May 3, 1930 : Langhorne Speedway, Langhorne, PA : AAA Indy Car : Bill Cummings: June 16, 1940 : Langhorne Speedway, Langhorne, PA : AAA Indy Car go alone, so he asked me. 109 12K views 2 years ago An unknown driver flips during the 250-mile NASCAR Grand National race at Langhorne Speedway held on September 14, 1952. OConnor, Jerry Hoyt, Mike Magill, Duane Carter, Charlie Musselman, It's no coincidence that only the best of the best won at Langhorne, and the victory roll features many of the greatest legends of the '30s and '40s: Mauri Rose, "Wild" Bill Cummings, Duke Nalon, Ted Horn, the incomparable Rex Mays. "You'd bicycle through therefast," Jones says. Freeland and George. As a result, the speedway sat idle and did not host a race of any kind until 1946. Earnhardt's outspoken disregard for some safety equipmenthe was an obstinate opponent of the HANS devicecaught up with him at the 2001 Daytona 500, when a last-lap crash into the wall caused multiple serious head injuries. The first fatality in NASCAR's top series also. victory something he couldnt do in 1955, when he had to ask for relief after Langhorne Langhorne Speedway: 20: 1930-05-03: track 'b' AAA National Champ: 1-Bill Cummings, 2-Deacon Litz, 3-Fred Winnai, 4-Bill Albertson, 5-Frank Brisko, 6- Zeke Meyer: 100 laps; 15 starters/11 finishers: Langhorne Speedway: 21: 1930-07-04: track 'b' 1-Fred Frame: Langhorne Speedway: 22: 1931-00-00: track 'b' 1-Al Aspen: Langhorne Speedway: 23: Race Date Cars Winner(s) St Make / Model Len Sfc Miles Purse Pole Cau Laps Speed LC; 1949-04: 09-11-1949: 45: Curtis Turner: 11 Marvin's car hit the outside fence, flipped high in the air and landed on Bud Tinglestad's car. FIRE IS A RACE CAR DRIVERS WORST ENEMY! The track was razed soon thereafter. He was five laps behind race winner Gwyn Staley. http://www.motorsport.com/stats/champ/ldrivers.asp and my own memories of the Following those two were: Thomson, "I drove a car for the Wood Brothers one time, and I was leading the race, but it was so rough through Puke Hollow that the gas tank shook right out of the car.". One in 1952, another in 1954, still another in 1957, three support personnel at the 1960 Southern 500, and its most recent in 1965. No Man's Land by L. Spencer Riggs: "With all other courses up to that time being fairground horse tracks, Langhorne was the first [one-]mile dirt track built specifically for cars". The 1-mile track in eastern Pennsylvania, north of Philadelphia, was known as the Track That Ate the Heroes, the Big Left Turn and the Horne, among others. Being the most modern track on this record, ISM has the fewest confirmed fatal accidents. Background In the third heat, strange as it seems, all three of the Sam Traylor cars were entered Bobby Marshman was killed the opening year, Bob Criss followed in 1973, and further fatalities occurred in 1985, 1988, 1991. OConnor, Ken Gottschalk and Elmer George. 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Fried and Gerber announced the sale of the property to mall developers in 1967, but the speedway held on through five more seasons. to make the show were Rodger Ward, Bill. You couldnt go fast enough. The final race was held in 1971. "That was a track that separated the men from the boys," he says. by Hartley, with Bryan, Nicknamed Crash for his early drives, he settled down and became a very smooth driver. As with all forms of racing, the majority of serious accidents occur at high speed, so the accidents that happen tend to be of the puckering variety. [8] Larry Mann, Frank Arford, Bobby Marvin, John McVitty, Joe Russo, Mike Nazaruk, and Jimmy Bryan were all killed racing at this track. Crockett never made that next lap, having That property had swallowed the concrete. The Custom Search . I felt like I was going into battle. The The one-mile circular track had minimal banking, making it a challenge at high speeds. Little Unser led early, then was passed in mid-race by his younger brother, Al, driving a car owned by Parnelli Jones. Bob The proposal will have to go through the land development process. Ralph Liquori and Jim Hurtibise(#88) leap from their cars as Mel Kenyon(#21) slumps in the cockpit, badly burned and unconscious. turn area. most every occasion when I went to Langhorne, I sat in the stands in what you Failing [10] The Strictly Stock series was renamed the Grand National series for the 1950 season, and the series is now known as NASCAR Cup Series. According to Riggs, nearly two dozen drivers were killed at the 'Horne, along with another dozen or so motorcycle riders, flaggers, and spectators. on one of those flips with Crockett being found about 300 feet from where the "It kept getting bigger and bigger, like an airplane coming in for a landing. Langhorne Speedway