partialperson
New Member
Doug "The Flying" Cross was made famous at the Turnpike. His failed attempt jumping the flaming haybales was witnessed by a full grandstand and most notably thousands of the WSIL TV audience.
Marion, IL - Turnpike Speedway
- Thread starter rosswece
- Start date
ohsomthin
ohsomthin
I remember Gary Easton when the motor fell out the front of the car at the benton fairgrounds track They loaded that car by standin it straight up on thr rear wheels with no front suspension and rolled it on the trailer I always called that car the tub but i was very young then,,,just after that Johnnie Pal tried sprints and the front wheel got torn off and he put his hand out the top to signal he was comin to the pits ,when the front end hit the dirt flippin it over on his hand Ugly
partialperson
New Member
It was dusty that night and he ran into the back of another car that was stopping, he was pretty much wide open ready to back off for the corner.
partialperson
New Member
It was a 1935 chevy coupe. The gold 88, before dad John Stearns owned it. That was it's last race as it was destroyed beyond repairable. There was another car being built at that time, the Nash Metropolitan, the crash at Benton expedited it's debut.
ohsomthin
ohsomthin
Dad tells me i musta been about 4 years old then ? funny how you remember some of the strangest stuff? That old car had the biggest part of the tail cut off didnt it? what kind of cars were the "next generation" so to speak? falcons,mustangs? those had the canavas covers over the hood with snaps?
GOATROPER2
Member
most of the ones that had the canvas hoods were metropolitans...johnny prior had one
Hi Gary
I remember you. I was working in the pit concessions then, as a teenager. I remember you taking pictures and you would perch up on the light towers to watch the races. I also remember seeing many of your photos posted in the Communications Building at SIU because I was a student there at the time too. I would love to see your photos and get copies of them as those times are dear to me. Let me know if there is any way to work this out.
I worked there with two other teens, Terry and Terry. You are right about the BBQ's. They were so good!
the turnpike
i have posted a few pics of turnpike on this site. but they are in vintage photos.
sorry i prob. put them in the wrong place.
i also just aquired this car again after 25 yrs. and im restoring it to the original
look and sound of 1968. you'll have to come to the 4th of july parade in goreville
to see it!!
i have posted a few pics of turnpike on this site. but they are in vintage photos.
sorry i prob. put them in the wrong place.
i also just aquired this car again after 25 yrs. and im restoring it to the original
look and sound of 1968. you'll have to come to the 4th of july parade in goreville
to see it!!
I am looking for it on Google maps but don't know if I see it for sure. Is it east or west of Race Track Rd? I see something that looks like an oval off the road to the east, across from Copple Road. Is that it? I never went to it when it was open.
I used to work at Turnpike after your grandpa and grandma took it over and name it Williamson County Speedway. The fairgrounds had closed the 1/4 mile track that they ran, and so they took over Turnpike. I worked in the infield concession stand for a couple of years. I used to make models of some of the cars, including your dad's orange #99 Edmonds sprint car. I sold one or two of them to Sarah. Ask your dad if he remembers that. Your granparents were great promoters and nice people. And Sarah's BBQ's were the best anywhere? Do you have the family recipe?
GOATROPER2
Member
The track in Centralia would be on the east side of Race Track road,
yes that is it the old pit shak is still standing go by there daily
My dad used to help johnny prior I remember going to centralia regularly as a kid initially on sunday nights and then at some point they changed to fridays. John's wife Betty used to dominate when they had the powder puff races. My main memory of turnpike as a kid was the modified coupe that they had up in the air on a pole.
Jim,
Sorry I've taken so long to get back to this site. I'm flattered you remember me or my work, but I have to admit I don't remember climbing the light towers. Could there have been another hippie photographer there that year? Wow. Small world eh? Two ex-Salukis from a time warp who studied in the same building! FYI, I am planning on a new computer and high quality optical scanner so I can scan my old oval track negatives. I will try to keep you all informed, but anything nicer than a flat scan of a few old photos (teasers) is probably at least 6 months away. I will try to get a few quickie scan done in the next month or so. You can also email me at gnichols@tampabay.rr.com, too. Gary
Hi Ross- I know it is quite past the time you inquired, but I have and archive of newspaper clippings, Pit Stops, and a few pictues from the day. I can send you a list of my archived materials if you give me your e-mail address. I watched your grandpa in many exciting races. I lived very close to where the WSIL station now resides, in Crainville. Turnpike was also very close by. I will share some photos of the track and a few car shots when I have your e-amil. Are you related to Mike Weese, the SIUC broadcaster?
I tried this number, but it doesn't appear to be working. Can you give me your update contact info please?
