History Anglia Accident at Ohio Valley Raceway

Here's a copy of Cedar Creek Flyer. Sorry for all the olddrags logos on the pics, We've recently had some serious problems with pics being downloaded and being sold on ebay!

 

I am in my declining years and my memory has suffered considerably. My heavy drinking when I was in my 20s might have something to do with it. I do not remember the names you mention. Some things I remember and some things I dont. I still have over a hundred of my dad's old trophies and some say Cedar Creek on them, but most say Bullitt Dragway. I do not know how to use spell check, LOL. I love the old neighborhood and it has went down quite a bit. Too much rental property now. I live in my dad's old house, I have had many chances to pick up good deals elsewhere but when it gets down to "use the pot or get off" I just cant bring myself to move. JB

 

Like I say, my memory is shot. Can anyone remind me who the owner of the red kit car in my album belonged to? JB

 

One of the car rags, Hot Rod (I think), ran a photo of Cedar Creek (I think) in it's dilapidated state, sometime in the last year or three. Someone had sent it in.

 

I'm really sorry to hear that.

Bob Dupin worked at Bob Ryans "Smiling Irishmans" car lot for years. He drove a Chrysler 300-G, an Alpine Tiger, and a 66 Hemi Charger. He was one of the founders of the Chrysler 300 club. He passed away in 2004

Bob Shlaten drove a 55 chevy and worked at the service station [sunoco I think] at the corner of Berry and Taylor. He did all the work for Ryans car lot. Bob is still around, but suffering from health problems

Mike Keown was a Chevy guy, and as I recall, he had about the first Camaro in the city, a dark blue 327-4 speed one. His son Mickey had a Chevelle. I havn't talked to either of them in a few years, but I hear they are well.

Kenny Roederer [my uncle] lived almost behind your station, and he was murdered in his home in 1975. It was a big deal when it happened as they never solved the case of who killed him. There had been a string of break-ins and robberies in the neighborhood, and they were afraid the killer could be the same guy.

How about Bobby Murray who owned the car lot on 7th street? He is still around, but had a bad accident with a propane tank explosion a couple years ago, so he's in rough shape.

Bill Rogers had the Chevron Station on Preston Hwy. He had another 66 Hemi Charger, and ran around with Bob Dupin. He passed away a few years ago in an accident.

FWIW, I do remember your name in conversation a time or two. So we had some friends in common somewhere along the line, and I rode my bike in front of the station about a million times... A red Schwinn Stingray. I cant say for sure, but it's quite possible I saw the cars there too. There were a lot of racers back in the day, and almost every gas station, car lot, or garage was involved with a couple of them.

 

Sorry to hear about your uncle, but no, I do not remember any of the names you mention. I lived in Chicago in the late 60s and moved back to Louisville and got married in the early 70s and moved behind Irquois Park. I remember the station at Taylor/Berry and the name Bob Shlaton sounds VERY familar, but I cant bring it up. When both my parents passed I moved into their house. It was custom built from the best materials available and you just cant find anything built as well now-a-days. JB

 

Jesus...those pics gave me the chills.

 

Olddrags is correct. Army was probably about 17, and rather athletic at the time, when behind the wheel of the Golden Angel. Years and pounds aren't kind -- I know it firsthand also.

 

Thought I would let ya'll know what I know. Ed Payne was the manager of the Krispy Kreme Doughnut in Louisville, Ky. That is where I first sat in the car as a 14 year old kid. My dad "Nick" Nichy Sr. took over the Krispy Kreme when Ed had the accident. My dad told me that Ed's wife was having a fit for him to get out of racing. He had decided to drive the car himself one final time to show it to a prospective buyer when he had the accident. I also only new the name of Hershall Powell as the station where the doughnut trucks were serviced. If anyone knows any more, I would really like to know. "Nick" Nichy Jr.

 

While on the subject of Louisville racers, does anyone know what became of Joe Williamson? He ran a bad fast E/A in the 70's?

 

Hi Nick, You added to history. Good to hear from you. Perhaps bumping this up will bring up some more info. A ton of interesting stuff here already.

God Speed Ed.

 

Joe is retired and living just south of Louisville, Doing some roundy- round asphalt racin. Joe was one of the more successful Ky racers, He won a lot on regional and national events with the "Trouble Maker" It was one wicked six banger!

 

This is the very reason why my altered is now becoming a hot rod.
And it took one of the "kids" in the NHRA tech shack to make me take a good look at what I thought was a decent cage.
Check out my album. You never know how good your cage is until you need it.

 

inline altered....only seen pics of that one....

