Forum Activity for @laura-woods

Utsman Brothers

Local and Regional Short Track Racing

[quote="Jeff Gilder"]

hey Laura, what year was that Sherman Utsman Eddie France experience. Sportsman is where I saw my very first race at the age of 5.

by the way, Paul Lewis is a member here...and may have some of those pics in his collection...not sure. Another member who has some Sportsman stuff in his collection is bill Morton's son Tony Morton. Larry Utsman is also a member...but not very active.

You can find all of them by clicking on members and putting their name in the search bar. then leave a message on their wall on their page.

Jeff

[/quote] August 29th, 1959. And since posting my original comment, I found a photo of Sherman's car, post-crash. I posted it under my profile.

updated by @laura-woods: 01/18/20 05:20:38AM

Utsman Brothers

Local and Regional Short Track Racing

we must be contemporaries. I think my first race ever was at Sportsman Speedway in 1958. That year, the dominant car was a lavender coach #6, driven by Dave Roba. At the time, Sheb Wooley had a big novelty hit song, "The Flying Purple People Eater." So the announcer delighted in calling the #6 car that. They also ran an amateur division and a friend of my dad was associated in some way (I don't recall how) with the car that dominated those races, a gaudy red and yellow 39 Chevy with the number x-100 (it was sponsored by a local Shell station, hence the red and yellow color scheme.)

Utsman Brothers

Local and Regional Short Track Racing

oops, I meant Church Hill (I live in Chapel Hill, NC)

Utsman Brothers

Local and Regional Short Track Racing

Really? I'd love to see them. I seem to recall that Sherman usually drove the #38 and Laymon the #37, but for some reason that night Sherman was in the #37.

Speaking of the Utsmans, i recall reading that they had quite a rivalry with the guys from Church Hill, Ken Hunley, Gene Glover and Bill Morton. Can't recall what Bill drove, or if Gene was racing at Sportsman prior to about 1964, but for a short while around 1959-60, Ken had a hot little white coupe #1 that was hard to beat.

Utsman Brothers

Local and Regional Short Track Racing

Thanks for the photo Dave. Hard to believe that Laymon still hasall thatdark hair.

Utsman Brothers

Local and Regional Short Track Racing

Hi Jeff,

Sorry for the delay in getting back to you. I think the Sherman Utsman/Eddie France wreak happened in 1959 or 1960. Sportsman Speedwayran a program consisting of two "heat races," then a "fast car dash" featuring the first four qualifiers, and final a 50 lap feature. Sherman and Eddie tangled in the first heat race. If memory serves, Sherman and Laymon had qualified first and second fastest and so started in the rear. They were coming through the field rapidly when Sherman ran over Eddie's wheel, became airborne and went over the turn three fence. Years later, Brad Teague went over the fence in precisely the same spot. Incidentally, Sherman and Laymon drove a pair of light blue 34 Fords, #37 and #38. I think Eddie was also driving a 34 Ford, painted orange,#8.

Utsman Brothers

Local and Regional Short Track Racing

Hello everyone. Does anyone know if there are any available photos of the modifieds that Sherman, Laymon, John A.or "Dub" Utsman drove at Sportsman Speedway during the late 1950s - early 1960s?

By the way, one of myfirstexperiencesof racingwaswatching Sherman Utsman'slight blue #37flying over the wall at Sportsman, and Eddie France's orange #8"hotrod" lying astride the rr cross-ties that served as a guardrail. It was a, um, very impressive moment for a five year old. Glad to say they both survived and continued racing.

updated by @laura-woods: 11/27/20 01:36:28PM