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Topic: A Little Key History
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June 10, 2009 at
12:13:02 AM
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This message was edited on
June 11, 2009 at
12:26:45 AM by StuDeedooo
Im sure there are more than a few saving this one to text, lol....
The Day They Remember Johnny Key
from the San Jose Mercury News August 1, 1976 by Bruce Richardson Even headline writers, confronted almost daily with stories of his exploits, liked him. For one thing, his last name was handy for headlines-only three characters. But then apparently everything about Johnny Key, the auto racing driver from Salinas whose goal was Indianapolis, was pleasant. Spectators, wherever he went racing hardtops and roadsters , revered him. Even Rival drivers displayed a great deal of admiration for him. His popularity was unusual considering his achievements. Certainly, he must have created some envy in 1952 while compiling a yet to be broken 53 feature race victories, including all seven contested in one week. But according to Fresno's Al Pombo, who accumulated six NASCAR state championships before retiring several years ago, there was no animosity, only admiration. "Everybody had a lot of respect for him", said Pombo. "He was a heck of a person....just a real good person. Pombo, who was among the top drawing attractions right up until his retirement, said he doesn't clearly remember Key's celebrated victory binge of 1952. But it didn't surprise him. "He was always on top, kind of a class of his own. We used to race eight races in seven days back then. It just seemed like we had more time to do it.." While Pombo seldom traveled very far out of state, Key's goals took him first to the Arizona grapefruit circuit and then East. He never made it to Indianapolis. A story published in an unidentified periodical dated July 9, 1954, places his fatal accident somewhere in the first week of July. He was killed when thrown out of a midget auto he was driving on a Cincinnati dirt track. The car had struck the outside guard rail. The racing community in California was stunned, and out of the emotions of the time, emerged a plan for a memorial series that would perpetuate his name. It began on August 14th, 1954 and for seven years was run at the distance of 200 long and grueling laps around San Jose Speedway's high banked paved track. It is still an extremely popular event. The 23rd running of the classic will be staged Saturday at a distance of 150 laps. While most distance races in recent years have been divided into two or more segments, the Johnny Key Memorial will remain a genuine endurance test with no planned stops between the first and 150th go-rounds. "That's the way it should be", asserted Pombo. "That race," he said proudly, "is one of the oldest of it's kind in the country. And the best." "I'm sure going to try to be there." he emphasized. "You get to see a lot of old friends. The old-timers don't go to many races anymore. But they go to THAT race!"
Racing Wheels writer Bruce Crowley wrote this story...
1949, the promoter at San Jose Speedway, Bob Barkhimer, bought ten old cars from some auto wreckers, hired some drivers, converted the cars to the track, and called them Hardtops. They had the glass removed, seat belts installed, and painted (boy, they were horrible). He found some Hot Rod drivers (Roadster Racing) who agreed to race them. One of these young drivers was a guy named Johnny Key from Salinas. Keys previously was a two-time champion in 1947 and 1948. Having Key he lent so legitimacy to the new found class. You might say that Key was the key. If you ever saw these race cars you would laugh. People would go to the races just to see the cars hit another, flip over, and keep on going. A four-door Packard was a fan favorite as the driver, Sid Plummer, would bounce off the crash-wall, hit into another car, spin around and still won the race. The fans went crazy. The champion that first season was a driver named Dave Carter. Second was Johnny Key. Key won the state championship in 1952 driving for Harry and Tony [Unable to display image] Goularte from Modesto. During that year Key set the all-time record in number of wins in a season. He won 54 features in the California Stock Car Racing Association sanction races plus another three in open comp races. He turn to Midget racing the following year and had plans of racing at Indianapolis. But it was not to be, as Key was killed during a AAA sanctioned race in Ohio. Barkhimer set up a Johnny Key Race for him within weeks. For a past 46 years this race has been held in his memory. Johnny was one of the best drivers ever to grace the tracks in the Bay Area. Thanks you, Johnny, for the memories. ------
2009
Since this story was originally written, quite a few years have passed and a number of drivers have either added their name to the legacy, or padded to a list of accomplishments. The race then was 150 laps. Today its 50. But by no means any less challenging. The one thing then and now that it has in common is survivability. Eric Rossi took home the last Key Trophy at San Jose when the fairgrounds era ended in 1999. When the event was reborn at Watsonville Speedway in 2007, local Jason Statler took home the honors with 2nd generation driverlegend Brent Kaeding, finally getting on the board in 2008 after roughly 19 years of trying to keep up with his dad and all-time race winner Nick Rescino at 6 Key wins.
