R.M.S.C.R.A. Modifieds

[parrot]

Remember the early days of the Sabers Auto Show held at the Denver Coluseum? I only missed the first one, then made it a point to get there every year thereafter. My favorite part of the show was the outer ring where Englewood and Lakeside Speedway stock car associations would have their displays with some of the new cars built and ready for the season. Both tracks essentially fielded the same type of car, a mostly stock bodied early coupe or sedan. But in 1963 we had a surprise in store for us; The Rocky Mountain Stock Car Racing Assoc. was changing direction and had a display of seven cars, now with shortened, narrowed, channeled bodies similar to those seen on the west coast. The only difference, was that the Englewood Speedway cars continued using flatheads, straight sixes (and a Pontiac Tempest four cyl.) for a few more years. This was exciting. I began snapping photos, and here are four of them, sort of an example of several years/makes/models; help me if I've gotten some of the drivers incorrect, but I think they were, #5, either Ken or Dave Chambers, #6 Joe Lehman, #50 Roger Webb (a cut down '35 Hudson four door) and #74, either Bill Nickolson or Tom Leonard.

[Jerry Lee]

Thanks for posting these BP! I just love these Modifieds. I spotted Pete Stringer's #106 behind the Chambers #5 car. What a beautiful car Rodger Webb's #50 was. 'Passionate Purple' I think they called it. Post more of these if you have them!:)

I've got a couple of Sabers Auto Show programs somewhere from '68 & '69. They're as cool as race track programs what with all the old ads and stuff. I wonder if my dad (Olen) remembers taking me to these shows???

[Olen McGuire]

Yeah I remember going to a couple of those shows.It was a great way to get close to a lot of the cars without the hassle of going to the pit area (which Jerry never minded that). Yeah Bill, if you have more of those pics,please post them.If Jerry can find those old Saber Programs we'll post them.~Olen

[lakeside #29]

Parrot, thank you for these photos,these were some beautifiul cars. I don't know a whole lot about Englewood cars from that period so I am really enjoying looking at them.

A couple things I remember, Roger Webb and Wayne Stallsworth were friends. Bill Nicholson was Terry Boyle's next door neighbor when Terry was growing up. Bill lived one door east of Terry. Joe Lehman is related, and I'm not sure exactly how, to figure 8 and late model driver Chuck Jarman.

Again thank you.

Chris Ertler

[Mitch G.]

Wow, tremendous photo's! I loved the modified's at Englewood, and I remember going to the Sabers show, and after leaving there, Dad would take me to "Warm ups" (pre season practice for the CARC coupes) at Lakeside Speedway. Man that made for one great day! I have a Englewood Speedway program for a modified race from 1970, brings back great memories.
PS: This gets my vote for "post of the week"....so far!

[VintageBuzz]

PS: This gets my vote for "post of the week"....so far!

I agree with Mitch G. Great post, Bill! It brought back a lot of memories for me too. ~VB

[parrot]

Yeah I remember going to a couple of those shows.It was a great way to get close to a lot of the cars without the hassle of going to the pit area (which Jerry never minded that). Yeah Bill, if you have more of those pics,please post them.If Jerry can find those old Saber Programs we'll post them.~Olen

What I don't understand is why I didn't take any photos of the Lakeside cars at the Sabers show. Is it posible that they didn't have a display that year? Wish I'd started using a camera a few years earlier. Anyway, here are photos of the other three Englewood cars from that 1963 Sabers show. Jerry Lee, you're right, that is Pete Stringer's #106, but I don't have any info on the other two. Do you happen to have a '63 Englewood program? Interesting to see just how these guys modified those old bodies; two variations on a '32 Tudor in the #49 and #106. The Model A bodied #69 doesn't really appear to be narrowed like some of the others, but they sure wacked a bunch off the lower part of the body. It was fun just to see how creative these guys could be. Some were better looking than others, (the race car nosed #60 that Sam Sauer drove a few years later, comes to mind), but a few of them were just plain ugly! Think I have a few more somewhere, will post them when I can. BP

[Mitch G.]

That 69E, coupe is awesome, gotta' love the shiny tires, chrome radiator shell, and the Clay Smith logo in front of the number, who's car is this?

