Racing Through The Times "Taking A Look At New England Auto Racing History"

WhelenModifiedTour · WMT Moderator

Racing Through The Times "Taking A Look At New England Auto Racing History"

richard savage · Car Owner

WMT, if you click on ARCHIVES at the top left under the 4 car the first one comes up. The 318 is the 110 built in 1972 that I restored. Richie.

spdracer19 · Pick-um contest administrator

Richie, there is a shot of Potter in the big block car here in volume 8
http://www.racingthroughtime.com/ARCHIVES/FEB09/2-18-09.htm

spdracer19 · Pick-um contest administrator

I take exception to DD's story on Charlie Webster retiring in 1969. I remember him in the early '70s racing the Freddie B. #716 coupe and still winning races. That was before Bob Potter & Jerry Glaude drove it. My first time at the track was in 1969 (the night Glenn Shaffer flipped on the backstrech & broke his #6 in many pieces) and then started going weekly in 1970 and Charlie was racing for a couple of years that I remember after that.

Higganum · Race Fan

Here's how I remember it. Billy Simons built a new#9 big-block '36 Plymouth coupe for 1970, the last year for Waterford big-blocks. The car was driven by Charlie Webster. I started going to the Bowl in '68 with Webster in the 716. In '69, Webster was in the Richard Brooks Broad Street Chevron Special, the 65. This car had been the 651 of Dombrowski in '68.

Back to '70 - Dick Dunn is in the Bill Trask 353, now with a big-block. Mid-summer, Dunn takes the lead in turn 3, something in the steering let go and he's straight into the turn 1 wall. I saw sparks under his car on the main straight just before the crash.

The following is what I was told back then.

The following week, Bill Trask, an older man, was heading into his garage to work on the 353 and suffered a fatal heart attack. The following Saturday, Webster was unavailable, but there was Dick Dunn, without a ride. Bill Simons sent Dick Dunn out in the 9 and he won the feature first time in the car. Dunn took over the ride and I don't believe Charlie Webster ever drove again.

-- Edited by Higganum on Sunday 22nd of March 2009 06:59:14 PM

-- Edited by Higganum on Sunday 22nd of March 2009 06:59:47 PM

spdracer19 · Pick-um contest administrator

Higganum, I looked back and I stand corrected. I remember the red & white checker board 716 with Charlie Webster but I guess the years have made it seem like it was longer than it actually was. Thanks for the correction.

When I satrted going Don Collins was in the #9 and Dunn was in the #353 and Webster must have been in the #716 then. I was with Dunn & fat Al when we won 4 straight titles while also working on Big Mike's 'Spirit of 76'. Ah, those were the days (5 Speedbowl Championships in 4 years).

WhelenModifiedTour · WMT Moderator

A new "RACING THROUGH TIME" was posted on June 13 2012.

http://www.racingthroughtime.com/