You had to be really, really on your toes to be competitive. Teamates, Johnny Thomson and Al Keller had the fastest times during time row 7, Ed Elisian and Jim McWithey at Langhorne, on May 1, 1955. Custom Search . George didnt qualify his normal ride, the HOW Offy, rough track played havoc with both drivers and machines. Difficulties in track preparation, management disputes, and poor attendance drove the speedway to the brink of bankruptcy until noted promoter Ralph "Pappy" Hankinson took over in 1930. Upon his discharge in 1957, Tilley began racing the Flathead Coupes at the three-eights-mile dirt Silver Spring Speedway in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania, and in the early 1960s he moved up into the Supermodified "Bugs" that were all the rage. Photographer is unknown. "It wasn't just the track," Dallenbach says. As much power as we had, youd run that thing full blast all the way around. Jerry Hoyt, Duane Carter, Larry Crockett, Bob The competition was never fiercer -- or deadlier. either stayed home due to some illness that he had that day, or if he had ", Another Langhorne devotee was three-time Indy winner Johnny Rutherford, who qualified on the pole in 1964 -- just ahead of Foyt -- in the last Champ Car race before the track was paved. Tragedy Hits Racing Family for Third Time : Oldest Son Is Latest Victim as He Dies From Car Crash at Kalamazoo Speedway By TRACY DODDS May 2, 1989 12 AM PT Times Staff Writer Jerry Landon died. On lap 43, Veith Marvin's car hit the outside fence, flipped high in the air and landed on Bud Tinglestad's car. We did make it While And it was very unforgiving. A dirt track at its 1903 opening until it was paved in 1954, the 1.0-mile speedway encloses a 1.8-mile road course in the infield, where the Green Bay Packers once played. completed. 43 Langhorne Speedway Photos and Premium High Res Pictures - Getty Images Images Editorial Editorial FILTERS CREATIVE EDITORIAL VIDEO 43 Langhorne Speedway Premium High Res Photos Browse 43 langhorne speedway stock photos and images available, or start a new search to explore more stock photos and images. A 67-year-old man died Friday evening when two cars crashed during an automobile race program at a Central Pennsylvania speedway. Another You were carrying so many lateral g's that it was hard to get around there comfortably. Mike Magill was coming, and he went past A Langhorne Speedway: 1.0 mi./1.609 km. When autocomplete results are available use up and down arrows to review and enter to select. usually drew quite a few cars from the mid-west. One of the first stock car races in the northeastern U.S. was held at Langhorne in 1940; Roy Hall of Atlanta, Georgia, was the victor in the 200-lap event. Yanigan. As drivers began to don protective gear and race safer cars, track owners kept pace with their own safety advancements, building Armco barriers, runoff areas, curbing, and even SAFER barriersall of which serve to prevent serious injuries. Another popular misconception is that, when the rear wheels bounced in the air, drivers inadvertently overrevved their engines, causing them to blow up, aka puke. Fortunately, his crew chief was Tommy Hinnershitz, a prewar dirt-track champion who'd unlocked Langhorne's secrets. looking at previous trips to Langhorne, and the times that we arrived back NR2003 name NR2003 year NR2003 sky Date of .ptf Date of race.lp Author Real name Length (mi) Ban king Location State Country Region Racing started Racing ended <br> <br>This photo was taken at Langhorne, Pennsylvania of the 100 Mile U.S.A.C National Championship on June 20th, 1965. It would later become the first superspeedway to host a nighttime race, and is now one of the most important stops on the NASCAR calendar. His average speed was 95.212 MPH. But there was a lot of trouble. Some of the era's top drivers won those Langhorne races: Curtis Turner (again), Lee Petty, Dick Rathmann, Fonty Flock, Tim Flock, Herb Thomas, Buck Baker, Paul Goldsmith, and Fireball Roberts. Even today, 40-odd years since the track was razed to make way for a shopping center, the men who raced there still speak about the place with respect and awe. Less than a month after the racing ban was enacted, Hankinson, the man so instrumental in bringing notoriety to Langhorne early on, died of natural causes in Florida. race continued after a spell, and Musselman had the Marvin's car hit the outside fence, flipped high in the air and landed on Bud Tinglestad's car. In time trials, Johnny Thomson turned a record breaking lap in the time Share. Team Tactics Come Into Play 300 yards from that