Big Car Racing Association and Hall of Fame
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Big Car Racing Association & Hall of Fame, LLC BCRA ESTABLISHED 1958, COLORADO SPRINGS CO th (50 Anniversary 1958 - 2008 ) BIG CAR RACING CHRONICLES October, November, December 2008 Bcra Staff: Ray Cunningham(Ks), Boyd Adams(Tx), Bruce Budy(C0), Jerry Miller(Tx), Tom Davey(Co), Wayne Panter(Tx), Gary Wolfe(Ne) Welcome, As many may know The Belleville Cubs were formed in 1978 by Chief Downing an avid time). Art is in an Illinois nursing home at this time race fan from Arizona. Within the original founders with plans to catch the races at Ft Wayne Ind and of the group were Denver’s Mike and Tom Davey, maybe sell more of his book, “Rookie Sprint Car KC’s Ray Cunningham, Texan Jerry Miller and Owner”. Many thanks to racing historian Ken Kansan Dick German. At nearly each Midget Paulson for his story on Belleville in 1947. Ken has Nationals since, the expanding group of diehard a new book out, a must read on the Mississippi fans and racers have met in Belleville and Valley Auto Racing Association which you can get celebrated the annual event with BBQ’s and bench by calling Knoxville NSC museum at 641-842- racing. 6146. Four of the best passed on recently and thanks Coring Wilson once directed the club as did Jim to Ray Cunningham for the bios on BCRA original, Richardson of Wichita. Wayne Pinter of Lubbock Chuck Amati and the great Johnny Parsons Jr. now points the Cubs/Old-timers and along with Champion Gordon Woolley of Waco Texas recently Chuck Amati engaged a most interesting project. No one could (Editors note) have said it any better than Woolley while Last month on November 18Th, Chuck Amati, addressing the Cub/Old-timers this past July on one of the best sprint car drivers of the past Kansas racing Icons, the Goodrich Family. Gordon century died at age 68 of a heart attack while made a recommendation to rename 12th street in driving in his native Illinois. A look back follows the Belleville as “Goodrich Memorial Drive” in career and times of one of the great outlaw sprint memory of Pop, Bob, Ray and Charles and a letter car drivers of his generation. of request to the Mayor of Belleville followed, with The sprint car club "World Of Outlaws" is the the help of Wayne Panter and Bill Thompson, most popular of all the sprint car organizations in which was recently approved with new signs to be the world. But at its core, it is a club, just like in place this Spring. FYI… 12th Street begins at the USAC, NCRA, or ASCS, among others, splendid High Banks Museum on highway 81 and with rules, points, and a set schedule. proceeds east to the Boyer Gallery, the Goodrich The origin of the name "Outlaw" when referring to Garage &Machine Shop and terminates at Rocky sprint car racing goes back before the "World of Pond. Outlaws" was formed in 1978. In a recent phone call to Jim Richardson we Drivers that included, Jan Opperman, Bobby learned of Jim’s involvement with car owner Art Allen, and Rick Ferkel, were just some of the Peacock of Morris Illinois. Art gave a young Jay drivers that would race anywhere, anytime, across Woodside and Johnny Rutherford the opportunity to America in the 1970's. These drivers and many drive his Sprinter in IMCA and USAC beginning in others, were the direct link to Ted Johnson’s the late 50’s with Jim as a pit crewman. Art put the brainchild to bring sprint car racings outlaw elite boys up in a local boarding house at a dollar a day under one banner. One of those drivers, Chuck when not on the road. Richardson recalled the time Table of Contents Welcome pg1 when the team started in Shreveport La and raced Chuck Amati Ray Cunningham pg1 their way to Toronto Canada with a stop at New Art Meyers BCRA 1st Pres Gary Wolfe pg3 Bremen and barely missed the show when Jay was Johnny Parson Jr Ray Cunningham pg4 st Bumpus prt iv Gary Wolfe pg5 not in the seat ready to go when the 1 alternate was Doggett family Xmas Gary Wolfe pg7 called(Rutherford driving for Merl Heath at the Belleville 1947© Ken Paulson pg8 Farewell Foster Bob Campbell Gary Wolfe pg11 Chuck Mauro Gary Wolfe pg 11-12 Amati, AKA, "The One Arm Bandit", was one of During the next few years Chuck was a fearsome the best of the best, a colorful character, who was competitor everywhere he went. With a colorful charismatic both on and off the race track. personality and driving style, Amati was earning a Chuck Amati was born November 16Th, 1940 in reputation as one of the best supermodified