Jerry Lee
05-26-2009, 03:31 PM
Another colorful name that stands out in Colorado racing history is Crash Mullins. Sometimes literally shredding his way around the track, Crash gave many a race fan their money's worth with his ability to put on a show.
Ironically, it was Crash who phoned ME up for this 1997 article I was writing, and as hard as it was to try and track down some of these local racing legends, I found this a welcome change.
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JL: "You were in that first batch of guys to run the Figure 8's out at Englewood in 1964."
CM: "I built a '49 Ford and it never finished a race. What a turd! Can I say that?"
JL: "Sure."
CM: "I just did! (laughs) Me and my brother-in-law had a car out there the second year, then I started driving for Tom Crump in '66."
JL: "You also had some success at Late Models."
CM: "Yeah, in '67 when the Late Models started at Englewood, I raced them too. But I always planned on staying with the Figure 8's because I was having fun with them. I didn't take 'em serious, y'know, you could tear the fenders and doors off and who gave a damn?"
JL: "Who gave you that name 'Crash'?"
CM: "Rod Gilford gave it to me, but it was that ol' Englewood announcer Ed Fisher who made it stick. It came from my crash in Benkelman, NE. at the county fair in '67. I snapped an axel and flipped up in front of the grandstands in a Late Model. The car just hung there on the fence. The front end was still on the track and the *** end was up in the air! A great show for the crowd!"
JL: "In 1970 you were teamed up with Greg Higgins in the 8's."
CM: "Higgins now, (laughs) I used to torment the hell out of him! Oh man, (laughs) I cost him a feature down in Colorado Springs, not knowingly. All I was trying to do was put on a show for the crowd, and while he was leading the race, I was making it close for him at the X. Oh, he could get excited!"
JL: "Whenever we heard the name Crash Mullins announced in the line up we knew something was going to happen!"
CM: "Yeah, I've torn both sides off plenty of cars and wrecked some of 'em before they were even painted."
JL: "What did these owners think of you tearing up their cars?"
CM: "Aw, nothing, 'cause I could put my foot in it. The rest was just show business."
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Ironically, it was Crash who phoned ME up for this 1997 article I was writing, and as hard as it was to try and track down some of these local racing legends, I found this a welcome change.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
JL: "You were in that first batch of guys to run the Figure 8's out at Englewood in 1964."
CM: "I built a '49 Ford and it never finished a race. What a turd! Can I say that?"
JL: "Sure."
CM: "I just did! (laughs) Me and my brother-in-law had a car out there the second year, then I started driving for Tom Crump in '66."
JL: "You also had some success at Late Models."
CM: "Yeah, in '67 when the Late Models started at Englewood, I raced them too. But I always planned on staying with the Figure 8's because I was having fun with them. I didn't take 'em serious, y'know, you could tear the fenders and doors off and who gave a damn?"
JL: "Who gave you that name 'Crash'?"
CM: "Rod Gilford gave it to me, but it was that ol' Englewood announcer Ed Fisher who made it stick. It came from my crash in Benkelman, NE. at the county fair in '67. I snapped an axel and flipped up in front of the grandstands in a Late Model. The car just hung there on the fence. The front end was still on the track and the *** end was up in the air! A great show for the crowd!"
JL: "In 1970 you were teamed up with Greg Higgins in the 8's."
CM: "Higgins now, (laughs) I used to torment the hell out of him! Oh man, (laughs) I cost him a feature down in Colorado Springs, not knowingly. All I was trying to do was put on a show for the crowd, and while he was leading the race, I was making it close for him at the X. Oh, he could get excited!"
JL: "Whenever we heard the name Crash Mullins announced in the line up we knew something was going to happen!"
CM: "Yeah, I've torn both sides off plenty of cars and wrecked some of 'em before they were even painted."
JL: "What did these owners think of you tearing up their cars?"
CM: "Aw, nothing, 'cause I could put my foot in it. The rest was just show business."
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