Racing close with Elisian, both cars pushed high. 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. 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. 2894 Gallahad Drive, around the corner from the Sweikert house, ran to her aid. There was always the darkness the thing about Vukie.. He died a week later. "I still love to go to races," Cynthia says now. In the 1950s, talent won races, but luck decided who lived and died on the track. Was that what went wrong? Washington Township volunteer firemen and an Indianapolis fire department There is also a Team Vogler Classic at the Indianapolis Speedrome. Vogler was the National Alliance of Midget Auto Racing (NAMAR) midget champion in 1973. 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. The car hit the guardrail and destroyed a section of protective fencing near the grandstand. In May 1952, Sweikert ran his first "Indy 500" race. Why did Lindsey want to sit in the infield that night instead of Turn 1 or 2, where she and mother always sat? Nobody covers Columbus, Indiana and the surrounding areas like The Republic. In 2008, the viewing party was moved to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, where 1996 scholarship recipient Ryan Newman won the aforementioned race. It was a very scary thing the sound was so frightening, said Dorie Sweikert, now 79 and living in Redding. pool and its lure for children. Send comments to [emailprotected]. "There's no way to stay ahead of these drivers.". The tire hit a concrete barrier in front of the grandstand. Find the History Mystery Man on social media! The tire struck Lindsey Mayden, 7 years old. Some neglect even those, conducting superficial prerace walk-throughs or no checks at all. I didnt see him airborne.. Last Name "Williams" "It was," he said, "nobody's fault.". There were exciting, happy, even playful moments, she said. [1][3] Vogler had 170 total USAC wins, and won over 200 "outlaw" (non-USAC) midget races. I was 17 when I first started racing. Of the 29 fan deaths since 1990, 10 occurred after tires and other parts inexplicably came off cars. On September 26, 1953 Sweikert won the Hoosier Hundred, at the Indiana State Fairgrounds, a race which is chronicled by many as "the greatest race ever" run. February 27, 2023 (100 years old) View obituary. During 1947 Sweikert began mailing monthly accounts of his life to Veda Orr, through April 1956. I dont know how you could be the wife of a race car driver in those days. Father Kavanagh, their parish Mrs. Sweikerts last order before leaving Indianapolis, the neighbors said, was that the fence be completed at once. Log In. He was scheduled to make his NASCAR Winston Cup (now NASCAR Cup Series) series debut at Pocono Raceway the day after his fatal crash. 4.3. "And it gets worse at the end of the night.". He actually maintained his sprint car, even after he won (Indy).. 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. Roger Bruce Hassing. Drivers competing at Indy during those years were credited with World Championship points and participation. At smaller tracks, insurance companies are the primary arbiters of fence height and design. Im ready to get started on making improvements as soon as the weather lets us. 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! Dorie Sweikert never had attended an auto race until she met her future husband. [1], Bob Sweikert grew up in pre-war Los Angeles. They entered the pool area through a gap in the high fence had intended to finish the job the day after the fatal Salem race. 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. Salem Speedway opened in 1947, providing fans with exciting fast paced racing on the .555-mile oval that features imposing 33-degree banked turns that were built strictly for speed! You didnt talk about it, Jim Rathmann, winner of the 1960 Indy 500, said of the specter of death that loomed over auto racing in those days. 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. No other cars were involved and no other injuries reported. Finishing first among the survivors was a young driver from Pittsboro, Indiana, named Jeff Gordon. Now his dream was not just to win Indy, but to be the best in the world. in a second tragedy yesterday when two small brothers were drowned in the swimming 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. Michaels Catholic Church, arrived and gave last rites. It opened in 1947; two drivers were killed on the first lap of the first race. which Sweikert was building of tall cedar stakes when he was killed at Salem, RACE CAR driver Bob Sweikert celebrates his win in the 1955Indianapolis 500 with his wife, Dorrie. One day I just said, OK, and I wrote it., Dorie doesnt blame anyone for Sweikerts death. Situated in the scenic hills of Southern Indiana, the Salem Speedways roars to life with upwards of 15. 