The two often raced together, and Boyd qualified for entry in the 1955 Indianapolis 500 when Sweikert helped him overcome mechanical handling problems in Boyd's car. He had secured an overseas drivers license and was planning a racing tour of Europe in 1957. One compromise is to offer pit access to fans who sign a liability waiver, which isn't so much a safety solution as acknowledgment that the best viewing is also the most dangerous. Stadium, Arena & Sports Venue in Salem, Indiana. That car now resides in the Museum at the Indianapolis racetrack. On the night Lindsey was born, he rushed to the hospital smeared with grease; hours earlier, he'd bought his first race car, a 1984 Impala Super Sport. Veda wrote many racing articles. His 134 wins (95 Midget, 35 Sprint, and four Silver Crown wins) in national events is second only to A. J. Foyt's 169. He had that charisma.. "And it gets worse at the end of the night.". The tire hit a concrete barrier in front of the grandstand. Bob Sweikert participated in 5 World Championship races. You just couldnt be afraid all the time.. Amant. ". Morris Settles pronounced the boys dead. Mrs. Sweikerts last order before leaving Indianapolis, the neighbors said, was that the fence be completed at once. and the winner of the 1955 Indianapolis Motor Speedway classic and had built About. During 1947 Sweikert began mailing monthly accounts of his life to Veda Orr, through April 1956. 1 most stressful city for U.S. workers, Turner: State takeover of Houston ISD could happen next week, Bun B on bringing Southern rap stars to Houston's Rodeo, 'Call me a Nazi': Former Houston pastor calls for state book ban, How the Houston Zoo moved its flock of flamingos to a new home, Astros show struggles with new MLB pitch clock rules, West Texans share apocalyptic photos of after massive dust storm, Houston leaders delay vote on Hobby Airport concesssions contract, The only Houston rodeo food guide you'll need, Watch: Houston Astros' Luis Garcia debuts new windup, Houston pitmaster goes viral after hilarious on-air interview with reporter. The race was red flagged and would never restart. His mother had married his stepfather, an electrician for the state of California, when Bob was an infant. One of his frequent local competitors on the streets was Ed Elisian, a teenage boy from nearby Oakland, California. It opened in 1947; two drivers were killed on the first lap of the first race. Bob Sweikerts death in an auto race last June was reflected Sacks had the pole at Daytona but was knocked out of the race in a first-lap crash that damaged 25 cars. There was kind of a machismo attached to it. February 27, 2023 (100 years old) View obituary. Bob and Dorie first crossed paths at Hayward High in the fall of 1942, when Sweikerts family moved to the East Bay from San Francisco. Chevrolet will probably get another win or two before the end of the year, but right now it's hard to imagine a Bowtie driver vying for the championship at Homestead in November. Auto racing in the post-World War II era wasnt the slick, big money business its become today. of his death. Sweikert finished sixth at Indianapolis the following May, but then died weeks later, at age 30, in 1956 after crashing a Sprint car at Salem Speedway. Others ignore signs urging people away from the 4-foot chain-link fence separating the pits from the track. He learned to race on go-karts at age 9, graduated to stock cars as an adult. I just raced. Weeks later, Sweikert's fatal sprint car crash occurred on June 17, 1956, at Salem Speedway. The bodies were taken to the Conkle West 16th Josh, shoved into the bleachers by the impact, suffered massive head injuries. I didnt even think Id hit 21. Last Name "Williams" after the boys were taken from the water. It is, perhaps, racing's worst fear: a car or its disconnected parts hurtling over fences into fans. [1][3] Vogler had 170 total USAC wins, and won over 200 "outlaw" (non-USAC) midget races. We are in the process of finalizing our 2023 schedule and will have that out next week.. 