1951 Langhorne National Open (with pre-race)

today is a day the poor man's racing championship it's the 100-mile sportsman stock car finals for local champions will come here from 14 states from New England Florida and Nebraska it has cost drivers and crews more money than they could afford to come here to langhorne pennsylvania Speedway but this is the mecca for 106 drivers who are scheduled to start in today's weights these cars have been tossed summer long in collisions on 1/5 1/4 mile tracks and believe me what ranks [Music] this is the circular track at langhorne pennsylvania it's called the fetes miles in the world the pitman is a busy place these are not truly stock cars but sportsmen stock cars with souped-up motors the bodies have been picked up in automobile graveyard a track official tries to keep up with the unprecedented number of entries meanwhile every hand is flipped to work tuning up holders and wiring together the body this race is sponsored by the National Association for Stockport automobile racing NASCAR what manner of men are these who drive these cars let's hear an interview with one by Russ Kaplan our auto racing expert are you the driver of this car yes I am also on it that's right what's your name Preston liberabit well Preston what do you come from number Delaware oh you race down in Delaware tell me if you want any races yes I have well that's good this looks like a pretty good car you expect to do any good today I hope to something I'd like to know about it do you strap yourself in yes we do let's get in take a look at it tell me how you do it well that's the same kind of a strap that using airplanes isn't it that's right well now let's let's look at the front of the car see what's happening up here this thing here interests me what what's the purpose of it that's a screen to keep the dirt on the radiator the real fine dirt keep it crawling up for a long race yeah I see the screen but I mean all this this heavy iron here well that's protection if you hit some line in front of the other part is just for the whole screen up there that's all what do you ever hit anyone oh this what's the wall have a little slightly is this what's called a hot rod that's right about how fast would you say it would go that is straight up feet I stay anywhere from 100 to 110 long on these drivers are hometown heroes High Point winners the season pass car sponsor bracelet shark tracks young speed demons like Wally Campbell here while the gavel already has a crowd around him here's Russ Catlin preparing to interview him under my left is Wally camel a champion of sorts right Wally that's right we're what do you hold your championship now uh right now I'm leading points from Grand Nationals well that's the grand the Grand Champion and I'm a right as pepper Cunningham he expressed that a few minutes ago I don't know why you want to talk to an old-timer like me that right there well right here I think you have a present in the past Wally being the present and I think I'm the past haven't you won a race here yes 1946 I won 100 mile championship race here and 48 I was second Wally you want to race here I want lace - how are you setting today I got to pull that's right out front now tell me something fellas I know some some fellows on their own cars and others drive for other people how about yours Wally I don't own this one Wally marks on this car you drive for him hi dr pepper is it more advantageous to own your own or to drive for somebody else well in this day you can't drive a car and own it and be very practical about it because you make too many race meets a week and it takes the driver has to help don't get me wrong I mean it's practically impossible for one man to keep a car if it takes two because in the old days we used to run one race a week on Sundays and work on the car all week now today you run 5 or 6 days and nights a week and you have maybe one day free to work on the car when was this car news this pile is brand new this winter whoa what happened to it the meanwhile well the first race it was out I wasn't driving another driver was driving and then had the misfortune of flipping this betimes Campbell and Cunningham managed to make a good living at this perilous business [Music] and it's back to work at the Cunningham car after the interview as Russ Kaplan moves down the line of cars in the pits he spotted another outstanding driver what's your last name cave Dana where you from Steve car New York join New York well you've got a automobile here that's very interesting what kind of a motors are there Chevrolet most of them are Ford's why did you pick a Chevrolet just to be different yeah well does it run yeah it does we've 113 features well well I should say that is pretty good thanks a lot Steve thank you let's move along the pits with rocks dick Egan for you from day little Connecticut sir dick you drive all kinds automobiles don't you yes I've just invented a car stock what do you do for a living day great you just raised well you're listed as one of the old throws your car looks rather Irish to meet you are you Larry yes slightly and my owner mechanic he's also Irish know this Duffy and Egan bike I was gonna have to get in a rally any Sun blade now what do you what kind of a motor you have dick this uh what we call it off the engine at the end yet the v8 engine modified part internally the veteran Vic Egan and Carolyn Cunningham who Russ interviewed earlier are perhaps three and 3,000 of these drivers who are dyed-in-the-wool racing professional tires and wheels are checked carefully