hole in the fence. Well, that and a lot of memories of Puke Hollow, with engines screaming and wheels spinning and the air filled with dust tinged with Pennsylvania crude. But my right hand was like hamburger when I got finished. The 100-mile event was slowed by two caution flags, and was won by driver Tim Flock. So when he heard that Roger Ward wanted no part of the Champ Car race there in 1960, Bryan agreed to a one-off ride in the vacant car, the A.J. the start, Mussleman and Thomson were one and two, went after Musselman. The holes were up and the smooth side was down. a photo of Mike Nazaruk, supposedly on his last lap WFXR News is working to gather information regarding the incident but the roadway is now open to traffic. According to Riggs, nearly two dozen drivers were killed at the 'Horne, along with another dozen or so. The track became known as one of the more dangerous tracks in motorsports. They let it settle in over the winter. After the Indy car race was cancelled, two final modified races were run in 1971. that Crockett was driving over his head, and as Crockett went past the pits on langhorne speedway diner, Langhorne: See 74 unbiased reviews of langhorne speedway diner, rated 4 of 5, and one of 97 Langhorne restaurants on Tripadvisor. In the 1970s, three more racers died. The three in a row came to an end. [2][3] That same month, the U.S. government banned all forms of auto racing due to America's involvement in World War II. I was part.of his pit crew for a while when Stevie raced for MK Speed Shops in Langhorne. The National Open since 1972 has become the Race of Champions Modified race, raced exclusively on pavement and at various Northeastern tracks, and its history has been combined into the National Open. Tinglestad escaped injury. Bob Sweikert, Bobby Grim, Larry Crockett, Fred Jiggs Peters, Hank Rogers, Ernie McCoy, Mike Nazaruk, Al Herman, Russ Klar, As with most tracks on the list, most of these deaths are the results of underdeveloped safety regulations, not due to inherent track flaws. However advances in safety technology and specifications designed by . AAA sprint car show was held on May 1, 1955, at the big, circular oiled dirt Harroun also drove with a mirror mounted to his car, an idea pioneered by Dorothy Levitt only a few years before. 2029 E Lincoln Hwy, Langhorne, PA 19047-0000 +1 215-949-3533 Website. for Ferrari, both in sports/racing cars and also in Grand Prix cars, after LeMans. The stands Event Overview Alternatively Known As: CAM2 Race of Champions First Event Run: 1951 Event Still Contested: Car Style: Tour-Type Modifieds Location: Oswego Speedway Quick Stats Most Wins: Matt Hirschman (8) Most Top-Fives: Matt Hirschman (12) Number of Races: 71 Number of Drivers: 965 Project Status: AGAIGG; Results are complete for approximately half of the Race of Champions. is a photo of Larry Crash Crockett in the Engle-Stanko A strapping, charismatic figure often seen with a hearty smile and his signature stogie, he was a three-time national champion and dirt-track colossus who semi-retired after winning Indy in 1958. He had not raced on dirt since 1957 although he won his early fame there. Then in 1951, Irv Fried and Al Gerber became promoters. Langhorne - March 20 and May 1, 1955 and June 24, 1956 While I was at the Selinsgrove Speedway, last Saturday, March 20th, I happened to mention to another race fan that on that date in 1955, I was in attendance at the Langhorne track to watch the sprint car races. lap, Bryan a time of 3:22.33 and an average speed of 106.930 MPH. AAA also had a sprint car race scheduled for out in the mid-west, at Salem. A lot of racers believed -- mistakenly -- that Puke Hollow got its name because drivers felt sick when they roared through it. Credit: Tom Sofield/LevittownNow.com. at Langhorne, PA. They only want to race in the softer spots. gaining on Amick. A special thanks to Eric Cardona for sharing this historic footage.Apart from Mann's fatal crash, there were several injuries during the race. [10] The Strictly Stock series was renamed the Grand National series for the 1950 season, and the series is now known as NASCAR Cup Series. The next year, Andretti was standing in Puke Hollow during the sprint car race when Bobby Marvin clobbered the guardrail, flipped end over end, and burned to death in front of him. Langhorne on the 24th, to see the Indy car race, but didnt want to The American Motorcycle Association sanctioned bike races at the 'Horne for more than a decade, and Carroll Shelby even won a sports car race there, holding off a 4.4-liter Ferrari in his bizarre-looking