You hear the story about how someone can walk into a room and everyone turns and looks that was Sweikert, she said. In May 1952, Sweikert ran his first "Indy 500" race. 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 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. He entered at the 32nd starting position and ran for 77 laps in the McNamara Special car. Sacks had the pole at Daytona but was knocked out of the race in a first-lap crash that damaged 25 cars. There was kind of a machismo attached to it. But there are those who think he adapted to the track as well as anybody. When they first started to use roll bars, traditionalists thought it was just awful. Some neglect even those, conducting superficial prerace walk-throughs or no checks at all. Sweikert's car, on the outside, brushed a piece of metal . It is, perhaps, racing's worst fear: a car or its disconnected parts hurtling over fences into fans. From age 16 Sweikert worked after school as a mechanic at the local Ford dealership in Hayward. 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. Create new account. The likeable, rising superstar, who had just appeared on the front cover of Sports Illustrated, did not survive the crash. Weinberger and Ostapenko began artificial respiration. SALEM, IND. The wheel, witnesses would say later, bounced through the unrepaired hole in the fence, then struck Baker above his right eye. For as long as he remembers, his view of Saturday nights was framed by the edges of a driver's helmet. Current NASCAR Stars Chase Elliott, Christopher Bell, Erik Jones and Mitchells own Chase Briscoe have also competed on the High Banks while advancing their careers. 2980 N. National Road, Suite A, Columbus, IN 47201, Main Switchboard: (812) 372-7811 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,. That year the family moved briefly to San Francisco, then across the bay to the rural town of Hayward, California. As the field favorite going for his third consecutive Their shoes where on the pools rim. He was leading the race at the time, when his car crashed with just over a lap to go. The track has 33 degrees of banking in the corners. Added to the dangerous equation were tracks of all variety that drivers had to tackle in order to reach their primary destination Indianapolis. 1,509 were here. Floyd said plans were being made to fly Vogler to Humana Hospital in Louisville, Ky., before he was pronounced dead. Drivers, nursing accumulated grudges, satisfy them on and off the track. He died the day after his sister, on his 10th birthday. He won the Fireman Nationals midget car race at Angell Park Speedway in 1985. Sweikert was born in Los Angeles, California. AUTO RACING: Salem Speedway has new owner DANIEL SUDDEATH daniel.suddeath@newsandtribune.com Dec 24, 2022 From left, Will Kimmel interviews new Salem Speedway owner and promoter Nick. Richard Frank Vogler (July 26, 1950 July 21, 1990) was an American champion sprint car and midget car driver. Forgot account? LONG POND, Pa. -- Darrell Waltrip will be satisfied with a short day on the track today. [1] Don Gettelfinger Sr. bought the track in 1987 and he replaced the fence with concrete. Morris Settles pronounced the boys dead. [1] The track closed in May 1995 when he declared bankruptcy. or. 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. Speedway infield. At their funeral, the Rev. The Indianapolis 500 was part of the FIA World Championship from 1950 through 1960. More information on Salem Speedway and the 2023 season will be posted on the tracks website at salemspeedway.com and with social media posts on the tracks Facebook page. of his death. SALEM - Salem Speedway is set to host the 33rd Halloween 200 from Oct. 22-24. Of course, it saved a lot of lives.. She never saw danger coming. When I hit 30, I figured Id better quit.. Nobody covers Columbus, Indiana and the surrounding areas like The Republic. I saw him coming out of the fourth turn, he and Ed up so high, Dorie Sweikert said. Published In. Track officials voiced the same hesitance. in the driveway beside the vacant house. He was about to take the white flag for the final lap at the alf-mile oval in a race televised nationally by ESPN. Vogler was declared the winner when officials decided not to complete the the 30-lap event. 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. [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. "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. In 2018, Kody Swanson broke the all-time USAC Silvercrown record with his 24th series win at Salem. Was that what went wrong? If you wanted to be a racer, thats what you had to do, Rathmann said. Layton, Utah. I didnt even think Id hit 21. Former USAC Midget racer Nick Bohanon has taken over ownership of the iconic Salem Speedway Fueled by the Hoosier Lottery, located in Salem. Although Salem says technicians inspect cars, Mayden, a former driver there, says cars drove often with deficient parts -- especially in the lower classes. rescue squad rushed to the pool. Lindsey, who liked her daddy to play Pretty, Pretty Princess with her at night, and who, on this day in 1996, kissed him and waited while he worked as a spotter for his brother in the afternoon's last race. Eugene Gerber, bishop of Wichita's Roman Catholic diocese and a family friend, tried to console the mournful. Sheriff Robert A. ONeal ordered the pool be drained. [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. Now, he says softly, he doesn't know. 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. 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. In early 1948, he married Marion Edwards. Wife of popular Wild 94.9 radio host JV says new information suggests he will not be coming back, Bay Area federal judge orders extradition of woman suspected of killing MSU student in hit-and-run, Santa Rosa high school student stabbed to death in classroom, Harry, Meghan asked to vacate Frogmore, their UK home, East Bay lawmaker blasts open sore at BART, resigns from Senate committee, United Dumplings' fare in Rockridge 'meant to be enjoyed together', Three Bay Area men, including justice reform activist, plead guilty in Norteo RICO murder case, Walnut Creeks Shake Shack is finally opening this weekend. 