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Chris Romano’s
Annual
Remembrance
2013
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For my racing friends, I offer my annual remembrance of
those we lost in the sport this year. It is a labor of love, not
strictly journalism, so apologies for those I might have missed.
For Auld Lang Syne, 2013, by Chris Romano
Before firing
up the engines for the Chili Bowl, let’s pause to remember those we
lost in the sport in 2013.
Carl Merrill was a fixture at
Norwood Arena for many years, serving as race director. He then did
PR for a number of tracks, including Monadnock. The affable Merrill
passed away this year at age 88. Melvin “Red” Foote, one of the
original Eastern Bandits died this year at 85. Foote was a Waterford
Speedbowl champion and won throughout Virginia and Maryland.
Swapping stories with Foote no doubt will be Rene “The Champ”
Charland, who passed away at 85. A four time NASCAR Sportsman champ,
Charland was equally good on dirt or pavement. Danbury regular Chick
Stockwell passed away this year, also at age 85, as did the Kutztown
Komet, Freddy Adam, at age 82, who drove in the Mid-Atlantic states
until 1994, winning track titles 3 times at Hatfield and once at
Dorney Park.
Jim McCallum won everything he could win in Pro
Stocks in New England, and had a fair amount of appearances down
south too. He succumbed to Alzheimers this year. Jack Choquette,
1954 NASCAR Modified Champion died this year at age 85. Nick
Dinsmoor, former Modified driver at the Waterford Speedbowl passed
away this year at age 71. Al “Buddha” Gaudreau left us at age 70. He
was a five time championship car owner in Modifieds at Waterford.
Steve Griswold, former K&N East team owner died this year at age 64.
Tony Dias Jr., Seekonk Late Model driver, left us all too soon at
age 49.
The Houston family lost a legend in Kenny Houston,
the 1964 Hickory Speedway and North Carolina Champion. Hickory also
lost John Settlemyre, who won championships from 1977 through 1981,
at age 67 after a shootout with police. Former Pro Cup car owner
Steve Husketh died this year, as did Chuck Montville, NE Modified
owner, at 56. Orange County (NC) Limited Late Model competitor Chad
Pergerson lost his life in a highway accident. Ace Speedway (NC)
Late Model champion and veteran competitor Rodney Cook lost his
battle with cancer at age 44.
Charlie Elliot was a self made
man who dedicated himself to auto racing. It’s hard to imagine what
racing would be like in southern New Hampshire without Elliot, who
was one of the prime movers behind NESMRA along with building and
rescuing tracks like Canaan and Lee USA. We lost Charlie this year
at age 96. Wilfred Kronk, who built Wiscasset (ME) Speedway passed
on at age 85.
It was a tough year for NEMA. Veteran owner Ray
Plakstis died, along with former co-champion Lou Fray and veteran
car owner Gordon Bumpus. Gordon fielded cars for years for his son
Howard, named after Gordon’s brother, who was killed at Flemington
in the late 1930’s. Champion car owner Dewey Cali died at age 88.
Jerry Stover, ARDC and Sprint car driver passed away at age 76.
Midge Miller, another midget and URC Sprint car driver and official
passed on this year. ARDC’s only female president, Jane Buzzard,
passed away, along with Harry Macy, veteran Can-Am TQ owner and
driver.
Tom Herbert, Grandview Late Model driver and ARDC
official lost his battle with cancer. Dick Crotty, a long time New
England racing veteran was taken all too young from us this year, at
58. He was joined by Big John DiBurro, a fixture in NH racing
circles.
The Big O had their share of loss this year. Irish
Jack Murphy, winner of the first Oswego Classic and a fixture in
Supermodified racing for decades passed on this year at age 85. Joe
Gosek’s car owner, Joe Osetek, was lost to us, as was former driver
Jim Winks. Former driver Dave Halstead lost his life in an
industrial accident.
George Martin was a fixture at Seekonk
as a handicapper and official. The Konk lost George late this year.
Mackie McBroom, former race director at Ace Speedway, died this year
of cancer.
We are all the poorer for the loss of Dick
Trickle, who took his own life at age 71. Conservatively, it is
thought that Trickle won over 1200 features from Florida through the
mid-west. A late career move to NASCAR saw a Busch Grand National
win at Hickory and a Winston Cup Rookie of the Year award. But his
stock in trade was ARTGO and ASA, where he won championships and God
knows how many races.
George Bignotti walked with giants,
engineering seven Indy 500 wins for guys like Foyt, Sneva and
Johncock. He left us at age 97. Stuart Hilborn founded Hilborn fuel
injectors, a brand that dominated Indianapolis and drag strips. He
passed away at age 97. Ken Jenkins, master sprint car chassis
builder, died at age 65. Phil Remington, veteran fabricator for
Carroll Shelby and longtime Dan Gurney employee was active until his
death at 92.
IHRA Regional Technical Director Hank
Blankenship died this year at age 61. Veteran NHRA Funny Car driver
Gordie Bonin died this year. Art Malone not only was a Top Fuel
racer, but a two time Indy entrant, driving the Novi for Andy
Granatelli. Art was 76.
Road racing lost veterans Chuck
Dietrich and Steve “Yogi” Behr. Ralph Sanchez founded the Grand Prix
of Miami and later built Homestead Speedway. He lost his battle with
cancer this year at age 65. Huck Spaulding was a veteran of AMEC ice
racing along with Late Models and Mini-Stocks. Frank Righetti
restored countless vintage racers and remained active in vintage
racing well into his 80’s.
