Johnny Tolan won 45 midget car races in 1946, and won the Rocky Mountain Midget Racing Association championship. Tolan repeated his championship in 1947, and scored 47 wins. He had 27 feature wins in 1948. He captured the 1950 AAA Midwest championship, and his first...
John Bandimere, Sr. built his first race car in 1937, a Ford Flathead V-8, which he raced in the Pikes Peak Hill Climb to a ninth place finish. Always known as an innovator, Bandimere actually built a snowmobile in 1936. He became a nationally known expert on...
Jim Malloy began racing modifieds at Denver’s Lakeside Speedway in 1952. He was the track champion from 1959 through 1961. He then joined the Canadian-American Modified Series in 1962 and won their championship from 1963 through 1965. From there, he started racing...
Chris “Spiffy” Leaf was born in Greeley, Colorado in 1968, and grew up in nearby LaSalle. He began his racing career at Colorado National Speedway in 1986, and competed in Dwarf car, Street Stock, Grand American Modified, Pro Truck, and Southwest Tour Late Model...
Clarence Krieger, a life-long resident Garden City, Colorado, made quite a name for himself “turnin’ left” at tracks throughout the northern Colorado region. Clarence, who was nicknamed “Tiger”, started racing in the early 1950’s. ...
Unlike other racing champions, Darrell Smith didn’t come from a racing family background. Fresh out of High School, and with the encouragement of Hall of Fame Member Wayne Etter, Darrell tried Drag Racing and found it wasn’t his cup of tea. After serving...
Davey Durrelle got his first motorcycle at age ten, rode in his first race at age eleven, and won his first short-track race in 1978. In 1980, he turned pro and became Novice Pro #127K. He won both Sturgis half-mile events that year and finished the year as...
Don Hackenberg grew up in the Denver area, and like many teenagers, found an interest in fast cars and drag racing. In the late 50’s and early 60’s, Don began his involvement with drag racing when he helped work on a 1948 Fiat with a Blown 392 Hemi that was owned by...
By any number of measures, Harold Evans is one of the most accomplished oval track drivers in Colorado racing history. His career began by driving quarter midgets from age 7 to 10, Go-Karts form age 10-14, and motorcycles form age 14-16. He went on to “dabble” in...
Jerry Robertson has built one of the most impressive racing resumes in the history of Colorado oval-track competition. He began his competitive career by winning rookie of the year honors in the Colorado National Speedway Sportsman division at age 19, and moved up to...
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