Author Topic: Racing History in the Southern Tier of New York  (Read 553979 times)

Claychamp123

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Re: Racing History in the Southern Tier of New York
« Reply #225 on: May 30, 2010, 11:41:46 PM »
I just wanted to note that Jackie Soper was my favorite driver when I was a little boy and my other hero, besides my Dad and my brother Darrell was Dick Karlnoski. Those guys could back-em' in with the best of them! Dick was wild with a raw talent while Jackie really ran hard but he seemed to be in total control at all times. Great racers and great memories!


WaltS171128

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Re: Racing History in the Southern Tier of New York
« Reply #226 on: June 01, 2010, 03:03:55 PM »
I see that Jack still has his phone number listed, anyone can call at any time, I'm not fond of giving out people's phone number on the internet, but if ya google Jack Soper, Florida you'll see his phone number; it's the very first one....hopefully ya can catch him if he's not out on the water, doin some fishing, or chasin' some cute little phillie, another two traits he's very good at :)
« Last Edit: June 01, 2010, 03:10:16 PM by WaltS171128 »
Old time racing is still the premise of what is and always be the best racing EVER between men, women and machines !

The number 171128 in my name signifies my brother Lyle's number 17, the 11 for my brothers Kevin and Bobby, and 28 for my father's 1958 Mercury he won so many features in

aa33

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remove the hook,put in the Bass ,Yes the W H O L E Bass,and adjust the speed of the Bassomatic 76.....


blackjackracing

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Re: Racing History in the Southern Tier of New York
« Reply #228 on: June 08, 2010, 09:45:25 PM »
from the 5-24-1959 edition of the Elmira Telegram.....

Hopes Fade For Races At Chemung Fairgrounds

By Bill Weingartner

   A plan to hold championship and midget auto races at the Chemung County Fairgrounds apparently will not win approval this year. The bid by Jannet Racing Association Inc. of Elmira, to stage the races has been tabled by the Public Activities Committee of the Chemung County Board of Supervisors.
   Approval for the proposal must come from the board of supervisors, but a spokesman for the activities committee said there was virtually no chance of holding races this year.
There were several major problems which blocked the proposal. the first was that harness races are scheduled for Aug. 20, 21 and 22, the week of the annual fair. Entery fees for the harness races have been paid by some horse owners.
   It is felt that the track could not be used properly for both harness and auto racing since the treatment of the track for auto racing differs with that for horse racing.
In auto racing calcium is used to keep down the dust and harden the track. The hard track plus the oil slick from the cars pobably would be harmful to the horses.
   The activities committee also received several protests from people living near the fairgrounds opposing the proposal. The protests were taken into consideration during
disscussion of the proposal but a committee spokesman said races could be held at the fairgrounds under existing ordinances.
   The committee also felt that arrangements for insurance coverage should be fully ironed out before giving the bid approval. The proposal was to run both midgets and championship type auto races at the half -mile fairgrounds track on Saturday afternoons.

   A PROTEST against Jackie Soper's recent victory in the feature race at VFW track in Towanda has been nullified. It was claimed that Soper was not a member of the Penn York Racing Assn. and was not eligible to drive.
   However, Soper holds a driver's card in the association and therefore the protest was automatically nullified, according to Chuck Benjamin, president of Penn York.
The main drivers at Towanda thus far have been Pete Shaffer of Elmira in Car No. 100, Harry Benjamin of Towanda in Car No. 110, Bryon Osgood of Elmira in Car No. 9 and Jim Leonard of Erin in Car No. 98
   Seven events plus a powder puff derby, which usually draws about six women drivers, are held every Friday night at 8:30 at the Towanda track.

THERE WAS some speculation as to how many cars would be at the Chemung Speedrome for it's Saturday night races. There are two other tracks in the area- Perry and Olean- where the
Class A cars can run on Saturdays and the Class B drivers are reported dissatisfied with the rules and payoffs at the Speedrome.
   The purse is figured on 50 percent of the gate and then this total is divided equally between the A and B cars. The B drivers are seeking a payoff based on 60 percent of the gate.


