Reading, pa race drivers killed, june 1966 gendisasters. All listings current page auction buy it now classified ads. Upi the body of veteran racer, jud larson, one of two drivers killed in a. Larson, jud, 19231966 automobiles, racing automobile racing drivers indianapolis motor speedway speedway, ind. Had a 27year career, competing in hundreds of races. What makes that spate of feature wins and consecutive championships so impressive is that he had to beat some of sprint car racings best. Greg weld, 64 richard gregory greg weld, usacs national sprint car champion of 1967, a participant in the 1970 indianapolis 500, and the man who founded the hugely successful weld wheels, has died unexpectedly in kansas city. During that race jud larson and red riegel were running side by side going into the first turn. Charles water larson additional name jud nickname nationality american born january 21, 1923 hometown grand prairie, texas died june 11, 1966 place of.
Eugene wesley jud larson january 21, 1923 grand prairie, texas june 11, 1966 reading, pennsylvania was an american racecar driver larson drove in the usac championship car series, racing in the 19561959 and 19641965 seasons with 53 starts, including the 1958 and 1959 indianapolis 500 races. Features vintage sprint car pic thread, 1965 and older. Jud larsons sprinter ended up upside down on the guard rail with red reigels, which was also upside down a little further down the track. Jud won the 1966 season opener for sprints at reading driving the watson carwhich he had so much success in the year previous. There was contact between the two cars and both started flipping. Jud larson drove in five usac sprint car races in 1966 and won two of them reading, march 27 and winchester may 29. Jud larson was a harddrinking, harddriving racer, a colorful character from the days when few drivers survived to retire, and roll cages were for sissies. Big, brash and bold that was jud larson, whose prowess on dirt tracks made him a legend during his decade in usac. Watson special circa 1965 on the terre haute action track.
Red william riegel born 20 jul 1931 leesport, pennsylvania. On lap 2 of the feature, he tangled with jud larson, and both cars flipped. Usac national sprint car series 1966 standings driver. Andrettis subsequent sprint car exploits earned him membership in the national sprint car hall of fame in 1996. Larson drove in the usac championship car series, racing in the 19561959 and 19641965 seasons with 53.
Robin millers tough guy series on jud larson duration. In 1966 larson was hired by the michner team to run with teammate larry dickson. Rossburg, ohio april 17, 1966 larry dickson traveled the rough, rocky road to success here yesterday afternoon to win his first united states auto club 30lap sprint car feature. Jud larson was probably the most perfect rendition of a real race cardriver that this country has ever known. And it didnt take long for him to realize that he wanted to drive the racing cars, too. Greg weld march 4, 1944 august 4, 2008 was an american racecar driver. In june of 1966, its driver, red reigle and judd larson perished together in a horrificcrash at reading, pa. He was 43 and leading the usac sprint standings when he tangled with red riegel in. He won an incredible 186 imca features and four consecutive imca championships 195558.
He spent his early years racing in texas, oklahoma, kansas and iowa on the half. Bob slater lost his life in 1955 at des moines, iowa, in his own car. Largely based in austin, texas, larson was a gifted cartoonist but never really made a career of it, preferring to race instead. Larson and don branson, a more sober sort, put on a legendary battle for the usac sprint car championship in 1964, which branson ultimately won.
Foyt brought out his own sprint car for jud to run. While he never made indy again, juds calling was the dirt and he was hell on wheels in sprinters winning 16 main events in addition earning five big car victories. Earlier in the year, popular red riegel of nearby leesport, pa and veteran jud larson, both winners of the usac events at the 1965 allentown fair perished together in the same bruising crash in turn one of the usac sprint car feature at the reading, pa fairgrounds on june 11, 1966. Watson had other fish tofry in may and parked the sprint car to try and get his indianapolisobligations taken care of. He finished in the top ten 38 times, with 7 victories. There were two drivers who drove the randol offy who also drove at indy. Driving phillips car on the usac sprint car circuit, branson captured his first championship in 1959. He finished in the top ten 44 times, with his best finish in 2nd position in 1968 at springfield.
