Big Car Racing Association & Hall of Fame, LLC BCRA ESTABLISHED 1958, COLORADO SPRINGS CO th (50 Anniversary 1958 - 2008 ) BIG CAR RACING CHRONICLES

December 2014-February 2015

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)

Welcome to the Big Car Racing Association and Hall of Colorado National Speedway and ran a few races. In 1966 Fame. At this time the date for the BCRA HOF reunion at they raced a full season with the idea of making racing Lincoln will be the last weekend in June(26 and 27) as usual possible for anybody that wanted to participate. The track with tours of the museum and bench racing at Joe Haags had four foot retaining walls for the safety of spectators and Speed Shop and On Track at Eagle Raceway. The Model T they continued to make improvements both on and off the Speedster group will have their reunion at Speedway, their track. During the years they added Motorcycles, Sprint Cars Hall of Fame and Hill Climb along with other activities. The and Midgets to their racing program. The Heffleys sold Red Devils Car Group will have their annual Car Show at Colorado National in 1972 to George Butland and later the Pioneers Park. The BCRA Hall of Fame salutes the track was sold to Jim Opperman and paved. Gene Heffely following teams and individuals. was a 2009 Colorado Motorsports Hall of Fame inductee.

GENE AND GERDA HEFFLEY(CO Hall of Fame Bio) Gene moved to Denver from Missouri Valley Iowa in 1957 after serving five years in the military. In 1951, he met and married his wife Gerda. They started a trucking company and had two daughters Helen and Patti. By 1960 this couple was operating four trucks. A year later he began to operate a salvage business in the Denver metropolitan area and sold parts to two individuals that were building race cars. When one could not pay for the parts, they ended up with the race car. With some help from some friends Harry McCool and Bart Manley, They ran the #70 car at Lakeside Speedway. That is when Gene really got hooked. In 1964 one of their Jack Hahn(1925-2015) at Erie Co.Byers Photo drivers was Hall of Famer, Sam Sauer. Later that year they *While nearing completion of Erie, two time Big Car all went to a big race at Hanford, California. It was the first Racing Association Champion Jack Hahn of Wyoming, was time they had seen a real Late Model race and he and Gerda requested to take a test run on the track. A famous photo decided to build a speedway designed for Late Models. taken by Hall of Fame Photographer Leroy Byers and published in several racing publications, caught the historic That was just part of the story….. moment as Hahn traveled at speed on two wheels near In 1965, using the money from their trucking company they Byers . The BCRA would run 10 races on the oval with the purchased an 80 acre parcel of farmland. On that site at Erie last event taking place in 1977 at the Roger Mauro Gold Cup Colorado, they designed and built a speedway, calling it Classic. This was also the last sanctioned race of the BCRA with Sammy Swindell winning the Sprint event and the final Iowa. Thad also finished in the top five eleven times, including a incredible run at Tampa, where in the five race