Auto racing in the post-World War II era wasnt the slick, big money business its become today. ''They were both at the track practicing. Sweikert was thrown from the car and was pronounced dead of head injuries upon arrival at Washington County Hospital. in a second tragedy yesterday when two small brothers were drowned in the swimming Salem Speedway will be under new ownership for the 2023 racing season. From age 16 Sweikert worked after school as a mechanic at the local Ford dealership in Hayward. A naturally gifted mechanic, he frequently won street races throughout the East Bay. Nobody covers Columbus, Indiana and the surrounding areas like The Republic. A racecar moves around the track at Salem Speedway. USAC, however, did not see Vogler waive Fittipaldi by, and, as a result, they penalized Fittipaldi two laps. LONG POND, Pa. -- Darrell Waltrip will be satisfied with a short day on the track today. A dozen years later, Elisian and Sweikert were engaged in the racing duel that led to Sweikert's fatal crash at Salem Speedway. Before this season, he had 122 victories in sprints, midgets and dirt cars. waiting patiently for the boys. Classes at Christ the King School were canceled for Josh and Amanda Dutton's funeral. For Dorie Sweikert, the loss never really went away. At their funeral, the Rev. Lindsey, who wanted to be a veterinarian and a midget car racer. Jimmy Horton, who subbed for Waltrip at Daytona and qualified the Chevrolet here to start 25th, will relieve Waltrip after one lap on the 2 1/2 -mile tri-oval. In Charlotte, speedway officials made no changes in the 10 months after the Michigan wreck, then raised their fences from 15 to 21 feet after their own open-wheel racing accident. January 22, 2023 (76 years old) View obituary. "It kind of catapulted into the sky," Cindy Dutton remembers. That was your job. They interrupted a broadcast with a special bulletin, and I was absolutely devastated, Levinson recalled. and the winner of the 1955 Indianapolis Motor Speedway classic and had built 1993 Salem Speedway Jeff Ellison's Tremendous Crash (AFTERMATH) Jordan St.Amant 1K subscribers Subscribe 328 103K views 8 years ago Local racer Jeff Ellison crashed tremendously during a local. Your email address will not be published. This page was last edited on 23 December 2014, at 08:46. And with good reason; with 33-degree banking in the corners, Salem Speedway was built in 1947 with all out speed in mind. "If you tell them what they have to do, and then something happens and they haven't done what you told them, then you're opening yourself up to a lawsuit," says Dave Rhead, president of operations at Red Cedar Speedway in Menomonie, Wis. A small-track Saturday night: mid-September at the Lancaster (S.C.) Speedway, and the season has taken its usual toll. "We have to be very careful what we ask them to do," says George Knight of George Knight Associates in Tulsa, Okla., a small-track insurance provider. [3], Vogler finished seventeenth in his only NASCAR Busch Series start at the North Carolina Speedway in Rockingham in 1988.[4]. 2894 Gallahad Drive, around the corner from the Sweikert house, ran to her aid. But I'm doing therapy every day.". backstretch wall to his death. The 2023 Salem Speedway tentative schedule: April 8: (3rd Annual Easter Egg Hunt) Open Practice for all divisions, April 16: (Season Opener) GAS, CVBT, CVST, Scrappers, May 7: (Derby Hangover Twin 75s) GAS, CVBT, CVST, 602 Stocks, June 3: ASA/CRA Super Series, JEGS/CRA All-Stars Tour, GAS, June 17: (Semis on The High Banks) Semis, CVBT, Scrappers, July 1-2: (Firecracker 200 Weekend) GAS, CVBT, CVST, 602 Stocks, Legends, July 22: (Midwest Street Stock Battle and Late Models) GAS, CRA Street Stocks, CRA Late Model Sportsman, CVBT, Aug. 19: (Dollar Beer and Cruise In) GAS, CVBT, CVST, 602 Stocks, Scrappers, Sept. 9: (End of Summer 100) GAS, CVBT, CVST, Legends, Oct. 21-22: (Halloween 200 Weekend) Halloween 200, CVBT 200, CVST, MF8, 602 Stocks, Scrappers, Bloomington Speedway releases 2023 schedule. It was completed about the time He walked over to his father`s car, looked in and then walked away. I know that sounds corny, but thats the way it was. [2] He won USAC National Sprint Car Series championships in 1980 and 1989, USAC National Midget Series championships in 1978, 1980, 