1957 – Beauchamp Posts Win in ‘Pelican 300’

Johnny Beauchamp receives a kiss from Miss Physical Culture, Barbara Howell, as local oil distributor George Gallagher looks on with approval after the Harlan, Iowa, driver won the rain-shortened Pelican 300.

Shreveport, La. (March 31, 1957) – Johnny Beauchamp, the Harlan, Iowa, flash, took advantage of an early break Sunday afternoon to score an easy victory in the rain-shortened Pelican “300” at the Louisiana State Fairgrounds before an overflow crowd of 9,000 race fans.

Hailed as the “Flying Frenchman,” Beauchamp lived up to his expectations, piloting his 1957 Chevrolet in fine style, and outdistancing his closest competitor, Bob Burdick of Omaha, Neb.

Beauchamp, the 1956 International Motor Contest Association national stock car champion, copped the first feature – 150 laps – of the season’s opener without any difficulty, but was pushed for a while by Burdick in the rain-halted 45-lapper.

From the start, Beauchamp made it a point to show his skill, but Don White of Keokuk, Iowa, a former IMCA champion and solid favorite with the capacity crowd, jumped in front at the beginning. However, White’s pacesetting was short-lived as he broke an axle on his 1957 Ford after only 10 laps.

The Iowa star then proceeded to make a runaway of the first 150-lapper, getting only brief challenges from Burdick.

Burdick, however, after a slow start, just maintained a steady pace in the first half with his 1956 Ford. He attempted an all-out bid to get Beauchamp in the second feature, but the rain put a quick end to it.

Finishing behind Beauchamp and Burdick were Bob Hardy, Jerry Draper, and Jimmy Martin.

IMCA officials shortened the second race when a steady drizzle quickly made the track a sea of mud. Several drivers lost control of their cars on the sloppy racing surface.

Beauchamp started the second race at the rear of the field but rocketed into second before the first lap was even completed. White, determined to try it again his repaired Ford, led for a couple of laps before engine troubles kayoed him for a second time.


Results –


1. Johnny Beauchamp
2. Bob Burdick
3. Dick Porter
4. Bob Hardy
5. Red Dowdy
6. Jimmy Martin
7. Jerry Draper
8. Don Lawson
9. Ray Albritton
10.Dick Pellow
11.Al Warrender
12.Woody Ramsey
13.Darrell Dake
14.Doc Narber
15.Don White
16.Shorty Ebert
17.Lee Pinckney

1969 – Daniels Wins USAC Opener at Reading

Jerry "Scratch" Daniels won the USAC sprint car season opener at the Reading Fairgrounds. 

Reading, Penn. (March 30, 1969) – Jerry Daniels of St. Paul, Minn., took the lead on the 27th lap of the 30-lap feature and went on to win Sunday’s United States Auto Club season opener before 5,000 chilled fans at the Reading Fairgrounds.

Daniels had been dueling with Guttenberg, Iowa’s Lee Kunzman from lap 3 until the backstretch on lap 27. At that point, Daniels powered past Kunzman for the lead and three laps later, took the checkered flag. 

Kunzman was also nipped on the last lap by Herman Wise of Atlanta, Ga., and had to settle for third place.

Larry Dickson of Marietta, Ohio, the defending USAC sprint car national champion, turned in the fastest qualifying run with a time of 23.37 seconds. He also won the first 8-lap heat. But tire trouble early in the feature put Dickson a lap behind – a deficit he could never make up.


Results –


1. Jerry Daniels
2. Herman Wise
3. Lee Kunzman
4. Bill Puterbaugh
5. Bob Pratt
6. Paul Jones
7. Ralph Liguori
8. Tom Bigelow
9. Todd Gibson
10.Chuck Allen

1966 – Hurtubise Drives to Victory in Atlanta 500

Jim Hurtubise is surrounded by a bevy of beauties after winning the Atlanta 500.

Atlanta, Ga. (March 27, 1966) – Jim Hurtubise won the rich $77,000 Atlanta 500 on Sunday pushing his 1966 Plymouth to an average speed of 131.247 miles per hour before a record crowd of 71,000.

