Jim Hurtubise ... Born ... An American race car driver who raced in USAC Champ Cars (including the Indianapolis 500), as well as sprint cars and stock cars (USAC and NASCAR). He was from North Tonawanda, New York. Despite his limited success, he was a fan favorite throughout much of his career as many characterized him as an "old style" racecar driver. Hurtubise raced in the USAC Championship Car series in the 1959-1968 and 1970-1974 seasons, with 97 career starts. He finished in the top ten 38 times, with 4 victories, in 1959 at Sacramento, 1960 at Langhorne, and 1961 and 1962 at Springfield. In 1964, after suffering serious burns in an accident during the Rex Mays Classic, in Milwaukee, doctors asked Hurtubise how he wanted his hands shaped permanently. "Just make 'em so I can hold a steering wheel," he replied. Hurtubise died January 6, 1989 after suffering a heart attack near his home in Port Arthur, Texas. He was 56 years old.
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1938
J. D. (John Delphus) McDuffie ... Born ... A NASCAR Series driver. He made his debut in 1963 at Myrtle Beach Speedway, finishing 12th out of 18 drivers. He went on to finish in the top ten in points twice in his career and won the pole position for the 1978 Delaware 500. He fielded his own team for most of his career. His underfunded efforts made him a fan favorite, especially as his career ran down and he only ran selected races.
McDuffie was involved in an accident in the opening laps of the 1991 Bud at the Glen race at Watkins Glen International Raceway. Turning into turn 5, a brake failure resulted in the loss the right rear wheel on his car, at perhaps the worst place in racing to have such a failure. Unable to slow the car at all, and with an absence of a gravel trap, McDuffie skidded across the grass and slammed with tremendous velocity into the tire barrier outside the high speed right-hander. The force of the impact flipped the car and kept it airborne as Jimmy Means, also collected in the accident, crashed underneath him. Means was able to slow his car substantially before crashing and avoid injury, but the sheer violence of the J.D.'s impact with the tires made the impact unsurvivable for McDuffie. McDuffie's fatal wreck, and a serious injury to Tom Kendall six weeks earlier in the Camel Continental VIII, led to a new bus stop chicane shortly before Turn 5 to slow down cars entering the turn.
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1948
Bobby Ball won the Midget race at the Arizona State Fairgrounds (5/8p), Phoenix, AZ.
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1954
Shorty Templeman won the AAA Midget race at the Saugus Speedway (Bonelli Stadium), Saugus,CA. (Bonelli Stadium)
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1965
Paul Jones won the 100 lap CRA Sprint Car race at the Ascot Park Speedway (1/2d) , Gardena, CA.
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1970
Eddie Burchfield won the 30-lap Cyclone Stock Car race over Wayne Kackley at the Hialeah Speedway , Hialeah, FL.
Cecil Sommers won the 40-lap Late Model Sportsman race over Wayne Shugert, Dave Ezell, Bill Mishoe and Jack Nolan at the Jacksonville Speedway, Jacksonville, FL.
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1981
Ron Shuman won the Turkey Night Grand Prix USAC Midget race over Kevin Olson, Jeff Heywood, Jon Rahe and Steve Lotshaw at the Ascot Park Speedway (1/2d) , Gardena, CA.
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1982
Brian Seidel won the Lehigh Valley 100 Modified Stock Car race over Bobby Wilkins, Chip Slocum, Bob Ayers, Gerry Daneker, Tighe Scott and Jimmy Horton at the 1 mile dirt Nazareth National Speedway, Nazareth,PA.
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1987
Steve Lotshaw won the USAC Midget race at the Peoria Speedway, Peoria,IL. Barry Reed was second followed by Eric Moore, Merrill Calvert and Johnny Parsons.
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1993
Randy Koch won the Midget race at the Canyon Raceway, Phoenix,AZ. Jerry Coons Jr was second followed by Kurt Osterbuhr, Mark Passerrelli and Fred Tegarden.
Fred Rahmer won the World of Outlaws Sprint Car race over Steve Kinser, Dave Blaney, Jeff Swindell and Mark Kinser at the Canyon Raceway, Phoenix,AZ.
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2008
Honda announced that it was pulling out of Formula One activities making 2008 the last season of participation.
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2009
Mike Stefanik won the 40-lap indoor TQ Midget feature over Mike Lichty, Frank Fischer, Matt Janisch and Paul Lotier at the Dunkin Donuts Center, Providence, R.I.
ONE DAY
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