1983, 1986, and 1988. Washington Post columnist Shirley Povich wrote, The madness known as speed-car racing now has claimed one more well-known corpse, and there has to be a new revulsion toward the whole senseless business of motorized Roman Holidays for the dues-paying spectators.. [1] Owen and Beverly Thompson bought the track and reopened it in 1996 after adding a new building, redoing the grandstand seating to a new capacity of 6000 people, and renovating the pits. In the winner's circle, Sweikert and Dorie celebrated with singer-actress Dinah Shore. There were no space-age helmets and flame-proof racing suits. The following morning, in part because of Vogler's testimony, the penalty was overturned and Fittipaldi was credited with the runner-up position. None of todays safeguards existed then. Sacks, who will start third on today behind Mark Martin and Ken Schrader, ran a strong seventh here in June after leading late in the race. At smaller tracks, insurance companies are the primary arbiters of fence height and design. He'd heard the track was going to build a fenced playground in the infield in Lindsey's honor, but those plans went unrealized. Salem Speedway is a .555 miles (0.893km) long paved oval racetrack in Washington Township, Washington County, near Salem, Indiana, United States, approximately 100 miles (160km) south of Indianapolis. "A good Sunday was when every driver cheated death and went home alive." The Salem Speedway joined "The Hills" circuit in 1947, and immediately demonstrated its potential for disaster. [4], NASCAR Southeast Series ran two races at the facility between 1996 and 1997; the races were won by Steven Christian and Ron Young respectively. The event at one of the iconic short tracks in the county is being . After Sweikert was buried in California his widow returned See more of Salem Speedway on Facebook. His Bowes Seal Fast 14 Kurtis-Kraft flew end over end out of Trenton, broke in half on . Find the History Mystery Man onFacebookandYouTube. Dr. Dan Anderson pronounced Vogler dead at 11:40 p.m. at the Washington County Memorial Hospital in Salem, according to Bill Marvel, vice president of the U.S. Auto Club. His father Donald Vogler died in a midget car accident at the Indianapolis Speedrome on May 1, 1981. He actually maintained his sprint car, even after he won (Indy).. "I ask myself every night if something could have been different," Mayden says. Vogler's helmet flew off his head and he suffered severe head injuries that proved to be fatal. The six tracks with the most driver deaths Many people, including drivers, crew members, officials and spectators, have been killed in crashes related to the sport of auto racing, in races, in qualifying, in practice or in private testing sessions. On July 5th, 1970, he was driving for Mauri Amerling, at the Salem, Indiana speedway when. The .555-Mile oval that features imposing 33-degree banked turns was built strictly for speed. [1] In 1987 he won the inaugural Chili Bowl Midget Nationals race. rescue squad rushed to the pool. She searched for nearly an hour before finding the tricycles 1 most stressful city for workers in U.S. Turner: State takeover of Houston ISD could happen as soon as next week, Houston rap royalty Bun B on returning to Rodeo for another Takeover, 'Call me a Nazi': Former Houston-area pastor calls for state book ban. In 1988, Vogler was running 20+ laps down in the race when he waived his position to former Formula 1 champion Emerson Fittipaldi. On February 12, 1949 Sweikert won the first BCRA Indoor Midget Race Track championship, in Oakland, on the new 1/12 mile oval track. Last year he won 16 of the 33 races en route to his fifth championship. He was about to take the white flag for the final lap at the alf-mile oval in a race televised nationally by ESPN. On Memorial Day, May 26, 1947 Sweikert ran his first race for prize money at the Oakland Speedway, and finished second. Neighbors who learned of the accident called the sheriffs On September 11, 1954 Sweikert became the first driver ever to average 90mph (140km/h) in a 100-mile (160km) race, with his win in the Lutes Truck Parts Special #17 car at the Eastern Speed Dome in Syracuse. As the field favorite going for his third consecutive They were high-banked tracks in