because in this vile long track these cars will be going a lot faster day and they have on the short tracks this wife's a good sport about it but these days safely behind the fence crews are doing all they can to prepare these cars for their longest and most important traits everybody is tense so let's get down get under every fiber and crew hopes to win today and solve the crowd begins to gather at the Langhorne speed wave of this world series of the souped-up jalopy some of the day's speed addicts come there start with investment of as little as $200 these determined drivers gather to learn the rules the red and yellow flag means slow in single file after a serious accident the yellow flag means to go slower and hold position the drivers listen carefully because if they don't abide by the rules they may be disqualified this is too important to race for that this is the finish line drivers will push their throttles hard to get there first now it's time for the 106 Tartars to line up in order that they qualify fastest qualifying time was 85 miles an hour b-2s divers dick lender of new jersey while they campbell and everyone has the pole position he goes through the window track officials check to see that all's clear and founded police look for spectators who might get in a dangerous position this pictures from the face car which is moving up to the head along line the cars are strung out around most of the mile-long track these souped-up motors must be held to 15 miles an hour for the pace lap and there must be no passing until they cross the starting line after the pace lap the flagman nervously surveys the large field while they Campbell a number one and Willie Turner at number six lead the parade these men have been used to driving in second gear on short tracks with a mile to race on well they'll go into high gear today here they come 106 of them the race is on careful another one it's River a number six lead the back around that job curve bring a racing car and turn juror number six oops ahead of Gambell the first lap bands that turned are at number six overtakes the tail end of the field the board has crossed the starting line amble the number one is still second and while the number one is edging ahead of turner in number 6 but not for long the crowds of parks rulers the pin see a terrific battle police now turn her number 6 edging ahead now carefully number one watch them speed and among the cars like will confuse learners the football game [Music] Turner on the inside of the track and temple riding high censored Wally careful is pulling ahead leaders is for sure now Campbell so proud of his glowing hands the grass is 54th a lifter and b2 they're bunching up down turn to her number six is quite away behind these four can see cars begin to boil up something had to quit already it's not like a slam-bang races on the quarter-mile track they're making pit stops and growth mcruiz jump into action one puts in oil another water pit crews stayed back for safety because cars are fitting fast number 76 books hot look out there a geyser it's all over for him Emel air boys backups you've gotta have a clean windshield the race goes off past him our interview press president within 22 d wheels long side wall-e Campbell number one pulls on the head has read this way to the crowded rack he gets through them all [Music] now we have a new contender in the race Frank Snider at number 88 neither has really got going and he dating on Wally Campbell the number one he has bet 1,000 on the first place money a total versus $4,250 Campbell the number one is a new contender after him Holly bond in the car was a big X to the side bonds of Bristol Connecticut boy is squeezing hand we're out of that gravity come from Nidoran number 88 and Linder and b2 are still battling Preston implement 22d is trying to work through the budget up cars what's wrong a car is rolling on the race it's election they turn over another car hit him the first crash of the race 18 laps the best car official waves the yellow caution flag the cars slowed down Rajan Stefan loved Newark New Jersey is hurt another comes to help him and official runs to help too the pace car flies a red and yellow flag the racers must follow slowly in single file until the track is cleared there goes the wreckage of Stefan's car he's painfully but not seriously hurt the last of the wreckage is cleared away for resumption of the race the green flag signals full-speed ahead and they're added again collie buddz ahead in X but Campbell number one pulled alongside they're neck and neck because they go into the shop turn careful's pulling iron [Music] while these Delta lead as they come past the grandstand Holly bonding ex is closing in though watch this battle around the curves of the circular track X is a hand I'll be found an ex is trying to increase his advantage this race has everything on deck Spanish is the game just a little while they carefully number one is pulling up on Monday next and the head now bun comes up and fun goes into late what's happened to Campbell mommy bond index is really searching ahead Hamill has been left far behind there comes Campbell number one these days problem has to fit is through doesn't waste a second same old guys are trouble and Miley dust on the windshield meanwhile Holly bun and ex is dating only can and laughing every car in sight he passes two at a time but quali Campbell is now erased not by a long shot anything can happen it doesn't take long to pick up speed right now le bun in excess clear sailing out who packed where I can