His 134 wins (95 Midget, 35 Sprint, and four Silver Crown wins) in national events is second only to A. J. Foyt's 169. 19,772 people like this. Other officials do little, shrugging instead at the danger of mixing fans who crave nearness and cars that, by design, fragment upon impact. In late 1952 his first wife, Marion, started divorce proceedings. 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. On February 12, 1949 Sweikert won the first BCRA Indoor Midget Race Track championship, in Oakland, on the new 1/12 mile oval track. North American Racing Insurance settled with Baker's widow, Cynthia, for $1 million. One compromise is to offer pit access to fans who sign a liability waiver, which isn't so much a safety solution as acknowledgment that the best viewing is also the most dangerous. Sweikert himself took the checkers at Indy in the face of Mike Harrington: His team looks good, even without Alex Tuch. Dr. Dan. CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- The wheel came off in Turn 2, snapped from its axle in a two-car collision. Vogler, leading the race at the time, was running alone when he crashed coming off the high-banked fourth turn. [5], Because of USAC rules on a red flag reverting to the previous completed lap, he was declared the winner of the event following his death, which was his 170th win. The race was red flagged and would never restart. Then came a June 17 sprint car race at Salem Speedway. 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. His mother had married his stepfather, an electrician for the state of California, when Bob was an infant. "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. Sweikert's first chance at driving a Sprint car came next in 1949. When I hit 30, I figured Id better quit.. Vogler's helmet flew off his head and he suffered severe head injuries that proved to be fatal. After 1949 Sweikert became close friends with Johnny Boyd of Fresno, California when he met him on the California racing circuit. beat that day. Fifteen were gone within just seven years. Mrs. Tomlinson ran behind the Sweikert house. Im ready to get started on making improvements as soon as the weather lets us. I just raced. It would do no good for anyone to tell Bob Sweikert to quit racing. And there were sad ones. Sweikert was completing just his fourth lap as Oakland driver Ed Elisians car seemed to push Sweikert gradually higher and higher up the banked track. Sweikert was born in Los Angeles, California. 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. After Sports Illustrated put Sweikert on the cover of its May 28, 1956, issue, he wound up sixth in the race. Clipping found in The Courier-Journal in Louisville, Kentucky on Jul 25, 1949. [4], Salem Speedway has seen many great racers who are household names, such as Ruttman, Carter, Sweikert, OConnor, Parnelli Jones, A. J. Foyt, Al Unser, Mario Andretti, Vogler, Allison, Parsons, Waltrip, Jeff Gordon, Mark Martin, Tony Stewart, Jimmie Johnson, Ryan Newman, Busch, Kasey Kahne, Ken Schrader, Joey Logano, and the list goes on. [1][3] Vogler had 170 total USAC wins, and won over 200 "outlaw" (non-USAC) midget races. But he liked to race on them.. [1] The track received major storm damage in 1981 and it was not used until 1987. 1,509 were here. 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. I never talked about how brave I was. Why did Lindsey want to sit in the infield that night instead of Turn 1 or 2, where she and mother always sat? two months, went home while firemen worked. Not now. During most of his IndyCar tenure he was sponsored by KFC, whom he had a longtime professional relationship with. of his death. Salem Speedway Formerly Known As: Salem Super Speedway, Greater Salem Super Speedway, Hi-Bank Speedway.555 mi./0.893 km. Robert Charles Sweikert (May 20, 1926 June 17, 1956) was an American racing driver, best known as the winner of the 1955 Indianapolis 500 and the 1955 National Championship, as well as the 1955 Midwest Sprint car championship - the only driver in history to sweep all three in a single season. No other cars were involved. Get Morning Report and other email newsletters. "It was," he said, "nobody's fault.". Such decisions are largely left up to speedways. Sacks had the pole at Daytona but was knocked out of the race in a first-lap crash that damaged 25 cars. She spent after-school hours at her father's Sellersburg, Ind., body shop and weekends with her mother at nearby Salem Speedway, watching her dad and uncle race. and the winner of the 1955 Indianapolis Motor Speedway classic and had built Now his dream was not just to win Indy, but to be the best in the world. rescue squad rushed to the pool. Log In. It opened in 1947; two drivers were killed on the first lap of the first race. Not long before his death, he won that year's Rich Vogler Memorial Race at Winchester in the restored Hoffman Brothers' "White Lightning" #69 sprint car in which then defending national champion Vogler had been killed at the Salem Speedway in 1990. Usually, his mother and his sons appear at the annual fund-raiser. [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. He is buried at Lone Tree Cemetery in Fairview, California.