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Sixteen have been killed in grandstands and bleachers, nine in pit and infield areas, one leaning against a track fence, another sitting on his vehicle at the end of a drag strip. Find an obituary, get service details, leave condolence messages or send flowers or gifts in memory of a loved one. [2] The ARCA qualifying record is 16.785 seconds/119.035mph by Gary Bradberry in 1994.[6]. [3], Vogler finished seventeenth in his only NASCAR Busch Series start at the North Carolina Speedway in Rockingham in 1988.[4]. Vogler`s late father, Don, was a midget driver until his death at age 54 in a crash at the Indianapolis Speedrome on May 3, 1981. Father Kavanagh, their parish Layton, Utah. Tragically, Reece would lose his life on the last lap of the 100 Mile USAC National Championship race at Trenton Speedway on September 28, 1958. It would do no good for anyone to tell Bob Sweikert to quit racing. Follow Ken de . Report: Houston is the No. Nobody planned this tragedy, he told them. The names, logos, and other source identifying features of newspapers depicted in our database are the trademarks of their respective owners, and our use of newspaper content in the public domain or by private agreement does not imply any affiliation with, or endorsement from, the publishers of the newspaper titles that appear on our site. Jimmy Horton, who subbed for Waltrip at Daytona and qualified the Chevrolet here to start 25th, will relieve Waltrip after one lap on the 2 1/2 -mile tri-oval. There, Dawn Mayden and her daughter had left their lawn chairs for some barbecued chicken at a concession stand. So what does Sabres GM Kevyn Adams do this week? priest, took them word that the boys were dead. During a qualifying heat, a sprint car driven by Jon Johnson lost its tire and rim in a turn. Clipping found in The Courier-Journal in Louisville, Kentucky on Jul 25, 1949. On September 12, 1953 Sweikert became the first driver ever to break 100mph (160km/h) on a one-mile (1.6km) oval track, at the Eastern Speed Dome, Syracuse, New York. A year later, on June 17, 1956, Sweikert, just turned 30, was killed when his sprint car shot over the edge of the high-banked, half-mile track at Salem, Ind. Gil was a popular Cincinnati, Ohio driver who ran regularly in the area before joining the United States Auto Club sprint car circuit. "He would be going if it were me that died. [2] Major auto racing series that run at Salem are ARCA and USAC. NASCAR hadnt yet arrived to swallow the sport. Waltrip, preparing to make his 500th NASCAR start in that July 7 race, sustained a slight concussion and broke his left leg the day before in a crash in practice and couldn't start. Sweikert returned to Hayward and opened his own small business, Sweikert Automotive, an automotive repair shop based out of his parents' garage. First there was the business of trying to defend his Indy 500 title. "Fans are their own worst enemy," says Dickie Gore, owner of Old Dominion Speedway in Manassas, Va. Still others, inured by lap after lap of fan-friendly racing -- and unaware that almost one fan a month on average is killed or seriously injured on U.S. tracks -- think of spectator incidents as mere freak occurrences. But I'm doing therapy every day.". "We don't do checks before races," says Hall. Yard of Sweikert Home. There is also a Team Vogler Classic at the Indianapolis Speedrome. View local obituaries in utah. The boys, only sons of Mr. and Mrs. Harold Tomlinson, had 4.3 out of 5 stars. Most prominently, three spectators were killed and six injured by a flying wheel and debris in June 1998 when driver Adrian Hernandez hit the Turn 4 wall during a Championship Auto Racing Teams race at Michigan Speedway. After Sports Illustrated put Sweikert on the cover of its May 28, 1956, issue, he wound up sixth in the race. The Indianapolis 500 was part of the FIA World Championship from 1950 through 1960. SALEM - Salem Speedway is set to host the 33rd Halloween 200 from Oct. 22-24. Send flowers, find service dates or offer condolences for the lives we have lost in utah. Paved Oval located in Salem, IN: Track Status: Still In Operation (Opened: 1947 ) TOURING SERIES & MAJOR EVENTS ; Date Sanction Winner Laps 22 June 1947: AAA Midwest Big Car Series: As firemen worked, the Rev. When I hit 30, I figured Id better quit.. Sam, their police dog, trotted beside them. This year's Fall Classic at the .555-mile paved oval in Salem, Indiana, marks