Big Car Racing Association & Hall of Fame, LLC BCRA ESTABLISHED 1958, COLORADO SPRINGS CO th (50 Anniversary 1958 - 2008 ) BIG CAR RACING CHRONICLES October 2013-February 2014 Bcra Staff: Dave Tyson(Mo) Ray Cunningham(Ks), Boyd Adams(Tx), Bruce Budy(C0), Gerry Miller(Tx), Tom Davey(Co), Wayne Panter(Tx), Gary Wolfe(Ne) “ Mr. Stock Car”, Ernie Derr passed away Wed Jan 8th 2014 Welcome ….. And a belated “Merry Christmas” to all. A little late but Christmas Cheer is suitable all year round. We have been hard at work on a Web Site for the BCRA the last couple of months and you will find the site at, “ bcrasprints.com”. The site is under construction but a lot of good history and photos are loaded and ready. 2013 was a good year for the BCRA. It was ten years ago that the original Big Car Racing Association was revived in We also have an Interesting story from “Uncle”Gerry Colorado. Eight Hall of Fame Induction ceremonies, Miller on Mearle Holbrook and Tom Van Swearingen in this Numerous Vintage meets, nearly 200 biographies composed issue. and the pleasure and privilege of meeting hundreds of Master Ray Cunningham taps his vast History resources previous competitors from all over the U.S. This challenging with a Harold Leep Obit and Memories from 1974 with a project has been most memorable and worthwhile to say the nostalgic account of one of the toughest seasons on the least and continues……At one of the first meetings in BCRA circuit. Our best to the Leep family, Harold was one Denver of the BCRA ,I had the pleasure to meet Harry Ivers of the greatest competitors of all time and a hero to many a and Tommy Van for the first time. At the conclusion of the young race fan. A in depth Biography on Leep is posted on meeting we all headed to “Q’s” Grill and it was here that we the web site, Don’t Miss It ! were entertained by these two long time racers as they Alice Goodwin has been experiencing serious health issues related the regional history of the Peak, Roadsters, Midgets and reports are, she is doing better as time goes along . and Sprints. The next time I seen Tommy Van was at the Please remember her and Ray Lee in your prayers. Oberlin Kansas track where he would announce and he put me to work gathering driver information for his use at the Harold Leep Mic. By Ray Cunningham Once Again…Many thanks to Racing photographer Gerry One of the greatest open wheel drivers passed away when Miller of Dallas Tx, for the beautiful high quality BCRA Harold Leep died after a fall at his home in Muskogee, OK decals. These vinyl decals are the best quality available on on February 6th . Leep won at least 15 different titles during the market. The quality of the artwork is the best to date as his career in Jalopies, Super Modifieds and sprint cars. taken from an original decal Gerry retrieved from the Les Harold cut his teeth in racing as a teenager at his hometown and Beryl Ward collection and executor Wayne Dake. Gerry tracks Cee Jay Stadium, and 81 Speedway in Wichita, KS. is one of the great resources for the BCRA as we go about Harold came to fame driving Chet Wilson's "Offy Killer" preparing newsletters, biographies and induction ceremonies. Sprint Car to Championships in 1957-58 racing in the Many of the historic pictures we use have been reworked National Speedways group. with his skillful hands and computer. Harold in Jellie’s Modified(mid 60’s) From there he terrorized groups that included the BCRA and 1974 BCRA Memories IMCA. He was so successful he was able to use his winnings Ray Cunningham to open a bowling Alley in Wichita that he ran for many The BCRA had many great races and seasons during it's years. In the states of Nebraska, Kansas, and Oklahoma he is three decade run. In the late 1950's and early 1960's drivers also remembered for his prowess in the Super Modified from Colorado, and Wyoming hoisted the championship ranks. And when the NCRA started in 1971 he was a prolific trophy when the dust settled. Then came the Kansas drivers winner and champion. At the Kansas State Fairgrounds in who won five titles from 1965-1971. In between the Kansas Hutchinson, Harold, along with fellow Wichita racers Frank onslaught the Nebraska contingent took the title in 1969, Lies and Roy Bryant dominated the Modified Nationals, 1970, and once again in 1972. In 1973 the BCRA borders each winning a minimum of 3 times. It was there in 1983 were stretched as El Paso, Texas hot shoe Edd French won that Harold at age 