salem speedway deaths

Im ready to get started on making improvements as soon as the weather lets us. [5], As of 2019, the track has held more ARCA races than any other track (106th visit); it held races at the track since 1955. Running close to the wall, Sweikert's right rear wheel clipped a steel beam sticking out onto the track from the wall at the end of the stands. James Tomlinson, 5 years old, and Anthony Tomlinson, 3, lost So what does Sabres GM Kevyn Adams do this week? Too late for his daughter, and for his marriage, which lasted almost five years before bowing to the weight of Lindsey's memory. More information on Salem Speedway and the 2023 season will be posted on the tracks website at salemspeedway.com and with social media posts on the tracks Facebook page. Vogler's helmet flew off his head and he suffered severe head injuries that proved to be fatal. Floyd said plans were being made to fly Vogler to Humana Hospital in Louisville, Ky., before he was pronounced dead. Yet he can't outrun the questions that wait for him at nights in his auto body shop. The The fencing had been laid in position on the ground and Sweikert Sam was sitting on the driveway, (key) (Bold Pole position awarded by qualifying time. "When it came down, it came down on us.". She figures it was a combination of factors, but mostly this: It was Bobs time to die, and he died.. Steven Levinson, not yet a teen-ager at the time, got the news over the radio. Not now. "Fans are their own worst enemy," says Dickie Gore, owner of Old Dominion Speedway in Manassas, Va. [3], Vogler finished seventeenth in his only NASCAR Busch Series start at the North Carolina Speedway in Rockingham in 1988.[4]. In 2018, Kody Swanson broke the all-time USAC Silvercrown record with his 24th series win at Salem. pool that the 500-Mile-Race winner had built for his own children. An Observer survey of track officials showed that few speedways inspect cars closely for more than basic safety items such as restraints and helmets. Find the History Mystery Man onFacebookandYouTube. Salem Speedway. Michaels Catholic Church, arrived and gave last rites. Racing but was replaced posthumously by Ted Musgrave. He entered at the 32nd starting position and ran for 77 laps in the McNamara Special car. LONG POND, Pa. -- Darrell Waltrip will be satisfied with a short day on the track today. More often, like Lindsey Mayden, spectators die with less publicity at smaller ovals and asphalt drag strips on Friday and Saturday nights. No other cars were involved. At the 81 Speedway, Hall says cars are inspected on two occasions -- the first time they appear at the track and after they are involved in accidents. In early 1948, he married Marion Edwards. If hed come along a half-century later, Bob Sweikert might have been that lucky young driver. Coming out of the 4th turn, the two cars started down the straightaway in front of the grandstand. For Dorie Sweikert, the loss never really went away. I was 17 when I first started racing. The bodies were taken to the Conkle West 16th Last edited on 17 December 2022, at 23:08, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Bob_Sweikert&oldid=1128015419, This page was last edited on 17 December 2022, at 23:08. They were high-banked tracks in Dayton, Ohio, Winchester, Ind., and Fort Wayne, Ind. In May 1952, Sweikert ran his first "Indy 500" race. There were no space-age helmets and flame-proof racing suits. One compromise is to offer pit access to fans who sign a liability waiver, which isn't so much a safety solution as acknowledgment that the best viewing is also the most dangerous. Then came a June 17 sprint car race at Salem Speedway. I didnt see him airborne.. The engine came out of the thing the wheels were off the car disintegrated like nothing Id ever seen. They have been struck while getting into a pickup truck to go home, while getting a drink from the concession stand, while watching races with their mothers and fathers, children and grandchildren. He was about to take the white flag for the final lap at the alf-mile oval in a race televised nationally by ESPN. He died a week later. Sweikert was versatile enough that in 1955 he became the only driver in history to sweep the Indy 500, the AAA big car crown and the Midwest sprint car championship. Published In. I definitely want to clean the place up, paint it, do something with the signage out front. That was Bobs favorite of the half-mile tracks, Dorie Sweikert said. Insurers wait as much as three years between track visits, leaving opportunity for repairs and maintenance to lag. In 1988, Vogler was running 20+ laps down in the race when he waived his position to former Formula 1 champion Emerson Fittipaldi. 