Yep, 'twas.Was that the Racing History forum?
Thanks for the Hansen dates.
EDIT: Could Joe Diaz be Joseph Gilbert Diaz (b. 1939) [Source]?
Edited by ReWind, 26 December 2009 - 18:53.
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Posted 28 December 2009 - 08:10
Yep, brother.Marshall Hansen, b. 30 April 1922, d. 24 April 2009 he was a car owner (CRA sprint cars). I believe he was related to midget/Indy racer of the 30's/40's Mel Hansen.
Posted 28 December 2009 - 18:09
Reinhard, I am not sure. I don't have an approximate age for Joe Diaz Sr., where he was living...nothing.Yep, 'twas.
Thanks for the Hansen dates.
EDIT: Could Joe Diaz be Joseph Gilbert Diaz (b. 1939) [Source]?
Posted 02 January 2010 - 13:50
Summary 2009 (not complete I’m afraid)
Argentina (20 passings)
Segundo Ale (95 years old) Carlos Balbé (76) Roque Boyle (65) Jorge Caire (43) José Luis Firmani (51) Desiderio Kuriger (90) Fernando López Sánchez (c.40) Alfredo Manzano (68) Otto Parodi (84) Óscar Pazzaglia (77) Ricardo Pereyra (??) Silvio Pérez (34) Juan Pomodoro (70) Angel Rienzi (84) Aurelio Santoro (85) Carlos Stabile (91) Santos Toraño (87) Pablo Tosticarelli (c.21) Reynaldo Vaccalluzzo (63) Juan Yannantuoni (59)
Australia (20)
Bob Annear (c.86) Enno Buesselmann (67) Arthur Collett (96) Bert Flood (c.79) Frank Gardner (77) Arnold Glass (82) Ian Gordon (67) Vic Hodson (c.88) Peter Holinger (76) Reg Lunn (85) Bruce McPhee (82) Austin Miller (85) George Reed (98) Llynden Riethmuller (c.61) Arthur Rizzo (91) Adrian Ryan (77) Austin Tauranac (c.79) Graham Watson (61) Peter Wherrett (72) John Youl (76)
Austria (7)
Gunther Böhs (67) Rudi Hämmerle (56) Ernst Hauer (c.51) Hans Kalaschek (60) Karl Orthuber (81) Toni Sailer (73) Rudolf Schraml (58)
Belgium (11)
Guy Brunninghausen (81) Romain Diepart (22) Serge Jouniaux (56) Stéphane Lucchese (37) Philippe Maertens (53) Michel Meunier (c.60) Victor Trinon (77) Pierre Ugeux (95) Karien Vynckier (44) Christian Wauters (62) „Yasmine“ (= Hilde Rens) (37)
Bolivia (1)
Enrique Franco (49)
Brazil (6)
Dante di Camillo (79) Saul Caus (57) Delci Damian (c.67) Charles Naccache (c.79) Clayton Peres (c.51) Robson Walther (28)
Bulgaria (1)
Kiril Popov (c.22)
Canada (10)
Francis Bradley (82) Ernest Digney (89) Dave Greenblatt (71) Ron Hackett (80) Hima Maher (40) Lou Melin (42) Bob St. Amand (72) Tim Timms (c.35) Greg Wilkins (53) Barbara Wójtowicz (91)
Colombia (1)
Ricardo Londoño (59)
Croatia (1)
Mirko Mladenović (??)
