Ed Howe Question
There is a group for Avilla Speedway on FB and we are in need of an answer. It was mentioned that Ed Howe won a race there in the 70's that paid $10,000 to the winner. Does anyone know if this is true? The debate is that the event had a total purse of $10,000 verses $10,000 to the winner. Thanks!
If your on Facebook, check out the group Memories of Avilla Motor Speedway/Dragway. There are some cool memories on there that others have shared. I haven't seen Billy in years, but believe he is still in that area.
Nancy, there is a Howe Racing Enterprises site on Face book and Ed's son Chas could probably answer that for you. I'm guessing $10,000 total purse, but it's a guess. I did hear from Tom Maier though that Ed won $20,000 in one week in late 1970 around Labor Day weekend. That's when Ed made the decision to form HRE in 1971 and quit Brown's Machine where he was a forman. Hope this helps.Pete
Ed used to use his vacation time at Brown's to race and his time off became an issue even though he had used only his entitled time off. Probably pushed Ed over the edge and he just left knowing he was on to something with his race car design.
"Howe" about a couple of photos:
Robert, those are excellent!!! Would it be okay to share the one with Ed Howe with Chas??
"Would it be okay to share the one with Ed Howe with Chas??"Pete, that would be great. I'm glad I had the privilege to take these photos. Sometimes you don't know how much history you are witnessing and how many memories your are making when you are doing photography.
I sent it to Chas Howe and he loves to see stuff of his Dad. I'm sure it will get to Ed and Joan and I'll let you know what he says. I just love pictures like that being spur of the moment and not staged. Do you remember where this was taken??
Robert, i also mentioned you took the picture.
Those photos were taken at Dixie Speedway in Woodstock, GA. They were at an NDRA race. I will look for more, dirt and asphalt.
Thanks for that Robert. Another piece of Ed Howe trivia...In 1968, Ed got a bucket of green machine paint from Brown's and painted his '64 Chevelle machine paint green. Someone asked Ed don't you know green is bad luck? Ed took it one step further and painted the number 11 in the shape of peanuts, which was also bad luck. He became known as the "Green Hornet" and had his house cars painted green ever since. I do have a club for Ed Howe on Racers Reunion if you want to post some pictures there also, Robert. Again thank you so much!!
I remember seeing him at the Snowball Derby at Pensicola, he had the first set of 180 degree headers I had ever seen and his car sounded like a mad "hornet" going around the track, that may have had something to do with the Green Hornet name. I have some photos of Mike Eddy's Howe chassie car and it is also green but #88 as usual. I know I have photos of several cars with the Howe chassie name on them.