ENGLEWOOD SPEEDWAY – ‘50’s Jalopy Action

[Jerry Lee]

Let’s go back to the day when a dollar gave you a whole evening of this kind of entertainment……..



http://autoracingmemories.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=201&pictureid=1286
(J.L. McGuire collection) Blackie Blackard #46 piles head-on into the action during ‘50’s Jalopy
races at Englewood Speedway.





http://autoracingmemories.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=201&pictureid=1287
(J.L. McGuire collection) Jalopies head in every direction during this pile up on the East end
of Englewood. A free bottle of orange Ne-Hi to anyone who can identify these drivers! I know
Walter Avants owned the #25.






http://autoracingmemories.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=201&pictureid=1288
(J.L. McGuire collection) Don Dolezal #46, Roger Pierce #30, and Harold Harcrow #32 are
about to have some real fun in the Englewood backchute. Note the absence of a catch
fence along the edge of the track back there!





http://autoracingmemories.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=201&pictureid=1289
(J.L. McGuire collection) #25 and #101 take the inside to avoid the #15 flying end-over-end
during Jalopy action at Englewood Speedway in the ‘50’s. If you look close at the #15, it
looks as though the driver is holding on to the steering column for dear life while flying
backwards through that opening side door!

[parrot]

Love that era of racing! Thanks Jerry Lee for those photos. Of course I'd previously seen them in your retrospective book, but these are much more clear. Like to take you up on that Nehi, but I'm afraid I'm no help here. Any idea of the years? Appears to be about mid fifties.

[Jerry Lee]

http://autoracingmemories.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=201&pictureid=1296
(Ken Tadolini collection) More Jalopy action from Englewood Speedway in the ‘50’s with John
Tadolini #14 and Eke Chapin #70 “dancing” through the turn. Looks like Eke is trying to read
a map or something to get around the track.



http://autoracingmemories.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=201&pictureid=1297
(Roger Avants collection) By the mid-to-late ‘50’s the Jalopies were known as ‘Stockers’.
Here’s a Walter Avants owned car that looks as though it just arrived in the pits at Englewood.
It’s a sure bet that this car wouldn’t stay clean for very long, if the mud on the car in the
background is any indication to what the track was like. Check out the hand painted number
boards tacked up on a very “clean” Englewood pit fence. Must have been the days before
paint came in a spray can!



http://autoracingmemories.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=201&pictureid=1298
(Ken Tadolini collection) John Tadolini picks up another win sometime during the 1955 season
at Englewood. Dig the half buried tires they used on the inside of the track.



More to come……….

[Jerry Lee]

http://autoracingmemories.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=201&pictureid=1310
(J.L. McGuire collection) Bobby Kelly #4 followed by Sam Langley #1 miss a rolling Jalopy in
this grainy old photo from Englewood Speedway. Looks like a packed house enjoying these
races from 1951.



http://autoracingmemories.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=201&pictureid=1311
(J.L. McGuire collection) Len Winters #70 Jalopy looks like it’s just been dropped from an
airplane in this 1951 action shot from Englewood.



http://autoracingmemories.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=201&pictureid=1312
(J.L. McGuire collection) More early ‘50’s Jalopy action at Englewood. Note the “rumble seat”
popping open on Art Fry’s #40 in the background.




http://autoracingmemories.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=201&pictureid=1313
(J.L. McGuire collection) #101 lands rubber-side-up during ‘50’s Englewood action. Can’t quite
make out the driver’s name on the door, but ‘Red Rocks Auditorium’ seems like a pretty hefty
sponsor for a Jalopy!




http://autoracingmemories.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=201&pictureid=1314
(J.L. McGuire collection) A barrel-roll through the back stretch was a typical scene at
Englewood during the ‘50’s.


More to come…….

[Thomas E]

Jerry Lee these are great.

Fender hangin' . . . Door bangin' . . . Fun!