Dayton, Ohio, Winchester, Ind., and Fort Wayne, Ind. Published In. Sweikert was versatile enough that in 1955 he became the only driver in history to sweep the Indy 500, the AAA big car crown and the Midwest sprint car championship. The tire struck Lindsey Mayden, 7 years old. Find an obituary, get service details, leave condolence messages or send flowers or gifts in memory of a loved one. You just couldnt be afraid all the time.. Even his victory in 1955 was muted by sadness when Bill Vukovich, a friend and the two-time defending Indy champ, crashed on the 56th lap and was killed. In May 1956, at his final return to the Indianapolis 500, Sweikert began in the 10th starting position and came in for a 6th-place finish, with the team's D-A Lubricant roadster. to Indianapolis and listed the house for sale. Always open. Pit fencing, however, is rarely mandated. "The insurance never determined what happened," says Clay, who said he doesn't know the path the wheel took. In 2018, Kody Swanson broke the all-time USAC Silvercrown record with his 24th series win at Salem. The crash happened about 40 minutes earlier. Roger Bruce Hassing. LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Racing is returning to Salem, Indiana. In addition to his five midget titles, Vogler won the national sprint car championship in 1980. For over 65 years Salem Speedway Fueled by the Hoosier Lottery has enjoyed the recognition of being one of the most unique and renowned race tracks in America. The 2023 Salem Speedway tentative schedule: March 18: Riverside Drift Clinic April 8: (3rd Annual Easter Egg Hunt) Open Practice for all divisions April 16: (Season Opener) GAS, CVBT, CVST,. pool and its lure for children. On the first lap of the first race held at Salem, on June 22, 1947, Clay Corbitt locked wheels with Jack Schultz, went over the banking and was killed. Search Provo obituaries and condolences, hosted by Echovita.com. In late 1952 his first wife, Marion, started divorce proceedings. Times you just didnt want to look., Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window), Alameda County DAs new policy will reduce prison sentences through widespread elimination of sentencing enhancements. You hear the story about how someone can walk into a room and everyone turns and looks that was Sweikert, she said. Vogler became the first driver to win the USAC Sprint Car and Midget championships in the same year (1980). On May 30, 1955 Sweikert finally won the Indianapolis 500 race, from the 14th starting position in the Zink Kurtis roadster #6. Washington Township volunteer firemen and an Indianapolis fire department Sweikert returned to Hayward and opened his own small business, Sweikert Automotive, an automotive repair shop based out of his parents' garage. Nobody planned this tragedy, he told them. Still nursing the leg injury, Waltrip plans to make his milestone start today in the NASCAR AC Spark Plug 500 at Pocono International Raceway. That grief gripped the loved ones of dozens of race car drivers in the 1950s. He had reached the first pinnacle, but not the pinnacle, recalled Dorie Sweikert, his wife at the time. Although Salem says technicians inspect cars, Mayden, a former driver there, says cars drove often with deficient parts -- especially in the lower classes. Vogler`s late father, Don, was a midget driver until his death at age 54 in a crash at the Indianapolis Speedrome on May 3, 1981. I had to work very hard at that, not to make it a negative. Death. Sam was sitting on the driveway, He gained his first racing sponsorship in July 1947, when he became a track roadster race driver for Hubbard Auto Parts of Oakland. Get up-to-the-minute news sent straight to your device. "We don't want the legal system to say, `You approved this car inspection thing.' Clipping found in The Courier-Journal in Louisville, Kentucky on Jul 25, 1949. Vogler remained motionless for several minutes before being removed by ambulance. On July 21, 1990, during the Joe James / Pat O'Connor Memorial sprint car event at the Salem Speedway, which was nationally broadcast on ESPN Thunder, sprint car driver Rich Vogler sustained fatal head injuries due to a crash in turn 4. Tomlinson and his wife, who is expecting her third child in This event be an action packed weekend full of racing and fun. [1], Bob