was located near to Langhorne in Levitttown, adjacent to the Lincoln Highway. left after the 1955 racing season. Eventually, Nazaruk White said Langhornes well-known history of death and dismemberment didnt faze him. Amick was You were hanging on the edge by a thread. Marvin's car hit the outside fence, flipped high in the air and landed on Bud Tinglestad's car. Reece and Pat Flaherty in row 2, Jimmy Bryan and George, Failing It was my first race in a Champ Car, and it was on dirt, and it was at the toughest place you could go -- one of those tracks where you had to brave it. race, so it seemed, was gong to be a third straight win at Langhorne, for Jimmy May 1st, 1955. Almost immediately after Langhorne's closure, the property was razed in order to make way for a new shopping development. started to sputter. and Thomson in the first row, followed by Magill and Sostilio. langhorne speedway diner - CLOSED. Difficulties in track preparation, management disputes, and poor attendance drove the speedway to the brink of bankruptcy until noted promoter Ralph "Pappy" Hankinson took over in 1930. The National Open since 1972 has become the Race of Champions Modified race, raced exclusively on pavement and at various Northeastern tracks, and its history has been combined into the National Open. For that, we should be thankful, since Langhorne was once described by Bobby Unser as "the most dangerous, most treacherous, most murderous track there ever was. The track was paved. The Langhorn. Some The In time, drivers lost their patience with Langhorne. Hemmings Motor News' 2007 remembrance of Langhorne bore a similar and equally disturbing title - "Death's Corner." "The formula for driving assumed you would ignore the chasm-like ruts, incredible speed, and storm of dirt being hurled by the cars that you lapped," wrote Hemmings' Jim Donnelly. "In fact, the year I finished second, I used the prize money for my honeymoon.". 1926 - LANGHORNE SPEEDWAY This one mile dirt circle track was built by members of the National Motor Racing Association and opened on the 12th of June 1926, The official opener was set down for the 31st of May but was rained out. A third myth holds that sewage collected at the bottom of Puke Hollow, making it stink to high heaven. track was oh, so fast, on May 1st. rough track played havoc with both drivers and machines. were: Crockett, back in time. ", If anything, Andretti was too brave for his own good. Harroun also drove with a mirror mounted to his car, an idea pioneered by Dorothy Levitt only a few years before. The I knew the only place I could get by was Puke Hollow. Touch device users, explore by touch or with swipe gestures. To begin with, the fatality of a driver, spectator, or race support staff must have occurred due to a crash, without regard to preexisting medical problems, such as poor cardiac health. In almost 109 years of racing at Indianapolis, a total of 72 people have died as a result of crashes or other accidents that occurred at the circuit. Recently, CFT NV Developments LLC submitted plans to tear down the Langhorne Speedway Diner and construct a 2,540 Panda Express with a drive-thru lane. Driver Joe Eubanks crashed heavily into the grandstand guardrail, causing his car to spin violently like a top. And tragedy also. Most notably, Flock won two races and three poles in three days from July 29-31. Today. On June 20th, 1965, Kenyon's engine blows at Langhorne, PA, causing a fiery crash that puts him in the hospital fighting for his life. Tragedy Hits Racing Family for Third Time : Oldest Son Is Latest Victim as He Dies From Car Crash at Kalamazoo Speedway By TRACY DODDS May 2, 1989 12 AM PT Times Staff Writer Jerry Landon died. "The track was sort of like Darlington, Allen said. That might have been the hardest pass I ever did in all of racing. Did the Horne scare Unser? I Next to him, for the start was Bob Veith. A special thanks to Eric Cardona for sharing this historic footage.Apart from Mann's fatal crash, there were several injuries during the race. ", "Paving the track spoiled its identity," Dallenbach adds. It was another track to conquer. Thats TOTAL pay off, folks, "And when you started doing that, you'd better have your right rear all fired up and spinning real good or you were in a lot of trouble." Langhorne Speedway, which opened in 1926 and was closed in 1971 to make way for a shopping center, also played host to Indy-car races. Sick of the circuit's lack of safety, ailing facilities, and unpleasant driving, the racing world gradually turned its back on the Pennsylvania raceway, and when Champ Car drivers organized a boycott of the race in 1971, Langhorne's fate was sealed; a final autumn modified stock car race was Langhorne's valedictory. Daytona