The 2012 Induction Ceremony was one of the best ever

with twelve inductees being honored. Texas, Arizona,

Colorado, Nebraska, Kansas and Arkansas were all highlighted with Big Car Racing Association Hall of Fame

recognition of top notch Competitors inside the Hallowed

Halls of the Museum of American Speed in Lincoln Nebraska.

Upon arrival at the Museum the Plaques were hung and a

new arrangement highlighted those to be inducted. Many

thanks to Jim McNiel of J&M Embroidery who fabricated the stunning plaques and provided the members with BCRA

hats and T-shirts. 2012 Calenders are still available

Charles Lutkie of Wichita was unable to make the event after taking a fall and recuperating with the use of a wheel

chair. At 93 years old Chas is still active and has a great

memory of his days as a Boxer, Wrestler, Tavern owner and Sprint, Midget and Modified driver. His award was

accepted by Jim Petty of Wichita.

Jack Petty was most gracious in accepting for the deceased Walt McWhorter of Wichita. Many remember Walt being

the first driver to win a Feature with a Small block Chevy in

the Chet Wilson #25. His influence in the NCRA was near

legendary with 53 , 50 lap Supermodified events in the 1970’s, yielding a 10

th in lifetime points.

Walt McWhorter in the Wilson #25

BCRA President, Tom Bentz was undergoing Cancer treatment at the time and was unable to make the trip to

Lincoln. Tom worked with Don Budy and Carl Mismach as

the BCRA expanded to Belleville, Bethany and Doniphan

in Nebraska while serving as Secretary, Vice President and President. He was involved with the RMMRA and BCRA

for over two decades.

Big Car Racing Association & Hall of Fame, LLC BCRA ESTABLISHED 1958, COLORADO SPRINGS CO

(50th Anniversary 1958 - 2008 )

BIG CAR RACING CHRONICLES

July August September 2012

Bcra Staff: Dave Tyson(Mo) Ray Cunningham(Ks), Boyd Adams(Tx), Bruce Budy(C0), Gerry Miller(Tx), Tom Davey(Co), Wayne Panter(Tx), Gary Wolfe(Ne)

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Pic below is Jack Kline, Driver Gene Pastor and Tom Bentz

with the Roger Mauro Offy Midget.

Harvey Shane left his mark in the Midgets , Modifieds and

Sprinters across the Midwest and won the first BCRA event at Belleville Kansas followed by another at Holyoke

Colorado.

Art Meyers was involved in Auto Racing nearly 70 yrs.

Officiating was his realm and his career was remarkable from the BCRA to USAC with the Champ cars, at the Hill

Climb for decades even representing the World Sanctioning

body for Pikes Peak into the 1990’s. Art and his daughter Nancy attended the event from Arizona. Picture above

highlights the 1958 Champion Roy Walker, Flagman Karl

Mismach and Art Meyers.

’58 BCRA Champ Roy Walker, Karl Mismach and Art Meyers

Jerry Shumaker was an original from the days before the UMCA driving Jalopies. In the Marvin Church Wayne, he

won many races before moving to the new Belle of

Belleville and eclipsed the IMCA field on more than one occasion in the Midwest. Below is a photo of Jerry in the

Goodrich Special ”Roadrunner”. A fearless and smart

Kansas competitor.

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Ed Smith bombarded the oval tracks of the Midwest with drivers in Lloyd Beckman, Lonnie Jensen, Keith Hightshoe,

Al Murie and others during his stellar career as a car owner.

His debut on the BCRA was with a decades old Sprinter and the ETS team became one of the best ever in BCRA

history

Colorado’s Leo Tucker enjoyed a fifty year career in Motorsports beginning in Kentucky in the early Fifties. He

won many championships and set several track records in

the Midwest. Many remember the Lloyd Axel Memorial

contest where Leo outran the USAC boys in a thirty year old Midget previously owned and driven by Axel. Another

victory for Leo was at the Century 21 Raceway in Denver

during the ’72 season driving a Jim Malloy Roadster. Leo finally retired from driving after winning the Truck

Championship at the second Creek Speedway fifty years

after his first start.

Slim Roberts Started in the Roadsters, ran Midgets and was a top competitor at the Hill Climb and BCRA in the

Champ Cars. His mild manner and reckless abandon on

these venues made him a much respected hero of the day.