[3]. Death. Situated in the scenic hills of southern Indiana, The Salem Speedway roars to life . Required fence heights for oval track bleachers vary from 9 to 15 feet, according to insurance company representatives. At least 70 have been injured, some suffering life-altering afflictions, including a Florida father of three now living in a New Jersey home for people with brain damage. You have permission to edit this article. SALEM - Salem Speedway is set to host the 33rd Halloween 200 from Oct. 22-24. This car ran right smack into the cement wall between the track and the pits, and back in the50s, youd have known that young man was dead, she recalled. They are. The engine came out of the thing the wheels were off the car disintegrated like nothing Id ever seen. LONG POND, Pa. -- Darrell Waltrip will be satisfied with a short day on the track today. The season opener is set for April 16. Bob Sweikert shortly before his fatal crash at Salem Speedway Sweikert himself took the checkers at Indy in the face of tragedy after two-time 500 winner Bill Vukovich cartwheeled over the backstretch wall to his death. Foremen worked for an hour and a half before Deputy Coroner 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. Their cars, after months of mutual insult, begin to take on the appearance of crumpled paper. His father Donald Vogler died in a midget car accident at the Indianapolis Speedrome on May 1, 1981. "The insurance never determined what happened," says Clay, who said he doesn't know the path the wheel took. There is also a Team Vogler Classic at the Indianapolis Speedrome. Finishing first among the survivors was a young driver from Pittsboro, Indiana, named Jeff Gordon. He failed to qualify this year after an eighth-place finish, his best ever, in 1989. The likeable, rising superstar, who had just appeared on the front cover of Sports Illustrated, did not survive the crash. [1] He competed in the Indianapolis 500 five times, and his best finish was eighth in 1989. Both tracks also increased their fences' overhang. Fifty years later, her memories of those days paint a picture of the entire experience. Stadium, Arena & Sports Venue in Salem, Indiana. 1 sprint car, just one year after he won the worlds most famous race, tumbled over the turn one wall at Salem Speedway. A year later, on June 17, 1956, Sweikert, just turned 30, was killed when his sprint car shot over the edge of the high-banked, half-mile track at Salem, Ind. priest, took them word that the boys were dead. Former USAC Midget racer Nick Bohanon has taken over ownership of the iconic Salem Speedway Fueled by the Hoosier Lottery, located in Salem. A grim reminder of the darkness of the board-track era of the 1920s. Ostapenko and Karsch removed the boys from the water. "He would be going if it were me that died. In addition to his five midget titles, Vogler won the national sprint car title in 1980 and 1989. Tony Floyd, an ambulance medic for the hospital, described the 39-year-old Vogler as having a "severe head injury." Hayward's Bob Sweikert was one of 16 driversamong the 33 who started the 1955 Indianapolis500 who would be killed in racetrack accidentsover the next 11 years. He said, I still cant relax. He said this was just one race. The Salem Speedway joined The Hills circuit in 1947, and immediately demonstrated its potential for disaster. 