International Speedway: 8 1965 2001 Langhorne Speedway: 3 1952 1956 Charlotte Motor Speedway: 1964 1965 Memphis-Arkansas Speedway: 2 1956 1956 Darlington Raceway: 1957 1965 Riverside International Raceway: 1964 1967 Talladega Superspeedway: 1973 1975 Atlanta Motor Speedway: 1984 1989 North Wilkesboro Speedway: 1 1954 Michigan . track at Langhorne was higher at that end, and quite a bit lower in what you "It was the toughest track I ever ran on a motorcycle, and it was even worse in a stock car," he says. It was known in part for its pothole-infested first sector, known as "Puke Hollow." The idea behind the paving was to try to get away from the fatalities and the injuries, Riggs said. Credit: C**rt*sy of L Spencer Riggs over to the race track next door (the Langhorne Speedway, now gone). The No credible source reports any deaths since. Courtesy of Jim Wilmore A momentous trophy for Pete after his Langhorne victory. That was the most dangerous track on Earth. vicious series of end over end flips, with Crockett being thrown out of the car The track's most recent fatal accident occurred in 2013, when a student and tutor of a performance biking school collided fatally on track. fate dealt Garrett a cruel blow when his steering arm broke, and he spun out. Share. A lot of guys who ran it got killed. About Langhorne Speedway Opened in 1926, this circular one-mile dirt track was known as the "Big Left Turn." It hosted one of NASCAR's inaugural races in 1949. When the track was reconfigured and paved over in 1965, the smooth and level asphalt racing surface essentially prevented the formation of any rough patches and effectively eliminated the "hollow". As Riggs puts it, "I think people figured that if that joint could eat Jimmy Bryan alive, then it could get anybody. Three-time Indy champ Bobby Unser agrees. pioneered by Dorothy Levitt only a few years before. View NASCAR Cup Series driver stats at this track. Dirt track racing has been around since the 1920s and the Langhorne Speedway in Pennsylvania was one of the very first tracks. My brother, Raymond (Jim), wanted to go to Larry was thrown from the car, but suffered fatal chest and lung injuries. Jimmy Review. It was another racetrack, another day at work, he said. I watched poor Bobby burn to death.. But once you got into a rhythm, it was excellent. The speedway hosted a wide variety of races over the years, including NASCAR events and the Indianapolis 500. After the Indy car race was cancelled, two final modified races were run in 1971. A heavily overgrown wooded area has completely enveloped the infield and backstretch, while asphalt parking lots around the perimeter of the site cover up the rest. In September 1949, Langhorne hosted the fourth race of NASCAR's first year of sanctioning unmodified cars, then called Strictly Stock; Curtis Turner won that race. As sad as it is to say, the Milwaukee Mile may go the way of the nine known to have lost their lives in incidents at the track between 1930 and 1982. not what Amick won! That kind of hurt the field for the Langhorne Jones was making his debut at the 'Horne in 1960 when Bryan died in an aerial wreck in Puke Hollow. But on the first lap his car got crossed up diving into Puke Hollow, hooked a rut, and launched an estimated 55 feet into the air. Our car experts choose every product we feature. Yes, the potholes were not something one would want to pass over while holding a drift, and yes, they did cause a multitude of fatal crashes on their ownincluding that of Bobby Marvin, whose close friend Mario Andretti was there to witness it. Order online and read reviews from Langhorne Speedway Diner at 2029 Lincoln Highway in Langhorne 19047 from trusted Langhorne restaurant reviewers. A 67-year-old man died Friday evening when two cars crashed during an automobile race program at a Central Pennsylvania speedway. Calling the Brickyard "the Graveyard" would be in poor taste, considering what has been reiterated so many times throughout this count: Unless it's Langhorne, the track is almost never at fault for the lives lost on its premises. George Moscot and his partner Ray owned the car . almost a half-minute ahead. been thrown out after one or two barrel rolls. Explore. and Ratjmann were out before 60 miles had been Then they covered it back up with dirt. area. The Milwaukee Mile is the oldest circuit on this list and the second oldest speedway in the world. From 1951 to 1957, the race was sanctioned by NASCAR. It was common to have over a hundred cars attempt to qualify for the National Open. The lap, Bryan It was on that date that Larret (Larry) "Crash" Crockett was fatally injured. All cars were flagged in and the race . There are only two reminders that the track existed -- a Pennsylvania state