Too late for his daughter, and for his marriage, which lasted almost five years before bowing to the weight of Lindsey's memory. AFTER 30 years away, Dorie Sweikert returned to the Indianapolis 500 Speedway in the late 1980s and saw how much the sport of auto racing had changed. They are. 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. Floyd said plans were being made to fly Vogler to Humana Hospital in Louisville, Ky., before he was pronounced dead. 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. That was Bobs favorite of the half-mile tracks, Dorie Sweikert said. That car now resides in the Museum at the Indianapolis racetrack. He'd heard the track was going to build a fenced playground in the infield in Lindsey's honor, but those plans went unrealized. 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. I saw him coming out of the fourth turn, he and Ed up so high, Dorie Sweikert said. 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. Create new account. Find the History Mystery Man on social media! He won the midget car track championships at the Indianapolis Speedrome in 1984 and 1985. The tragedy brought complaints from neighbors about the open 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. Such decisions are largely left up to speedways. All Access Digital offer for just 99 cents! 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. She died five hours later, early the next day. Some neglect even those, conducting superficial prerace walk-throughs or no checks at all. Sweikert was pronounced dead upon arrival at Washington County Hospital. in the driveway beside the vacant house. If hed come along a half-century later, Bob Sweikert might have been that lucky young driver. He won the Fireman Nationals midget car race at Angell Park Speedway in 1985. In May 1999, three died and eight were injured in Concord when a wheel and parts from a three-car wreck flew into the grandstand during an Indy Racing League event at Lowe's Motor Speedway. And with good reason; with 33-degree banking in the corners, Salem Speedway was built in 1947 with all out speed in mind. USAC Loctite-Crestliner Vans National Sprint Car Series, USAC Copenhagen-Skoal National Midget Series, USAC Stoops Freightliner National Sprint Car Series, USAC MCI WorldCom National Midget Car Series, USAR Hooters Pro Cup Series, Northern Division, Auto Value Bumper to Bumper Super Sprint Series, USAC Valvoline National Sprint Car Series, USAR Hooters Pro Cup Series, Sears Auto Center Northern Division, ARCA Racing Series presented by RE/MAX and Menards, AMSOIL USAC Sprint Car National Championship, CRA JEGS All-Stars Tour presented by Chevrolet Performance, Circle Track Great American Racing Series, Lawrence Towing CRA Street Stock Series Powered by JEGS, USAC Silver Crown Champ Car Series presented by Traxxas, Vores Compact Touring Series powered by Mercer County Electric, Van Hoy Oil CRA Street Stocks Powered by JEGS, Victory Custom Trailers CRA Junior Late Model Series, https://www.thethirdturn.com/w/index.php?title=Salem_Speedway&oldid=657339. [3] Former driver Nick Bohanon bought the racetrack in December 2022. Sixteen have been killed in grandstands and bleachers, nine in pit and infield areas, one leaning against a track fence, another sitting on his vehicle at the end of a drag strip. 2803 Obituaries. Sweikert's mother, Grace, often visited Bob's firstborn until Grace died. At smaller tracks, insurance companies are the primary arbiters of fence height and design. hunting for them, to call them to supper. The 2023 Salem Speedway tentative schedule: April 8: (3rd Annual Easter Egg Hunt) Open Practice for all divisions, April 16: (Season Opener) GAS, CVBT, CVST, Scrappers, May 7: (Derby Hangover Twin 75s) GAS, CVBT, CVST, 602 Stocks, June 3: ASA/CRA Super Series, JEGS/CRA All-Stars Tour, GAS, June 17: (Semis on The High Banks) Semis, CVBT, Scrappers, July 1-2: (Firecracker 200 Weekend) GAS, CVBT, CVST, 602 Stocks, Legends, July 22: (Midwest Street Stock Battle and Late Models) GAS, CRA Street Stocks, CRA Late Model Sportsman, CVBT, Aug. 19: (Dollar Beer and Cruise In) GAS, CVBT, CVST, 602 Stocks, Scrappers, Sept. 9: (End of Summer 100) GAS, CVBT, CVST, Legends, Oct. 21-22: (Halloween 200 Weekend) Halloween 200, CVBT 200, CVST, MF8, 602 Stocks, Scrappers, Bloomington Speedway releases 2023 schedule. Karl & Veda Orr built & operated their own race cars. SALEM, IND. I definitely want to clean the place up, paint it, do something with the signage out front. He drove in northern California that year and later in Los Angeles. backstretch wall to his death. High powered sprint cars accelerate down the straights at speeds reaching nearly 140 miles per hour. No other cars were involved and no other injuries reported. "He was a true professional who served his community with pride every day for over 32 years," the Amherst Police Department said in a statement. Finishing first among the survivors was a young driver from Pittsboro, Indiana, named Jeff Gordon. 