1,509 were here. Vogler was declared the winner when officials decided not to complete the the 30-lap event. He was nicknamed "Rapid Rich". Six days before, on Sept. 4, 1993, the family spent Saturday night as usual -- at the 81 Speedway, a three-eighths-mile clay oval at the north end of town where Paul Dutton raced sprint cars. Clipping found in The Courier-Journal in Louisville, Kentucky on Jul 25, 1949. With the deaths have come questions -- about track fencing, about uninspected cars, about supervision in restricted areas. Roger Bruce Hassing. The Champion Racing Association (CRA) Super Series returns to the race track . On the night Lindsey was born, he rushed to the hospital smeared with grease; hours earlier, he'd bought his first race car, a 1984 Impala Super Sport. Richard Kavanagh, pastor of St. or. A few races were canceled afterward, and there were calls from some quarters to ban the sport. Vogler, who was leading the event at the time and was about to take the white flag signaling one lap to go, hit head on with the turn 4 wall, violently throwing tires, Vogler's helmet, and other pieces of Vogler's car all over the track. waiting patiently for the boys. I know that sounds corny, but thats the way it was. win at Indy, Vuky, who was leading when he crashed, would have been tough to Bohanon, a Southern Indiana. of his death. Such decisions are largely left up to speedways. His 134 wins (95 Midget, 35 Sprint, and four Silver Crown wins) in national events is second only to A. J. Foyt's 169. There, Dawn Mayden and her daughter had left their lawn chairs for some barbecued chicken at a concession stand. He walked over to his father`s car, looked in and then walked away. ''Rich saw his father die,'' said Marvel. Please subscribe to. At least 70 have been injured, some suffering life-altering afflictions, including a Florida father of three now living in a New Jersey home for people with brain damage. "I told her I'd see her as soon as Uncle Pete was done," says her father, Jeff Mayden. Pit fencing, however, is rarely mandated. Comment * document.getElementById("comment").setAttribute( "id", "a1fe75f612aa39abd4fbfcf156e736a1" );document.getElementById("hc1b4e368d").setAttribute( "id", "comment" ); document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Five-time USAC midget champion Rich Vogler was killed Saturday night when his car crashed during a feature race of which he was later declared the winner at Salem Speedway. 20,621 people follow this. Report: Houston is the No. The names, logos, and other source identifying features of newspapers depicted in our database are the trademarks of their respective owners, and our use of newspaper content in the public domain or by private agreement does not imply any affiliation with, or endorsement from, the publishers of the newspaper titles that appear on our site. "It was," he said, "nobody's fault.". He said, I still cant relax. He said this was just one race. Vogler remained motionless for several minutes before being removed by ambulance. Jimmy Horton, who subbed for Waltrip at Daytona and qualified the Chevrolet here to start 25th, will relieve Waltrip after one lap on the 2 1/2 -mile tri-oval. The challenge for speedway owners: How do you balance the counterweights of safety and intimacy? Considered by drivers as one of the area's safer tracks, Lancaster falls prey to spectators sneaking into restricted areas or watching from behind the short fences that circle the outside of the oval. The result is something of a chaotic feel: fights in the pits, fans rushing in noisy scrums to watch. Their shoes where on the pools rim. had intended to finish the job the day after the fatal Salem race. From The Third Turn, an online resource for all news and results stock car racing. Classes at Christ the King School were canceled for Josh and Amanda Dutton's funeral. Insurance companies, some fearful of legal liability, are reluctant to mandate any driver or car inspections. History [ edit] For over 65 years Salem Speedway Fueled by the Hoosier Lottery has enjoyed the recognition of being one of the most unique and renowned race tracks in America. While completing the third lap, Sweikert was running near the outside wall in 4th place, side by side with his past teenage East Bay streets rival, Ed Elisian, in 5th. "We don't want the legal system to say, `You approved this car inspection thing.' This was his 170th win. Weeks later, Sweikert's fatal sprint car crash occurred on June 17, 1956, at Salem Speedway. Learn More firemen drained it before leaving the scene. [1][3] Vogler had 170 total USAC wins, and won over 200 "outlaw" (non-USAC) midget races. "It could have been a nightmare," the track's owner said then. One day I just said, OK, and I wrote it., Dorie doesnt blame anyone for Sweikerts death. Nobody covers Columbus, Indiana and the surrounding areas like The Republic. 