Henry Banks ... Born ... He was the son of an early European race-driver. Henry began competing in 1932, when he was 19-years-old, and became successful in the midget cars. He was the first driver to pass the qualifying "rookie test" at the Indianapolis 500 in 1936. He also drove as a relief driver in 1937, 1939, and 1940, with a 21st place finish in 1938. He won the 1941 American Racing Drivers Club (ARDC) championship in New England. After a break during the war, when he worked at Ford’s aero-engine division, Banks’ career took off. In 1947 he won 30 midget car races. In 1950, he was the AAA National Champion and, in the same year, came second in the National Midget points. He later retired from racing and became USAC Director of Competitions.
George Fonder... Died ... He was one of the best midget drivers around at the time. The 1941 racing season began as the war was going on in Europe and at National it was the George Fonder and Charlie Miller show. They dominated the racing for most of the season. George Fonder started the season with three straight wins. Charlie Miller won one then Fonder took victory number four then it was Miller time again with his second win. A two week break saw Dave Randolph take one win and Joe Garson another the following week. Then it was back to businesss as usual as the next nine races all went to either Miller or Fonder. Fonder won one week, Miller the next. Fonder came back and captured a 100-lap affair with Miller winning the following week. George Fonder was back with two in-a-row before Miller duplicated that feat with two straight of his own then is was Fonder again. The end of season saw Fonder winning three of the last four races. He also raced big cars and raced in the Indy 500 three times. He debuted in 1949 at the wheel of an Adams powered by a supercompressed Spark engine, finishing in twentieth place, he was relieved by Mel Hansen from lap 68 to 116. He returned to Indy on two other occasions, in 1952 he received the checkered flag three laps down on the winner Troy Ruttman, in fifteenth driving a Silnes/Sherman - Offenhauser. He drove as a relief driver in the 1954 Indianapolis 500 for two different teams after failing to qualify his own car. He died in 1958 when he came out of retirement to race in an ARDC Midget race at the Hatfield Speedway as a favor to George Marshman, the promoter of the race. After winning his heat, he crashed in the final. He was taken to North Penn Hospital in Lansdale but was dead on arrival. Fonder was the only fatality at the Hatfield Speedway during its five years as a half-mile paved track. Converted to a high-banked dirt oval in 1959 it closed in 1967 to make way for a housing development. Jim Packard won the race.
Gene Hartley won the USAC Midget race at the Motor City Speedway, Detroit,MI
Van Johnson won the 100 mile USAC Championship race on the 1 Mile Dirt Oval Langhorne Speedway, Langhorne, PA. Jud Larson was second followed by Ed Elisian, Rex Easton and Elmer George.
Larry McCroskey won the 50 lap USAC Midget race at the Auto City Speedway, Flint,MI
Dr. Jack Miller... Born ... A long time Indy Lights driver, Miller raced in the Indy Racing League from 1997 to 2001 and the Indianapolis 500 from 1997 to 1999. Miller is a dentist and, thus, was known as "the racing dentist." His best IRL finish was a 9th in 1998 at Lowe's Motor Speedway. His best finish in the Indy 500 was a 20th his rookie year. During his stay in Indy Lights he won the 1993 B-series championship. This class of racing was only run in 1993 and consisted of drivers using the previous March chassis as the rest of the series introduced new Lola chassis. Miller won the championship by virtue of being the only driver to compete in every race in a B-series car.
A.J. Foyt won the USAC Sprint Car race at the Terre Haute Action Track, Terre Haute,IN. Johnny Rutherford was second followed by Bobby Marshman, Jud Larson and Chuck Engel.
Jerry Weld won the Super Modified race at the Olympic Stadium, Kansas City,MO
Scott Sharp... Born ... An American race car driver in the American Le Mans Series. He is the son of six-time SCCA champion Bob Sharp. Scott Sharp is best known for his years as a competitor in the Indy Racing League. Ran in 13 Indy 500's with a best finish of 6th in 2007.
Ray Tilley won the Super Sprint race over Johnny Grum, Milt Miller, Mitch Smith and Lynn Paxton at the Williams Grove Speedway, Williams Grove,PA
Larry Dickson won the USAC Sprint Car race over Scratch Daniels, Karl Busson, Ralph Liguori and Sammy Sessions at the Tri-County Speedway (1/3d), Cincinnati, OH
Jerry Blundy won the IMCA Sprint race at the Knox County Fairgrounds, Knoxville,IL
Bobby Unser won the 150 mile USAC Championship race on the 1 Mile Paved Oval Langhorne Speedway, Langhorne, PA. Al Unser was second followed by Mike Mosley, Jim Malloy and Gary Bettenhausen.
Bobby Allen won the All Star Circuit of Champions Sprint Car race at the Millstream Speedway, Findlay, OH. ( Click here for the race report. )
Billy Pauch won the Sportsman Stock Car race at the Penn National Speedway, Grantville, PA. Paul Lotier was second followed by Elvin Felty, Craig Von Dohren and Smokey Warren.
Bobby Grim... Died ... He won 12 feature races in USAC midgets and was one of the last to win in the ancient Offy. Bobby drove in the USAC Championship Car series, racing in the 1958-1969 seasons with 66 starts, including the Indianapolis 500 races each year from 1959-1968 except 1965. He finished in the top ten 30 times, with his one victory coming in 1960 at Syracuse. He won the 1959 Indy Rookie of the Year, despite finishing in 26th position and was the last person to qualify a front engined car for the race in 1966. . He was also the IMCA sprint car champion from 1955-1958 driving the famed "Black Deuce" Offy of Hector Honore.
Kyle Larson, fresh off his one million dollar victory in the NASCAR All-Star Race at the Texas Motor Speedway the day before, won the FloRacing All Star Circuit of Champions Sprint Car race at the Wayne County Speedway, Orrville, OH. Click to watch the feature highlights video.
ONE DAY
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