[cars5752]

Trying to locate a photo of Pepi Marchese. I have an old midget he once had and I've tried for years to get the history on it prior to him owning it, with no success. It appears to be a copy of an Edmunds. The car was black with a gold leaf #5 on the tail section. I did so well with my request for the Smith Speed Shop Dirt Champ Car photo, that I thought I'd give this a try. Many thanks. -- Dave Hatcher

[Lucky161]

Met Pepi Marchese at the Copper World one year. Quite a character!

Years ago he raced with UMRA. Someone with the old UMRA might have pictures of him.

I bought a 5EC Edmonds with a chevy 2 marine engine and a pontiac iron duke from pepi years ago when the speedrone was owned by john stiles he might have pictures . pepi came from sun prarie area raced there .When I knew him he bought a sprint car from me and raced paragon bloomington and putnamville .He was later injured seriosly in a midget race at eldora My fault if I hadn,t Loned him a fuel pump he wouldnt have been there! Last I heard he had been in a veterans home in muncie Ind and passed away there I recomend you check with the track photographers.

[coxie bowman]

I used to stop and see Pepi at the Veterans Hospital in Marion, Indiana. He was admitted as JAMES, but the guards at the gate knew him by Pepi also. Pepi had a GREAT long term memory. He knew me from years back, but couldn't remember if his wife visited him yesterday.
I do not remember reading about his demise recently, so one would think he is still in the hospital in Marion. I think I will check.
Pepi was quite a colorful guy, he once flipped his midget several times at some track, and when it was done flipping, he crawled out from under it and, TOOK A BOW! to the crowd, WHAT A GUY!!!

[TQ29m]

Originally Posted by litehousecollector Years ago he raced with UMRA. Someone with the old UMRA might have pictures of him.

If anyone would know, it would be Sandy Lowe, you can PM her on here, just put in her name. Jim Morrison might be privy to that info also. I know of Pepi, but don't recall seeing his name in any of the old year books I have. Bob

[TQ2M]

Pepi drove Billy Reeves T.Q. in '82 or '83.

[smith19]

didn't his family own the milwaukee mile and were very wealthy. (go figure).

[gearguy]

I don't know that he was related to the Marchese Brothers who promoted the Milwaukee Mile races for many years after great careers as race car owners. The track has always been publically owned, hence its current precarious situation with a meddling fair board.

As promoters the Marchese Brothers had few equals. You couldn't go in a bar or barbershop in Milwaukee without seeing a poster with the Mile's schedule on it.

7 big USAC races a year with good crowds & full fields. They even had "last chance" races for the last two stock car starting positions in a time when you practiced, qualified, & raced the same day.

A great town to be a gear head kid in.

Chuck Schultz
Winfield, Illinois

[coxie bowman]

Pepi told me one time that the BROTHERS were his "UNCLES."