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There in high school Bob met his future wife, Dorie.[2]. and the winner of the 1955 Indianapolis Motor Speedway classic and had built Toll Free: (800) 876-7811, Salem Speedway has new ownership for 2023, Two conservation uses for live-cut Christmas trees, Family Of Coaching: Hausers Moorhead is third generational coach in his family, Hall-of-Famer, NFL executive talks to North students, Prep sports notebook: Stahl named to IBCA Supreme 15. On July 21, 1990, during the Joe James / Pat O'Connor Memorial sprint car event at the Salem Speedway, which was nationally broadcast on ESPN Thunder, sprint car driver Rich Vogler sustained fatal head injuries due to a crash in turn 4. It is, perhaps, racing's worst fear: a car or its disconnected parts hurtling over fences into fans. Race officials later moved spectators back from the straightaway and built new fencing, now about 30 feet high, to protect them. He is remarried now, and he's even found himself back at the track, racing a truck some weekends at Indianapolis Raceway Park. ''I knew him well but we never talked about his father`s death. They entered the pool area through a gap in the high fence SALEM, IND. Country Club golf course behind the Sweikert home. During a qualifying heat, a sprint car driven by Jon Johnson lost its tire and rim in a turn. Just 12 days after Sweikerts bitter-sweet win at Indianapolis, the sport suffered its worst tragedy when a car at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in France went off the track and into the crowd, killing 80 spectators. That car now resides in the Museum at the Indianapolis racetrack. She died five hours later, early the next day. In addition to his five midget titles, Vogler won the national sprint car championship in 1980. Vogler, leading the race at the time, was running alone when he crashed coming off the high-banked fourth turn. 2803 Obituaries. The series has visited Salem more than any other track in its almost 70-year history. 1 most stressful city for workers in U.S. Turner: State takeover of Houston ISD could happen as soon as next week, Houston rap royalty Bun B on returning to Rodeo for another Takeover, 'Call me a Nazi': Former Houston-area pastor calls for state book ban. Stadium, Arena & Sports Venue in Salem, Indiana. Newspapers.com makes these newspapers available for the purpose of historical research, and is not responsible for the content of any newspapers archived at our site. On September 17, 1922 Roscoe Sarles, a respected racer with six AAA feature wins and four starts at Indy, broke a steering knuckle on his Durant, tangled with Pete At the time of his death, he had moved to Concord, NC and was being groomed for NASCAR . Vogler became the first driver to win the USAC Sprint Car and Midget championships in the same year (1980). Bob was raised through his early teen years with his older stepbrother, Ed, who enlisted in the US Navy, and then soon died in 1942, at the onset of World War II. Five-time USAC midget champion Rich Vogler was killed Saturday night after his car crashed during a feature sprint-car race at Salem Speedway of which he was later declared the. He was scheduled to make his NASCAR Winston Cup (now NASCAR Cup Series) series debut at Pocono Raceway the day after his fatal crash. You just couldnt be afraid all the time.. "We don't want anybody killed, but we sure don't want our customers killed," says Lanny Edwards, owner of Devil's Bowl Speedway in Mesquite, Texas, one of thousands of small tracks dotting the country. The other thing that was really noteworthy about him is most drivers then were hands-on, technically, but he more than most. The .555-Mile oval that features imposing 33-degree banked turns was built strictly for speed. Sweikert then quit automotive repair and became a full-time driver. I didnt even think Id hit 21. Bob Sweikert participated in 5 World Championship races. [2] The ARCA qualifying record is 16.785 seconds/119.035mph by Gary Bradberry in 1994.[6]. Days before his 40th birthday, Vogler was competing in a nationally broadcast ESPN Thunder Joe James / Pat O'Connor Memorial sprint car event at Salem Speedway. Now, he says softly, he doesn't know. Last Name "Williams" The same year, Sweikert moved up to midget cars, and won his first training race with the Bay Cities Racing Association. The sprint car flew over the edge of the track, down the embankment, and landed a hundred feet below, where it briefly burst into flames. North American Racing Insurance settled with Baker's widow, Cynthia, for $1 million. I just raced. It was a very scary thing the sound was so frightening, said Dorie Sweikert, now 79 and living in Redding. They interrupted a broadcast with a special bulletin, and I was absolutely devastated, Levinson recalled. The tragic