I keep watching for a photo of "Junior" (Garland) Boyes who ran #180x at Englewood, it was, I think the mid 50's. It was a white 35-36 Ford 5-window coupe, with red numbers and modest flaming on the sides.

Harry Lofgren ran a #18 35-36 Ford that looked similar, red over white without flames. When I find my photo I'll post it.

[Thomas E]

Here is a mid-50's post action photo at Englewood of Harry Lofgren, #18. Check out that rear window.

Main event win? The Trophy on top of #18 must be a travel trophy, and Harry and the trophy girl are holding the individual winner trophy.

[parrot]

This was in some photos that originally came from Elmer Sauer. I was never sure where this track was, but now appears it must be from Englewood Speedway, early fifties. My copy of an Englewood program says this is probably from 1950 based on the info on the #21 car on his lid. That would be Melvin Flanagan, with #41 probably the Tommy Pryor owned car (no driver listed) and what I think is #72, Bill Nicholson. The CARC was the stock car organization there during '50 and '51 before moving to Lakeside Speedway. The RMSCRA then became the stock car group at Englwood Speedway. Interesting that both groups had large fields of cars in those early years. After I was old enough to get a drivers license, one Sunday in the mid fifties, I first went to Lakeside for the pre-season hot lap session, then headed south to Englewood to catch theirs. It was great! Looks like a good crowd here. What side of the track was that during those early years?

[Jerry Lee]

Neat stuff fellas! Thanks for sharing.
Hard to say what end of the track that pic was taken from Parrot. One would believe that the photographer was standing on the East end of the track showing the North stands there. BUT! There was a time that the main stands were along the South stretch during the late 40's/early '50's, never have been able to find out what year they switched sides.

I've got another batch of Jalopy photos coming up soon.............

[Jerry Lee]

http://autoracingmemories.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=201&pictureid=1315
(J.L. McGuire collection) Here’s more ‘50’s Jalopy action from Englewood. It’s a sure bet there
wasn’t much left of this car once he stopped tumbling through the turn.



http://autoracingmemories.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=201&pictureid=1316
(J.L. McGuire collection) Russ Forbes #109 and later Lakeside legend Bill Starks #44 after
some kind of skirmish on the Englewood dirt in 1951.



http://autoracingmemories.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=201&pictureid=1317
(J.L. McGuire collection) In 1953 Charlie Codner had the track surface converted over to clay.
Here’s an ad that ran that year in the Rocky Mountain News. By the 1954 season the track
was back to dirt again.



http://autoracingmemories.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=201&pictureid=1318
(J.L. McGuire collection) #83 is helped around by #25 on Englewood’s “experimental”
clay surface in 1953.



http://autoracingmemories.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=201&pictureid=1319
(J.L. McGuire collection) #63 landed “butt up” in front of the grandstands at Englewood in
this ‘50’s Jalopy shot. Either this was during a hot lap session early in the afternoon, or
everyone ran for cover as there doesn’t seem to be the usual packed seating area.



http://autoracingmemories.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=201&pictureid=1320
(J.L. McGuire collection) No doubt Harry Lofgren wished he had a full roll cage after this
tumble along the Englewood guardrail during ‘50’s Jalopy action.



http://autoracingmemories.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=201&pictureid=1321
(Paul Andersen collection) Paul Andersen picks up a trophy in his Stocker during the 1959
season at Englewood. This was the last season the track had a dirt surface.



Like some of you guys said earlier, this is a great era of racing. Please add to this thread with any photos or memories you might have from the “golden days” of 1950’s Jalopy racing at Englewood Speedway.