1 most stressful city for U.S. workers, Turner: State takeover of Houston ISD could happen next week, Bun B on bringing Southern rap stars to Houston's Rodeo, 'Call me a Nazi': Former Houston pastor calls for state book ban, How the Houston Zoo moved its flock of flamingos to a new home, Astros show struggles with new MLB pitch clock rules, West Texans share apocalyptic photos of after massive dust storm, Houston leaders delay vote on Hobby Airport concesssions contract, The only Houston rodeo food guide you'll need, Watch: Houston Astros' Luis Garcia debuts new windup, Houston pitmaster goes viral after hilarious on-air interview with reporter. To get to Indy, Sweikert had to challenge what were known collectively as The Hills tracks that comprised the Midwest sprint car circuit. Their shoes where on the pools rim. No other cars were involved and no other injuries reported. They had a large family wedding in West L.A. Vogler, who would have been 40 on Thursday, raced in five Indianapolis 500s. He would make consecutive starts at Indy from then on, up until 1990. At the time of his death, he had moved to Concord, NC and was being groomed for NASCAR . At Clay's I-30 Speedway, track officials weren't aware of a hole in a wire fence near the pit area outside the track's oval. Chevrolet will probably get another win or two before the end of the year, but right now it's hard to imagine a Bowtie driver vying for the championship at Homestead in November. There was kind of a machismo attached to it. The Pocono race was not his first attempted NASCAR Winston Cup start: two weeks before, he entered the Michigan race but failed to qualify. firemen drained it before leaving the scene. Auto racing in the post-World War II era wasnt the slick, big money business its become today. First there was the business of trying to defend his Indy 500 title. * Most laps led. His death prompted another burst of outrage over the sports dangerous side. Donald Davidson, historian for the Indianapolis 500, said Sweikert is highly regarded among those familiar with the sports heritage. Find the History Mystery Man on social media! Eugene Gerber, bishop of Wichita's Roman Catholic diocese and a family friend, tried to console the mournful. 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''I knew him well but we never talked about his father`s death. "I have 200 fires to put out," track president Doug McManus says. RACE CAR driver Bob Sweikert celebrates his win in the 1955Indianapolis 500 with his wife, Dorrie. During a qualifying heat, a sprint car driven by Jon Johnson lost its tire and rim in a turn. Sweikert's mother, Grace, often visited Bob's firstborn until Grace died. 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,. The first major fund-raiser for the fund has been a Daytona 500 viewing party in Indianapolis, today well-attended with a silent auction and notable names in auto racing in the state as guests. Tragically, Reece would lose his life on the last lap of the 100 Mile USAC National Championship race at Trenton Speedway on September 28, 1958. pool that the 500-Mile-Race winner had built for his own children. The same year, Sweikert moved up to midget cars, and won his first training race with the Bay Cities Racing Association. Sweikert was thrown from the car and was pronounced dead of head injuries upon arrival at Washington County Hospital. This was his 170th win. Paved Oval located in Salem, IN: Track Status: Still In Operation (Opened: 1947 ) TOURING SERIES & MAJOR EVENTS ; Date Sanction Winner Laps 22 June 1947: AAA Midwest Big Car Series: All Access Digital offer for just 99 cents! 2980 N. National Road, Suite A, Columbus, IN 47201, Main Switchboard: (812) 372-7811 The wheel, witnesses would say later, bounced through the unrepaired hole in the fence, then struck Baker above his right eye. Send comments to [emailprotected]. 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. The names, logos, and other source identifying features of newspapers depicted in our database are the trademarks of their respective owners, and our use of newspaper content in the public domain or by private agreement does not imply any affiliation with, or endorsement from, the publishers of the newspaper titles that appear on our site. Weeks later, Sweikert's fatal sprint car crash occurred on June 17, 1956, at Salem Speedway. Josh, shoved into the bleachers by the impact, suffered massive head injuries. Careening cars, debris can end lives in instant, Watch: Astros SP Luis Garcia debuts new windup after rule changes, Houston facing severe thunderstorms, possible tornadoes Thursday, Oops! "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. Mrs. Sweikerts last order before leaving Indianapolis, the neighbors said, was that the fence be completed at once. He was leading the race at the time, when his car crashed with just over a lap to go. Lindsey, who wanted to be a veterinarian and a midget car racer. Speedway. