Audie Swartz

old time Hoosier · 8/19/09, 6:20 PM

Any old timers out there remember Audie Swartz SR? In the early 1950's he lived in Muncie and had a service station on the Y intersection of E Main and E Jackson. In that station he built either his first or one of his first modified stock car coupes. It was a black '37 Ford coupe and he ran at Armscamp on Fridays, Sun Valley on Sundays and some times at Mt. Lawn on Sundays. He later built a supermodified and finished second in the very first Knoxville Nationals in 1961.

Circletrack40 · 8/19/09, 7:21 PM

I remember Audie well. He drove for my Dad (Pop Weir) a few times in the early 50's. Dave.

SUPERDUKE · 8/19/09, 8:57 PM

I remember racing with him in usac sprints! At salem he was in front me in 1965 for time trials when he got out of ray smiths car and came back too me and said he did not feel good about looking up and seeing no roof and quit right there!!!!!!!!!!! Been a good driver in the modifieds!

smith19 · 8/19/09, 9:40 PM

i know in the 60's he raced at the atomic (kc) speedway in chillicothe oh. he was very good.

8/19/09, 10:51 PM

I remember him driving Gene Besecker's car. I believe it was the 0 car. He won alot of races!!!!! Truth be known, Don Hewitt always told the story that Audie should of/could of won the 1st Knoxville Nationals.

SPRINTCAR · 8/20/09, 8:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dr.UT

I remember him driving Gene Besecker's car. I believe it was the 0 car. He won alot of races!!!!! Truth be known, Don Hewitt always told the story that Audie should of/could of won the 1st Knoxville Nationals.

Who did win the first Knoxville race? He was a Lawrenceburg regular

kbesecker · 8/20/09, 9:14 AM

Attachment 1396

Speedwrench · 8/20/09, 10:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SPRINTCAR

Who did win the first Knoxville race? He was a Lawrenceburg regular

I think it was Roy Robbins from Louisville.

SUPERDUKE · 8/20/09, 12:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by speedwrench

i think it was roy robbins from louisville.

it was but what kind of engine did he run?

coxie bowman · 8/20/09, 2:39 PM

I had just gotten out of the service and was living in Grand Rapids, Michigan. I used to go to the Berlin Raceway in Marne, Michigan just outside of G.R. I never missed a Saturday night of dirt track supermodified racing at Berlin. I can't remember all the dirvers names but here are a few. Gordie Vanderlaan, Dick Carter, Jimmy Nelson, Bobby Knight. One Saturday evening a car came in with a wing on it, no side boards, just a silver car and a silver wing. He proceeded to pretty much ride up on top and kick everyones butts. His name was AUDIE SWARTZ. Needless to say, the next week everybody that ran Berlin on a regular basis had a wing. I never saw him after that as my life got more complicated and racing took a back seed for awhile and I didn't get to attend as frequently as I wanted to. He sure gave them all a driving lesson that night.

8/19/09, 6:20 PM	#1 Audie Swartz
old time Hoosier Member Join Date: May 2009 Posts: 171	Any old timers out there remember Audie Swartz SR? In the early 1950's he lived in Muncie and had a service station on the Y intersection of E Main and E Jackson. In that station he built either his first or one of his first modified stock car coupes. It was a black '37 Ford coupe and he ran at Armscamp on Fridays, Sun Valley on Sundays and some times at Mt. Lawn on Sundays. He later built a supermodified and finished second in the very first Knoxville Nationals in 1961.

8/19/09, 7:21 PM	#2 Re: Audie Swartz
Circletrack40 Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Posts: 22	I remember Audie well. He drove for my Dad (Pop Weir) a few times in the early 50's. Dave.

8/19/09, 8:57 PM	#3 Re: Audie Swartz
SUPERDUKE Banned Join Date: Mar 2008 Posts: 2,256	I remember racing with him in usac sprints! At salem he was in front me in 1965 for time trials when he got out of ray smiths car and came back too me and said he did not feel good about looking up and seeing no roof and quit right there!!!!!!!!!!! Been a good driver in the modifieds!

8/19/09, 9:40 PM	#4 Re: Audie Swartz
smith19 Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Posts: 1,936	i know in the 60's he raced at the atomic (kc) speedway in chillicothe oh. he was very good.

8/19/09, 10:51 PM	#5 Re: Audie Swartz
Dr.UT Posts: n/a	I remember him driving Gene Besecker's car. I believe it was the 0 car. He won alot of races!!!!! Truth be known, Don Hewitt always told the story that Audie should of/could of won the 1st Knoxville Nationals.

8/20/09, 9:14 AM	#7 Re: Audie Swartz
kbesecker Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Posts: 4	Attachment 1396

8/20/09, 2:39 PM	#10 Re: Audie Swartz
coxie bowman Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Posts: 117	I had just gotten out of the service and was living in Grand Rapids, Michigan. I used to go to the Berlin Raceway in Marne, Michigan just outside of G.R. I never missed a Saturday night of dirt track supermodified racing at Berlin. I can't remember all the dirvers names but here are a few. Gordie Vanderlaan, Dick Carter, Jimmy Nelson, Bobby Knight. One Saturday evening a car came in with a wing on it, no side boards, just a silver car and a silver wing. He proceeded to pretty much ride up on top and kick everyones butts. His name was AUDIE SWARTZ. Needless to say, the next week everybody that ran Berlin on a regular basis had a wing. I never saw him after that as my life got more complicated and racing took a back seed for awhile and I didn't get to attend as frequently as I wanted to. He sure gave them all a driving lesson that night.