Loren”Slim” Roberts at Pikes Peak

Bob Daly of Broomfield Colorado would take the Frenzel

Lincoln Slim had competed in and drove it on the BCRA

and Hill Climb for ten years. When the cages were made mandatory, Bob stabled the Lincoln saying, “before long

women and children would be drivin them”

Bob Daly with the historic Lincoln as it appears today

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The Unser family were there at the beginning of the BCRA and there at the end in 1977. Bob and Al would run the

early days and Bob Jr and Al Jr would run Erie Co with the

club and were there at the last race of the BCRA during the

Roger Mauro Gold Cup Classic.

Sam Helmuth and Mark Randol with the restored Randol Offy

L to R: Kathy, Leo and Randy Tucker

BCRA Champ Jon Backlund (Stdng),BCRA President Art

Meyers and NSCHOF rep, JD Cormack, enjoy lunch and a

great round of Bench racing at Joe’s Speed Shop in Lincoln Ne.

One of the most successful Dirt cars ever in the “Johnny

Lightning” with Al Unser at the controls.

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“Multi tasker “,Chas Lutkie. A boxer, Wrestler, Jailer, Tavern

owner and Midget, Sprint and Modified driver

Chet Wilson and young Walt McWhorter

Slim Roberts sits in the Unser #92 in which he won the ’65 Hill Climb only to have it taken away by Hill Climb officials. A true

Champion in everyone’s book.

First BCRA President Art Meyers receiving award

Kansan Jerry Shumaker receiving award

. Kansan Jack Petty accepts for Walt McWhorter

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2012 BCRA inductee Leo Tucker accepts award

Butch and Bryan Hardman receiving for Willie Hardman

Colorado’s Bob Daly accepting his award and would

return to the podium, accepting for Slim Roberts.

BCRA inductee Jerry Shumaker and Grandson Blake

Skip and Casey accept for 2012 inductee Ed Smith

The great ‘Red Fox” crew join the BCRA crew for the customary

post induction picture.

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BCRA Host, Joe Haag giving instruction to rookie Nancy

Meyers on his reverse steer Sprint car trainer. Joe says’, “If you

can drive this trainer, you can drive anything.”

Nancy Meyer and Janice Tucker, having successfully completed

their training on the “Reverse Steer Sprint car Trainer” at Joe’s

Speed Shop.

Don Droud and the Droud Chevy at Eagle Speedway

Willie Hardman started in the Colorado Midgets in the

40’s and would race from East to West in the U.S. He ran

the Hill Climb and BCRA with a host of drivers in Keith

Hightshoe, Ody Fellows, Roger Rager and Bart Manley. Willie was one of the staunch supporters of the BCRA

throughout its tenure in the Midwest. The Hardman Legacy

continues with son Butch and Grandson Bryan.

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“Speedy”Bill Smith receiving for the Unser family

Colorado’s Harry Ivers pushes off at Eagle

L to R: Randy Tucker, Diane Tucker, Art Meyers, Kim

Williamson and Arts Daughter, Nancy Meyers.

Joe Haag, Don Droud and Harry Ivers ready for on-track

at Eagle Speedway.

Jerry Shumaker in the Goodrich Chevy

Texan Gordon Woolley and Texas Journalist and Midget

Owner, Wayne Panter

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A young Art Meyers who laid the groundwork for the Big Car

Racing Association in 1957.

Butch Hardman at Pikes Peak. The son of HOF’er Willie

Hardman, Butch would eventually top the record set by Bob

Unser .

BCRA Champ Steve Troxel and BCRA HOFer, Leo Tucker at

Slim Roberts, a very successful Pencil salesman and Champion at Pikes Peak

Slim at the bottom of Devils Playground in the Conzy Offy.’62

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Butch and Bryan Hardman at Belleville 2012

Walt McWhorter and Chet Wilson

Dave MGown, Harry Ivers, and Butch Hardman

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BCRA Hall of Famer’s Bob Unser and Slim Roberts

ETS crew with driver Lonnie Jensen

Big Al Murie and the Ed Smith Chevy

Tours of the Museum of American Speed, Smith Collection

Ray Velasek tour guide, Rick Jackson, Al Murie,?, Dave Tyson

“Midget Majesty”

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Left to Right: Back Row. BCRA Champ John Backlund receiving

for Tom Bentz, Jim Petty for Chas Lutkie, Jack Petty for Walt

McWhorter, Bob Daly, Jerry Shumaker, Art Meyers, Two time

BCRA Owner champ Bill Smith for the Unser family. Front row:

Arkansas’s Leo Tucker, Butch Hardman for Willie Hardman, Dave Tyson for Harvey Shane, Ray Cunningham for Slim

Roberts and Skip Smith for father Ed Smith.

Big Car Racing Association

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Kansan Jerry Shumaker

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