Hurtubise, of North Tonawanda, N.Y., finished a lap ahead of Fred Lorenzen who lost the lead when he herded his Ford into the pits on lap 277.

Hurtubise, who was critically burned in a fiery crash in Milwaukee in 1964, cheated death to come back for a rich payday of $17,920 at Atlanta International Raceway.

Lorenzen, of Elmhurst, Ill., a three-time winner at Atlanta, pocketed $8,290 for his runner-up efforts. Dick Hutcherson of Charlotte, N.C., driving a 1966 Ford, was third. Paul Goldsmith of Munster, Ind., piloted his 1966 Plymouth to fourth and Jim Pascal of High Point, N.C., was fifth in a 1966 Plymouth.

The lead changed hands 23 times in a see-saw race before Hurtubise took over for the final 57 laps. All told, he held the lead eight different times.

Other leaders included Lorenzen, Richard Petty of Randleman, N.C., Don White of Keokuk, Iowa, in a 1965 Dodge; Dave Pearson of Spartanburg, S.C., in a 1966 Dodge; Curtis Turner of Charlotte, N.C., in a 1966 Ford; Gordon Johncock of Hastings, Mich., in a 1965 Dodge and Lee Roy Yarbrough of Columbia, S.C., in a 1966 Dodge.

Petty, the pole-sitter, and pre-race favorite took his 1966 Plymouth out on lap 184 when it developed a leaky oil pan and blown engine.

“Today was the biggest race,” Hurtubise said joyfully following his victory. “I knew I was the fastest car in the race. I was only worried about (Richard) Petty.”


Results –


1. Jim Hurtubise, North Tonawanda, N.Y.
2. Fred Lorenzen, Elmhurst, Ill.
3. Dick Hutcherson, Charlotte, N.C.
4. Paul Goldsmith, Munster, Ind.
5. Jim Paschal, High Point, N.C.
6. Cale Yarbrough, Timmonsville, S.C.
7. Sam McQuagg, Columbus, Ga.
8. Don White, Keokuk, Iowa
9. Tiny Lund, Cross, S.C.
10.Bobby Allison, Hueytown, Ala.
11.Frank Warren, Augusta, Ga.
12.J.P. Putney, Arden, N.C.
13.Curtis Turner, Charlotte, N.C.
14.David Pearson, Spartanburg. S.C.
15.James Hylton, Inman, S.C.
16.Marvin Panch, Daytona, Fla.
17.Paul Lewis, Johnson City, Tenn.
18.Ned Jarrett, Camden, S.C.
19.Gordon Johncock, Hastings, Mich.
20.Clyde Lynn, Christiansburg, Va.

1972 – Bettenhausen Waltzes in Penn National Race

Gary Bettenhausen is joined by owner Willie Davis after winning the USAC sprint car feature at Penn National. 

Grantville, Penn. (March 26, 1972) – Defending United States Auto Club sprint car point champion Gary Bettenhausen, driving the lone Ford powered car in the field, completely dominated yesterday's inaugural sprint race at the Penn National Speedway before more than 5,000 spectators to capture his first feature event of the season on the USAC trail.

Bettenhausen, Tinley Park, Ill., starting on the pole, lost his lead to Jim McElreath of Arlington, Tex., on the very first lap. McElreath in turn fielded the front running position to Rollie Beale of Toledo, Ohio; on the third lap, setting the stage for Bettenhausen's comeback.

Beale held onto the lead until the 10th time around the half-mile oval, that's when Bettenhausen took the inside groove on the track and went flying past Beale into the number one spot.

Bettenhausen, after taking the lead, opened a considerable margin over the rest of the field, in fact, Gary lapped everyone except second place finisher McElreath.

Sam Sessions, Nashville, Mich., showed his driving courage when he finished seventh after his face visor and windshield were shattered by a flying stone. Sessions was forced to drive the remainder of the race without face protection.

