NickHolt Posted December 7, 2006 Report Share Posted December 7, 2006 There is some racing history behind this modified. Anybody know the whole story? Nick Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tps48 Posted December 7, 2006 Report Share Posted December 7, 2006 I'm guessing that by "behind the car" is you, and by" history" you are actually working!(pushing Ricci Jr. car) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NickHolt Posted December 7, 2006 Author Report Share Posted December 7, 2006 And while we're at it, how about this one? Nick Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
txtom Posted December 7, 2006 Report Share Posted December 7, 2006 That pic of the 1 car, Would that be Gary Mahoney pushing from the driver's door/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tps48 Posted December 7, 2006 Report Share Posted December 7, 2006 I ran into Gary last week, he looked good for an old racer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NickHolt Posted December 7, 2006 Author Report Share Posted December 7, 2006 I ran into Gary last week, he looked good for an old racer. That is indeed Gary. He made quite a name for himself driving at Pan American Speedway. Glad to hear he's getting along OK. I'm guessing that by "behind the car" is you, and by" history" you are actually working!(pushing Ricci Jr. car) Mike - Nope. That's not me pushing Ricci's mod. I was up in the press box working for the SA Light... But who is that man with the headsets on watching the crew work? Nick Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Latemodel99 Posted December 7, 2006 Report Share Posted December 7, 2006 Isn't this the same car that he wrecked coming out of four when he had to be life flighted after breaking his neck? If it is I remember it. Me nad m brother were the first ones on scene and saw him knocked out. Boy was that a scary time. I don't remember who is in the picture though. Is that ervin Breiten in the white t-shirt with the stop watch around his neck? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NickHolt Posted December 7, 2006 Author Report Share Posted December 7, 2006 LM99, That's the same car. I'm not sure if that's Ervin or not. Kinda looks like him, sorta... Ricci Ware Sr and his wife Mimi were up in the press box with me and several others when the wreck happened. Ricci had been hired by Frank Howell to promote the track that year. It took a few seconds to realize the severity of the situation, but as soon as they realized it they were out of there and down on the track. He hit that wall a ton, almost head on. Very lucky he didn't end up in a wheelchair for life. I'll try to find the newspaper stories I wrote about the wreck and Ricci's recovery. Nick Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest THRRD Posted December 7, 2006 Report Share Posted December 7, 2006 I'M PRETTY SURE THAT IS ME WITHE THE HEADSET. I WAS WORKING TURN FOUR WHEN HE HIT THE WALL. IT WASN'T PRETTY. WE ALL HELD A MEETING WITH THE REST OF THE MODIFIED DRIVERS, TO SEE IF THEY WANTED TO CONTINUE THE RACE. THEY SAID YES, AND WE SAID A PRAYER FOR RICCI. THANK GOD FOR LISTENING. TERRY BARDEN Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Latemodel99 Posted December 7, 2006 Report Share Posted December 7, 2006 Hey Terry, Long time no hear. It's me David Henley. I remember that wreck. I believe the wall gave in and that telephone was behind it and the car shot straight backwards onto the track after hitting it head on.. I have some pics of the car in color after the wreck but I have to try and find them at my brothers place. wasn't the 25 Audie Howell's Gremlin Modified? I remember them starting he class. There were a few other builders I remember building some but they never hit the track. I remember Jimmy Phillips building a vega modified for the class but never saw it hit the track Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NickHolt Posted December 7, 2006 Author Report Share Posted December 7, 2006 Yes Sir, Terry, that's you. You've been at this officating deal a long time, right? In the mid 1970's Riccie Ware Sr. told just about everyone that he felt hte future in stock car racing was in the Modifieds and in the 4-cylinder classes. He was just a few years ahead of his time, I guess since he was running both at Pan American Speedway when he finally closed it in the late 1970's. So, when Frank asked him to do the promoting that year, he said he would, but that he was going to bring back the "open wheel modifieds" as a condition of his employment. Frank agreed and the class was born - but it wasn't long before the class dropped off... Nick Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
REBELRACER Posted December 7, 2006 Report Share Posted December 7, 2006 didnt john meyers also run this open wheel modified class in the lemon lime mod........ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mel Posted December 8, 2006 Report Share Posted December 8, 2006 Nick, What about the cars in the background of the pic with the 25 modified? There's a couple of cars, #17 & #25. Who are they? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NickHolt Posted December 8, 2006 Author Report Share Posted December 8, 2006 Nick, What about the cars in the background of the pic with the 25 modified? There's a couple of cars, #17 & #25. Who are they? The 17 is Dr. Ward Heinrich. He ran several TIDA races back then. Not too sure about the 25. Could that possibly be Audie's other car? Nick Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Latemodel99 Posted December 8, 2006 Report Share Posted December 8, 2006 That was Audie's Camaro Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j.j.&s.racing Posted December 10, 2006 Report Share Posted December 10, 2006 cool stuff. i guess they let inclosed trailers stay in for the races then? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brad Posted December 10, 2006 Report Share Posted December 10, 2006 No if i remember correctly they were making a pass to tell everyone to pull the trailers out at the time of these pics... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
txtom Posted December 10, 2006 Report Share Posted December 10, 2006 No if i remember correctly they were making a pass to tell everyone to pull the trailers out at the time of these pics... The only thing you would have remembered correctly from that time frame was how warm a full diaper felt! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brad Posted December 10, 2006 Report Share Posted December 10, 2006 squishy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
F5RACING Posted April 12, 2008 Report Share Posted April 12, 2008 didnt john meyers also run this open wheel modified class in the lemon lime mod........ YES JOHN DID RACE THAT CLASS. DIDNT GET MUCH EXPOSURE WITH RICCI JR RUNNING. ACTUALLY WON SEVERAL OF THOSE RACES AS WELL AS THE LATE MODEL CHAMPIONSIP FOR BUBBA MENARD IF I REMEMBER CORRECTLY. I WASNT THAT OLD BACK THEN BUT I KNOW JOHN WAS ALWAYS RUNNING PRETTY GOOD. TRY TO FIND SOME PICS IF I CAN FIGURE OUT HOW TO PUT THEM ON. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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