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Senior Moment From Russ Dodge:
Jim Got Gypsy'd Out of a Win!
The Senior Moments rambled on as I viewed this William Curley
photo sequence shot at Vineland Speedway. Capture forever were two of my
favorite cars from all times.
How Ralph Smith in Neal William's 44 ended up on the hood of Jim Delaney's
4, I don't know. I was at Alcyon Speedway in Pitman that night and didn't
see this first picture until the Vineland newspaper arrived on Saturday
morning. Quick with the scissors , the newspaper copy of this wreck was in
my scrapbook on short order! Being fortunate enough to get the 3 picture
sequence later in life, numerous "tidbits of questionable valued"
information flow quite easily.
The white 4 sedan of Jim Delaney was the first "center steer" cars with a
major engine set-back I recall, to run at Vineland. The car was "sanitary"
and fast! Jim may have perhaps won his 5th feature in a row if it weren't
for this wreck, as it was, he made repairs and went on to finish second in
the feature! Looking back I realize why "The Gypsy" 707 was so pleasing to
my eyes 5 years later in 1963. Other than removing the post that split the
back window opening, the 4 and 707 looked very much similar in appearance.
By the way, Frankie Schneider won the main that night!
Neal William's 44's were at the top of the list for best appearing stock
cars of all times! (my opinion!) The International red paint with the bright
white contrasting numbers, pin stripes and trim, was combined with just the
right amount of lettering! NuCity Signs in Vineland operated by a guy named
Jim Barrett, I believe, handled the brush. He was the "master" of the 4's.
Phil Gemenden, who ran the 404, used Jimmy's services on his first sedan at
Alcyon. He was amazed on how perfect the numbers were formed without any
template of layout! Of note, Ralph Smith later in life told me the 44, was a
new coupe and had just been lettered that day!
In photo 2, Ralph Smith "surveys" the situation before exiting the 44. You
can just about see Lenny Brown's Mark 1 parked under Ralph's car. We see a
couple of Elton Hildreth's pit crew members made it across the track from
the pits to check out the scene. Note the 16-J patches on the back of their
white coveralls. Note also on Delaney's 4 how far back the exhaust outlet is
on the side and how far into the car the dash/engine cover extends.
In photo 3, I wonder if the guy on the far left got tired of holding the car
up. I wonder if they lifted the 44 or just rolled it over a little more to
release Lenny's Mark 1. Remember this was 1958 when you check out the width
of the slicks on the 44!
In 1958 at Vineland Speedway Jim Delaney won 5 feature events. Frankie
Schneider was second in two of those. Frankie Schneider won 6 features with
Jim Delaney finished second four times. Ralph Smith won 3 feature in the 44
and Steve Elias won 2 in Neal William's "Old Rags" 44 sedan. Elton Hildreth
won 4 and Norman Kidd won one.
Senior Moment By Russ Dodge |