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Topic: Tulsa Speedway mystery death in the 60s/70s Email this topic to a friend | Subscribe to this TopicReport this Topic to Moderator
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TulsaTV
MyWebsite
November 29, 2008 at 11:46:29 AM
Joined: 11/29/2008
Posts: 9
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Hi,

A reader at my web site made a claim that I and other readers can't substantiate. What do you think about it? Does anyone remember an incident like this at the Tulsa Speedway?

Here it is:

------------

In the late 1960s or early 1970s, I don't remember what year, I and others, even if they didn't realize it, witnessed a murder at The Tulsa Speedway at the fairgrounds.

There was a new guy driving a previously-owned sprint car that had belonged to A. J. Foyt. It had been carbureted from the original fuel-injected system in order to get it into the Super Modified category and was a speed demon and the driver was sharp.

After a few heats that the new guy had won, he was ganged up on by some locals. They tried blocking him but they couldn't get around him. He was just too fast and a better driver.

During the last heat of the night, because of the death, coming into turn #3 one local driver deliberately clipped his left-rear tire, which launched him up over the wall and killed him when he came smashing down on the other side. The local drivers involved were happy and nothing more was said about it other than, "It was a real tragedy," or some such BS.

I was around some of the drivers involved after that and caught their drift. There was no mistaking the hit on the guy because it was exactly at the right place at the right moment. The guy sitting next to me also knew what they had done. I can remember how it played out, but I can't remember who was involved because everything was going so fast and we soon forgot who was driving what when it happened. No charges were filed.




Racing From The Past
MyWebsite
November 29, 2008 at 02:38:26 PM
Joined: 12/04/2004
Posts: 2303
Reply
This message was edited on November 29, 2008 at 02:42:21 PM by Racing From The Past

I have been a viewer of the Tulsa TV website. It is very interesting and I'm not even from Tulsa. Every once and a while racing is the topic over there. http://guestbooks.pathfinder.gr/read/tulsatv The link will let you read the responses the story.

 


Warren Vincent
Cans 4 Kansas Heroes

brian26
November 29, 2008 at 06:19:10 PM
Joined: 12/03/2006
Posts: 7918
Reply
Reply to:
Posted By: TulsaTV on November 29 2008 at 11:46:29 AM

Hi,

A reader at my web site made a claim that I and other readers can't substantiate. What do you think about it? Does anyone remember an incident like this at the Tulsa Speedway?

Here it is:

------------

In the late 1960s or early 1970s, I don't remember what year, I and others, even if they didn't realize it, witnessed a murder at The Tulsa Speedway at the fairgrounds.

There was a new guy driving a previously-owned sprint car that had belonged to A. J. Foyt. It had been carbureted from the original fuel-injected system in order to get it into the Super Modified category and was a speed demon and the driver was sharp.

After a few heats that the new guy had won, he was ganged up on by some locals. They tried blocking him but they couldn't get around him. He was just too fast and a better driver.

During the last heat of the night, because of the death, coming into turn #3 one local driver deliberately clipped his left-rear tire, which launched him up over the wall and killed him when he came smashing down on the other side. The local drivers involved were happy and nothing more was said about it other than, "It was a real tragedy," or some such BS.

I was around some of the drivers involved after that and caught their drift. There was no mistaking the hit on the guy because it was exactly at the right place at the right moment. The guy sitting next to me also knew what they had done. I can remember how it played out, but I can't remember who was involved because everything was going so fast and we soon forgot who was driving what when it happened. No charges were filed.



From what I've known about this sport in this part of the country-

An asswhipping is way different than killing someone. Had that happened just as the writer claimed in the other website, things would have been a lot different today.

The lesson I keep learning is that my "impressions" from 30+ years ago often fail to match up to reality. I have not heard of anyone making this claim.

Also,just because the guy supposedly had an ex "AJ Foyt sprinter", does NOT mean the guy was fast because of it. Even Smokey Yunick stated that as long as the cars were hard to drive, AJ had an upper hand. Only after the cars got to handling easier did it become harder for Foyt to dominate.

Can't recall any murderous drivers, but I can recall several misguided fans who like to cause trouble due to "catching the drift" in the wrong manner.

 





Racing From The Past
MyWebsite
November 29, 2008 at 06:41:07 PM
Joined: 12/04/2004
Posts: 2303
Reply

My guess is maybe something like that happened? But nobody probably died? Stories tend to get stretched over the years.