[Jerry Lee]

http://autoracingmemories.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=201&pictureid=2590
(J.L. McGuire collection) Looks like “Fats” in #35 and the #70 tangle in the corner.




http://autoracingmemories.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=201&pictureid=2589
(Eddie Biondi collection) 1956 RMSCRA champ Fred Buttrick #81 nails the side of 1954
RMSCRA champion Roger Miller #60 during Jalopy action from a 1957 Englewood program.
Dick Newton #13 is headed for trouble!




http://autoracingmemories.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=201&pictureid=2588
(J.L. McGuire collection) Jalopy action like this probably kept the race fans on their feet
all day long.




http://autoracingmemories.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=201&pictureid=2587
(J.L. McGuire collection) Mel Ideker and crew from 1955.




http://autoracingmemories.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=201&pictureid=2586
(J.L. McGuire collection) George Oaks #0 tangles with others in turn 4 during 1956 Englewood
action. Al Hunter #31 looks like he got away on the high side of the mess. Englewood State
Bank was probably a good sponsor to have on a Jalopy during that time period!

[Jerry Lee]

http://autoracingmemories.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=201&pictureid=2920
(J.L. McGuire collection) Charlie Codner did away with this "mystery event"
pretty quick when the cars kept piling up at the finish line because no one
wanted to cross the line first.

[Jerry Lee]

http://autoracingmemories.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=201&pictureid=3662
(Scott & Cindy Wilson collection) Fritz Wilson picks up this Jalopy win in 1951.



http://autoracingmemories.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=201&pictureid=3663
(Scott & Cindy Wilson collection) Flyin' Fritz Wilson during 1951 Jalopy action.


http://autoracingmemories.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=201&pictureid=3661
(Scott & Cindy Wilson collection) Typical early '50's
Jalopy action at Englewood. Fritz Wilson was often
written up in the paper as 'Freddy' Wilson.

[parrot]

Thanks Jerry Lee for posting those old photos of Fritz. I'd seen that photo of the #57 before, but not with the quality of this one. If the same as the #57 from 1950 (and I suspect it was since the same ownres, Fabrizio and Cameron, were involved with that number for a few years on into the CARC move to Lakeside. Car was listed as blue and yellow. Now there's program info you don't often see! Wide range of models during those early years too, #57 is a '32 Ford, while the car in the forgournd in the action shot is a '40. And 34 cars in the main? Wow! That must have been some fun.

[Jerry Lee]

Hey Bill, I'm knocked out to see the quality of the Fritz Wilson stuff that has surfaced thanks to Scott & Cindy and Irwin. The old newspaper clippings from the early '50's aren't even yellowed. I've seen that #57 pic a bunch of times reprinted, but in this clear photo you can actually see some steam coming from the bottom of Fritz's radiator if you look close! For those who would like to browse through these great pics, check out racefan2's Fritz Wilson photo albums on his profile.

[Jerry Lee]

http://autoracingmemories.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=201&pictureid=4296
(J.L. McGuire collection) Someone's about to go over during 1951 Jalopy action.



http://autoracingmemories.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=201&pictureid=4318
(J.L. McGuire collection) Dick Newton and crew in 1957.



http://autoracingmemories.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=201&pictureid=4317
(George Oaks collection/Duncan Photographers) George Oaks takes a tumble in
front of the pack during '50's action at Englewood.



http://autoracingmemories.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=201&pictureid=4316
(J.L. McGuire collection) From a 1958 Englewood program, Cliff Wasson #109 rolls
up against the guardrail. Note how the protective fencing in the background is up pretty
high, but only goes down so far.

[Jerry Lee]

http://autoracingmemories.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=201&pictureid=5206
(Paul Anderson collection) Ed Smith picks up a win. The trophy girl is racer Paul
Anderson's sister Maureen.



http://autoracingmemories.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=201&pictureid=5211
(Ken Tadolini collection) John Tadolini hard steers to miss an over turned car
during '50's Jalopy action at Englewood.



http://autoracingmemories.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=201&pictureid=5209
(J.L. McGuire collection) Cliff Wasson up against the guardrail in 1958.

[Jerry Lee]

http://autoracingmemories.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=201&pictureid=5207
(J.L. McGuire collection) Englewood Jalopies three wide and comin' at ya!



http://autoracingmemories.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=201&pictureid=5208
(Gene Clark collection) Gene Clark picks up a win in a car he bought from the Malloy brothers.



http://autoracingmemories.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=201&pictureid=5210
(Gene Clark collection) Another one of Gene Clark's cars, this time from 1958.