championship of the club. Interesting to note that Bob And winter series, Thad finished second twice, and a third, over Al Unser ran the BCRA in the early years and Bob Jr and Al drivers that included Jan Opperman, Kenny Weld, and Rick Ferkel. At the end of the IMCA campaign, Thad would take Jr were present in ‘ 77 at the final event. the title over Gene Gennetten, Bill Utz, Ray Lee Goodwin, and Buzz Rose. In 1975 the R&H Farms team would win at R and H Farms* Three farmers from Iowa bought one of the Knoxville Nationals, with Eddie Leavitt behind the the top sprint cars from the era, and in 1970 they went racing wheel. With a new coil over sprinter built and designed by across the heartland, becoming one of the greatest sprint car House, the black #40 race team would have a outstanding teams of the decade. season in 1977 as well. With Arizona's Ron Shuman at the In the 1960's the team of Gary Hanna and Dick Sutcliffe controls, the R&H Farms team would win the Western would win in the BCRA, IMCA and two track titles in 1968 World at Manzy, and the Pacific title at Ascot Park! at Topeka and Knoxville. In 1970 Hanna would sell his In the 1970's whether racing in outlaw races,BCRA, IMCA, black #29 sprint car to 3 Colifax, Iowa, farmers, John Ricke, CRA, WOO, or USAC among others, the R&H Farms team and brothers, Stan, and Tom Hill, Dick Sutcliffe would be was a force to be reckoned with. RC the driver . In 1970, the race team raced on dirt, and pavement, in BCRA, IMCA, and the super modified circuits Dick Morris, originally of Sioux City, Iowa and now in the car now known as the R&H Farms sprinter, #40. The residing in Lake of the Ozarks, Missouri, started racing at a team would race in BCRA competition at Belleville, and young age at Raceway Park in South Sioux City, Nebraska, would win at Erie, Colorado. Sutcliffe, and the R&H team in the middle Sixties, where he won several main events and would finish 2nd place in the final BCRA standings, behind was annually in the ‘top five’ in the point standings. 1968 Champion Lonnie Jensen. In IMCA, the Iowa race team won saw Dick move to the ranks of modified stock car racers at a pavement race at I-70, and finishing 4th in the final the Collins Field in Lemars, Iowa. He won the track standings. championship there and also at the Interstate Speedway in By 1972 Sutcliffe had moved on to the Cornbelt racing team Jefferson, South Dakota, in 1970. Then, in 1973, he and his . the R&H team would hire Thad Dosher, and mechanical pit crew decided it was time to move on to the super- genius Wayne House as chief mechanic. A list of some of modified division at the Huset’s Speedway in Brandon, the greatest sprint car pilots of the time would race different South Dakota. He won ten feature events in 1974, but lost versions of their black beauty over the years, including the track championship on the last night following an Rager, Thad Dosher, Eddie Leavitt, Bob Williams, and Ron accident on the final lap of the main event. In September of Shuman. 1974, he had a chance to partner with well-known car owner Larry Swanson. Dick was ‘Rookie of the Year’ at Knoxville Raceway in 1975. He also won races throughout the Midwest, including