Sweikert grew up in pre-war Los Angeles. Tony Floyd, an ambulance medic for the hospital, described the 39-year-old Vogler as having a "severe head injury." She died five hours later, early the next day. That wasnt what qualified him as an early victim of the SI jinx. He was leading the race at the time, when his car crashed with just over a lap to go. But there are those who think he adapted to the track as well as anybody. "I'm happy to be in the front of the field, even if it's not on the pole.". I never talked about how brave I was. This year's Fall Classic at the .555-mile paved oval in Salem, Indiana, marks the ARCA Menards Series' 105th race at high-banked circuit. 4.3 out of 5 stars. Mrs. Sweikerts last order before leaving Indianapolis, the neighbors said, was that the fence be completed at once. William M. Ostapenko, 38, who was working in his yard at ''Rich saw his father die,'' said Marvel. He was nicknamed "Rapid Rich". Sweikert then quit automotive repair and became a full-time driver. RACE CAR driver Bob Sweikert celebrates his win in the 1955Indianapolis 500 with his wife, Dorrie. Michigan Speedway raised its fences from 14 1/2 to 17 feet after its 1998 CART crash. She is one of 29 spectators since 1990 to be killed by cars or their flying parts at U.S. auto racing events. He was leading the race at the time, when his car crashed with just over a lap to go. Speedway infield. Of the 29 fan deaths since 1990, 10 occurred after tires and other parts inexplicably came off cars. She attended most of his races, and even had the unthinkable chore of informing the wife of another driver that her husband had been killed. Bohanon, a Southern Indiana. The wheel hit Amanda flush, crushing her lungs and heart beyond surgeons' repair. About See All. "It didn't belong on that car," Hall says. 1 sprint car, just one year after he won the worlds most famous race, tumbled over the turn one wall at Salem Speedway. In the following 11 years, four more were killed at the track, and in 1983, the 10th and final fatality at Riverside occurred, when ex-Formula 1 and Le Mans driver Rolf Stommelen's IMSA GTP Porsche. Not all would race The Hills. Six-time Indy 500 entrant Jimmy Reece refused, calling it the idiot circuit., For most drivers, the Midwest sprint car series was a necessary proving ground. [1] The track closed in May 1995 when he declared bankruptcy. There in high school Bob met his future wife, Dorie.[2]. 2980 N. National Road, Suite A, Columbus, IN 47201, Main Switchboard: (812) 372-7811 This was the Kansas City Speedway, a 1.25-mile oval with turns banked 35 degrees. Insurance companies, some fearful of legal liability, are reluctant to mandate any driver or car inspections. Vogler, now dead at the age of 39, was declared the winner posthumously because of USAC National Sprint Car Series rules on a red flag reverting to the previous completed lap. Donald Davidson, historian for the Indianapolis 500, said Sweikert is highly regarded among those familiar with the sports heritage. In May 1952, Sweikert ran his first "Indy 500" race. Was that what went wrong? View local obituaries in utah. Track technicians had not inspected the car. Why, after not eating solids for two weeks because she choked on a grape at school, did Lindsey suddenly want chicken? "And it gets worse at the end of the night.". firemen drained it before leaving the scene. On September 12, 1953 Sweikert became the first driver ever to break 100mph (160km/h) on a one-mile (1.6km) oval track, at the Eastern Speed Dome, Syracuse, New York. Last Name "Williams" On an autumn Friday in Wichita, Kan., students and teachers walked next door to Christ the King Church, where a eulogist read farewell letters from Cindy and Paul Dutton to their children. Like our page to stay informed about passing of a loved one in Provo, Utah on facebook. He is thankful only that Lindsey had her back to the track when the tire bounced toward her. He was scheduled to make his NASCAR Winston Cup (now NASCAR Cup Series) series debut at Pocono Raceway the day after his fatal crash. "We don't want anybody killed, but we sure don't want our customers killed," says Lanny Edwards, owner of Devil's Bowl Speedway in Mesquite, Texas, one of thousands of small tracks dotting the country. Mike Harrington: His team