make the best speed but trouble is doggy Malik Apple he's back in the pits before he could really get going the pits are still swarming with activity look at the oily dirt the mesh in front something's got to be done to hurry McGrath's worked up a head of steam a number 66 the first steamer we saw on the race goes back in again niblet in 22 D is the Kolar in 3-5 to speak taxes play on a car goes to the guardrail and into the wood Lila's okay he waved to the anxious spectators camels going strong again but if X is the man Campbell's after a car is stalling there's a fire in the pits gasoline and oil feed the flames started when Frank Holt's hour came in with his car aflame and badly burned himself he caught fire on the backstretch and his brakes failed to hold say those men are going in after another car will they make it they get the car out okay the red flag stopped the race drivers can't see for the smoke firefighters have acted quickly but keep their distance flames of explosion burst high in the sky the blast is terrific flames reach the fuel tank firefighters are doing their best to get the flames under control can they succeed till the race can be resumed well we'll see this is what fire has done to this car our driver looks pretty dejected about it meanwhile tow cars and crews are busy clearing away stalled cars and wreckage around the track here's the one that went into the woods a while ago here's the driver all cleaned up for the eight laps have been run half the 100 laps must be run before the race can be considered officially completed they'll have to start again or it's no race there goes another rank they're going to start again they're all lined up as nearly as possible in the order they stopped official checkers have been counting a lapse of each car that's veteran dick Egan on the right he's replacing Holly bond at the wheel of X the last of the wrecks comes in to allow the race to go on here they come he connects frank schneider of maryland at 88 while he campbell in number one two more laps and somebody will be an official winner whatever happened they're off again he get a nexus keeping the lead now Campbell the number one is pulling ahead of 88 gamble the number one has second for sure now when he has to gain five laps to overtake Egan well that's possible because experience will be tough to beat though Schneider and 88 has been given up and he's gaining eight even with Campbell and number one this battle has been going on all afternoon there are still some 60 in the 106 starter to the race and a lot of them still hope to finish in the money dick Cola at three five two for instance stick blender and b2 is still a contender and number one is pouring it on again they're told 88 from the crowd gambrel the number one holds the edge over Steiner and 88 but he has to give it all he's got look out well that puts traitors number 88 out of the money the Jew is really piling now he's want to stand out from the crowd Egan's skill is apparent he could show up well at any rate but Gamble's the waters in a hurry he's heading into the field again with some twenty miles ago [Music] look at him taking everything in his way [Music] and he gets through [Music] our cameraman is keeping a close watch on this curve it's rough watch some of the cars as they hit run from the bits the blackboard signal flashes okay really okay he's heading for the wreckage its Wally Campbell he's spilling gasoline while still the berry color [Music] No [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] pit crews behind drivers on that card this hopeless Wiley Campbell's pride and joy fire has ruined it now the race is over of course at 83 miles Wiley Campbell is given second place behind dick Egan in number ex down there ten cars are piled up ladies and gentlemen this is the most spectacular wreck ever photographed in an automobile race the driver of the car which first hit the wall Don black has escaped with a compound fracture of the leg you saw Campbell get out of his flaming car and go scot free some of the others have been bruised and that's all why did cars keep on piling into this mess well some 50 of them were still in the race things happen so fast and they could not be warned in time and driving in bunches they sped around the sharp curve to be confronted by fire and wreckage some got through some dip but drivers themselves can't really explain it and thus ends the poor man's championship the 100-mile sportsman stock car race one of the most thrilling speed events in history veteran dick Egan received the trophy in the gathering descript Langhorne speed [Music]

Channel: NascarAllOut

Views: 101,119

Rating: 4.9156117 out of 5

Keywords:

Id: Z3bvi4ZID4w

Length: 24min 42sec (1482 seconds)

Published: Thu Apr 16 2020

Reddit Comments

[u/regigigagod]

Did he say 106 cars at the start of the race? Or am I hearing things? Never thought a race ever had three figures for starting cars

[u/NEHillbilly]

You said the ending was insane, that did not do it justice.

I’ve always heard Langhorne was one of the toughest and most dangerous tracks in history, now I can see why.

[u/KentuckyHorsepower]

This was the era my Dad was in NASCAR. Cars essentially gasoline bombs waiting to ignite.

[u/AldoFarnese]

A few Cup winners in the field, I heard Dick Linder and Frankie Schneider mentioned.

Absolutely wild to watch.

[u/NEHillbilly]

“Say, those are like the straps they use in aeroplanes, aren’t they?”

[u/CamberInToeOut]

Can see where Jr. snatched his 88 font 😉

[u/munchies777]

The origin of ARCA brakes right there.