Local favorite Dick “Toby” Tobias had his problems as he dropped from the running after nine laps. Tobias, on the opening lap, almost dumped the car when he hit one of the many ruts on the-oval, then twice in succession he hit the outside retaining wall, forcing him to leave.

Following Bettenhausen across the finish line were McElreath, Larry Dickson, Johnny Parsons, and Charlie Masters.

Lee Kunzman, Guttenberg, Iowa, set a track record when he completed a time lap in 25.03. Track records were set for various categories since this was the first time sprint cars competed at the local track.

The win puts Bettenhausen in the thick of the point race, while McElreath moves into the lead past Sessions with his second-place finish.


Results –


Heat #1 – Karl Busson
Heat #2 – Larry Dickson
Heat #3 – Jim McElreath
Heat #4 – Billy Cassella
Consolation – George Snider
Feature –
1. Gary Bettenhausen
2. Jim McElreath
3. Larry Dickson
4. Johnnie Parsons
5. Lee Kunzman
6. Charlie Masters
7. Joe Saldana
8. Bruce Walkup
9. Lennie Waldo

1958 – George Wins Dayton Inaugural

Elmer George made it a clean sweep on the afternoon during the USAC sprint car season opener at Dayton Speedway. George set fast time, won his heat, and the 30-lap feature. - Ken Coles Photo 

Dayton, Ohio (March 23, 1958) – A crowd of 5,500 watched as Elmer George of Indianapolis, easily win the 30-lap United States Auto Club Midwest 30-lap feature, the first sprint car race of the season at Dayton Speedway on Sunday afternoon.

George piloted the HOW Special against the 13-car field. Eddie Sachs of Center Valley, Penn., placed second in the Cheesman Offy and A.J. Foyt of Houston Tex., was third in the Columbus Auto Parts Special.

Rex Easton of Springfield, Ill., and Ed Elisian of Indianapolis placed fourth and fifth, respectively.

The 29-year-old George also won the opening 8-lap heat, setting a new track record of 2 minutes and 36.40 seconds, and also turning the day’s fastest lap in time trials, wheeling around the paved half-mile oval in 19.10 seconds.

He pocketed $1,005 of the $5,000 purse for his efforts.

In the first heat, George Amick of Venice, Calf., spun into the infield as he attempted to pass Don Branson of Champaign, Ill. The extent of Amick’s injuries were not immediately known.


Results –


1. Elmer George
2. Eddie Sachs
3. A.J. Foyt
4. Rex Easton
5. Ed Elisian
6. Don Branson
7. Al Miller
8. John Roberts
9. Bob King
10.Johnny White

1966 – Hutcherson Wins Southeastern 500 at Bristol

Dick Hutcherson

Bristol, Tenn. (March 20, 1966) – Dick Hutcherson had just won the Southeastern 500 stock car race and $5,325 in prize money but he said that didn't make any difference.

He still didn't plan to go gunning this year for the NASCAR Grand National championship.

"It takes too much out of you," he said. "When you try to hit every little race to build up points, your car is never ready for the big races where the money is. Sometimes you're doing good just to get there.

"This year we're just going to try to go to the major tracks, win the races and make the money."

The statement was further proof that the 30-year-old former lowan now living in Charlotte, N. C., has undergone a change of racing philosophy in 1966.

Last year in his first NASCAR season, Hutcherson scrambled for points. He didn't win many races, but he finished runner-up for the championship. And in the process, he became known as a charging driver who would fight for the lead of every race from the very first lap.

Sunday was different. When he wheeled his black and gold 1966 Ford onto the high-banked half-mile oval at Bristol International Speedway, Hutcherson was in the sixth starting spot, and he planned to stay there for a while.

"I thought I would just stay kind of toward the front and wait. I figured somebody had to last the 500 laps, and it might as well be me," he said.

For the first 320 laps, the race belonged to David Pearson of Spartanburg, S. C., who’s 1965 Dodge started from the pole position, kept the lead, and was clearly the fastest car on the track.

The Fords that blew engines chasing him steadily filled the pit lanes: Bobby Allison after 49 laps, Cale Yarbrough after 179, Fred Lorenzen after 250 and Marvin Panch after 328.