50 won in a epic battle over another the title in his own car the historic #777. Coming into the Wichita legend, Jerry Stone to cap his brilliant career. RIP 1974 season French would be back, this time in the beautiful Great Champion! #7 Grant King built, Bruce Edwards, and Jim Gessford Sprinter. But, for the first time in over a decade the BCRA homeland of the Rocky Mountains would have a contender in midget legend Steve Troxell who would be driving a brand new state of the art sprint car. Steve Troxell for over a decade had been one of the brightest stars in the RMMRA midget series. Steve had won the title, and for a time had chased his racing dreams by going back to race with USAC. After returning to Colorado, Troxell had once again established himself as a top star in the RMMRA Midget ranks. In the Early 1970's Steve would also team up with Colorado's Ken Slocum to run in the BCRA. In 1974 the Denver area duo decided to get very serious about sprint car racing by buying a brand new Roger Beck sprint car. Beck had previously built some of the top sprint cars to race in the Midlands and the West Coast. Included among them was the BCRA Championship car of 1969 driven by Jan Opperman, the 1973 IMCA Championship car driven by Thad Dosher, and the 1973 CRA Championship car driven Don Hamilton. The new Slocum Beck was a beautiful Orange #95 with silver leaf numerals. The exotic creation also had long tail pipes, and a starter, making it look and sound like the Big Cars of old. The new car would give Troxell the opportunity Harold Leep and Chet Wilson to win the first title for a Colorado racer in BCRA since 1963. The road would not be easy though. Standing between Troxell and the championship trophy were drivers that included young rising star Larry Clark from Arizona, New 2 Mexico hot shoe Roy Hicks, Huskers Lloyd Beckman and Russ Brahmer, and super modified and midget racer Jerry Stone.Four races in Colorado, four in Kansas, and two in South Dakota would make up the 1974 campaign. Larry Clark came up from Arizona for the lid lifter and let it be known he would be a contender when he won in his own car at Erie. Troxell quickly countered with his own win at Erie in the next one. The traditional Memorial Day shoot out at Belleville was paired with a race at Wakeeney, also in Kansas. Defending champ Edd French took both, and a new player in the championship hunt surfaced. New Mexico lead foot Roy Hicks took the next two at Erie in his Lyle Dill #61. At this point there was no clear cut favorite as 4 Steve Troxell and Leo Tucker different racers had won in the first 6 showdowns! As the summer wore on the BCRA boys returned to Rapid City, South Dakota for the first time in 5 years for a two day program. Troxell lowered the boom on the competition by sweeping the two day program. As it had been before the title would be settled at the Belleville, High Banks during fair week. On night one, Wichita's Jerry Stone won his first ever sprint car race for owner Pius Selenke. The 25 year old had concentrated on supers, and midgets up to this point, but before his retirement would win several championships in the NCRA. For Pius it would be his last win in BCRA, after winning with racers that included Grady Wade, Harold Leep, Dale Reed, and Davey Ross. On the final night of BCRA action at Belleville, the seventh different winner of 1974 would be Lincoln veteran Lloyd Beckman, driving for 3 time BCRA Car Owner champ Larry Swanson. This Lincoln duo had first teamed together in 1967 with mechanic Wayne House. Swanson had bought for the 1974 campaign one of the new Maxwell built machines, and his car was once again lightning fast. The Maxwell car of Speedy Bill would dominate the BCRA in 1975, but that's another story. For 1974 it was all about the Colorado duo of Troxell and Slocum. They had once again put a Colorado team in first place in BCRA competition, joining legendary racers, Roy Walker, and owner Burt Blanot, driver/owner This story was received some time ago. But is timely with the passing of Tommy Van. Gordon Herring, and Eddie Jackson who won the last BCRA Once Upon a Time Sprint title in 1963 for Colorado hot shoes. This season was a historic one for the BCRA, and was Article by Gerry (GT) Miller highlighted by the exploits of old guard BCRA stars like Beckman, and French, but also established new sprint car Once upon a time a young man climbed into the seat of a stars like Troxell, Clark, Hicks, and Stone.