| Photo ID # | 11.19.03_KEN_WLD_UNK_0070_1 |
| Car #: | #(NA) |
| Driver (s) : | Kenny Weld |
| Location: | Unknown |
| Date: | 70's? |
| Photographer: | Bud Diefenderfer |
| Photo provided by: | Ralph Richards |
| Comments: | It's not my
nature to get political with my comments, but I was always told that when you need to make
a decision about something, you list all the positive things on one side and right next to
it, you list any negative things. Then you see which list is longer and that's how
you make your decision. Using the above formula, there is no doubt that Kenny was an incredible innovator and a very talented Sprint and Modified driver, and some would say had more effect on the sport in the 70's and early 80's than anyone else. I'm not going to lie and say that I liked the progression from homemade cars to 'Speedshop Cars" that occurred way back when, but Ken read the rules... pushed a little further... and ultimately, opened the door for the inevitable:"A better mousetrap". Only this time the better mousetrap was in the form of the "Weld Built" modifieds which quickly began dominating the scene by the mid 70's. Speaking of innovation, I could be way off on this, but I think "Greg" Weld was one of the first to sport a rollcage on a sprint car back in the late 60's. So there you have it... Innovation... it's one of those things... |
| Visitor's Comments | To add your comments about THIS PHOTO - Click Here | |
| Date: | Visitor's Name: | Comment: |
| 09/05/04 | John Sullivan | Kenny in my opinion was one of the best all around racers. He grew up in a racing family and not only was his brothers Greg and Jerry but his father Taylor {PAPPY} Weld. Kenny could build fabricate and work on not to mention drive the racecar. Even when he payed the debt to society he developed the concept of CAM a true hero in my life. |
| 09/05/04 | 3-Wide | John - not sure what you mean.. are you talking about CAD/CAM as in drawing engineering plans with a computer? |
| 09/05/04 | John Sullivan | Sorry CAM computor assisted machining. The man was ahead of his time not only in the sprint cars and modifieds but in cylinder head design and production. |
| 12/19/04 | J. STINNETT | KENNY WELD INVENTED THE CNC PROGRAM FOR CYLINDER HEADS THAT EVERYONE USES TODAY (WELD TECH). THIS GUY WAS SO FAR AHEAD OF HIS TIME,WE ARE STILL TRYING TO CATCH UP. EVER SEE HIS LAST CREATION? IT WAS A RADICAL LOOKING SPRINTER WITH WITH HEADERS FACING FORWARD, HE WAS ON TO SOMETHING,HE JUST RAN OUT OF TIME |