Even the Plymouth drivers, Jim Paschal and Paul Goldsmith, who had dueled Pearson for the lead early in the race, went out with engine problems.

Finally, Hutcherson decided the waiting had gone far enough.

When Pearson pitted on lap 332, he took the lead only to give it back six laps later.

"As long as Dave was running well," Hutcherson said, "I couldn't catch him."

But Pearson stopped running good on lap 382, due to a broken timing chain. The Dodge pitted for good, leaving Hutcherson with a seven-lap lead over Paul Lewis of Johnson City, Tenn., in a 1965 Plymouth.

After that, it was just a matter of coasting home.

The conservative strategy known as stroking paid off for others, too, for only 11 of the 30 starting cars finished the race.


Results –


1. Dick Hutcherson, Charlotte, N.C.
2. Paul Lewis, Lewisburg, Tenn.
3. James Hylton, Inman, S.C.
4. Elmo Langley, Landover, Md.
5. Sam McQuagg, Columbus, Ga.
6. Gene Black, Arden, N.C.
7. Bill Seifert, Skyland, N.C.
8. Wendell Scott, Danville, Va.
9. Henley Gray, Rome, Ga.
10.G.C. Spencer, Owensboro, Ky.

1972 – Howe Zips Past Fryar to Win Pepsi 200

Michigan's Ed Howe headed south and won the Pepsi 200 late model stock car race at Jackson (Miss.) International Speedway. 

Jackson, Miss. (March 19, 1972) – Surviving an eighth lap spinout, and trailing Freddy Fryar for 179 laps, Ed Howe of Beaverton, Mich., roared down the stretch to take the checkered flag and first place in the inaugural Pepsi 200 late model stock car race Sunday afternoon at Jackson International Speedway.

It was a thrilling finish for Howe, whose 1967 green Chevelle blew its engine during Saturday’s time trials after setting a new speedway track record and earning himself the pole position for Sunday’s race.

Overnight, Howe and his crew installed a spare engine, which according to Ed, “isn’t as powerful as the one I blew. This one is a 350 (cubic inches). The old one was a 380.”

It may be but try and convince the opposition of that when they saw him walk off with first prize money and a three-foot-tall trophy.

Howe’s winning time over the half-mile paved oval was 1 hour and 14 minutes.

Second and third places went to Bobby Fryar in a red ’64 Chevelle and his brother Freddy in his maroon and black ’66 Chevelle, respectively.

The ever-popular Freddy, 10 years Bobby’s senior, but looking more like a teenager, got a bigger ovation from the capacity house than did the well-known Donnie Allison of Hueytown, Ala., and Freddy performed well for his fans.

Unofficially regarded as king of Jackson International Speedway last summer, Fryar led for 172 laps before tire trouble cost him the lead on lap 194.

When pack leader Howe and second place Larry Phillips of Springfield, Mo., spun off the track amid a cloud of dust on lap 8, Alton Jones of Birmingham, Ala., driving Bobby Harrell’s newly-built orange and black ’64 Chevelle took over first and held it until lap 15 when he suddenly pulled into the pit area. Jones got back in the race but dropped out for keeps on lap 49.

Fryar took command on laap 15 and pushed his #91 through the turns for 149 consecutive laps, before the dogging Howe passed him on lap 164.

When Howe made a scheduled stop for gas on lap 171, Fryar regained the lead and retained first place by taking advantage of the race’s only caution flag to go to the pits himself on lap 181.

Freddy appeared to be an easy winner until the fatal 194th lap when he suddenly whipped into the pits for a tire change.

“I had it won,” lamented a dejected Fryar, “until I ran over something on the track.”

Finishing in fourth place was Fred Nick of New Orleans and rounding out the top-five was David Goldsberry of Springfield, Mo.

Actually, Fryar pocketed more cash than Howe did in winning. Howe won $1,565 while Fryar collected $1,655. Fryar earned more lap money because of the number of circuits he led.

The field of cars, touted as one of the finest ever to compete at Jackson, dwindled in a hurry.