 

I ran an H/G 51 Anglia with a 310 ford 6 in the early 70s and was so stupid I poured the roll bars full of lead to make the class. It also had stock Anglia steering which was whatever the steering wheel moved the front wheels moved. You lined it up straight and never moved it and it would end up straight at the end. Did I mention the stock Anglia front brakes and the laundramat plastic drivers seat ?

 

sounds like scary good times.... gotta love that teeny tiny stock front suspension

 

All you kentucky racers check out kentuckymotorsportshalloffame.com for a lot of pictures of old Kentucky racers. They need pictures and help finding info on kentucky racers. Neat website

 

Joe has come out of drag racing retirement. Back in October I certified the rollcage in his newest ride, a '95 Grand Am tube chassis car built for bracket racing. As with everything Joe does, he built it all himself. He ran a few test runs at Ohio Valley and said it was great to be back behind the wheel of a drag car again. The Williamson family enjoyed that project so much that Joe has just started building a second drag car for his son Joey to race.

On the subject the Anglia and Powells Service Center, I remember buying Pure Racing gas there back in the 60's when I was drag racing before I became a techman. I don't know if it made any difference in my street car but it made me think the car was faster anyway.

 

I have always heard that The "Angel" crashed at the old Somerset track.

 

No, it was at Ohio valley. It hit all the 'Burger Drive joints" that evening and brought alot of sadness !! Tom (Tired Old Man)

 

Maybe I'm getting my stories crossed. I remember hearing my dad talking about a driver who was driving up the return lane at Ohio Valley, I believe. When he opened up the door and leaned out to check something and fell out, the car ran over him taking his life. Here is a picture of my dad in the 60's at the Valley.

 

Man I have never seen Payne's car after it was crashed. Made my heart drop!

 

That is the same story that I herd while growing up. Makes you wounder.

 

the accident did occur at ohio valley raceway. Ed payne was sponsred by powells pure service center on berry blvd., louisville , ky. I spent a lot of hours at powell's, to get my 1st. Exposure to cars...those were good times and racing back then was racing !

 

I raced an H/G 300 Ford 6 powered Anglia in the early 70s. My roll bar was 2 inch galavanized tubing {welding it is excellent for your lungs}. To make more weight to get it in H/G I came up with the engenius idea of pouring the rollbar {just a main 2 inch hoop & 2 down tubes} full of 200 lbs of molten lead. If that isnt stupid enough for you yet I ran the stock steering & front brakes. You lined it up straight & braced your elbow against the door & never moved the wheel no matter what as the ratio was about 1-1. It would jump all aarund thru the gears but end up going straight in high gear. Is all of that stupid enough for you yet ? Gonna be dumb you got to be tough. Almost forgot the stolen plastic laundramat chair as a drivers seat. Jesus what a dumbass I was !

 

I flipped my Anglia on it's side at Indy Good Guys in 2003. It slid about 400Ft. Once they start to go away, they're hard to get back in line. I would love to have any pictures or footage of the wreck. The car was red with polished real mag five spokes and no lettering.

 

I almost forgot that Ohio Valley used to have a return lane till I saw that picture of pdc's. I'm pretty sure the recreated Powells sponsored car was on display at the Carl Casper car show last Feburary. My mom told me a few years ago that I would ride in her lap while her and my dad would drive around in circles at the Cedar Creek drag strip in his 57 Ranchero to dry off the DIRT track, so they could race. Funny I only live about 5 miles from there now. I drove over there 7 or 8 years ago, could have been longer, and you could still see the tiny little strips of asphalt. I believe around 70 or 71 they were still racing there. I went a few times and watched. If you saw how close together the lanes are you'd say, nooo wayy

 

I would like to thank all those kind racers that posted on this string
we need to see and hear these storys and facts from the men that made the history, its the reason I stay here.

 

Oldrags, Cedar Creek Dragway was located just South of Fern Creek, Ky. It could be reached from either Bardstown road or Preston Highway. The tower, lights and about 1/2 of the track was on one property and the traps and part of the track on an adjacent tract. I used to race Powell Bros. Ford or Chevy (?) about a 1939 model. Usually got my clock cleaned. Their station sold race gas which they phased out around 1971. TJN/56NOMAD

 

A good friend Dale Blevins and his brother worked for Wayne Williams at Ohio Valley Raceway. I believe Wayne owned the track at the time. I was told that Ed had made a pass and removed his safety belt. He was pulling wheelies on the return road when he lost control and the car flipped several times throwing Ed out of the car. I seem to remember a guy named Bill Caswell that was involved with the G. Angle somehow. I think Bill worked at International Harvester.
What happened to Chuck Goodner? John Carter, Eldon Huffman, Jim Cusic had a beautiful blown BB/G 55 chevy, Mugs Tichner, Mad Chad and His Gheto Gang...Lyde Wagers, Jess Campbell. I could go on but I guess so could several of you.