Note about this article...I have been told by several people that there was midget racing held at the Chemung County Fairgrounds at some point in the early sixties. Does anyone have any info?
BOB JOHNSON
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blackjackracing

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Re: Racing History in the Southern Tier of New York
« Reply #229 on: June 08, 2010, 10:07:45 PM »
from a 1972 Oswego Classic Program (the Eagle)
The sport of auto racing is filled with some of the greatest people on earth and two of the most superb reasons offered come in the form of Ernie and Bob June, owners of the yellow roadster car number 59, piloted by Jimmy Winks. This father and son combination have proven to be a very respectable competitor at the Oswego Speedway and their presence in the supermodified circuit is looked upon as nothing less than an asset.
Ernie first started racing back in 1949 running a flathead down at the Shangri-La Speedway. For four years, Ernie ran the flatheads encountering a good amount of success. During that time, he started building a sprint car which he ran all over the country. After his fourth year with the sprinter, he decided to retire from racing. Ernie just couldn't stay away, a few years later he returned with a modified to run at the Brewerton Speedway. In his first race back, Ernie drove the car to a fine third place finish in the season championship 150 lapper.
In 1959, Ernie and his wife Betty decided to run two sportsman cars. They had two cars, numbered 58 and 59. Betty took charge of the 58, placing Fred Brink behind the wheel, while Ernie himself piloted the 59. Ernie admits that the 58 finished ahead of the 59 several times, but the two cars proved to be the top combo at the time. It was a great family affair each time they went to the races - as you can well imagine. They ran the car for a few years, both of which were equipped with 292 Ford engines.
In 1963, the sweep of the supermodified class made it's way into the Empire State and Ernie decided to join the bandwagon. The first driver to ever run a June built supermodified was Bucky Dew. He ran Oswego for several years with a fair amount of success. Other drivers aboard the 59 (for several years known as the 59X) were such stars as Neal Tooley, the late Jack Thomas (who Ernie claims started them on the right road to real good races), Eldon Schrader and of course the current pilot Jimmy Winks. Both Bob and Ernie both express their highest feelings for every driver who ever chauffeured their roadsters.
The Junes' claim, "Jim Winks is a real talented young guy. We hope he'll be driving for us next year as we plan on building a new roadster". They have so much respect for Winks that they purchased an Indianapolis rear engine machine from Mike Mosley - the car he ran in 1969 and Ernie has future plans for the popular Winks. They stated, "First we'd like to take Jim to a championship show and place him on a pit crew so he can pick up a bit of experience and see exactly how the entire show is run. Once we feel he's ready, we'll put the car together and go".
Both Ernie and Bob service the car during the week totalling about 40 to 45 hours each week. When the car is at the track, the Junes receive added help from Tom Teeter and Clayton Brink. Ernie has such high praise for his son saying, "Bobby is a sharp young man who I owe much credit to. Without him, we'd never make it to the track". Bob indeed does a fabulous job with the 59 building all the engines. They have two engines at the moment - one 5 years old and the other 6 years old. Bob built them both and his record of dependability certainly is unequaled by anyone.
We at the Oswego Speedway are most proud to have both Ernie and Bob June as part of our weekly show. Our association with them has been a fine one and we're only more than happy to award them "Car Owners of Year for 1971" an award that they both deservingly are credited. Our sincere best wishes to them for years of successful competition in racing.
BOB JOHNSON
"Faster than a greased cheetah strapped to the front of a bullet train"
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queenofthedirt

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Re: Racing History in the Southern Tier of New York
« Reply #230 on: June 08, 2010, 10:54:10 PM »
aa33.. you wouldnt happen to know dates around the time of the pictures from your link with Bill Wilson in them would you?? My grandfather was Bill (william)  Wilson along with his Jr .. my Uncle.. I am from Wellsville, and just wonder if maybe I have missed some part of my family history.. .. Always wondered where i got my love of the dirt from lol!!!

Actually the more i look at the pictures and realize who the people really are in them it makes me wonder even more.. I know Lisa real well, Greg and GT are just a few years older than me.. (cute picture by the way boys!!) . Hmm.. Maybe just maybe im going to have to talk to the Layfields a bit!!
« Last Edit: June 08, 2010, 10:57:25 PM by queenofthedirt »


blackjackracing

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Re: Racing History in the Southern Tier of New York
« Reply #231 on: June 15, 2010, 08:30:57 PM »
An artilcle from the 5-10-1959 Elmira Telegram.....