[Thomas E]

Not wanting to detract from the topic or those fabulous photo's . . .

But does anyone here (ARM) remember a white and (light) blue '34 Ford three window number 97. Unless my senior thoughts a misfiring like cross wired flathead, I would sware that I saw it (1960 or earlier) once in a while on South Knox Court between West Expostion Avenue and West Kentucky Avenue. Stock '34 Ford coupe width and a narrowed cut-down.

[rapid30]

Thanks for posting these pictures, these old cars are very cool.
Bruce

[parrot]

Not wanting to detract from the topic or those fabulous photo's . . .

But does anyone here (ARM) remember a white and (light) blue '34 Ford three window number 97. Unless my senior thoughts a misfiring like cross wired flathead, I would sware that I saw it (1960 or earlier) once in a while on South Knox Court between West Expostion Avenue and West Kentucky Avenue. Stock '34 Ford coupe width and a narrowed cut-down.

Thomas, I do remember that car. Saw it onced when some buddies and I came to Denver to catch some of the pre-season hot lap sessions at both Lakeside and Englewood. Liked that car, assuming we're talking about the same one, because of the nice lettering/number job. Didn't follow Englewood racing enough to know who drove it though.

[Jerry Lee]

After a little detective work, I think there is a good chance that the #49 Modified is that of Don Maus. Don owned and operated the Green Gables Enco station throughout the '60's and was known to always run the ENCO corporate symbol "Flame guy" on his Modifieds. (Note the little cartoon figure on the roof area)

I don't have a '63 E.S. program (I do have every year from '64-'79, a bunch of '61's, and a few from the '50's), but Don Maus is listed as #49 in '61. By 1964 Don had the #1 (for more on Don's cars and the Enco "Flame guy" check out the JOHN PIERCE Retrospective in the Drivers Forum).

I know Pete Brandenburg lettered up Don's #1 Modifieds thru the '60's, but the brush work on this #49 looks a bit crude to me to be Pete's handy work. I'm just speculating here fellas, wish I could help on these other cool Mods.

Thanks for sharing them BP!

[VintageBuzz]

Jerry Toliver of Colorado contributed heavily to the defunct CRM site. Where has Jerry gone? Here is a link to some of Jerry's work about Englewood Speedway? ~VB
JIMMIE by Jerry (http://members.fortunecity.com/oldsprinter/colorado1.html)

[Thomas E]

Thomas, I do remember that car. Saw it onced when some buddies and I came to Denver to catch some of the pre-season hot lap sessions at both Lakeside and Englewood. Liked that car, assuming we're talking about the same one, because of the nice lettering/number job. Didn't follow Englewood racing enough to know who drove it though.

Right, clean, straight and well built.

[parrot]

Jerry Toliver of Colorado contributed heavily to the defunct CRM site. Where has Jerry gone? Here is a link to some of Jerry's work about Englewood Speedway? ~VB
JIMMIE by Jerry (http://members.fortunecity.com/oldsprinter/colorado1.html)

Buzz, thanks for the great link! Don't remember viewing it before. Love all that history. Haven't heard from JT in awhile, but no reason to think that he's not still around. He did some really nice profiles on the old CRM site.

Meanwhile, digging through my stuff and found some more E'Wood modifieds from the 1965 Saber's show this time. #10 (Jim Opperman?) and #007 show a couple of ways to build a mod from a '32 3 window. Don't know who the regular driver was for 007, but once saw a photo with Bart Manley posing next to it. John Shine's #71 running a flathead, and program info suggests that the #7E may be Larry Cook, but I'll let someone with more ES knowlege tell us for sure.

The wildest car in this bunch is Pete Stringers' #106! Looks like he took every advantage of rules interpretation to build that one. He wasn't the only one to ventilate the frame, but the whole car was given the swiss cheese treatment. How about the driver off-set to the right with the loud pedal next to the engine, a little 194 cu.in. Chevy II engine positioned to the left. Pretty sure that visor is off a Model A, but there was just enough sheet metal left to suggest that it began life as an early thirties Chevy. My understanding is that this car wasn't raced, or wasn't allowed to race, or something. Would like to hear the story on it, would be fascinating.