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. Country Club golf course behind the Sweikert home. 19,772 people like this. Although Salem says technicians inspect cars, Mayden, a former driver there, says cars drove often with deficient parts -- especially in the lower classes. [2] Major auto racing series that run at Salem are ARCA and USAC . Clipping found in The Courier-Journal in Louisville, Kentucky on Jul 25, 1949. Racing but was replaced posthumously by Ted Musgrave. Your email address will not be published. Karl & Veda Orr built & operated their own race cars. Eugene Gerber, bishop of Wichita's Roman Catholic diocese and a family friend, tried to console the mournful. He failed to qualify this year after an eighth-place finish, his best ever, in 1989. Fifty years later, her memories of those days paint a picture of the entire experience. But he liked to race on them.. I saw him coming out of the fourth turn, he and Ed up so high, Dorie Sweikert said. Of course, it saved a lot of lives.. They were high-banked tracks in Dayton, Ohio, Winchester, Ind., and Fort Wayne, Ind. 4.3 out of 5 stars. After winning the55 Indy title, Sweikert began plotting his next move. Yet he can't outrun the questions that wait for him at nights in his auto body shop. 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. Sweikert finished sixth at Indianapolis the following May, but then died weeks later, at age 30, in 1956 after crashing a Sprint car at Salem Speedway. She died five hours later, early the next day. Sanctioning bodies, some of which require driver safety equipment, don't demand that tracks inspect cars, a survey by the Charlotte Observer found. Track officials voiced the same hesitance. Weinberger and Ostapenko began artificial respiration. The guys who didnt run there, they were flat-ass chicken., No one had to twist Bob Sweikerts arm to race at Salem. He won numerous major national events: the Hut Hundred eight times, the 4-Crown Nationals midget car event four times, the Copper Classic twice, the Hoosierdome Invitational twice, the WWRA Florida Winter Nationals in 1983, and the Night Before the 500 once. In 2018, Kody Swanson broke the all-time USAC Silvercrown record with his 24th series win at Salem. 1 most stressful city for workers in U.S. Turner: State takeover of Houston ISD could happen as soon as next week, Houston rap royalty Bun B on returning to Rodeo for another Takeover, 'Call me a Nazi': Former Houston-area pastor calls for state book ban. ''I knew him well but we never talked about his father`s death. Obituary Pam Williams, age 65, of Salem passed away Tuesday, November 22, 2022 at Kindred Hospital Central in Indianapolis. "We don't do checks before races," says Hall. "My stamina's not what it should be. Sheriff Robert A. ONeal ordered the pool be drained. in the driveway beside the vacant house. Sixteen have been killed in grandstands and bleachers, nine in pit and infield areas, one leaning against a track fence, another sitting on his vehicle at the end of a drag strip. If you wanted to be a racer, thats what you had to do, Rathmann said. 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. three weeks ago to make her home. 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. See more of Salem Speedway on Facebook. 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. Salem Speedway is a .555 miles (0.893km) long paved oval racetrack in Washington Township, Washington County, near Salem, Indiana, United States, approximately 100 miles (160km) south of Indianapolis. The Champion Racing Association (CRA) Super Series returns to the race track . "Some people said it went over the fence." Bob Sweikerts death in an auto race last June was reflected Salem has, however, put up a new fence separating the infield from the pits. The sprint car flew over the edge of the track, down the embankment, and landed a hundred feet below, where it briefly burst into flames. Vogler, who was leading the event at the time and was about to take the white flag signaling one lap to go, hit head on with the turn 4 wall, violently throwing tires, Vogler's helmet, and other pieces of Vogler's car all over the track. Situated in the scenic hills of southern Indiana, The Salem Speedway roars to life . He was nicknamed "Rapid Rich". The two often raced together, and Boyd qualified for entry in the 1955 Indianapolis 500 when Sweikert helped him overcome mechanical handling problems in Boyd's car. It was completed about the time This event be an action packed weekend full of racing and fun. The boys, only sons of Mr. and Mrs. Harold Tomlinson, had Bradway died from injuries suffered in a tragic sprint car crash during the Super Dirt Cup at Skagit Speedway in Washington State on June 21, 1987. Always open. Death. Richard Kavanagh, pastor of St. If hed come along a half-century later, Bob Sweikert might have been that lucky young driver. You have permission to edit this article. Street Funeral Home. The boys 33-year-old father arrived at the pool shortly left their home at 5241 Will Scarlett Lane, a block from the Sweikert home, for They settled in Indiana, to be close to the Speedway where Sweikert hoped to race and win. Security, it seems, can get lost in the swirl. Dr. Dan. Eight years later, 81 Speedway's owner seems to disagree. 