salem speedway deaths

I had to work very hard at that, not to make it a negative. An Observer survey of track officials showed that few speedways inspect cars closely for more than basic safety items such as restraints and helmets. [4], Salem Speedway has seen many great racers who are household names, such as Ruttman, Carter, Sweikert, OConnor, Parnelli Jones, A. J. Foyt, Al Unser, Mario Andretti, Vogler, Allison, Parsons, Waltrip, Jeff Gordon, Mark Martin, Tony Stewart, Jimmie Johnson, Ryan Newman, Busch, Kasey Kahne, Ken Schrader, Joey Logano, and the list goes on. In addition to his five midget titles, Vogler won the national sprint car championship in 1980. The Winston Cup season leader easily beat Schrader's 157.219 mph in qualifying Friday. Community See All. She died five hours later, early the next day. He was scheduled to make his NASCAR Winston Cup (now NASCAR Cup Series) series debut at Pocono Raceway the day after his fatal crash. Your email address will not be published. [4], NASCAR Southeast Series ran two races at the facility between 1996 and 1997; the races were won by Steven Christian and Ron Young respectively. Sanctioning bodies, some of which require driver safety equipment, don't demand that tracks inspect cars, a survey by the Charlotte Observer found. View local obituaries in utah. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. 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. It was a very scary thing the sound was so frightening, said Dorie Sweikert, now 79 and living in Redding. While completing the third lap, Sweikert was running near the outside wall in 4th place, side by side with his past teenage East Bay streets rival, Ed Elisian, in 5th. With the deaths have come questions -- about track fencing, about uninspected cars, about supervision in restricted areas. Lindsey took to cars with the same fervor. In September 1955 Sweikert became the only driver in history to win the original American motor sports Triple Crown, by sweeping the Indianapolis 500, the AAA big car National Championship, and the Midwest sprint car championship. After Sweikert was buried in California his widow returned "We have to be very careful what we ask them to do," says George Knight of George Knight Associates in Tulsa, Okla., a small-track insurance provider. [2] The ARCA qualifying record is 16.785 seconds/119.035mph by Gary Bradberry in 1994.[6]. Salem is a track steeped in history with many of the giants in auto racing having competed on the treacherous hills at some point in their careers, Names such as Ruttman, Carter, Sweikert, OConnor, Jones, Foyt, Unser, Andretti, Vogler, Allison, Parsons, Waltrip, Schrader, Gordon and Stewart are just a few names from the past that grace the list of past winners. If hed come along a half-century later, Bob Sweikert might have been that lucky young driver. No other cars were involved and no other injuries reported. 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. Find an obituary, get service details, leave condolence messages or send flowers or gifts in memory of a loved one. Like our page to stay informed about passing of a loved one in Provo, Utah on facebook. "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. All Access Digital offer for just 99 cents! 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. Usually, his mother and his sons appear at the annual fund-raiser. I never talked about how brave I was. In early 1948, he married Marion Edwards. On September 26, 1953 Sweikert won the Hoosier Hundred, at the Indiana State Fairgrounds, a race which is chronicled by many as "the greatest race ever" run. Track inspections vary, as well. Handsome, charismatic, courageous, smart, successful, and on top of the world, Sweikerts life ended in tragedy when his yellow No. It had been there in my head and in my heart for a long time, she said. of his death. Robert Charles Sweikert (May 20, 1926 June 17, 1956) was an American racing driver, best known as the winner of the 1955 Indianapolis 500 and the 1955 National Championship, as well as the 1955 Midwest Sprint car championship - the only driver in history to sweep all three in a single season. Before this season, he had 122 victories in sprints, midgets and dirt cars. Sam was sitting on the driveway, Required fence heights for oval track bleachers vary from 9 to 15 feet, according to insurance company representatives. He won numerous major national events: the Hut Hundred eight times, the 4-Crown Nationals midget car event four times, the Copper Classic twice, the Hoosierdome Invitational twice, the WWRA Florida Winter Nationals in 1983, and the Night Before the 500 once. Carol Ann Williams. 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. He is buried at Lone Tree Cemetery in Fairview, California.[3]. "I always thought she was probably in more danger driving to the racetrack than being in the infield," he says. Last Name "Williams" "There's no way to stay ahead of these drivers.". [1] The track received major storm damage in 1981 and it was not used until 1987. He was awarded a 40th-place finish (as a "Did Not Start").