Cyprus (1)
Michalis Koumas (64)
Denmark (1)
Birgitte de Bourbon (87)
Estonia (1)
Ülo Hallberg (65)
Finland (4)
Pentti Airikkala (64) Rainer Eklund (84) Curt Nelskylä (61) Esa Saarenpää (47)
France (34)
Tony Alves (50) Patrick Barrientos (58) Christian Bellement (59) Jean-Pierre Bochatay (45) Jacques Boucard (65) Jean Briche (64) Claude Buchet (63) „Casal“ (72) Jacques Coche (65) Jean-Paul Colas (98) Philippe Couesnon (47) Jean-Pierre Deroudilhe (41) Jacques Durand (89) Alain Florentin (37) Alain Gawski (57) Françis Guazzelli (55) Ketty Kerviel (93) Serge Laurent (67) Philippe Leroy (49) Laurent Licour (40) Francis Mariani (59) Paul Massy (64) Gérard Mérigaud (60) Didier Miquée (60) Stéphane Moutot (37) Marie-Jo Pialhoux (49) Jean-Michel Pietri (34) Jacques Poch (96) Jean Py (86) André Roman (c.62) Jean Sage (69) Cindy Sevestre (22) Serge Theilacker (57) Jean-Pierre Thibault (74)
Germany (24)
Klaus Coder (62) Gerhard Dammertz (63) Dieter-Paul Dick (62) Reinhold Hohmann (66) Paul Hulverscheid (59) Roland Hurlebaus (57) Oswald Karch (91) Hans Klenk (89) Heinz Kilp (61) Walter Knoch (89) Günter Lambert (??) Dieter Lingen (c.63) Richard Pfaffenberger (60) Norbert Przybilla (65) Hans-Dieter Mans (c.66) Rainer Mertel (64) Gerhard Reiß (70) Peter Rössler (61) Klaus Steinmetz (74) Norbert Walther (53) Franz Weigl (61) Harry Weishaupt (49) Karl-Ludwig Weiß (c.62) Hans Zacherl (61)
Great Britain (64)
Peter Arundell (75) Chrissie Ashford (60) Pierre Aumonier (73) David Baker (??) John Boardman (88) Tony Bodley (83) Terry Briggs (63) John Britten (78) Peter Bryant (71) George Burton (93) Marcus Chambers (98) Peter Cooper (c.86) Bob Dayson (70) Denys Dobbie (c.71) Martyn Dobson (51) Jackie Epstein (74) Jim Esau (??) Colin Escott (77) Tony Fisher (82) Steve Fleck (46) Geoff Friswell (63) Dave Gilbert (c.55) Andrew Goodfellow (??) Martin Gould (64) Don Gray (95) Bill Grose (87) David Haynes (80) Olly Hollamby (65) George Horne (88) Len Jarman (49) Will Johnston Jr. (c.19) Mark Joseland (77) Chris Kelly (c.58) Jim Kelly (63) Olga Kevelos (85) Pete King (80) Spen King (85) Roy Lane (74) Joe Lowrey (91) Ken Mackenzie (92) Tony Marsh (77) Roy Mayne (88) Peter Miller (81, Lawrence Mitchell (87) Bill Morris (67) Graham Nearn (76) Jack Newton (c.86) Patricia Ozanne (85) Rex Paddock (c.56) Bobby Parkes (85) Dick Prior (72) Ken Rudd (88) Peter Sadler (68) Ian Scott (61) Reg Skeels (77) Allan Staniforth (84) Tim Stock (65) Henry Surtees (18) David Swan (90) Joe Tandy (26) Eric Tobitt (88) Tom Wheatcroft (87) Peter Wheeler (65) Douglas Wood (29)
Greece (4)
Vassileios Magalios (??) Periklis Pallas (c.57) Giórgos Velis (48) Minas Vourdoubakis (c.89)
Hungary (1)
Tamás Bukovics (34)
Ireland (2)
Vivian Candy (60) Tony Colley (58)
Italy (19)
Franco Ambrosio (76) Ciro Basadonna (103) Antonio Bellentani (c.77) Alfredo Belponer (80) Giuseppe Berretti (c.53) Alceste Bodini (77) Giovanni Centenari (c.60) Raimondo Gardella (??) Mirko Giachetti (22) Flavio Guglielmini (37) „Hoga“ (66) Gino Munaron (81) Biagio Muscionico (63) Raoul Patrizi (83) Tonino Persiani (c.60) Antonio Pucci (85) Sebastiano Scamporlino (c.46) Andrea Sternieri (c.28) Elio Zagato (88)
Japan (1)
Takayoshi Ohashi (67)
Kenya (3)
Riyaz Kurji (45) Harbhajan Saimbi (59) Farakh Yusuf (c.54)
Mexico (1)
Carlos Pardo (33)
Netherlands (5)
Barthold de Beaufort (89) Teus Cornet (65) Thomas Knopper (19) Gerry Meijerhof (40) Pim Stoel (c.71)
New Zealand (5)
Cliff North (79) Phil Ornstien (c.85) Dorothy Smith (92) Malcolm Stewart (63) Brian Tracey (??)