at the South Dakota State Fair at Huron, South Dakota; the Midwest Speedway in Lincoln, Nebraska; and the Jackson The R&H Farms car, with a Roger Beck Chassis would win Speedway in Minnesota. Dick also won the 1975 ‘Cheaters the IMCA title in 1973 with Dosher behind the wheel. Thad Day’ race at the Sioux Empire Fairgrounds in Sioux Falls, would also race at Belleville, and Wakeeney in BCRA South Dakota. Dick's race car career was cut short by a competition, winning at Wakeeney over BCRA Hall Of serious sprint car accident at Knoxville just before the 1976 Famer Grady Wade. Their IMCA campaign included wins at Nationals. He had several quick times that year at Knoxville 81-Speedway in Wichita, Lincoln Nebraska, and Spencer and he had won features throughout the Midwest, including

2 at the Missouri State Fair in Sedalia and Belleville Ks. Dick 2008 Gordy Shuck Sportsmanship Award thru Neb Hall. No Morris is now retired and living with his wife Marilyn at the longer driving Mike became the Sprint car tech inspector at Lake of the Ozarks in Missouri. He and his long-time pit Midwest Speedway until it closed and then moved to Eagle crew (Larry Swanson, Larry Nelson, Gerry Lemoine, Gale Raceway in the same capacity. An Accident in pits modified Murkle and Joe Orth) have restored the Don Maxwell-built Mike’s duties at Eagle when he was hit by an IMCA number 49 sprint car to its 1976 condition. RC Modified and spent 3 and a half months in the hospital. Mike Cecak started racing in 1963’ running 6 cyl Modified Mike still helps out at Eagle Raceway where you are likely Stock open wheelers at Fairbury, Beatrice and Lincoln Ne, to see him on race nights. RC driving his own creation. By 1968 Mike ran with a new class LEROY BYERS(Bio from Colorado Motorsports Hall of Fame) of V-8 modified s and won a feature at Belleville Ks. 1971 was his first full year in Sprinters and was BCRA rookie of Born in Oklahoma, his love for racing began when he the year. He also ran at Eagle Raceway and won Rookie of attended a sprint car race at the Oklahoma State fair. Moving the Year honors with Nebraska Modified Racing Assoc . With the BCRA Cecak , went to McCook and ran nearly to Aurora, he struck up acquaintances with several of the every race at Erie Co and Belleville Ks driving for Fred midget drivers, climbing over the track fences into the pits Bowers. In 1972 the team ran IMCA at the Nebraska state on several occasions due to grand stand sell outs. He once fair and Topeka Ks. In 1972 Mike drove for the Goodrich family at Belleville and ran IMCA at Topeka Ks and State landed on Lloyd Axel’s tool box on his way over. His fair at Lincoln Ne. In 1973 Mike was driving the 5X for interest would take him to races at the fairgrounds in Pueblo Bower’s again with BCRA and Neb Mod assoc and ran Belleville, Ks. “We always ran Belleville” . After that Mike and the track in Brighton. got busy and would pick up a ride on occasion. In 1978 he built a Late Model and went to Beatrice and won first time out.

th He also ran at Lincoln on Pete Liekams N 27 speedway and at Eagle first time for late models ever, Cecak won the He drove his first midget race in a v-8 ford midget and still feature. He sold the car at the end of the season. 1981 was the year Lincoln started running sprinters in a 360 class of owns that car today. In 1952, after attending numerous races competition. Here Mike drove a sprint car for Dean Orth in Indiana over a three month stretch, including the Indy numbered 30D . He drove a couple years for Dean then went into ¾ midgets, built his own car and raced for a 500, he raced in various states running several AAA races number of years, winning dozens of races with the 750 during that period of time. After the 1956 season he stayed Honda powered mini. Mike Cecak drove his last race on 4th busy taking photos for over forty years at various tracks to of july 1991 and won the feature. The next day a guy showed up from Tampa Florida and took the car home. numerous to mention in this presentation. He continues to do “First time at Belleville was like going to Daytona”. Cecak so until this day. You would run into him at tracks in finished about 6th with drivers like DickSutcliffe, Ray Lee, Roy Bryant and it was a great experience. Another highlight Colorado, as well as venues in Oklahoma, Kansas, Missouri, was his first year in sprints winning rookie of the year with Iowa, Nebraska, Arizona and New Mexico. He started BCRA and finished 7th in points and 10th with Neb Mod Racing Association. In later years Beatrice set up a hall of shooting photographs at CNS after the track was built. He fame and Mike was the first inductee. Mike Cecak was also retired from the U.S. Post office for a number of years which honored by the Nebraska Auto Racing Hall of Fame with

3 gave him an opportunity to take photos at the races. Although being a race car driver and owner were important to him, being a photographer was where he really found his niche. He became famous for not only his photos, but his extensive racing collection. It seems he kept almost every race car he ever touched and every photo he ever took. Among the racing community he was known as a pack rat but most of us new him by “by golly”, as this was a phrase BCRA Champions moment……… he always used when he talked to anyone. He has been involved one way or another with Colorado racing for more years than one can remember. And……… B.C.R.A. 3-3-04 My memories of BCRA RACING experiences are all very special! I started running BCRA in the early '60's.Many drivers drove my sprint car, the number 4X, BCRA, IMCA, USAC, OUTLAW AND WOO. Some of these drivers included Joe Saldana, Lloyd Beckman, Ray Lee Goodman, and of course the legendary Jan Opperman.