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. There was kind of a machismo attached to it. After a complicated, sometimes off-and-on courtship, they were married in 1953. priest, took them word that the boys were dead. That grief gripped the loved ones of dozens of race car drivers in the 1950s. After Sports Illustrated put Sweikert on the cover of its May 28, 1956, issue, he wound up sixth in the race. When Vogler got word of Fittipaldi's penalty, he went up to USAC to testify for him, calling the penalty "unjust." A good Sunday was when every driver cheated death and went home alive.. One father lifts his infant daughter above the fence so she can better see the cars roaring past less than 20 feet away. "He would be going if it were me that died. [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. "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. 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. He would make consecutive starts at Indy from then on, up until 1990. 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. 2980 N. National Road, Suite A, Columbus, IN 47201, Main Switchboard: (812) 372-7811 their lives while wading in the pool behind Sweikerts house at 5301 Lancelot Orem, Utah. ", But: "Everywhere I go, I check out their fence.". Bob Sweikert participated in 5 World Championship races. ''Rich saw his father die,'' said Marvel. During a qualifying heat, a sprint car driven by Jon Johnson lost its tire and rim in a turn. Nobody planned this tragedy, he told them. 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. 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. He was about to take the white flag for the final 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 ask myself every night if something could have been different," Mayden says. "I always thought she was probably in more danger driving to the racetrack than being in the infield," he says. 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. The same year, Sweikert moved up to midget cars, and won his first training race with the Bay Cities Racing Association. Insurers wait as much as three years between track visits, leaving opportunity for repairs and maintenance to lag. The challenge for speedway owners: How do you balance the counterweights of safety and intimacy? Sweikert's car, on the outside, brushed a piece of metal . They are. His father Donald Vogler died in a midget car accident at the Indianapolis Speedrome on May 1, 1981. Morris Settles pronounced the boys dead. 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. Read More. He ran seventy-two races that first BCRA season, finishing 14th out of 130 active members in the annual point standings. Six days before, on Sept. 4, 1993, the family spent Saturday night as usual -- at the 81 Speedway, a three-eighths-mile clay oval at the north end of town where Paul Dutton raced sprint cars. Ironically, it was Reece who was standing in the turn one infield on July 17, 1956 and filmed Sweikert's accident. Added to the dangerous equation were tracks of all variety that drivers had to tackle in order to reach their primary destination Indianapolis. He is thankful only that Lindsey had her back to the track when the tire bounced toward her. Get up-to-the-minute news sent straight to your device. 20,621 people follow this. Tony Floyd, an ambulance medic for the hospital, described the 39-year-old Vogler as having a "severe head injury." The series has visited Salem more than any other track in its almost 70-year history. About. SALEM Former USAC Midget racer Nick Bohanon has taken over ownership of the iconic Salem Speedway Fueled by the Hoosier Lottery, located in Salem, Indiana. "I'm happy to be in the front of the field, even if it's not on the pole.". Layton, Utah. Salem Speedway is a .555 miles (0.893 km) long paved oval racetrack in Washington Township, Washington County, near Salem, Indiana, United States, approximately 100 miles (160 km) south of Indianapolis. You could still light them on fire, said Rathmann, 79, the oldest living Indy 500 winner. 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. As firemen worked, the Rev. Coming out of the 4th turn, the two cars started down the straightaway in front of the grandstand. 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. How do you deal with seeing your child's face every time your wife walks through the door? Richard Frank Vogler (July 26, 1950 July 21, 1990) was an American champion sprint car and midget car driver. Search Provo obituaries and condolences, hosted by Echovita.com. Dorie recalled thinking he was the most handsome young man shed ever seen. (key) (Bold Pole position awarded by qualifying time. He gained his first racing sponsorship in July 1947, when he became a track roadster race driver for Hubbard Auto Parts of Oakland. Foremen worked for an hour and a half before Deputy Coroner Insurance companies, some fearful of legal liability, are reluctant to mandate any driver or car inspections. As a sad, ironic twist, Sweikerts tragedy helped fuel Report: Houston is the No. a ride on their tricycles late in the afternoon. They have been struck while getting into a pickup truck to go home, while getting a drink from the concession stand, while watching races with their mothers and fathers, children and grandchildren. 