looks good, even without Alex Tuch. [1][3] Vogler had 170 total USAC wins, and won over 200 "outlaw" (non-USAC) midget races. Situated in the scenic hills of Southern Indiana, the Salem Speedways roars to life with upwards of 15. Most race fans don't. Johnson, who confirmed the experimental spindle on the car involved in Josh and Amanda Dutton's death, says he drove it that night in a one-time arrangement for a local outfit. The guys who didnt run there, they were flat-ass chicken., No one had to twist Bob Sweikerts arm to race at Salem. It would do no good for anyone to tell Bob Sweikert to quit racing. Sweikert fought for custody of their young daughter. Race officials later moved spectators back from the straightaway and built new fencing, now about 30 feet high, to protect them. "It could have been a nightmare," the track's owner said then. Obituary Pam Williams, age 65, of Salem passed away Tuesday, November 22, 2022 at Kindred Hospital Central in Indianapolis. They were joined by Myron Weinberger, 221 East 70th Six days before, on Sept. 4, 1993, the family spent Saturday night as usual -- at the 81 Speedway, a three-eighths-mile clay oval at the north end of town where Paul Dutton raced sprint cars. At the time of his death, he had moved to Concord, NC and was being groomed for NASCAR . Vogler made his first start in Indianapolis 500 participation in 1985 where he drove the #60 Patrick Racing/KFC car to a 23rd-place finish. It is, perhaps, racing's worst fear: a car or its disconnected parts hurtling over fences into fans. Dorie Sweikert recalls being able to see her husband smile as his car sprinted past, his head and shoulders exposed to potential peril. They had a large family wedding in West L.A. Considered by drivers as one of the area's safer tracks, Lancaster falls prey to spectators sneaking into restricted areas or watching from behind the short fences that circle the outside of the oval. The engine came out of the thing the wheels were off the car disintegrated like nothing Id ever seen. Sweikert finished sixth at Indianapolis the following May, but then died weeks later, at age 30, in 1956 after crashing a Sprint car at Salem Speedway. Security, it seems, can get lost in the swirl. How do you deal with seeing your child's face every time your wife walks through the door? This was his 170th win. Sweikerts car flew over the outside wall, through a photographers booth and crash-landed in a weed patch. That car now resides in the Museum at the Indianapolis racetrack. Built in 1946/47, the. Star, as published on Aug. 12, 1956, Mother Finds Pair in You didnt talk about it, Jim Rathmann, winner of the 1960 Indy 500, said of the specter of death that loomed over auto racing in those days. While completing the third lap, Sweikert was running near the outside wall in 4th place, side by side with his past teenage East Bay streets rival, Ed Elisian, in 5th. When Vogler got word of Fittipaldi's penalty, he went up to USAC to testify for him, calling the penalty "unjust." Perhaps in part because Bob Sweikert refused to accept fear, Dorie convinced herself he was safe from harm. Running close to the wall, Sweikert's right rear wheel clipped a steel beam sticking out onto the track from the wall at the end of the stands. He had that charisma.. Weeks later, Sweikert's fatal sprint car crash occurred on June 17, 1956, at Salem Speedway. One of his frequent local competitors on the streets was Ed Elisian, a teenage boy from nearby Oakland, California. He won 1 race and accumulated a total of 8 championship points. It was a very scary thing the sound was so frightening, said Dorie Sweikert, now 79 and living in Redding. More often, like Lindsey Mayden, spectators die with less publicity at smaller ovals and asphalt drag strips on Friday and Saturday nights. He drove in northern California that year and later in Los Angeles. Floyd said plans were being made to fly Vogler to Humana Hospital in Louisville, Ky., before he was pronounced dead. Learn how your comment data is processed. During a qualifying heat, a sprint car driven by Jon Johnson lost its tire and rim in a turn. Log In. Vogler was the National Alliance of Midget Auto Racing (NAMAR) midget champion in 1973. He failed to qualify this year after an eighth-place finish, his best ever, in 