Warren Hughes of Baton Rouge left the race with transmission issues after four laps. Donnie Allison’s plans were aborted by a burnt valve on lap 17. Phillips, driving a brand-new blue and white ’69 Chevelle, developed engine trouble a quarter of the way through the race and finally exited on lap 62.

These, in addition to Jones’ departure on lap 41, turned the race into a three-car struggle.

At the halfway point, half of the field had dropped out, and at the finish, only 12 of 30 starters were still on the track.


Results –


1. Ed Howe, Beaverton, Mich.
2. Bobby Fryar, Chattanooga, Tenn.
3. Freddy Fryar, Baton Rouge, La.
4. Fred Nick, New Orleans
5. David Goldsberry, Springfield, Mo.
6. Joe Holley
7. Joe Hull, Muskogee, Okla.
8. Terry Brumley, Springfield, Mo.
9. Chuck Arnold, Baton Rouge, La.
10.Bill Sanders, Muskogee, Okla.
11.Chester Cardwell, Rolla, Mo.
12.Dean Roper, Springfield, Mo.
13.Dale Revette
14.Rat Lane, Mobile, Ala.
15. Dave Wall, Kansas City 
16.Earl Hughes, Baron Rouge, La.
17.Darrell Waltrip, Franklin, Tenn.
18.Royce Whitlock, West Monroe, La.
19.Roger Reid, St. Louis, Mo.
20.Henry Brock, Bessemer, Ala
21.Tom Martin, Varnado, La.
22.Alton Jones, Birmingham, Ala.
23.Les Cardwell, New Orleans
24.Ray Putnam, Monroe, La.
25.C.J. Prine, Baton Rouge, La.
26.John Benson, Jackson
27.Ivan Cooper, Jackson
28.Donnie Allison, Hueytown, Ala.
29.Wayne Niedecken, Pensacola, Fla.
30.Warren Hughes, Baton Rouge, La.

1976 - Ken Walton Completes Finest Year in Racing

Reprinted from Hawkeye Racing News

Driving for Vince Fiala, Ken Walton won the Freeport track championship in 1974. He's shown here after a feature win at the half-mile track. 

Cedar Rapids, Iowa – In just four years, Ken Walton has gone from “scared to death” in his first stock car race to winning a season championship in 1976.

Ken started drag racing a Camaro in 1967. He owned and maintained his own car except for the engines, which stock car veteran and mentor Darrell Dake built. Walton eventually decided that there was no money to be made in drag racing and decided to try his hand at going in circles instead of straight forward.

In 1973, he purchased a 1964 Chevy Nova from the late Bill McDonough and headed for the track. On his first night out, he started 11th out of 22 cars and finished third. When the season came to a close, Walton had finished in the top 10 in points at not one, but three tracks, Cedar Rapids, Farley, and Freeport. In addition to those three tracks, Ken would win the Jones County Fair race in Monticello, out distancing the likes of Curt Hansen and Ed Sanger.

Starting the 1974 season, Walton picked up a ride with Cedar Rapids car owner Vince Fiala. Driving a 1974 Chevelle, Ken won eight features that year, including the season championship at Freeport Speedway. He would finish second in points there as well. He would also win one main event at Farley, finishing in the top five in the year-end point standings and sixth at West Liberty.

In 1975 and 1976, Walton would pilot a ‘75 Camaro for renowned race car builder and owner Duane Schneider of Iowa City, Iowa.

The first year with Schneider would not be one of Ken’s best, with most of the season being plagued by engine woes but Walton still managed to finish in the top-10 in points at any track that he competed at consistently.

Towards the end of the season, he did earn a hard-fought victory in the 75-lap Gateway Classic at Tri-City Speedway in Granite City, Ill. What made the win so satisfying was the fact that during the race, the ignition wire shorted out. Taking his shoulder harness off so he could reach the ignition to put the wire back into the socket, Walton couldn’t get his strap hooked back up. Later in the race, the right rear shock came unhooked making it a very bumpy and uncomfortable ride for the remainder of the race. Despite a sore back from being tossed around the cockpit of his car, Walton was a happy winner in victory lane afterwards.

