"From A Few Years Back" - USAC Sprints 'Twin 50' lap features

Midwest Connection · 4/9/10, 9:08 AM

Hello IOW friends,

A little something to read while drinking your favorite morning beverage.

The front cover of the Oswego Speedway Twin 50 USAC sprint car race program on Sunday 16 July 1967...

The cars and drivers on the front cover are from the 1966 USAC race at Oswego Speedway
1. #51 Roger McCluskey
2. #1 Mario Andretti
3. #16 Al Smith
4. #6 Don Branson

50 lap feature

1. Mario Andretti
2. Sam Sessions
3. Mike Mosley
4. Ralph Ligouri
5. Chuck Booth
6. Wib Spalding
7. Mickey Shaw
8. Wally Dallenbach
9. Chuck Engel
10. Bruce Walkup
11. Al Loquasto
12. Bob Pratt
13. Aldo Andretti
14. Gil Hess
15. Sonny Ates
16. Dick Kelm
17. Rollie Beale
18. Jim Hurtibise

50 lap feature

1. Mario Andretti
2. Rollie Beale
3. Sonny Ates
4. Bob Pratt
5. Jim Hurtibise
6. Ralph Ligouri
7. Chuck Booth
8. Sam Sessions
9. Mike Mosley
10. Wally Dallenbach
11. Bruce Walkup
12. Chuck Engel
13. Aldo Andretti
14. Mickey Shaw
15. Wib Spalding
16. Greg Weld
17. Norm Brown
18. Al Smith

Twin 50 laps of USAC sprint car racing....

Have good day...see you at the races

Rich - Arnold, Missouri

GregD · 4/9/10, 9:46 AM

Great photograph, those cars were beautiful. You might want to check the date or the line up, Don Branson was killed at Ascot Nov. 12, 1966. That was a bad year start to finish.

Midwest Connection · 4/9/10, 10:00 AM

GregD,

Don Branson was and still is to this day one of my all time favorites from a few years back.

As I stated in my original post the photo was from 1966, I should have said from Sunday 28 August 1966 vice 1966 - sorry about that. And when Don Branson was killed I do remember it well - it was a very sad day.

Thanks,

Have a good day...see you at the races

Rich - Arnold, Missouri

GregD · 4/9/10, 10:39 AM

I just saw the 1967 date in your post, I need to learned to read more carefully.
We agree on Don, great racer and a great guy!

Charles Nungester · 4/9/10, 11:24 AM

Wally Dallenbach?

turn4 · 4/9/10, 1:48 PM

[QUOTE=Midwest Connection;164043]GregD,

Don Branson was and still is to this day one of my all time favorites from a few years back.

Being 65, and growing up in Champaign-Urbana, Don was and is also one of my all time favorites.

Midwest Connection · 4/9/10, 2:04 PM

Charles,

Wally Dallenbach?

Yup, he was driving the Nesler - Venezia Racing #5 sprinter that day in 1967. He started 10th and finished 8th in one feature and finished 10th in the other feature. This is the only Oswego Speedway USAC race I saw Wally Dallenbach race in.

But, the # 5 Nesler - Venezia sprinter was pre - entered at Oswego Speedway in 1967 with Larry Dickson the driver.

Nesler had the # 28 Nesler Special sprinter at Oswego Speedway in 1966 with Earl Halaquist the driver.

Sorry if there is any confusion or doubt.

P.S. - I forgot to mention that Rollie Beale was fast qualifier in 1967 at 20.66.

Have a good day...see you at the races

Rich - Arnold, Missouri

SprintManDave · 4/9/10, 4:05 PM

Ah yes, those cars,in my opinion, were the most beautiful ever built. Also as an oldtimer that was my favorite era in racing.It is just tragic that we lost some great drivers during that time.

IndyBound · 4/12/10, 5:38 PM

Thanks Rich, love that cover photo! That was an important era at the track we grew up at and the first USAC races I ever attended. Great memories!

Patti

4/12/10, 9:28 PM

I could not agree more with SprintManDave. That car builders of that era produced the finest looking champ cars, sprints and midgets. General rules to follow: 1. If there is a letter welded into the front bumper. 2. The word "Special" is hand-painted on the side of the car. 99 out of 100 are gonna be beautiful!

4/9/10, 11:24 AM	#5 Re: "From A Few Years Back" - USAC Sprints 'Twin 50' lap features - 16 July 1967
Charles Nungester Senior Member Race Count This Year: 6 Race Count Last Year: 14 Join Date: Jul 2007 Posts: 22,012	Wally Dallenbach? __________________ Charles Nungester

4/9/10, 9:46 AM	#2 Re: "From A Few Years Back" - USAC Sprints 'Twin 50' lap features - 16 July 1967
GregD Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Posts: 179	Great photograph, those cars were beautiful. You might want to check the date or the line up, Don Branson was killed at Ascot Nov. 12, 1966. That was a bad year start to finish.

4/9/10, 10:39 AM	#4 Re: "From A Few Years Back" - USAC Sprints 'Twin 50' lap features - 16 July 1967
GregD Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Posts: 179	I just saw the 1967 date in your post, I need to learned to read more carefully. We agree on Don, great racer and a great guy!

4/9/10, 1:48 PM	#6 Re: "From A Few Years Back" - USAC Sprints 'Twin 50' lap features - 16 July 1967
turn4 Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Posts: 1,504	[QUOTE=Midwest Connection;164043]GregD, Don Branson was and still is to this day one of my all time favorites from a few years back. Being 65, and growing up in Champaign-Urbana, Don was and is also one of my all time favorites.

4/9/10, 2:04 PM	#7 Re: "From A Few Years Back" - USAC Sprints 'Twin 50' lap features - 16 July 1967
Midwest Connection Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Posts: 581	Charles, Wally Dallenbach? Yup, he was driving the Nesler - Venezia Racing #5 sprinter that day in 1967. He started 10th and finished 8th in one feature and finished 10th in the other feature. This is the only Oswego Speedway USAC race I saw Wally Dallenbach race in. But, the # 5 Nesler - Venezia sprinter was pre - entered at Oswego Speedway in 1967 with Larry Dickson the driver. Nesler had the # 28 Nesler Special sprinter at Oswego Speedway in 1966 with Earl Halaquist the driver. Sorry if there is any confusion or doubt. P.S. - I forgot to mention that Rollie Beale was fast qualifier in 1967 at 20.66. Have a good day...see you at the races Rich - Arnold, Missouri

4/9/10, 4:05 PM	#8 Re: "From A Few Years Back" - USAC Sprints 'Twin 50' lap features - 16 July 1967
SprintManDave Senior Member Join Date: May 2009 Posts: 1,495	Ah yes, those cars,in my opinion, were the most beautiful ever built. Also as an oldtimer that was my favorite era in racing.It is just tragic that we lost some great drivers during that time.

4/12/10, 5:38 PM	#9 Re: "From A Few Years Back" - USAC Sprints 'Twin 50' lap features - 16 July 1967
IndyBound Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Posts: 2,626	Thanks Rich, love that cover photo! That was an important era at the track we grew up at and the first USAC races I ever attended. Great memories! Patti

4/12/10, 9:28 PM	#10 Re: "From A Few Years Back" - USAC Sprints 'Twin 50' lap features - 16 July 1967
DWPRATT3 Posts: n/a	I could not agree more with SprintManDave. That car builders of that era produced the finest looking champ cars, sprints and midgets. General rules to follow: 1. If there is a letter welded into the front bumper. 2. The word "Special" is hand-painted on the side of the car. 99 out of 100 are gonna be beautiful!