Jan drove my car to win the 1969 BCRA CHAMPIONSHIP. We always had great times with Bill Hill on the mike, and Don Buddy who ran the shows. Les and Beryl Ward were Speedy, “What Cam did ya run in that Chevy, Jack ?” always on hand to get their great photos and stories in Jack Hahn hard of hearing, replies, “ Bill, do you take that SPEED SPORT NEWS and other media. hat off at nite when you go to bed?” True story Jan set the Belleville High Banks record in 1975 at 19.06, which was almost a full second quicker than Lloyd Beckman's earlier record. That was the year we won our second BCRA CHAMPIONSHIP. One unforgettable experience was when my old racing buddy, Ralph Parkinson, went over the first turn fence at Belleville, during the feature. None of the officials saw it happen. They ran the race three more laps before I was able to get to them to put out the red flag. End of the story...Ralph was lucky...only shaken up. As a car owner who raced for the prize money, BCRA was always a good pay day for the number 4X SPEEDWAY SPRINTER. Its great that the Charlie Lutkie(1913-2015) in his Black Panther.Bville Ks legend of the BCRA is being preserved. I hope the legacy lives on.

BILL SMITH SPEEDWAY MOTORS, INC. LINCOLN, NE.

4 Dale McCarty was born in 1931 in tiny Louis, Kansas. He became interested in racing after seeing a demo derby, and a jalopy race at a young age. After growing up on the family farm, where chores started at 5 AM, Dale would learn a work ethic, that would serve him the rest of his life. As young man Dale moved to Hutchinson, KS where he started racing jalopies at tracks that included, Mohawk in Hutch, Jayhawk in Newton, and 81 Speedway in Wichita. Some of the racers he ran against in those early years were National Sprint Car HOF members Jay Woodside, and Harold Leep, as well as Bill Mears, whose son Rick would later win 4 Indy 500's. By the 1960's McCarty would move to KC to work as a millwright, while raising a family. McCarty still works as a millwright today at age 83! During the 1960's McCarty became a fixture at tracks that included, Lakeside, Olympic, and later I-70 in supers and sprints. McCarty would also race weekly at tracks that included Topeka, 1966 BCRA Champ Jay Woodside(1939-2004). Ted Hall Chevy Knoxville, Marshall, and Jeff City. Dale would a become a regular competitor on the fair circuits of the BCRA and Dale McCarty, Racing is his first love. RC IMCA sprint ranks. McCarty would race as far away as the Florida State Fair in Tampa, and once raced for fellow Former Kansas City area resident Dale McCarty has been Kansas City owner Bill Hoback at Winchester, Indiana involved in racing since he was a wet behind the ears finishing in 5th place against some of the greatest pavement teenager! Racing first around Hutchinson, KS in the 1940's racers of the era. In the midget ranks, Dale participated in and 1950's. McCarty later moved to the big city, Kansas area races, while also running in IMCA, and USAC, at City, where he raced for many years locally, and nationally venues that included Kokomo, in Indiana, and Sun Prairie in in supers, sprints, and midgets Wisconsin. But, his favorite racing venue was tiny Olympic Stadium in KC. At the bull ring that honed the racing skills of HOF racers, Greg and Kenny Weld, Dick Sutcliffe, Eddie Leavitt, and Ray Lee Goodwin among others. Dale always felt at home, having two clean sweeps, one coming after Jerry Weld asked Dale what he was going to do that evening, and McCarty replying "I'm going to win everything but the grandstand tonight"! McCarty never won a major title, but loved to race, and always finished well. Dale raced into the 1980's when a terrible crash in a sprint car curtailed his activities. In the last decade McCarty has come back to racing with McCarty Motor Sports #9 Winged Sprint Car, primarily as a owner, but also as a racer in Knoxville's

Ray Lee, Gennetten #3, McCarty in #6 Master Classic, among other races.

Jr Parkinson and Dale McCarty Dale 1971

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Remember The Classic, “Tom and Jerry Show”?