[parrot]

Hey Jerry Lee, keep 'em coming. Loving all the old photos that you dig up. Remember well that #39 of Jay Malloy, Jim and Jerry's dad. That year, 1955, they all had tree identically prepared cars, #35, 37 & the 39 you posted. Painted in a DeSoto paint scheme, they were among my favorites. Must have been a photo taken of that threesome back then, but I"ve never seen one. Like to find it.

By the way Jerry Lee, since you have some programs from Englewood, wondered if you have a 1957 edition? Looking for a listing of Ed Jackson who might have been at Englewood then.

[lakeside #29]

Wow, Jerry Lee, The Gene Clark #39 Vic was a beautiful car. I have a question that hopefully Bill (Parrot) can answer. I could never get my Dad to go out to Englewood when I was little. He had bad sinuses as a reminder of WWII. He complained about smoke, dust, and fumes at Englewood. My question is, how dusty was Englewood in the dirt track days? Did they control it well? They had some great drivers in the dirt days. Was the racing really close?
Thanks guys.

[Thomas E]

Hey Jerry Lee, keep 'em coming. Loving all the old photos that you dig up. Remember well that #39 of Jay Malloy, Jim and Jerry's dad. That year, 1955, they all had tree identically prepared cars, #35, 37 & the 39 you posted. Painted in a DeSoto paint scheme, they were among my favorites. Must have been a photo taken of that threesome back then, but I"ve never seen one. Like to find it.

There was one, in the 1955 programs printed by the Barnum Publishing Company, and published the Herald Dispatch, the photo featured the cars 35, 37 and 39, with Jim, Jerry and Jay Malloy standing behind their cars. Barnum Publishing printed programs for Englewood and Lakeside, for CARC, RMSCRA and the RMMRA for a number of years. Barnum Publishing started with the Roaring Roadsters and the Midgets. J. Ivanhoe Rosenberg was the owner and operator of Barnum Publishing Co., and the Herald Dispatch; Ivan as he was known was also a club member of CARC at Lakeside Speedway, and at one point was the light man, he also got hit by one of the stockers while walking toward the pits with his back to the oncoming traffic, Ivan was thrown up against the south turn guard rail, I'm not sure if it during hot laps, or before or after an event, he spent quite a while in the hospital. Maybe Joe Rosenberg or Gary Rosenberg can fill you all in on the details. I worked for Ivan at the Barnum Publishing for a year or so in the arly 60's, I saw the old programs photos and zincs photos mounted on wood for printing; for the time period with the roadsters, midgets and stockers they printed some really programs.

Sadly I don't have any of those by gone days items, I believe time took a toll on all the old material, and were probably tossed with a lot of other stuff not realizing that some day that would be vital in the auto racing history in Denver and the Rocky Mountain area. When I do find such items for sale the cost at time is prohibitive.

By the way Jerry Lee, since you have some programs from Englewood, wondered if you have a 1957 edition? Looking for a listing of Ed Jackson who might have been at Englewood then.

And...

Junior Boyes or it is Garland Boyes, I think his number if it is listed would be 180 or 180x. Junior was a friend of my brother's and that was when I got the stock car and midget bug, of course my dad was instrumental in my interest in cars and auto racing.

[Jerry Lee]

By the way Jerry Lee, since you have some programs from Englewood, wondered if you have a 1957 edition? Looking for a listing of Ed Jackson who might have been at Englewood then.

Bill: Unfortunately, I don't have a full 1957 Englewood program, just some copies of some of the picture pages of 1957 programs that a guy had in a scrap book. I did check my '56, '58 & '59 listings though and didn't find Ed Jackson listed.