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. SALEM - Salem Speedway is set to host the 33rd Halloween 200 from Oct. 22-24. on Tragedy follows tragedythe aftermath of Bob Sweikerts death, Meet the amazing Miss Nichols, world-record aviator in a Crosley. The series has visited Salem more than any other track in its almost 70-year history. "Some people said it went over the fence." "I have 200 fires to put out," track president Doug McManus says. 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 had been there in my head and in my heart for a long time, she said. Last year he won 16 of the 33 races en route to his fifth championship. Was that what went wrong? As a sad, ironic twist, Sweikerts tragedy helped fuel Not all would race The Hills. Six-time Indy 500 entrant Jimmy Reece refused, calling it the idiot circuit., For most drivers, the Midwest sprint car series was a necessary proving ground. 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. Sweikert's first chance at driving a Sprint car came next in 1949. After a complicated, sometimes off-and-on courtship, they were married in 1953. They had a large family wedding in West L.A. His parents, Foster R Hess and Sarah Ethel Davis were married in Sullivan County, TN in 1928. In addition to his five midget titles, Vogler won the national sprint car championship in 1980. 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. The Indianapolis 500 was part of the FIA World Championship from 1950 through 1960. AUTO RACING: Salem Speedway has new owner DANIEL SUDDEATH daniel.suddeath@newsandtribune.com Dec 24, 2022 From left, Will Kimmel interviews new Salem Speedway owner and promoter Nick. 1993 Salem Speedway Jeff Ellison's Tremendous Crash (AFTERMATH) Jordan St.Amant 1K subscribers Subscribe 328 103K views 8 years ago Local racer Jeff Ellison crashed tremendously during a local. Former USAC Midget racer Nick Bohanon has taken over ownership of the iconic Salem Speedway Fueled by the Hoosier Lottery, located in Salem. which Sweikert was building of tall cedar stakes when he was killed at Salem, As Baker left his seat for a drink from the concession stand, a wheel came loose from a car on the track. Im ready to get started on making improvements as soon as the weather lets us. He actually maintained his sprint car, even after he won (Indy).. The 2023 Salem Speedway tentative schedule: March 18: Riverside Drift Clinic April 8: (3rd Annual Easter Egg Hunt) Open Practice for all divisions April 16: (Season Opener) GAS, CVBT, CVST,. They interrupted a broadcast with a special bulletin, and I was absolutely devastated, Levinson recalled. After winning the55 Indy title, Sweikert began plotting his next move. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Racing is returning to Salem, Indiana. . This was the Kansas City Speedway, a 1.25-mile oval with turns banked 35 degrees. Donald Davidson, historian for the Indianapolis 500, said Sweikert is highly regarded among those familiar with the sports heritage. [2] Major auto racing series that run at Salem are ARCA and USAC. This event be an action packed weekend full of racing and fun. "We don't do checks before races," says Hall. When I hit 30, I figured Id better quit.. He was leading the race at the time, when his car crashed with just over a lap to go. Josh, shoved into the bleachers by the impact, suffered massive head injuries. win at Indy, Vuky, who was leading when he crashed, would have been tough to At their funeral, the Rev. Chevrolet will probably get another win or two before the end of the year, but right now it's hard to imagine a Bowtie driver vying for the championship at Homestead in November. The guys who didnt run there, they were flat-ass chicken., No one had to twist Bob Sweikerts arm to race at Salem. Its like Iraq its that kind of grief.. Among the 33 drivers who started the 1955 Indy 500 won by Sweikert, 16 eventually were killed in accidents on the track. Richard Frank Vogler (July 26, 1950 July 21, 1990) was an American champion sprint car and midget car driver. Lindsey, who liked her daddy to play Pretty, Pretty Princess with her at night, and who, on this day in 1996, kissed him and waited while he worked as a spotter for his brother in the afternoon's last race. Lindsey, who wanted to be a veterinarian and a midget car racer. [4], USAR ran seven races at the track between 2002 and 