth certificate, he was officially listed as Edward Bellefleur. He changed the Bellefleur to Eng because as he put it, “It was easier for the sports writers to put it in the headlines."
“Speedy” Ed Eng was known, and respected, from Maine to Miami Beach and his inevitable cigar was as famous as he was. The stogie was a superstition with Eng and he never entered a race without one clinched firmly between his teeth.
He began his racing career as a kid, hanging around the pits when he was barely out of knee-pants. Ed won his first race at the age of 16 which was also his first time out. In later years he raced out of Jacksonville, FL and in 1938 he was the Florida Beach Champion in Stock Cars and Florida Midget Champion as well.
After retiring as a driver, Eng worked as an official. Unfortunately he lost his life at Jacksonville Speedway on July 4, 1952 while working as a flag-man at the track. Standing near the race course, he was injured fatally, when a race car went out of control and veered into the infield.
Ed was inducted into the Jacksonville Stock Car racing Hall of Fame in 1991.
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