I have attached an article from “Vintage Oval Racing” magazine. I know…there are copyright laws against this, but I’ll take my chances.
See how many of these you remember!
It is in 3 parts that I am adding in order. Sometimes the attachments get shuffled around, so pay attention.
From the past and I don’t know their origins “Cocoa” Begtrup, Steve “Hemroid” Dielhman, “Speedy” Reeves and of course, “Trickie” Dickie Anderson. The present seems to be dominated by dirt racers. Ex. Wayne “The Sniper” Chinn, etc. etc. etc.
Forgive my ignorance… maybe i’m wrong… isn’t Don Garlits “Big Daddy”.?
Even though I am a die-hard Asphalt fan… growing up… Barefoot Bob was one of my favs… My dad would take me to Volusia Speedweeks anytime the #9 Mod was there!
‘Dandy’ Don Garlits ???
The museum of ‘Big Daddy’ is a few miles from my house. Never seen the name ‘Dandy’. A quarterback for the Dallas Cowboys in the late 60’s was named ‘Dandy Don’ Merideth.
My nickname given to me by an announcer at the track is ‘Diamond Jim’, because my company sponsor was Diamond ‘H’ Air and Heat.(shameful plug).
-----JIM------
Pushrod Grainger was one of the best I ever heard.
“Dandy” Dick Landy- pro stock drag racer
One of the best current ones is “Snake” Livernash… he runs with USAC on the West Coast…
Couple of corrections to the original list:
"Soapy Castles… not “Snoopy”
“Double O Joe” Gosek… not “Go” Gosek
Some more to add…
“Chargin’ Charlie” Jarzombek
Father Jerry Ward “The Honkin’ Padre”
Tom “The Travelin’ Man” Druar
“Suitcase Jake” Elder - Crew Chief
“Punky” Caron
Mert “Socks” Hulbert
“The Blairsville Assasin” Jonathan Davenport
“Chub” Frank
“The Professor” Ivedent Lloyd
“The Blue Goose” Dave Dunkin
“CP3”, Charles Powell III
“Ole Bones” Dave Kneisel
Harry “Sneaky” Peek
Chuck “The Pink Panther” Akulis
Ed “The Green Hornet” Howe
“Wimpy” Vaile
“Stroker” McGuirk
Gary “Hot Shoes” Balough
Bruce “Chocolate Thunder” Everett
“The Shoe” Kenny Shoemaker
Danny “The Doctor” Johnson
“Chubby” LaRoux
Neil “Terrible” Tooley
More later… don’t wanna get fired right now!
Snake in the grass If i have ever met one. Just like his daddy.
CP3 would come around the pits telling us if we loaned him 50 bucks we would make it through tech with no problem. Told him if I dont make it through tech me and him would have problems. Drugs are a beeyotch.
“Iron Man” Jack Ingram
Roy “Buckshot” Jones
“The Flyin’ Florist” Roger Treichler
“The Newport Nightmare” Jimmy Owens
“The Quaker Shaker” Bobby Cain (who drove a car called The Flyin’ Bathtub)
“Screamin’ Sammy” Reakes
“The Ole Master” Frankie Schneider
Carl “Fuzzy” Van Horn
“Lanky Pete” Cordes… aka “Pistol Pete”
“The Gunmaker” Chuck Kennison
Ed “The Apollo Rocket” Lynch
“Lonesome George” Ely
“Whistlin’ Jackie” Wilson
“The Preacher” Gary Patterson
Ron “Sleepy” Tripp
Chuck “The One-Armed Bandit” Amati
“Scratch” Daniels
Bob “Flip” Sweeney
Maynard "Cyclone " Forrette
Ron “The Greek” Narducci
Doug “The Young One” Heveron
“Caveman” Lonnie Roberts
Todd “Bubba The Love Sponge” Clem
Gerald “The Everitt Express” Chamberlain
“The Intimigator” Chris Wall (who is a real-life gator farmer!)
More tommorow…!
Its amazing that everyone has forgotten probably the biggest nicknamed driver.
Awesome bill from Dawsonville or Million Dollar Bill which ever flavor of Bill Elliot you prefer.
Didn’t forget… just trying not to use 'em all up!
While I’m here:
“Hoss” Ellington
“Banjo” Matthews
Cecil “Flash” Gordon
“Golden Boy” Fred Lorenzen
“Bones” Stevens… not to be confused with Bugs Stevens OR Boneman Hollinger
“Handsome Harry” Gant
Jerry “Cookie Monster” Cook
Davey “Canadian Blast” Moore
Brett “The Corporate Jet” Hearn
“Gentleman Jim” Hendrickson
Jim “Herk” Hurtibise
Don “Gramps” Larson
“Lone Star J.R.” Johnny Rutherford
Tom “The Gas Man” Sneva
“The Cruiser” Cory Kruseman
Rick “The Colorado Drifter” Carelli
Nice list Jerry. Rick Carelli…wasn’t he the “High Plains Drifter”?
For some unknown reason, Chip Green hung Hialeah driver Richard McKay with the preposterous nickname, “The Purple Streaker”.
Can’t forget John “Cowbell” Tenney and Roger “the ditch digger”!
Another favorite from NSS:
Dave “Jewish Lightning” Rosenfield
I love nicknames most of them are dirt racing
The Tarheel tiger Ray Cook
Hurricane Earl Pearson
Chris Smokie Madden
Kid Rocket Josh Richards
Scrub Rick Eckert
The Kentucky Colonel Steve Francis
Mr Smooth Billy Moyer
Eric the earthshaker Jacobsen (also called Chemical Ali)
The Silver Shark Scott James
Phil the gasman Gressman
Double down Jason Sides
The madman Paul May
Dennis rambo franklin
Fast Freddie Rhamer
the wild child Jac Haudenchild (spelling?)
Racin John Mason
Racin Jason Smith
Don “The Real Deal” O’Neal
Dan “The Surgeon” Sturgeon
Steve “The Electric” Shaver
Steve “The Hurricane” Payne
Mean Gene Lasker
Jeff “Chocolate” Choquette
Greg “Stick’s” Leonard
Chattanooga Flash Ronnie Johnson
Freddie Smith -Southern Gentlemen
Randy Weaver- Dream Weaver
Billy “The Kid” Ogle
Jimmy Owens- The Newport Nightmare
Rambo Franklin
Dave Scarborough- The Little General
Donnie Moran- Million Dollar Man
Clint Smith-Catdaddy
Dan Schlieper- Wisconsin Wildman
Billy Moyer- Mr. Smooth
Bart hartman- The Hitman
Danny Lasoski The Dude
The King Steve Kinser
Ivedent"The Professor"Lloyd
I’m so glad you said “Cowbell” instead of the other way you could have gone LOL
I loved watching The Apollo Rocket tear up Lernervill. Hey I got one his family owns 2 tracks in Western PA “PINK PANTHER” BEN MILLEY I am tryig to go back to PA for the PITTSBURGHER 100 this year
Ted Tappett
Pickles Bickelhaupt