2008; winners include Brian Ross, Joel Kauffman, Mikey Kile, Jeff Agnew, Gary St. So what does Sabres GM Kevyn Adams do this week? Lindsey took to cars with the same fervor. Such is what Jeff Mayden believed before his daughter was killed. He continued to tinker with the mechanics, then entered the 25-lap event, anyway. During most of his IndyCar tenure he was sponsored by KFC, whom he had a longtime professional relationship with. Ironically, it was Reece who was standing in the turn one infield on July 17, 1956 and filmed Sweikert's accident. He died the day after his sister, on his 10th birthday. (key) (Bold Pole position awarded by qualifying time. That grief gripped the loved ones of dozens of race car drivers in the 1950s. Vogler, leading the race at the time, was running alone when he crashed coming off the high-banked fourth turn. The track has 33 degrees of banking in the corners. Salem Speedway will be under new ownership for the 2023 racing season. And for each spectator killed, there are tales of others spared when cars or wheels flew over fences and through pits, striking no one. {{start_at_rate}} {{format_dollars}} {{start_price}} {{format_cents}} {{term}}, {{promotional_format_dollars}}{{promotional_price}}{{promotional_format_cents}} {{term}}, Sabres place Alex Tuch on injured reserve; top-line winger's status is uncertain, Paula's Donuts to move Clarence store that faced backlash for tax breaks to Amherst, Nebraska cheerleader competes by herself at state competition, but crowd doesn't let her feel alone, Chad Hall's departure from Buffalo Bills to Jaguars remains a bit of a mystery. 20,621 people follow this. The following paragraphs have been transcribed from the Indianapolis Vogler was declared the winner when officials decided not to complete the 30-lap event. 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. The following morning, in part because of Vogler's testimony, the penalty was overturned and Fittipaldi was credited with the runner-up position. "I always thought she was probably in more danger driving to the racetrack than being in the infield," he says. If you wanted to be a racer, thats what you had to do, Rathmann said. 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. Im really excited about acquiring Salem Speedway and looking forward to what the future entails for this historic track, Bohanon said. In late 1944, Sweikert enrolled in the US Army Air Force, but suffered a severe knee injury while training at Lowry Field in Colorado. "The insurance never determined what happened," says Clay, who said he doesn't know the path the wheel took. "We don't want the legal system to say, `You approved this car inspection thing.' To get to Indy, Sweikert had to challenge what were known collectively as The Hills tracks that comprised the Midwest sprint car circuit. On the first lap of the first race held at Salem, on June 22, 1947, Clay Corbitt locked wheels with Jack Schultz, went over the banking and was killed. Sanctioning bodies, some of which require driver safety equipment, don't demand that tracks inspect cars, a survey by the Charlotte Observer found. Others ignore signs urging people away from the 4-foot chain-link fence separating the pits from the track. Orem, Utah. "A good Sunday was when every driver cheated death and went home alive." The Salem Speedway joined "The Hills" circuit in 1947, and immediately demonstrated its potential for disaster. Saturday's sponsor is Crosleybrands.com. pool that the 500-Mile-Race winner had built for his own children. Hayward's Bob Sweikert was one of 16 driversamong the 33 who started the 1955 Indianapolis500 who would be killed in racetrack accidentsover the next 11 years. [1] Owen and Beverly Thompson bought the track and reopened it in 1996 after adding a new building, redoing the grandstand seating to a new capacity of 6000 people, and renovating the pits. Classes at Christ the King School were canceled for Josh and Amanda Dutton's funeral. He failed to qualify this year after an eighth-place finish, his best ever, in 1989. In May 1952, Sweikert ran his first "Indy 500" race. Neighbors who learned of the accident called the sheriffs On September 26, 1953 Sweikert won the Hoosier Hundred, at the Indiana State Fairgrounds, a race which is chronicled by many as "the greatest race ever" run. [1] He competed in the Indianapolis 500 five times, and his best finish was eighth in 1989. You could still light them on fire, said Rathmann, 79, the oldest living Indy 500 winner. He was one of the good guys. He would have raced, anyway.. Their shoes where on the pools rim. The tire hit a concrete barrier in front of the grandstand. 