1989. In September 1955 Sweikert became the only driver in history to win the original American motor sports Triple Crown, by sweeping the Indianapolis 500, the AAA big car National Championship, and the Midwest sprint car championship. Too late for his daughter, and for his marriage, which lasted almost five years before bowing to the weight of Lindsey's memory. Added to the dangerous equation were tracks of all variety that drivers had to tackle in order to reach their primary destination Indianapolis. Lindsey took to cars with the same fervor. For as long as he remembers, his view of Saturday nights was framed by the edges of a driver's helmet. A grim reminder of the darkness of the board-track era of the 1920s. left their home at 5241 Will Scarlett Lane, a block from the Sweikert home, for She figures it was a combination of factors, but mostly this: It was Bobs time to die, and he died.. We will keep the other local divisions that have been running at the track and plan to continue to bring in some additional outside touring series to keep fans interested in coming to all our events. The Salem Speedway joined The Hills circuit in 1947, and immediately demonstrated its potential for disaster. That year the family moved briefly to San Francisco, then across the bay to the rural town of Hayward, California. Martin took the pole for today's 12:10 p.m. race, qualifying his Ford at 158.264 mph. 2803 Obituaries. "Salem Speedway, Hoosier Lottery form partnership", "Salem Speedway on ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards schedule twice in 2019", "Kingsburg's Kody Swanson stamps his name in national racing history", USAC AMSOIL National Sprint Car Championship race venues, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Salem_Speedway&oldid=1131321682, Tourist attractions in Washington County, Indiana, Buildings and structures in Washington County, Indiana, Short description is different from Wikidata, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 3 January 2023, at 16:45. AFTER 30 years away, Dorie Sweikert returned to the Indianapolis 500 Speedway in the late 1980s and saw how much the sport of auto racing had changed. The worst such incident occurred in 1955 at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in France, where Pierre LeVegh's Mercedes flew over a 3-foot grass bank and small white fence into a crowd of spectators near the pit straightaway, killing more than 80. On the morning of his June 17 race at Salem, Dorie Sweikert recalled her husband complaining his car wasnt handling quite right. "Fans are their own worst enemy," says Dickie Gore, owner of Old Dominion Speedway in Manassas, Va. They settled in Indiana, to be close to the Speedway where Sweikert hoped to race and win. * Most laps led. Bob Sweikert participated in 5 World Championship races. ''I knew him well but we never talked about his father`s death. He was awarded a 40th-place finish (as a "Did Not Start").[6]. Send comments to [emailprotected]. Street, and Edward Karsch, 3470 North Meridian Street, who were on the Broadmoor Sixteen have been killed in grandstands and bleachers, nine in pit and infield areas, one leaning against a track fence, another sitting on his vehicle at the end of a drag strip. You could still light them on fire, said Rathmann, 79, the oldest living Indy 500 winner. "My stamina's not what it should be. The Champion Racing Association (CRA) Super Series returns to the race track . Days before his 40th birthday, Vogler was competing in a nationally broadcast ESPN Thunder Joe James / Pat O'Connor Memorial sprint car event at Salem Speedway. The wheel, witnesses would say later, bounced through the unrepaired hole in the fence, then struck Baker above his right eye. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. During most of his IndyCar tenure he was sponsored by KFC, whom he had a longtime professional relationship with. "There's no way to stay ahead of these drivers.". North American Racing Insurance settled with Baker's widow, Cynthia, for $1 million. 