Across the pond Australian V8
Supercars chairman James Strong died at age 68. Perennial South
African Formula One entrant Dave Charleton left us at age 73. Guido
Forti, former Formula One, Formula Three and Formula 3000 team owner
passed at 72. Colin Davis, 79, won the 1964 Targa Florio. Veteran
Jaguar racer John Coombs left us at age 93. Stirling Moss’ manager,
Ken Gregory, died this year, leaving behind a wealth of stories
about Formula One’s golden age and one of its greatest racers. Willi
Bergmeister, veteran European touring car racer died this year at
age 63. Maria de Villota, 33, former Formula One test driver,
injured in a horrific testing accident last year was found dead in a
hotel room in Seville, Spain. De Villota bravely recovered from her
accident, which cost her an eye, but it is widely believed her death
could be attributed to the injuries she suffered. Philip Favre raced
in sports cars, Formula Three and Formula 3000 during his career,
but was killed in a skiing accident at age 51.
The Pampas
Bull, Jose Froilan Gonzales, died this year at age 90. Often he
raced in the shadow of countryman Juan Manual Fangio, but Gonzales
was content with his career, winning the British Grand Prix twice,
along with the 24 Hours of Le Mans. After fellow Argentinian Onofre
Marimon was killed at the Nurburgring in 1954 Gonzales stayed closer
to home, retiring from driving in 1960.
On track the sport
was no less deadly in 2013. It was a bad year for Sprint Cars. Young
Josh Burton died at age 22 after a crash in Bloomington, IN. Jason
Leffler, three time USAC Midget champion, a Silver Crown champion
and veteran NASCAR driver was killed in a Sprint Car accident at
Bridgeport, NJ. He was 37. Pennsylvania legend Kramer Williamson
died at Lincoln Speedway. The Sprint Car Hall of Fame member was 63.
Vintage racing continued to take a toll on old cars and drivers.
Stan Redmond, died at age 65 after crashing his Lola T332 in a
vintage Formula 5000 race at Teretonga, NZ. Christian Devereux died
in the crash of his 1965 Mini Cooper in a vintage race at Donington
Park, in England. Sebastian Clouzeau, 38, was killed in the crash of
his historic Formula Three car at Spa, in Belgium. Robert Hanneman,
70, was killed in the crash of his Zink C-4 at a vintage event at
Blackhawk Farms Raceway in Illinois. Steve Jewell, 62, died in the
crash of his 1924 Bugatti at a vintage event in Snetterton, England.
Tsutomu Seki, 62, was killed in the crash of his Nissan at a vintage
event at Tsukuba Raceway in Japan. Peter Hall, 71, died of injuries
sustained in the crash of his Datsun 260Z in a vintage event at
Phillip Island, Australia. Col Wenzel, 66, died of injuries
sustained in the crash of his Alfa Romeo at Lakeside Speedway in
Australia.
Jeff Bowers died in the crash of his Formula Vee
at Lime Rock Park in CT, possibly as a result of a medical incident.
Wolf Silvester, two time VLN champ died of a heart attack at age 55
during a VLN race at the Nurburgring. Allan Simonsen, 34, died in
the crash of his Aston Martin in the first hour of the 24 Hours of
Le Mans. Andrea Mame, 41, was killed in the crash of his Lamborghini
at Circuit Paul Ricard in France. Sean Edwards, 26, accomplished
sports car racer, was killed in an accident at Queensland Raceway in
Australia during a driver coach session where he was a passenger in
a Porsche 996. Robson Kolling, 35, was killed in the crash of his
sports prototype at the 500 Milhas de Londrina, in Brazil.
Eddie Russ, veteran competitor at Hickory Motor Speedway, died of a
medical incident following a hot July race. Jimmy Smith, 62 was
stricken after an SK heat race at Thompson Speedway in CT. Lawren
Jones, 59, died in the crash of his car at Albuquerque National
Dragway. Derek Sanchez, 47, died of injuries received in the crash
of his 1933 Ford Super Gas Roadster at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor
Speedway.
Charles Leroy Kay, 67, and David Richardson, 63,
were killed when they crashed on the last lap of the feature for
Dwarf Cars at Reno Fernley Speedway in Nevada. Mike Stephens, 30,
suffocated to death in his inverted Pro Stock at Oyster Bed Speedway
after he unbuckled himself and landed on the roof of his car in a
position that prevented him from breathing. Greg Pitts, 52, suffered
health complications at Montpelier Motor Speedway in Indiana and
died in the crash of his UMP Modified. Bill Reimer, 67, was killed
in a crash at Emo Speedway in Canada.
The fourth estate lost
Michael Brown, who shot for Autosport magazine, among others, at age
55. Veteran NHRA photographer Les Welch died this year at age 69.
Wilson Fittipaldi was a veteran broadcaster in his native Brazil,
but also father of Emerson and his brother Wilson, who went on to
chart their own histories in Formula One and beyond. The Fittipaldi
patriarch was 92. Nigel Snowdon, who photographed Formula One in the
golden age, left us this year. NEMA lost former PR man Jim Rigney.
Canaan Speedway complex closed its doors forever in New
Hampshire, as did Raceway Park in Shakopee, MN.
And what will
we do without Miss Ellie Seymour. She took care of Boston Louie and
the brood as they chased Midget, Sprint Car and Silver Crown racing
across the country. Miss Ellie had a kind word to say about
everyone, and was universally loved in pit areas everywhere. I,
among countless others, will miss her terribly.
As ever then,
we shed a little tear, have a little laugh, and raise our glasses to
lives well led, for Auld Lang Syne. Joyeux Noel, Bon Annee. |
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