Chuck Akulis (#40) Larry Groover (#144) Lloyd Tevyain (#55) @ Shangri-La in '62 or '63
Fall of 63.They ran 4 or 5 Sunday Afternoon shows in the fall..Then went weekly on Saturday Nights in 64.
Just because Woodhull kicked off their 50th year of racing with the Arnot Mall car show this past weekend: George Williams' Woodhull Raceway opened it's gates for the first time on June 13, 1965 for a 2:00 afternoon show, Running "Moderns" (16 cars) and "Amateurs", plus there were three B-Mods (Bugs) in attendance. The first ever checkered flag at Woodhull went to Wayne Melliman from Cuba, N.Y. in Joe Love's dark red '49 Ford Business Coupe, numbered 04. Melliman backed it up with the win in the Amateur Feature. It was Melliman's only visit to Woodhull, but Bill Layfield put the "Love Machine" back in Victory Lane on August 8th. Current Woodhull Pit Steward, Earl Eccleston was third in the first feature in a '55 Ford numbered 363. There were eleven different winners out of 14 events in the Amateur division in the '65 season. The Ulysess, Pa. based, Sherwood Auto Parts sponsored, "Blue Angels" swept the top three spots in the Modern main event. Harold Sherwood led Lyle Cornelius and Gabe Haynes to the flag in matching powder blue with white top Chevy hardtops. Sherwood and Cornelius were in 1964 Impalas (remember, this was 1965), and they duplicated the finish the following week, with George Schenk breaking the Blue Angels' domination by snagging third. Jim Hakes put his yellow 1958 Ford into Victory Lane the following week, with Paul Hidek from Bath, N.Y. making his Woodhull debut and finishing second in a maroon and white '61 Chevy sedan numbered 6 7/8. Hidek won 10 of the next 11 Modern features, on his way to the first Woodhull Championship with Bill Layfield winning the August 29th feature... Hidek was second.
Lots more, but it's a start.
Was the car that George Schenk a '56 Ford #67x?
Was the car that George Schenk a '56 Ford #67x?
I know it was 67x, trying to confirm make and model but that sounds right. I'm thinking light blue?
Malcom Lane post accident...
Back straight at Woodhull... I'm thinking on his first trip there... 427c.i. Chevy coach. I've got a pic of it right side up somewhere.
I am thinking red body and white roof on the 67X.Mert Bellnap had a team car #66X.I was only 8yo. at the time but I do remember those 6cyl. moderns.
I am thinking red body and white roof on the 67X.Mert Bellnap had a team car #66X.I was only 8yo. at the time but I do remember those 6cyl. moderns.
Light bulb just came on... How about one was a '54 Ford and the other a '55. One in a stake body truck and the other tow bar behind the truck? I was 11 at the time but foggy memory says we followed them to the track one night and it was one of a very few that hauled two cars with one vehicle.
tangletouge please keep posting old woodhull history !!! 1 question from the peanut gallery - who has more mod (or any class) feature wins, don kio or billy van pelt?
tangletouge please keep posting old woodhull history !!! 1 question from the peanut gallery - who has more mod (or any class) feature wins, don kio or billy van pelt?
My first reaction is that Billy has more Modified wins, simply because Billy's career has been pretty much Modifieds. Don spent a number of years in the Moderns and Late Models, where he did his early winning. When Stock Car Racing Magazine did the Woodhull article, Kio claimed a career "200 or so" wins. I've not been able to confirm that, and Don admitted not keeping good records. He also didn't specify heats/features, and didn't say all were at Woodhull. I know Billy really added to his total during the TWR days. I'm not going to predict how it will turn out, but I'm trying to gather up the history. As for best seasonal record, I'll go with Billy, but Paul Hidek (11 for 15), and Joe Tomes (16 for 20) are right up there in the batting average.
when I was growing up( 70s)-joe tomes was the man at woodhull , wwhat about arnie flint ? didnt he win alot of races? I went in the marines in 82 - lin hough @ curt vanpelt were the hotshoes, -seemes to me there were mod drivers that came from canada? WE LOVE WOODHULL HISTORY !!!!
A couple of old Chemung Speedrome photos to share with you...
1) Harry "Flipper" Carlyle
2) Jackie Soper
3) Dick Regan with flagger Al Dillon
Some more Chemung Speedrome "bugs"...
1) "Stub" Crane
2) "Chubby" Chandler
3) Frank Chapman
More Chemung photos...
1) Vern Coyle w/ a "bug"
2) Larry Catlin w/ a "bug"
3) "Big" Herbie Green