I don't know since the web site started how many viewers have e-mailed insisting drivers died in 74 Hutch fire.


Warren Vincent
Cans 4 Kansas Heroes

TulsaTV
MyWebsite
November 30, 2008 at 10:03:02 AM
Joined: 11/29/2008
Posts: 9
Reply
This message was edited on November 30, 2008 at 02:51:10 PM by TulsaTV
Reply to:
Posted By: Racing From The Past on November 29 2008 at 02:38:26 PM

I have been a viewer of the Tulsa TV website. It is very interesting and I'm not even from Tulsa. Every once and a while racing is the topic over there. http://guestbooks.pathfinder.gr/read/tulsatv The link will let you read the responses the story.

 



The original post and follow-ups are now archived at http://tulsatvmemories.com/gb113008.html To save you the trouble of going there and having to pick out the relevant items, here they all are in time order.

New comments will appear in http://guestbooks.pathfinder.gr/read/tulsatv

-------------------------------

November 23 2008 at 06:44:13
Name: (original writer)
Topic: Tulsa Speedway
Comments: In the late 1960s or early 1970s, I don't remember what year, I and others, even if they didn't realize it, witnessed a murder at The Tulsa Speedway at the fairgrounds.

There was a new guy driving a previously-owned sprint car that had belonged to A. J. Foyt. It had been carbureted from the original fuel-injected system in order to get it into the Super Modified category and was a speed demon and the driver was sharp.

After a few heats that the new guy had won, he was ganged up on by some locals. They tried blocking him but they couldn't get around him. He was just too fast and a better driver.

During the last heat of the night, because of the death, coming into turn #3 one local driver deliberately clipped his left-rear tire, which launched him up over the wall and killed him when he came smashing down on the other side. The local drivers involved were happy and nothing more was said about it other than, "It was a real tragedy," or some such BS.

I was around some of the drivers involved after that and caught their drift. There was no mistaking the hit on the guy because it was exactly at the right place at the right moment. The guy sitting next to me also knew what they had done. I can remember how it played out, but I can't remember who was involved because everything was going so fast and we soon forgot who was driving what when it happened. No charges were filed.


November 23 2008 at 12:50:10
Name: K. Bolen
Topic: Tulsa Speedway - Early Years
Email: [email protected]
Comments: During the period of racing between '61 and '66, Tulsa Speedway experienced three deaths. Bill Dillard, whose family is still involved and races IMCA modifieds and street stocks around the Arkansas and Oklahoma area, was fatally injured in '61. Leroy Ellis died in '65, and Ron Lux, who was from the East Coast died in '66. He was the Oswego (NY) 1965 Supermodified Champion (which their version is totally different than Tulsa's and race on asphalt).

The track changed to the 5/8 mile after '72. Jeff Sykes lost his life during the start of race in '75. If I'm not mistaken, Jeff had flipped his car earlier and suffered a broken leg and concussion in which he flipped again (almost in the same manner and circumstance) a few races later and suffered his fatal injuries. I also seem to think one or both were captured on film as well during those years.


November 23 2008 at 14:26:02
Name: Lee Woodward
Topic: Fairgrounds Racing
Comments: K. Bolen's recalling the unfortunate deaths associated with racing at the fairgrounds exceeds my memories of the years I was the track announcer for Dick Colvin Racing. That would be: 1964 maybe, '65 and '66 for sure.

I remember the name Leroy Ellis but not his demise. The only one I remember vividly was when the sprint cars came for the first time to Colvin Racing.

I remember that Mario Andretti was there and some other Indy types whose names I can't remember. Assisting me (happily) in the announce tower was fellow Texan, Johnny Rutherford. That happy circumstance was because he had broken his arm and couldn't drive.

I can't remember which heat race it was, but a driver named Ron Lux came out of turn four, got out of control on the short straight and headed for the steel rails that ran around the sides of the track down towards turn one. His car's front right wheel dug in and threw his car in the air. It then barrel-rolled down the top of the rails very rapidly, just about, if not right in the cockpit area.

Johnny indicated to me to turn off the mike, then said to me: "He bought it." Then he said not to mention that possibility and that we would would just fill with race info, etc. and wait for official information as the driver would be taken to the hospital for evaluation.

This, by the way, was before there were cages and wings on Sprint cars. But, I don't think it would have made any difference. It was a sad evening for all of us and especially for the family of Ron Lux.

The modified cars that ran at that time could get pretty exciting, but sprint cars were really intense.