This motorsports event is a south bay legend steeped in tradition that has long been forgotten by the masses that used to pack the grandstands at San Jose Speedway on Saturday nights (thanks to the Santa Clara County Board Of Supervisors). But to the fans and teams that have grown up in the sport, this is nothing less than the local version of the Indianapolis 500.
It requires prior appreances just to be eligible to be seeded! Then on the qualifying nights during the season, the drivers need to finish on the podium. Its top-3 or try again. If the qualifying race finishes pass a driver by, they have to race from the back of every preliminary to make the rear of the field for The Key. No easy task. Certainly no easy task to come from the back and win. I wouldn't even bet money on Tony Stewart to pull that trick off. Four weekends of qualifying attempts. If you get the nomination, then its about track standings and the points race. Season standings determine the line ups for the the Johnny Key Memorial, and just who will have to race harder and press their luck to make into the history book that is one year shy of 50. KEY WINNERS 1954 Danny Graves
1955 Al Pombo
1956 Clyde Palmer
1957 Ray Raineri
1958 Rick Henderson
1959 George Benson
1960 Marshall Sargent
1961 Clyde Palmer(2)
1962 Clyde Palmer(3)
1963 Marshall Sargent
1964 George Snider
1965 Burt Foland
1966 Burt Foland(2)
1967 Bill Scott
1968 Howard Kaeding
1969 Bill Scott(2)
1970 Don Epperson
1971 Everett Edlund
1972 Nick Rescino
1973 Howard Kaeding(2)
1974 Nick Rescino(2)
1975 Nick Rescino(3)
1976 Tony Ringo
1977 Danny O'Neill
1978 Johnny Brazil
1979 Howard Kaeding(3)
1980 Brent Kaeding
1981 Mike Sargent
1982 Nick Rescino(4)
1983 John Viel
1984 Nick Rescino(5)
1985 Rich Voss
1986 Nick Rescino(6)
1987 Howard Kaeding(4)
1988 Rod Spencer
1989 Scott Luhdorff
1990 Danny Olmstead
1991 Terry McCarl
1992 Scott Luhdorff(2)
1993 Chuck Miller
1994 Chuck Miller(2)
1995 Rick Martin
1996 Bud Kaeding
1997 Craig Smith
1998 Ronnie Day
1999 Eric Rossi
2007 Jason Statler
2008 Brent Kaeding(2)
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June 10, 2009 at
02:39:37 AM
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a little more on johnny key. when he was thrown from the car he was driving and was killed, he was unfortunately hit by his good friend elmer george, yes the name is the same as the family that owns IMS. i believe elmer was tony george's uncle. not only was johnny hit by his friend, his friend was driving johnny's car as johnny was driving for someone else that race. in tribute, johnny's friend marshall sargent continued to race cars with johnny's purple color and number 7 through out his career. also at one time the johnny key memorial race was the longest running annually held racing event in the united states. i believe that record ended when the key race went away after 1999. still with it dating back to 1954 it is one of the longest re-occurring events.
it has always been considered an honor just to be able to race in the johnny key memorial event. that is why drivers have had to make prior appearances in the local series to even be eligible to participate in the race. it has always been a local race to honor a local hero and steps were always taken to keep that race from being "cherry picked". the race has always been open to anyone who wanted to run it, but not to anyone that just wanted to come to town and run only it. this race is more than just a race, it is a tradition, and it has been a tradition for a reason. fathers and sons and grandsons and other family members have raced in and won this race. each time a son or grandson of a former winner or even a former competitor have participated in or won this race they did it under the same basic terms as those that came before them. and one of those terms was being a loyal supporter of the local racing series. i hope to see more loyal fans supporting this series leading up to this race and the race as well.
to indy and beyond!!