Professor: Of course, I wasn't around to witness the dirt days of Englewood, but I do have a 20 minute video of some films someone took of the races from '53 out there. It doesn't look like there's too much dust flying around in it. Maybe they kept it watered down pretty good, but then, I think the track might have been clay at that time. I guess I'm of no help here. Too bad your Pop couldn't have taken you out there then. It's a good bet you could have as much info on those cars as you do on the Lakeside coupes! ;)

Thomas: I have some copies of a few '52 programs somewhere. I'll keep an eye out for any Junior or Garland Boyes info.

Meanwhile, here's a few more images I ran across while sifting through the monster mess of Englewood stuff I have.....


http://autoracingmemories.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=201&pictureid=5254
(J.L. McGuire collection) The Englewood back stretch looks to be quite a mess after
this big pile up sometime in the '50's.


http://autoracingmemories.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=201&pictureid=5257
(J.L. McGuire collection) A very early '50's pic of some Jalopy action at Englewood, possibly
'50 or '51. Note there isn't any guardrail in this section of the track at the time. I'm guessing
that the houses in the background are along West Oxford Ave. there.


http://autoracingmemories.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=201&pictureid=5253
(J.L. McGuire collection) Woody Woodard was famous for driving the #? car in the mid to
late '50's at Englewood.


http://autoracingmemories.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=201&pictureid=5252
(J.L. McGuire collection) Ray Rogers didn't fare too well this night.


These next two photos might actually be from 1960 when the Jalopies were known as
"Stockers" and the track had been freshly paved.
http://autoracingmemories.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=201&pictureid=5255
(J.L. McGuire collection) This is what's left of Jim Opperman's car after a bad night at Englewood.


http://autoracingmemories.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=201&pictureid=5256
(J.L. McGuire collection) Another shot of Opperman's car after being towed to the pits.

[parrot]

Re; Was Englewood a dusty track during the days it wasn't paved? Professor, the only time I got out there during those days was in 1956 when a group of us came to Denver to first catch the hot laps at Lakeside, then down to Englewood Speedway to catch some of their hot laps. Lots of nice cars, but don't remember it being dusty at that time. I do remember fighting the dust in my home town of Sidney, NE though, hard to watch racing when it's that bad. Certainly one of the main reasons that I appreciated Lakeside's pavement racing. Been a pavement fan ever since.

Thomas, that's great info on the early CARC programs publishing. I've seen Mr. Rosenberg's name in some of the programs, but had no idea there was that connection. Now that I know that the Malloys were featured in one of the old programs at least I have something to look for. Old programs pop up from time to time, mostly in some's stash from those days past, family members of racers, etc. No doubt, as you said, a lot of that stuff disappeared with time. Still working on the rumor of an older gentleman living somewhere near Lakeside Park who reportedly has a collection of old photos. Remember talking to Lakeside photog Scotty Duncan not long after the Flood of '65 and him telling me that he lost all his negatives in that flood. What a shame. I keep hoping that someone might have salvaged some of his stuff.

Jerry Lee, the reason for my curiosty about Ed Jackson at Englewood is that when showing that photo around that you posted a while back with no names or date someone believed that it might have been Ed Jackson in the #71 who was disenchanted at Englewood so came up to Lakeside. The #71 does have an Englewood Ford Dealership as a sponsor (Harry Groussman Ford) so maybe?

[webby]

And they looked like this...

Modified Stock Cars at Englewood on dirt - YouTube

[Thomas E]

Re...Englewood...
My dad and I had attended several midget races at Englewood, it seems to me that it didn't get dusty until about halfway through the main event. The 100 lap championship midget races were held at the Arapahoe County Fairgrounds that Charlie Codner would secure for these events.

Thomas, that's great info on the early CARC programs publishing. I've seen Mr. Rosenberg's name in some of the programs, but had no idea there was that connection...
Joe Rosenberg, Ivan Rosenberg's oldest son, ran a sportsman #57 at CNS and maybe at Englewood, he might have some information if you can track him down. I believe that Joe also restored Charlie Codner's old Roaring Roadster the yellow #99, I've seen pictures of it here on ARM.