I am happy to say, that was the only tragedy I was witness to. There were others that came after non-fatal injuries to change the lives forever for other drivers.


November 23 2008 at 14:52:10
Name: Kenny Bolen
Topic: Tulsa Speedway - Early Years
Email: [email protected]
Comments: Thanks Mr. Woodward for your insight. I was much too young at the time to remember a lot about the earlier days. I was lucky enough to be present later in life with the Cagles (father and son), the Crawfords, Lemmons, Hahns and countless others on their memories.

Also included with the Rutherfords where Lloyd Ruby (another Texan), the Unsers now and then, a Bettenhausen now and then, and the forementioned Andretti.


November 25 2008 at 21:59:59
Name: Tom Horn
Topic: Tulsa Speedway correction
Email: gethenet at aol dot com
Comments: I can't let the story that (original writer) wrote go on without contesting it. I'm not sure I ever did or ever will know any driver that would have put a hit on anyone at the Tulsa Speedway. The story is so full of holes that this writer couldn't make up his mind whether the driver was leading or following the pack.

I am ashamed that I cannot remember the street stock driver that died in my years there but there were only 4 other deaths on the track in my years. I knew each of them more than I should and miss them all. Len Perlich, Junior Taft, Jeff Sykes, and Gene Daniels. These were the only deaths between 1971 and 1983 when I was there driving the ambulance. Each one had extreme injuries and none were taken out by any hit.

The thought of accusing any one driver(s) of a hit makes me sick and to have someone say it is very offensive. If you have more to say please don't blog it. God rest all of them.


November 25 2008 at 23:28:56
Name: (original writer)
Topic: Tulsa Speedway
Comments: To Tom Horn:

I was there and saw it. He was deliberately hit and went up over the wall and it was reported he died. I was sitting with Bob Bachtell, of the Tulsa racing LeRoy Bachtell family, and he saw and heard the same things. I said I didn't remember if it was in the late 1960s or the early 1970s. I would have mostly been at the races in the late 1960s. The guy got hit. And I did say that the guy was 'leading the pack': "They tried blocking him but they couldn't get around him. He was just too fast and a better driver." I was mistaken about the turn number. It was turn number 4, after I thought about it. Do you not remember the knock down, drag out fights in the pits? That was a separate entertainment. Clipping someone was nothing new on the track. It's just that that time, someone died and it very much looked of malice. Go ahead and be sick, but don't mis-quote me or call me a liar, because apparently you weren't there at the time.

TTM Webmaster: Ron Lux' crash was on turn 4, according to Lee Woodward. Are you saying it was his crash that you saw?

Here is a list of fatalities at the Tulsa Fairgrounds from Motorsport Memorial. Lux (1966) and Ellis (1965) appear to be the only ones close to the specified time frame.


November 26 2008 at 09:36:59
Name: Frank Morrow
Topic: Racing deaths
Email: frank.morrowatcoxdotnet
Comments: You can go back even farther in time to find more driver deaths in the midgets at the fairgrounds race track. In the late '40s, George Koch was killed when his car flipped end-over-end down the front straight. Lucky Purnell died when his car did a slow rollover coming out of turn four in a feature race. There was no damage to the car except a small indentation in the driver's side where Purnell's racer rolled over his head. During these years there were no roll cages or bars on the cars and the drivers didn't use full safety belt restraints.

As to rough driving, there was only one driver who was considered "dirty." George Binnie, a track champion, had developed the art of "nerfing" cars out of the way. He would tap the left rear of the opponent's car and spin him out, but not enough to cause a wreck. Binnie could always get by safely. George was roundly hated by other drivers and the fans in the grandstand.

For the most part the drivers had to be circumspect in their driving because of the lack of safety features that we now have. That restraint has changed today in the era of roll cages, full safety belt restraints, and fuel cell bladders. At the Chili Bowl it is not unusual to have fourteen cars flip in one evening, accidents that would have killed most drivers back in the '40s and '50s.


November 27 2008 at 13:29:05
Name: Tom Horn
Topic: Racing Deaths
Email: gethenetataoldotcom
Comments: (To original writer): If in fact there was a death of the sort you are accusing, then certainly you would know the name of the deceased. If you could provide that, then it might lend credence to your story. However, until that is provided, your story will always be in question. If not, then there could still be charges filed if your story is found to have any substance.

The names of the deaths provided are also inconclusive as they have left off Van Beber and the street stock driver I mentioned earlier.