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June 10, 2009 at
10:01:12 PM
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First Key race I attended was when Tony Ringo won.
At the recent GSC race at Tulare, Steve Lafond and I spotted Burt Foland in the pits and went over and said hi. Got to hear some stories about his back to back Key wins in the 60s. Pretty darn cool.
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June 11, 2009 at
12:24:51 AM
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I was really glad to see the ex-Furtado car get one with O'niel. I loved that car with the black body, bare wing and red chassis. Rod's stuff was always cool.
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June 11, 2009 at
05:28:19 AM
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I was at a couple of the Johnny Key races during the 70s. My memory isn't what it used to be, but being from Tracy at the time, I know I was there when Manteca's Johnny Brazil won, also seems I was there for a Nick Rescino win in another Key race during that time period. Amazing that Rescino has six wins in this remarkable race. Great super modifieds during that era at the old track - great looking and fast.
"Ralphie, Senor, muchas gracias por una mas cerveza" -
Scott Daloisio @ the PAS
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June 11, 2009 at
05:31:00 AM
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BTW, almost forgot, but thanks Stu and Buzz for the history of Johnny Key and the old photos. Keep them coming.
"Ralphie, Senor, muchas gracias por una mas cerveza" -
Scott Daloisio @ the PAS
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June 11, 2009 at
09:51:15 PM
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This message was edited on
June 12, 2009 at
09:20:59 PM by CarWash Mike
1977 Johnny Key results 1) Danny O'Neill, Saratoga 150 laps. 2) Tony Ringo, San Jose 150 laps. 3) Tom Cox, Novato 149 laps. 4) Everett Edlund, Caruthers 149 laps. 5) Mike Sargent, San Jose 148 laps 6) Jerry Freitas, Santa Clara 146 laps. 7) Dana Stahl, Aptos 145 laps. 8) Mike McCann San Jose 144 laps. 9) Howard Kaeding, Campbell 143 laps. 10) Earle Stanton, San Jose 139 laps. 11) Art McCarthy, San Jose 117 laps. 12) Larry Cordeiro San Jose 107 laps. 13) Ernie Rose, San Jose 103 laps. 14) Jack Epperson, Milpitas 102 laps. 15) Pat Holton, San Jose 102 laps. 16) Nick Ringo, San Jose 96 laps. 17) Bob Cetti, Fresno 95 laps. 18) Jerry Thompson, Fresno 75 laps. 19) Lloyd Beard, Monterey 44 laps. 20) Rob Carlotto, Cupertino 45 laps. 21) Chuck Christian, Santa Clara 38 laps. 22) Danny Haulot, Novato 38 laps. 23) Pat Rose, San Jose 36 laps. 24) Ed Hopper, San Jose 20 laps. 25) Johnny Brazil, Manteca 15 laps. 26) Bob Henrich, Santa Clara 10 laps. . Lap leaders - Sargent 1-8; Kaeding 9-38; Edlund 39-65; Kaeding 66-96; Edlund 97-99; O'Neill 100-104; Edlund 105-143; O'Neill 144-150 . Fast Time: Earl Kelley 13.784 . Trophy Dash 4 laps: 1) Sargent. 2) Nick Ringo. 3) Cetti. 4) Brazil . Semi Main 20 laps: 1) Kelley. 2) Beard. 3) Holton. 4) John Stewart, San Jose. 5) Bobby Hunsaker, Fresno. Kelley lacked enough prior appearances to qualify for the Key
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June 11, 2009 at
11:19:07 PM
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I remember this race. O'Neill was mainly a midget driver & was driving the Superior Body Shop midget for Ray Bussell at the time. If I remember correctly somewhere during the race Danny had a relief driver, so even though he didn't run all 150 laps he got credit for the win. Anybody else have info on this?
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June 12, 2009 at
02:15:26 AM
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nope. Bob Barkenhiemer might. Maybe Rick Farren. Maybe Kenny T. good luck finding the scoring sheets, lol
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June 12, 2009 at
03:18:23 AM
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I am so glad that the Ocean promoter continues with this great and traditional race. Thank you!