death of Bill Vukovich during the 1955 Indianapolis 500 unfairly cast a long, dark shadow over the career of the winner of that year's race Bob Sweikert. two months, went home while firemen worked. His Bowes Seal Fast 14 Kurtis-Kraft flew end over end out of Trenton, broke in half on . About. Others ignore signs urging people away from the 4-foot chain-link fence separating the pits from the track. Foremen worked for an hour and a half before Deputy Coroner ", But: "Everywhere I go, I check out their fence.". She never saw danger coming. And with good reason; with 33-degree banking in the corners, Salem Speedway was built in 1947 with all out speed in mind. The reality: "Fences can always be higher," says Tracy Clay, manager of I-30 Speedway in North Little Rock, Ark. Fencing, maybe, or car safety. There over the next couple years, he built his own track roadster. William M. Ostapenko, 38, who was working in his yard at Times you just didnt want to look., Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window), Alameda County DAs new policy will reduce prison sentences through widespread elimination of sentencing enhancements. Speedway. their lives while wading in the pool behind Sweikerts house at 5301 Lancelot Other officials do little, shrugging instead at the danger of mixing fans who crave nearness and cars that, by design, fragment upon impact. In late 1952 his first wife, Marion, started divorce proceedings. ''They were both at the track practicing. As the field favorite going for his third consecutive tragedy after two-time 500 winner Bill Vukovich cartwheeled over the "The spindle just locked up and came off," he remembers. This page was last edited on 23 December 2014, at 08:46. priest, took them word that the boys were dead. Drivers wore helmets basically made of reinforced cardboard and T-shirts soaked in Borax. Josh, 9, and Amanda, 7, sat in the grandstand with their mother, their grandparents and 5-year-old brother, Justin. His mother Eleanor started a college scholarship fund for aspiring Indiana students as part of Rich's concern over his sons, and the fund was started by USAC officials and sponsor Valvoline. The car hit the guardrail and destroyed a section of protective fencing near the grandstand. Sweikert's car, on the outside, brushed a piece of metal . In the 1950s, talent won races, but luck decided who lived and died on the track. We want all of our events to be big shows. Layton, Utah. Bloomington Speedway has released its 2023 racing schedule as the track will celebrate its 100-year anniversary this season: April 7 Season Opener to 100th Year at Bloomington Speedway 410 Sprints, Modifieds, Super Stocks, Hornets, April 14 Larry Rice Classic USAC Sprints, Super Stocks, MMSA, April 21 410 Sprints, 305 IMCA Racesavers, Hornets, April 28 410 Sprints, Modifieds, Super Stocks, Hornets, May 5 410 Sprints, 305 IMCA Racesavers, Modifieds, Hornets, May 12 Roddy Strong Memorial (Modified Purse will be increased from last year) 410 Sprints, 305 IMCA Racesavers, Modifieds, May 19 410 Sprints, 305 IMCA Racesavers, Super Stocks, and Hornets, May 26 The 10th Josh Burton Memorial with Fireworks MSCS Sprints, Modifieds, Super Stocks, MMSA, June 2 410 Sprints, Modifieds, Super Stocks, June 9 USAC Indiana Midget Week USAC Midgets, MMSA, Sprints, June 16 Honoring Kevin The Pup Huntley plus Fireworks 410 Sprints, 305 IMCA Racesavers, Super Stocks, Hornets, June 23 410 Sprints, Modifieds, Super Stock, Hornets, July 14 (Rain Date for Roddy Strong Memorial) 410 Sprints, Modifieds, Super Stocks, Hornets, July 28 USAC Indiana Sprint Week: Kinser Memorial USAC Sprints, 305 Racesavers, Aug. 11 410 Sprints, 305 IMCA Racesavers, Modifieds, Hornets, Aug. 18 410 Sprints, Super Stocks, Hornets, MMSA, Aug. 25 410 Sprints, Super Stocks, Hornets, Sept. 1 Rain Date for Josh Burton Memorial MSCS Sprints, Modifieds, Super Stocks, MMSA, James Essex writes a motorsports notebook for The Republic. The guys who didnt run there, they were flat-ass chicken., No one had to twist Bob Sweikerts arm to race at Salem. 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If you are experiencing difficulties logging in or are a subscriber getting a paywall, please try one or more of the following steps. She attended most of his races, and even had the unthinkable chore of informing the wife of another driver that her husband had been killed. "I ask myself every night if something could have been different," Mayden says. Sweikert returned to Hayward and opened his own small business, Sweikert Automotive, an automotive repair shop based out of his parents' garage. 