Side note to Lee, Johnny Rutherford had both arms broken when you and he did the track announcing. I have a picture in one my Open Wheel magazines that shows his arms flailing in the air as he is about 15 feet in the air.

Some of the information provided here is from Mark Champion who wrote for the Speedway news.

TTM Webmaster: I must agree with Tom. With no name and no corroboration, this dire interpretation of a 40-years-distant event has to be regarded skeptically.


November 29 2008 at 07:08:42
Name: K. Bolen
Topic: Tulsa Speedway
Email: [email protected]
Comments: Hi Tom. I'm not real sure, but I believe the street stock driver who was fatally injured had the name CW Whorton or Horton. I can't be sure but I can tell you that I still have the original program in my mom's attic back in Broken Arrow, OK along with a huge collection of Open Wheel! Speaking of, I have the first copy (in a frame and intact) hanging on my wall as I type this! *LOL*

This accident was one to prompt stricter material and welding requirements for the full bodied cars. As I remember, the vehicle was struck on the door and the roll cage failed. At that time, the steet stocks raced earlier on Saturday. We had just gotten to the track when the accident happened.

Also, I can't recall the accident in question here or remember a story from any of the drivers or track personal about it (and I knew quite a few). Especially if it was a sprint race in which many of the locals didn't own sprint cars but had supermodifieds.



brian26
November 30, 2008 at 02:57:08 PM
Joined: 12/03/2006
Posts: 7918
Reply
Reply to:
Posted By: TulsaTV on November 29 2008 at 11:46:29 AM

Hi,

A reader at my web site made a claim that I and other readers can't substantiate. What do you think about it? Does anyone remember an incident like this at the Tulsa Speedway?

Here it is:

------------

In the late 1960s or early 1970s, I don't remember what year, I and others, even if they didn't realize it, witnessed a murder at The Tulsa Speedway at the fairgrounds.

There was a new guy driving a previously-owned sprint car that had belonged to A. J. Foyt. It had been carbureted from the original fuel-injected system in order to get it into the Super Modified category and was a speed demon and the driver was sharp.

After a few heats that the new guy had won, he was ganged up on by some locals. They tried blocking him but they couldn't get around him. He was just too fast and a better driver.

During the last heat of the night, because of the death, coming into turn #3 one local driver deliberately clipped his left-rear tire, which launched him up over the wall and killed him when he came smashing down on the other side. The local drivers involved were happy and nothing more was said about it other than, "It was a real tragedy," or some such BS.

I was around some of the drivers involved after that and caught their drift. There was no mistaking the hit on the guy because it was exactly at the right place at the right moment. The guy sitting next to me also knew what they had done. I can remember how it played out, but I can't remember who was involved because everything was going so fast and we soon forgot who was driving what when it happened. No charges were filed.



Another reason for me to question the guy that wrote this is he keeps talking about multiple heats for each driver in ONE night. This guy is not striking me as a knowledgeable fan. a death may have occurred, but killing someone simply because of being fast in such a short amount of time and then rejoicing over it,is not a mindset I've been picking up on my radar. Never have.

 





Racing From The Past
MyWebsite
November 30, 2008 at 11:22:22 PM
Joined: 12/04/2004
Posts: 2303
Reply

In the book The American Dirt Track Racer by Joe Scalzo "Ron Lux got in the way of himself and tried something that didn't work on Arnie Knepper. Arnie escaped, but Ron took a fatal flip".

What does that mean tried something that didn't work on Arnie Knepper?

Was Ron an outsider trying to run with USAC?


Warren Vincent
Cans 4 Kansas Heroes

TulsaTV
MyWebsite
December 01, 2008 at 06:46:14 AM
Joined: 11/29/2008
Posts: 9
Reply
This message was edited on December 01, 2008 at 06:47:51 AM by TulsaTV
Reply to:
Posted By: Racing From The Past on November 30 2008 at 11:22:22 PM

In the book The American Dirt Track Racer by Joe Scalzo "Ron Lux got in the way of himself and tried something that didn't work on Arnie Knepper. Arnie escaped, but Ron took a fatal flip".

What does that mean tried something that didn't work on Arnie Knepper?

Was Ron an outsider trying to run with USAC?



I saw that, too, but the book portrays the event as occurring at Olympic Stadium in Kansas City, so I wonder how accurate the account is. The following paragraph says the next stop was Tulsa, where supposedly nothing happened. Here is a link to the excerpt at Google Books.