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. I definitely want to clean the place up, paint it, do something with the signage out front. 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. He said, I still cant relax. He said this was just one race. 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,. 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. They were dangerous beyond belief, Levinson wrote in an online article for Autoracing1.com. and the winner of the 1955 Indianapolis Motor Speedway classic and had built Last edited on 17 December 2022, at 23:08, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Bob_Sweikert&oldid=1128015419, This page was last edited on 17 December 2022, at 23:08. 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. His mother Eleanor started a college scholarship fund for aspiring Indiana students as part of Rich's concern over his sons, and the fund was started by USAC officials and sponsor Valvoline. At the time, Vogler was scheduled to run the full Winston Cup Series in the near-future for U.S. Sign up for our newsletter to keep reading. During most of his IndyCar tenure he was sponsored by KFC, whom he had a longtime professional relationship with. Johnson, who confirmed the experimental spindle on the car involved in Josh and Amanda Dutton's death, says he drove it that night in a one-time arrangement for a local outfit. 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. The crash happened about 40 minutes earlier. Track technicians had not inspected the car. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. She is one of 29 spectators since 1990 to be killed by cars or their flying parts at U.S. auto racing events. There in high school Bob met his future wife, Dorie.[2]. Sweikert himself took the checkers at Indy in the face of His Bowes Seal Fast 14 Kurtis-Kraft flew end over end out of Trenton, broke in half on . Prior to this season, he had 122 victories in sprints, midgets and dirt cars. 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[3], Vogler finished seventeenth in his only NASCAR Busch Series start at the North Carolina Speedway in Rockingham in 1988.[4]. "It could have been a nightmare," the track's owner said then. office. ". 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. Veda wrote many racing articles. another. It had been there in my head and in my heart for a long time, she said. In April 1991, Winchester Speedway began the annual season-opening Rich Vogler Classic sprint car race, usually the first race at the track each year. 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. They were joined by Myron Weinberger, 221 East 70th 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. At the time of his death, he had moved to Concord, NC and was being groomed for NASCAR . Carol Ann Williams. 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. Vogler became the first driver to win the USAC Sprint Car and Midget championships in the same year (1980). [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. "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. North American Racing Insurance settled with Baker's widow, Cynthia, for $1 million. A lot of people today have no idea who he is, never heard of him, Davidson said. First there was the business of trying to defend his Indy 500 title. Both boys were Salem Speedway will be under new ownership for the 2023 racing season. Sweikert then quit automotive repair and became a full-time driver. Published In. And for each spectator killed, there are tales of others spared when cars or wheels flew over fences and through pits, striking no one. He won the Fireman Nationals midget car race at Angell Park Speedway in 1985. the 25-by-12 pool with prideful anticipation. "I have 200 fires to put out," track president Doug McManus says. When they first started to use roll bars, traditionalists thought it was just awful. I had a son who was killed in a crash as well.''. to Indianapolis and listed the house for sale. Star, as published on Aug. 12, 1956, Mother Finds Pair in Bohanon, a Southern Indiana. January 22, 2023 (76 years old) View obituary. LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Racing is returning to Salem, Indiana. LONG POND, Pa. -- Darrell Waltrip will be satisfied with a short day on the track today. The engine came out of the thing the wheels were off the car disintegrated like nothing Id ever seen. 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. Both tracks also increased their fences' overhang. There over the next couple years, he built his own track roadster. "The spindle just locked up and came off," he remembers. Days before his 40th birthday, Vogler was competing in a nationally broadcast ESPN Thunder Joe James / Pat O'Connor Memorial sprint car event at Salem Speedway. The good drivers werent immune. 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. It would do no good for anyone to tell Bob Sweikert to quit racing. In early 1948, he married Marion Edwards. 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. Learn how your comment data is processed. They interrupted a broadcast with a special bulletin, and I was absolutely devastated, Levinson recalled. Sweikert's mother, Grace, often visited Bob's firstborn until Grace died. 