| Photo ID # | 05.14.03_049_MOO_ALC_0055_1 |
| Car #: | #49 |
| Driver (s) : | Ralph Moody |
| Location: | Alcyon Speedway, Pitman, NJ |
| Date: | 1950's |
| Photographer: | Walter Chernokal |
| Photo provided by: | Russ Dodge |
| Comments: | (Comments provided by Russ): This 1955, Walter Chernokal photo shows racing legend Ralph Moody at Alcyon Speedway. The orange/black # 49 Jr was owned by Melvin Joseph form Georgetown, Delaware. Melvin always fielded top flight race cars with big name drivers. I have film of Curtis Turner in this car on the beach at Daytona. In later years Johnny Roberts and Reds Kagle drove the cars in the Northeast. Melvin Joseph should be a familiar name for those who follow NASCAR racing particularly at Dover Downs Speedway. Not knowing all the business end, he built and owned it I believe and may still own it. As always additional information, corrections and up dates welcome. Thanks, Russ Dodge |
| Visitor's Comments | To add your comments about THIS PHOTO - Click Here | |
| Date: | Visitor's Name: | Comment: |
| 05/15/03 | Jim Murrow | Mel Joseph is an interesting guy. Yes, as far as I know, Mel is still President of Dover International Raceway, and I think he still owns Georgetown Speedway, as well. His son, Mel Joseph, Jr., drove Sportsman, and later Modifieds, also. The car is #49, he also owns a company named 49 Construction, Etc. The number 49 is very important to Mel because, as a struggling contractor, he made it big by landing his first government contract in 1949. Mel is also a good friend of Bobby Allison. Thanks Jim Murrow |
| 05/15/03 | Todd L | Ralph Moody is the same Ralph Moody that was half of the really potent Holman-Moody combination that fielded cars for Fred Lorenzen, Fireball Roberts and many other drivers in NASCAR. Holman Moody is also where Robert Yates began his career in racing. Holman Moody also built engines for a lot of NASCAR teams in the 50's and 60's. If my memory is right I think that Bobby Allison's Coke #12 Matador may have been powered by HM. |
| 05/15/03 | Ed Duncan | Ralph was the Moody part of Holman - Moody fame. Was also an outstanding midget car driver in New England in the 1940s. Great picture. Ed |
| 06/22/04 | Ralph Richards | I was sorry to hear that Ralph Moody had recently passed away. He was a true pioneer of auto racing |
| 06/22/04 | 3-Wide | I heard about Ralph's passing from a discussion with Freddy Menschner, Harold Rulon and Earl Krause at the recent funeral for Bill Singer. We were having a discussion about early innovators and Ralph's name came up along with Smokey Yunicks and Wally Marks. |
| 02.27.11 | Bill Lawson | He signed his first big state road
contract in 1949. That same year, he became a partner in the Georgetown Ford
Dealership. From that year forward, Melvin deemed his lucky number 49. His
license number, license plates, airplanes, horses and race cars have all
included the number 49. Melvin L. Joseph Sr. of Georgetown, DE. died suddenly Wednesday, April 6, 2005, at his place of business. He was born on August 4, 1921. Joseph was a pioneer in the development of NASCAR. His passion for racing began on the back roads of Sussex County in his suped-up Mercury's which led to the beaches of Daytona, FL. In 1955, his cars won both the NASCAR Sportsman and Modified Events on the sands of Daytona Beach, FL. In 1959, Joseph's car, driven by Banjo Matthews, won the race by an amazing 3 miles in the first NASCAR Modified race on the newly built Daytona International Speedway. Another racing highlight includes owning one of the cars that Bobby Allison drove to many victories. His racing involvement led to lifelong friendships with racing legends such as Bobby Allison, Ralph Moody, Bobby Unser, AJ Foyt, Junior Johnson, Junie Donlavey and numerous others. |
| 05.29.12 | Mike Rouke | My name is Mike Rouke, and as a young owner/ driver of car# 55, racing in DE and Md in the 50's. I asked Melvin Joseph if maybe I could test my car at Georgetown Speedway one afternoon while sitting in his office in Georgetown, DE. He looked across the desk and told me to be careful and slid the keys to the pit gate across his desk to me. A great guy and very helpful to younger people who were not nearly in his class, yet he ran with the best. |
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