historical marker on U.S. Route 1 and the nearby Langhorne Speedway Diner. six weeks later, he too, would suffer the same fate as Crockett. of 32.909, for an average speed of 109.392 MPH. a photo of Mike Nazaruk, supposedly on his last lap Billy Garrett, who had extent that the AAA decided that it would no longer be a sanctioning body, and drivers had blistered and bleeding hands. Peters, Herman, Mussleman, Swiekert, Langhorne Speedway: 1.0 mi./1.609 km. By a stroke of luck for a track of its age, Daytona has never recorded any spectator deaths. Nobody liked it, and the ones who said they did were lying.". On Saturday, October 14, 2006, almost 35 years to the day of the last race held at Langhorne, the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission dedicated a historical marker at 1939 E. Lincoln Highway (in the same general area where the track was located) which reads: Opened in 1926, this circular one-mile dirt track was known as the "Big Left Turn". you could say was in the fourth turn area. his goggles. race continued after a spell, and Musselman had the As a result, no physical remnants of the track itself remain. "If it had been another crew chief, I probably wouldn't have listened. Catering chiefly to USAC's Championship Car Division, Fried and Gerber had the track's layout reconfigured to a D shape in 1965 by building a straightaway across the back stretch and paving over the uneven dirt surface with asphalt. Two years later, Hugh Randall was killed in an eerily similar accident two laps into his relief stint in a Champ Car race. his 11th lap, Engle wrote down the letters E-Z on his blackboard, Darlington was first known as "Harold's Folly," after its sponsor Harold Brasington, who tried to recreate the Indianapolis 500 in a field where peanuts and cotton were once grown. Once he caught him, they battled it out for about 15 laps, at a torrid Now a 1.022-mile, tricornered superspeedway, ISM once featured a 2.5-mile road course sewn into its layout that was reduced in 1991 to a 1.51-mile waltz through the infield. Built in 1926 in the southeastern corner of Pennsylvania, "the 'Horne" was a 1-mile dirt track shaped like a perfect circle. The number of individuals -- drivers, officials and spectators killed at Langhorne officially totals 27. Hoag was the only driver to win the National Open on both the dirt and pavement surfaces.[12]. Indeed, Darlington was not a track to trifle with in its early days, as it claimed seven lives between the years of 1952 and 1965. winners were Al Herman, Mike Nazaruk and Charlie Musselman. The plot was at the corner of Lincoln Highway and Woodbourne Road, where now stands a car dealership, a Kmart and a Sam's Club store. before the race ended, Sostilio dropped out. Langhorne was a long, continuous left turn with a constantly varying radius. In 1941, Hankinson sold the track to stuntman Earl "Lucky" Teter after a falling out with the AAA. What he hated, though, was the dust, which made it hard to see and got into everything, even after being thoroughly covered with a spray of Pennsylvania oil. You know in your mind you could get killed or seriously injured, but you dont think about it. View photos of the Concord Speedway construction below. Dec 1st, 2017. in the Nyquist # 29, also from March 20, 1955. The 100-mile event was slowed by two caution flags, and was won by driver Tim Flock. It's been gone for years now but this video shows you just how intense these guys were. March 20 and May 1, 1955 and June 24, 1956. From its earliest days, Daytona was synonymous with racing fatalities: two drivers lost their lives in its first yearone just less than two weeks before the original Daytona 500 was held. The row 7, Ed Elisian and Jim McWithey lap. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network. An Aldi store sits roughly where Turn 3 was located on the later paved version of the course. miles. Sprint cars, midgets, motorcycles, and stock cars hadn't raced there for years, and for Indy cars -- by far the fastest of the bunch -- Langhorne was unmercifully bumpy, dangerous, and unpleasant. racing goes. Langhorne Speedway hosted its final race in October 1971, six months after drivers voted to boycott the track because it was so treacherous. snow was in the forecast. 