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"The beginning" This '54 Chevy with 235 6-cylinder powerglide was my first race car. On July 29, '66 another car spun down into me, turning me off #3 at Avilla (IN) Speedway. I hooked a rut big time, and rolled end-over-end 6 times down into the woods where SR 3 is now. By the time we returned the next day to load the car, somebody had helped themselves to all the wheels and tires, and various other parts from the car. This is the accident that started my back problems, causing my spinal fusion in '97. |
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This '53 Chevy had a 216 6-cylinder with a 3-speed manual. Despite the smaller engine, this was a much faster car than the '54. This car made a run from 36th starting position to 3rd finishing position one Saturday at Avilla Speedway. On Aug. 27, '66 another car turned down into me on the Avilla front stretch, pushing me into another car. That turned us sideways, and with the inside car pushing me, I barrel-rolled 4 times. Result, done racing for the year. 2 cars down and money run out!! |
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The one that started it all! My first win!!
I won my first race in September '67 at Avilla Speedway. I can still remember the thrill like it was yesterday!! I bought this '57 Chevy from a neighbors brother for $20. A distributor cap and a battery made it a running car. $15 worth of black pipe from a salvage yard was used to build the roll bars. I ran it for a while with the original 283 powerglide, but ended up breaking a piston. For $65 and my old motor, I bought a "powerpak" 283. With the addition of a $25 Wolverine cam and a $16 set of solid lifters it really brought this ol' car to life. I won 3 races with this car, my first win in '67, and 2 more wins in '68, the last year I raced before being drafted into the Army in April '69. |
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