The Show What has happened to today’s racers? Oh, the racing is fine in most cases but whatever has happened to the spirit of fun that used to go along with it? Everybody’s so serious these days…they’re all in the Motel by midnight it seems. Ever since Kevin Olson retired there isn’t one good practical joker left that we can find. There was a time when no self-respecting group of race- car drivers would depart a town without leaving a memory behind. Usually a vivid one. One such story comes to mind as told to us by our friend the late and greatly missed Cotton JM Photo Farmer. 1965 USAC Sprint Division wining mechanic Don It seems the lads were in some little Midwest town, Shepherd passed away today in Indy. Don was the brother back in the 60’s, for a “weekender” at the local of sprint and Indy driver AJ Shepherd, and cut his teeth Fairgrounds. It was the night before and things were dull racing and owning Jalopies In the 1950's. Don and AJ raced at the Motel where they were staying and, as we all know, against the likes of Harold Leep, Billy Mears (Ricks Dad) there is nothing more dangerous than a couple of bored and Frankie Lies among others at Cee Jay Stadium in racers. Wichita their hometown. Don and AJ would move to Their lodgings were right at the edge of the town; California next where they became associated with Jim farmland stretching off into the distance and, just a few Hurtubise and Parnelli Jones, racing in CRA, and in the hundred feet from where they sat… a single lane dirt Midwest with IMCA. During this period Don became a top road that led about a half mile up to ‘Farmer Brown’s’ flight mechanic, and AJ a driver. Later both came to Indy front yard. pursuing their racing dreams. AJ would get to the brickyard, In a remarkable spirit of cooperation the City had been but after a horrendous crash at the Indy Fairgrounds, his doing some road construction a few blocks uptown and career ended with him moving back to Wichita. In 1965 Don had gone off and left their barricades and detour signs teamed with Jack Colvin to race the KEY Special with driver and lanterns and things out where anyone could stumble Bobby Unser in USAC Sprints winning the coveted owners over them. (Don’t get ahead of us now.) and chief mechanic titles. Though Johnny Rutherford won It took only a few minutes for Cotton and his friend to the drivers title that year by a scant 2.5 points over rookie capture a portion of the City’s property and re-distribute Greg Weld, the KEY #3 Special was the team to beat as they it. And very soon the traffic departing the town that utilized the talents of Bob Wente, Greg Weld and Jud Larson evening found themselves detoured up a half mile single when Unser was not available. Don was later inducted into lane road…and into Farmer Brown’s yard. Well. The the NSCHOF. RIP great champion! RC first few, upon realizing where they were, and that they could go no farthur, began trying to turn around. This, in turn, served to disturb the loose chickens that owned the yard and they set up a din. This apparently upset the cow which also set up a din. All of this then brought the farmer out “ what the hell- ing” to see what all the noise was about. We’d give anything to know what went through his mind when he beheld this sea of headlights stretching off into the distance…cars backing and filling all through his front yard and terrifying his livestock. Now. The few that had managed to get ends swapped soon discovered that it did them no good because the (single lane) road was blocked by all the inbound cars. So Bob Unser in the Shepherd owned Sterling Plumbing sprinter