[6]. "He was a true professional who served his community with pride every day for over 32 years," the Amherst Police Department said in a statement. On an autumn Friday in Wichita, Kan., students and teachers walked next door to Christ the King Church, where a eulogist read farewell letters from Cindy and Paul Dutton to their children. There were exciting, happy, even playful moments, she said. Bob Sweikerts death in an auto race last June was reflected Vogler, now dead at the age of 39, was declared the winner posthumously because of USAC National Sprint Car Series rules on a red flag reverting to the previous completed lap. Bohanon, a Southern Indiana native, has raced on the famous High Banks of Salem Speedway and looks forward to shaping the tracks future. He was about to take the white flag for the final lap. More often, like Lindsey Mayden, spectators die with less publicity at smaller ovals and asphalt drag strips on Friday and Saturday nights. The series has visited Salem more than any other track in its almost 70-year history. A few races were canceled afterward, and there were calls from some quarters to ban 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. He failed to qualify this year after an eighth-place finish, his best ever, in 1989. Drivers competing at Indy during those years were credited with World Championship points and participation. Finishing first among the survivors was a young driver from Pittsboro, Indiana, named Jeff Gordon. 4.3. Prior to this season, he had 122 victories in sprints, midgets and dirt cars. That car now resides in the Museum at the Indianapolis racetrack. Vogler was the National Alliance of Midget Auto Racing (NAMAR) midget champion in 1973. Saturday's sponsor is Crosleybrands.com. Sweikert was thrown from the car and was pronounced dead of head injuries upon arrival at Washington County Hospital. William M. Ostapenko, 38, who was working in his yard at There in high school Bob met his future wife, Dorie.[2]. The tire struck Lindsey Mayden, 7 years old. Both boys were Learn More Ind. The tire hit a concrete barrier in front of the grandstand. Former USAC Midget racer Nick Bohanon has taken over ownership of the iconic Salem Speedway Fueled by the Hoosier Lottery, located in Salem. [2] Major auto racing series that run at Salem are ARCA and USAC . after the boys were taken from the water. Dorie recalled thinking he was the most handsome young man shed ever seen. 1949_07_25 -2 Drivers Killed at Salem Speedway- Louisville Courier-Journal pg 1 (1 of 2) Toll Free: (800) 876-7811, Salem Speedway has new ownership for 2023, Two conservation uses for live-cut Christmas trees, Family Of Coaching: Hausers Moorhead is third generational coach in his family, Hall-of-Famer, NFL executive talks to North students, Prep sports notebook: Stahl named to IBCA Supreme 15. It was a time before safety thats just the way it was, said Steven Levinson, a semi-retired attorney and amateur auto racing historian, who grew up in Indianapolis in the 1940s and 50s. Sweikert himself took the checkers at Indy in the face of 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. Steven Levinson, not yet a teen-ager at the time, got the news over the radio. [1] In 1987 he won the inaugural Chili Bowl Midget Nationals race. backstretch wall to his death. [5], As of 2019, the track has held more ARCA races than any other track (106th visit); it held races at the track since 1955. Racing close with Elisian, both cars pushed high. When they first started to use roll bars, traditionalists thought it was just awful. 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. SALEM, IND. During a qualifying heat, a sprint car driven by Jon Johnson lost its tire and rim in a turn. tragedy after two-time 500 winner Bill Vukovich cartwheeled over the For as long as he remembers, his view of Saturday nights was framed by the edges of a driver's helmet. You didnt talk about it, Jim Rathmann, winner of the 1960 Indy 500, said of the specter of death that loomed over auto racing in those days. Drivers wore helmets basically made of reinforced cardboard and T-shirts soaked in Borax. That wasnt what qualified him as an early victim of the SI jinx. Richard Frank Vogler (July 26, 1950 July 21, 1990) was an American champion sprint car and midget car driver. "It kind of catapulted into the sky," Cindy Dutton remembers. Floyd said plans were being made to fly Vogler to Humana Hospital in Louisville, Ky., before he was pronounced dead. 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. So what does Sabres GM Kevyn Adams do this week? The wheel hit Amanda flush, crushing her lungs and heart beyond surgeons' repair. a ride on their tricycles late in the afternoon. * Most laps led. "He would be going if it were me that died. Your email address will not be published. Still nursing the leg injury, Waltrip plans to make his milestone start today in the NASCAR AC Spark Plug 500 at Pocono International Raceway. Some neglect even those, conducting superficial prerace walk-throughs or no checks at all. Careening cars, debris can end lives in instant, Watch: Astros SP Luis Garcia debuts new windup after rule changes, Houston facing severe thunderstorms, possible tornadoes Thursday, Oops! She figures it was a combination of factors, but mostly this: It was Bobs time to die, and he died.. Of the 29 fan deaths since 1990, 10 occurred after tires and other parts inexplicably came off cars. He won 1 race and accumulated a total of 8 championship points. His 134 wins (95 Midget, 35 Sprint, and four Silver Crown wins) in national events is second only to A. J. Foyt's 169. They are. "I told her I'd see her as soon as Uncle Pete was done," says her father, Jeff Mayden. One father lifts his infant daughter above the fence so she can better see the cars roaring past less than 20 feet away. He died a week later. 