ENGLEWOOD SPEEDWAY – The Figure 8 Revolution

[Jerry Lee]

Originally Posted by JThur01

Ascot Park held its first Figure 8 race on July 7, 1962. The '8' track was originally scheduled to open in June, but the layout wasn't finished in time.

Thank you, JThur! I've been hoping for years that someone could set the record straight on this. That's why I wrote my original intro to be open to this fact. Nice job.

Professor, great story about the meat stickers! Do you know if this was the same car that Kelly Layne was fatally injured in? 1972, I think. I also remember an orange #444 that Ray Keele had as well as a twin #344.

[lakeside #29]

Sorry Jerry Lee, I don't know if that was the same as Kelly Layne drove. It was in about the same time frame. I think the Joe Voice car was a little earlier. I seem to remember seeing the #444 breast car in 1972.

[Jerry Lee]

(J.L. McGuire collection) The Englewood Figure 8's celebrate their
10th anniversary in 1974.



(J.L. McGuire collection) Benny 'Skunkie' Garcia #75 takes a wild ride during 1972 action.




(Candy Codner photo) Bob Craig's cool blue & white '54 Ford from 1975.




(J.L. McGuire collection) Figure 8 legend Lee Stogsdill in 1974. Man, the ol' Plymouth
really had some lumps in it at that time!




(J.L. McGuire collection) Fred Tryon tries on a new Figure Eighter for 1968 complete
with all the chrome trimmings.




(J.L. McGuire collection) Dave McLain #16, Jim Egli #19, Herb Fish #1, and others wheel
the 8 in 1973 action.




(Kent Moore collection) A still from the many Super 8 films that Kent Moore shot back
in 1971 features Tom Bray #17 and Cliff Hudson #7.




(Unique Photo) "Hot Rod Dave" Smith #81 battles with Ray Keele #14 in 1976.




(J.L. McGuire collection) One of the many spectacular flips Bobby Jackson took in his
career that kept the fans on their feet and coming back each week for more. Bobby
destroyed this car during 1967 action.




(J.L. McGuire collection) Jack Voorhis #29 and Skunkie Garcia #75 in 1973.

[lakeside #29]

Jerry Lee, in the photo of Bennie Garcia on his top, that was in a borrowed car. Chuck Kacin loaned Bennie his car that night. Chuck was driving my modified at Lakeside that Sunday. Bennie had engine trouble or some other mechnical problem and knowing that Chuck was racing across town he asked if he could borrow the car. We got home from Lakeside early enough that we cruised out to Englewoood to catch the last main event. As we walked through the pits people kept comiing up to Chuck asking about his car. Of course he had no idea what they talking about until he got to Bennie's pit. One of Bennie's guys was inside laying on the floorboard kicking the roof to knock it back out. Bennie made repairs to the car before Chuck got it back.

Chuck had bought the #2 from Darrell Smith that Bobby Jackson won the 1971 championship with.The first or second night he rolled the car. Chuck got the black car from a junkyard. It had been one of Joe Deal's old Cardinal Racing teams cars, possibly #114. It was flat black , that's why Bennie painted out the #98 and put his number on it. Schatz Texaco is where Chuck worked.
After this Chuck put the Smith/Jackson #2 back together. It was eventially sold to Terry Boyle and then to Terry Martinez or his Dad Ben.

[Racefan 777]

Are there many of the old F8 cars still around? I'm sure most were used up!

[Jerry Lee]

Originally Posted by lakeside #29

Jerry Lee, in the photo of Bennie Garcia on his top, that was in a borrowed car. Chuck Kacin loaned Bennie his car that night.

Hey, thanks Chris! I wondered about the photo of this car for years. It's the only B.G. Figure Eighter I've seen that didn't have "Skunkie" painted on the side.

On a side note, there was 'another' #75 car in 1970 that wasn't Skunkie's. Tony Balzano drove a Figure 8 that year at Englewood, and for some reason Skunkie forgot to renew his number for the year. Balzano bought it and ran the #75 for awhile that season forcing the Skunk to reluctantly run the #75x.
Officials gave the Skunk some grief because the "X" he had to put next to the number was really small. In his mind (and ours), there was only one #75 Figure Eighter out at Englewood.....Skunkie's!