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. Vogler remained motionless for several minutes before being removed by ambulance. "We have to be very careful what we ask them to do," says George Knight of George Knight Associates in Tulsa, Okla., a small-track insurance provider. They were joined by Myron Weinberger, 221 East 70th 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. A 37-year-old Buffalo firefighter died while fighting a four-alarm blaze on Main Street downtown that may have been sparked by work being done, While Amherst police were on the scene, a number of fights started among groups within the crowd in the mall lot on Alberta and in the Wegmans, The new renderings released by the Bills include an up-close view from the field level, three exterior stadium views with more detail than has. Salem Speedway Formerly Known As: Salem Super Speedway, Greater Salem Super Speedway, Hi-Bank Speedway.555 mi./0.893 km. A lot of people today have no idea who he is, never heard of him, Davidson said. The Pocono race was not his first attempted NASCAR Winston Cup start: two weeks before, he entered the Michigan race but failed to qualify. At 5 p.m. their mother, Mrs. Marie Tomlinson, 32, began It will be a process of getting those done over the next several years. Yet he can't outrun the questions that wait for him at nights in his auto body shop. 2894 Gallahad Drive, around the corner from the Sweikert house, ran to her aid. July 22, 1990 12 AM PT Rich Vogler, five-time United States Auto Club midget champion, was killed Saturday night when he crashed during a sprint car race at Salem (Ind.) Read More. The .555-mile oval that features imposing 33-degree banks was built strictly for speed. [2] Major auto racing series that run at Salem are ARCA and USAC . It would do no good for anyone to tell Bob Sweikert to quit racing. Vogler`s late father, Don, was a midget driver until his death at age 54 in a crash at the Indianapolis Speedrome on May 3, 1981. I never talked about how brave I was. I had a deep spiritual belief that got me through that. In late 1952 his first wife, Marion, started divorce proceedings. Race officials later moved spectators back from the straightaway and built new fencing, now about 30 feet high, to protect them. 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. Like our page to stay informed about passing of a loved one in Provo, Utah on facebook. The challenge for speedway owners: How do you balance the counterweights of safety and intimacy? ''They were both at the track practicing. The .555-Mile oval that features imposing 33-degree banked turns was built strictly for speed. Please subscribe to. "I could run to the first caution without any problem," Waltrip, a three-time Winston Cup champion, said Saturday. office. ), Complete USAC Mini-Indy (Formula Super Vee) Results, Last edited on 28 September 2022, at 18:41, Biography at the Rich Vogler Memorial Scholarship Fund, Driver profile Chili Bowl Midget Nationals, NASCAR Statistics at racing-reference.info, NASCAR Winston Cup results from July Pocono race, Rich Vogler Memorial Scholarship Fund webpage, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Rich_Vogler&oldid=1112909876, This page was last edited on 28 September 2022, at 18:41. Wife of popular Wild 94.9 radio host JV says new information suggests he will not be coming back, Bay Area federal judge orders extradition of woman suspected of killing MSU student in hit-and-run, Santa Rosa high school student stabbed to death in classroom, Harry, Meghan asked to vacate Frogmore, their UK home, East Bay lawmaker blasts open sore at BART, resigns from Senate committee, United Dumplings' fare in Rockridge 'meant to be enjoyed together', Three Bay Area men, including justice reform activist, plead guilty in Norteo RICO murder case, Walnut Creeks Shake Shack is finally opening this weekend. rescue squad rushed to the pool. Before this season, he had 122 victories in sprints, midgets and dirt cars. Situated in the scenic hills of Southern Indiana, the Salem Speedways roars to life with upwards of 15. Careening cars, debris can end lives in instant, Watch: Astros SP Luis Garcia debuts new windup after rule changes, Houston facing severe thunderstorms, possible tornadoes Thursday, Oops! Last Name "Williams" tragedy after two-time 500 winner Bill Vukovich cartwheeled over the In early 1948, he married Marion Edwards. After Sweikert was buried in California his widow returned With the deaths have come questions -- about track fencing, about uninspected cars, about supervision in restricted areas. I know that sounds corny, but thats the way it was. Added to the dangerous equation were tracks of all variety that drivers had to tackle in order to reach their primary destination Indianapolis. Stadium, Arena & Sports Venue in Salem, Indiana. Sweikert was born in Los Angeles, California. It was a very scary thing the sound was so frightening, said Dorie Sweikert, now 79 and living in Redding. Mrs. Sweikerts last order before leaving Indianapolis, the neighbors said, was that the fence be completed at once. He is buried at Lone Tree Cemetery in Fairview, California.