@dave-fulton
07/05/15 05:22:40PM
9,137 posts

Not What You Ever Want to Find

Stock Car Racing History

I'm going to jump in the deep end and make some wild guesses about "Mr. Clutteham" from the Soldier Field race.

Clutte R ham was a common name around the Chicago area.

A Bob Clutterham is shown not making the field for a 1958 combined USAC/ARCA stock car race at Milwaukee won by Fred Lorenzen with Tiger Tom Pistone 2nd.

My guess is that Bob Clutterham at the 1958 Milwaukee race is also Mr. Clutteham at the 1957 Soldier Field race.

Further, there was at the time, a professor at the University of Illinois - Champaign named David Robert "Bob" Clutterham who authored a book titled "Interaction of Curved Shocks" during the same time frame as those Chicago and Milwaukee stock car races.

I wonder if the book author is also our Mr. Clutteham from Soldier Field and Bob Clutterham from Milwaukee?

If these fellows are one and the same, it appears that David Robert "Bob" Clutterham wound up down in your neck of the woods where he passed in 2009.

This is a lot of supposition, but who knows?

@dave-fulton
07/05/15 04:36:39PM
9,137 posts

Not What You Ever Want to Find

Stock Car Racing History

Allen Swenson was another "real" driver. My first search uncovered a 1999 obituary story in the Chicago Tribune.

Wesley Swenson, 83, Stock Car Racer

March 02, 1999

By Eileen Finan, Tribune Staff Writer.

Wesley Allen "Al" Swenson raced to win, though at times he had to resort to unorthodox means just to get in the race.

As a young man with a few car racing victories under his belt, Mr. Swenson and a friend decided to fly down to Alabama to enter a stock car race. Problem was, they didn't have a car.

The two rented a car, drove it in the race and won.

Upon returning the car in less than perfect condition to an angry car agent, Mr. Swenson gave this explanation: "Well, those back roads are murder!"

Mr. Swenson, 83, died Feb. 19 at the Abington nursing home in Glenview.

Born in Evanston, Mr. Swenson was the son of the neighborhood's first auto mechanic and learned the trade and a love of cars from his father. In 1935 Mr. Swenson graduated from Evanston High School, where he was remembered for the day he drove his Harley-Davidson motorcycle through the halls of the school. Soon after graduating, Mr. Swenson began his lifelong affair with auto racing and traveled across the country entering stock car races, winning more often than not, according to his son, Rick.

Some of Mr. Swenson's most enjoyable days were spent racing in demolition derbies at Soldier Field in the 1940s and 1950s. He had a few tricks to winning. "He'd get a great big old Lincoln and fill the doors with concrete. Back in those days almost anything was legal," his son said.

Mr. Swenson also worked as a sales representative for several automotive companies.

Mr. Swenson was a World War II veteran and longtime resident of Glenview along with his wife, Ruth, who died in 1982.

Mr. Swenson is also survived by a daughter, Judy. Services were held Saturday.

@dave-fulton
07/05/15 12:33:34PM
9,137 posts

Not What You Ever Want to Find

Stock Car Racing History

As late as June 24, 1967, Clyde Swick was fielding a car at Macon (Illinois) Speedway, according to what I can glean from some abbreviated copy in that day's edition of the Decatur (IL) Herald on page 13. Not planning to pay for opening the paper, but maybe this will give you a lead:

Here are obits for Clyde Swick suggesting memorial donations to Victory Junction Gang Camp:

@dave-fulton
07/05/15 12:03:20PM
9,137 posts

Not What You Ever Want to Find

Stock Car Racing History

Watched Bob Derrington score a 5th place finish at Richmond in March 1965, one position behind Crawfish Crider, though Bob was 13 laps behind winner, Junior Johnson. Bob started over 50 races in 1965. Guys like him made the show.

@dave-fulton
07/03/15 01:19:05PM
9,137 posts

SOMEHOW I MISSED THIS!! NASCAR banned the General Lee from Phoenix International Raceway IN 2012?

Stock Car Racing History

Check this 2012 RR link, Dennis:

http://stockcar.racersreunion.com/forum/topics/is-phoenix-s-loss-kfc-s-gain-that-sure-looks-like-the-general-lee

@dave-fulton
07/09/15 04:30:02PM
9,137 posts

The Confederate Flag and NASCAR

Current NASCAR

Way off base, partner - but, then, Perry's neighbor & friend, Bud Moore fought to defend your right to share those thoughts..

@dave-fulton
07/09/15 12:34:40PM
9,137 posts

The Confederate Flag and NASCAR

Current NASCAR

I have to concur, Perry. I grew up in Richmond, "Capital of the Confederacy" - but we had better sense than to fly the Confederate flag from Thomas Jefferson's statehouse there. Heritage is a wonderful thing, but I just don't get the idea of flying that flag on a state capital's grounds. By the way, I once sported the stars & bars on the front of my '57 Chevy, below my Virginia tag and I'm a pretty competent student of southern history. I've just seen way too much mixing of apples & oranges during the whole debate.

@dave-fulton
07/03/15 01:36:27PM
9,137 posts

PAUL REVERE 250 1970

Stock Car Racing History

The Daytona paper, as expected, didn't give much pre-race coverage to the Paul Revere event, but it did carry these pieces:

As usual, there were plenty of other motorsports activities going on the Daytona area surrounding the July 4th holiday. Here are several ads from the Daytona paper: