webby
04-17-2009, 03:53 PM
Buddy Craig was so much more than a Racecar driver, and I thought that I would share some things that most people do not know. He was born April 27 1959 and we lost him July 24 2003.
At the age of 13 months, doctors found that he suffered from a rare blood disease and to save his life they decided to amputate his limbs, although this would be a problem for most people it was just a minor setback for this unique individual
http://www.autoracingmemories.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=15&pictureid=140
http://www.autoracingmemories.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=15&pictureid=132
Buddy went on to play concert piano; he also became a very good pool player who played in many tournaments around the world, one of his fondest memories was playing against Minnesota Fats. Buddy also became a hero raising thousands of dollars for the Jerry Lewis telethon and holding many benefits for other people who had problems and or setbacks in their lives. Buddy also was a mentor for many young disabled kids.
http://www.autoracingmemories.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=15&pictureid=139
He also was a terrific artist who loved drawing Disney characters and cars especially racecars. He also did calligraphy. Bud drew many of the Lakeside program covers.
http://www.autoracingmemories.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=15&pictureid=141
http://www.autoracingmemories.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=15&pictureid=131
http://www.autoracingmemories.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=15&pictureid=142
http://www.autoracingmemories.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=15&pictureid=143
I believe that Buddy always wanted to drive racecars so he got as close to racing as he could hanging around his Dad, Ken who owned a Modified at Lakeside Speedway in the late 60’s driven by Bob Land and also selling programs at Englewood Speedway in the early 70’s. In the photo above you can see Buddy's dad, Ken Craig kneeling near the right rear tire of this CARC Modified he owned. Driver Bob Land is standing all the way to the right.
http://www.autoracingmemories.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=15&pictureid=135
In 1985 Buddy realized his lifelong dream, he finally with the help of many friends and admirers built and drove his first racecar.
http://www.autoracingmemories.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=15&pictureid=144
http://www.autoracingmemories.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=15&pictureid=137
http://www.autoracingmemories.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=15&pictureid=145
Buddy was one of us at R&R Racing Team and asked me if he could run my number 16, he told me he would be honored if I would let him run my number, I told him that I was the one that was honored. Bud not only drove but also built much of his own equipment, building the engine for his car with the block sitting across the armrests of his wheelchair. I was lucky because he did most of the work on his car at my Dads shop and it was treat to watch him run impact wrenches and just do the things that no one thought would be possible for someone like Buddy.
That season he not only became a driver but also achieved his first win.
http://www.autoracingmemories.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=15&pictureid=146
http://www.autoracingmemories.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=15&pictureid=148
Later Buddy would move on to run on the Dirt at CNS and also later on the asphalt after CNS was paved, he also ran a Dwarf car.
http://www.autoracingmemories.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=15&pictureid=147
http://www.autoracingmemories.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=15&pictureid=138
http://www.autoracingmemories.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=15&pictureid=150
Buddy was such a special person who the world lost too young. who had never actually met him. He never expected people to treat him any different than anyone else. He worked as a counter clerk at Poor Boy’s Auto Salvage and worked the keyboard on a computer better than most people with fingers. He was a true HERO who would do anything for anyone. He was admired and loved by all who knew him and many who had never actually met him. Bud I love and miss you.
Bruce.
http://www.autoracingmemories.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=15&pictureid=136
http://www.autoracingmemories.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=15&pictureid=134
ADDITIONAL COMMENTS BY RICK WASILKO
I watched Buddy Craig with amazement at his accomplishments over the years. Before I knew him personally, I watched him do a collection for Muscular Dystrophy at Englewood Speedway ( more than once if memory serves ). In 1977 the Englewood Racing Association actually held a "Buddy Craig Night". The incredible thing about this was that the night was not about Buddy Craig or his (so called) disabilities, it was about Buddy Craig attempting to raise his goal of collecting part of the $20,000 he felt he could somehow raise & give to M. D. on the night of the annual Jerry Lewis Muscular Dystrophy telethon. Here was this guy, with his own obvious medical-physical problems & what does he do? He absolutely gave his all to help others who were in dire physical straights as well! If Buddy had never, ever taken a lap driving a race car, just imagine how many people he had touched in some way from that wheel chair of his! Just a couple of years after that I was managing an automotive paint store in northwest Denver & I couldn't believe my eyes one day when Buddy Craig came driving up to my store in a maroon '66 Ford Mustang Coupe. This car was nice! & it was Buddy's. He'd come in & hang out & do some "Monday Morning Racing", we'd discuss everything from the previous weekend's racing activities to his plans to go racing himself. This guy was truly amazing & he was truly just a really nice human being. I was shocked & saddened when I learned of Buddy's passing.
- Written by By Bruce Rhoades and Rick Wasilko
At the age of 13 months, doctors found that he suffered from a rare blood disease and to save his life they decided to amputate his limbs, although this would be a problem for most people it was just a minor setback for this unique individual
http://www.autoracingmemories.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=15&pictureid=140
http://www.autoracingmemories.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=15&pictureid=132
Buddy went on to play concert piano; he also became a very good pool player who played in many tournaments around the world, one of his fondest memories was playing against Minnesota Fats. Buddy also became a hero raising thousands of dollars for the Jerry Lewis telethon and holding many benefits for other people who had problems and or setbacks in their lives. Buddy also was a mentor for many young disabled kids.
http://www.autoracingmemories.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=15&pictureid=139
He also was a terrific artist who loved drawing Disney characters and cars especially racecars. He also did calligraphy. Bud drew many of the Lakeside program covers.
http://www.autoracingmemories.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=15&pictureid=141
http://www.autoracingmemories.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=15&pictureid=131
http://www.autoracingmemories.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=15&pictureid=142
http://www.autoracingmemories.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=15&pictureid=143
I believe that Buddy always wanted to drive racecars so he got as close to racing as he could hanging around his Dad, Ken who owned a Modified at Lakeside Speedway in the late 60’s driven by Bob Land and also selling programs at Englewood Speedway in the early 70’s. In the photo above you can see Buddy's dad, Ken Craig kneeling near the right rear tire of this CARC Modified he owned. Driver Bob Land is standing all the way to the right.
http://www.autoracingmemories.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=15&pictureid=135
In 1985 Buddy realized his lifelong dream, he finally with the help of many friends and admirers built and drove his first racecar.
http://www.autoracingmemories.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=15&pictureid=144
http://www.autoracingmemories.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=15&pictureid=137
http://www.autoracingmemories.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=15&pictureid=145
Buddy was one of us at R&R Racing Team and asked me if he could run my number 16, he told me he would be honored if I would let him run my number, I told him that I was the one that was honored. Bud not only drove but also built much of his own equipment, building the engine for his car with the block sitting across the armrests of his wheelchair. I was lucky because he did most of the work on his car at my Dads shop and it was treat to watch him run impact wrenches and just do the things that no one thought would be possible for someone like Buddy.
That season he not only became a driver but also achieved his first win.
http://www.autoracingmemories.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=15&pictureid=146
http://www.autoracingmemories.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=15&pictureid=148
Later Buddy would move on to run on the Dirt at CNS and also later on the asphalt after CNS was paved, he also ran a Dwarf car.
http://www.autoracingmemories.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=15&pictureid=147
http://www.autoracingmemories.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=15&pictureid=138
http://www.autoracingmemories.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=15&pictureid=150
Buddy was such a special person who the world lost too young. who had never actually met him. He never expected people to treat him any different than anyone else. He worked as a counter clerk at Poor Boy’s Auto Salvage and worked the keyboard on a computer better than most people with fingers. He was a true HERO who would do anything for anyone. He was admired and loved by all who knew him and many who had never actually met him. Bud I love and miss you.
Bruce.
http://www.autoracingmemories.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=15&pictureid=136
http://www.autoracingmemories.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=15&pictureid=134
ADDITIONAL COMMENTS BY RICK WASILKO
I watched Buddy Craig with amazement at his accomplishments over the years. Before I knew him personally, I watched him do a collection for Muscular Dystrophy at Englewood Speedway ( more than once if memory serves ). In 1977 the Englewood Racing Association actually held a "Buddy Craig Night". The incredible thing about this was that the night was not about Buddy Craig or his (so called) disabilities, it was about Buddy Craig attempting to raise his goal of collecting part of the $20,000 he felt he could somehow raise & give to M. D. on the night of the annual Jerry Lewis Muscular Dystrophy telethon. Here was this guy, with his own obvious medical-physical problems & what does he do? He absolutely gave his all to help others who were in dire physical straights as well! If Buddy had never, ever taken a lap driving a race car, just imagine how many people he had touched in some way from that wheel chair of his! Just a couple of years after that I was managing an automotive paint store in northwest Denver & I couldn't believe my eyes one day when Buddy Craig came driving up to my store in a maroon '66 Ford Mustang Coupe. This car was nice! & it was Buddy's. He'd come in & hang out & do some "Monday Morning Racing", we'd discuss everything from the previous weekend's racing activities to his plans to go racing himself. This guy was truly amazing & he was truly just a really nice human being. I was shocked & saddened when I learned of Buddy's passing.
- Written by By Bruce Rhoades and Rick Wasilko