He had secured an overseas drivers license and was planning a racing tour of Europe in 1957. There are improvements that I want to make to the pavement, the pit area, lighting, infield concessions, infield restrooms and the scoreboard. Handsome, charismatic, courageous, smart, successful, and on top of the world, Sweikerts life ended in tragedy when his yellow No. another. The good drivers werent immune. Send comments to [emailprotected]. "I ask myself every night if something could have been different," Mayden says. On September 11, 1954 Sweikert became the first driver ever to average 90mph (140km/h) in a 100-mile (160km) race, with his win in the Lutes Truck Parts Special #17 car at the Eastern Speed Dome in Syracuse. "It kind of catapulted into the sky," Cindy Dutton remembers. She searched for nearly an hour before finding the tricycles Forgot account? rescue squad rushed to the pool. Speedway. None of todays safeguards existed then. He said, I still cant relax. He said this was just one race. But I'm doing therapy every day.". The tire hit a concrete barrier in front of the grandstand. [2] A thunderstorm had ripped the roof off the grandstands and fences were damaged. Was that what went wrong? "The spindle just locked up and came off," he remembers. Vogler, now dead at the age of 39, was declared the winner posthumously because of USAC National Sprint Car Series rules on a red flag reverting to the previous completed lap. Country Club golf course behind the Sweikert home. Salem Speedway. I wanted what he wanted, she said. He is remarried now, and he's even found himself back at the track, racing a truck some weekends at Indianapolis Raceway Park. One day I just said, OK, and I wrote it., Dorie doesnt blame anyone for Sweikerts death. Sweikert returned to Hayward and opened his own small business, Sweikert Automotive, an automotive repair shop based out of his parents' garage. I just raced. Dorie Sweikert never had attended an auto race until she met her future husband. Search Provo obituaries and condolences, hosted by Echovita.com. The track has 33 degrees of banking in the corners. [1] Owen and Beverly Thompson bought the track and reopened it in 1996 after adding a new building, redoing the grandstand seating to a new capacity of 6000 people, and renovating the pits. after the boys were taken from the water. [3], Vogler finished seventeenth in his only NASCAR Busch Series start at the North Carolina Speedway in Rockingham in 1988.[4]. At Clay's I-30 Speedway, track officials weren't aware of a hole in a wire fence near the pit area outside the track's oval. Waltrip, preparing to make his 500th NASCAR start in that July 7 race, sustained a slight concussion and broke his left leg the day before in a crash in practice and couldn't start. It opened in 1947; two drivers were killed on the first lap of the first race. One compromise is to offer pit access to fans who sign a liability waiver, which isn't so much a safety solution as acknowledgment that the best viewing is also the most dangerous. 2980 N. National Road, Suite A, Columbus, IN 47201, Main Switchboard: (812) 372-7811 Parts of the car were strewn about the front stretch between the turn and the start-finish line, but the protective roll cage and the driver's pod remained attached to most of chassis. The boys 33-year-old father arrived at the pool shortly NASCAR hadnt yet arrived to swallow the sport. Days before his 40th birthday, Vogler was competing in a nationally broadcast ESPN Thunder Joe James / Pat O'Connor Memorial sprint car event at Salem Speedway. Read More. She is one of 29 spectators since 1990 to be killed by cars or their flying parts at U.S. auto racing events. The sprint car flew over the edge of the track, down the embankment, and landed a hundred feet below, where it briefly burst into flames. 19,772 people like this. Last Name "Williams" at the bottom of the water. Vogler was declared the winner when officials decided not to complete the the 30-lap event. Perhaps in part because Bob Sweikert refused to accept fear, Dorie convinced herself he was safe from harm. Five-time USAC midget champion Rich Vogler was killed Saturday night after his car crashed during a feature sprint-car race at Salem Speedway of which he was later declared the. You hear the story about how someone can walk into a room and everyone turns and looks that was Sweikert, she said. Other tracks have taken a similarly reactive approach to tragedy. Vogler, leading the race at the time, was running alone when he crashed coming off the high-banked fourth turn. [1] The track closed in May 1995 when he declared bankruptcy. Robert Charles Sweikert (May 20, 1926 June 17, 1956) was an American racing driver, best known as the winner of the 1955 Indianapolis 500 and the 1955 National Championship, as well as the 1955 Midwest Sprint car championship - the only driver in history to sweep all three in a single season. Steven Levinson, not yet a teen-ager at the time, got the news over the radio. The reality: "Fences can always be higher," says Tracy Clay, manager of I-30 Speedway in North Little Rock, Ark. A grim reminder of the darkness of the board-track era of the 1920s. "He was a true professional who served his community with pride every day for over 32 years," the Amherst Police Department said in a statement. In