drivers Freeman Spur, Illinois. He started his racing career in the south. In 1964 his status and toughness in 1959 at age 18 in a '49 Ford at Murfreesboro, would grow after a terrible wreck. At Milan, Tennessee in 1964 Amati was involved in a wreck that that changed his racing career forever. Chuck went through the fence that nite coming in contact with a 2-by-6 timber that almost ripped his right arm off. The damage done by that wreck included ripping his bicep in two, damaging tendons, ligaments, and nerves. After the incident it looked as if the Illinois hot shoe would be out of commission for several months, if not years from driving a race car. Amati who earned a living from racing, was not going to let the accident curtail his racing activities. Within in two weeks after the incident Chuck was back behind the wheel. Amati had devised a leather harness that held his right arm in his lap while he raced with his left arm. The incident did not slow Amati down, as he kept winning everywhere he went. Fans and drivers alike Chuck Amati would talk about the "One-Armed Bandit" that Illinois. Amati would race off and on for all or part would come in and beat the locals. Amati from that of the next six decades, and wouldn't hang up his point on, would always be known by this nickname helmet for good until 2002 at age 62. even though he eventually would regain the use of During those early years the evolution of the short his right arm. track race car went from coupe, to supermodified, Through out the 1960's Amati continued to win and finally ended up with full blown sprint cars by racing for among others, Les Hill of Greenfield, the 1970's. Chuck raced through all these phases Tennessee. In the 1970's Chuck Amati teamed with winning races in several states including, Missouri, owner M.A. Brown in the Bruce Cogle Ford #44 Tennessee, Arkansas, Mississippi in the early years sprinter. This combination raced and won all over of his career. During this period in the early 1960's, Amati went to Riverside Speedway in West Memphis, Arkansas to challenge the local racing elite. Riverside, was the training ground for many of the greatest sprint car racers of the 1970's, 80's and 90's. Drivers that included, Ricky Hood, Sammy and Jeff Swindell, Bobby Davis Jr., and Terry Gray, started their careers at the West Memphis short track. In the early 1960's Clarence "Hooker" Hood was the greatest driver in the region. After meeting and racing against Hood at Riverside, Amati decided he wanted to follow in the foot steps of the Super Modified racing superstar. “One Armed Bandit” Chuck Amati at Speed in the Cogle Ford Sprinter, Columbus Indianna, early 70’s. (John Mahoney photo) 2 the Midwest. In 1972 Amati raced for the States. The exact number is not known, but championship in IMCA, finishing second to Ray estimates have the number anywhere from 600 to Lee Goodwin, while winning at Lincoln and 1,000 races. In a era that spawned sprint car racing Oklahoma City. Amati also raced with the BCRA outlaw champions that included Rick Ferkel, in Belleville in 1972, setting quick time at the Bobby Allen, and later Doug Wolfgang, Steve Memorial Day race Kinser, and Sammy Swindell. Chuck Amati, "The After leaving the race team in 1973, Amati moved One-Armed Bandit", was one of the very best to back to Freeman Spur, from Greenfield, Tennessee. strap on a helmet. The later part of the 1970's saw Amati team with Sam and Richard Short of Marion Illinois. This Art Meyers, First BCRA President combination won nearly 50 races in 1976, racing One significant influence in the founding of the across the nation. Teamed once again with the Short Big Car Racing Association has nearly slipped into brothers in 1977, they won over 30 races. obscurity after fifty years. The 1980's did not start start off well for Amati, Art Meyers was born in Watertown South Dakota as he bounced from ride to ride, including his own in 1922 and later lived and went to school in car which he wiped out in a wreck at Eldora in Hutchinson Minnesota. Arts Father was an Oakland 1984. That accident hurt Amati both physically and car dealer in the area and had Big Cars during the financially, curtailing his racing activities for two thirties. His Oakland powered cars were driven by years. several drivers in those days but most memorable In 1988 teamed with Daryl Tate, Amati returned were “Speed” Adams and Ray Heber.. to his hall of fame winning ways for the next three Young Art never forgot those exciting days of seasons.