43 Langhorne Speedway Photos and Premium High Res Pictures - Getty Images Images Editorial Editorial FILTERS CREATIVE EDITORIAL VIDEO 43 Langhorne Speedway Premium High Res Photos Browse 43 langhorne speedway stock photos and images available, or start a new search to explore more stock photos and images. Nazaruk, Manuel Ayulo, Bill a photo, again, one taken by Walt Imlay, of the start of the 1956 100-mile race Foster had been preparing to make his second NASCAR Grand National start. Bryan charged on, and was . He was I guess a gymnest and would flip many times down in front of the fans. Save. Jack Turner was the last car [2] His first win happened at Seekonk Speedway in 1946 and he won seven times in 1947. It might as well have been called the Killing Field. most every occasion when I went to Langhorne, I sat in the stands in what you Ironically, despite the improvement in safety, the reviews for the "improved" Langhorne were uniformly sour. The landscape of the once-famous racetrack was dramatically altered after that last race over 50 years ago. Twenty-seven people had died there over its 45 years of existence. Courtesy of Jim Wilmore The Langhorne victory. The photo You wanted more power.. No track could scare me. could say was the fourth turn area. up, from the racing surface, and if some one was rim-riding, chances are that According to the book Langhorne! retired from competition during the LeMans race, right It was on that date that Larret "On the list of toughest tracks to run, you'd have to put it at Number 1. This time the Nelson Applegate suffered an apparent skull fracture when he reportedly bounced his car over the guardrail. Little Both cars caught fire. were built level, so in the first turn area, the stands were quite a lot higher [5][6], Langhorne was relocated to southern New Jersey and became Bridgeport Speedway in Bridgeport, New Jersey.[7]. Add a photo Ratings and reviews RATINGS Food Service Value Atmosphere Details CUISINES American, Diner Special Diets To make that claim, you have to go way back to the very beginnings of NASCAR to a track in Pennsylvania. Amazon.com: OnlyClassics 65 USAC Jim HURTUBISE Kenyon AUTO Racing Crash Langhorne Speedway Photo INDY 500: Photographs Probably the most notorious area of the original dirt race course, which earned the nickname "Puke Hollow", was located at turn two. Just As there is a tie on this list, tracks with equal casualty counts will be ordered by their years of operation (shorter histories push them up the list). When Mario Andretti made his debut at Langhorne in 1964 in a big, old Offy-powered Champ Car with no power steering, he recalls, "We put electric ape on my steering wheel so I could grip it better. It References: American Motorcycle Association Archives; Jack Vanino, motorcycle historian, Coordinates: .mw-parser-output .geo-default,.mw-parser-output .geo-dms,.mw-parser-output .geo-dec{display:inline}.mw-parser-output .geo-nondefault,.mw-parser-output .geo-multi-punct{display:none}.mw-parser-output .longitude,.mw-parser-output .latitude{white-space:nowrap}401042N 745305W / 40.178224N 74.884602W / 40.178224; -74.884602, Learn how and when to remove this template message, "St. Petersburg Times - Google News Archive Search", http://www.explorepahistory.com/hmarker.php?markerId=994, http://www.portal.state.pa.us/portal/server.pt?objID=442806&mode=2&open=514&markerId=666, "1949 Strictly Stock Standings and Statistics" page of Racing-Reference website, Langhorne Speedway page of Racing-Reference website, Langhorne National Open page of TheVintageRacer.com, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Langhorne_Speedway&oldid=1117476423, New Philadelphia/Philadelphia Speedway (1926c.1930), This page was last edited on 21 October 2022, at 22:53. The. it three in a row, caught Hartley, and passed him on the 81st is a photo of Larry Crash Crockett in the Engle-, And a photo, taken by Walt Imlay, of Mike, Ive The burning remains of the Niquist Offy in which Mike Nazaruk received fatal injuries. It was a challenge, but if youre a racer, you want a challenge. We have a great online selection at the lowest prices with Fast & Free shipping on many items! at Langhorne. race, so it seemed, was gong to be a third straight win at Langhorne, for Jimmy Kenyon later returned to racing and placed third at the Indy 500 and won numerous national midget racing championships. No Man's Land," calls the track "a man-maker and a man-breaker." Thats because it was totally round with no banking. Two years later, he finished second in a modified race in a '37 Chevy. In time trials, Johnny Thomson turned a record breaking lap in the time Jan 1, 2013 - Langhorne Speedway flyer. Worry not, for the misery of Langhorne lives on; its grounds are occupied. hed be out of sight, with the stands blocking the view of the track, And some of those who did never came home. Some of North Americas most popular racing venues have fatality counts in the dozens. Over the years, a total of 38 people would die of injuries sustained in accidents at the track, the most famous of whom was none other than Dale Earnhardt himself. Pinterest. The Lady In Black, as some old-timers call Darlington, will never lighten up, and drivers will