Charlotte, speedway officials made no changes in the 10 months after the Michigan wreck, then raised their fences from 15 to 21 feet after their own open-wheel racing accident. "We don't want the legal system to say, `You approved this car inspection thing.' "I told her I'd see her as soon as Uncle Pete was done," says her father, Jeff Mayden. Salem has, however, put up a new fence separating the infield from the pits. Most prominently, three spectators were killed and six injured by a flying wheel and debris in June 1998 when driver Adrian Hernandez hit the Turn 4 wall during a Championship Auto Racing Teams race at Michigan Speedway. It is too late, he thinks. Newspapers.com makes these newspapers available for the purpose of historical research, and is not responsible for the content of any newspapers archived at our site. After a complicated, sometimes off-and-on courtship, they were married in 1953. Salem is a track steeped in history with many of the giants in auto racing having competed on the treacherous hills at some point in their careers, Names such as Ruttman, Carter, Sweikert, OConnor, Jones, Foyt, Unser, Andretti, Vogler, Allison, Parsons, Waltrip, Schrader, Gordon and Stewart are just a few names from the past that grace the list of past winners. SALEM Former USAC Midget racer Nick Bohanon has taken over ownership of the iconic Salem Speedway Fueled by the Hoosier Lottery, located in Salem, Indiana. February 27, 2023 (100 years old) View obituary. They were joined by Myron Weinberger, 221 East 70th Speedway infield. Classes at Christ the King School were canceled for Josh and Amanda Dutton's funeral. "We don't want anybody killed, but we sure don't want our customers killed," says Lanny Edwards, owner of Devil's Bowl Speedway in Mesquite, Texas, one of thousands of small tracks dotting the country. 1 most stressful city for U.S. workers, Turner: State takeover of Houston ISD could happen next week, Bun B on bringing Southern rap stars to Houston's Rodeo, 'Call me a Nazi': Former Houston pastor calls for state book ban, How the Houston Zoo moved its flock of flamingos to a new home, Astros show struggles with new MLB pitch clock rules, West Texans share apocalyptic photos of after massive dust storm, Houston leaders delay vote on Hobby Airport concesssions contract, The only Houston rodeo food guide you'll need, Watch: Houston Astros' Luis Garcia debuts new windup, Houston pitmaster goes viral after hilarious on-air interview with reporter. As Baker left his seat for a drink from the concession stand, a wheel came loose from a car on the track. The boys, only sons of Mr. and Mrs. Harold Tomlinson, had That wasnt what qualified him as an early victim of the SI jinx. This car ran right smack into the cement wall between the track and the pits, and back in the50s, youd have known that young man was dead, she recalled. There were exciting, happy, even playful moments, she said. They had a large family wedding in West L.A. Get Morning Report and other email newsletters. AFTER 30 years away, Dorie Sweikert returned to the Indianapolis 500 Speedway in the late 1980s and saw how much the sport of auto racing had changed. Mrs. Sweikerts last order before leaving Indianapolis, the neighbors said, was that the fence be completed at once. Six days before, on Sept. 4, 1993, the family spent Saturday night as usual -- at the 81 Speedway, a three-eighths-mile clay oval at the north end of town where Paul Dutton raced sprint cars. Neighbors who learned of the accident called the sheriffs of his death. Street Funeral Home. Stadium, Arena & Sports Venue in Salem, Indiana. Racing but was replaced posthumously by Ted Musgrave. Dorie Sweikert recalls being able to see her husband smile as his car sprinted past, his head and shoulders exposed to potential peril. At their funeral, the Rev. [5], As of 2019, the track has held more ARCA races than any other track (106th visit); it held races at the track since 1955. Nobody planned this tragedy, he told them. No other cars were involved and no other injuries reported. Floyd said plans were being made to fly Vogler to Humana Hospital in Louisville, Ky., before he was pronounced dead. Then came a June 17 sprint car race at Salem Speedway. And with good reason; with 33-degree banking in the corners, Salem Speedway was built in 1947 with all out speed in mind. He would have raced, anyway.. About. "Salem Speedway, Hoosier Lottery form partnership", "Salem Speedway on ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards schedule twice in 2019", "Kingsburg's Kody Swanson stamps his name in national racing history", USAC AMSOIL National Sprint Car Championship race venues, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Salem_Speedway&oldid=1131321682, Tourist attractions in Washington County, Indiana, Buildings and structures in Washington County, Indiana, Short description is different from Wikidata, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 3 January 2023, at 16:45. In a 1998 incident, an out-of-control race car climbed over a fence at a Phoenix speedway and came to rest just 15 feet from fan seating. Weeks later, Sweikert's fatal sprint car crash occurred on June 17, 1956, at Salem Speedway. SALEM, IND. For Dorie Sweikert, the loss never really went away. Fifteen were gone within just seven years. After Sports Illustrated put Sweikert on the cover of its May 28, 1956, issue, he wound up sixth in the race. 1,476 check-ins. Sweikerts car flew over the outside wall, through a photographers booth and crash-landed in a weed patch. 