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Van Allen Tradition Lives On At Santa F e A bright yellow car and a Jorge number 6 . For nearly three decade, they were synonymous in Chicagoland racing circles with the name of Bill Van Allen . And with good reason. During his driving career . Van Allen claimed six track crowns at Santa Fe Speedway in Hinsdale, three late model titles at Raceway Park in Blue Island and o championship or the Kankakee Fairgrounds Speedway in Kankakee . He also prov. ed outstanding at the old 87th Street Speedway in Chicago . where the soh spoken competitor netted live season titles and the long forgotten Manco Pork Speedway, where he was also the titleholder twice . From the late 1940. right on through the stam of the 1970, there was hardly o race fan around who hodart seen Van Allen behind the wheel of one of his sanitary creations - be it on old Ford coupe . a little Nash Ramble, a Studebaker Hawk or Lark, a big Ford Galaxie or a midsize Chevelle . He drove them all with expertise . So revered was the often called "Little Bill," that when he suc cumbed to cancer in 1973 . Some Fe retired his number and initiated a championship race in his honor . But IO years lour, a living memorial to the legend has emerg' old of Santo Fe , Its his nephew, Errol Van Allen, who at 33 . is not too young to remember the contribution, his uncle made to the soon of auto racing, And it's for that reason that Errol . in the midst of a comeback in the late model class this year . has revived the familiar number. as well as the pain, job. No stronger to the cloy action . Errol . of Downers Grove, began his driving career in the sportsman class in 1977, switching to the late model division the following year . Experiencing just minimal success . in 1975 he finished fourth in points and was named the "moss improved driver' in the class . In 1976. however. Van Allen , number 61 suddenly disap . peared from the racing scene . "It was mostly money ." Errol says of his untimely retirement . But a lot of things have changed . I'm married now and my wife likes stock car racing .'Financially I'm much better off too ." http://legacy.library.ucsf.edu/tid/ecb81b00/pdf Van Allen's brother, "Honest Melvin" Van Allen, 35 . of Justice. a longtime fixture in the sportsman class, naturally kept Errol s in forest in the spore olive during his "off years ." But he admits that it was his involvement with three-time late model kingpin Jim 0 Con nor of Kankakee last season that really sparked his comeback . Surprisingly, Errol says that the cost of maintaining a competitive machine has not changed much since he last drove . "The expense is just about the some . There, no more shopping at the junkyords for pans, though, its all store be for now . " yet, Van Allen does not feel that the advonced technology has hurt the spore . it . mode the young guys more competitive right away now without having to go through the growing pain, she older guys had to . I think its been harder on the guys who hove been r crng for a lot of years . though . " Errol readily admits that it is much easier to go to a stock car pons store to purchase a replacement pan than to cruise a unkyard in search of the needed pan . He feels that the' lighter. more delicate cars have also forced drivers to change their driving habits . "I think the guys are more cautious with their equipment now as a result of it . " With an investment of approximately $15.000 in his 1993 Howe Firebird . Errol estimates .that by the end of the season he will have spent nearly $30 .000 . An expensive hobby to be sure . But Van Allen contends that Santo Fes generous payoff Mips drivers recoup at least pan of their cash outlay . His car is ca-sponsored by Prime Materials of Bridgeview, Carmen's East Avenue Lodge in Hogkins . Palos Auto Pans of Polo, Hills and Ray's Trockside Service in Chicago . Ace wrenches on the Flrebird this year are Tom Dzedcic, Tom Novock, Neil Howell . Bill Laverty. Lou Lefrana and Van Allen 's wife . Kathy . As for his switch in numbers, Errol says that watching visiting drivers taking pan in the back's special shows lost season promp . fed his inquiry into the status of the long retired numeral . 'I talked to Howard (7eidt, Santo Fe owner'promoter) at the banquet last foil and asked him why he was telling driven use the number 6 again . He said that they were just visiting drivers and it hod been a long time, a lot of people had forgotten about my uncle . I asked him if I could register the number and he said I could - I wanted to preserve it . Not have someone else out there using it .' Assessing his chances this year . Von Allen predicts a 'pretty successful season. " Although he has been winless in two outings thus for in 1983, Errol says that M has already seen some improvement. On open. ing night I was in with he slower qualifiers . But Sunday night I qualified for the fast heat. I didn't finish shot good in the feature but we we go, some chassis problems to work owl . Once we get around thet I think we'll be right up there . "I'm lust so happy to be back out there again . Doing what I really like . ' odds she enthusiastic competitor . "I feel alive again!"
i 3 BIG NIGHTS OF RACING THIS WEEKEN D Yce~"J(! Ir. 131213115-4111115 Slut ISLAND IL LINOI S FRO M COPENHAGEN SKOAL and HAPPY DAY S MOIST SMOKELESS TOBACCO ryoOAcceco w=An . 4S' o_-EAU nrEauE GAEEIW.C- C-068]0 =-ODE ]0] 66' "0 Skoal Bandits Sponsors World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series GREENWICH, CT . - June 8, 1983 - When Outlaws team up with Bandits, sprint car style, it marks the association of the nation's leading short track auto series, the World of Outlaws, and U .S . Tobacco, the country's leading manufacturer of moist smokeless tobacco . Shoal Bandits, U .S. Tobacco's new portion pak tobacco, will sponsor the remainder of the 1983 World of Outlaws sprint car series, which for the rest of the season will be known as the World of Outlaws/Skoal Bandits Shootout . There are 28 races with some rain dates remaining . "The World of Outlaws/Skoal Bandits Shootout is a great vehicle for us to round out our motorsports program," said Louis F. Bantle, chairman of the board and president of U .S . Tobacco. "With six race cars representing us, including Teo Fabi's new Indy-car, the World of Outlaws, together with the M .A .R .A . Midget Shoal Dash series in the Midwest helps fill the http://legacy.library.ucsf.edu/tid/ecb81b00/pdf gaps demographically . The fast-paced sprint car races add an exciting facet to the program ." Beautiful Skoal Bandettes, attractively dressed in green and white satin racing costumes will make appearances at the World of Outlaws races to acquaint race fans with samples of new wintergreen-flavored Shoal Bandits portion pak pouches, an easy alternative to smoking . "We enthusiastically welcome Shoal Bandits to the World of Outlaws," announced Ted Johnson, founder of WoO . "We are happy to see a major company like U .S . Tobacco recognize the importance of short track racing in America as a marketing tool ." Allen Horther Photo Bob Went* Jr. flips down the backstretch o f Springfield Fairgrounds one mile track during Marc Midget Skoal Dash No . 1. Mal Kenyon was eventual winner . SKOAL DAS H 6 ire uQa,Tioxe To : MEL KENYON ON MUSIC THE SKOAL DASll SEAE S FAT FEAflK EM No . I At The Illinois St . Fairgrounds (1 mile track ) zt Event July 2nd Springfield wa y Enjoy Full Tobacco Flavor Without lighting Up ! GO SMOKELESS A Pinch Is All It Takes ! 2570796
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