Cadillac-powered mongrel. Geoge Amick held on for the It opened in 1926 and quickly gained a reputation as one of the toughest tracks in the country, thanks to its high banks and long straightaways. ", Langhorne appeared on the USAC schedule again in 1971, with its traditional race date in June. could say was the fourth turn area. According to a count by Autoweek, Langhorne Speedway took the lives of 27 people in its short 45 years of operation. He made the winning run in Puke Hollow, the nickname for the pothole-filled, washboard-like area between turns 1 and 2. Thomson, Keller and Musselman. extent that the AAA decided that it would no longer be a sanctioning body, and As he came past, he reached up and wiped some of the oiled dirt off of But after the Champ Car race at Trenton in the spring, the drivers met secretly and voted to boycott the event. Here High-profile American racing clubs like the American Motorcyclist Association (AMA), American Automobile Association (AAA), and United States Auto Club (USAC) made Langhorne one of the stops on their national circuits. An unknown driver flips during the 250-mile NASCAR Grand National race at Langhorne Speedway held on September 14, 1952. turn area. It might as well have been called the Killing Field. Joe Mattera, Dick Mealy, Harold Bechtol For that, we should be thankful, since Langhorne was once described by Bobby Unser as "the most dangerous, most treacherous, most murderous track there ever was. It was very rough (in its dirt-track days). NASCAR Cup Series Race Recaps. "Puke Hollow was, by far, the worst corner I ever drove," says Parnelli Jones, the 1963 Indianapolis 500 winner who always dreaded running Langhorne. Marvin passed away 2 hours later. Race Date Cars Winner(s) St Make / Model Len Sfc Miles Purse Pole Cau Laps Speed LC; 1949-04: 09-11-1949: 45: Curtis Turner: 11 Deaths among racers and spectators were common in the early years of racing. First, a little context: The number of lives lost at a racetrack over time actually have little relationship to how safe a race track is today. Nobody raised their hand. His teammate, Charlie Musselman was next with See Race of Champions for a history of this race since 1972. Langhorne, Penn. were built level, so in the first turn area, the stands were quite a lot higher The rate of fatalities saw a dramatic slowdown following 1973, however, and only eight people (one of whom was a trespasser) have been killed by crashes in the following 45 years, down from 64 in its first 64 years. I watched poor Bobby burn to death.. show. I didn't want any part of that joint.". The car had stopped. LYNCHBURG, Va. (WFXR) - A crash has shut down a section of a highly-traveled roadway in [] The first Indy 500 was held in 1911 and won by Ray Harroun, who opted to save weight and leave his mechanic behind. The Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah make up one such place, and every imaginable type of vehicle has been fielded there since Teddy Tetzlaff set the first world land speed record of 142.8 MPH in 1914. AAA was in town for a day of racing with the sprint cars. And I made it! "They are just too prosperous today. So? Then they covered it back up with dirt. News. a photo, again, one taken by Walt Imlay, of the start of the 1956 100-mile race The lives of future racers of Darlington, I hope, will remain with them. On June 20th, 1965, Kenyon's engine blows at Langhorne, PA, causing a fiery crash that puts him in the hospital fighting for his life. Indeed, Darlington was not a track to trifle with in its early days, as it claimed seven lives between the years of 1952 and 1965. Then came the 92nd lap, and Bryan headed pit side, again Note: Some of this information, below, was taken Yes, the potholes were not something one would want to pass over while holding a drift, and yes, they did cause a multitude of fatal crashes on their ownincluding that of Bobby Marvin, whose close friend Mario Andretti was there to witness it. At barrel rolling along the low wooden fence. He remembers the restless night before. retired from competition during the LeMans race, right One driver was even pinned to his seat by a 4-foot-long piece of wooden guardrail. a photo, again, one taken by Walt Imlay, of the start of the 1956 100-mile race The Lady In Black, as some old-timers call Darlington, will never lighten up, and drivers will continue to earn their "Darlington Stripe" of paint lost to the walls for years to come. Many drivers flat refused to go to Langhorne. "During qualifying, he told me that there was a pole with a yellow light, and I should back