texastracker Posted June 20, 2007 Report Share Posted June 20, 2007 I spent a coupe of hours with Gordon and his wife Ann this afternoon. He was inducted early this Month into the Nebraska Sprint Car Hall of fame. Gordon, with Photos posted all over every room, took me into one small room filled with Trophies, Books, Photo's of all sorts. I had goose bumps all over me! Two Books that caught my eye were about Opp. Others had Gordon on 15-20 pages driving for folks all over. He showed one book that was written by the man that did the article in the Hot Rod Mag. about the nomadic lifestyle of a Sprint Car driver, that was mentioned on another thread on this forum. They agreed to allow me to bring my PC and scanner over one evening or two or three evenings and have at it. He mentioned several times how he would like to make the Belleville Nationals while he was still in good health. I have e-mail Belleville about his wishes and asked that if they found it in their hearts to do something to keep me anonymous. I also added that if they could not make any arrangements for him and Ann. that I was going to do everything in my power to raise the money for them! 1963 Sprint Car driver of the year 1963 IMCA Sprint Car Champion 1997 National Sprint Car Hall of fame inductee 2003 Midget Car Hall of fame inductee 2007 Nebraska sprint car hall of fame inductee What a "Hot Shoe" and still with us and in health! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NickHolt Posted June 20, 2007 Report Share Posted June 20, 2007 IT would be great to have some pics from Gordon's collection posted here. There are many who come to TXSZ just to keep up with the history as it unfolds on here. I appreciate everyone's efforts to share their pics and stories.. It's really irreplaceable stuff once it's gone... Nick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Budman Posted June 21, 2007 Report Share Posted June 21, 2007 I must admit something on here I wish I didn't. In the early '70s (I think it was) a driver was fatally injured at Pan Am in a Super-modified crash. From what I got over the PA system at Pan Am at the time I understood that driver to be Gordon Woolley. That series ran there again later (Dallas Racing Club) as best I remember, and they passed the hat in the crowd for his widow. I contributed. Again, I left there with the impression it had been Gordon Woolley, from what I could catch over the PA. For decades I thought that to be the case. Well fortunatly that was not the case. I was recently told it was a young driver from Lubbock that was killed. I do not know his name. I wish I did know his name. If anybody can help me on this, please post it on here. Thanks, Buddy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
97car Posted June 21, 2007 Report Share Posted June 21, 2007 Budman, my dad ran a sprint at Pan American and blew the neck off of the radiator and a gentleman named Billy Jack Casper was hurt bad and died later from what I was told. He was a big man and it was like using a shoe horn to put him in the car Casper was driving. As a kid I just remember they ran out of ambulances and my dad was in a wrecker luckily with a burnt toe from the water. I would say it was around 1969 before my parents split up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Budman Posted June 21, 2007 Report Share Posted June 21, 2007 Thanks 97Car, an old mystery solved. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lucky161 Posted June 21, 2007 Report Share Posted June 21, 2007 Thanks 97Car, an old mystery solved. It may have been Billy Jack Casper, but as far as I know, he was from Dallas, not Lubbock. I do know he was killed in a racing accident, but I thought it was at the Devil's Bowl, but I was still in elementary school back then and don't remember for sure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
97car Posted June 21, 2007 Report Share Posted June 21, 2007 Lucky you are right he did race at Devils Bowl,but from what I was told he was injured here and died shortly afterwards from it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Budman Posted June 21, 2007 Report Share Posted June 21, 2007 At the time, Ricci had a deal going with the Dallas Racing Club, where they would come down from Dallas for a race one or twice a yea. That was a very strange deal. It happened on the front straight at Pan Am. A car got crossed up and ended sitting on crossways on the front straight. Those guys were used to running dirt. I've always thought when he came up out of 4 and saw the car sitting there, he tried to loop it into the infield, but instead the car just pivoted 180 degrees and he slid backwards into the car sitting on the front straight. The impact was minimal with essentially no damage to either car. At first, no one even thought he was hurt. Sad deal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
97car Posted June 21, 2007 Report Share Posted June 21, 2007 I just remember the rear cone was damaged and they ran out to catch the fuel coming out of our car. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lucky161 Posted June 22, 2007 Report Share Posted June 22, 2007 Lucky you are right he did race at Devils Bowl,but from what I was told he was injured here and died shortly afterwards from it. I'll stand corrected then. As I said, it was a long time ago. I actually watched him race at the old Great Southwest Raceway in Benbrook (Fort Worth). We didn't usually go to the Devil's Bowl because my dad and uncle had a stock car running at Benbrook. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Budman Posted April 6, 2015 Report Share Posted April 6, 2015 Speaking of Billy Jack Casper, I just recently stumbled across this item on the net. http://sportsblogs.star-telegram.com/motorsports/2013/04/ Scroll down when you get there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
txtom Posted April 6, 2015 Report Share Posted April 6, 2015 Billy Jack's accident occured at Pan American on Toepperwein on 10 May, 1969. When I get home tonight, I will post a clipping from the San Antonio Light paper about it, and also a pic of Billy earlier in the evening getting accolades for setting fast time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
txtom Posted April 7, 2015 Report Share Posted April 7, 2015 News article about Casper and the nights results from the Sunday Morning San Antonio Light. Notice the paper got his name wrong. Casper getting the accolades for fast time a few hours before his accident. The car Casper was injured in being pushed off the track after time trials. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HiTech Posted April 7, 2015 Report Share Posted April 7, 2015 mccain special on the hood .hmm.. ... looking at the pic of him with the flag and knowing it was his last brings a sadness to the story after all these years and i never heard of him ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Budman Posted April 7, 2015 Report Share Posted April 7, 2015 Thanks Tom. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edirt Posted December 8, 2015 Report Share Posted December 8, 2015 by the way, the newspaper got it right. billy jacks real name was cosper. he was called casper so much, he went with it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NickHolt Posted December 9, 2015 Report Share Posted December 9, 2015 Thanks for setting the record straight, edirt! I wrote for the Light for several years and the sports department was very fussy about getting names right so I was somewhat surprised when it seemed like someone goofed up on a name. Nick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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