07.18.03_10A_WAR_ALC_0058

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Date:	Visitor's Name:	Comment:
07/19/03	Jim Murrow	Great picture. This car was one of the fastest sportsman cars around at the time. Tom and Bob Raymer bought the car from Lew Mood in 1957, and changed the number from 29, to 10A, because they already owned a midget #10. The car was gold and white when they bought it, and it ran the rest of the 1957 season that way, with their midget driver Al Graeber at the wheel. Over the '57-'58 winter, the color changed to pink and white, as it was in this picture. Al Graeber, (who later would become a legend in his funny car, "Tickle me Pink", a dodge charger), didn't like stock cars, and wasn't too fond of running dirt, either, so, "The Iron Man", Bill Wark was hired to replace him at the wheel of the 10A in '58, while Al continued to drive the Raymer's midget. The car in the background, is the other sportsman in the Raymer Racing team stable, the # 11, driven by Bobby Becker. The # 11 car was owned by Clarence Maul, of Maul Brothers Machine shop, in Millville, NJ - but was built, and fielded by the Raymers. Later, of course, The Maul Bros. owned the famous Maul Missle, # 111 modified, driven by, (in order), Elton Hildreth, Jackie McLaughlin, and Budd Olsen. In those days, the sportsmen and modifieds ran together, but, the sportsman cars were paid, and awarded points for their overall finishing position, but were also paid for their finishing position, in their class. If, for example, a sportsman finished in 4th place in the feature, behind three modifieds, he would be paid 4th place money, PLUS 1st sportsman money. He would be awarded the same number of points as the winner, for being 1st in the sportsman class. The overall track champion, could, therefore, either be a modified or a sportsman. Alcyon, and Flemington, in NJ, and Mason-Dixon Speedway, in Delaware, were all NASCAR tracks. The 10A ran them all. NASCAR gave the first modified, and the first sportsman in every feature event a checkered flag sticker to place on the side of the race car. By the time the 10A was totaled, practically the whole right side of the car was covered with them. I believe Bill Wark, in the 10A was either sportsman, or overall champion for the States of NJ, and Delaware, as well as Alcyon, Flemington, and Mason-Dixon speedways, at one time or anopther. Thanks, Jim Murrow
07/20/03	Ed Duncan	Bill Wark was a regular runner at Old Bridge Stadium with that car.
07/20/03	Jim Murrow	Sorry Ed, although Bill Wark may well have been a regular at Old Bridge at one time or another, and perhaps in a car similar to this one, the Raymer 10A was never a regular there. I was at Tom Raymer's house several times a week, from before he bought the car until it was totaled, and went with the car wherever it went.The car was a regular at Alcyon, and Flemington, briefly at Mason-Dixon, and Atco, when promoted by Bill Vail. Thanks,
03/26/07	George Gwynn Jr.	Sorry Jim.....but I'm almost positive that the old Mason Dixon Speedway was in Pennsylvania. It's still there (now an auto salvage business) on Rt. 1, just south of Oxford, PA. I saw racing there, as a kid, on both the dirt and later the blacktop racing surfaces.

Photo ID #	07.18.03_10A_WAR_ALC_0058_1
Car #:	#10A
Driver (s) :	Bill Wark, (Tom Raymer-Owner and Bob Hill-Pit Steward)
Location:	Alcyon
Date:	1958
Photographer:	Bob Sweeten
Photo provided by:	Bill Skinner
Comments:	Comment provided by Bill Skinner: This car and driver won the Sportsman Championship at Alcyon in 1958 and represented Alcyon Speedway in the Nascar 100 mile Sportsman-Modified race at Trenton, NJ on July 27th, 1958. This car was the #29 of Lew Mood in 1957. Lew won the Sportsman Championship at Alcyon driving the #29 for most of the racing season in 1957.