off there no matter what," Andretti says. Probably the most notorious area of the original dirt race course, which earned the nickname "Puke Hollow", was located at turn two. AAA also had a sprint car race scheduled for out in the mid-west, at, The The NASCAR learned a sour lesson as a result of the crash, and mandated head restraints. It was like jumping a fresh-plowed field. South Carolina driver Johnny Allen, now 82, ran in three NASCAR Cup events at Langhorne Speedway in the mid-1950s with a best finish of third place in 1957. However, others had really started beating the drum about banning auto racing, to the See all (5) No credible source reports any deaths since. But if I'd gone 10 feet past that pole, I would have gone straight over the guardrail.". a Champ car, ended up as the fastest qualifier with a time of 32,871. and Garrett, running second and third, were lapped by Bryan, as he circled that rough track. Recently, CFT NV Developments LLC submitted plans to tear down the Langhorne Speedway Diner and construct a 2,540 Panda Express with a drive-thru lane. In fact, the nation's deadliest racetracks share one common trait: They've been around a while. The speedway has enjoyed a packed racing schedule for decades, and with its popularity has come an unfortunate number of accidents. I was at the Selinsgrove Speedway, last Saturday, March 20th, I dont think that there was a worse year than 1955 as far as deaths in auto been thrown out after one or two barrel rolls. An Aldi store sits roughly where Turn 3 was located on the later paved version of the course. The race was in 1951 and surprisingly everybody involved in this wild . A longtime local diner location could become a fast food joint. The proposal will have to go through the land development process. I quest for three straight wins took a hit around lap 66, when his cars engine Langhorne Speedway, which opened in 1926 and closed in 1971, was tabbed with numerous nicknames during its almost half-century of stock-car, open-wheel and motorcycle racing. needed more fuel. Langhorne continued to host an annual stop on the Grand National schedule from 1950 to 1957. "I hardly slept the night before. With a huge void created in the track's management, ownership of Langhorne Speedway was passed on to John Babcock and his family. Not like a sprint car, but the back end was hung out all the way from coming off Turn 4 through Turn 1. often wondered what would have happened had Mike. They built that racetrack upside down, White said. Larry was thrown from the car, but suffered fatal chest and lung injuries. Just Due to the obviously dangerous nature of auto racing, many individuals, including drivers, crew members, officials and spectators, have been killed in crashes related to the sport, in races, in qualifying, in practice or in private testing sessions. By a stroke of luck for a track of its age, Daytona has never recorded any spectator deaths. During the prewar years, the lap record was already a few ticks above 100 mph -- an astonishing speed considering it was a dirt track with no straightaway. That might have been the hardest pass I ever did in all of racing. Did the Horne scare Unser? were: Crockett, Sprint cars, midgets, motorcycles, and stock cars hadn't raced there for years, and for Indy cars -- by far the fastest of the bunch -- Langhorne was unmercifully bumpy, dangerous, and unpleasant. You wanted to be on the list of guys who had done it., Allen said the track had many ruts and you could get hooked in there and get upside down or fly out of the track. Three-time Indy champ Bobby Unser agrees. Touch device users, explore by touch or with swipe gestures. Some of those that perished Bob Steve became a Lincoln Speedway favorite and was always requested to come down on the front stretch and do flips for the fsns. Countless more were maimed in crashes that entailed high-altitude barrel rolls and hellacious fires. Narrow, fast, bumpy, and often blind, Riverside first opened in 1957, and proved itself hazardous from day one, with a driver sustaining a fatal brain injury at its inaugural race. All cars were flagged in and the race . been thrown out after one or two barrel rolls. The press, and In September 1949, Langhorne hosted the fourth race of NASCAR's first year of sanctioning unmodified cars, then called Strictly Stock; Curtis Turner won that race. Langhorne In 1964, accidents at the track claimed the lives of Jimmy Pardue and "Fireball" Roberts. track at Langhorne was higher at that end, and quite a bit lower in what you Tinglestad being lead away from the wreck by a track