Real name william, he was an excellent east coast midget and dirt track racer. Big, brash and bold that was jud larson, whose prowess on dirt tracks. Jud larson was a harddrinking, harddriving sprint car driver who raced at a time when few drivers survived to retire. It was the second double fatality of 1966, as sprint car stalwarts jud larson and red riegel lost their lives that june during the same crash at reading, pa. Features vintage sprint car pic thread, 1965 and older only please. Red was a tough and respected sprint car driver from pennsylvania. Jud larson practice, 1957 jud larson in car during practice, 1957 jud larson being congratulated, 1957.
Jud larson was a very popular personality, who was always surrounded by autograph hunters win or lose. Who were the two usac sprint car champions to page 2. Championship points standings for the usac national sprint car series 1966. Further information on this record can be found at its source. Dirt track legend who died after colliding with red riegel in an usac sprint race. The rough and rocky part came from the high dirt banks of the eldora speedway which were showing the effects of the wear and tear surface from the 35 sprint cars. Larson drove in the usac championship car series, racing in the 19561959 and 19641965 seasons with 53 starts, including the 1958 and 1959. Needless to say, dick was introduced to dirt track racing at an early age. Eugene wesley jud larson january 21, 1923 grand prairie, texas june 11, 1966 reading, pennsylvania was an american racecar driver. Front of shirt has a glory days collectibles logo across the chest.
Greg weld was the driver of the dunseth chevy to start the 1968 race season. As seen in the dick wallen video, recent twotime indy 500 winner, a. Riegel started racing in micro midgets near his home and then in 1956 joined the american racing drivers club, winning seventeen races. Jud larson interesting stories about famous people. In september of 1963, jud returned to the driver s seat and again competed in the sprint car series in the 64 and 65 seasons. Genealogy profile for jud larson eugene alden larson 1923 1966 genealogy genealogy for eugene alden larson 1923 1966 family tree on geni, with over. Suggested by adrev masters admin sweet victory as featured in spongebob squarepants. Larson drove in the usac championship car series, racing in the 19561959 and 19641965. Weld won the 1963 knoxville nationals, the premiere event in sprint car racing. Jud was not pleased with this and got a ride withdr. Other drivers that drove this historic sprinter included, roy bryant, dale reed, cotton musick, al chamberlain, and jon backlund among others.
Eugene wesley jud larson was an american racecar driver. The 1964 championship was especially remarkable in that he missed two months with a broken arm and still beat jud larson, a. He liked the old springfront car just fine and thought it quite capable of defending the championship. It was a safety deal to keep the fuel tank from coming foward in a crash and making the driver into a 2 piece driver. In 1956, larson got a call from john zink and was offered indy winner pat.
He raced in the 19651981 seasons, with 105 combined career starts, including the indianapolis 500 in 19661969, 1971, 19781979, and 1981. The ultimate irony, of course, is that lundy and white were hurt in the same car at the same track. Giants like marvin pifer, herschel wagner, jud larson, buzz barton, jerry blundy and jim hurtubise. Leffler surprised weld with this car and greg did not take kindly to it. Robin millers tough guy series on jud larson youtube. Andretti set fast time in the gapco chevy at allentown on august 15, 1964 as the fair moved one month earlier to beat the traditionally wet september weather. As the sun sets on the month of july, through the smoke, the rain and the shine, the figurative flagman has displayed. Jud won the 1966 season opener for sprints at reading driving the watson carwhich he had so much success in. Dick began racing modifieds in 1956 at the local kansas city tracks, lakeside speedway, and the olympic and riverside stadiums. The barrelchested and alwayscheerful weld was only 21 when he burst on the usac scene in 1965. Killed when he collided with jud larson who also died in a sprintcar race. Clarence walter jud larson january 21, 1923 grand prairie, texas june 11, 1966 reading, pennsylvania was an american racecar driver larson drove in the usac championship car series, racing in the 19561959 and 19641965 seasons with 53 starts, including the 1958 and 1959 indianapolis 500 races. In september of 1963, jud returned to the drivers seat and again competed in the sprint car series in the 64 and 65 seasons. Five years later, the 44yearold branson won his second sprint car crown.
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