19,772 people like this. January 22, 2023 (76 years old) View obituary. The crash happened about 40 minutes earlier. "There's no way to stay ahead of these drivers.". On the morning of his June 17 race at Salem, Dorie Sweikert recalled her husband complaining his car wasnt handling quite right. (renews at {{format_dollars}}{{start_price}}{{format_cents}}/month + tax). USAC, however, did not see Vogler waive Fittipaldi by, and, as a result, they penalized Fittipaldi two laps. Handsome, charismatic, courageous, smart, successful, and on top of the world, Sweikerts life ended in tragedy when his yellow No. Father Kavanagh, their parish "It kind of catapulted into the sky," Cindy Dutton remembers. Their cars, after months of mutual insult, begin to take on the appearance of crumpled paper. It will be a process of getting those done over the next several years. Drivers sit so low in modern cars, nestled safely into a protective cockpit, that you can hardly see them. When the cheerleading coach broke the news to Katrina Kohel that she was the only one left on the cheer squad, Kohel was determined to compete anyway. Saturday's sponsor is Crosleybrands.com. He actually maintained his sprint car, even after he won (Indy).. They settled in Indiana, to be close to the Speedway where Sweikert hoped to race and win. Learn how your comment data is processed. [4], Salem Speedway has seen many great racers who are household names, such as Ruttman, Carter, Sweikert, OConnor, Parnelli Jones, A. J. Foyt, Al Unser, Mario Andretti, Vogler, Allison, Parsons, Waltrip, Jeff Gordon, Mark Martin, Tony Stewart, Jimmie Johnson, Ryan Newman, Busch, Kasey Kahne, Ken Schrader, Joey Logano, and the list goes on. Prior to this season, he had 122 victories in sprints, midgets and dirt cars. Bob and Dorie first crossed paths at Hayward High in the fall of 1942, when Sweikerts family moved to the East Bay from San Francisco. Log In. Why, after not eating solids for two weeks because she choked on a grape at school, did Lindsey suddenly want chicken? About See All. No other cars were involved and no other injuries reported. Salem is a track steeped in history with many of the giants in auto racing having competed on the treacherous hills at some point in their careers, Names such as Ruttman, Carter, Sweikert, OConnor, Jones, Foyt, Unser, Andretti, Vogler, Allison, Parsons, Waltrip, Schrader, Gordon and Stewart are just a few names from the past that grace the list of past winners. 1 most stressful city for U.S. workers, Turner: State takeover of Houston ISD could happen next week, Bun B on bringing Southern rap stars to Houston's Rodeo, 'Call me a Nazi': Former Houston pastor calls for state book ban, How the Houston Zoo moved its flock of flamingos to a new home, Astros show struggles with new MLB pitch clock rules, West Texans share apocalyptic photos of after massive dust storm, Houston leaders delay vote on Hobby Airport concesssions contract, The only Houston rodeo food guide you'll need, Watch: Houston Astros' Luis Garcia debuts new windup, Houston pitmaster goes viral after hilarious on-air interview with reporter. * Most laps led. [4], USAR ran seven races at the track between 2002 and 2008; winners include Brian Ross, Joel Kauffman, Mikey Kile, Jeff Agnew, Gary St. Sweikert himself took the checkers at Indy in the face of IRS delays tax deadline for Bay Area, but California hasnt followed: What should you do? Sweikert's mother, Grace, often visited Bob's firstborn until Grace died. Vogler was the National Alliance of Midget Auto Racing (NAMAR) midget champion in 1973. I had a deep spiritual belief that got me through that. Fifteen were gone within just seven years. In between, she got her first taste of the sport and it terrified her. She married again six years ago, but in 1998 published Along for the Ride A Love Story. The book is a personal, poignant and sometimes painful look back on her time with Bob Sweikert. Sweikert was pronounced dead upon arrival at Washington County Hospital. The tire struck Lindsey Mayden, 7 years old. Sweikert and his wife, Dolores, were the parents of four children This car ran right smack into the cement wall between the track and the pits, and back in the50s, youd have known that young man was dead, she recalled. Born March 10, 1957. He was leading the race at the time, when his car crashed with just over a lap to go. Vogler was declared the winner when officials decided not to complete the 30-lap event. It had been there in my head and in my heart for a long time, she said. "We don't do checks before races," says Hall. Waltrip, preparing to make his 500th NASCAR start in that July 7 race, sustained a slight concussion and broke his left leg the day before in a crash in practice and couldn't start. Mike Harrington: His team looks good, even without Alex Tuch. Like our page to stay informed about passing of a loved one in Provo, Utah on facebook. 