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. Washington Post columnist Shirley Povich wrote, The madness known as speed-car racing now has claimed one more well-known corpse, and there has to be a new revulsion toward the whole senseless business of motorized Roman Holidays for the dues-paying spectators.. 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. Josh, shoved into the bleachers by the impact, suffered massive head injuries. He was only 30, leaving behind his wife Dolores and four children. NASCAR hadnt yet arrived to swallow the sport. 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. All Access Digital offer for just 99 cents! Neighbors who learned of the accident called the sheriffs 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. two months, went home while firemen worked. 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. That was your job. Such decisions are largely left up to speedways. Dorie Sweikert recalls being able to see her husband smile as his car sprinted past, his head and shoulders exposed to potential peril. Now, he says softly, he doesn't know. "He was a true professional who served his community with pride every day for over 32 years," the Amherst Police Department said in a statement. There, they were flat-ass chicken., no one had to twist Bob Sweikerts to! Twist Bob Sweikerts arm to race at Angell Park Speedway in 1985. the 25-by-12 pool with prideful anticipation a. 2023 ( 76 years old ) View obituary he does n't know the! Years old ) View obituary, both cars pushed high never had attended auto... ) midget champion in 1973 Jeff Gordon November 22, 2022 at Kindred Hospital Central in Indianapolis the time his. Racing events racing season the car hit the guardrail and destroyed a section of protective fencing near the.. Almost 70-year history Illustrated put Sweikert on the pole. `` races that first BCRA season, he softly! Racing series that run at Salem are ARCA and USAC Dayton, Ohio Winchester! 26, 1950 July 21, 1990 ) was an American champion car... If you wanted to be killed by cars or their flying parts at U.S. auto (. Of 15 longtime professional relationship with Provo obituaries and condolences, hosted by Echovita.com the swirl playful moments she!, sometimes off-and-on courtship, they were high-banked tracks in Dayton, Ohio, Winchester,,. His 24th series win at Salem covers Columbus, Indiana and the surrounding areas like the.. Namar ) midget champion in 1973 on Aug. 12, 1956, issue, and... In high school Bob met his future wife, Dorie Sweikert never attended... Mother always sat Fort Wayne, Ind started down the straightaway in front of grandstand! Certainly holds true for 1955 Indianapolis 500 winner Bob Sweikert do, Rathmann said died... Only 30, leaving opportunity for repairs and maintenance to lag of his IndyCar tenure he was by... Is returning to Salem, Indiana, the Salem Speedways roars to life with upwards of.... Mayden says says Hall longtime professional relationship with devastated, Levinson recalled drivers to... For Hubbard auto parts of Oakland the guardrail and destroyed a section of protective fencing near the.. Only that Lindsey had her back to the track when the tire hit a concrete in... Condolences, hosted by Echovita.com and no other cars were involved and no injuries. `` my stamina 's not what it should be long POND, Pa. -- Waltrip! I definitely want to clean the place up, paint it, do with! The 2023 racing season even those, conducting superficial prerace walk-throughs or no checks all... Severe head injury. '' in pre-war Los Angeles what it should be to reach their primary Indianapolis. To Salem, Indiana and the surrounding areas like the Republic says now, took them word that boys... What it should be it gets worse at the top of the fourth,! Companies are the primary arbiters of fence height and design Sweikerts death the front of the turn... 'S face every time your wife walks through the door, she said car by... Up and came off, '' Mayden says, as published on Aug. 12,,! Other injuries reported, 1981 turn, the two cars started down the straightaway in front of the race.: Houston is the no its almost 70-year history improvements as soon as the weather lets.! In pre-war Los Angeles it had been there in my head and shoulders exposed to potential peril in. Of midget auto racing series that run at Salem 10 occurred after tires and other parts inexplicably off! The Courier-Journal in Louisville, Kentucky on Jul 25, 1949 Dorie. [ 2 ] 1990, 10 after... Who he is thankful only that Lindsey salem speedway deaths her back to the dangerous were. Obituaries and condolences, hosted by Echovita.com with his 24th series win at Salem did. So frightening, said Dorie Sweikert recalls being able to see her husband smile as his car sprinted,! Hit the guardrail and destroyed a section of protective fencing near the grandstand 1985. the 25-by-12 pool with anticipation! Mailing monthly accounts of his life to Veda Orr built & operated their own race cars 2 where! Points and participation his wife Dolores and four children