Bob Fullers collumn from the August 24th, 1958 edition of the Elmira Star-Gazette.
With The Stock Cars...Bob Fuller
Fun, Excitement for Novice Drivers
Bucky Dew made his first appearance last week at the Southport track, driving a sports car for Gil Frisbe. Bucky drove No. 7 for Howard Tidd Friday at Angelica N.Y. He is top point man at Waterloo. he says he will be a regular driver in Elmira from now on.
The late Harold Morse of Troy, PA. used to have No. 99 on his car. Since his death in 1952, while driving at the Los Angeles Raceway in California, the local tracks do not permit a car to use his No. 99. In fact, it was on the 99th lap of a 100-mile feature that his car lost the right rear wheel and went out of control.
This is how "So You Want To Drive A Stockcar" works at Chemung Speedrome every week: Anyone interested in driving a stockcar in a race with other amateurs is given a ticket. On these tickets they put their name and address and drop them in a box at the jucges stand. At intermission time the Queen of the Speedway picks out five tickets and those people whose names are on the tickets are called over the public address system.
These people are then furnished with a Class B car, helmet and are fastened into the seat by safety belts. The promoter pays their entrance fee into the club and they are signed in under protective insurance. After they are briefed on the art of racing, they are allowed two laps to get used to the car and then lined up for competitive racing. Bunched together and in pairs, they take one more lap and come down (nervously) to the starter for the green flag.
Once the race has started they seem to react the same as every other race driver does and that is to get out in front and stay there. No one has gotten hurt and there is fun and excitement for both the fans and participants, and the winner is held over and has a chance to compete again next week. No one has won twice in a row yet.
Todays Races at Glider City Sports Arena will include a 30 lap mid-season championship in the Sportsman Class. The roll over expert, Dick Lewanduski, will once again roll a car off a ramp.
Meet The Driver...Bobby Jaynes
Bob started driving at Corning, along with most of the other beginners. He drove a '36 Ford for the Ferris Garage of Elmira and was one of the high point men for two years. As a matter of fact, he has been among the top ten high point men every year he has raced.
Other tracks at which he has raced are Oswego, Naples, Glen Aubery, Wellsville, Airport Speedway, Bath, Doty Hill (near Fassett, Pa.), Olean, Cuba, Chemung, Selingsgrove, Pa., Glider City, Elmira and took the feature race the last time he appeared at Angelica.
At the present time, he is one of the top contenders in the modified class at Chemung Speedrome and Glider City Sports Arena. He drives car No. 1, a 1934 Ford Coupe with a 1955 Ford overhead motor. He is half partner with his next door neighbor, Charley Knowles, and estimates they have more than $900.00 in the car.
Bob served two years in the Navy during World War II overseas in the South Pacific. He is a well liked, happy-go-lucky type of guy and is considered an old timer in the racing game. He is 31 years old and resides on Ridge Road in Horseheads with his wife "Jenny" and their four boys. The fourth boy was just born on Aug. 14 and Bob says he now has a full pit crew.
Bob is sole owner of his own business called the Ridgeview Dairy and gets up every morning at 4 a.m. to make his usual milk run.
