Big Car Racing Association & Hall of Fame, LLC BCRA ESTABLISHED 1958, COLORADO SPRINGS CO th (50 Anniversary 1958 - 2008 ) BIG CAR RACING CHRONICLES Jan – Feb – March 2009 Bcra Staff: Ray Cunningham(Ks), Boyd Adams(Tx), Bruce Budy(C0), Jerry Miller(Tx), Tom Davey(Co), Wayne Panter(Tx), Gary Wolfe(Ne) , To the Big Car Racing Association Hall of Fame weekend is scheduled for Friday Welcome th Newsletter. Photo Journalist and High Banks Hall of June 26 at 6PM at the Smith Collection of Famer Jerry Miller spices the newsletter with his American Speed. Tours will follow. The museum account of the 2009 Chili Bowl and the Victor, has a regular tour at 2 PM members are able to Sammy Swindell. Just this past Summer I approached attend and be the at the front entrance at 2PM. Sammy at Belleville about that weekend in Colorado On track will be at Eagle Raceway on Saturday in 77’. Swindell was the last Champion of the BCRA with a static display before hand, more on this but was never awarded a trophy. We have been in event in the future. search of a suitable 70’s vintage style trophy for the Unidentifed picture received has been ID’ed as last four years and to no avail, If anyone has any ideas let us know as we are planning to make such a presentation to this great American driver this Summer. Sincere regards to the Roy Bryant family with the passing of this two time BCRA Champ at Wichita Kansas( Pg 3). Speedway continues to grow with dynamic new displays in the Roger MCluskey- Hank Henry built “Tamale Wagon” and Bruce Brommes “Andy Gump”. The Saldana roadster is home after being restored by Mark Randol and John Layne in Kansas City. The Hall of Fame induction process is under way with finalists in Burt and Burty Blanot, , Mirl Amarillo Texas Speed Bowl, with #99 Harold Leep, #65 Barnett, Ray Lee Goodwin, Jerry Schumaker, Jerry Miller ,#12 Funderburk,#42 Don Maxwelll, #30 Walt Mcwhorter, Ralph Parkinson, Tom Davey, Clay Loetscher Foster Campbell, Keith Hightshoe, Chuck Meet BCRA fan “Trip” of Kansas City. Trip is seen Kidwell, Bill Robison, Unser family, Larry Clark, here vacationing in Texas this past Winter in his Thad Dosher, Ed French. Gene Pastor, Earl favorite hat which helps ward off the hot Texas Sun. Kouba, Rich Blaney, Davey Ross, Steve Troxell, Rumor has it Trip was named after the great Sleepy Joe Saldana, Buddy Taylor and Dick Sutcliff. Trip but another source close to the German Short Owners Pius Selenke, Pete Forshee, Larry Hair Pointer reveals he got his name as he loves to go Swanson, Ed Smith, the team of Gary Swenson on trips and never seems to get tired (Con’t pg 2) and Charlie Williams and Colorado’s Curt Table of Contents Stockwell . Officials Mearle Holbrook, Art Meyers Page 1 Welcome and Mechanic Jack Kline. Page 2 Eddie McVay, GWolfe Page 3 Farewell to Roy Bryant, R.Cunningham If you would like to nominate any driver, Owner, Page 4 new exhibits to the Smith Collection Mechanic or Official for induction send Page 5 new exhibits continued information to the address on the back of the Page 6 “Summer of 69’” by R Cunningham Newsletter or e-mail to [email protected] or Page 7 “ Summer of 69” (Con’t) [email protected]. Page 8 Ascot Park, JC Agajanian jr Page 9 Tom and Jerry Page 10 Tom and Jerry (Con’t) his continued success gained him a sponsor in the B1 Bottling Company. He chauffeured the “Lemon-Lime Soda” Midget to many successful outings on the circuit before buying his first Offy in the Jimmy Campbell #5 in 1948 and with McVay alterations, finished seventh in the Kansas City Midget Auto Racing Association. McVay would win his first Feature in 1951 at Olympic Stadium. In 1952 McVay would purchase his second Offy, the Crist #20 and brought home another Feature win at Riverside and in 53’ he added another Feature to the growing list while outrunning the field at “Flying Saucer Speedway” at Platte City Mo. Eddie then built his own Chassis, using the same motor, and in 54’ McVay assaulted the area Speedways with a July 4th His owner (former BCRA Champ)wonders if “Trip” win at Marshall and two late season victories at doesn’t get tired or doesn’t trust his driving. Riverside yielded a runnerup spot in the final Boyd Adams forwards the news of the end of an era KCMARA standings behind Jud Larson. In 55’ he in Arizona with the Manzanita track closed(April 11) began traveling the country to race and making his and leveled (April 14). presence known in the ranks of the IMCA, USAC and NASCAR. BCRA member Eddie