continue to earn their "Darlington Stripe" of paint lost to the walls for years to come. An unknown driver flips during the 250-mile NASCAR Grand National race at Langhorne Speedway held on September 14, 1952. "The track was always kind to me," he says. According to a count by Autoweek, Langhorne Speedway took the lives of 27 people in its short 45 years of operation. Though asphalt makes up most of Indy today, the start-finish line remains a ribbon of red bricks three feet across. was taken by Walt Imlay. Garrett, Flaherty, Rathmann, McWithey, Spectator deaths have ceased at Charlotte since, but on-track incidents continued. The promoters were understandably livid. The competition was never fiercer -- or deadlier. So a few laps from the end, I scooted down in my seat and I pulled my elbows in and I closed my eyes and dove underneath him. They still had horrendous wrecks on the pavement and people got hurt, but no one else was killed after the surface was paved. Paving removed some of the tracks fearsome nature, but those who ran its dirt surface had long memories. only 40 laps. Keep in mind all these cars were powered by 220 cubic inch Ofenhauser engines, back then, and they ran on skinny Langhorne hosted the fourth-ever Cup race in that series first season -- on Sept. 11, 1949. They called Jimmy Bryan "Cowboy" because he'd bucked broncos before going racing. me to attend the service. While fast but rough track greeted the drivers and fans on June 24. Then a series of accidents in the 1990s snatched six more lives, including three in a single Indycar accident in 1999, when a loose wheel flew into the crowd. On Next came Nazaruk 33.202, Joe Sostilio 33.233, Mike Magill 33.329 and Tommy Hinnershitz 33.671. was a consolation race and Crockett won that, with OConnor and , Pat But when it was paved, there was no forgiveness. 4 cut-down 1932 Ford coupe. Heat called turn four, and Keller had no place to go, hitting Thomsons car, then consolation race was won by Musselman, and he was feature race would be over a distance of 30 laps 30 miles. If you suddenly ran up on cars, it was hard to dodge them. Just look to the (non-fatal) video below, in which a Honda Insight rolls at 190 MPH, scattering itself across the salt. and headed towards the track to show it to him on his next lap. Countless more were maimed in crashes that entailed high-altitude barrel rolls and hellacious fires. Watch. On lap 43, Veith Billy Garrett, who had A crowd of about 15,000 was on hand for this second sprint car show. Steve became a Lincoln Speedway favorite and was always requested to come down on the front stretch and do flips for the fsns. Harold got his wish, and Darlington held the first of its annual Southern 500 races in 1950, which continue to be held today. Then came the 92nd lap, and Bryan headed pit side, again "Langhorne was a special place," he says. The NMRA operated Langhorne from its inception through the 1929 season, staging 100-lap events on Labor Days and occasional shorter races. I wanted to be a race driver. Andretti raced for the first time at Langhorne in 1964 in an IndyCar race. Race driver Phil Walters (Ted Tappett) was racing at LeMans 2022Recurrent Ventures. In the 50-mile feature, held as usual during the worst of Pennsylvania's summer heat, Russ Snowberger, who would go on to achieve considerable fame at Indianapolis, was overcome by the combination of humidity, dust, bumps, and fumes from his straight-eight Miller. completed 97 laps. effect, caused his car to run rich, thus burning up extra fuel. AJ Foyt, who won four consecutive Championship Car races at Langhorne to go along with his four Indy 500s, was one of the few drivers who relished the opportunity to pound through Puke Hollow. In 1939 the Langhorne Speedway was part of an organisation called "Hankinson Speedways" - Hankinson ran events under AAA sanction at a long list of tracks both in the North-Eastern USA as well as in the Carolinas. It was all over for Nazaruk, in an almost But my right hand was like hamburger when I got finished. Nazaruk set a new record for the 6 miles with Thomson, Russo, McWithey The rest of Considering the risk of speed record attempts and the 104 years of doing so at Bonneville, we can hope that this count stays low, if not static. NR2003 name NR2003 year NR2003 sky Date of .ptf Date of race.lp Author Real name Length (mi) Pave ment Ban king Location State Country Region Racing started Langhorne Speedway, PA 5-14-1939 Henderson Crash - Betts #4-2 - 8mm Film Scan 2,898 views Sep 1, 2017 17 Dislike Share Save AACA Library & Research Center 1.47K subscribers Subscribe Silent Film.. Yanigan. I wasnt smart enough to be scared, he said. But after the Champ Car race at Trenton in the spring, the drivers met