1976 would be a much more positive year for Walton. He would win both the season championship at Freeport and also his first point’s title. The points weren’t decided until the final race of the year, as Roger Dolan of Lisbon, Iowa, and Walton both had a chance of winning the whole deal that final night. Walton would put on a dominant performance, lapping the field (and Dolan) to clinch the title.

At Cedar Rapids, Kenny would finish eighth in points, sixth at West Liberty and ninth at Oskaloosa. He was also leading in points at Mason City, when it closed earlier than expected. At the Spirit of 76 late model special at Hawkeye Downs in July, Walton, racing with a broken clutch, still managed to finish fourth in what was an outstanding field of drivers.

In four years of racing, Ken Walton has gained the respect of his fellow drivers and has proven that he can run with the best of them. His future goals? “To be better than Ed Sanger someday.”

Editor’s note: Two years later, Ken Walton of Viola, Iowa would reach the top of the late model mountain, winning the prestigious World 100 at Eldora Speedway in Rossburg, Ohio.

In Memory…Hector Honore (1905 – 1983)

 

Hector Honore with Pete Folse at Des Moines - 1960 

By Larry Sullivan

Thomson, Ill. (March 3, 1983) – Born in Belgium and coming to this country as a small boy, Hector Honore settled with his family in Pana, Ill., a southeastern Illinois town commonly referred to as “The City of Roses.”

As a small boy at the age of 10, Hector told this writer that he decided he wanted to be an automobile mechanic and every night after school and on weekends, worked in various garages and filling stations.

In the early 30’s, Hector started his own automobile repair business and for the next 40 years or more, specialized in truck repair and his shop was known as “Hector’s Congress Alley,” where the race clan would gather.

Honore’s first race car was a Rocker Arm Cragar in a Hillegass chassis which he purchased in Penna, Ill., for the 1936 racing season and drove himself for the first two years. He finished ninth at Franklin, Ind., in a feature won by Joie Chitwood. Honore stated that his success was mediocre competing with the Midwest Dirt Track Racing Association at tracks like Salem, Ind. (Fairgrounds), Franklin, Ind., Columbus, Ind., Evansville, Ind., and Huntington, Ind.

In 1938, Hector chose “Wild Charley” Sczcendy of South Bend, Ind., to pilot his brand-new D.O. Hal and the duo won a feature at Huntington, Ind., the first day out. Hector stated that Charley was “Wild” but if he finished, he usually won the race. Sczcendy crashed multiple times during the season and was upside down five times but was never injured.

During the 1938, ’39, and ’40 seasons, Vern Trestor of Indianapolis drove for Honore and won several races as did another drove who drove occasionally, Frank Weirer. Ott Butler of Indianapolis drove the Honore Hal in eight race meets and won four times in the car known as the “City of Roses” with large red roses on each side of the cowl of the cream-colored #2. Spider Webb and Bus Wilbert also drove a time or two for Honore in the early 40’s.

Hector Honore with Bill Puterbaugh at Knoxville, Ill. - 1966

Hector came out of retirement in 1940 and drove for himself and competed in four race meets with him winning three features and finishing second in the other. Harold “Stagger” Shaw of Indianapolis took over as pilot in 1941 and won his first nine features in succession and the tough MDTRA championship for the season, but ironically on the last day of the racing season when he was to be crowed champion at Franklin, Ind., a water sprinkling truck pulled onto the track while Shaw was hot lapping, and he couldn’t stop or avoid the truck and hit it head-on at top speed. He received serious injuries from the accident and passed away 24 days later.

Honore came out with a new machine in 1946 with Cliff Griffith of Indianapolis as his driver, and the car still a D.O. Hal dubbed as the “City of Roses” #2 and Cliff won the MDTRA championship two years in a row, 1946 an ’47. During the ’46 season, Griffith had an appendix attack and had to have surgery. Don Turner was chosen to drive the Honore machine at Franklin, Ind. Being that the car was leading the point standings for the season, the car was handicapped to start last in both the heat race and feature event. Turner, starting last in a field of 13 cars on narrow county fairgrounds track originally built for horse racing, moved quickly up to second place after only three laps. But, while attempting to take the lead, ran over the wheel of the car he was passing, went end over end crashing, and died four days later from the injuries he received.