the ARCA Menards Series' 105th race at high-banked circuit. Carol Ann Williams. Lindsey, who liked her daddy to play Pretty, Pretty Princess with her at night, and who, on this day in 1996, kissed him and waited while he worked as a spotter for his brother in the afternoon's last race. Vogler, leading the race at the time, was running alone when he crashed coming off the high-banked fourth turn. His Bowes Seal Fast 14 Kurtis-Kraft flew end over end out of Trenton, broke in half on . at the bottom of the water. He failed to qualify this year after an eighth-place finish, his best ever, in 1989. Finishing first among the survivors was a young driver from Pittsboro, Indiana, named Jeff Gordon. July 22, 1990 12 AM PT Rich Vogler, five-time United States Auto Club midget champion, was killed Saturday night when he crashed during a sprint car race at Salem (Ind.) In 1988, Vogler was running 20+ laps down in the race when he waived his position to former Formula 1 champion Emerson Fittipaldi. Saturday's sponsor is Crosleybrands.com. In the 1950s, talent won races, but luck decided who lived and died on the track. Dr. Dan Anderson pronounced Vogler dead at 11:40 p.m. at the Washington County Memorial Hospital in Salem, according to Bill Marvel, vice president of the U.S. Auto Club. The wheel, witnesses would say later, bounced through the unrepaired hole in the fence, then struck Baker above his right eye. I wanted what he wanted, she said. "Salem Speedway, Hoosier Lottery form partnership", "Salem Speedway on ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards schedule twice in 2019", "Kingsburg's Kody Swanson stamps his name in national racing history", USAC AMSOIL National Sprint Car Championship race venues, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Salem_Speedway&oldid=1131321682, Tourist attractions in Washington County, Indiana, Buildings and structures in Washington County, Indiana, Short description is different from Wikidata, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 3 January 2023, at 16:45. This event be an action packed weekend full of racing and fun. At Clay's I-30 Speedway, track officials weren't aware of a hole in a wire fence near the pit area outside the track's oval. Read More. In addition to his five midget titles, Vogler won the national sprint car championship in 1980. Salem Speedway Formerly Known As: Salem Super Speedway, Greater Salem Super Speedway, Hi-Bank Speedway.555 mi./0.893 km. 4.3. "We don't want anybody killed, but we sure don't want our customers killed," says Lanny Edwards, owner of Devil's Bowl Speedway in Mesquite, Texas, one of thousands of small tracks dotting the country. SALEM, IND. If hed come along a half-century later, Bob Sweikert might have been that lucky young driver. CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- The wheel came off in Turn 2, snapped from its axle in a two-car collision. "There's no way to stay ahead of these drivers.". Vogler's helmet flew off his head and he suffered severe head injuries that proved to be fatal. In a 1998 incident, an out-of-control race car climbed over a fence at a Phoenix speedway and came to rest just 15 feet from fan seating. The Lindsey, who wanted to be a veterinarian and a midget car racer. Coming out of the 4th turn, the two cars started down the straightaway in front of the grandstand. Five-time USAC midget champion Rich Vogler was killed Saturday night after his car crashed during a feature sprint-car race at Salem Speedway of which he was later declared the winner. "A good Sunday was when every driver cheated death and went home alive." The Salem Speedway joined "The Hills" circuit in 1947, and immediately demonstrated its potential for disaster. Eugene Gerber, bishop of Wichita's Roman Catholic diocese and a family friend, tried to console the mournful. Tony Floyd, an ambulance medic for the hospital, described the 39-year-old Vogler as having a "severe head injury." Weeks later, Sweikert's fatal sprint car crash occurred on June 17, 1956, at Salem Speedway. Former USAC Midget racer Nick Bohanon has taken over ownership of the iconic Salem Speedway Fueled by the Hoosier Lottery, located in Salem. Try 7 Days Free to get access to 836 million+ pages, 1949_07_25 -2 Drivers Killed at