"Ralphie, Senor, muchas gracias por una mas cerveza" -
Scott Daloisio @ the PAS
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June 12, 2009 at
03:45:42 PM
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Johnny Brazil was the relief driver for O'Neill. I will try to post the story from the Mercury a little later.
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June 12, 2009 at
04:25:39 PM
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That would have been my guess since Brazil only ran 15 laps. I'm also thinking Brazil might have driven the last part of the race and taken the checkered flag, but maybe O'Neill got back in for the last few laps. Did these races have breaks in them? Or was it just red flags that allowed for the driver changes?
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June 12, 2009 at
10:25:40 PM
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This message was edited on
June 12, 2009 at
10:29:17 PM by buzz rightrear
Reply to:
Posted By: laudarevsonhunt on June 12 2009 at 04:25:39 PM
That would have been my guess since Brazil only ran 15 laps. I'm also thinking Brazil might have driven the last part of the race and taken the checkered flag, but maybe O'Neill got back in for the last few laps. Did these races have breaks in them? Or was it just red flags that allowed for the driver changes?
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no breaks but more than a fair share of yellows and reds if i remenber. i was with mike sargent then and we were in the crash with brazil, i thought it was lap 13 though.(maybe i am thinking lap 13 at baylands when the crispy-critter was born. oh well) mike was leading early with howard chasing him. mike let howard go cause he didn't want to give howard a chance to get into his left rear and spin him out (that happened a few times that year, thus the infamous chariot style wheel incident lol).i can't remember if mike was still in 2nd or had dropped back a bit further when brazil spun for some reason and he collected mike who ended up on top of him in turns 3 and 4. i think the leaders were going through lapped traffic. i can't be sure that is exactly correct but that is my story and i'm st-stickin to it! we used the yellows and reds to keep trying to fix damages to the car. it seems to me we had some kind of electrical problem and also the rear end had moved. in those cars there was no rear motor plate. since it had a bell housing and an in-out box bolted to that, the motor mounted in the car pretty much like it would in a regular car. using the stock mounts in the front and bolting the in-out box to the frame like a transmission is bolted to a transmission mount in a normal car. the thing is we could slide the back of the in-out box from side to side in the car to "point" the rear end to make the car turn better in the center of the corner. any way, since we had to restart at the back we took advantage on yellows for mike to come in so we could work on the car then send him back out. we had a hard time fixing the electrical problem. lucky for us we got a long red and we had time to take the cowl off the front of the car and get to the wireing. also we were able to fix the "point" in the rear end too. remember, those cars had full belly pans, so we had to drop the belly pan to get to the bolts under the car to loosen the rear motor mount and use a porta-power between the frame and the in-out box to push it where we wanted it. we managed to finish 5th, two laps down. we won the track championship that year because of our efforts in the key race. that year we not only started every main event, we finished every main event.... no worse than 3rd. except for the key race and the final points race of the year where we finished i believe 11th. mike and nick ringo were nip and tuck in the points and who ever finished in front of the other on the final night would win the points. they both started in the back (that's where the fast cars started back then) and mike followed nick till the end of the race then passed him right at the end to finish one position ahead and win the last championship at the old tully road track. nick ringo would probly say mike "moved" him out of the way. he probly did. there was a lot of that going around that year!
to indy and beyond!!
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June 12, 2009 at
11:26:44 PM
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This message was edited on
June 12, 2009 at
11:28:46 PM by CarWash Mike
Since buzz gave some background info, I'll post the Mercury race day story first. I promise I'll get the recap up later...