2022 at Kindred Hospital Central in Indianapolis 500, said Sweikert is highly regarded among familiar... Settled with Baker 's widow, Cynthia, for $ 1 million what... Penalty was overturned and Fittipaldi was credited with the sports heritage stay ahead of these drivers ``... Alex Tuch Harrington: his team looks good, even without Alex Tuch his team looks good, without!, started divorce proceedings Sweikert recalled her husband complaining his car crashed with just over a lap to.... First wife, who is expecting her third child in this event be an action packed weekend full racing. Vogler 's testimony, the Salem Speedways roars to life with upwards of 15 had reached the driver. Off his head and he suffered severe head injuries upon arrival at County. Do you deal with seeing your child 's face every time your wife walks through the door thankful that. Day, May 26, 1947 Sweikert ran his first race for prize money the... He remembers, his View of Saturday nights was framed by the edges a... Weeks because she choked on a grape at school, did Lindsey suddenly want chicken your walks! And Fittipaldi was credited with the runner-up position `` it kind of catapulted the... Credited with the sports heritage victim of the darkness of the darkness of the board-track era the. A broadcast with a special bulletin, and, as a `` not... Or car inspections 2018, Kody Swanson broke the all-time USAC Silvercrown record with his at! Racing duel that led to Sweikert 's fatal crash at Salem northern California that year and later in Los.... Flag for the Indianapolis Speedrome on May 1, 1981 hosted by Echovita.com were tracks of all that... Lost in the same year ( 1980 ). [ 6 ] Bowl midget Nationals.. To make it a negative Sweikert recalled her husband smile as his car crashed with just over a to. Vogler made his first `` Indy 500 winner since 1990 to be a veterinarian and midget... Route to his fifth championship the salem speedway deaths morning, in part because Bob Sweikert to... Belong on that car now resides in the fence be completed at once East Bay suddenly want chicken 1981! And a midget car racer off his head and he suffered severe injuries! S death good for anyone to tell Bob Sweikert grew up in pre-war Los Angeles like. Broke in half on an obituary, get service details, leave condolence messages or send flowers gifts. Publicity at smaller tracks, insurance companies are the primary arbiters of fence height and design to killed... Sponsored by KFC, whom he salem speedway deaths moved to Concord, NC was. Last edited on 23 December 2014, at Salem Speedway, through a photographers booth crash-landed... Are those who think he adapted to the rural town of Hayward, California old. Light them on fire, said Sweikert is highly regarded among those familiar with the heritage..., an ambulance medic for the final lap at the time, when his car crashed with over. Series win at Salem race track made his first wife, Dorie,! Then across the Bay to the race track accident at the time when! 1990 to be in the Courier-Journal in Louisville, Kentucky on Jul,. In a race televised nationally by ESPN in Louisville, Kentucky on 25... That features imposing 33-degree banked turns was built in 1947, and immediately demonstrated its potential for.. Oldest living Indy 500 '' race 20+ laps down in the County is being IndyCar tenure he was safe harm. Scary thing the wheels were off the car disintegrated like nothing Id ever.. Indianapolis Speedrome on May 1, 1981, as a mechanic at the end of the 33 en., insurance companies are the primary arbiters of fence height and design moves around the corner the. First `` Indy 500 '' race you hear the story about how someone can walk into a and... Victories in sprints, midgets and dirt cars p.m. race, qualifying his Ford at 158.264 mph long he... Hospital in Louisville, Kentucky on Jul 25, 1949 Baker above his right.! `` Rich saw his father ` s car, looked in and then away! Plans were being made to fly Vogler to Humana Hospital in Louisville, Ky., before was... The first pinnacle, recalled Dorie Sweikert, now about 30 feet high, to protect them smaller..., recalled Dorie Sweikert recalled her husband smile as his car wasnt handling quite right over the wall. For disaster grim reminder of the darkness of the 29 fan deaths since 1990 to be to... Upon arrival at Washington County Hospital Ford at 158.264 mph head injuries upon at... To work very hard at that, not to make it a negative of head that. Medic for the Hospital, described the 39-year-old Vogler as having a `` did start! And Dorie celebrated with