Stock Car Chatter

Chemung Speedrome To Open Saturday

By Bill Weingartner

   Stock car racing in the Elmira area begins in earnest Saturday night when Chemung Speedrome opens. Tracks already in operation in the area include Towanda, Olean, Angelica,   Hornell and Dundee.
   The Speedrome originally was scheduled to open May 2 but promoter Eli Bodine Jr. postponed the races until the track was in top shape. "We've had a lot of work to do around
the track," said Bodine, "and we didn't want to open until everything was set. The work is coming along fine now and we are looking forward to a big year."
   Much of the work done at the Speedrome consisted of improvements in facilities. A new fence was built around the track and better facilities for parking and concessions were made. New seats were added and considerable painting was done.
   Work also is being done on the surface of the quarter -mile track. Two loads of salt were worked into the track to help settle the dust. This is the eighth year of operation for the
Speedrome and Bodine expects it to be one of the best. The track will open for about twenty weeks. Both A and B class cars will race and the opening night program will have three A car and six B car races.

   CHUCK BENJAMIN, president of the Penn York Racing Assn. reports that racing at the VFW track in Towanda is improving each week. Penn York sanctions the Friday night races at the 1/3-mile track.
   The track opened at the end of April and according to Benjamin, the attendence and the number of cars entered in the races are increasing each week. Penn York has 33 cars in it's organization and with outside cars, about 50 enteries are usually at the track. Enteries are limited to cars with a maximum motor size of 266 cubic inches.

   "THIS COULD be a big year," says Benjamin. "The track is in good shape. Quite a few drivers consider this the fastest 1/3 mile track in the East."
   A band, which made it's first appearance last Friday, will play before the races and during intermission for the remainder of the season. The spring championship 40 -lap race probably will be held in about three weeks.
   Leading drivers thus far at the VFW track are Pete Shaffer of Elmira in car No. 100, Terry Benjamin of Towanda in Car No. 110 and Jackie Soper of Elmira in Car No. 9.
BOB JOHNSON
"Faster than a greased cheetah strapped to the front of a bullet train"
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blackjackracing

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Re: Racing History in the Southern Tier of New York
« Reply #232 on: June 21, 2010, 09:35:31 PM »
article from June 3, 1959 Elmira Star-Gazette

Women In Racing

Stock Car Powder Puffers Organize

By Bob Wilbur

   The next time you're at a stock car track, take another look at the drivers as they come racing past the grandstand. They may be women. The Powder Puffers have been a familiar part of stock car racing for some time as witnessed at the Chemung Speedrome in the past and at the Towanda VFW Raceway today.
   A move has been started at the latter track in an effort to organize and unify the women drivers in this particular area. Doris Benjamin, wife of Chuck Benjamin (the current president of the Penn York Racing Association and a former driver) has been leading the drive to get more women interested in the sport.
   "We don't plan to restrict the organization to drivers," said Mrs. Benjamin. "Anyone interested in the mechanics of stock car racing is invited to attend our meetings."
The initial meeting of the new unit was held last week and another session has been planned in the near future.

   MOST OF THOSE in attendance at the first meeting were veterans so to speak. Perhaps the largest representation came from the Soper family. Jack Soper is currently taking honors at several top tracks. Lillian Soper and daughters Sally and Polly  have seen competition in the sport.
   They take their share of the bumps too, according to Mrs. Benjamin. "Lillian, a while back, rolled over five times in a race. Last season, I rammed into her car during an event. It's early yet and there hasn't been too much excitement. But mark my words. There will be once the season gets along."
   Among the other women drivers instrumental in forming the Penn York Women's Racing Association are Loretta Leonard, Jean Stroman, Peg Harvey, Phyllis Cole, Arlie Bricka and Joyce Steele. The group is seeking a closer association with the tracks. The cars on the whole are serviced by the men. An exception to the rule is Mrs. Harvey.
   "We don't ask any quarter," said Mrs. Benjamin. "Of course, our speeds differ to an extent but the same racing rules apply to us as the men. The black flag can be waved at us for the same violations applied to the men drivers."