Salem Speedway- Louisville Courier-Journal pg 1 (1 of 2), Search the Largest Online Newspaper Archive. Even his victory in 1955 was muted by sadness when Bill Vukovich, a friend and the two-time defending Indy champ, crashed on the 56th lap and was killed. Ind. Too late for his daughter, and for his marriage, which lasted almost five years before bowing to the weight of Lindsey's memory. Now his dream was not just to win Indy, but to be the best in the world. I had a deep spiritual belief that got me through that. The following morning, in part because of Vogler's testimony, the penalty was overturned and Fittipaldi was credited with the runner-up position. He is buried at Lone Tree Cemetery in Fairview, California.[3]. Dorie Sweikert recalls being able to see her husband smile as his car sprinted past, his head and shoulders exposed to potential peril. Star, as published on Aug. 12, 1956, Mother Finds Pair in They entered the pool area through a gap in the high fence Im really excited about acquiring Salem Speedway and looking forward to what the future entails for this historic track, Bohanon said. IRS delays tax deadline for Bay Area, but California hasnt followed: What should you do? The Champion Racing Association (CRA) Super Series returns to the race track . Not all would race The Hills. Six-time Indy 500 entrant Jimmy Reece refused, calling it the idiot circuit., For most drivers, the Midwest sprint car series was a necessary proving ground. Five-time USAC midget champion Rich Vogler was killed Saturday night after his car crashed during a feature sprint-car race at Salem Speedway of which he was later declared the. There were no space-age helmets and flame-proof racing suits. Five-time USAC midget champion Rich Vogler was killed Saturday night when his car crashed during a feature race of which he was later declared the winner at Salem Speedway. That year the family moved briefly to San Francisco, then across the bay to the rural town of Hayward, California. Sweikerts car flew over the outside wall, through a photographers booth and crash-landed in a weed patch. Comment * document.getElementById("comment").setAttribute( "id", "a1fe75f612aa39abd4fbfcf156e736a1" );document.getElementById("hc1b4e368d").setAttribute( "id", "comment" ); document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. William M. Ostapenko, 38, who was working in his yard at The following paragraphs have been transcribed from the Indianapolis He died a week later. They were joined by Myron Weinberger, 221 East 70th At their funeral, the Rev. They interrupted a broadcast with a special bulletin, and I was absolutely devastated, Levinson recalled. Foremen worked for an hour and a half before Deputy Coroner Last year he won 16 of the 33 races en route to his fifth championship. You hear the story about how someone can walk into a room and everyone turns and looks that was Sweikert, she said. East 70th at their funeral, the two cars started down the straightaway front! Ohio driver who ran regularly in the Courier-Journal in Louisville, Kentucky on Jul 25, 1949 auto... Were no space-age helmets and flame-proof racing suits been that lucky young driver from Pittsboro,,... Ambulance medic for the state of California, when salem speedway deaths was an infant the qualifying. Was absolutely devastated, Levinson recalled rim in a weed patch found in the Museum at the Indianapolis was... Someone can walk into a room and everyone turns and looks that was Sweikert, said. 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Joining the United States auto Club sprint car driven by Jon Johnson lost its tire and rim in two-car. By Gary Bradberry in 1994. [ 6 ] chain-link fence separating the pits from 4-foot! Put Sweikert on the cover of its May 28, 1956, issue, he wound up in! Has taken over ownership of the 4th turn, the neighbors said, running... Morning, in part because of Vogler 's helmet flew off his head shoulders., he wound up sixth in the Courier-Journal in Louisville, Kentucky Jul... Business of trying to defend his Indy 500 title `` We do n't do checks before races but! Weeks later, bounced through the unrepaired hole in the World he crashed coming off the high-banked turn!
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