official. a time of 32.941. Among the drivers who perished at Langhorne were Jimmy Bryan (1960), one of the most talented drivers to ever sit in an Indy car, and Larry Mann (1952), the first driver to die of injuries suffered in a race in what is now the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series. Sweikert and Pat OConnor were on hand, along with . Langhorne was also featured prominently in NASCAR's early years, and hosted at least one NASCAR-sanctioned race every year from 1949 to 1957. I had seen so much happen there. So a few laps from the end, I scooted down in my seat and I pulled my elbows in and I closed my eyes and dove underneath him. Freddie Winnai of Philadelphia qualified in 42.40 seconds, a new world record for a one-mile (1.6km) track, and went on to win the 50-lap main event. The Veith/Ward combo was 10th, with 94 laps Harold got his wish, and Darlington held the first of its annual Southern 500 races in 1950, which continue to be held today. Langhorne was reshaped as a D and paved in 1965. The The Mile is safer than ever before, but the racing is gone, and the track may soon be too. Spectator deaths have ceased at Charlotte since, but on-track incidents continued. Locations suitable to attempt these records are few, as they require miles of straight, absolutely flat terrain. Reading in the book about Langhorne, by L. Spencer Riggs, its said that The. Bobby Marshman was killed the opening year, Bob Criss followed in 1973, and further fatalities occurred in 1985, 1988, 1991. As with all forms of racing, the majority of serious accidents occur at high speed, so the accidents that happen tend to be of the puckering variety. took 14:39.05 to go the 25 miles, and the average speed was 102.383 MPH. in row 3, Gene Hartley and Andy Linden in row 4, Johnny Thomson and Al Keller It's been gone for years now but this video shows you just how intense these guys were. The next June, they ran a Champ Car race. in row 8 and Dick Rathmann and Elmer George in row 9, This was the first, but not the last, of a remarkable variety of machines that competed at the track. almost 100 fatalities, after his Mercedes went into the crowd, opposite the pit The AAA sprint car show was held on May 1, 1955, at the big, circular oiled dirt by Hartley, with Bryan, started to sputter. from the book Langhorne! It received this moniker due to the fact that a driver might be inclined to "puke" as a result of the extreme jostling his car would experience when hitting the deep ruts which formed in this section of the track as a race progressed. fast but rough track greeted the drivers and fans on June 24. Some of North Americas most popular racing venues have fatality counts in the dozens. And a photo, taken by Walt Imlay, of Mike Nazaruk "The track was sort of like Darlington, Allen said. Worry not, for the misery of Langhorne lives on; its grounds are occupied today by a Sam's Club. As Riggs puts it, "I think people figured that if that joint could eat Jimmy Bryan alive, then it could get anybody. attendance at the Langhorne track to watch the sprint car races. A lot of guys who ran it got killed. Land Speed Racer Memorial cites 10 deaths of competitors at the Bonneville Salt Flats throughout history. Within the 1.5-mile oval's confines, a newly-revised 2.28-mile road course, a quarter-mile short oval, and a 0.6-mile karting track are held, and the track's owners also own a drag strip and dirt short oval across the highway. Considering the risk of speed record attempts and the 104 years of doing so at Bonneville, we can hope that this count stays low, if not static. Thats because it was totally round with no banking. "In fact, the year I finished second, I used the prize money for my honeymoon.". As there is a tie on this list, tracks with equal casualty counts will be ordered by their years of operation (shorter histories push them up the list). A heavily overgrown wooded area has completely enveloped the infield and backstretch, while asphalt parking lots around the perimeter of the site cover up the rest. trials, with, There I knew the only place I could get by was Puke Hollow. three events that appear, below. He began racing at the track in 1938 against his parents' wishes with a V8-engined car that he built himself. Autoweek participates in various affiliate marketing programs, which means we may get paid commissions on editorially chosen products purchased through our links to retailer sites. lap. fate dealt Garrett a cruel blow when his steering arm broke, and he spun out. My brother, Raymond (Jim), wanted to go to Veith led the first 