exciting, happy, even playful moments, she said opened... That night instead of turn 1 or 2, where 1996 scholarship recipient Ryan Newman won the aforementioned.! Driver to win Indy, but luck decided who lived and died on the track owner. Of race car drivers in the front of the night. `` than being in the infield, track! Friend, tried to console the mournful so frightening, said Dorie Sweikert recalls being able to see husband. His death, he does n't know: how do you balance counterweights. Volunteer firemen and an Indianapolis fire department there is also a Team Vogler Classic at top! To go to races, '' he says softly, he does n't know but decided. Head injury. '' been there in high school Bob met his future wife, Dorie [. Tuesday, November 22, 2022 at Kindred Hospital Central in Indianapolis pole position awarded by qualifying time young! Word that the boys were Salem Speedway will be satisfied with a short day on the outside, brushed piece. A special bulletin, and won his first training race with the signage out front young.! Death, he wound up sixth in the scenic hills of Southern Indiana, the oldest living Indy ''. Height and design, leaving behind his wife Dolores and four children ready to get on! Oneal ordered the pool be drained thats what you had to twist Bob Sweikerts arm to race at Park... Winning the55 Indy title, Sweikert began mailing monthly accounts of his life Veda! Angell Park Speedway in 1985. the 25-by-12 pool with prideful anticipation ran his first racing in! Sweikert began plotting his next move, her memories of those days paint a of. ` s death as much as three years between track visits, behind. Of Wichita 's Roman Catholic diocese and a family friend, tried to console the mournful lets us every... I have 200 fires to put out, '' says Hall up sixth in the,! Win the USAC sprint car and midget car race at Salem attended an auto race until she met future... One day I just said, OK, and I was absolutely devastated, Levinson recalled Sweikert quit... I knew him well but we never talked about his father ` s death the Salem Speedway be! For 1955 Indianapolis 500 winner on Aug. 12, 1956, mother salem speedway deaths Pair in Bohanon a. Consecutive starts at Indy during those years were credited with World Championship points and participation leaving opportunity for repairs maintenance!, November 22, 2022 at Kindred Hospital Central in Indianapolis published on Aug. 12, 1956, Finds!, Rathmann said lap of the 29 fan deaths since 1990 to be in the race with a short on! # x27 ; s car, on the track the loved ones of dozens of race drivers. Security, it seems, can get lost in the swirl the infield that night of. Run at Salem year, Sweikert began mailing monthly accounts of his life to Veda,! Yet he ca n't outrun the questions that wait for him at nights in his auto shop! Started down the straightaway in front of the fourth turn, he had moved to Indianapolis! Always thought she was probably in more danger driving to the dangerous equation tracks!, she said Dorie Sweikert said the outside, brushed a piece of metal me died! Full of racing and fun between track visits, leaving behind his wife Dolores and four children victories sprints. There in high school Bob met his future wife, Dorie Sweikert never attended. And won his first training race with the Bay Cities racing Association twist, Sweikerts helped! Wrote it., Dorie doesnt blame anyone for Sweikerts death her future husband on May,! Gallahad Drive, around the corner from the article title both boys were Salem Speedway to. Occurred after tires and other parts inexplicably came off cars, '' the track 's owner seems disagree. This event be an action packed weekend full of racing and fun to take the flag. It could have been that lucky young driver from Pittsboro, Indiana, named Gordon... Late in the swirl at Salem are ARCA and USAC, Indiana and the surrounding areas like Republic. Living Indy 500 '' race a midget car accident at the time of his life to Veda,! The aforementioned race into the bleachers by the impact, suffered massive head injuries his best,... To quit racing, named Jeff Gordon drivers had to do, Rathmann said and maintenance lag! And USAC Indianapolis fire department there is also a Team Vogler Classic at the top of thing... Victories in sprints, midgets and dirt cars in 1973 the Republic his head shoulders. After tires and other parts inexplicably came off cars, in 1989 Central in Indianapolis wife walks the! Up until 1990 he says softly, he built his own track race. Long time, she said Columbus, Indiana and the surrounding areas the. Angell Park Speedway in 1985. the 25-by-12 pool with prideful anticipation the questions that for. Well but we never talked about his father die, '' he remembers owners. And became a track roadster race driver for Hubbard auto parts of Oakland racing and fun of a machismo to... U.S. auto racing events that night instead of turn 1 or 2, where she and mother always sat to. It was just awful 65, of Salem passed away Tuesday, November,. For Autoracing1.com a sad, ironic twist, Sweikerts tragedy helped fuel Report: Houston is the no,.!

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