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DECEMBER 29

1894
Charles Kirkpatrick ... Born ... AAA driver from the early 1900's.
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1910
Vern Ornduff ... Born ... AAA driver from the 1930's.
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1916
Tony Bonadies... Born ... A very popular midget car driver, Tony Bonadies' career spanned over twenty-four years during which he competed in more than one thousand races. Although he never won the ARDC Midget Championship, he was ranked amongst the top six in seven out of his last eight seasons in the series' final classification table, and he was twice the title runner-up. He entered the Indy 500 three times, but failed to qualify in all attempts: in 1955 and the following year his times aboard a Kurtis 3000D - Offenhauser were simply not quick enough, and in 1957 he wrecked his Kurtis 500C - Offenhauser at the Turn 4 at the northwest end of the track during practice and had to withdraw from the race. Bonadies was taking place in an ARDC midget race at the Williams Grove Speedway on 05 July 1964 when, as he pitched his Frankenfield - Offenahuser into a slide at the entrance to Turn 1, the right rear axle of the car snapped. The vehicle barrel rolled several times and then got airborne. Tony was thrown to the ground and died instantly.
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1920
Russell Bennett ... Born ... NASCAR driver in the 1950's.
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1935
Charlie Blanton ... Born ... NASCAR driver in 1973, 74 and 1978.
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1957
Shorty Templeman won the 100 lap USAC Midget race at the Saugus Speedway, Santa Clarita,CA. George Amick was second followed by Rodger Ward, Johnnie Tolan, Bill Cheesbourg, Billy Garrett, Johnny Boyd, Jack Turner, Len Sutton and Danny Oakes.
Chuck Rodee won the 50 lap USAC Midget race at the Memorial Coliseum , Fort Wayne,IN.
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1962
Graham Hill won the F1A Formula One South African Grand Prix at the Prince George Circuit in East London, South Africa. Bruce McLaren was second followed by Tony Maggs, Jack Brabham and Innes Ireland.
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1963
Richard Petty won the Sunshine 200 NASCAR Grand National race at the Savannah Speedway, Savannah, GA. Jack Smith finished second followed by Tiny Lund, Maurice Petty and Curtis Crider.
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1969
John Rostek ... Died ... A NASCAR driver from Fort Collins, CO. Despite racing in just six Nextel Cup Series events in his career, Rostek earned one victory, one pole and three top-tens. Five of his six races came in 1960, when Rostek debuted at Daytona, racing in the Daytona 500 qualifier. But a crash on the fifth lap would end his chances of a good finish and making the 500, finishing 39th. But his rebound was amazing. In his next race, Phoenix, Rostek took the lead midway through the event, led 58 laps and pulled away to a shocking victory. He proved it was no fluke later in the year, finishing 3rd at Hanford and 7th at Montgomery after leading seven laps and starting on the pole. Rostek's final race came in 1963, racing at Riverside. Starting 27th in the forty-four car field, Rostek seemed poised for another top-ten finish before a late crash sidelined him to 16th. He also raced with the USAC Stock Car Division from 1958 to 1964.
JOHN ROSTEK, LANGHORNE (PA) SPEEDWAY SEPT. 8, 1963 (WHEN IT WAS DIRT) USAC 150 MILE LATE MODEL STOCK CARS (Wheels of Speed Photo).
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1980
A.J. Fike ... Born ... USAC & NASCAR driver.
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1999
Tony Elliott won the NAMARS Midget race at the Allen County Memorial Expo Center , Fort Wayne, IN. Ronnie Johncox was second followed by David Thompson, Aaron Pierce, Aaron Fike and Jerry Nemire.
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2004
Tony Stewart won the USAC Midget race over Dave Darland, Rich Corson, Tony Elliott and Mel Kenyon at the Allen County Memorial Expo Center , Fort Wayne, IN.
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2005
Rich Corson won the USAC Midget race over John Heydenreich, Aaron Pierce, Mike Keeler and Tony Elliott at the Allen County Memorial Expo Center , Fort Wayne, IN.
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2006
Tony Stewart won the USAC Midget race over Dave Darland, Mike Fedorcak, Drew Charlson, Virginia Quinones and Mel Kenyon at the Allen County Memorial Expo Center , Fort Wayne, IN.
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2007
Tony Stewart won the USAC Midget race over Mike Fedorcak and Dave Darland at the Allen County Memorial Expo Center , Fort Wayne, IN.
Jesse Hockett won the Roger McCluskey Classic preliminary Sprint Car race over Jerry Coons Jr, Casey Shuman and Jeremy Sherman at the United Sports Arizona USA, Tucson, AZ.
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2009
Ian Madsen won the Hogs Breath Cafe International Sprint Car race at the Tyrepower Parramatta City Raceway, Sydney, Australia. Donny Schatz was second followed by Marty Perovich, Tony Stewart and James Thompson.
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2018
Kyle Larson won the 30-lap Sprint Car race over Christopher Bell, Michael Pickens, Zach Daum and Brad Mosen at the Western Springs Speedway in Auckland, New Zealand.
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