secretly and voted to boycott the event. I worried about that. almost 100 fatalities, after his Mercedes went into the crowd, opposite the pit OConnor, Jerry Hoyt, Mike Magill, Duane Carter, Charlie, Some Foyt, and Mario Andretti raced here in stock, midget, sprint, and Indy cars. Upon coming to rest Eubanks' disabled car blocked the track leading to multiple drivers spinning into the pits and injuring 3 mechanics. Nascar playlists:Flips: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLFF76A762B38C7ED0Races: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL3062F1B06490D50F500s: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL841E0FC1B50AF368 Please Subscribe! Fast & amp ; Free shipping on many items the Lincoln Highway Langhorne! Suddenly ran up on cars, it was totally round with no banking burning up extra fuel 20,.... Two final modified races were run in 1971 mid-race by his younger brother, Al driving. On cars, it was a special place, '' he says modern track this... Again `` Langhorne was a challenge, but the Speedway held on September 14, 1952 `` man-maker. Number of individuals -- drivers, officials and spectators killed at Langhorne for... Eubanks crashed heavily into the grandstand guardrail, causing his car over the guardrail Langhorne in 1964 an! Called Jimmy Bryan `` Cowboy '' because he 'd bucked broncos before racing... Cars, it was known in part for its pothole-infested first sector, as. Including NASCAR events and the Indianapolis 500 events on Labor days and occasional shorter races day work! Or two barrel rolls he reportedly bounced his car, an idea pioneered by Levitt... 24, 1956 asphalt makes up most of Indy today, the year finished! Same fate as crockett both drivers and fans on June 24, 1956, Swiekert, Langhorne Speedway Diner 2029. The second oldest Speedway in Pennsylvania was one of the course operated from. At high speeds langhorne speedway crash pavement and people got hurt, but are not to. The as a result, the Speedway sat idle and did not host a of. The men from the racing surface, and he spun out 3 mechanics was passed in mid-race his. Paved version of the once-famous racetrack was dramatically altered after that last race over 50 years.! Before going racing at the bottom of Puke Hollow, making it a challenge, but no else! Falling out with the AAA individuals -- drivers, officials and spectators killed at Langhorne in 1964 an! Always requested to come down on the edge by a stroke of luck for a new development... 1-Mile dirt track shaped like a perfect circle by Autoweek, Langhorne Speedway held on five! For sharing this historic footage.Apart from Mann 's fatal Crash, there several.: https: //www.youtube.com/playlist? list=PLFF76A762B38C7ED0Races: https: //www.youtube.com/playlist? list=PL841E0FC1B50AF368 Please!! National race at Trenton in the Nyquist # 29, also from March 20 1955... Down and became a very smooth driver in Pennsylvania was one of the tracks fearsome nature, but youre! By driver Tim Flock the most modern track on this list and the Langhorne took. Met secretly and voted to boycott the track `` a man-maker and a man-breaker. from 1951 to 1957 the. The landscape of the track was always kind to me, '' he says was always requested come... Patience with Langhorne Jim Wilmore a momentous trophy for Pete after his Langhorne victory 29-31! Me, '' he says the book Langhorne have been called the Killing Field May. Grand National race at Trenton in the dozens one else was killed after surface., caused his car to spin violently like a perfect circle of guys who ran it killed! A 67-year-old man died Friday evening when two cars crashed during an automobile race program a... Surfaces. [ 12 ] that separated the men from the fatalities and the oldest... Land development process seemed, was gong to be scared, he too would! Joe Eubanks crashed heavily into the pits and injuring 3 mechanics right hand like! Been another crew chief, I used the prize money for my honeymoon ``. Men from the boys, '' he langhorne speedway crash well-known history of death and dismemberment didnt faze him Ventures... Scared, he too, would suffer the same fate as crockett covered it back up dirt... Well-Known history of death and dismemberment didnt faze him on September 14, 1952 that was a challenge, the. The once-famous racetrack was dramatically altered after that last race over 50 years ago the row 7, Elisian. Poles in three days from July 29-31 more power.. no track could scare me of. Gwyn Staley enough to be scared, he said and hellacious fires round with no banking, six months drivers. Work, he finished second in a modified langhorne speedway crash in a '37.! Smart enough to be scared, he finished second, I used the prize money for my honeymoon... But my right hand was like hamburger when I got finished myth holds sewage... 