c08.02.06_056_ROS_UNK_0070_1.jpg (122916 bytes)

Photo ID # c08.02.06_056_ROS_UNK_0070_1
Car #: #56
Driver (s) : Bob Rossell
Location: not sure...
Date: 1970's (1973?)
Photographer: unknown
Photo provided by: Michael Kent
Comments: Looks pretty perfect to me....
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Comment:

08/03/06 Bob Becker Joe, it looks like Bridgeport's guard rail.
08/03/06 Rob Renninger That white tire in the infield make me think it is Nazareth Half Mile.
08/03/06 3-Wide I'm not really sure where it's from.  The provider of the photo had written down Bridgeport I think.. and it does look like a steel wall... I'm not sure when Bridgeport did the red/white/red/white thing.
08/04/06 Rob Renninger If I remember correctly Bridgeport bought and installed the steel walls and
the grandstand from Langhorne when they closed.
08/04/06 Matt Bahre This car was extremely fast at the Valley when Rossell brought it up for the early 70's mid-summer 100 lappers paying 2000 to win and a starting spot in the big fall 200. He also was building cars for other people at the time including non other than Will Cagle.

One of those cars he built was for owner Joe Leito from Albany NY. He hired Tommy Correllis to drive the red #50 and that car dominated the Valley for a number of years as well as always being in the hunt at Syracuse.

The cut out of the roof at the left front corner of this car was quite common for those that raced at the Valley as it allowed the driver to see down the track from the very high banks!
08/04/06 Greg C! The perfect picture of Bob Rossell # 56 Coupe Is Bridgeport -

- The track degree of banking is Bridgeport
- The Rail [it is a rail NOT a wall] is Bridgeport
- The position of the tires [depth of tires also] is Bridgeport
- The "Grove" that they are running is a popular spot at Bridgeport
- The perfect picture is just how Bob ran Bridgeport

It is Not Nazareth for sure!

I say it is Bridgeport if you haven't figured it out yet - by the way
"Great Shot"
08/06/06 3-Wide Well... after careful consideration, I've concluded that it's Bridgeport!   (Thanks guys)

OK all you hot shots out there... Bridgeport's steel rail is now red and white...  I think they opened in 1972 and in the picture above, it looks like it is solid white.   When did they add the red paint?
08/06/06 Russ Dodge The picture of Bob is taken at Bridgeport. When Leon Manchester promoted the track in 1973 he kept the place sharp and always had the tires in the infield painted white. Most of the tires were off of a road cars and sawed so the when they were buried, half the tire was exposed and the cut part was place even with the ground on one end, so that when a racer hit the tire it could move a little or flex so as to not cause damage to the race car. Leon wanted the infield to be open, free from an inner fence.

A problem was created when some driver found they could work their left front on the tires or even inside the tires. Having reached a point where warnings didn't work, Leon solved the problem. He took wheels of a semi, blew them up to about 90 pounds pressure, painted them white and buried a few in the turns. What a surprise for some when they dove in low and hit one of these! I saw a modified in a warm-up hit one and the car when up on two wheels, just like the two wheel stunt in the old Chitwood thrill show. Needless to say when the word got out, no one tried the short cut inside the tire anymore. ( They were removed , I recall, a few at a time and replaced with the regular cut tires)

Note the small opening cut in the roof on the driver's side of the car. Bob was racing at Lebanon Valley and couldn't see the flagger or track safety lights because of the angle of the track and the car, so it was cut for visibility. While preferring to build cars than drive, he is a true treasure to our sport. A finalist in my personal list of stock car greats. He is a no nonsense guy and to the point. He accomplishments prove it!

The guard rail, along with the regular steel work for the original grandstands were salvaged from the old Langhorne Speedway. Because Langhorne was a mile track, Leon could stack the rails so that they were two high around the track.

One more story and I'll shut up, on the opening day in the fall of 1972, the track was totally a mob scene. There actually were some drivers who never paid their way in. The fourth heat was called for anyone who hadn't run in the previous heats. One driver I know was parked outside the track, drove in thru the pit gate, raced and pulled back out. Having failed to qualify, he loaded up and watched the remainder of the show from outside.

Well, one more story! When they were ready to play the National Anthem, the crowd stood up and the first section of grandstands swayed a couple inches. Needless to say, the next day the welding crew was placing additional large cross bracing under the stand! It's hard to believe it's been 34 years, yet the memories are still vivid.

Thank you for listening, Russ Dodge
08/06/06 3-Wide Thanks for telling!  Always great to hear from you Russ.
     
     
     

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