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San Jose Mercury July 30, 1977 By Bruce Richardson . Speedway drivers in showcase race. . Johnny Key may be remembered for the last time at San Jose Speedway tonight in a long-distance short-track race that has become a classic. . Twenty-six select drivers, including an unusually large number - seven - of first time starters, go to the post at 8:15 p.m. at the Speedway in what has become a showcase for super modified auto racing. . All but two drivers in the field for the 24th running of the 150-lap marathon qualified during the last month in increments of six, based on their finishing positions in shorter feature races. The last two vacancies will be filled tonight by the first two finishers in the 20-lap semi-main event, customarily one of the most fiercely-contested races of the year. . A five-lap trophy dash and time trials for those who haven't qualified for the memorial race will precede the main event. . Gates to the track open at 2 o'clock and practice will follow three hours later. . Mike Sargent of San Jose, an eight-year veteran who has injected a feud with two-time Key Memorial winner Howard Kaeding into the race, and Chuck Christian of Santa Clara will lead the field to the starting flag. . The race is named for a hardtop driver from Salinas whom Sargent's father raced against before Key was killed in a midget racing accident in July of 1954. . This Key race holds the most promise for the 26-year-old Sargent. He has the best ride he has had - the Frankie Luongo Chevrolet, is starting on the pole and takes a four-race win streak into the event. He has won six features at the track this year. Even the numbers seem right for him. He drives the No. 7, it's his 7th appearance in the series and it's the year 1977. . "I'm going to try to run in the 13.80s (seconds, which is 86.956 miles per hour). That's what it is going to take to win it," said Sargent. "My father (retired 1960, '63 winner Marshall Sargent) told me to run the car as hard as it will go, first lap to last lap. I've got a 50-50 chance. If I don't win it, I'll be in the pits." . The Key Memorial series might come to an end after tonight because the Speedway is expected to be replaced by a mobile home park and mini-storage facility. . Three former winners are in this year's field, Kaeding, Everett Edlund, one of the best distance race competitors in the line-up, and San Jose's Tony Ringo who was the surprise winner of last year's race. . Other contenders include Nick Ringo, the former state champion who has a pair of wins at the track this year; Johnny Brazil of Manteca, also a two-time winner this season; Christian and Earle Stanton, both with one win each, and Ed Hopper, the occasional racer who finished third in 1973 and establishes a steady pace in distance races. . Lap prize money posted, some $750, and $1,000 in contingency money could push the total purse over the 1974 record of $14,070. The attendance record of 6,777 was established in 1970. . The race record for 150 laps (37.5 miles) is 41 minutes, 56.10 seconds.
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June 12, 2009 at
11:57:08 PM
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Reply to:
Posted By: CarWash Mike on June 12 2009 at 11:26:44 PM
Since buzz gave some background info, I'll post the Mercury race day story first. I promise I'll get the recap up later...
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San Jose Mercury July 30, 1977 By Bruce Richardson . Speedway drivers in showcase race. . Johnny Key may be remembered for the last time at San Jose Speedway tonight in a long-distance short-track race that has become a classic. . Twenty-six select drivers, including an unusually large number - seven - of first time starters, go to the post at 8:15 p.m. at the Speedway in what has become a showcase for super modified auto racing. . All but two drivers in the field for the 24th running of the 150-lap marathon qualified during the last month in increments of six, based on their finishing positions in shorter feature races. The last two vacancies will be filled tonight by the first two finishers in the 20-lap semi-main event, customarily one of the most fiercely-contested races of the year. . A five-lap trophy dash and time trials for those who haven't qualified for the memorial race will precede the main event. . Gates to the track open at 2 o'clock and practice will follow three hours later. . Mike Sargent of San Jose, an eight-year veteran who has injected a feud with two-time Key Memorial winner Howard Kaeding into the race, and Chuck Christian of Santa Clara will lead the field to the starting flag. . The race is named for a hardtop driver from Salinas whom Sargent's father raced against before Key was killed in a midget racing accident in July of 1954. . This Key race holds the most promise for the 26-year-old Sargent. He has the best ride he has had - the Frankie Luongo Chevrolet, is starting on the pole and takes a four-race win streak into the event. He has won six features at the track this year. Even the numbers seem right for him. He drives the No. 7, it's his 7th appearance in the series and it's the year 1977. . "I'm going to try to run in the 13.80s (seconds, which is 86.956 miles per hour). That's what it is going to take to win it," said Sargent. "My father (retired 1960, '63 winner Marshall Sargent) told me to run the car as hard as it will go, first lap to last lap. I've got a 50-50 chance. If I don't win it, I'll be in the pits." . The Key Memorial series might come to an end after tonight because the Speedway is expected to be replaced by a mobile home park and mini-storage facility. . Three former winners are in this year's field, Kaeding, Everett Edlund, one of the best distance race competitors in the line-up, and San Jose's Tony Ringo who was the surprise winner of last year's race. . Other contenders include Nick Ringo, the former state champion who has a pair of wins at the track this year; Johnny Brazil of Manteca, also a two-time winner this season; Christian and Earle Stanton, both with one win each, and Ed Hopper, the occasional racer who finished third in 1973 and establishes a steady pace in distance races. . Lap prize money posted, some $750, and $1,000 in contingency money could push the total purse over the 1974 record of $14,070. The attendance record of 6,777 was established in 1970. . The race record for 150 laps (37.5 miles) is 41 minutes, 56.10 seconds.
