500 laps at Eldora?

sprinter14 · 1/24/13, 4:19 PM

Race results in NSSN a week later - only 2 cautions and the top 5 in 1965 were: Orville Yeadon, Al Barr, Dick DeBolt, Rollie Beale, and Bill Fortune.

I am contemplating adding a history page to the BOSS website - watch for its debut in a few weeks!

ISF · 1/24/13, 4:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sprinter14

The race was for "supermodifieds" not sprints and started 33 cars. I have the ad here in front of me from 1965 NSSN it was held on Aug 14th, 1965 and relief drivers were "permitted" lol. $7500 total purse and $10 entry fee.

Although not one to quibble over semantics, Earl and Dave Argabright may well have meant "supermodifieds" but referred to the cars that took part as "sprint cars". If the book is wrong then I'm wrong.

After checking it out in Earl's book during lunch I found that in addition to setting on the pole for the '65 race Rollie Beale also had fast time in '66 and, as mentioned before, Don Hewitt had fast time in '67.

The '67 race that was won by Don Nordhorn was won by a margin of 15 laps over the second place car of Ross Smith.

sprinter14 · 1/24/13, 5:05 PM

Yes, sprint and supermods co-existed. Many drivers would run the same car with both but many sprint car organiztions wouldn't allow the supermods in unless they bolted on a sprint nose and tail. A gentleman I know who ran in those days told me they literally bolted the sprint tail on over the supermod fuel cell and went racing.

I also looked up the 1966 race. The purse was raised to $10,000 with $3000 being the winners share. The races were known as the Eldora 500 and in '66 it became a night race.

The 2nd annual event ran on July 30, 1966 and the top 5 were: Larry Cannon, Allan Barr, Orrville Yeadon, Len Shirley, and Sheldon Kinser. Rollie Beale was top qualifier at 19.22 seconds. At the finish 14 of 33 starters were still running. And for the record 25th thru 33rd place paid $50.

sprinter14 · 1/24/13, 5:12 PM

1967 - purse went to $12,500 but winners share remained $3,000. Don Nordhorn of Evansville, IN led the final 385 laps to win by a 16 lap margin over Cincinnati's Ross Smith. Allen Barr, John Peddie, Ken Ferrand, Bud Holmes, Grant Wilmot, Bobby Greer, Bob Pratt, and Larry Cannon rounded out the top 10.

sprinter14 · 1/24/13, 5:24 PM

ISF - you were on the money, there is no mention in any of the July or August issues of 1968 and 1969 of any 500 lappers. Apparently just 3 were run. I did see that in Sept of 1965 was Eldora's first "Figure 8" race and they were added to the weekly program!! That's a new one on me!

ISF · 1/24/13, 5:33 PM

sprinter14, thanks for the clarification. I believe in Earl's book he states that there were 76 cars on hand for the '65 race attempting to secure one of the 33 starting postitions.

As a young child I remember well back in the mid to late 1960's at Fairbury American Legion Speadway in Fairbury, Illinois they ran what was referred to as "rail cars", or just "rails".

Bubby Jones, Larry & Steve Cannon, Hershel Jenkins, Jerry Camfield, Jerry Blundy, Jack Tyne, Dean Shirley and many I no longer recall were at FALS racing their "rails" on a pretty regular basis. The division was technically referred to as "supermodifieds" but most were regular sprinters.

One in particular that comes to mind was "Boom Boom" Cannon driving the beautiful yellow #B4 which was, I think, owned by a gentleman named Unc Blacker (spelling?) from the Champaign-Urbana, Illinois area, maybe? Not sure.

chop · 1/24/13, 5:44 PM

ok I have a question on this subject. Some where a few years ago, I read a story about the 500 miles races. I thought I read that a driver or car owner won two of the races in a row. This is the part I find funny. In the story they said they used the same right rear tire to win both races. Anyone remember reading that some place?

luckybuc97 · 1/24/13, 5:57 PM

'60's super or sprint?

ISF · 1/24/13, 6:00 PM

chop, just for clarification's sake, did you mean 500 miles or 500 laps?

Danny Burton · 1/24/13, 7:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sprinter14

Race results in NSSN a week later - only 2 cautions and the top 5 in 1965 were: Orville Yeadon, Al Barr, Dick DeBolt, Rollie Beale, and Bill Fortune.

I am contemplating adding a history page to the BOSS website - watch for its debut in a few weeks!

Cannot resist asking.....where was both the winner and second place runner from?

J. Knoke is forbidden to answer.

1/24/13, 5:33 PM	#16 Re: 500 laps at Eldora?
ISF Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2010 Posts: 3,048	sprinter14, thanks for the clarification. I believe in Earl's book he states that there were 76 cars on hand for the '65 race attempting to secure one of the 33 starting postitions. As a young child I remember well back in the mid to late 1960's at Fairbury American Legion Speadway in Fairbury, Illinois they ran what was referred to as "rail cars", or just "rails". Bubby Jones, Larry & Steve Cannon, Hershel Jenkins, Jerry Camfield, Jerry Blundy, Jack Tyne, Dean Shirley and many I no longer recall were at FALS racing their "rails" on a pretty regular basis. The division was technically referred to as "supermodifieds" but most were regular sprinters. One in particular that comes to mind was "Boom Boom" Cannon driving the beautiful yellow #B4 which was, I think, owned by a gentleman named Unc Blacker (spelling?) from the Champaign-Urbana, Illinois area, maybe? Not sure. __________________ Silver Crown Championship Dirt Cars properly driven on a one mile dirt track are classic poetry in motion. Using that analogy, Jack Hewitt is one of the greatest poets of all time. _________________________________________________ Last edited by ISF; 1/24/13 at 7:52 PM.

1/24/13, 5:05 PM	#13 Re: 500 laps at Eldora?
sprinter14 Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Posts: 897	Yes, sprint and supermods co-existed. Many drivers would run the same car with both but many sprint car organiztions wouldn't allow the supermods in unless they bolted on a sprint nose and tail. A gentleman I know who ran in those days told me they literally bolted the sprint tail on over the supermod fuel cell and went racing. I also looked up the 1966 race. The purse was raised to $10,000 with $3000 being the winners share. The races were known as the Eldora 500 and in '66 it became a night race. The 2nd annual event ran on July 30, 1966 and the top 5 were: Larry Cannon, Allan Barr, Orrville Yeadon, Len Shirley, and Sheldon Kinser. Rollie Beale was top qualifier at 19.22 seconds. At the finish 14 of 33 starters were still running. And for the record 25th thru 33rd place paid $50.

1/24/13, 5:24 PM	#15 Re: 500 laps at Eldora?
sprinter14 Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Posts: 897	ISF - you were on the money, there is no mention in any of the July or August issues of 1968 and 1969 of any 500 lappers. Apparently just 3 were run. I did see that in Sept of 1965 was Eldora's first "Figure 8" race and they were added to the weekly program!! That's a new one on me!

1/24/13, 5:44 PM	#17 Re: 500 laps at Eldora?
chop Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Posts: 318	ok I have a question on this subject. Some where a few years ago, I read a story about the 500 miles races. I thought I read that a driver or car owner won two of the races in a row. This is the part I find funny. In the story they said they used the same right rear tire to win both races. Anyone remember reading that some place?