15,000 was on hand for this second sprint car show year I finished second I... That last race over 50 years ago Elisian and Jim McWithey lap out... The very first tracks 12 ] once-famous racetrack was dramatically altered after last! Altered after that last race over 50 years ago injured, but on-track continued! Bricks three feet across who ran its dirt surface had long memories one of fans. Time, drivers lost their patience with Langhorne 1-mile dirt track racing has been around since 1920s! Surfaces. [ 12 ], two final modified races were run in 1971 driver... The AAA this second sprint car show car owned by Parnelli Jones Please Subscribe Speedway held through. List=Pl841E0Fc1B50Af368 Please Subscribe, Johnny Thomson turned a record breaking lap in the.. To a count by Autoweek, Langhorne Speedway flyer to boycott the.. September 14, 1952 that might have been the hardest pass I ever did in of. Win at Langhorne in 1964 in an IndyCar race June 24, 1956 selection at bottom. Time Jan 1, 1955 lap 43, Veith Billy Garrett, who had crowd! Covered it back up with dirt the boys, '' he says a of! Said Langhornes well-known history of death and dismemberment didnt faze him fatality counts the! So it seemed, was gong to be scared, he said on hand for second... And read reviews from Langhorne Speedway was located near to Langhorne in 1964 an... `` a man-maker and a man-breaker. did were lying. `` therefast, calls... To Langhorne in Levitttown, adjacent to the Lincoln Highway no banking, Hankinson sold the leading... Dealt Garrett a cruel blow when his steering arm broke, and he spun out Langhorne was a of... Time the Nelson Applegate suffered an apparent skull fracture when he reportedly bounced his car run! Cowboy '' because he 'd bucked broncos before going racing altered after that last race over 50 years.. Out with the AAA 's fatal Crash, there were several injuries the! Lives on ; its grounds are occupied Friday evening when two cars crashed during an automobile race program a! At Langhorne officially totals 27 an average speed of 109.392 MPH counts in the time Jan 1, 1955 McWithey. Thanks to Eric Cardona for sharing this historic footage.Apart from Mann 's fatal Crash, there were several injuries the. For this second sprint car show a Central Pennsylvania Speedway and affiliations include, but those who ran got! A thread race was sanctioned by NASCAR those who ran it got killed evening when cars... If some one was rim-riding, chances are that According to the Langhorne... Turned a record breaking lap in the time Jan 1, 1955 and June 24 1956! Modified races were run in 1971 turned a record breaking lap in the Nyquist # 29, from! Affiliations include, but you dont think about it, another day at work he! Razed in order to make way for a new shopping development killed after the Champ car.... Track had minimal banking, making it stink to high heaven in a Champ car race and became Lincoln... Stint in a modified race in a modified race in October 1971, six months after drivers to. Shaped like a top, two final modified races were run in 1971 there over its 45 years operation. Eerily similar accident two laps into his relief stint in a modified race October. Just how intense these guys were, followed by Magill and Sostilio, from the boys, '' Jones.! The guardrail entailed high-altitude barrel rolls he finished second, I probably would n't have.... This record, ISM has the fewest confirmed fatal accidents spell, and Langhorne. The racing surface, and the ones who said they did were lying. `` May! Located on the later paved version of the very first tracks bicycle through therefast, '' Dallenbach.! Turn 3 was located near to Langhorne in Levitttown, adjacent to book... If you suddenly ran up on cars, it was excellent through five more seasons was known in for! Individuals -- drivers, officials and spectators killed at Langhorne langhorne speedway crash 1964 in an eerily similar accident two laps his. On Labor days and occasional shorter races called Jimmy Bryan `` Cowboy '' because he 'd bucked broncos going. Nascar & # x27 ; s been gone for years now but this shows. 1920S and the second oldest Speedway in Pennsylvania was one of the.! Another crew chief, I probably would n't have listened for its pothole-infested first sector, known as `` Hollow... Not limited to, the race was cancelled, two final modified races were run in 1971 bob proposal..., 1956 when two cars crashed during an automobile race program at a Central Speedway... Immediately after Langhorne 's closure, the Speedway sat idle and did not host a race of any kind 1946!. [ 12 ] a Central Pennsylvania Speedway many items lives on its...
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