JIM BECKLEY - The Two Minute Interview

[Jerry Lee]

From the box of dusty interview cassettes comes these 1999 clips of Midget champion Jim Beckley talking candidly about his early years in the Modifieds at Englewood Speedway. If you're a Beckley fan, I can see why. Not only is he good on the track, but a super nice guy to boot.

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JL: "It's said that you were another one that Joe Lehman helped get started in racing."

JB: "Oh yeah, Joe Lehman helped me out a lot when I was first starting out. And y'know, back then you had to build your own car, you tried everything. It's different now where you have to buy all this high-tech stuff. Back then you built your own, and guys weren't above cheating."

JL: "(laughs) I'm sure."

JB: "Everybody helped everybody then, y'know? If somebody got in trouble on the track, we'd be out of our cars helping out, or we'd go over to that guy's house and help him put his car back together. Everyone went out of their way to help, at least from my stand point."

JL: "What's one of the wildest things you ever saw at a track?"

JB: "Oh, one time out at Englewood someone lost a wheel, and I think it was one of those sweeper truck guys who stuck his foot out to stop it, but when he went to kick it over he got his foot caught in the middle of the rim, and the tire kept going and flipped him about 25 times! That was something!"

JL: "Any races stand out?"

JB: "There was one race I remember leading lap after lap, and I was running with Jim Malloy on my tail, who was probably one of the best. We were coming for the checkered and he snuck up on me and stuck his right rear on my left rear, which didn't move my car, but took enough R.P.M.s away from me for him to sneak past for the win!"

JL: "In the mid-'60's, didn't you guys and some of the Modifieds used to pit in the backchute there at Englewood?"

JB: "Yeah we used to pit along the backchute there, and when they would shoot off the fireworks shows, we would have to cover our cars with plastic to keep all the stuff off of it. (laughs) We were constantly putting out fires because the hot embers kept falling and setting the plastic tarps on fire!"

JL: "You've run a lot of circuits in the U.S., do any stand out?"

JB: "Englewood was the best race track I ever raced at, mainly because of the people I raced with. I raced all over the country at a lot of different tracks, but the people at Englewood Speedway were the best there has ever been."

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[Olen McGuire]

Here's some pics and comments from Jerry Lee:





http://autoracingmemories.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=68&pictureid=468
“Jim Beckley gets some attention after this 1967 wallop during Modified action
at Englewood Speedway.” --Jerry Lee (J.L.McGuire collection)





http://autoracingmemories.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=68&pictureid=469
"(#35) Jim Beckley slips by a multi-Modified pile up during a hot lap session at Englewood Speedway in 1968 involving (#56) Cliff Wasson (backwards), (#71) John Shine, (#98) Pete Stringer (subbing for Harry Lofgren this night), (#68) Dick Newton, and (#166) Ron Huff." --Jerry Lee (J.L.McGuire collection)

[lakeside #29]

Jim Beckley is one the nicest guys I have met during all the years that I raced. To have him drive my #29 in 1996 at Second Creek was an honor that I will never forget. I've been lucky enough to have some pretty good drivers in my cars over the years, but Jim had such amazing credentials. He raced the USAC national midget circuit in 1973 and later was an RMMRA champion.
Jim isn't a big guy maybe 5'7" and a very good natured guy, except one night at Second Creek after Bob Land spun him out. Bob is a tall guy about 6'3", but Jim was really steamed and went down to Bob's pit and got in his face saying somehting to the effect, "I thought we were going to be gentlemen, what's with spinning me out". Bob appologized and I know that Bob didn't drive that way and it wasn't a deliberate hit, but Jim made his point. By the way, Jim builds street rods and his cars are immaculte. Thanks Mr. Beckley you honored us by driving #29.

Chris Ertler

[Mitch G.]

Jim Beckley is truly a great guy and race driver. I remember one summer, he and Ed Jackson ran two of the greatest midget main events at Lakeside, we had ever seen. They battled back and forth all 30 laps, Ed Jackson won. Then the very next week, they did the same exact thing, all 30 laps, only this time Beckley won, and Eddie was 2nd. It was 1977, Eddie was in Conklin's yellow #5 Edmunds VW, and Beckley was in a orange #3, I think Don Schwietzer was the owner, the car was a LTC copy, Beckley may have built that car, I can't remember for sure.

[racer99]

I remember that incident quite well! Of course, my perspective of what happened on the track differs somewhat from Chris' view. But, yeah, Jim always has been a great guy and a gentleman. One of my favorite racing people!
Bob

[lakeside #29]

Bob, My apologies sir, it wasn't my intent to insult you. There are two sides to every story. You're one the good guys, a clean driver who raced hard. The incident I mentioned was just racing and nothing more. Jim may have cut down on you. I know my drivers got into others guys. I remember Butch punting Al Edgerly on the backchute. On that tiny track it was next to impossible to avoid contact. My car sustained more damage at Second Creek than it ever did at Lakeside and I'm sure it was the same for you. It's a miracle that we didn't get someone wasn't seriously injured out there. It's a shame that for all work we all did out there that we didn't have better returns. Jim is a good guy and guess we found out that he had a temper.

Chris Ertler

[racer99]

Chris, no apology necessary. I sure didn't take your comments as an insult. You're right about racing at SCR. Practically impossible to pass unless it was on the inside and the guy ahead opened the door just a little bit. Passing on the outside rarely worked. That tire wall on the backstretch was no fun to get into, as several of us found out. The track was so small that you could power-drift all the way down the straights, and yeah, a lot of bumping and banging. But did we have fun? I did, as did others. The really bad part was that we nearly bankrupted the CARC trying to keep things going (we could have used a Government bailout then).Thanks to you and Peggy and others then and still others later, CARC still is a viable entity.
Bob

[Jerry Lee]

http://autoracingmemories.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=249&pictureid=942
(Irwin Fogel collection)

[carc7]

I can verify that comment about the backstretch tire wall. Not healthy for 4-wheeled things like Toyota Crayolas! Paul B.