When the Local Guys Could Compete In the Big Times

This great John Reilly photo (top) of Pete Frazee behind the wheel of Joe Racz’s NASCAR late model, was taken at Old Bridge. My Senior Moment from this car will be from recollections and research from the one time I saw it run.

The race was the Northern 500 at the Trenton Fairgrounds on May 30, 1958. It was a tough decision to make whether to go to Trenton and see the ‘Big Stars” in NASCAR late models or follow my heart to Alcyon Speedway and watch my weekly favorites! Since I wasn’t old enough to drive, I chose Trenton because it seamed like a one chance opportunity for me.

What a thrill it was to see the speedway plus the cars and drivers I had only read about or seen pictures of, in my Illustrated Speedway News racing paper! Can you imagine Fireball Roberts, Curtis Turner, Buck Baker, Junior Johnson, Cotton Owen and even Lee Petty was there! I was surprised to see Pete Frazee, Johnnie Mackison, Charlie Cregar and several others that ran “locally” in the field. The one driver I wanted to see wasn’t there however, and that was Frank Schneider. It was that weekend Frankie got into his dispute with NASCAR and loaded up and went home, never to return!

To be truthful, my first recollection from that day was the “wicked” headache I had when I got home, a result of sitting in the open bleacher for the duration of the 500 miler (5 hrs, 54 mins, 56 secs). Thank goodness it left after a shot nap. The second thing I remember was the roast beef sandwich the older guys shared with me. The beef was a little dry and loaded with pepper but it tasted great, much better than the “dirty water” hot dogs, I recall.

Fireball Roberts won the race driving a 1957 Chevrolet, going the distance averaging 84.522 mph. Junior Johnson in a 1957 Ford finished 2nd, two laps down and Lee Petty was 3rd in a 1957 Olds, eight laps down. Pete Frazee’s day ended with a blown head gasket on lap 346.

A month earlier Pete had driven the car in a NASCAR short track event held at Old Bridge Stadium on April 17, 1958. He finished 15th out of the 27 car starting field with no reason listed for the DNF. That race was won by Jim Reed in a 1957 Ford followed by Eddie Pagan, Rex White and Frankie Schneider, 4th.

In 1959 the Trenton Race date was moved up in May and the Memorial Day race date went to Ascot Speedway in California.

The Trenton race was shortened to 150 laps and only 18 cars raced that day. Tom Pistone was the winner followed by Cotton Owens and Lee Petty. The 1959 season ended NASCAR’s interest in the north until years later into the modern era, as they call it, and the tracks they run today.

I have enclosed copies of two cancelled checks. One shows the amount of money earned by the Racz 41 at Trenton. The second, is the check paid to Frankie Schneider for setting fast time at Trenton, even though they do not give him credit in the records for doing so. Speedy Thompson is listed as fastest qualifier. The NASCAR payoff was handled by Mrs. Johnny Bruner. She kept all the cancelled checks when they were returned from the bank. I acquired these two “pieces of history” from her estate.

I was glad I went that day and it was worth the anxiety I suffered all afternoon wondering who was winning the modified feature back home. (Ed Lindsay, followed by Budd Olsen with Al Tasnady 3rd)
I never saw another NASCAR late model event in person until the Daytona 500 in 1975, and that was my last.

I hope that someone reading this, who has knowledge of the Joe Racz 1958 Ford late model, will share information with use.

Thanks for reading. Senior Moment by Russ Dodge
Reference used: Greg Fielden’s Vol. I and II, Forty Years of Stock Car Racing

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