Norway (1)
Torkel Trønnes Jr. (51)
Peru (1)
Abraham Ortega (46)
Philippines (1)
Pocholo Ramírez (76)
Poland (5)
Włodzimierz Markowski (86) Kazimierz Osiński (82) Stanisław Wierzba (c.79) Jerzy Wilbik (75) Jerzy Zaczeniuk (c.83)
Portugal (2)
Aldino Brito (??) José Mégre (66)
Romania (1)
Lucian Gârbacea (41)
Russia (3)
Igor Kosarev (30) Viktor Kuzminykh (c.56) Lev Shugurov (75)
San Marino (1)
Massimo Ercolani (51)
Slovenia (1)
Boštjan Verbič (45)
South Africa (4)
Trevor Hulks (c.66) Tony Maggs (72) Jackie Pretorius (74) Willie Vlok (72)
Spain (6)
Hans Bäbler (85) Antonio González (52) Samuel Hernández (c.23) Luís Ramos (c.45) Manuel Raña (??) Jon Ander Usabiaga (c.27)
Sweden (8)
Gunnar Andersson (82) Sven Andersson (90) Boo Johansson aka Boo Brasta (68) Ingvar Carlsson (62) Harry Källström (70) John Kvarnström (89) Rolf Mellde (86) Staffan Svenby (65)
Switzerland (6)
Peter Baumberger (84) Charles Defrancesco (c.81) Ami Guichard (c.57) „Hervé“ (91) Hubert Patthey (90) Heini Walter (81)
Turkey (1)
Aydan Akal (55)
United States of America (213)
Jim Abrecht (83) Pete Allshouse (77) George Alsobrook (75) Mike Amalfitano (72) Paul Andresen (62) Davie Annis (57) Al Arnold (69) Don Arnold (77) George Ault (56) Donnie Ayer (60)
Barney Barney (86) Jerry Bartlett (71) Alex Beaumont (55) Dick Beebe (76) Timothy Behmer (59) Tom Bell (57) Bill Berry (83) Gordon Betz (91) Lou Blaney (69) Bob Blood (70) Maynard Bodine (75) Mike Botelho (52) Steve Bowers (49) Glen Bradley (80) Harry Brix (61) Earle Brucker (83) Roy Bryant (71) Bob Burcham (73) Alan Burgess (54) Butch Burgess (62) Clem Burnsed (81) Jonathan Byrd (57)
Ray Callahan (71) Barry Cann (64) Terry Cannon (53) Shaun Carlson (35) Bill Carr (90) Don Carr (87) Joe Carver (85) Joe Caspolich (79) Russ Chapman (67) Bob Christie (85) Sid Colberg (93) Pete Condos (84) Jeff Conkel (53) Gary Cornelison (62) Bill Cornwall (86) Walter Cronkite (92) Darrell Crotty (71) Jim Cunningham (65)
Barnrat Devaney (67) Phyllis Devine (77) Gary Diebolt (64) Jerry Dominelli (68) Ikey Dorr (56) Thomas Dozard (58) Todd Drew (41) Ray Duckworth (86) Joe Duffy (83) Ralph Dyer (95)
Ace Eiland (83) Pete Elder (88) Bill Elswick (61) Bud Erb (90) Sig Erson (79)
Stub Fadden (75) Ray Figone (77) Chuck Finders (69) Chuck Forge (74) Elgin Freeman (66) Merv Furtado (87)
Chuck Gaa (63) Ernie Gahan (83) Harry Gailey (73) Ed Gibbons (46) Phil Good (54) Bob Graham (69) Owen Granger Jr. (74) Oda Greene (81) Kevin Grubb (31)
Paul Hacker (62) Eddie Haenelt (51) Marshall Hansen (86) Matt Hawkins (21) Gary Headley (67) Craig Hennige (60) Chet Herbert (81) Bill Herzog (88) Bob Hesser (46) Gilbert Hutson (87)
Vic Irvan (79) Walt James (86) Bud Johnson (80) Mike Johnson (64) Harvey Jones Sr. (85)
John Kerby-Miller (79) John Kirby (72) Danny Kladis (92) Brad Kline (25) Keith Kocher (53) Charlie Kolb (85) Joe Kosch (53) Dick Kraft (87) Joey Kuhn (48) Peter Kuhn (54)
Tom Luce (73) Don Luffy (73) Bob Lytle (84)