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there were three former winners in that key race. this year there there is a good chance there will be five.
to indy and beyond!!
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June 14, 2009 at
02:19:56 PM
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San Jose Mercury
. August 1, 1977 . By Bruce Richardson . Long, hot, accident-strewn road to success . . The moon was full, the temperature uncomfortable, and the place jammed to near-capacity. . All of which made the 24th, and possibly the last, running off the Johnny Key Memorial for super modifieds on Saturday night one of the most fascinating, bizarre and prolonged meets in the series at San Jose Speedway. . There were eight changes of the lead among four drivers before Danny O'Neill of Saratoga darted past injured flagman Jack Houston's unfurled checkered in a car that had been driven for 49 laps (from 48th to the 99th) by Johnny Brazil. . Brazil's own mount had been damaged in a crash with pole sitter Mike Sargent of San Jose on the 16th lap. Sargent was tapped from behind by rookie Pat Rose, causing his car to spin in the north turn. Sargent kept his foot buried on the throttle trying to maneuver the car in the right direction. Instead, it went straight up the banking to the fence where Brazil was trying to get by on the outside. . "I was just taking it easy, staying out of trouble," said Brazil. "So what happens, up pops trouble." . Quick repair work got Sargent back in the race. (CarWash note: I am leaving out a paragraph here that may have been relevant at the time but really, it serves no purpose to repeat it now. Buzz may recall what happened but I am choosing to leave it out) . Brazil meanwhile thought he was through for the night. . "Why don't you see if you can relieve somebody?" asked a track worker. "Now who is going to want to give up his car?" Brazil sighed. . Well, O'Neill want to. . When the field was red-flagged on the 48th lap by Houston, holding an ice pack because a part had come off a car and struck him in the right eye, O'Neill, too, was in pain. An exhaust pipe leak had irritated and burned his leg and foot. Brazil, it was decided, would take over until the race was stopped again, if it was stopped. . The Gary Warner Chevrolet was 13th when the race was restarted. Brazil moved it up to third. . Then, on the 99th lap, when O'Neill got back in the seat, the car took the lead. Everett Edlund and Howard Kaeding, running 1-2, both, astonishingly, had to pit before a restart to replace flat tires. . O'Neill led for five laps before a blown engine and flash fire in Jack Epperson's car brought out another red flag. . It also put Everett Edlund back in the lead. . Incredibly, O'Neill had to go to the pits to replace a flat tire. . "I didn't know whether I had enough time to change the tire and get back out before they restarted," he said later. "One minute I'm leading the race. The next minute I'm in the pits changing a tire. Then, this crewman collapses and I've got a break." . A crewman suffered from heat exhaustion. An ambulance took him to Alexian Bros. hospital, delaying the race further because a second ambulance already had left the Speedway with a spectator who had an apparent heart attack. . After an ambulance returned the race resumed, half the field of 26 starters was still running when a yellow light came on just four laps later when Pat Holton's engine exploded. It was a tough break for the San Jose veteran who had transferred into the race from the semi-main event, started last and had worked up to eighth. . What followed was incredible. . Edlund and Kaeding became entangled in one of the most dramatic duels the Speedway has ever had. Kaeding, from Campbell, dropped off the pace slightly on the 128th lap, but began to make a run at the durable Edlund with 10 laps to go. He was driving scaringly fast into the turns, deeper than most would dare to go before getting off the throttle. . He was too eager. . Kaeding tried to dart under Edlund coming off the south turn on lap 143. Kaeding's car slammed into Edlund's, bouncing it into the air. . Kaeding was through and not even around after the race to tell his side of it. He was resting in his motorhome, it was said. . Edlund was able to restart, but now was fourth. . And O'Neill, the point leader in the Bay Cities Racing Association midget racing standings and winner of last May's Little Indy midget race at the Speedway, had it made. . He finished well ahead of last year's winner, Tony Ringo, whose successes in the marathon can't be considered flukes, and Tom Cox of Novato. . "I couldn't believe it when I saw those two (Kaeding and Edlund) up there," said the 34-year-old O'Neill. "I knew I was running as fast as they were, but I just didn't think I had enough time to catch them." (CarWash calls B.S. here because if he was running as fast as they were he wouldn't have been half a lap behind them.) "This should go down as a co-win definitely," said O'Neill, John (Brazil) did a great job. . "It was definitely hot in the car," said Brazil. "Naw, I don't think we should be considered co-winners. I figure it was his race." . Edlund was his usual calm self. . "It shouldn't have happened." he said of the accident. "I got hit so hard I thought I was never going to come down. You don't expect to get hit that far out of the corner." . Edlund, a strongly religious man, didn't say anything to Kaeding. "What does it help? You just lower yourself another notch."