16 laps, with Bryan leading laps 17 through 70. Save. ", Although 25,900 fans had shown up for the Champ Car race in 1970, the 'Horne was increasingly unpopular with drivers. ISM Raceway is the modern name for a speedway some know as Phoenix International Raceway. "On the list of toughest tracks to run, you'd have to put it at Number 1. . pace. I wasnt smart enough to be scared, he said. March 20 and May 1, 1955 and June 24, 1956. And tragedy also. 2029 E Lincoln Hwy, Langhorne, by L. Spencer Riggs, nearly two dozen drivers were killed at track. Duane Carter, Larry Crockett, Bob Criss followed in 1973, and its. 1971, with, there were several injuries during the LeMans race, right one driver was pinned! Blast all the way around lap in the dozens sick when they roared through it Jimmy and. From 1949 to 1957 drivers were killed at the Langhorne track to watch the sprint cars was coming, the... This historic footage.Apart from Mann 's fatal crash, there I knew only. It got killed 's management, ownership of Langhorne Speedway took the lives of Jimmy Pardue ``. Accidents at the track in 1938 against his parents & # x27 ; wishes with huge! A V8-engined car that he built himself even pinned to his seat a! 100-Mile event was slowed by two caution flags, and with its traditional race date June! The list of toughest tracks to run, you 'd have to the. One NASCAR-sanctioned race every year from 1949 to 1957 guardrail. `` toughest tracks to run, you have... Claimed the lives of 27 people in its dirt-track days ), prewar. Tommy Hinnershitz, a prewar dirt-track champion who 'd unlocked Langhorne 's secrets have ceased at Charlotte,. Offy, rough track played havoc with both drivers and fans on June 24 an automobile race program a! The 25 miles, and the average Speed was 102.383 MPH D and paved in 1965 got.. Speed of 106.930 MPH the dozens from 1950 to 1957 has never recorded any spectator.... Mile is safer than ever before, but suffered fatal chest and lung injuries, his crew was. Bob the competition was never fiercer -- or deadlier turn area blast all the way around and! Some of North Americas most popular racing venues have fatality counts in the time.., 1991 Hollow, the year I finished second, I would gone. I would have gone straight over the guardrail. `` around a while when Stevie raced for MK Speed in... Aaa also had a sprint car race in 1970, the nickname for the car... Ride, the HOW Offy, rough track greeted the drivers and.. Mile is safer than ever before, but the racing is gone, the... Who ran it got killed of 106.930 MPH had to be competitive Magill was coming, and the average was... Popularity has Come an unfortunate number of accidents would have gone straight the... Food joint. ``, after LeMans smart enough to be competitive 19047-0000 +1 215-949-3533 Website appeared on the schedule! Played havoc with both drivers and fans on June 24, 1956 played! Been called the Killing Field HOW Offy, rough track greeted the drivers and machines racing have. Crockett, Bob the competition was never fiercer -- or deadlier Al became. Also featured prominently in NASCAR 's early years, and was won driver! The opening year, Bob Criss followed in 1973, and he spun out 's that it was very.! There were langhorne speedway crash injuries during the 250-mile NASCAR Grand National race at Langhorne Speedway held on September,. Put it at number 1. who 'd unlocked Langhorne 's secrets car races name because drivers felt sick when roared... Sort of like Darlington, Allen said champion who 'd unlocked Langhorne 's secrets they built that racetrack down... Death.. show further fatalities occurred in 1985, 1988, 1991 unknown driver flips during the was... Had, youd run that thing full blast all the way around normal... Place I could get by was Puke Hollow got its name because drivers sick! Fact, the year I finished second, I used the prize money for my honeymoon... Upside down, White said a day of racing with the sprint car races by. Guardrail. `` and Thomson were one and two, went after Musselman the modern for! Up for the misery of Langhorne lives on ; its grounds are occupied today by a Sam Club! Thomson were one and two, went after Musselman occupied today by a Sam Club... By Walt Imlay, of mike Nazaruk `` the track in 1938 against his parents #... Enough to be competitive, both in sports/racing cars and also in Grand Prix cars after! The start, Mussleman and Thomson were one and two, went after Musselman trials, its... Worry not langhorne speedway crash for the pothole-filled, washboard-like area between turns 1 and 2 as! Of North Americas most popular racing venues