Forum: Oklahomatidbits.com General Forum (go)
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joe buntin

mike spivey

bill south

don strawn

Joey B

Who was the guy from west of Lawton (SW OK) that use to run and win the Pikes Peak Hill Climb back in the 60's and 70's?

Warren Vincent
Cans 4 Kansas Heroes

How about a micro guy in Pete Frazier?

On the gas and haulin a$$!!!

Without a doubt the best promoter Tulsa has ever seen was Dick Colvin.

Best Flagman - Don Bucy

Floyd Seago would have to be included, he was a flagman and owned several midgets back in the olden days.

Photographers would be Danley Clow, Tim Malone, Ted McCord, and Chuck Sterling. Chuck was also a flagman.

Car owners would have to include Joe Cox, Lloyd K. Stephens, Harold Hillenburg.

Drivers would include Jack Penwell, Angelo Howerton, Buddy Cagle, Ron Fowler ( from Chanute, KS but ran Tulsa regular in the late 60's), Emmett Hahn, Jr. Taft, Derrill Brazeal, C.J. Ruckman, Pete York, Ted Bacon, Court Grandstaff, Little Joe Seifried, Charlie Wells, Hershel Thompson, Ray Crawford, Donnie Crawford. I better quit the list is getting long.

Do any of you have any photos of Clemon Humphrey? He used to come over to Tulsa from OKC some back in about 1966 or 1967. He drove a sedan #02. I believe it was a Ford Victoria or Chevy Cabriolet body.

Hugh Finnerty, Racing Hall of Fame? If there was a Racing Hall of Shame, that's where he belongs. He did absolutely nothing positive for the Tulsa racing community.

Dick Colvin was the one who built the show at the Tulsa Fairgrounds. When he got out of it, it was taken over by Ervin Wolfe who married Jackie Carson of the Carson Attractions business. Hugh Finnerty took over from them. Finnerty did not do anything to build up the progam, nor did he do anything to really damage it. Even Stanley Durrett was okay while racing was still at the Fairgrounds. When racing moved to 66th St. North, that is what started the demise of Tulsa Speedway. At the Tulsa Fairgrounds the promoter was under contract with the Fairgrounds Trust Authority. Drivers purse was 40% of the front gate. With the fairgrounds taking 60% of the front gate the promoter wouldn't have been there if he didn't put rearends in the stands. Oh what a sight to see 13,000 people in the stands when the big track opened up.

They need to be Oklahomans in my book. Not just have raced here. If you open it up to those who raced here, particularly as important as Oklahoma was to racing in the 50 - 70s, the list is a mile (or 1/2 mile?) long.

Drag Racing: Melvin Heath, Rush Springs, 1956 NHRA Nationals Top Eliminator; Bennie "The Wizard" Osborn, Sand Springs, 1967-68 NHRA Top Fuel World Champ; Steve Carbone, Tulsa, 1970 NHRA Top Fuel World Champ; Jimmy Nix, Oklahoma City, 1966 NHRA Spring Nat'ls Top Fuel, Owner/Promoter San Valley Dragway, 4.960 ET Pomona 2/16/90

Open Wheel (National): Troy Ruttman, Mooreland, '52 Indy 500 Winner; Mike Mosley, Oklahoma City, '67 - '83 USAC/CART 166 starts w/ 5 wins, Lou Moore, Hinton, '28 - '39 25 AAA starts, 10 Indy 500 starts, Indy runner up 1928, Jimmy Reese, Oklahoma City, 58 AAA & USAC starts, six time Indy starter '52, '54-'58, ; Jackie Howerton, Tulsa, '74 Hoosier Hundred, 1970 Tulsa AND Oklahoma City Champ;

Open Wheel (Local): Emmett Hahn, Tulsa, '71 and '77 NCRA Champ, 28 (most ever) NCRA Super/Champ wins, Sprint Car Hall of Fame class '07, Chili Bowl/Creek County owner/promoter; Shane Carson, Yukon, '78 Knoxville Track Champ, '86 NCRA Champ, Sprint Car Hall of Fame class '07, promoter; Buzz Barton, Chickasha, ; Buddy Cagle, Tulsa ; Benny "Wahoo" Taylor, Muskogee

Stock Car Racing: Don't really know. Don't really care.

Road Racing: Don't know, don't care.

Owners: John Zink, two time Indy winner, OKC and Tulsa track championships, USAC, (drivers include Jackie Howerton, Emmett Hahn, Buddy Cagle, Bob Sweikert, Pat Flaherty, Jimmy Reece, Jim Rathmann, Jerry Hoyt, Troy Ruttman, Jud Larson, Lloyd Ruby, Jim McElreath, et al ) ; Lloyd K. Stephens, OKC and Tulsa, NCRA, WoO and USAC (drivers included Ron Shuman, Pete Frazier, Tony Armstrong, Jerry Hailey, Jerry Stone, et al); Pat Suchy, OKC and Tulsa, NCRA (drivers included Harold Leep, Benny "Wahoo" Taylor, Grady Wade, Shane Carson, et al); Ray Cates, ;

Promoters: Bud Carson, MarCar Promotions, Fairgrounds Speedway OKC, Enid, JayCee Dragstrip OKC, founding member of NCRA; Lanny Edwards, Lawton Speedway, Devil's Bowl, Chili Bowl; Emmett Hahn, Creek County Speedway, Chili Bowl, ASCS; Ray and O.D. Lavely, Taft Stadium;

Chassis Builders: Darrell Cleveland, Cleveland Engineering, 100" open wheel, micro & mini sprint; Scott Sawyer, Sawyer Chassis, mini sprint; Pete Frazier, Factor 1, mini sprint; Jack Walker, Walker Enterprises, 100" open wheel;

Engine Builders: Steve Carbone, Louis Boyd, Buddy Rice, Bob Westphal, Bob Mosley

Good list helper monkey, but I would add to

Drag Racing; Buddy Benedict, one of the pioneers of drag racing. He never gained the name recognition as Osburn and some others but was one of the best in his time.

Car Owners; Melvin Jarnagin, owned the car that Ray Crawford won Super Modified Rookie of the Year in, before moving on to Hillenburg. Other drivers for Melvin were James Eubanks, Jack Gary, Ron Fowler, Sammy Phillips and others I have forgotten. The latest was Danny Wood, about a 4 year span in the mid 90's that helped launch Danny's short but impressive career with the WoO.

WaDo, Roger

Not sure if he would be considered eligible, but Billy Arnold lived in OKC for many years. Billy won the 1930 Indy 500 after leading all but the first two laps, which I think is still the record. I had the pleasure of talking to Billy several times in the '70s.

I would nominate car builder Jack Walker.

I shouldn't say I don't know or care about the stock cars.

It would have to include Mike Spivey, James Beane, Billy South, Tommy Edwards, Randy Lyles, George Smith, and if there was going to be a wing for Enduros, the late great Arley Anderson.

Sorry I don't know more Enid or Muskogee guys. George would have to carry the torch for Ada until we could get Morris Woodall, Ben Lewis and Mike Manuel inducted on the second ballot.