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. Get Morning Report and other email newsletters. After Sports Illustrated put Sweikert on the cover of its May 28, 1956, issue, he wound up sixth in the race. First there was the business of trying to defend his Indy 500 title. He had secured an overseas drivers license and was planning a racing tour of Europe in 1957. You just couldnt be afraid all the time.. I had to work very hard at that, not to make it a negative. If you are experiencing difficulties logging in or are a subscriber getting a paywall, please try one or more of the following steps. A good Sunday was when every driver cheated death and went home alive.. His mother had married his stepfather, an electrician for the state of California, when Bob was an infant. Among the 33 drivers who started the 1955 Indy 500 won by Sweikert, 16 eventually were killed in accidents on the track. [4], USAR ran seven races at the track between 2002 and 2008; winners include Brian Ross, Joel Kauffman, Mikey Kile, Jeff Agnew, Gary St. The guys who didnt run there, they were flat-ass chicken., No one had to twist Bob Sweikerts arm to race at Salem. Why did Lindsey want to sit in the infield that night instead of Turn 1 or 2, where she and mother always sat? 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. 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. ''I knew him well but we never talked about his father`s death. Michigan Speedway raised its fences from 14 1/2 to 17 feet after its 1998 CART crash. It opened in 1947; two drivers were killed on the first lap of the first race. "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. For Dorie Sweikert, the loss never really went away. "The insurance never determined what happened," says Clay, who said he doesn't know the path the wheel took. He won 1 race and accumulated a total of 8 championship points. They are. "I ask myself every night if something could have been different," Mayden says. Follow Ken de . Fencing, maybe, or car safety. Roger Bruce Hassing. They were high-banked tracks in Dayton, Ohio, Winchester, Ind., and Fort Wayne, Ind. Newspapers.com makes these newspapers available for the purpose of historical research, and is not responsible for the content of any newspapers archived at our site. Bohanon, a Southern Indiana. He won the midget car track championships at the Indianapolis Speedrome in 1984 and 1985. "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. [1], Bob Sweikert grew up in pre-war Los Angeles. Bob Sweikerts death in an auto race last June was reflected Ind. The season opener is set for April 16. 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. I never talked about how brave I was. Mike Harrington: His team looks good, even without Alex Tuch. 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.) On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. Other officials do little, shrugging instead at the danger of mixing fans who crave nearness and cars that, by design, fragment upon impact. How do you deal with seeing your child's face every time your wife walks through the door? [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] The track received major storm damage in 1981 and it was not used until 1987. For over 65 years Salem Speedway has enjoyed the recognition of being one of the most unique and renowned racetracks in America. I dont know how you could be the wife of a race car driver in those days. "My stamina's not what it should be. Sam, their police dog, trotted beside them. Such indifference to safety is a concern to track officials everywhere. One day I just said, OK, and I wrote it., Dorie doesnt blame anyone for Sweikerts death. It will be a process of getting those done over the next several years. You have permission to edit this article. ''Rich saw his father die,'' said Marvel. To get to Indy, Sweikert had to challenge what were known collectively as The Hills tracks that comprised the Midwest sprint car circuit. "I told her I'd see her as soon as Uncle Pete was done," says her father, Jeff Mayden. 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. Five-time USAC midget champion Rich Vogler was killed Saturday night after his car crashed during a feature sprint-car race at Salem Speedway of which he was later declared the winner. He had that charisma.. When the cheerleading coach broke the news to Katrina Kohel that she was the only one left on the cheer squad, Kohel was determined to compete anyway. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. He actually maintained his sprint car, even after he won (Indy).. "I have 200 fires to put out," track president Doug McManus says. Steven Levinson, not yet a teen-ager at the time, got the news over the radio. 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. I didnt see him airborne.. TOLEDO, Ohio (Feb. 3, 2019) According to Mark Twain, in every life there is a drama, a comedy and a tragedy. That certainly holds true for 1955 Indianapolis 500 winner Bob Sweikert. Dorie Sweikert recalls being able to see her husband smile as his car sprinted past, his head and shoulders exposed to potential peril. 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. Street Funeral Home. SALEM, IND. 1 sprint car, just one year after he won the worlds most famous race, tumbled over the turn one wall at Salem Speedway. Marjorie Ann Bitter. And there were sad ones. [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. Weeks later, Sweikert's fatal sprint car crash occurred on June 17, 1956, at Salem Speedway. The car hit the guardrail and destroyed a section of protective fencing near the grandstand. During a qualifying heat, a sprint car driven by Jon Johnson lost its tire and rim in a turn. The .555-mile oval that features imposing 33-degree banks was built strictly for speed. The Indianapolis native raced in five Indianapolis 500s. He is tied with Pat Flaherty for the record of the driver with the fewest points to have won a race. He continued to tinker with the mechanics, then entered the 25-lap event, anyway. The tragic death of Bill Vukovich during the 1955 Indianapolis 500 unfairly cast a long, dark shadow over the career of the winner of that year's race Bob Sweikert. Drivers were killed on the track has 33 degrees of banking in corners... 32Nd starting position and ran for 77 laps in the McNamara Special.! Was knocked out of the most unique and renowned racetracks in America so high Dorie! Indifference to safety is a concern to track officials everywhere or more of the across... Jon Johnson lost its tire and rim in a turn made to fly to! 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