History Anglia Accident at Ohio Valley Raceway

I was able to glimpse into a family album of someone posting on another forum and thought this story and the photos might be of interest on the HAMB.

The person provided a little information and also gave approval to post the pics here, partially to provide a glimpse into early drag racing, and partially to hopefully drum up some additional info.

The story goes that this guys father and the Anglia owner raced together in the 50's and 60's. The guys father owned and raced the 38 Chevy and the 60 Chevy pictured. The guy that ran the Anglia was "Ed" who owned a local Krispy Kreme franchise. From the lettering on the cars, it looks like they were out of Louisville, KY.

Anyway, Ed rented Ohio Valley Raceway for testing purposes and managed to cartwheel the Anglia at speed, resulting in his being partially ejected out of the roof and past the roll bar. Unfortunately, Ed died that day.

First of all... Awful accident. Rest in Peace Ed.

Second, does anyone know more about Ed and the car?

Supposedly there is a current car that the owner claims is a rebuild of this Anglia. Hard to believe there would be much left but a VIN number in this case...

 

It appears both cars were sponsored by Powells Service Center in Louisville KY, which also appears to have been a Pure Gasoline Station (maybe).

Some more pics of the wreckage...

 

thats horrible. I feel bad looking at those pictures...

 

Definitely makes you think about the current safety rules compared to what was likely allowed at that time...

 

I have to agree, I felt kind of weird looking at those pictures!! Makes you think about safety a whole lot more.
Jimmy White

 

And we wonder why they make it so tough to pass tech today. We all learn by other's mistakes and accidents. RIP ED.

 

There's no way that car should fold up like that! I have to believe that the tubing and welding advancements are far superior today. Also the design of the roll cage. There were many cars that "broke" in half,exposing the driver to injury,back then. But then,look what happened to John Force!

 

this car was from louisville. there is a recrearion of this car it has been in the hot rod reunion coverage in several mags this year. the story you tell seems to be what i have heard over the years but i dont think it happened at ohio vally but at cedarmoore dragstrip.

 

Thanks Hambone. I just did a google and found this car from the 2006 reunion coverage.

 

Contact Bill @ River City Diesel in Louisville, KY. He runs the current version in my group www.Geezergassers.com Injected small block. The car is also for sale as I understand it.

 

Man that hurts . I hate to see those kind of shots but it helps with safety .

 

I used to watch the "Golden Angel" run on 1/8 mi. tracks in Western Ky in the 60's.
Ed Payne was the owner. You can find more vintage pics of the car at the great site, www.olddrags.com



By the way, the clone is currently for sale
http://www.classyauto.com/v/Ford+Anglia/60+Style+Gasser/74406

P.S. The following comments are from the son of the regular driver of the Golden Angel, Henry Putman, on Gasser Madness:

"This car was owned at the time by Ed Payne, and my father Henry Putman drove and was primary wrench on the car.

It was a popular Midwestern Match Race car built by Mr. Putman and a friend and later sold to Ed. It was runner-up at 1963 U.S. Nationals in A/Gas, and Class & Eliminator winner 1964 Winter Nats. Daytona Bch, Fla. Mr. Bill Caughron of Louisville, KY has recently built an outstanding nostalgia replica of this hard charging "Gasser".

Sincerely Gary Putman"

 

WOW! Great info from all. I will pass it along to the family that provided me the photos as I know this is more than they know.

Also good to hear that the current car is clearly labeled as a "clone" car in the advertisement, and also good to see that it is a nice replica and is obviously a hard run car.

However, I noted on the geezergasser site that the car is listed as:

Bill Caughron, Louisville, KY
'48 Anglia
Powered by 389 SB Injected Chevy
Raced from '62 -'67 rebuilt in 2005
National record holder '64 10.41 ET
Runner up '64 A/G U.S. Nationals

SO... Has the car been represented as a "rebuilt" record winning car, or a clone replica car? It sounds like maybe both. I suspect the advertisement is admitting the truth. Not trying to stir anything up, just curious...

 

Most lower class gassers did not require even the minimum roll bar in the mid 60's. My F/G '56 didn't have one. The faster classes such as this A/G Anglia would have a single roll bar with one or two braces going to the rear of the chassis. The photos would be consistent with that style of roll bar.
It wasn't just the digger and funny car guys that paid the price, many door car drivers met the same fate. R.I.P to all my racing hero's.