Emory Mahan (82) Jim Makar (76) Ronnie Marcum (53) Dick May (78) Teddy Mayer (73) Jack McCoy (72) Chad McDaniel (34) Sheetz McGarvey (40) Ron McGee (61) Harold McGilton (74) Wayne McGuire (80) Sam McQuagg (73) Jim McWithey (81) Larry Miller (64) Donna Mae Mims (82) Tom Monarch (63) Charlie Moore (86) Robert Moorhead (88) John Moss (74) Jim Muldoon (69) Frank Mundy (90) Jim Murrow (64)
Jim Nace (55) Robert Nichols Jr. (46) Ray Niemier (75) Kenneth Nolan (60)
Johnny O'Laughlin (62) Walt Olsen (73) Jim Opperman (78) Bill Osborne (62) Bryan Osgood (77) Dan Osmeloski (54)
Don Palmer (88) Wayne Patterson (60) Judd Pickup (94) Robert Pierson (82) David Poole (50) Rupert Porter (73) Ollie Prather (89)
Ed Rahal (84) Ray Rairdon (82) Rudy Ramos (62) Stew Reamer (83) Jack Reilley (79) Francis Reynolds (83) Larry Rice (63) D.J. Richardson (37) Eric Rickman (90) Marvin Rifchin (94) Art Riley (93) John Romano (31) Bill Root (74) Rosey Roseman (80) Art Rousseau (87) Bobby Rowe (64) Chuckie Royer (46) Lloyd Ruby (81) Hank Russ (92) Dan Ryan Sr. (48)
Earl Sadler (87) Frank Sandlin (73) Lou Sattelmaier (74) Don Schisler (74) Kerry Schloder (53) Hans Schmidt (81) Billy Schulz (73) John Schulz (47) Benny Scott (64) Bill Scott (71) Will Scott (70) Phillip Seifert (30) Rich Shafer (66) Banks Simpson (92) Dave Sloyer (69) Bob Smeltzer (73) Steve Snoddy (59) Gino Spada (64) Cliff Spalding (80) Ken Spikes (74) Johnny Spradley (47) Raymond Stalls (83) Fred Steinbroner (83) Greg Stevens (60) Al Stivenson (78) Christian Stover (16) Harry Stryker (77)
Bill Tannhaeuser (87) John Thawley (71) Thomas Thrash (48) Jack Tyne (80) Tom Usry (72) Raye Vest (76)
Earl Wagner (74) Rick Ward (47) Trigger Watson (82) Charlie Webster (38) Billy Wilkerson (82) Lynn Wineland (81) Pat Wohlgemuth Sr. (74) Loren Woodke (84) Buzz Woodward (79) “Crocky Wright” (90) Noel Wynne (79) Leo Wyrsch (92)
David Yarmoluk (59)
Uruguay (1)
Héctor Fojo (83)
In each case where I had to put “c.” in front of the age number or even had to insert two question marks I would appreciate to learn the exact birth date of the deceased person. Thank you.
Edited by ReWind, 09 November 2024 - 09:21.
Posted 09 January 2010 - 16:11
Posted 16 January 2010 - 12:32
Posted 27 January 2010 - 11:46
Posted 20 February 2010 - 07:49
Peggy and Jesse Wyllie live on their cattle farm in Troy, Va., where they moved after Jesse Wyllie’s retirement in 1982. They previously lived in the United Kingdom, the Middle East, and Texas, California and Pennsylvania during Wyllie’s long career as a research scientist and executive with Gulf Oil Corp.
He was president of Gulf Research and Development Co., then, successively, executive vice president, president and chairman of Gulf Oil Co. (Eastern Hemisphere). He also served as chairman of the Kuwait Oil Co.
A South African Rhodes Scholar, Wyllie earned a Doctor of Philosophy in electrometallurgy at Oxford in 1942. In 1958, Oxford awarded him a Doctor of Science in recognition of his published research in the fields of geophysics and geochemistry.