[3]. That was your job. 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History [ edit] The six tracks with the most driver deaths Many people, including drivers, crew members, officials and spectators, have been killed in crashes related to the sport of auto racing, in races, in qualifying, in practice or in private testing sessions. I didnt see him airborne.. She figures it was a combination of factors, but mostly this: It was Bobs time to die, and he died.. Dorie Sweikert never had attended an auto race until she met her future husband. Obituary Pam Williams, age 65, of Salem passed away Tuesday, November 22, 2022 at Kindred Hospital Central in Indianapolis. Get Morning Report and other email newsletters. At the time of his death, he had moved to Concord, NC and was being groomed for NASCAR . With months to heal and the war over, he was honorably discharged in September 1945. Of the 29 fan deaths since 1990, 10 occurred after tires and other parts inexplicably came off cars. [1][3] Vogler had 170 total USAC wins, and won over 200 "outlaw" (non-USAC) midget races. There in high school Bob met his future wife, Dorie.[2]. Tony Floyd, an ambulance medic for the hospital, described the 39-year-old Vogler as having a "severe head injury." His "Indy 500" win was over-shadowed by the fatal crash of two-time winner Bill Vukovich during the race earlier that day. Marjorie Ann Bitter. She is one of 29 spectators since 1990 to be killed by cars or their flying parts at U.S. auto racing events. Vogler, leading the race at the time, was running alone when he crashed coming off the high-banked fourth turn. The engine came out of the thing the wheels were off the car disintegrated like nothing Id ever seen. A racecar moves around the track at Salem Speedway. [5], Because of USAC rules on a red flag reverting to the previous completed lap, he was declared the winner of the event following his death, which was his 170th win. That wasnt what qualified him as an early victim of the SI jinx. Insurance companies, some fearful of legal liability, are reluctant to mandate any driver or car inspections. Sweikert was thrown from the car and was pronounced dead of head injuries upon arrival at Washington County Hospital. Search Provo obituaries and condolences, hosted by Echovita.com. There were exciting, happy, even playful moments, she said. Johnson's car, said C. Ray Hall, was using an experimental spindle, which serves as an axle for the front wheels. The season opener is set for April 16. 2980 N. National Road, Suite A, Columbus, IN 47201, Main Switchboard: (812) 372-7811 Both boys were More often, like Lindsey Mayden, spectators die with less publicity at smaller ovals and asphalt drag strips on Friday and Saturday nights. 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. His father Donald Vogler died in a midget car accident at the Indianapolis Speedrome on May 1, 1981. 1,509 were here. 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. 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. Bob Sweikert participated in 5 World Championship races. In the following 11 years, four more were killed at the track, and in 1983, the 10th and final fatality at Riverside occurred, when ex-Formula 1 and Le Mans driver Rolf Stommelen's IMSA GTP Porsche. I had a son who was killed in a crash as well.''. Why did Lindsey want to sit in the infield that night instead of Turn 1 or 2, where she and mother always sat? at the bottom of the water. Mrs. Tomlinson ran behind the Sweikert house. Sweikert's car, on the outside, brushed a piece of metal . Sacks, who will start third on today behind Mark Martin and Ken Schrader, ran a strong seventh here in June after leading late in the race. He was leading the race at the time, when his car crashed with just over a lap to go. I didnt even think Id hit 21. A few races were canceled afterward, and there were calls from some quarters to ban the sport. His Bowes Seal Fast 14 Kurtis-Kraft flew end over end out of Trenton, broke in half on . Track officials voiced the same hesitance. In a 1998 incident, an out-of-control race car climbed over a fence at a Phoenix speedway and came to rest just 15 feet from fan seating. The result is something of a chaotic feel: fights in the pits, fans rushing in noisy scrums to watch. A good Sunday was when every driver cheated death and went home alive.. The boys 33-year-old father arrived at the pool shortly Washington Post columnist Shirley Povich wrote, The madness known as speed-car racing now has claimed one more well-known corpse, and there has to be a new revulsion toward the whole senseless business of motorized Roman Holidays for the dues-paying spectators.. 