6 they did what every good motorist does in such a years, it was my honor to work closely with President situation. They began blowing their horns! Not to be out Don Budy. Don was a great public relations man, and done, and having no idea what was going on up front, the with my administrative ability, we made a great team incoming folks began blowing their horns. (We’re until we both decided to retire in 1975. tempted to say something about the Cow blowing her In spite of having two artificial legs, the result of horn…but we won’t). injuries received in World War II, Don served as Judge About this time the Police arrived on the scene and for all the races, and he was always there as a goodwill they were at a complete loss. They couldn’t drive up to ambassador of Big Car racing. In addition, we had a the seat of the disturbance where a livid farmer was permanent roster of dependable and capable officials. shouting to just as angry a group of motorists to, “get the Our Starter was Carl Mishmach, Assistant Starter was hell off my propitty.” Finally getting a grip on the Tom Bentz, Pit Stewards were Merle Holbrook, Charlie situation the Constables tore down the barricades and Gottschalk and Jan Lee. Bill Hill was our knowledgeable began walking up the road, sorting out the traffic as they and talented Announcer. My wife Mary and I served as went. The shouting and tumult gradually died down and Scorers, most of the time assisted by our daughters Shari and Cotton and his friend decided that they had had enough Terry. We had a Safety Crew headed up by Bob Armstrong. entertainment for one night and so went off to bed. LeRoy Byers was our official Photographer, and our Don’t see that sort of thing anymore. Too bad! T & J Historian was Don Budy’s son, Bruce. All of these Note: For over sixty years this team hit the tracks with Continued on next talented people had many years of cameras and pens. Photos and articles adorned the pages of experience, with backgrounds in many facets of racing. several national racing publications! Their OFFICE? The During this period of time, his health required Don to take Pikes Peak Hill Climb Road, turn one at Belleville, the two years off, and Tom Bentz and Lloyd Wittenberg stepped infield at the Chili Bowl and many points between. in as President. In that time period, there was only one major disagreement between Don and myself. It occurred at Rapid City, South Dakota. Jan Opperman, driving for Bill Smith of Speedway Motors, pulled into the race a little late, with a roll cage on the car. At the time, Big Cars only had a low roll bar for safety, and Don loved their sleek look. He was very much against cages and made the decision that if Opperman did not remove the cage, he would not be allowed to run. After a short but heated discussion, and keeping safety in mind, Don finally relented and allowed Jan to run. He was the winner of the Feature event that day. As you know, cages then became commonplace, and practically every Big Car was equipped with one. In the ‘60s and early ‘70s, BCRA sanctioned races in Colorado, Kansas, Oklahoma, Nebraska, and South Dakota. During my term, we had a number of great drivers (memory being what it is I am sure to omit someone), but they included Jon Backlund, Lloyd From the Past . I recently came across this letter from Andy Beckman, Frank Brennfoerder, Roy Bryant, Ray Lee Anderson. Andy had a real passion for racing from his early days Goodwin, Lonnie Jensen, Opperman, Dale Reed, Dick when he first met Paul Russo. This was a 2004 letter. Sutcliffe, Grady Wade, Doug Wolfgang and Jay By Andy Anderson Woodside.One of the favorite tracks where BCRA Big Car Racing Association, asked me to give an sanctioned races was at the High Banks of Belleville, account of the early years of the original BCRA. I was Kansas. For many years, BCRA races were the happy to do so, especially when I found it was for the highlight of the North Central Kansas Free Fair. Also, revival of BCRA. It was my privilege to be associated with Belleville was the birthplace of the High Banks Hall of the club from 1964 through 1975. At the time, my Fame. Among the former BCRA members enshrined background in racing included driving Big Cars in the there are car owners Red Forshee, The Goodrich family, ‘50s, and I had served as Starter for the Rocky Mountain Lonnie Morosic, LaVerne Nance, Bill Smith and Chet Midget Association for 2-1/2 years. Wilson. Drivers included Backland, Beckman, When I first became associated, my job was Pit Brennfoerder, Bryant, Goodwin, Opperman, Reed, Steward, and when Clarence Freud retired in ’65, I was asked to be Secretary/Treasurer. During the subsequent

7 Woodside, and Wade. Officials inducted included Bill Hill, Byers and Budy, while yours truly was inducted partly for driving and partly for officiating. Les and Beryl Ward were inducted under the Media banner. They not only reported all the BCRA races, but had been actively writing race coverage articles for newspapers including National Speed Sport News for many, many years. As can be readily seen by all the names of people in different categories, they all contributed much toward the many years of BCRA success and involvement in Big Car Racing, or Sprint Car Racing as it is known today. I am sure that this new birth featuring the Vintage Cars, by the talented people involved today, will bring back those good old years. Yes, I can honestly say that those were the good old days, and I feel honored and privileged to have been a part of that era. Ed McVay(1922-2015) Receiving trophy from young lady

Andy in the “Belle of Belleville” BCRA President Don Budy at work behind the scenes.’75

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