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Photo ID # f05.25.09_NOC_DEL_LAN_0058S_1
Car #: #NA
Driver (s) : Bill Delaney
Location: Langhorne, PA
Date: 1958
Photographer: William Curley
Photo provided by: Russ Dodge
Comments: Provided By:  Russ Dodge:

Not Harry and Bert, but Bill and Jim!

Call it the power of advertising, product identification or whatever but I can never look at this photo without remembering the Piel’s Beer ads from the late 50’s, on black and white television. For you youngsters out there under 60, Piels Beer had a series of advertisement which featured cartoon characters representing the Piels Brothers, Harry and Bert. Now look at this super photo of Vineland Speedway promoter Bill Nocco congratulating Jim Delaney and notice the perfect placement of the “cold one” carried over from Victory Lane! What a unique commercial photo this would have made. Over-all a great photo of Jim!

This William Curley photo was taken at Langhorne Speedway on October 12, 1958, after Jim Delaney had just won the National Open.  This was his first of two wins, repeating the task again in 1959.

To promote interest in the Langhorne event, special Langhorne Qualifying programs were held at many short tracks in the northeast.  The driver of the first sportsman car in the feature (back then sportsman ran with the modifieds) would receive an engraved silver bowl. This bowl was usually presented by Mr. Gerber or Mr. Fried, promoters of the fall Langhorne event. The concept of this qualifier was to lure the fans to follow their local representative to the race. Jim Delaney was the representative from Vineland Speedway. I should mention that if you won the qualifier, you were an automatic starter in the October National 100 Lap Sportsman event.

This candid photo is one of the best photos of Jim I’ve seen. I really like his driving uniform (blue) which was “top shelf” in 1958. One other note on Jim Delaney’s back to back wins and I would like verification on this from one of you old timers who may know for sure is it true, the winning car from 1958 was parked and not run until the Langhorne race in 1959. Somewhere in the back of my mind I recall hearing that many years ago.

Once again many Senior Moments “stirred-up” from a classic photo.

Senior Moment by Russ Dodge
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Comment:
05.25.09 Rob Renninger If my senior memory is also correct I do believe Jim parked his white #4 coupe between the 1958 & 59 Langhorne race. Even though Jim was from Easton, Pa. he was not a regular at the nearby Nazareth Speedway. I remember him only showing up with a #4 coupe or sedan for only the long extra distances races. He seemed to specialize in them.
05.25.09 Leona Steele Lindmar jim delaney won the roc at llanghorne for the first time in 1952, then back to back in 58-59
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     

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