McVay, He built a new Midget in 57’ and the number G Wolfe 84 Offy stormed the midget ranks winning races at Born in 1922 at Kansas City, Eddie was one of Hutchinson Ks, Olympic Stadium, Ord Ne, the four children. Eddie attended school in both Kansas NASCAR races in Orlando Fl, Islip Ny(500 lapper), City and Independence and as a child young McVay Chicago O’Hara stadium and Minneapolis Raceway suffered from osteomylitis, a degenerative bone Park. Back home in Kansas City he took the Jack disease. During the war Eddie had dealt in used race Cunningham Offy to Feature wins at Topeka cars, refurbishing and selling them. After the war he Raceway Park and Savannah Mo. In August of 57’ had a couple of cars he had not been able to sell so in McVay would again take two Feature wins at 1946 he took them to the track for people to see. Savannah driving his own #84 and ended the season Eddie hired Ray Hall to drive that night and when 2nd in points while running with the Midget greats like Hall later moved to the Haggart Ford 60, McVay Jud Larson, Bob Slater, Bill Chenault and fellow donned an old plastic helmet and took the wheel in Kansas City veteran Vito Calia. his first Midget competition at Olympic Stadium. Eddie ran the tracks in Denver starting in 1955 Eddie first changed the # 100 on the v-8 60 to # 84 running with the MHRA,TENSPEC, RMMRA and in and recently explained this was the year his granddad 57’ made the Mile High scene towing with a Rambler was born (1884)and he helped him get started in station wagon on his way to the West coast. Here he welding and racing. The young man’s welding once again made his presence known at Englewood expertise soon became recognized by many in the and Lakeside running with top Midget aces including area including Tom Randol, IMCA competitor and Jimmy Lamanna, Foster Campbell, Earl Kouba and owner of the very successful Randol Excavating Grier Manning . Back in Colorado again in 61” he Offy, with all welding repairs done by Eddie. ran away from the competition at Greeley Co and McVay ran the remainder of the 46’ season with before leaving town succumbed to an impressive his pre-war Midget and his success warranted the offer and sold his car to John Hollansworth and Vern purchase of another Midget found in St Joe Mo along Shaver. It was later sold to a Phoenix buyer and when with a set of heads, a cam and lifters acquired from he came to pick up the car he had driver Gene Brown good friend, Cotton Fasoni. With the addition of a dry in tow and he proceeded to win the next Feature at sump system he engaged the Midget circuit in 47’ and Lakeside. Warren Hamilton of Denver later brought 2 the Midget back from Arizona and Dick Taylor would dash which he won and followed it with a Fast Heat own it before trading it to Ron Schleiger. While in win and in the Feature, once again starting at the rear, Colorado McVay also drove the Al Bozarth Chevy 11 he passed the field twice on his way to his third to a good finish at Colorado Springs in a “Night victory that day. before the Hill Climb” USAC event. Eddie McVay would race coast to coast and from With a new MCVay built Midget In 1959, Eddie’s Canada to Texas for nearly three decades and raced success continued as he won the 100 lapper at home everything from the old Elto’s, Drakes, Offy’s to the on the Olympic Stadium oval and finished fifth in Chevy’s. He drove sprints for years with IMCA , points.(future BCRA competitor Roger Lane was BCRA, and a 220 Offy for Lyle Hyneman on the Champion). 1960 yielded two more Feature victories USAC. For a time he drove the old Granatelli built with the KCMARA and a fourth in points with Bill “Hotel Tropicana” sprinter for Billy Roberts. Burdick the Champion. During this season McVay Nicknamed “Little Roberts” , “It was wore out, would win the last of the prestigious NASCAR everything kept falling off it”. He remembers the Midget Championships while competing against some Sloan Chrysler Hemi powered Sprinter, “ motor was of the greatest drivers to ever run in the U.S. Midget too heavy and it was hard to drive through the ranks. corners but down the chute, it ran like a jack rabbit”. McVay worked in the family Blacksmith shop, In the late 1940’s a group of Auto Racing built in 1834 and his expertise as a Machinist and enthusiasts including McVay formed welder yielded Chassis’s with McVay rear ends, “CARB”(Central Auto Racing Boosters) at Kansas suspension components and , on his last car, a unique City Missouri.