Hugh Babb Information

Hi everyone,

For sometime I have been researching the life of Hugh Babb. It seems the first race car he built was a 37 Ford for Al Dykes that was driven by Billy Carden. After that came a 40 Ford that was driven by Fonty Flock. This was all at the begining of Nascar in 1947/48.

I next have him building the Studebaker #33 for JP Rotton around 54 and then shortly after he joined SEDCO. When that folded I have nothing til 1963 when a story shows in a Spartanburg paper that he joined Jack Smith's Transmissions. Then again nothing til he died in 1977.

What I want to know is what happened in between the info I know. The 1940 US Census lists his occupation as a farmer but in interviews I have read with others, he was a mechanical genius, hot on fuel injection which in cars of 1947 was pretty new.

Can anyone help with info and photos?

Many thanks,

Andrew,

Twickenham, England.

Andrew, I don't have any info...but when I searched the photo gallery I found these two photos (of the cars you mentioned) posted by RR member Eddie Samples. Here is the link. http://stockcar.racersreunion.com/photo/photo/search?q=hugh+babb

A site search resulted in a couple of other discussions in which Hugh's name came up. Here is the link to that search: http://stockcar.racersreunion.com/main/search/search?q=Hugh+Babb

You've done the right thing by posting your question here. If there is anyone else in the internet world with searching for Hugh Babb, they'll find this post. Best of luck in your search.

Jeff

Thanks J

Further to my earlier post I have found that Billy Myers raced a "Hugh Babb-owned" 55 Chevy in the Grand National series in November & December of 1955.

So far I have found no ino on this car - was Babb the actual owner or builder? Does anyone have pictures of this car?

Interesting because this was before the formation of SEDCO. Was this car fuel injected or did it have carbs??

Thhe search continues!!

Andrew, Twickenham.

PS anyone need some English searches done??

Andrew, Randy Myers is a member here and he almost assuredly would have some information.

He worked for Al Dykes, who owned 1 or 2 service stations in the heart of Atlanta. You're right about that he was a mechanical genius. From what I've heard, he wasn't far from Red Vogt on the list of top mechanics around Atlanta during the time. I can say he worked for Al building racecars from say....late 30's/early 40's to atleast 1951. At times, he would build two cars, sometimes 3 for a weekend of racing. Billy Carden would drive the 12. Fonty Flock in #1, and on a couple occasions, when he was real young, the youngest Flock brother, Tim drove some....this would be very few races in 47' and several in 48. In fact, Fonty had several good runs driving the Hugh Babb built car. In 1947, he was in second in the standings for that year's NSCRA points title when his brother Bob, had a near fatal accident in October of 1947. Fonty stepped in the seat of the #14 Red Vogt built car, owned by Raymond Parks and finished out the season by winning the title, with his new teammate (Red Byron) coming up short in second for the year.

InFebruaryof that next year, (1948), Fonty was also leading the very first NASCAR sanctioned race at Daytona Beach (This was also the first race on thenew beach course, when it was moved down the beach several miles.) Anyway, he was in contention to win the very first NASCAR race when a mechanical problem failed him and Red Byron took the victory.

Needless to say, (really getting away from Hugh Babb) but the Hugh Babb built cars had very good success,especiallywith Georgia Pioneer, Billy Carden, who would go on to win many races for the Al Dykes/Hugh Babb car at Lakewood, New Atlanta, and the Peach Bowl.

Hope this helps to any questions you had.

-Cody

Actually I don't know anything more than you guys. Wish I could be more helpful.

Tim,

Thanks for that! (ust re your recent post on 50's Nascar - very interesting! My searches on Babb have lead me through that whole period and I'm learning about tracks, promotors & drivers every day. It's hard over here as most motor race fans prefer F1 (too much like slot car racing for me) so I'm on virgin ground!!

Andrew

Randy,

No problem - thanks for getting back to me!

Andrew

Hi Cody,

Thanks for this. The early stuff I didn't know about Al Dykes. I ahd a feeling he sort of graduated from fixing farm equipment to cars. He was good and got a reputation. I though I read somewhere that he tuned both bootlegger's cars as well a that of G-man Roy Shields - cklver move. Quite a few guys rated him, including Jack Smith who he joined in 63 at Smith's transmission shop.

Interesting tho if you look at the 40 Census, it lists Babb living in Paris, La Fayette County, Ms. yet he travelled around to Atlanta, Birmingham.

Thanks again,

Andrew