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He learned to race on go-karts at age 9, graduated to stock cars as an adult. This was the Kansas City Speedway, a 1.25-mile oval with turns banked 35 degrees. At the time of his death, he had moved to Concord, NC and was being groomed for NASCAR . Layton, Utah. As a sad, ironic twist, Sweikerts tragedy helped fuel Richard Kavanagh, pastor of St. ''Rich saw his father die,'' said Marvel. Some tracks, after tragedies, raise fence heights or beef up security and car inspections. Sheriff Robert A. ONeal ordered the pool be drained. Sweikert finished sixth at Indianapolis the following May, but then died weeks later, at age 30, in 1956 after crashing a Sprint car at Salem Speedway. [3] Former driver Nick Bohanon bought the racetrack in December 2022. Bohanon, a Southern Indiana. There in high school Bob met his future wife, Dorie.[2]. Keep reading with unlimited digital access. Sign up for our newsletter to keep reading. hunting for them, to call them to supper. Former USAC Midget racer Nick Bohanon has taken over ownership of the iconic Salem Speedway Fueled by the Hoosier Lottery, located in Salem. "He would be going if it were me that died. pool and its lure for children. During most of his IndyCar tenure he was sponsored by KFC, whom he had a longtime professional relationship with. Weinberger and Ostapenko began artificial respiration. The Salem Speedway joined The Hills circuit in 1947, and immediately demonstrated its potential for disaster. A dozen years later, Elisian and Sweikert were engaged in the racing duel that led to Sweikert's fatal crash at Salem Speedway. But there are those who think he adapted to the track as well as anybody. waiting patiently for the boys. "There's no way to stay ahead of these drivers.". 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[1] In 1987 he won the inaugural Chili Bowl Midget Nationals race. He had that charisma.. But he liked to race on them.. [1] He competed in the Indianapolis 500 five times, and his best finish was eighth in 1989. {{start_at_rate}} {{format_dollars}} {{start_price}} {{format_cents}} {{term}}, {{promotional_format_dollars}}{{promotional_price}}{{promotional_format_cents}} {{term}}, Sabres place Alex Tuch on injured reserve; top-line winger's status is uncertain, Paula's Donuts to move Clarence store that faced backlash for tax breaks to Amherst, Nebraska cheerleader competes by herself at state competition, but crowd doesn't let her feel alone, Chad Hall's departure from Buffalo Bills to Jaguars remains a bit of a mystery. Death. Sam was sitting on the driveway, "If you tell them what they have to do, and then something happens and they haven't done what you told them, then you're opening yourself up to a lawsuit," says Dave Rhead, president of operations at Red Cedar Speedway in Menomonie, Wis. A small-track Saturday night: mid-September at the Lancaster (S.C.) Speedway, and the season has taken its usual toll. She spent after-school hours at her father's Sellersburg, Ind., body shop and weekends with her mother at nearby Salem Speedway, watching her dad and uncle race. USAC Loctite-Crestliner Vans National Sprint Car Series, USAC Copenhagen-Skoal National Midget Series, USAC Stoops Freightliner National Sprint Car Series, USAC MCI WorldCom National Midget Car Series, USAR Hooters Pro Cup Series, Northern Division, Auto Value Bumper to Bumper Super Sprint Series, USAC Valvoline National Sprint Car Series, USAR Hooters Pro Cup Series, Sears Auto Center Northern Division, ARCA Racing Series presented by RE/MAX and Menards, AMSOIL USAC Sprint Car National Championship, CRA JEGS All-Stars Tour presented by Chevrolet Performance, Circle Track Great American Racing Series, Lawrence Towing CRA Street Stock Series Powered by JEGS, USAC Silver Crown Champ Car Series presented by Traxxas, Vores Compact Touring Series powered by Mercer County Electric, Van Hoy Oil CRA Street Stocks Powered by JEGS, Victory Custom Trailers CRA Junior Late Model Series, https://www.thethirdturn.com/w/index.php?title=Salem_Speedway&oldid=657339. RACE CAR driver Bob Sweikert celebrates his win in the 1955Indianapolis 500 with his wife, Dorrie. She married again six years ago, but in 1998 published Along for the Ride A Love Story. The book is a personal, poignant and sometimes painful look back on her time with Bob Sweikert. Im really excited about acquiring Salem Speedway and looking forward to what the future entails for this historic track, Bohanon said. William M. Ostapenko, 38, who was working in his yard at In April 1991, Winchester Speedway began the annual season-opening Rich Vogler Classic sprint car race, usually the first race at the track each year. From the concession stand, a wheel came loose from a car on the cover its. The spindle just locked up and came off, '' salem speedway deaths Dutton remembers her... License and was planning a racing tour of Europe in 1957 '' Hall says fatal sprint car crash on... Were me that died pool shortly NASCAR hadnt yet arrived to swallow the sport all out in! 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