Rollie Beale
 

Duke Cook reports on Facebook this morning the passing of Toledo sprint car great Rollie Beale. Spent many races at the wheel of the renowned Rodeo Bar sprinter.

___________
Wes Stafford

Re: Rollie Beale
 

SAD, What a guy, always smiling and never a bad word to anybody. He was fast at the wheel, dirt or pavement. He liked USAC big time. R.I.P. at the big track.

Re: Rollie Beale
 

Rollie is driver I greatly admired when I was a kid in the stands and now.

Thank you for all the great memories Rollie. :(

Re: Rollie Beale
 

RIP Rollie. A true gentleman and a great racer on any surface. He was an asset to the sport!

Re: Rollie Beale
 

Rollie was "the people's champion" of my generation long before Dave Darland came along. He was a good man and a true champion that came from humble beginnings. He had the respect of fans and drivers alike. The man will be truly missed. R.I.P Rollie.

Re: Rollie Beale
 

Re: Rollie Beale
 

That Rodeo Bar Special was one of the most beautiful sprint cars ever! Especially the year after Rollie won the USAC National Sprint title. I can just see that #1 car rolling down the backstretch of the Action Track, with it's brilliant white, red and blue colors, just like it was yesterday. Not only was Rollie Beal a great driver, but he was also a friendly racer, who always had time to talk to a young race fan and was always smiling. He's one of the greats that laid the groundwork for the USAC that is today. R.I.P Rollie.

Jerry

Re: Rollie Beale
 

Although Rollie didn't receive the same household name recognition those who drove the Speedway; USAC never had a greater champion. I had a nice conversation with Rollie at Winchester Old Timers a year or two ago. He thanked me for remembering him. The pleasure was all mine.

Re: Rollie Beale
 

Talk to Rollie about 4 year ago at Toledo speedway and told him thanks for all the pleasure he gave me watching him race. He said "I owe you a thank you, for coming and watch me race. If it was not for the fans, I could not do what I loved and get paid for it" He was a class act, gentleman, and one heck of a racer.
RIP Rollie

Re: Rollie Beale
 

Originally Posted by Seadog:
Rollie was "the people's champion" of my generation long before Dave Darland came along. He was a good man and a true champion that came from humble beginnings. He had the respect of fans and drivers alike. The man will be truly missed. R.I.P Rollie.

Rollie Beale was indeed an ambassador to sprint car racing both as a driver and later an official for USAC. When he was inducted into the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame he was very humble and accepted his honor with dignity, grace and uttered words on behalf of all members of the hall that will long be remembered if not etched in the wall of the hall of fame.

Re: Rollie Beale
 

RIP Rollie a true gentleman and racer!Did alot for USAC he will be missed!

Re: Rollie Beale
 

Rollie was the definition of a class act. A gentleman through and through. You couldn't find a nicer guy if you had to. RIP Rollie.

Re: Rollie Beale
 

A Class Act Rollie, one of the Greatest IMO.:9::9: Probably alot of these "Racers" today don't even know who he is.

Re: Rollie Beale
 

I first saw Rollie run at the Dayton Speedway in 1967...I was a 16 year old kid and I was impressed. Years later in 1996 when we were at The Phoenix Mile for the pavement USAC sprints we unloaded on a Thursday morning. That afternoon we went to the motel pool and spent a couple of hours talking to Rollie and Norm Shields with a few adult beverages....some great stories that day!! Rollie was still the same friendly guy who I was in awe of when I was a teenager. Nothing but respect for him.

Re: Rollie Beale
 

Re: Rollie Beale
 

As a Toledoan who grew up watching Rollie Beale win races against the best local racers, IMCA, and USAC, this is indeed a very sad day. I have a wall dedicated to Rollie in my basement. He raced in the 50's and won in stock cars before turning to modifieds, and super modifieds late in the decade at Toledo's Raceway Park dirt track. In the 60's he raced throughout Ohio at Fremont, Findlay, Sandusky, Toledo Speedway, etc. winning races and championships. He turned to IMCA, the Little 500, and finally to USAC where most on this board had the pleasure to witness his greatness as a person and champion. He was a "people's champion" and respected by those who raced against him as a fierce and clean competitor. Thank you Rollie Beale for being a race car driver and role model I could cheer for whether I was 5 years old or 65 years old. RIP.

The Beale family would like to say thank you so much for sharing your memories and well wishes, it is helping us more than you can know! The services for Rollie Beale will be as follows:
Feb 21 2-8pm
Feb 22 10:30am
Walker funeral home
5155 W. Sylvania Toledo, OH 43623
Please make any donations to
National Sprint Car Hall of Fame
Hospice of Northwest Ohio

Re: Rollie Beale
 

I have been a fan of this wonderful man sense I was a 5 year old kid. I am now 52.
Thanks to his kindness, professionalism, work ethic and many other fine qualities he is one of the main reasons I am a fan of this sport. He was one hell of a wheel man and one hell of great person. Following him through special events over the past few years it pained me to see him age but he never changed, always a kind word and the man was sincere.
I guess that if I ever had a hero it was MR. Rollie Beale.
I for one will never forget him.

I'm also a great fan of rollie Beale ! I'm restoring a speed car which I would love to paint in the same colour scheme as the rodeo bar sprinter. I'm in desperate need of colour photos of the car . Could you possible email me some of your photos " thanks Kel young Australia

Re: Rollie Beale
 

Re: Rollie Beale
 

[QUOTE=racenut69;380874]Was he not the USAC car owner for Jeff Gordon???...Newbie,so I'm not sure?..Help?[/Q

Fairly sure you are referring to Rollie Helmling.

Re: Rollie Beale
 

Re: Rollie Beale
 

Rollie drove one of the ugliest sprint cars ever built. The Alfater with the tall square roll bar. However, he beat up on a lot of great racers with that car. The last race I remember watching him win, with that car, was Eldora in (1966?). He smoked'em, including eventual champion Roger McKluskey in Mutt Anderson's #51 car. I'm sure he won several more but, that was the last one I attended....

Re: Rollie Beale
 

We were all newbies at one point. Even Cecil. :D

Re: Rollie Beale
 

Originally Posted by Danny Burton:
We were all newbies at one point. Even Cecil. :D

Yeah..... sometimes this 60 yr old brain/memory can post things that could be considered "Newbie'ish"!!! But I try my best to be as accurate as possible when dredging up old memories of this great sport! ......LOL:D On a more serious note, I am just so thankful that, when I was a 6 yr old child, my father started taking me to USAC Sprint and Champ car races. I got to witness so much of what we oldtimers love to talk about on this board, including watching the great Rollie Beale handle some of the best racers in the country...... Thanks for the great memories, Rollie!!