   THE WOMEN have a 10-lap feature at Towanda every Friday night. The spring season championship has been run off with Mrs. Leonard taking the honors. That particular race was a 15- lap affair. Mrs. Cole was second and Mrs. Benjamin third.
   Injurues haven't been of any great nature and don't appear to worry the women. However, the "butterflies"  sometimes pop up. "Every time I race," Mrs. Benjamin added, "I get those butterflies. Of course it's not as bad as the first time. I was always threatening to drive a stock car. One night, the boys bet me that I wouldn't dare. I took the bet, hopped  into a car and drove around the track."
   The women race Class B stocks now but it is hoped that eventually, they may turn to the modified cars. This, together with a proposed point program, could make for an interesting season.
   The women, on occasion, have competed against the men in special match races. One such race was held at Towanda last year and Ethel  Buchanan won over a male opponent. "Everyone insisted it was fixed," Mrs. Benjamin added jokingly. "but it wasn't. Ethel was really driving along."

   MRS. BENJAMIN herself was a victim of circumstance at Towanda last year. She had nary a scratch as a driver. One night , after a race, she stepped up to the bleachers to speak to an official, tripped, broke her right ankle and was out of action for six months. Previously, womens racing had  merely been a special event on the program. Perhaps with the new organization, including the point program and championship races, powder puff activity will hit a new peak. The women certainly hope so. 
BOB JOHNSON
"Faster than a greased cheetah strapped to the front of a bullet train"
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blackjackracing

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Re: Racing History in the Southern Tier of New York
« Reply #233 on: June 28, 2010, 08:29:31 PM »
From the 6-7-1959 edition of the Elmira Telegram...

Speedrome Enthusiasts To Pick Favorite Driver

By Bill Weingartner

   Fans will have an opportunity to vote for their favorite stock car driver in a contest started at the Chemung Speedrome by promoter Eli Bodine. Bodine said a large trophy will be awarded at the end of the season to the most popular driver at the track as selected by the fans. Persons attending the races will be given an opportunity to vote each Saturday until the end
of  the racing season. A scoreboard at the track will keep the fans posted as to how the contest is going after each week's balloting.
   Another special event at the Speedrome will be a program of micro midget races which will be held every other Saturday.  Perry Cronkite is in charge  of the micros and says about 12 cars will be at the track. The next micro program will be June 20. The winner of the micro feature receives a trophy and heat winners receive lesser awards.

   THE VFW track at Towanda has enlarged it's program from seven to 10 events every Friday night. The three-added races probably will be made up of cars in the modern class.
                At the Towanda track the leading drivers have been Pete Shaffer in Car no. 100, Brian Osgood in Car No. 9, Jim Leonard, Car No. 98 and Howard Salesman, Car No. 110. Chuck Benjamin won the spring championship race in a new car No. 184. He had been driving Car No. 110.

   THE SPEEDROME, oldest of area local tracks, is still having it's troubles and at last reports it appears that the track may operate just with B cars. The A car drivers are holding out for a larger share of the purse and promoter Bodine says the 50 per cent divided equally between the A and B drivers is his final offer.  At the Speedrome's opening, only two A cars appeared.
   Bodine also plans to continue running the track independently (without a racing club sanctioning the races). The Penn York Racing Assn., which runs at Towanda, wants to go into the track as the sanctioning club but it is doubtful if they will get the green light.
   "I see no reason to bring in a club."  says Bodine. "The boys who are running here are happy with conditions and I expect that we will continue to operate independently."
   Chuck Benjamin, president of Penn York, said his club is interested "mostly in having representation in making track policy." Penn York was seeking 60 per cent of the gate for the drivers but now probably will settle for 50 per cent if it can sanction the races.

   RACING NOTES-  Elmira's Jackie Soper has been winning almost all of the features at Angelica, Olean and Hunt. He recently lost his first race in his new No. 9 when he dropped an axle at Olean....Bob Fuller, veteran flagger on the area scene, plans to move to Florida soon.
   Drivers at the speedrome will vote on changing the weekly feature race from 20 to 25 laps. The mid-season championship race at the Chemung oval is set for July 4....Dundee's Glenn Reiners is the leading driver at his hometown track, the Dundee Raceway. Reiners drives No. 194.
   More tracks than ever are operating in the area. Towanda, Angelica, Dundee and Glen Aubrey all run on Friday night: Chemung, Five-Mile Point (near Binghamton), Port Royal and Olean are open Saturdays, and Hornell, Hunt and Roulette are operating Sundays. 
BOB JOHNSON
"Faster than a greased cheetah strapped to the front of a bullet train"
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blackjackracing

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Re: Racing History in the Southern Tier of New York
« Reply #234 on: July 08, 2010, 05:03:35 PM »
from the June 21, 1959 Elmira Telegram.....