In 1948, Hector switched to Offy power, a 220-cubic inch engine with Bobby Grim of Indianapolis as his driver. In his first time out, Grim set fast time and finished a close second to Jimmy Wilburn, who was also a driving a Offy, a 270-cubic inch engine, at Bloomington, Ind. On Grim’s second outing with the car at Celina, Ohio, he set fast time and won the feature, defeating Wilburn. Both of the meets were sanctioned by the Central States Racing Association.

Hector Honore with Bobby Grim at Belleville, Kan. - 1955

For the next 11 years, Grim continued to drive for Honore mostly under International Motor Contest Association sanctioning, winning 183 features, setting over 150 track records, and winning the IMCA national championship four years in succession, 1955 to 1958, and was runner-up for the title five other years.

Pete Folse from Tampa, Fla., took over the wheel of the Bardahl Black Deuce after Grim moved to greener pastures and won his first four features driving the car, en route to winning the 1959 IMCA national title. Folse would be Hector’s pilot for the next five years, and win the 1960 and ’61 titles, giving Honore seven consecutive IMCA titles. He finished runner-up two other years.

Folse’s best year with the car was 1961 when he won 31 features in 42 starts. Grim’s best year was 1955, winning 27 main events in 32 meets.

In 1964, Jerry “Scratch” Daniels of St. Paul, Minn., took over the Bardahl, now powered by a Chevrolet engine. Daniels won seven features that season and finished third in the point standings. In 1965, Gordon Woolley of Waco, Tex., took over the driving chores, winning five features and finishing third in the point standings.

Bill Puterbaugh of Roxana, Ill., took over for Hector for the 1966 season, won four features, was runner-up another seven times, and placed third in the final IMCA point’s chase.

Jim Moughan of Springfield, Ill., started as the driver for the Black Deuce in 1967 and won the annual Hawkeye Futurity in Des Moines in June. Later that season, Don “Itch” Daniels took over and won two feature events. If my memory serves me correctly, Tom Custer of Rock Island, Ill., also drove the car a time or two during the ’67 season.

Hector Honore with Jerry "Scratch" Daniels at Tampa, Fla. - 1964

It was after the 1967 season that Hector Honore decided to call it quits. He claimed he traveled over 1.1 million miles during his career and raced in 35 states as well as Canada.

As told to me by Hector himself, his cars, the R.A. Cragar, the D.O. Hal, the Offenhauser, and the Chevrolet, won 434 features, 704 heat races, and set 216 records.

The Offenhauser powered cars had only three drivers: Bobby Grim, Don Branson, and Pete Folse. In 1954, Grim was injured in an accident at Belleville, Kan., with Bob Slater and lost five weeks of driving in which he was replaced by Branson, of Champaign, Ill., who won three of five features he started.

For 19 consecutive years, the Offy and Chevy powered cars ran under the sponsorship of Bardahl Oil products out of St. Louis. The car was known as the “Black Deuce” during this same time period. During Honore’s entire career, all of his car carried the #2.

From 1948 to 1967, the Bardahl cars, both Offy and Chevy, won 284 features, of which 266 were Offy-powered victories and 19 were Chevy-powered wins. Honore said he probably won in the neighborhood of 150 features with his R.A. Cragar and D.O. Hal from 1936 to 1947.

This writer saw such drivers as “Wild” Charley Sczcendy, Harold Shaw, and Cliff Griffith winning features with Honore’s cars and it was a potent Hal which won the MDTRA championship three successive years, 1941, ’46, and ’47. The association ran no races from 1942 to 1945 because of World War 2.

Honore’s 434 feature wins is a record for a car owner and may be topped only by the great Ralph DePalma or Gus Schrader.

May he rest in peace. Adios.