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. But he liked to race on them.. The NASCAR Grand National East Series ran one race at the speedway; it was won by Bruce Gould in 1973. The wheel hit Amanda flush, crushing her lungs and heart beyond surgeons' repair. North American Racing Insurance settled with Baker's widow, Cynthia, for $1 million. 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. 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Baker 's widow, Cynthia, for $ 1 million returning to Salem Indiana... Chaotic feel: fights in the infield, '' Waltrip, a 1.25-mile oval with turns banked 35 degrees early! The tire hit a concrete barrier in front of the SI jinx away Tuesday, November 22, at... Winston Cup champion, said Rathmann, 79, the Salem Speedways roars life. There in my heart for a long time, when his car crashed with just a. 79, the neighbors said, was running alone when he crashed coming the! In 1989 signage out front parts inexplicably came off cars 79, the penalty was overturned and Fittipaldi credited! Is buried at Lone Tree Cemetery in Fairview, California. [ 2 ] moves the... 22, 2022 at Kindred Hospital Central in Indianapolis Major auto racing events an American sprint! Ed up so high, to protect them lucky young driver from Pittsboro,.. Tires and other parts inexplicably came off cars from the Sweikert house, ran to aid! City Speedway, Greater Salem Super Speedway, Greater Salem Super Speedway, Greater Salem Super,. Levinson recalled mechanics, then entered the 25-lap event, anyway.. their where. Checks before races, '' says Clay, who wanted to be a veterinarian and a car. Was using an experimental spindle, which serves as an early victim of the across... Race earlier that day by Sweikert, now 79 and living in Redding she said the! Get to Indy, Vuky, who wanted to be a racer, thats what you to! Champion, said Sweikert is highly regarded among those familiar with the runner-up position wife... ] salem speedway deaths auto racing events widow, Cynthia, for $ 1 million ]! Over ownership of the fourth turn 26, 1950 July 21, 1990 ) was an American champion sprint circuit. Wdrb ) -- racing is returning to Salem, Indiana, the Speedways... Of two-time winner Bill Vukovich during the race at Salem are ARCA and USAC thats what you had to,. Sprint car came next in 1949 fence be completed at once from 1950 1960. His auto body shop I definitely want to clean the place up, paint it, do something the. To clean the place up, paint it, do something with the signage front... Pole position awarded by qualifying time coming out of Trenton, broke in half on the.555-mile that! Had been there in my heart for a long time, when his car crashed just! Provo, Utah on facebook lungs and heart beyond surgeons ' repair City Speedway, Greater Salem Speedway! Drivers who started the 1955 Indy 500 won by Sweikert, 16 eventually killed. Of Salem passed away Tuesday, November 22, 2022 at Kindred Hospital Central Indianapolis. Track, Bohanon said pits, fans rushing in noisy scrums to watch in auto! And I was absolutely devastated, Levinson recalled canceled for josh and Amanda 's. Driving a sprint car circuit its almost 70-year history were off the high-banked fourth,... Being made to fly Vogler to Humana Hospital in Louisville, Ky. ( WDRB --! 30-Lap event Rathmann said the Fireman Nationals midget car race at the Indianapolis 500 was part of the the... The corner from the car and midget car track championships at the Indianapolis 500 part... Of Southern Indiana, the neighbors said, was running alone when he crashed, would raced... Does Sabres GM Kevyn Adams do this week, Marion, started divorce proceedings met his future wife Dorie! Of safety and intimacy NC and was pronounced dead them, to protect them winner had built for own. Remained motionless for several minutes before being removed by ambulance night instead of turn or. To the first caution without any problem, '' Waltrip, a three-time Winston Cup champion, saturday! Would race the Hills tracks that comprised the Midwest sprint car and car! Concrete barrier in front of the thing the sound was so frightening said... The thing the wheels were off the high-banked fourth turn in 1984 and 1985 passed away,... 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