An article from the Elmira Star-Gazette in 1956. Al Mallette was the premier Elmira sports writer in his day.....
Elmira Star-Gazette Sept. 28,1956
Change of Pace by Al Mallette
Stock Racers In Big Show
Chemung stock car racers Saturday night will put on the biggest show of their greatest season at the Speedrome. Chemung stages its championship races Saturday and with a break in the weather, flagman Bob Fuller looks for the best crowd of a season blessed with outstanding attendance.
Fuller, who is one of the big men behind the Atlantic Stock Car Racing Assn. program as well as No. 1 flagman at the track, reports that this is the best season attendance-wise since Chemung opened four years ago. "We've been averaging about 1,800 each week," said Fuller, "It's our best record. Maybe it's because there's no baseball in Elmira..."
FULLER CONTINUED, "You know we've got a pretty good battle for the points at Chemung this season. The championship races Saturday may decide the point champ."
He went on to explain that Art (Chubby) Chandler of Chemung is leading 19- year-old Jackie Baldwin of Ithaca by four points in the A Class. Chandler was champ in 1954 and again last year.
Some of the other top A Class drivers are Lucky Cornish, Bucky Buchanan, Percy Brown, Hank Clark and Cecil Keister.
In the B the leaders are Hal Green, Pete Schaeffer, Cliff Pierce, Bob DePew, Earl Bodine and Tex Owen. Schaeffer and Pierce are now racing in A.
THAT RAISED the question as to the difference in A and B racing. "The A cars have dual carburetors and different piston sizes," explained Fuller. "The B cars have single carburetors. And there's a difference in the cost of the cars too."
Whats the difference in speed between A and B on the one-quarter mile Chemung track?
"That's a pretty good question for an average fan," replied Fuller. "Perhaps it's not too noticeable but the A cars 'pick up and go' much faster down the straight stretches. Our average speed is 38 miles an hour which means about 60 or 65 on those straightaways."
IT WAS NOTED that most of the cars at Chemung were coupes and that led to another question. Which is better for stock car racing, coupes or sedans: and how much do the cars cost?
"The coupe is better suited," answered Fuller. "The drivers put most of their money in the engine and pick up most of the bodies in junk yards. For instance, Chandler's car has a '55 Thunderbird motor. Baldwin's car has a Mercury motor and Buchanan's car has a Ford 'flathead'.
"I'd guess that Keister has the most money tied up in a Chemung car. I think it's about $3,000. You know, another interesting feature about our drivers is that most own their racers. I think the ratio is about 75-25 in favor of ownership."
WHAT ARE SOME of safety precautions drivers use? "First," replied Fuller, "is the safety belt. Safety belts in our cars go down through and under the body frame. Generally these belts go under the seats. We find, however, our idea is far better.
"Of course, all drivers wear helmets and each car has roll-over bars installed. Another important safety device is the fire wall between gas tank and driver. This has prevented many serious accidents."
WHO ARE THE favorites with the fans? "Practically every driver has his own fan club," answered Fuller. " But probably the most poular in a general sense are the kids, Baldwin and Bodine. Among the others are Chandler, Green, Brown, Buchanan and Cornish.
"You know Cornish's nickname used to be 'Crash' because of the many pileups and mishaps he had at tracks in Wellsville and Corning. he was lucky to escape serious injury in some and thus the tag 'Lucky' "
WHAT ABOUT THE flagman's job? Isn't there a bit of danger in this? Suppose you hit an oil slick or trip as you jump away from those on-roaring cars after waving that green flag? "To me the job's a lot of fun," said Fulle