Eddie Jackson - Number 5

[Thomas E]

This is a rough photo of Eddie Jackson in the 5 car, this was taken out at Berekely Park in Denver. Ed had purchased the car from Lloyd Axel in early 1956.

Eddie compiled a very impressive career in running the 5 car.

[webby]

Eddie Jackson, Sam Sauer, Spider Anderson, Gene Pastor, Leo Tucker, Greer Manning, Jimmy Beckly, Steve Troxel, Dave Strickland... these were the guys I grew up watching race.

[Thomas E]

Eddie Jackson, Sam Sauer, Spider Anderson, Gene Pastor, Leo Tucker, Greer Manning, Jimmy Beckly, Steve Troxel, Dave Strickland... these were the guys I grew up watching race.

I also saw these fellows . . . Keith Andrews, Tommy Rice, Don Malone, Sonny Coleman, Earl Kouba, Warren Hamilton, Joe Giba, Frankie Mantello, Jimmy LaManna, Dave Bartlett, Sherman "Speed" Roberts, Ray Flannigan, Willie Hardman, Frank Manley, Johnny Tolan, Dick Irwin, Paul "Pappy" Heddrick, Pete Heddrick, Pete Ducker, Noel Carpenter, Warren Schiebie, Don "Donnie" Padia.

WOW! I remembered! What a great group of midget drivers.

[Mitch G.]

Geez, you could write two books, one on Eddie Jackson, and one on the #5 car. A lot has been written about the 5 car, I'll post a history later. Lets just focus on Eddie and the #5 car. Eddie purchased the car from Lloyd Axel in 1956 for $7000.oo, this was the 3rd Kurtis Kraft off the assembly line, early 1946. Eddie won his first main event (under CARC sanction) with his new midget. Already a 10 year old race car.
http://www.autoracingmemories.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=9&pictureid=311
This is Eddie in 56 or 57, the #5 has it's clothes off, look at the front bumper, it has an "E" in it, replacing the "A" that Lloyd Axel always had in the front nerf bar. In 1957 Eddie finished 2nd in points (still CARC sanction) to Foster Campbell. Jackson was winning main events regularly now, and finished 5th in RMMRA points 1958, and 3rd in 1959. Jackson was aspiring to bigger things in auto racing, and passed his rookie test at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in 1959. Also that year Eddie had the #5 with him in the mid-west, where the #5 had it's worst crash of it's, and Eddie's career at that point, Peoria, IL 1959
http://autoracingmemories.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=9&pictureid=313
Eddie focused on the midgets after that, with a few stints in sprints over the years.
http://autoracingmemories.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=9&pictureid=314
This shot is probably early 1959 before the bar from the top of the roll bar, to the top of the rear nerf was added, left to right, Don Budy, Fred Furnung, Jackson and Dick Butz.
http://autoracingmemories.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=9&pictureid=316
Eddie at Hill City, Kansas 1959, on his way to winning the feature in the #5 car.
Eddie won his first RMMRA title in 1960, adding to his main event total's and became the man to beat in the RMMRA, and was a tough midget driver to beat, anywhere he went. He was 2nd in RMMRA points in '61, champ in 62 and 63. In 1964 Jackson and some other midget drivers and owners boycotted RMMRA, and ran Englewood, not Lakeside. Eddie came back to RMMRA in 1966 for a 5th in points. For 1967 Eddie sold the #5 to Vern Shaver, and again took the car to a RMMRA title, and another crown in 1968.
http://autoracingmemories.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=9&pictureid=312
This 1967 shot taken at Lakeside Speedway, shows Eddie in the #5, surrounded by former RMMRA champions, left to right: Aaron Woodard, Roy Leslie, Johnny Tolan, Roy Bowe, Sonny Coleman, Foster Campbell, Jimmy LaManna, Steve Troxell. Note the "S" for Shaver now welded into the front nerf bar.
http://autoracingmemories.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=9&pictureid=318
A great action shot of Eddie racing Greer Manning at Lakeside Speedway in 1969.
Eddie was 2nd in points in 1969, the last year he drove the car, Eddie won the 1970 RMMRA title in a Malloy built midget using the Offenhauser engine from the old Lloyd Axel Kurtis Kraft midget.
http://autoracingmemories.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=9&pictureid=317
I remember seeing Eddie flip the #5 car, without a roll cage, at Englewood Speedway, must have been 1969. Within a couple of weeks it had a cage on it, and a big primer spot on the tail. Check out this shot of Eddie in the #5, it's got a cage, and cross torsion bars have been added to the rear suspension, the car is 23 years old at this point. Eddie went on to win another RMMRA title in 1970, and #5 went on to win more races under the ownership of Norbert Goldman, with Leo Tucker driving. The Kurtis is now owned by legendary photographer Leroy Byers, and is restored to it's 1946 glory. Bill Hill's great book, "Decades of Daring, Midget Racing in the Rocky Mountains", was my source for most of the photo's and info for this post.

[John]

Hi Mitch,

I'am trying to find the following people that were involved with my father Carl Anderson) who owned two midgets back in the late 40's and early 50's.

Arron Woodard drove my fathers midget car number 37. Is Arron by chance still alive or do you know of any relatives that I might be able to contact?

I'am also looking for anyone who may have known Kenny Bayer who was a midget car owner on a second car with my dad, car number 51.

Also any relatives of Joe Giba and Johnny Tolan.

Any help you can give me would be greatly appreciated.

John Anderson

[webby]

Hi Mitch,

I'am trying to find the following people that were involved with my father Carl Anderson) who owned two midgets back in the late 40's and early 50's.

Arron Woodard drove my fathers midget car number 37. Is Arron by chance still alive or do you know of any relatives that I might be able to contact?

I'am also looking for anyone who may have known Kenny Bayer who was a midget car owner on a second car with my dad, car number 51.

Also any relatives of Joe Giba and Johnny Tolan.

Any help you can give me would be greatly appreciated.

John AndersonWelcome to Auto Racing Memories! I have certified your membership so now you have full privileges and you can post pictures if you want to. For tips on how to post images check out these instructional videos (http://autoracingmemories.com/forums/showthread.php?t=25).

Looking forward to hearing more of your auto racing memories!

[LittleFauss]

.....'Hey Mitch! Thanks a lot for the tidbits of info and photos regarding the great Eddie Jackson. But Wow! $7,000 for that Kurtis w/ the Offy in 1956??? Does anyone have any idea as to what those numbers would be today? Whoa! Anyway, I've always been a huge fan of all the great car owners and drivers from around the Denver area. And one that I always seem to remember for whatever reason was, 'maybe just because of the 'catchy' names were: Don "Spider" Anderson in the beautiful black and gold Haines & Ludwig SESCO #41, sponsored by the Marigold Cafe!

[Mitch G.]

http://autoracingmemories.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=376&pictureid=3774
Great Leroy Byers shot of "Spyder", at Lakeside 1972. The always gorgeous Hainds&Ludwig Edmunds SESCO. The "Marigold Cafe" logo on the hood.