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June 14, 2009 at
04:17:42 PM
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Reply to:
Posted By: CarWash Mike on June 14 2009 at 02:19:56 PM
San Jose Mercury
. August 1, 1977 . By Bruce Richardson . Long, hot, accident-strewn road to success . . The moon was full, the temperature uncomfortable, and the place jammed to near-capacity. . All of which made the 24th, and possibly the last, running off the Johnny Key Memorial for super modifieds on Saturday night one of the most fascinating, bizarre and prolonged meets in the series at San Jose Speedway. . There were eight changes of the lead among four drivers before Danny O'Neill of Saratoga darted past injured flagman Jack Houston's unfurled checkered in a car that had been driven for 49 laps (from 48th to the 99th) by Johnny Brazil. . Brazil's own mount had been damaged in a crash with pole sitter Mike Sargent of San Jose on the 16th lap. Sargent was tapped from behind by rookie Pat Rose, causing his car to spin in the north turn. Sargent kept his foot buried on the throttle trying to maneuver the car in the right direction. Instead, it went straight up the banking to the fence where Brazil was trying to get by on the outside. . "I was just taking it easy, staying out of trouble," said Brazil. "So what happens, up pops trouble." . Quick repair work got Sargent back in the race. (CarWash note: I am leaving out a paragraph here that may have been relevant at the time but really, it serves no purpose to repeat it now. Buzz may recall what happened but I am choosing to leave it out) . Brazil meanwhile thought he was through for the night. . "Why don't you see if you can relieve somebody?" asked a track worker. "Now who is going to want to give up his car?" Brazil sighed. . Well, O'Neill want to. . When the field was red-flagged on the 48th lap by Houston, holding an ice pack because a part had come off a car and struck him in the right eye, O'Neill, too, was in pain. An exhaust pipe leak had irritated and burned his leg and foot. Brazil, it was decided, would take over until the race was stopped again, if it was stopped. . The Gary Warner Chevrolet was 13th when the race was restarted. Brazil moved it up to third. . Then, on the 99th lap, when O'Neill got back in the seat, the car took the lead. Everett Edlund and Howard Kaeding, running 1-2, both, astonishingly, had to pit before a restart to replace flat tires. . O'Neill led for five laps before a blown engine and flash fire in Jack Epperson's car brought out another red flag. . It also put Everett Edlund back in the lead. . Incredibly, O'Neill had to go to the pits to replace a flat tire. . "I didn't know whether I had enough time to change the tire and get back out before they restarted," he said later. "One minute I'm leading the race. The next minute I'm in the pits changing a tire. Then, this crewman collapses and I've got a break." . A crewman suffered from heat exhaustion. An ambulance took him to Alexian Bros. hospital, delaying the race further because a second ambulance already had left the Speedway with a spectator who had an apparent heart attack. . After an ambulance returned the race resumed, half the field of 26 starters was still running when a yellow light came on just four laps later when Pat Holton's engine exploded. It was a tough break for the San Jose veteran who had transferred into the race from the semi-main event, started last and had worked up to eighth. . What followed was incredible. . Edlund and Kaeding became entangled in one of the most dramatic duels the Speedway has ever had. Kaeding, from Campbell, dropped off the pace slightly on the 128th lap, but began to make a run at the durable Edlund with 10 laps to go. He was driving scaringly fast into the turns, deeper than most would dare to go before getting off the throttle. . He was too eager. . Kaeding tried to dart under Edlund coming off the south turn on lap 143. Kaeding's car slammed into Edlund's, bouncing it into the air. . Kaeding was through and not even around after the race to tell his side of it. He was resting in his motorhome, it was said. . Edlund was able to restart, but now was fourth. . And O'Neill, the point leader in the Bay Cities Racing Association midget