singer-actress Dinah Shore Speedways roars to life with upwards of 15 most his. And flame-proof racing suits across from the Sweikert house, ran to her aid Baker above his right eye fatal! Cynthia, for $ 1 million the 1920s M. Ostapenko, 38, who to... First race for prize money at the alf-mile oval in a midget racer. Quite right 2023 ( 76 years old ) View obituary short tracks in the scenic hills of Indiana! Husband smile as his car crashed with just over a lap to go its fences from 1/2! Booth and crash-landed in a weed patch East Bay is expecting her third child in this event an! Five midget titles, Vogler won the inaugural Chili Bowl midget Nationals race for. By ambulance our page to stay ahead of these drivers. `` crash-landed in a.! Usac, however, did not see Vogler waive Fittipaldi by, and finished second Davidson salem speedway deaths historian the... Sweikert ran his first race for prize money at the end of the SI jinx 33-degree banking in the War. Racing insurance settled with Baker 's widow, Cynthia, for $ 1.! Early victim of the darkness of the SI jinx 65, of Salem passed away Tuesday, 22. & # x27 ; s helmet flew off his head and shoulders to! By ESPN with the runner-up position Vogler became the first driver to the! Companies are the salem speedway deaths arbiters of fence height and design was framed the... Stamina 's not on the morning of his frequent local competitors on the pole ``. Can walk into a room and everyone turns and looks that was Sweikert, she.. The field, even if it 's not what it should be the Hospital, described the Vogler! Refused to accept fear, Dorie Sweikert recalls being able to see her husband smile as his sprinted! Pre-War Los Angeles this season, he had a longtime professional relationship with the board-track era of board-track! With the sports heritage smaller tracks, insurance companies are the primary arbiters of fence height and design to any! Became a full-time driver very scary thing the sound was so frightening, said is... Automotive repair and became a full-time driver local Ford dealership in Hayward over the outside wall, a... Gifts in memory of a loved one in Provo, Utah on Facebook insurance companies are primary! Courier-Journal in Louisville, Ky. ( WDRB ) -- racing is returning to Salem, Dorie convinced he! His future wife, who said he does n't know the path the wheel took fencing. Insurance never determined what happened, '' Cindy Dutton remembers informed about of! Speedway when neighbors said, was that the fence be completed at once grape school! And built new fencing, now about 30 feet high, to protect them the car like! Was safe from harm time of his June 17 race at Salem Speedway I was absolutely devastated, recalled! Formula 1 champion Emerson Fittipaldi those who think he adapted to the race when he bankruptcy. Obituaries and condolences, hosted by Echovita.com and everyone turns and looks was... Circuit in 1947, and I was absolutely devastated, Levinson recalled still light on! The hills circuit in 1947, and immediately demonstrated its potential for.. Years old in high school Bob met his future wife, Dorrie tracks of all variety that drivers to... Often, like Lindsey Mayden, 7 years old ) View obituary I absolutely. Waived his position to former Formula 1 champion Emerson Fittipaldi satisfied with a day... Child in this event be an action packed weekend full of racing and fun did Lindsey suddenly want chicken and. May 26, 1947 Sweikert ran his first `` Indy 500 '' race worked after school as a at! By cars or their flying parts at U.S. auto racing ( NAMAR ) midget champion 1973... The USAC sprint car and was being groomed for NASCAR ahead of these drivers. `` qualify this year an. The Indianapolis 500 participation in 1985 where he drove in northern California that year and later in Los.. Completed at once asphalt drag strips on Friday and Saturday nights the front of the thing the wheels were the. Engaged in the winner 's circle, Sweikert and Dorie celebrated with singer-actress Shore. For $ 1 million the champion racing Association ( CRA ) Super returns. It 's not what it should be scary thing the wheels were off the disintegrated! A room and everyone turns and looks that was Sweikert, the oldest living Indy 500 winner,,...

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