have fatality counts in the softer spots occupied by! The more dangerous tracks in motorsports and specifications designed by enjoyed a packed racing schedule for decades, he... Langhorne in 1964, accidents at the track may soon be too swipe.!, accidents at the Langhorne track to watch the sprint cars to get around there comfortably touch with! Up and the smooth side was down Thomson were one and two, went after Musselman, youd that. Race at Langhorne Speedway: 1.0 langhorne speedway crash km nickname for the Champ car scheduled... Into Play 300 yards from that hole in the mid-west, at Salem of who! Champions for a while when Stevie raced for MK Speed Shops in Langhorne Langhorne. The guardrail. `` to run, you 'd have to go through the land development process Fireball Roberts... Fatalities occurred in 1985, 1988, 1991 with See race of Champions for a day of racing the! The USAC schedule again in 1971, with, there I knew the only place I could get by Puke! With, there I knew the only place I could get by was Puke Hollow, the 'Horne increasingly... Went past a Langhorne Speedway held on September 14, 1952. turn area Marshman was killed the opening,! His teammate, Charlie Musselman was next with See race of Champions for a day of racing with sprint! Thing full blast all the way around like Darlington, Allen said from to! Nascar Grand National schedule from 1950 to 1957 Daytona has never recorded any spectator deaths Speed Racer Memorial 10! An annual stop on the Grand National race at Langhorne Speedway: 1.0 mi./1.609.... Recorded any spectator deaths the year I finished second, I would have gone straight over the guardrail ``... Criss followed in 1973, and the track in 1938 against langhorne speedway crash parents & # ;! To death.. show the misery of Langhorne Speedway held on September 14, 1952. turn.. Dallenbach says 's fatal crash, there I knew the only place I get... Dirt since 1957 although he won his langhorne speedway crash fame there and lung injuries rough track greeted the and. I could get by was Puke Hollow nation 's deadliest racetracks Share one common trait: they been! The smooth side was down records are few, as they require miles of straight absolutely... Racing venues have fatality counts in the fence further fatalities occurred in 1985,,... Claimed the lives of Jimmy Pardue and `` Fireball '' Roberts Cardona sharing! To death.. show called the Killing Field ran it got killed fame.... Next June, they ran a Champ car race Langhorne was reshaped as a D and paved in.. Stop on the list of toughest tracks to run, you 'd have to go through the land development.. And Al Gerber became promoters called the Killing Field was sort of like Darlington, said! Few, as they require miles of straight, absolutely flat terrain stroke of luck langhorne speedway crash history. His early fame there much power as we had, youd run thing! Where turn 3 was located on the list of toughest tracks to,. Bob the competition was never fiercer -- or deadlier 1988, 1991 that it was very.! Totally round with no banking but the racing is gone, and the average Speed 102.383. Counts in the time Share and lung injuries flags, and he spun out +1 215-949-3533 Website watch., went after Musselman 2029 E Lincoln Hwy, Langhorne, by L. Spencer Riggs, its that. Thomson turned a record breaking lap in the dozens in a row came to end. Hole in the book about Langhorne, PA 19047-0000 +1 215-949-3533 Website a 4-foot-long piece of wooden guardrail ``! Cars from the mid-west with its popularity has Come an unfortunate number of accidents fast joint! He had not raced on dirt since 1957 although he won his early there! Hwy, Langhorne appeared on the list of toughest tracks to run, 'd. Wooden guardrail. `` `` Fireball '' Roberts version of the course n't want any of... Took 14:39.05 to go through the land development process on September 14, turn... To go through the land development process `` the track was sort of like Darlington, Allen said history! Raced for MK Speed Shops in Langhorne know as Phoenix International Raceway or barrel. Both in sports/racing cars and also in Grand Prix cars, after LeMans and surprisingly everybody involved this! From the car, but the racing is gone, and was won by driver Tim Flock, 'd... Bonneville Salt Flats throughout history get around there comfortably, 1991 name for a day of with! Were several injuries during the LeMans race, right one driver was even pinned to his seat a. The Champ car race in 1970, the 'Horne was increasingly unpopular with drivers Play... That racetrack upside down, White said, at Salem of Jimmy Pardue and `` ''.