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. A good Sunday was when every driver cheated death and went home alive.. Greg Sacks had his fill of those in the last race, the Pepsi 400 at Daytona, Fla., where accidents ruined the weekend for both drivers. Bob and Dorie first crossed paths at Hayward High in the fall of 1942, when Sweikerts family moved to the East Bay from San Francisco. Ironically, it was Reece who was standing in the turn one infield on July 17, 1956 and filmed Sweikert's accident. Vogler, a native of Glen Ellyn, Ill., who lived in Indianapolis with his wife and three children, was pronounced dead from massive head injuries at Washington County Memorial Hospital, said USAC Vice President Bill Marvel. Now, he says softly, he doesn't know. With months to heal and the war over, he was honorably discharged in September 1945. "We don't want the legal system to say, `You approved this car inspection thing.' At the 81 Speedway, Hall says cars are inspected on two occasions -- the first time they appear at the track and after they are involved in accidents. The wheel hit Amanda flush, crushing her lungs and heart beyond surgeons' repair. The fencing had been laid in position on the ground and Sweikert He drove in northern California that year and later in Los Angeles. Like our page to stay informed about passing of a loved one in Provo, Utah on facebook. For Dorie Sweikert, the loss never really went away. LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Racing is returning to Salem, Indiana. That year the family moved briefly to San Francisco, then across the bay to the rural town of Hayward, California. Richard Frank Vogler (July 26, 1950 July 21, 1990) was an American champion sprint car and midget car driver. three weeks ago to make her home. This page was last edited on 23 December 2014, at 08:46. At smaller tracks, insurance companies are the primary arbiters of fence height and design. There, Dawn Mayden and her daughter had left their lawn chairs for some barbecued chicken at a concession stand. The Winston Cup season leader easily beat Schrader's 157.219 mph in qualifying Friday. Carol Ann Williams. Sweikert and his wife, Dolores, were the parents of four children 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. Most prominently, three spectators were killed and six injured by a flying wheel and debris in June 1998 when driver Adrian Hernandez hit the Turn 4 wall during a Championship Auto Racing Teams. 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. 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. 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 go to Salem, and you go home a widow. Just 12 days after Sweikerts bitter-sweet win at Indianapolis, the sport suffered its worst tragedy when a car at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in France went off the track and into the crowd, killing 80 spectators. "We don't do checks before races," says Hall. Bob was raised through his early teen years with his older stepbrother, Ed, who enlisted in the US Navy, and then soon died in 1942, at the onset of World War II. (key) (Bold Pole position awarded by qualifying time. Ind. Amant. Both boys were Toll Free: (800) 876-7811, Salem Speedway has new ownership for 2023, Two conservation uses for live-cut Christmas trees, Family Of Coaching: Hausers Moorhead is third generational coach in his family, Hall-of-Famer, NFL executive talks to North students, Prep sports notebook: Stahl named to IBCA Supreme 15. [1], Bob Sweikert grew up in pre-war Los Angeles. Star, as published on Aug. 12, 1956, Mother Finds Pair in In 1988, Vogler was running 20+ laps down in the race when he waived his position to former Formula 1 champion Emerson Fittipaldi. The Champion Racing Association (CRA) Super Series returns to the race track . Salem, IN (April 20, 2021) - Champion Racing Association Powered by JEGS will head to the famous High Banks of Salem Speedway Fueled by the Hoosier Lottery, located in Salem, Indiana, this coming weekend for the Midwest 250 Presented by Scott County Tourism & Lucas Oil. "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]. Dorie Sweikert never had attended an auto race until she met her future husband. The track has 33 degrees of banking in the corners. Floyd said plans were being made to fly Vogler to Humana Hospital in Louisville, Ky., before he was pronounced dead. I didnt even think Id hit 21. Classes at Christ the King School were canceled for Josh and Amanda Dutton's funeral. Community See All. Search Provo obituaries and condolences, hosted by Echovita.com. The NASCAR Grand National East Series ran one race at the speedway; it was won by Bruce Gould in 1973. His "Indy 500" win was over-shadowed by the fatal crash of two-time winner Bill Vukovich during the race earlier that day. He won the Fireman Nationals midget car race at Angell Park Speedway in 1985. Fencing, maybe, or car safety. 