 

All the above info regarding the Golden Angel is correct. Car was crashed at Ohio Valley Dragway Ed Payne the owner/driver lost his life in the wreck. Henry Putman drove the car for several yrs and after he and Payne split Henry competed in an altered. and Super Stocker. Henry died in the mid 70s.
Hershel Powell owned Powell's Service Center and sponsored several race cars including the Golden Angel. The 60 Chevy in earlier photo wasn't Payne or Putman. The current clone owned and driven by my buddy Bill is a very good representation of the original and runs about the same ET as the original. I spent many Friday nites watching the Golden Angel and very rarely was it beaten!! The car was a flawless piece of work, Ed and Henry ran a first class race operation! Sad that it had to end the way it did!!

 

Redline I have several pics of the crashed car, but none are the same as the one's you've posted. Would be interested in any other pics your friend may have, also several race pics and newspaper clipping re; Golden Angel.

 

i talked to one of the guys that was doing some work on the recreation , at louisville in 04.... want to say , the car was featured in hot rod or popular hot rodding ....he told me the story about the crash , i've never seen the pics....that is insane. i heard from a couple people about it , but thought they mentioned ohio valley too....where was cedarmoore at...?brandon

 

Brandon, The track refered to is Cedar Creek it was a eight mile track located south of Louisville Ky. in Bullitt County.
The original car was featured in Hot Rod Magazine August 1966 page 70-71
The guys posing with the car in the posted photos were track employees.
look closely at the photo of the two guys sitting in the car, the one in the drivers seat is Motorsports Announcer Army Armstrong.

 

I was kinda wondering where cedarmoore dragstrip was also, I definately know where Ohio Valley is (1/8 mile) and there was Cedar Creek (1/4 mile), that's been closed for quite some time now, maybe that's what he's thinking about. By the way I saw this car at the nat's this year, and it is a super nice clone of the original.

 

The 60 chev & the 37 chev coupe were run out of the same gas station Powels Pure on berry Blvd in louisville, Ky but were owned by Pappy Bell.

 

Cedar Creek Dragway location
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=...8953,-85.629701&panoid=MD9xrj18GmzctZGr3rcToA

1700 Berry Blvd, site of Powells Service Center, google maps streetview shows what looks to be a car lot at an old gas station. Is this the correct location and same bldg?
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=...bp=1,228.24907687554264,,0,3.9571167035003354

 

Hello All. Yes, that is the location of Hershel's old Pure Oil station. I live a half mile from there. My name is Robert Jackie Bell and I am the son of Pappy Bell. I am not the man he was! I am the one who took the photos of the Golden Angel that my friend posted here. Yes, it was a cheap camera. For more photos, my album can be seen here http://www.picturetrail.com/sfx/album/view/19847223 JB2wheeler

 

Hey JB, Thanks for joining the party. How cool is it to see all of this info on this old drag car and original racer?!?!

 

Yes, it is good to see it discussed. I am at the stage in my life that all I have left are the "good old days" JB

 

Good to see that some of the old guys are still around.
Lots of great info her, as is usual for the HAMB.

Edward L Payne, age 63, d.4-Jun-1967 Jefferson Co, residence Taylor Co.
Same feller?

7-Mar-2014: Apparently not, per this:
http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GSln=payne&GSfn=ed*&GSbyrel=all&GSdy=1967&GSdyrel=in&GSst=19&GScntry=4&GSob=n&GRid=105459353&df=all&

So when was the accident and anyone know anything about Ed Payne, family, where buried, etc?

 

So none of the fellows in the photos (see previous page) was Ed Payne?

The guy in the driver's seat is Army Armstrong?
Hmmm, I thought it would've been the guy in the passenger seat.

http://www.carshownation.com/video

 

Robert Jackie Bell... Well there's a name I havn't heard in a loooong time. Do you remenber Bob Dupin? Robert [bob] Shlaten? Mike Keown?

How about Kenny Roederer [green GTO]? He was my uncle.

I remember the old gas station before it became a car lot. Unfortunately the neighborhood has gone down hill quite a bit. The track was closed before my time, but I'v heard stories about it. One of my older uncles has told me about when it was a dirt drag strip. I'v driven by the location a dozen times, and knew exactly where it was, but seeing it from the air finally makes the connection for me.

 

Allen Melhouser is in the passenger seat, He's currently a missionary.overseas.

 

Here's a shot of the station and The Golden Angel.

 

Henry Putman on Lt. Ed Payne on Rt