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. Racing but was replaced posthumously by Ted Musgrave. The car hit the guardrail and destroyed a section of protective fencing near the grandstand. 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. SALEM Former USAC Midget racer Nick Bohanon has taken over ownership of the iconic Salem Speedway Fueled by the Hoosier Lottery, located in Salem, Indiana. at the bottom of the water. High powered sprint cars accelerate down the straights at speeds reaching nearly 140 miles per hour. Report: Houston is the No. Pit fencing, however, is rarely mandated. Vogler's helmet flew off his head and he suffered severe head injuries that proved to be fatal. Insurers wait as much as three years between track visits, leaving opportunity for repairs and maintenance to lag. Six days before, on Sept. 4, 1993, the family spent Saturday night as usual -- at the 81 Speedway, a three-eighths-mile clay oval at the north end of town where Paul Dutton raced sprint cars. [2] Major auto racing series that run at Salem are ARCA and USAC. Search Provo obituaries and condolences, hosted by Echovita.com. "It could have been a nightmare," the track's owner said then. Track officials voiced the same hesitance. At the time, Vogler was scheduled to run the full Winston Cup Series in the near-future for U.S. LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Racing is returning to Salem, Indiana. which Sweikert was building of tall cedar stakes when he was killed at Salem, [5], Because of USAC rules on a red flag reverting to the previous completed lap, he was declared the winner of the event following his death, which was his 170th win. ", But: "Everywhere I go, I check out their fence.". She is one of 29 spectators since 1990 to be killed by cars or their flying parts at U.S. auto racing events. "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. ), Complete USAC Mini-Indy (Formula Super Vee) Results, Last edited on 28 September 2022, at 18:41, Biography at the Rich Vogler Memorial Scholarship Fund, Driver profile Chili Bowl Midget Nationals, NASCAR Statistics at racing-reference.info, NASCAR Winston Cup results from July Pocono race, Rich Vogler Memorial Scholarship Fund webpage, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Rich_Vogler&oldid=1112909876, This page was last edited on 28 September 2022, at 18:41. Perhaps in part because Bob Sweikert refused to accept fear, Dorie convinced herself he was safe from harm. "My stamina's not what it should be. His Bowes Seal Fast 14 Kurtis-Kraft flew end over end out of Trenton, broke in half on . When Vogler got word of Fittipaldi's penalty, he went up to USAC to testify for him, calling the penalty "unjust." It opened in 1947; two drivers were killed on the first lap of the first race. Neighbors who learned of the accident called the sheriffs At the time of his death, he had moved to Concord, NC and was being groomed for NASCAR . When I hit 30, I figured Id better quit.. It is too late, he thinks. the 25-by-12 pool with prideful anticipation. Martin took the pole for today's 12:10 p.m. race, qualifying his Ford at 158.264 mph. He was leading the race at the time, when his car crashed with just over a lap to go. Not long before his death, he won that year's Rich Vogler Memorial Race at Winchester in the restored Hoffman Brothers' "White Lightning" #69 sprint car in which then defending national champion Vogler had been killed at the Salem Speedway in 1990. waiting patiently for the boys. Just 12 days after Sweikerts bitter-sweet win at Indianapolis, the sport suffered its worst tragedy when a car at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in France went off the track and into the crowd, killing 80 spectators. Death. 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. "Fans are their own worst enemy," says Dickie Gore, owner of Old Dominion Speedway in Manassas, Va. The race was red flagged and would never restart. She married again six years ago, but in 1998 published Along for the Ride A Love Story. The book is a personal, poignant and sometimes painful look back on her time with Bob Sweikert. In addition to his five midget titles, Vogler won the national sprint car title in 1980 and 1989. TOLEDO, Ohio (Feb. 3, 2019) According to Mark Twain, in every life there is a drama, a comedy and a tragedy. That certainly holds true for 1955 Indianapolis 500 winner Bob Sweikert. "The spindle just locked up and came off," he remembers. Both tracks also increased their fences' overhang. "We don't do checks before races," says Hall. Built in 1946/47, the. Tony Floyd, an ambulance medic for the hospital, described the 39-year-old Vogler as having a "severe head injury." 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. The fencing had been laid in position on the ground and Sweikert In May 1952, Sweikert ran his first "Indy 500" race. The national sprint car championship in 1980 said plans were being made to fly Vogler Humana!, even playful moments, she said n't do checks before races ''... Finishing first among the survivors was a young driver from Pittsboro, Indiana named. 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