Sprint97
December 01, 2008 at 10:14:30 AM
Joined: 03/19/2007
Posts: 253
Reply

I have been reading this message since it was posted. I ran at Olympic Stadium every Sunday night & any other racing night & Ron Lux did not run there from 1961 until his death. He was killed in Tulsa during a USAC sprint race in 1966. I think it was in 1966, the same year Jud Larson, Red Regel Don Branson & several other USAC drivers were killed in sprint cars.

Luther Brewer




Sprint97
December 01, 2008 at 10:20:18 AM
Joined: 03/19/2007
Posts: 253
Reply
Reply to:
Posted By: brian26 on November 30 2008 at 02:57:08 PM

Another reason for me to question the guy that wrote this is he keeps talking about multiple heats for each driver in ONE night. This guy is not striking me as a knowledgeable fan. a death may have occurred, but killing someone simply because of being fast in such a short amount of time and then rejoicing over it,is not a mindset I've been picking up on my radar. Never have.

 



Brian26,... I agree with you on this one. I have been around racing since 1948 as a spectator & involved from 1961 through mid 80s.

Luther Brewer



Sprint97
December 01, 2008 at 12:00:42 PM
Joined: 03/19/2007
Posts: 253
Reply
This message was edited on December 01, 2008 at 12:02:20 PM by Sprint97

Ron Lux was killed at Tulsa 3/8 mile track track July 16, 1966 in a USAC sprint car. He was 26 years old.

Luther Brewer



miketx
December 01, 2008 at 12:02:42 PM
Joined: 01/07/2008
Posts: 50
Reply

The only incident I can ever remember that happened in Tulsa, and it was in the early sixties, was when Harvey Shane ran Al Lemmons into the fence, flipping him several times. Shane was banned from Tulsa after that. Al's car landed on top of the catch fence. Go to Danley Clow's site and click on Al Lemmons and he has a couple of pictures of the aftermath. Could this be the incident the original poster is talking about? Al wasn't killed, of course, but he was out for a while. That was the first time I knew the blood rushed to your head in a flip and gave you black eyes.

As for the Ron Lux deal...Do any of you guys remember that Arnie Knepper was involved in a lot of incidents? I don't know why that keeps sticking in my mind.

One more thing...I've been to hundreds of races, and the Lemmons/Shane incident was the ONLY time I can ever remember one driver trying to hurt another intentionally.

 

mike




TulsaTV
MyWebsite
December 01, 2008 at 12:17:21 PM
Joined: 11/29/2008
Posts: 9
Reply
Reply to:
Posted By: miketx on December 01 2008 at 12:02:42 PM

The only incident I can ever remember that happened in Tulsa, and it was in the early sixties, was when Harvey Shane ran Al Lemmons into the fence, flipping him several times. Shane was banned from Tulsa after that. Al's car landed on top of the catch fence. Go to Danley Clow's site and click on Al Lemmons and he has a couple of pictures of the aftermath. Could this be the incident the original poster is talking about? Al wasn't killed, of course, but he was out for a while. That was the first time I knew the blood rushed to your head in a flip and gave you black eyes.

As for the Ron Lux deal...Do any of you guys remember that Arnie Knepper was involved in a lot of incidents? I don't know why that keeps sticking in my mind.

One more thing...I've been to hundreds of races, and the Lemmons/Shane incident was the ONLY time I can ever remember one driver trying to hurt another intentionally.

 

mike



Seems plausible, but the poster is insistent that it must have been in the late 1960s / early 1970s.

I thought Danley Clow's name sounded familiar. He has triplet daughters and a son I remember from my grade school days. And he has a photo of the Greer Stereo Tape Center in Tulsa that will be of interest on my site. Johnny Rutherford, mentioned above by Lee Woodward, is also pictured.



Racing From The Past
MyWebsite
December 01, 2008 at 12:20:56 PM
Joined: 12/04/2004
Posts: 2303
Reply

I have heard that story Mike. I should have saved the hundreds (if not thousands) of e-mails but with computers crashing over the years most were lost. I believe I have had the story e-mailed at least 3 times from Tulsa viewers.


Warren Vincent
Cans 4 Kansas Heroes

Sprint97
December 01, 2008 at 02:02:06 PM
Joined: 03/19/2007
Posts: 253
Reply
This message was edited on December 02, 2008 at 08:09:01 AM by Sprint97
Reply to:
Posted By: miketx on December 01 2008 at 12:02:42 PM

The only incident I can ever remember that happened in Tulsa, and it was in the early sixties, was when Harvey Shane ran Al Lemmons into the fence, flipping him several times. Shane was banned from Tulsa after that. Al's car landed on top of the catch fence. Go to Danley Clow's site and click on Al Lemmons and he has a couple of pictures of the aftermath. Could this be the incident the original poster is talking about? Al wasn't killed, of course, but he was out for a while. That was the first time I knew the blood rushed to your head in a flip and gave you black eyes.

