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View Full Version : Reminiscing... Don Malone and the 55 car crash


Thomas E
06-28-2009, 10:42 AM
Don (Donnie) Malone
October2, 1955
Arapahoe County Fairgrounds, Littleton, Colorado
AAA Rocky Mountains Championship Race

On October 2nd under a lazy Colorado Sunday afternoon sky is when Don Malone was killed at the Arapahoe Fairgrounds driving Earl Kouba's KK/Offy midget #55, from several accounts and what I saw, Don drove over the back of another car while signaling to the flagman and facing into the late afternoon sun, Don then did a barrel roll down the inside guard rail along the front stretch sending boards and splinters flying everywhere in front of the grand stands and was on scene fatal crash. The crash occurred on some say lap 35 and others say lap 37 of a 100 lap feature. Don was 28 at the time proving to have a very promising career in racing the midgets had tragic crash not happened.

Several AAA Championship races and special events in 1955 were held at Arapahoe Fairgrounds in Littleton, Colorado. Earl Kouba won every race that he entered there and won the 1955 Rocky Mountain AAA championship.

For the record . . .
Don Malone is sixty-first with five wins on the list of all-time Colorado midget feature event victories covering 1935 to 2004. Feature win list resource, The Mighty Midgets by Jack Fox, and A Decade of Daring (Midget Racing in the Rocky Mountains) by Bill Hill.

Searching for a picture of Don Malone in the 55 car.

Olen McGuire
06-28-2009, 12:21 PM
Hey Thomas,I found this old photo of Earl Kouba in his #55 that was taken in 1947 by Leroy Byers. From what I gather this is the same one that Don Malone was in on that fatal day. Earl In 1956 took this car back to Lakeside.~Olen

http://autoracingmemories.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=96&pictureid=672

parrot
06-28-2009, 01:15 PM
Thanks for that info, Thomas. As a longtime stock car junkie I recognized the name 'Don Malone' as having raced at least once with the CARC, but I wasn't aware that he lost his life early on in a racing accident. He isn't listed in any of my CARC programs, but was listed in a Denver Post write up of the race results during 1954. Anybody remember what car he drove with the CARC?

Thomas E
06-28-2009, 06:21 PM
Olen that is the car. Parrot yes Don ran stock cars at Lakeside, but as you can see information is sparse, it has a brief mention in Dacades of Daring.

Here is photo with Earl and Ethel Kouba at the Arapahoe County Fairgrounds 1955. Note the different colored nose piece and belly pan, I think they were painted red, that was a new replacement from an earlier crash that Earl might have been driving 55.

That is how the car looked when Don drove it and when he had that fatal crash at Arapahoe.

Thomas E
06-29-2009, 10:22 AM
Thanks for that info, Thomas. As a longtime stock car junkie I recognized the name 'Don Malone' as having raced at least once with the CARC, but I wasn't aware that he lost his life early on in a racing accident. He isn't listed in any of my CARC programs, but was listed in a Denver Post write up of the race results during 1954. Anybody remember what car he drove with the CARC?

I imagine that John Pachello would know about Don Malone and his CARC activities.

Maybe Elmer Sauer.

Mitch G.
06-29-2009, 11:00 AM
http://autoracingmemories.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=9&pictureid=679
At Englewood Speedway, in 1955, Don Malone in Earl Kuba's Offy. In the background is Howard Pettit, and Frank Capulo, Pettit became a RMMRA president, and was a close friend of Malones, according to "Decades of Daring", Bill Hills great book.

Mitch G.
07-08-2009, 12:28 PM
Check this out!! Talk about two beautiful race cars, this is from the midget madness website. The only bummer is these two Denver midgets are now living in Minnesota. Earl Kuba's son has done a wonderful job restoring these beauty's,
and they are in good hands.
http://autoracingmemories.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=9&pictureid=740

JimmyK
07-11-2009, 11:01 PM
I have a pic of Dad and Donny from (I think) August 30, 1955. I'll post as soon as i figure out how to upload photos.

Dad (Earl) was very superstitious and sadden over Donnie’s death. The upholstery headrest from Baby (#55) was removed after the crash, replaced with a vinyl imitation and never raced again. We (Joe) still have the original upholstery included that headrest, but it is not what’s in the refurbished car. Mom had new upholstery made using the original as a pattern.

webby
07-12-2009, 11:05 AM
I have a pic of Dad and Donny from (I think) August 30, 1955. I'll post as soon as i figure out how to upload photos.Now that you are certified you can post images. Here are two tutorial videos (http://autoracingmemories.com/forums/showthread.php?t=25&highlight=pictures).

JimmyK
07-12-2009, 11:59 AM
Thanks. Here are a few shots.