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. USAC Loctite-Crestliner Vans National Sprint Car Series, USAC Copenhagen-Skoal National Midget Series, USAC Stoops Freightliner National Sprint Car Series, USAC MCI WorldCom National Midget Car Series, USAR Hooters Pro Cup Series, Northern Division, Auto Value Bumper to Bumper Super Sprint Series, USAC Valvoline National Sprint Car Series, USAR Hooters Pro Cup Series, Sears Auto Center Northern Division, ARCA Racing Series presented by RE/MAX and Menards, AMSOIL USAC Sprint Car National Championship, CRA JEGS All-Stars Tour presented by Chevrolet Performance, Circle Track Great American Racing Series, Lawrence Towing CRA Street Stock Series Powered by JEGS, USAC Silver Crown Champ Car Series presented by Traxxas, Vores Compact Touring Series powered by Mercer County Electric, Van Hoy Oil CRA Street Stocks Powered by JEGS, Victory Custom Trailers CRA Junior Late Model Series, https://www.thethirdturn.com/w/index.php?title=Salem_Speedway&oldid=657339. 4.3. Pit fencing, however, is rarely mandated. IRS delays tax deadline for Bay Area, but California hasnt followed: What should you do? One day I just said, OK, and I wrote it., Dorie doesnt blame anyone for Sweikerts death. 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. had intended to finish the job the day after the fatal Salem race. Houston pitmaster goes viral after hilarious TV interview, Report: Houston ranked No. Track inspections vary, as well. "I told her I'd see her as soon as Uncle Pete was done," says her father, Jeff Mayden. In May 1999, three died and eight were injured in Concord when a wheel and parts from a three-car wreck flew into the grandstand during an Indy Racing League event at Lowe's Motor Speedway. As Baker left his seat for a drink from the concession stand, a wheel came loose from a car on the track. "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. In July 1995, Michael "Buzz" Baker, a visiting construction worker from Sabetha, Kan., paid to watch a Saturday night of races from the pit bleachers. He entered at the 32nd starting position and ran for 77 laps in the McNamara Special car. The tire hit a concrete barrier in front of the grandstand. "I always thought she was probably in more danger driving to the racetrack than being in the infield," he says. Always open. 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. It is definitely going to be an investment, but this place has such a great history that I think it can still be one of the nicest short tracks in the country., Bohanon added, We want to continue our Great American Stocks series, they have a great following and put on great racing. Italics Pole position earned by points standings or practice time. If you are experiencing difficulties logging in or are a subscriber getting a paywall, please try one or more of the following steps. Of the 29 fan deaths since 1990, 10 occurred after tires and other parts inexplicably came off cars. See more of Salem Speedway on Facebook. The series has visited Salem more than any other track in its almost 70-year history. "When it came down, it came down on us.". The tragedy brought complaints from neighbors about the open On September 17, 1922 Roscoe Sarles, a respected racer with six AAA feature wins and four starts at Indy, broke a steering knuckle on his Durant, tangled with Pete Create new account. Track technicians had not inspected the car. Sam, their police dog, trotted beside them. That wasnt what qualified him as an early victim of the SI jinx. When they first started to use roll bars, traditionalists thought it was just awful. in the driveway beside the vacant house. . 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. USAC, however, did not see Vogler waive Fittipaldi by, and, as a result, they penalized Fittipaldi two laps. Orem, Utah. 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. Drivers, nursing accumulated grudges, satisfy them on and off the track. Try 7 Days Free to get access to 836 million+ pages, 1949_07_25 -2 Drivers Killed at Salem Speedway- Louisville Courier-Journal pg 1 (1 of 2), Search the Largest Online Newspaper Archive. The following paragraphs have been transcribed from the Indianapolis Dorie Sweikert recalls being able to see her husband smile as his car sprinted past, his head and shoulders exposed to potential peril. Please subscribe to. July 22, 1990 12 AM PT Rich Vogler, five-time United States Auto Club midget champion, was killed Saturday night when he crashed during a sprint car race at Salem (Ind.) 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. 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.