As for the Ron Lux deal...Do any of you guys remember that Arnie Knepper was involved in a lot of incidents? I don't know why that keeps sticking in my mind.

One more thing...I've been to hundreds of races, and the Lemmons/Shane incident was the ONLY time I can ever remember one driver trying to hurt another intentionally.

 

mike



Arnie Knepper ran a sprint car at the IMCA races at the Sedalia, MO fair in 67, 68 or 69 and during a heat race the RF wheel came off going down the back stretch on the 1/2 mile track. All cars were pitting off the north end of the race track with an exit near turn 3 & entrance at turn 4. Arnies wheel continied straight ahead, bounced over the highway guard rail in the north end & hit a Missouri State Trooper car in the left rear door. It did a lot of damage since the car was sitting crossway to the track. The trooper was nowhere to be seen so Arnie put the wheel back on the car, loaded up and left immediately. I saw this happen.

The rumor later was, the Missouri Highway Patrol had a warrant out for his arrest. No one ever saw him back at the Sedalia track

Luther




miketx
December 01, 2008 at 05:16:58 PM
Joined: 01/07/2008
Posts: 50
Reply

Just got interested and googled Ron Lux. There is a Motorsports Memorial site that gives information on lots of guys. Ron Lux raced not only under his name, but two psyudonyms and often with a borrowed USAC license. He was mostly an IMCA driver and evidently in the day USAC frowned on their drivers racing with other organizations. I bet you a dollar to a donut this is the incident the original poster is talking about.

 

mike



TulsaTV
MyWebsite
December 01, 2008 at 06:00:50 PM
Joined: 11/29/2008
Posts: 9
Reply

Here's the Motorsports Memorial item on Ron Lux. But I didn't see mention of a specific incident.



brian26
December 01, 2008 at 06:13:42 PM
Joined: 12/03/2006
Posts: 7918
Reply
Reply to:
Posted By: miketx on December 01 2008 at 05:16:58 PM

Just got interested and googled Ron Lux. There is a Motorsports Memorial site that gives information on lots of guys. Ron Lux raced not only under his name, but two psyudonyms and often with a borrowed USAC license. He was mostly an IMCA driver and evidently in the day USAC frowned on their drivers racing with other organizations. I bet you a dollar to a donut this is the incident the original poster is talking about.

 

mike



Think I'll hold on to my donut! I'm betting you're right.





miketx
December 01, 2008 at 11:09:21 PM
Joined: 01/07/2008
Posts: 50
Reply
Reply to:
Posted By: brian26 on December 01 2008 at 06:13:42 PM

Think I'll hold on to my donut! I'm betting you're right.



Mmmmmmmmm....Donuts...



Sprint97
December 02, 2008 at 08:20:06 AM
Joined: 03/19/2007
Posts: 253
Reply
Reply to:
Posted By: miketx on December 01 2008 at 12:02:42 PM

The only incident I can ever remember that happened in Tulsa, and it was in the early sixties, was when Harvey Shane ran Al Lemmons into the fence, flipping him several times. Shane was banned from Tulsa after that. Al's car landed on top of the catch fence. Go to Danley Clow's site and click on Al Lemmons and he has a couple of pictures of the aftermath. Could this be the incident the original poster is talking about? Al wasn't killed, of course, but he was out for a while. That was the first time I knew the blood rushed to your head in a flip and gave you black eyes.

As for the Ron Lux deal...Do any of you guys remember that Arnie Knepper was involved in a lot of incidents? I don't know why that keeps sticking in my mind.

One more thing...I've been to hundreds of races, and the Lemmons/Shane incident was the ONLY time I can ever remember one driver trying to hurt another intentionally.

 

mike



I ran my 1 st car at Tulsa in 1961. It was probavly in June. That night, a sprint with a roll cage wrecked on the back stretch and the supposedly the seat belt was not latched or broke & the driver was killed. That is the word circulated that night. Most of Tulsa cars at that time were sprints converted to what they advertised as, "California Super Modified". Jack Belk won in Al Weilands #37 & Bud Hatch ran 2 nd in his own #87.

Luther





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