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7/20/11, 12:32 PM   #1
7/21/11 - In Remembrance of Rich
Seadog
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Please take a minute to remember that we lost Rich Vogler 21 years ago tomorrow on July 21, 1990.

I am still affected by his death as he was someone I looked to as a hero. I could relate to his accomplishments as we were about the same age.

R.I.P. Rapid Rich.
 
7/20/11, 12:39 PM   #2
Re: 7/21/11 - In Remembrance of Rich
Jerry Shaw
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R.I.P. Rich Vogler. To this day, his intensity and desire to win are still unparalleled. Nobody was driven to win, like Rich was.

Jerry
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7/20/11, 1:01 PM   #3
Re: 7/21/11 - In Remembrance of Rich
McInturff Racing
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I remember that fateful night well despite being 11 years old when it happened. I was staying with my grandparents that weekend and they let me stay up late just so I could watch the race on ESPN. When I saw the wreck and the coverage which pretty much let you know what the outcome was going to be, my heart sunk. When I heard he had died I broke out in tears immediately. Rich was, and still is, one of the drivers who I always looked up to. I was racing quarter midgets still when it happened and I had lost one of my hero's that night. To this day when I list off the names of the 3 or 4 drivers who inspire me to continue to strive to race a full size sprint some day (minis are awesome but within 5 years I will have a 360 or 410) Rich is still on the list. In fact, one of my prized pieces of racing memorabilia still is the program Rich signed for me at Eldora when my Dad took me into the pits and I met Rich for the first time when I was 8. I was so nervous and awestruck to me meeting one of my racing hero's I could barely lift my arm to shake his hand and almost couldn't get my mouth to work to ask for an autograph (my Dad wasn't going to do it for me. If I wanted it I had to ask!). After I finally mustered the courage to speak he even asked me all about my racing after my Dad mentioned to him that I was an aspiring open wheel driver. At 8 years old to be treated like "one of the guys" by a pro was sheer bliss! I still vividly remember every detail of those 10 minutes in heaven! Maybe I am odd for still having hero's at the age of 32, but if so, so be it. I am not ashamed to admit that 21 years after his death Rich still continues to inspire me now.
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Last edited by McInturff Racing; 7/20/11 at 1:02 PM. Reason: I can't spell!
 
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7/20/11, 1:19 PM   #4
Re: 7/21/11 - In Remembrance of Rich
D.O.
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Sad day for racing for all. Rich was a friend and racer that I got a chance to work with many times while producing the ESPN Thunder features back then. I spent much time with him doing interviews or just talking about racing and TV. Plus I was married to his ex wife as well so I had a lot of connections with all the Voglers.
That hot summer night is still burned into my head as it went from working TV to having to become a man and deal with it all. I also had been at the Speedrome doing ESPN Thunder when Don died as well but Rich was different, he was an extended part of the family. I still remember everything from that night like it was yesterday. The crash, after the crash, dealing with my wife and my kids at the track, the drive home and the offical annoucment as it came over the radio driving home.
Despite all that happen on that day Rich still lives through the Vogler Scholarship fund help many racers kids with some scholarship finding for college.
Use your thoughts and keep Rich Vogler alive with a donation to the scholarship fund. http://www.richvoglerscholarship.org/ follow this link to help the fund.

R.I.P.
Rich Vogler

 
7/21/11, 10:07 AM   #5
Re: 7/21/11 - In Remembrance of Rich
cws9
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RIP Rich. I too was watching that night and will never forget. You truly were one of the greats.
 
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7/21/11, 10:46 AM   #6
Re: 7/21/11 - In Remembrance of Rich
Vukie
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Rich Vogler
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7/21/11, 11:20 AM   #7
Re: 7/21/11 - In Remembrance of Rich
dirtnut
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R.I.P. Rich Vogler My wife and I were returning from the races at Eldora. It was Sunday morning and we were in the vicinity of Indianapolis. I had the radio on WIBC, 1070. The news came on and the death of Rich was the lead story. It made me sick. Rich
was whithout a doubt one of the most exciting openwheel racers I ever had the pleasure of watching. Always 100% flat out...no
holding back.
 
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7/21/11, 12:21 PM   #8
treecitytornado
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Rich was one of my heros growing up and I have seen him Win alot of races in Sprint, Midgets, and even a Champ Car Win at the Indy Mile. I watched him do well in the Indy 500 and he was about to break into NASCAR when he was killed that hot July night. I was crossing the track under the flagstand at Eldora after the Kings Royal to go get some autographs and hang out in the pits. I was 11 at the time and my heart sunk to the ground as the flagman told us Rich had lost his life at Salem that night.
The Voglers are great people! I have known Eleanor for several years and was even presented with one of the Rich Vogler Memorial Scholarships at Winchester during the Vogler Classic in 2007. I also had the pleasure of getting to know his late son D.J. and he was on my Go-Kart Team at Fastimes one year as well.
God Speed Rich! R.I.P. D.J.!
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Last edited by treecitytornado; 7/21/11 at 12:23 PM.
 
7/21/11, 1:39 PM   #9
Re: 7/21/11 - In Remembrance of Rich
Tony Barhorst
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I loved to watch Rich at any venue at work driving and working on his car. I always thought it was pretty cool he would fly to his races at times. It was great fun watching him at Indy. I do not get many autographs, but I was at Salem very early in 1989 and had a chance to get his at a session on the front stretch.

I was in Iowa working on promoting group rate tickets for Cincinnati's farm team the Cedar Rapids Reds the night of the tragic accident. I was in a sports bar...the only one watching the race on ESPN...when the accident happened..what a terrible sinking feeling..I felt very lonely.

I wish Rich was still with us..as he was also an incredible indoor midget racer...I am sure our paths would have crossed.

Thanks for the memories Rich...Godspeed..I am sure you are with your dad and son.

TonY Barhorst
 
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7/21/11, 1:39 PM   #10
Re: 7/21/11 - In Remembrance of Rich
jim goerge
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Quote:
Originally Posted by treecitytornado View Post
Rich was one of my heros growing up and I have seen him Win alot of races in Sprint, Midgets, and even a Champ Car Win at the Indy Mile. I watched him do well in the Indy 500 and he was about to break into NASCAR when he was killed that hot July night. I was crossing the track under the flagstand at Eldora after the Kings Royal to go get some autographs and hang out in the pits. I was 11 at the time and my heart sunk to the ground as the flagman told us Rich had lost his life at Salem that night.
The Voglers are great people! I have known Eleanor for several years and was even presented with one of the Rich Vogler Memorial Scholarships at Winchester during the Vogler Classic in 2007. I also had the pleasure of getting to know his late son D.J. and he was on my Go-Kart Team at Fastimes one year as well.
God Speed Rich! R.I.P. D.J.!
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D.J. died When How?
 
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