racing standings and winner of last May's Little Indy midget race at the Speedway, had it made. . He finished well ahead of last year's winner, Tony Ringo, whose successes in the marathon can't be considered flukes, and Tom Cox of Novato. . "I couldn't believe it when I saw those two (Kaeding and Edlund) up there," said the 34-year-old O'Neill. "I knew I was running as fast as they were, but I just didn't think I had enough time to catch them." (CarWash calls B.S. here because if he was running as fast as they were he wouldn't have been half a lap behind them.) "This should go down as a co-win definitely," said O'Neill, John (Brazil) did a great job. . "It was definitely hot in the car," said Brazil. "Naw, I don't think we should be considered co-winners. I figure it was his race." . Edlund was his usual calm self. . "It shouldn't have happened." he said of the accident. "I got hit so hard I thought I was never going to come down. You don't expect to get hit that far out of the corner." . Edlund, a strongly religious man, didn't say anything to Kaeding. "What does it help? You just lower yourself another notch."
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(CarWash note: I am leaving out a paragraph here that may have been relevant at the time but really, it serves no purpose to repeat it now. Buzz may recall what happened but I am choosing to leave it out)
nope car wash i got nuthin. i didn't even remember correctly what caused mike and JB to be involved in the crash together. i'm not even sure who ended up on top of who in the crash. i just remember mike was upset that he backed off and let howard go (mike figured howard would run into anything that was in front of him and edlund found out he was right) and just ride for awhile and then got caught up in a crash.
to indy and beyond!!
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June 14, 2009 at
07:16:30 PM
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My memory is a little fuzzy too buzz but I recall Rose getting in to the back of Mike (maybe cuz Mike was backing off to let Howard go. Yeah right, like Mike never ran in to anyone that year. haha) causing him to spin. Back in the day some of the good drivers could keep their foot in it, spin a 360, and keep going without missing a beat. I remember Mike spinning, keeping his foot in it, but only pulled off a 270 and heading right towards the wall. Brazil was shooting for the hole but it quickly closed.
As for stops during the race, none were scheduled, but close to the 50 and 100 lap marks, any little thing brought out a red flag, which allowed the cars to be refueled .
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June 14, 2009 at
09:23:55 PM
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Reply to:
Posted By: CarWash Mike on June 14 2009 at 07:16:30 PM
My memory is a little fuzzy too buzz but I recall Rose getting in to the back of Mike (maybe cuz Mike was backing off to let Howard go. Yeah right, like Mike never ran in to anyone that year. haha) causing him to spin. Back in the day some of the good drivers could keep their foot in it, spin a 360, and keep going without missing a beat. I remember Mike spinning, keeping his foot in it, but only pulled off a 270 and heading right towards the wall. Brazil was shooting for the hole but it quickly closed.
As for stops during the race, none were scheduled, but close to the 50 and 100 lap marks, any little thing brought out a red flag, which allowed the cars to be refueled .
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car wash, while no one could ever accuse mike of being a choir boy, there was a reason we had to lay a "chariot style wheel" in our pits that year to get the 'ol man to lay off our left rear. but hey, even back then some of my best friends were kaeding fans. talk about some post race conversations!
to indy and beyond!!
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June 14, 2009 at
10:09:07 PM
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I never saw the chariot wheel, just remember reading about the fine. I always assumed it was on the right rear.
So do you have any pictures of Mike's 1977 car? Still the best looking Super or Sprint I've ever seen.
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