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12/31/09, 4:39 PM   #31
Re: MLB Players Involvement with USAC teams
Joe Snyder
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My memory lacks, as it was a long time ago, maybe 1999-2000 as I was just graduating high school or just out but...

Rik Smits (Former Indiana Pacer) used to hang around my uncle's engine shop at the time. It was a 3rd party who brought Rik there (cant remember who) but he loved it. I showed up one day and asked whats up and they were like, "Not much, Rik is in the back tearing tearing down engines and cleaning them for fun." LOL

There was a pavement Silver Crown car, not sure who owned it that was driven by Mark Boice (maybe some others) that I remember Rik doing a lot of work on.

He may have been an ASE certified mechanic or was wanting to be. Total gearhead.
 
12/31/09, 5:01 PM   #32
Re: MLB Players Involvement with USAC teams
SUPERDUKE
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Quote:
Originally Posted by speedwrench View Post
rich was virgil's son-in-law. Wonder whatever happened to the v-8 powered midget that jim hines used to run for virgil in cora?

The 61 car still exists. A guy in northern indiana who is related to tom york has it as of a year ago.
it was a alum. Buick and paul leffler had a alum. Olds v8 in a midget! I remder several 265 ci. Chevys in midgets and the demler v8

---------- Post added at 04:05 PM ---------- Previous post was at 04:01 PM ----------

Quote:
Originally Posted by superduke View Post


It was a alum. Buick and paul leffler had a alum. Olds v8 in a midget! I remder several 265 ci. Chevys in midgets and the demler v8
also gene rogers drove virgil's buick v8 first it had a ford 60s in it back in the 40s and 50s!
 
12/31/09, 11:36 PM   #33
Re: MLB Players Involvement with USAC teams
bigmojo5
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Remember that Dale Blaney played pro basketball in the minor leagues
 
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1/1/10, 1:32 AM   #34
Re: MLB Players Involvement with USAC teams
Danny Burton
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Bob, Marv, Dave and shortbus may recall that Pepper Martin drove a midget car in the 30s while playing 3rd base for the infamous St. Louis Cardinals "Gas House Gang."
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1/1/10, 7:26 PM   #35
Re: MLB Players Involvement with USAC teams
itsanonwingthing
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Took me a while, but I was able to dig up and scan some of the USAC teams owned by the MLB players.
Chris Hoiles used checkered flags and two Baseball Bats in his logo, and his car number was 23, which I assume might have been his MLB uniform number.
Doug Jones incorporated a Baseball in his Motorsports logo.

Here is Gus Wasson in the Hoiles #23 at Paragon's USAC Sprintweek race.


Here is Wasson in the Hoiles #23 pavemant car at Winchester.


The Chris Hoiles hauler and logo at Paragon,


The Doug Jones Motorsports #27 and Aaron Mosley at the Paragon USAC Sprintweek race.


Close up of the Doug Jones Motorsports logo on the side of the hood.



And speaking of Walter Payton, he actually did a little driving also, seen here at the SCCA/Oldsmobile Pro Series race at the Mid Ohio Sports Car Course in 1991 as part of the CART race. He is in the white #34, which was sponsored by Chalkline | Nikko Toy Company USA | NFL Properties | Proset Trading Cards.
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1/1/10, 8:29 PM   #36
Re: MLB Players Involvement with USAC teams
sprinter25
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Quote:
Originally Posted by bigmojo5 View Post
Remember that Dale Blaney played pro basketball in the minor leagues
.and got as far as a Laker tryout, but blew out his knee!
 
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1/1/10, 8:34 PM   #37
Re: MLB Players Involvement with USAC teams
B-square
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Also, Atlanta Braves Manager Bobby Cox used to own a few sprint cars that Calvin Landis among others raced during the 1993 Sprint Car World Series that was televised on TNN way back when.

BB
 
1/2/10, 1:19 AM   #38
Re: MLB Players Involvement with USAC teams
richie
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Quote:
Originally Posted by itsanonwingthing View Post
Took me a while, but I was able to dig up and scan some of the USAC teams owned by the MLB players.
Chris Hoiles used checkered flags and two Baseball Bats in his logo, and his car number was 23, which I assume might have been his MLB uniform number.
Doug Jones incorporated a Baseball in his Motorsports logo.
Thank you Keith! That's neat to see those cars again; it's been awhile since I've seen them.

---------- Post added at 01:53 AM ---------- Previous post was at 12:19 AM ----------

Also, here's a picture of Chris Hoiles:



and here's one of Doug Jones:

 
1/2/10, 7:30 AM   #39
Re: MLB Players Involvement with USAC teams
Danny Burton
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[QUOTE=richie;151803]Thank you Keith! That's neat to see those cars again; it's been awhile since I've seen them. [COLOR="Black"]

Yeah, Richie. You were, what, 10?
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1/2/10, 11:08 AM   #40
Re: MLB Players Involvement with USAC teams
smith19
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wow danny, you really putting marv in his place asking him about a guy who ran in the 30's.
 
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