[ALVIS]

hey Scabby, we are going to paint the car like Bennies last car at englewood half black and white---it should look pretty cool....me

[Jerry Lee]

Whoo-hoo! Time for some more of the "Wildest Show on Wheels"!....



(J.L. McGuire collection) James Eagan in the 'Wild Thang' #54 takes a wrong turn at
the X into oncoming traffic during 1971 action. That's Skip Dragon's #28 headed in the
right direction.




(J.L. McGuire collection) Not only did the great Cliff Hudson have fun on the track, but he
liked to have fun with the officials as well. One stipulation in the F8 rule book was the amount
of wheel clearance you could cut out of the rear quarter panel. It had to be a certain number
of inches from the hub of the wheel to the edge of the fender. If you look close, Cliff has
added some extra black paint around the back wheel well to only appear that he was in violation
of this rule. Classic! For more of Cliff Hudson's Figure 8 antics with the officials CLICK HERE!!




(J.L. McGuire collection) Dennis Wilson picks up this win in 1969.




(J.L. McGuire collection) Another one of the 'Crown Racing Team' was Gary Wilson in 1969.




(Roger Avants collection) Durwin Cody in the Roger Avants owned Eighter from 1974.




(J.L. McGuire collection) 1967 Figure 8 action with Tommy Darrow #67 and Bobby Jackson #2.
Not sure who's flipping the Baltic Auto #116 as Jackson was driving it the year before.




(J.L. McGuire collection) Gary Ball proves that fins were still "in" for 1975 by wheeling this
'57 Pontiac around the 8.




(J.L. McGuire collection) With a sponsor like this, Steve Miller should have been driving
a convertable!




(J.L. McGuire collection) Gary Hanna takes the checkered in his maroon colored 'Colt 45'
in 1975. I believe this is a '60 Ford.

[Jerry Lee]

Some of you have recently PM'ed me to ask....."Will you ever run out of Englewood F8 pics to post??".....and the answer is....."Naaaah!"

Here's a few more from the "Wildest Show on Wheels"!!!....


(J.L. McGuire collection) This Figure Eighter takes a tumble in front of Larry Woodhead #144
and Chuck Tuffield #43 during 1973 action at Englewood.




(J.L. McGuire collection) This is Calvin Hutchings in the #292 during 1971 action, but
I'm unsure who's wheeling this orange and white striped #2 finned Figure Eighter. Not
a usual Darrell Smith owned Figure 8 that Bobby Jackson had piloted at that time.
Must be from another track. Anyone remember this car??




(J.L.McGuire collection) Bob Oldfield picks up this win from 1969. Strange that the
back roll bar post behind the driver's seat doesn't seem to be connected.




(Jim Bedore collection) Jim Bedore won some big hardware with this win in 1974, but I'm sure
it didn't compare with smooching this big pussycat!




(J.L. McGuire collection) Anthony Martinez #71 battles with Jim Beckner #110x (also known
as "The Bear") during 1975 Englewood Figure 8 action.




(J.L.McGuire photo) Tom Alexander #2, Darrell Smith #1, Richard Burton #36, Dave Tansey #23,
and Jack Voorhis #90 during 1977 hot lap action. Some great Englewood legends all in one pic.




(J.L. McGuire collecton) Al Montoya draggin' some pipe in one of Ivan Chambers' last Eighters
from 1975. Mr. Chambers, who fielded and sponsored many Figure 8's over the years since
the late '60's, passed on from heart failure in 1975.




(J.L. McGuire collection) A super rare shot of Butch Orszulak's lime green '57 Chevys
from 1974 featuring the late, great Junior Reeder #141, Clay Shores #142, and Larry
Woodhead #144 in 1974.




(J.L. McGuire collection) The 1966 Saturday night Englewood Speedway Figure 8 champ
Chuck Tuffield often featured the cartoon character Charlie Brown painted on his car.
This photo is from 1971.




(J.L. McGuire collection) Don "Jersey" Pierce was a '60's Figure Eight legend they nicknamed
"Fearless". This pic is Jersey collecting a win in "Big Jim" Coffey's #36 Eighter sometime in the
mid-'60's. Another local legend Lou Paiz, who had lettered many race cars during the time, has
his name on the side as well.

[Bobbyjr]

I hope you never run out Jerry Lee!!!! Keep'em coming