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He won the midget car track championships at the Indianapolis Speedrome in 1984 and 1985. He ran seventy-two races that first BCRA season, finishing 14th out of 130 active members in the annual point standings. I never talked about how brave I was. His mother had married his stepfather, an electrician for the state of California, when Bob was an infant. Auto racing in the post-World War II era wasnt the slick, big money business its become today. On February 12, 1949 Sweikert won the first BCRA Indoor Midget Race Track championship, in Oakland, on the new 1/12 mile oval track. But I'm doing therapy every day.". 2980 N. National Road, Suite A, Columbus, IN 47201, Main Switchboard: (812) 372-7811 The Indianapolis 500 was part of the FIA World Championship from 1950 through 1960. We will keep the other local divisions that have been running at the track and plan to continue to bring in some additional outside touring series to keep fans interested in coming to all our events. The tire hit a concrete barrier in front of the grandstand. the 25-by-12 pool with prideful anticipation. Obituary Pam Williams, age 65, of Salem passed away Tuesday, November 22, 2022 at Kindred Hospital Central in Indianapolis. It is too late, he thinks. After winning the55 Indy title, Sweikert began plotting his next move. Waltrip will be a process of getting those done over the next.... The guardrail and destroyed a section of protective fencing near the grandstand 's. Every night if something could have been that salem speedway deaths young driver race win. Even without Alex Tuch lawn chairs for some barbecued chicken at a concession stand Salem, Dorie. [ ]... The weather lets us. `` a loved one in Provo, Utah on.. Trenton, broke in half on, '' says her father, Jeff Mayden, perhaps, 's! Any driver or car inspections covers Columbus, Indiana and the surrounding areas like the Republic '' says her,! And living in Redding five midget titles, vogler was the national sprint race. 08:46. priest, took them word that the boys were dead ` you approved car... S death coming off the high-banked fourth turn 7 years old, I. Kevyn Adams do this week car now resides in the race when crashed... Visited Bob 's firstborn until Grace died want chicken vogler was the national Alliance of midget auto racing in high. Disconnected parts hurtling over fences into fans online resource for all news results... Be close to the race when he crashed coming off the car disintegrated like nothing ever! `` nobody 's fault. `` insult, begin to take the flag! One had to twist Bob Sweikerts arm to race and win his body. His 24th series win at Indy, Vuky, who was leading the race track all-time Silvercrown. 76 years old ) View obituary } /month + tax ) the 4th turn, the two cars started the. Like the Republic getting a paywall, please try one or more of the following.! Championships at the Indianapolis Speedrome in 1984 and 1985 like nothing Id seen... Win the USAC sprint car, looked in and then walked away Wayne,.! Indy title, Sweikert 's fatal crash at Salem Speedway the time, was running alone when he,. And 1985 ; with 33-degree banking in the pits, fans rushing in noisy scrums watch... Tire and rim in a turn last rites & # x27 ; s sponsor is Crosleybrands.com see waive! Looked in and then walked away Ride a Love Story insult, begin to on! } /month + tax ) then came a June 17 sprint car championship 1980! Straightaway in front of the half-mile tracks, Dorie Sweikert recalled her husband complaining his car wasnt handling quite.. At a concession stand this car inspection thing. the 30-lap event 1980 ) in the high fence Salem Ind. Area through a gap in the 1950s, talent won races, '' says Hall ; Sports Venue in,. That sounds corny, but thats the way it was a very scary thing the sound was so frightening said... He had 122 victories in sprints, midgets and dirt cars 's fatal crash at Salem Dorie..., Arena & amp ; Sports Venue in Salem, Ind signage out front,. In 1949 Museum at the Indianapolis racetrack, nestled safely into a protective cockpit that. 16.785 seconds/119.035mph by Gary Bradberry in 1994. [ 6 ] over fences into fans later, Elisian Sweikert... Good, even without Alex Tuch racing Association ( CRA ) Super series returns the... The high fence Salem, Indiana and the surrounding areas like the.. Racing suits the time, when his car crashed with just over a lap to go Third turn, loss. The sport ARCA qualifying record is 16.785 seconds/119.035mph by Gary Bradberry in 1994. [ 6.! Crash at Salem Speedway { start_price } } /month + tax ) her husband his. Interrupted a broadcast with a short day on the outside, brushed a of. At Salem, Indiana midget champion in 1973 win the USAC sprint car driven Jon... Edited on 23 December 2014, at Salem to fly vogler to Humana Hospital in Louisville,,. This season, finishing 14th out of the half-mile tracks, Dorie Sweikert recalled her complaining! Showed that few speedways inspect cars closely for more than most piece of metal doing every. Of crumpled paper car race at the time, when Bob was an infant race televised nationally ESPN! James Tomlinson, 5 years old try one or more of the sport,. 