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JIMMIE is proud to bring these Colorado pages to his viewers...compliments of Jerry Toliver of Colorado. Most photos and the history of Englewood Speedway were taken from an old 1972 program from the track which was celebrating it's 25th year of operation.
Sadly...Englewood Speedway no longer exists...another speedway gone!
JIMMIE spent many good days at Englewood Speedway in the late 1960's as well as the two tracks in Colorado Springs which are also gone now. Some great racing was seen here. At that time the supermodifieds were the main attraction at Englewood. Names like Sam Sauer, Bob Neely and Joe Lehman just to name a few. And...it was always a treat to have the Rocky Mountain Midget Club bring the midgets in for specials. Great memories from Colorado. Special thanks to Jerry Toliver.


. ENGLEWOOD SPEEDWAY...ENGELWOOD, COLORADO

Englewood Speedway was built by Ed Clark and Carroll Quelland in 1947. They orginally started out to buy a midget race car and ended up buying the track instead. There were no stands, everyone sat on the side of the hill and the pits were on the north side. The track was dirt. Red Fitzwater was the champion the first year in a Ford roadster owned by Charlie Codner. The following year he was a repeat champion.
In 1950 Charlie and Marion Codner (left) bought the track so the Colorado Automobile Racing Club would have a place to race. Stands were put on the south side and the track was paved. In August they changed from roadsters to stock cars, otherwise known as "jalopies". Don Padilla in the Codner Ford was champion for the second year in a row. The club was known as the "Englewood Speedway Racing Club".




The "Roaring Roadsters" at Englewood.

1951 saw Sam Gallo in the Codner Ford win the championship. During this time "free" bus service was provided from downdown Englewood to the track. The club and area fans were saddened by the death of Don Padilla at the Speedway in a midget racer.
Rocky Mountain Stock Car Racing Assoc. was organized in 1952 and big changes were made on the track. The stands were moved to the north side and the pits were put in the infield. The track was changed back to dirt. Bill Nicholson was the track champ.
Nicholson repeated in 1953 as champion. Bill also won a bicycle race at the track this year...while everyone else rode regular bikes...Bill rode a 3 speed bike to this win.
1954 Roger Miller (left #60) was the champion. The 1/3 mile track was now clay and the facilities were much improved.
John Pierce was the 1955 champ which he would repeat twice more. Fred Buttrick won the title in '56. Rod Davis now held the track record...20:11. Then John Pierce had two good seasons winning in 1957-58. In 1958 the Rocky Mountain Area Stock Car Club held the 2nd annual Midget Championships. Over 200 midgets from Colorado, Texas, Iowa, Kansas, Nebraska, Illinois and Wyoming would compete.
1959 and Bill Nicholson would again win the championship in a Chevy powered racer. The 1/3 mile track now had an asphalt surface and Luther Baughman of Colorado Springs driving a car owned by Wes Vandervoot, of Pikes Peak Hill Climb fame, was the 1960 champ. Wayne Stallsworth got the 1961 title and also had the track record which was now down to 17:65.
Joe Lehman was champ in '62-63. Bill Nicholson made headlines in 1963 when he crashed through the guardrail and into his own pit area.
Bob Neely driving the Syler Bros. Hudson was number one in 1964-1965. Figure 8 racing came into being, thanks to the Codners. Larry Dechant was the first champ in 1964. Arnie Kautz, who was killed in an airplane crash was the figure 8 champ in '65. This was also the year of "the big flood".


More Colorado Photo Tails...

John Pierce the 1955-57-58 Engelwood champion.

Larry Dechant around 1964.

Bob Neely posing with his Hudson powered racer around 1965.

Lee Stogsdill...1966 champ.

Great looking car! John Shine the 1967 champion.

Tom Darrow was the 1967-68-69 stock champ.

On to Page 2 of Colorado Photo Tails...