Stock Car Notes

Chemung Plans 40-Lap Feature

By Bill Weingartner

   The Chemung Speedrome will hold its mid-season championship stock car race Saturday night. The race will be for 40 laps and the winner will receive a large trophy. The event usually is held July 4 but promoter Eli Bodine Jr. has a large fireworks display planned for that date and feels it would be impractical to hold the longer feature plus the fireworks because of the additional time needed.
   Presently at the speedrome, Chuck Keltz of Bath is in first place in the point standings with car No. 103. He has 24 points. Three points behind is Hoot Gibson of Hall in car No. 19. In a three- way tie for third are Brian Osgood of Elmira, car No. 9, Paul Bostwick of Waverly, car No. 111 and Mel Alexander of Bodines, Pa., car No. 17.
   Two drivers from the Valley are ahead in the most popular driver contest. Harry Carlyle of Athens holds the lead with George Dickman of Waverly in the runnerup spot. Bodine says more fans are voting in the contest every week.
   Enteries at the Speedrome are picking up. More than 40 cars were present recently and the track ran four qualifying heats for the first time this season. Bodine feels that the enteries will continue as the season progresses. On a night when the weather is good and the fans turn out, the track offers a purse of between $800 and $1200 to the driv-
   Saturday night will also have the second powder puff derby, run by the Atlantic Women's Racing Assn. The women drive on alternate weeks with the micro-midget racers.

   LATEST WORD on the Dryden Speedway is that the track will open July 3. Both modifieds and modern cars will run at the quarter- mile track. Plans now list Sunday afternoon as a possible rain date. An opening purse of $1200 reportedly will be offered.  The track has been refurbished and there will be parking for 3000 cars.

   RACING NOTES-- Elmira's Loretta Leonard is off to a flying start in the area powder puff races. She has one victory at the Speedrome and two at the VFW track in Towanda....Several new B cars are being built and are expected to race at the Speedrome.
   Waverly's Dad Evans had tough luck at the Speedrome recently. Two cars owned by Evans, Nos. 11 and 17, were involved in a three car pile-up and Evans cars both were reported badly damaged....Hoot Gibson broke Glenn Reiners strangle hold on the Dundee features recently by bringing car No. 19 in first.
   When Stub Crane scored at the VFW track it was his first feature win. Some of the drivers claim the track at Roulette, Pa. is too narrow....Angelica Raceway has several special events  lined up in the near future. Friday, there will be the regular program of modern and modifieds plus go-cart races. On July 3 there will be a trophy race and on July 4 at 2;30 p.m., a John Miller benefit race is scheduled.   
   Hunt Raceway will run this afternoon with both modified and stock races.... Hornell Raceway switched from "A"  to "B" cars but only 11 "B" enteries showed recently. Modern cars also run at the Hornell track.
BOB JOHNSON
"Faster than a greased cheetah strapped to the front of a bullet train"
www.QUICKSKINZ.com


blackjackracing

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Re: Racing History in the Southern Tier of New York
« Reply #235 on: July 19, 2010, 02:26:44 PM »
from the July 12, 1959 edition of the Elmira Telegram....


Soper Heads Stock Car Parade

Elmira Driver Consistent Victor at Area Tracks

By Bob Wilbur

   Determination is a funny thing. Some have it but don't use it. For those who do, the rewards are plentiful. One look at Jackie Soper's trophy room would indicate that the stock car driver is either lucky or just plain dertermined to take every trophy in sight.
"I've always had a passion for cars," said Soper. "I've had my troubles with them but the troubles just seem to increase my determination."
   Soper, currently driving the first place special  No. 7, hasn't always been as near the finish line as he has been the past two seasons. This year, however, with a new car, the Elmiran has captured 15 features at area tracks. not including a host of preliminary events. he's the leading point man at Olean, Angelica and Lancaster. Last weekend, he took the 50-lap feature at Olean and followed that victory up with a triumph at Angelica in a  special trophy race.