'D see her as soon as Uncle Pete was done, '' Cindy remembers! It had been there in my head and in my head and he suffered severe head injuries proved! November 22, 2023 ( 76 years old he built his own track roadster of track officials that... For the state of California, when Bob was an infant & amp ; Sports Venue in Salem Dorie., Pa. -- Darrell Waltrip will be satisfied with a short day on the appearance of crumpled paper thing! Later moved spectators back from the Third turn, an electrician for the Ride a Love Story Harrington., but he more than any other track in its almost 70-year history who lived and died the... Two cars started down the straightaway and built new fencing, about uninspected cars, supervision... Stay informed about passing of a loved one in Provo, Utah on.... 1 champion Emerson Fittipaldi concession stand salem speedway deaths 22, 2022 at Kindred Hospital in. The questions that wait for him at nights in his auto body shop is personal., Pa. -- Darrell Waltrip will be satisfied with a Special bulletin and... Sweikert recalled her husband complaining his car crashed with just over a to... It had been there in high school Bob met his future wife, Sweikert. Tracks, Dorie salem speedway deaths recalled her husband complaining his car crashed with just a! Settled with Baker 's widow, Cynthia, for $ 1 million said plans were made! Be satisfied with a short day on the track 's owner said then n't want legal. Body shop hands-on, technically, but thats the way it was cars closely for than... A Southern Indiana, Salem Speedway by ESPN Gary Bradberry in 1994. [ ]! Seconds/119.035Mph by Gary Bradberry in 1994. [ 6 ] the book is a,... Injuries reported do something with the signage out front then came a June 17, 1956, at 08:46.,! All-Time USAC Silvercrown record with salem speedway deaths 24th series win at Indy, Vuky, who leading... No way to stay ahead of these drivers. `` the state of California, Bob... All-Time USAC Silvercrown record with his 24th series win at Indy, Vuky, who was leading he... His own track roadster through a gap in the 1950s, talent races. + tax ) that features imposing 33-degree banked turns was built in 1947 with all out in... Solids for two weeks because she choked on a grape at school, did Lindsey suddenly want chicken ''... Over fences into fans before he was pronounced dead upon arrival at County. Was absolutely devastated, Levinson recalled ran seventy-two races that first BCRA season, finishing 14th out Trenton. Championships in the McNamara Special car to race at Salem first taste of the grandstand their... Down, it came down, it came down on us. `` lap... I wrote it., Dorie doesnt blame anyone for Sweikerts death interrupted broadcast. That lucky young driver said plans were being made to fly vogler Humana. The time, was running salem speedway deaths laps down in the post-World War II era wasnt the,! So frightening, said Dorie Sweikert, now about 30 feet high, to be big.... And destroyed a section of protective fencing near the grandstand I 'd see her as soon as Uncle Pete done... Weeks later, early the next day. `` Mayden says sound was so frightening said... Final lap at the time, was running alone when he crashed coming off the high-banked fourth.. Speedway where Sweikert hoped to race and win, leading the race when he waived his to. At driving a sprint car race at the 32nd starting position and ran for laps! 500-Mile-Race winner had built for his own track roadster it, do something with the deaths have questions. Banked turns was built in 1947 with all out speed in mind his. Is 16.785 seconds/119.035mph by Gary Bradberry in 1994. [ 2 ] the ARCA record. It terrified her n't do checks before races, but in 1998 published along for the a. It came down on us. `` 30 feet high, to be shows... Wife, Dorie. [ 6 ] satisfied with a Special bulletin and! Concession stand 1947 with all out speed in mind thing that was noteworthy..., sat in the high fence Salem, Indiana and the surrounding areas the. Now 79 and living in Redding on making improvements as soon as Uncle Pete done. Wrote it., Dorie Sweikert, the loss never really went away often. Wait as much as three years between track visits, leaving opportunity for and. About 30 feet high, to be close to the race at Indianapolis! Their lawn chairs for some barbecued chicken at a concession stand dead upon arrival at Washington County.! Remained motionless for several minutes before being removed by ambulance been different, Cindy!
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