60'-70's Vintage Oval Track Modifieds

Brudy Drews 1968or 1969

 

I beleave Ollie ran for 34 years. He would run from about the third week from the opening in New England till the end of the season. He then would spend the rest of the time racing in Florida. Many years he won more than 40 races. There was a time in the early 70's when he would run Friday, Saturday, and Sunday nights in three different classes of racing. More than once he won three feature races per night. That was 12 on one weekend. Not counting qualifiers, and concy races. He would run all winter long when the rest of the guys where home in the north. He would come back North running the little 305 that they ran in Florida, and win for the first four to six weeks. He wouldn't install the 350 for about three to four weeks. The year he got injured 1978 he got hurt in June. He won so many races by June that he still won the track Championship.
The wins are documented. Russ Conway and Kenny did extensive research over the years to prove he won the races that many have written about.

 

Agreed, Johnny Sweet, Ollie was a great one. The man won a TON of features. But I think we'd all agree that there's a HUGE difference in having a handful of 40-win seasons, and AVERAGING that many wins for 30 years. Heck, 300 or 400 wins is an amazing career, and Ollie may well have been above that. All I know is, Richie Evans won about as much as any stock car shoe in my time, and the best documented total for Richie is just shy of 500. But here's the real test: Steve Kinser has over 800 Sprint Car wins that can be pointed out, on paper, by date and by track, and I cannot think of another driver who won AS OFTEN, and for AS LONG, as Steve has, in ANY division. Trickle didn't, Ollie didn't ... and that's OK! They're legends who were dominant in their eras, in their divisions. To me, that says it all!

 

Great to see Richie acknowledged and I hope his family takes great joy in this honor.
Bones, I hope they are smart enough to have you involved in the documentary they produce for all the inductees.

 

Haha! As the old joke goes, I've got a face made for radio! But, like everyone here, I'm thrilled for Richie, his family, and all his crewmen and friends. Great day.

 

Johnny,

Welcome to the party.

Frank

 

Richie Evans wins again!

 

A true hero and champion...

 

I second that, Bones should be involved in the documentary and also should be the presenter. Denny Z

 

You know, I actually regained some respect for NASCAR yesterday. They did the right thing by Richie, but there truly wasn't anyone that got in this year who shouldn't have gotten in. They were all deserving and I can't think of anything negative to say about any of the inductees. I watched the whole broadcast, as well as the Racehub later, and enjoyed the heck out of the TV yesterday. Let's hope Richie has opened the door for a few more Mod. guys now

 

Shamrock, I hate to wear this out, but the NASCAR Hall of Fame inductees are not selected BY the sanctioning body. They've certainly got folks on both the nomination and voting panels, and they surely have an influence ... but there's a big voting committee on place. So NASCAR didn't put Richie Evans in, and it was never NASCAR keeping Richie out. The voters did that. And today, like you, I'm happy that he's one of the first 15 total inductees ... and, wow, one of the first dozen drivers! Isn't that cool?

 

I agree 100% with Mr. Zimmerman... "Bones should be involved in the documentary and also should be the presenter."

Bones, you wrote fantastic tributes about Richie. "The Day The Music Died" and "RICHIE". Who better than the former "Modified Madness" columnist to induct Richie into the Hall.

Indy ? You're right down the road Bones.

 

Bones would be a great presenter. Very, very happy to see a short track ground pounder recognized this way.

 

Bones,

I know, I know....it's not all determined by NASCAR. Guess what I should have said was....thanks to all on the committee, including the NASCAR "folks on both the nomination and voting panels". And yes, I certainly think NASCAR does have some "influence" in these matters, as you say. How much is some? I don't think anybody knows that for sure, but at least the right thing was done this year. It's a good time to be a fan of the Modifieds, so we should all enjoy the moment!

 

By chance... by votes... by luck... by influence... by gosh... or... by God, Richie Evans' legacy is now secured in the NASCAR Hall of Fame...

Regards,

Moselli (Richie)

 

Two never released pictures....I am guessing 1975 or 1976.....photog unknown

 

Shangri-La Speedway.....Maynard and Richie, cigs in hand.............

 

Dave Nichols on the far left....

 

Pit stop at Pocono.....1979

 

Gater Racing News......1977

 

All I heard was 8 straight....the words "HOLY CRAP" came right out of my mouth before Brain France could even say Richie Evans!

We are lucky he made it before many fore fathers of the sport. Too be in the 1st 15 is amazing!
Hope next year we see all old coupe and early style stock car drivers inducted! Mikey Mantle never would of went in before Babe Ruth.

 

EMMR guys were at Susquehanna Speedway on 6-12-2011, here some of the highlights. enjoy!

 

I just read on Nascar.com that Richie Evans never competed in Cup or Busch but I'm sure he ran the Permatex race in 73 & 75. Denis Giroux almost won the 73 race. Bill Dennis was the dominate guy then. I believe they called the Busch series Late Model Sportsman then.

 

Correct, Richie ran that race from 1973-76, but the Late Model Sportsman stats are a bit hazy and thus not counted toward the Busch or Nationwide series. Makes me crazy, too, but what can you do?

 

Speaking of the Daytona Permatex race....I can't remember the year (somewhere between 68-71, I think) that Dutch Hoag ran 2nd to Lee Roy Yarborough in that race, but I remember listening to it on the radio (no tv coverage) and being pretty excited about it. It was Dutch's 1st time on that speedway & he did pretty good for a Yankee up against what was basically a Grand National (before Winston, Sprint, etc.) team. I rember seeing the car after the race on an open trailer at Dutch's garage in Bath. It was an ex-Cotten Owens Dodge that Gene Dewitt bought for Dutch to drive. In those days they had full glass-even the side windows and it had these cool looking modified (so they'd fit between the door bars on the cage) window cranks, roll up windows and everything. Because he was a "rookie" the back bumper was yellow with "Pleeease Dodge me" written on it. There wasn't a single scratch on the car after that race!

 

Richie and Maynard, 1974 Permatex Race.......Gater News

Richie is driving a car purchased from Maynard/Dave Nagle, the one campaigned as a "Cup" car in 1971. Maynard running as a teammate to Bill Dennis in the Junie Donleavy Ford.

 

Most memorable Richie Evans races:

- The Oswego Classic when he and Jeff Fuller (black 2x) battled through the last half of the race and Richie winning by half a car length. On the cool down lap, as they came by the front stretch grandstands) Fuller pulled up along side Richie and gave him a thumbs up.

- Polverari (of course) and Evans epic finish in the 81 Sizzler. After they crossed the line the score board flashed to 61 - 71 - 44 then back to 71 - 61 - 44. I was so excited (as an 11 yr old) I jumped up and kissed the nice lady next to me on the cheek! (later found out that was Mrs Hoenig sitting beside us in the roped off section in front of the press box).

- Evans passing Bodine, Kent, and John Rosati on the outside of 3 and 4 at Thompson to win. I believe it was a 40 lapper that was a Thompson 300 "front row" race.

There are, of course, many more, but those are the first three that came to mind.

 

This IS richie's last flag

 

Zackspeed, Richie's last win was actually Oswego in October, night before Syracuse. Previous win was the 1985 Thompson 300, but that was a blistering hot day and in your pic the fans are wearing coats. Strikes me that this shot is from qualifying for the Icebreaker or World Series ... Note the cars on pit road, lined up as if they've already time-trialed.