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Photo ID # H05.25.11_005_HAY_LAN_0060S_1
Car #: #5
Driver (s) : "Hoss Hayes!"
Location: Langhorne, PA
Date: 1960
Photographer: Unknown
Photo provided by: Russ Dodge
Comments: Senior Moment From Russ Dodge:

Fact or Fiction, True or False, Wild Man ?

I hope that you are prepared to start a Senior Moment that will have to be broken down into several installments. My subject is a natural and came to me this week as I completed a photo collage of the "Wild Man" Elton Hildreth.

Before I even start, the air must be cleared that I will not fabricate any information included and that it is based strictly on my memory. I ask that all stories presented are accepted as is and without judgment! While some may have been stretched or distorted by time maybe, I have never found any untruth at the center core! Elton Hildreth is a master showman and story teller. Regardless of the topic, racing, super natural or life, he can keep a group silenced for hours as he unravels his vast array of stories and tales! Realizing that racing is ENTERTAINMENT, he honed his skills with his keen mind and developed a "persona" unequaled by many in the sport.

I'm a relatively new comer to the Hildreth legion, developing my friendship after Elton hung up his helmet. I always tell him I never liked him. Whenever I went to Vineland as a teenager, I had to put up with all those people wearing orange and black and cheering for him! I was a Pete Frazee fan!

Elton's response, "He was alright after I got him straightened out!" I remembered the big feud between the two of them. Elton said Pete thought he could do anything he wanted to do if he was leading the race and I told him he could hold a line but not move all over to block me.
The feud (difference of opinion) was real, Elton was a "promoter's dream" when he came in on race night with a big steel plow shaped front bumper on the 16-J which he said was made to cut Pete's car in half if he blocked him again! Of course the safety inspectors made him remove the bumper before they would let him race. However, promoter Bill Nocco let Elton warm-up with it on his car while announcer Frank Basile pointed it out to the crowd and explained its purpose. Wasn't it fortunate that it wasn't really welded on Elton's car but held on with a couple bolts for a quick removal! However, I have to note that Elton and Pete had a couple mishaps on the track during that period of time. Two wrecks I believe, were a result of the little pony tire on the left front of the 16-J being run over by Pete big right side tires! Thank goodness a discussion at the speedway banquet led to the ending of that feud period and a good friendship developed between Elton and Pete over the years.

Kentucky driver Hoss Hayes with the Pontiac powered 5 above is really Elton at Langhorne, October, 1960. Elton had been used in advertisements for the race. However in 1959 NASCAR had fined several NASCAR drivers for competing in the open competition event at Langhorne, so Elton decided to appear as Hoss Hayes for the event! The "cat was out of the bag" when promoter Al Gerber announce over the PA system that it was really Elton in disguise. (Elton Story) When I first got there I went walking in the pits and came across Monk Keller walking along. I started talking to him and it became apparent to Elton that Monk didn't have a clue it was him. So Elton lead the conversation in a direction that started to agitate Monk. It wasn't until Monk turned and was getting ready to "clobber" him that he said "Monk! It's me, Elton!" Another second and it would have been too late! Most people don't know that Hoss ran the 16-J in a heat at Nazareth one afternoon much to the chagrin of Elton's dad, who didn't want that stranger in Elton's car!

Traveling to numerous Old Timer events, EMPA, GSVSCC and NOTARC and others, I had a great opportunity to ask Elton about all the stories I heard growing up in the sport, about his "antics" both on and off the track. I would simple say as an example, " True or False Wild Man, did you really land an airplane on the roof of a barn?" The laughter would then follow as the master guided you through the event. "It wasn't a barn the Wild Man replied, it was a garage. To which I asked, "How did you do it?" To which he explained, " It was easy, all I had to do was...
We'll continue with the PLANE story and a few more next time!

Senior moment by Russ Dodge

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05.26.11 Bill Ore The first races I ever went to were at Vineland. My dad took me when I was about 10, which was the early 60's, and even at that young age I still remember watching the "Wild Man". He was considered by some to be an outlaw of sorts, but I still believe he was just an innovator who "pushed the envelope", so to speak.

Around that time, he was winning at Vineland almost every week, which is why my dad took an interest. I was also there the night Elton ran through the fence between turns three and four. It was a scary sight to say the least until we heard that he hadn't been hurt.
05.26.11 Ed Duncan I was at the 1st Old Bridge Reunion when Earl Krause interviewed Elton an Pete.It was suppose to be a short spot but the stories Elton An Pete were telling lasted about 20 minutes.  It was great.
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     

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