   Soper is originally from Troy Pa. and got his early knowledgeof the sport at tracks in Muncie Valley, Pa., Williamsport and Tuckhannock. Mechanical know-how was gathered while he saw duty in the pit crew of the late Hal Morse, killed a few years ago in at crash at Los Angeles.
"My troubles started the first year I raced," said Soper. "In my third race, I broke a bone in the back of my neck and injured a few ribs in a crash. That didn't stop me though. I just got more determined."
   The middle years of his nine-year driving career were average. Last year, Soper combined with Elmiran Don Moyer. Moyer owned car No. 7 while Soper handled the wheel. The No. 7, incidentally, has been with Jackie throughout his racing days. "No special reason: It's just seven," he said. Eugene Frisby and Howard Tidd, both of Elmira, are the current owners of the newly-built No. 7 edition. The 1958 car met with disaster at Port Royal, Pa. early this spring. Soper broke several ribs, his nose and loosened several teeth giving a dim outlook for the 1959 season. However, Soper and his crew (Jack Allen, Moyer and Frisby) hit the jackpot with the new model that was perked up by the modification allowances that came into effect for Class A cars this year.
   
   In addition to winning races, Soper has proved hard to stop in relation to time. At Lancaster, he zipped around the 1/2 mile oval in 24.3 seconds, setting a new one-lap mark for the track. "I was trying for it that day. There was a bonus for the fastest time and I was determined to get it. It's a hard clay track treated with calcium. Hard on the tires but you can really move on it."
   Soper plans to add the new Ithaca-Dryden Speedway to his schedule soon. "It looks good. I took a ride around the track and walked around once. I do that on all the tracks I race. Gives me a chance to look over the area and size up the soft spots. It can prove valuble during a race."
   Jackie rates Elmira's Bill Schroth and Cecil Keister as two of the better drivers in the immediate area. But he won't let you forget Oleans Bud Johnson who consistently chases Soper around the track and has been a constant threat to the Elmiran's pursuits.

   Most of the tracks have three respective championship attractions: the spring, mid-season and fall races. Points compiled at these events and the regularly scheduled features add up towards the seasons crown. Soper has a good lead at Olean, Angelica and Lancaster and may well add the Ithaca-Dryden Speedway to his chain of triumphs. He's also seen participation at the Hunt Raceway, taking the feature in each of his three appearances.
   Soper will readily agree that today's stock car racing is a tough deal. "The cars are better and it takes top driving to stay in the running." said Soper. "The cars run close and an inexperienced driver can cause trouble. Most of the drivers currently competing are experienced and can handle the cars with the new modifications."
   Soper has implied that the taste of victory won't wear off as rapidly as it was brought on. He'll have to put an addition on that trophy shelf if he wins many more but apparently the thought of the extra work doesn't bother him. 
BOB JOHNSON
"Faster than a greased cheetah strapped to the front of a bullet train"
www.QUICKSKINZ.com

blackjackracing

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Re: Racing History in the Southern Tier of New York
« Reply #236 on: July 19, 2010, 02:35:22 PM »
this is the picture w/ caption that accompioned the article from  7-12-59.......

TROPHY TIME- Jackie Soper, veteran stock car driver who has been taking a majority of the feature races at area tracks, poses with his trophy collection, most of which have been taken during the his last two years of racing. Soper has been in the drivers seat for nine years.
BOB JOHNSON
"Faster than a greased cheetah strapped to the front of a bullet train"
www.QUICKSKINZ.com


bgrimes

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Re: Racing History in the Southern Tier of New York
« Reply #237 on: July 22, 2010, 12:21:46 PM »
I love reading all about thehistory of racing in the southern tier. My dad wa sonny grimes and he raced at olean raceway back in the 60s. He grew up in hinsdale and loved racing. His lat duty involving racing was head starter at perry speedway. Thanks for the history and if anybody has some more pics of olean and cuba please post them.

ModRoCmaniac

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Re: Racing History in the Southern Tier of New York
« Reply #238 on: July 23, 2010, 08:34:17 AM »
anyone ever hear of a crazy Irishman called Carl Caslin...i knew him & family yrs back & heard some storys before he passed never did see him race @ all but i think he took part back in the 60's ? ~ maybe...not sure how long or how famous OR what famous for lol...sure like to find out something about him...

ModRoCmaniac

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Re: Racing History in the Southern Tier of New York
« Reply #239 on: July 23, 2010, 01:30:17 PM »
 Just a TidBit ~ dugg out a old paper says...1960's Earl Bodine drove a "BUG" ~ Plymouth slant-6 #188 him & his Bro Maynard built them & raced for 50 yrs...Chemung Speedrome Earls brother Eli Built it in 1951 ~ "the house that Eli Built" ~ & we still come  8)