Edited by ReWind, 20 February 2010 - 07:51.
Posted 20 February 2010 - 10:32
Posted 20 February 2010 - 14:09
Surveying AUTOSPORT's feature "Loved and lost" (December 31, 2009, pp. 42 - 47) I came across short obituaries for Paul Franklin (b. 1946) and Dave Gilbert (b. 1952).
Although I seem to recall to have read about Franklin's passing in an earlier issue I failed to find it again.
The original death notice about Gilbert (where his year of birth was given as 1953) suggests he died in late February or early March.
Has anyone more exact dates about those two lost ones?
Posted 20 February 2010 - 15:32
Posted 21 February 2010 - 12:37
Posted 22 February 2010 - 11:35
Gordon met Graham at the U.M.R.C. drivingschool at Brands which led to a hitchhike for Hill with Colin to London. It resulted into a job as mechanic at Lotus' former premises in Hornsey, London. The rest is history......Gordon Jones, sometime Formula III and Lotus XI driver of the 1950s died 14th January. Apparently he had some part in introducing NG Hill to ACB Chapman.
Edited by hansfohr, 22 February 2010 - 11:37.
Posted 22 February 2010 - 12:34
I presume those comments are limited to international events?As for Gordon's career: in the 60's he just competed in a handful of races with Lister/Marcos/Lotus
Posted 22 February 2010 - 13:03
That's true, but in my post I was only referring to the early 60's, HiRich already mentioned his exploits in F3 and the Lotus XI.I presume those comments are limited to international events? I seem to remember he was a fairly active clubman, especially with Lotuses
Edited by hansfohr, 22 February 2010 - 13:20.
Posted 17 March 2010 - 00:49
Posted 17 March 2010 - 06:27
Posted 17 March 2010 - 13:29
You mean "indefatigable", don't you?;)a wise, indefigatable and learned source
Edited by ReWind, 17 March 2010 - 13:29.
Posted 17 March 2010 - 13:45
According to a wise, indefigatable and learned source, Bill Moss died on the 13th January 2010.
Best remembered for driving the pre-war ERA Remus for many years in club and historic racing, he also failed to qualify for the 1959 British Grand Prix.
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Posted 17 April 2010 - 17:40
Edited by ReWind, 26 June 2010 - 15:19.
Posted 07 May 2010 - 17:45
Posted 13 May 2010 - 18:12
Edited by rx-guru, 14 May 2010 - 07:30.
Posted 10 June 2010 - 16:13
Posted 10 June 2010 - 18:51
Reinhard, according to Jacques Privat’s French book RALLYCROSS 1977–2007 Mikaël Pailler († 14.01.2007) was 28 years old, but there is no DOB given.
Posted 11 June 2010 - 06:26
Posted 15 June 2010 - 12:40
Posted 17 June 2010 - 09:29
Posted 17 June 2010 - 11:04
RIP Tom , a man who never took himself too seriously and had-to my mind-one of the best collections in the USA.Noted Ferrari collector and vintage car racer Tom Mittler passed away on Sunday, June 13, 2010. He suffered a massive stoke at his home in Three Rivers Minnesota. he was 67. Apart from his significant Ferrari collection he also owned 40 boats including Caleb Bragg's Baby Bootlegger.
Posted 25 June 2010 - 06:25
Edited by ReWind, 26 June 2010 - 20:15.
Posted 26 June 2010 - 00:28
Edited by raceannouncer2003, 26 June 2010 - 00:34.
Posted 26 June 2010 - 01:55
Edited by eldougo, 26 June 2010 - 01:56.
Posted 26 June 2010 - 09:52
Posted 02 August 2010 - 17:30
Posted 04 August 2010 - 17:12
Posted 04 August 2010 - 17:27
Posted 08 August 2010 - 00:50
Posted 09 August 2010 - 17:44
You're welcome. Glad you found a date for Al Eames, none of the area newspaper obituaries I found listed one.Thanks for those infos, Jim! I added them to my thread-opening post.
In fact he was 94. (Source)
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Posted 11 August 2010 - 17:00
Posted 07 September 2010 - 12:20
Edited by ReWind, 07 September 2010 - 12:21.
Posted 07 September 2010 - 17:51
Posted 07 September 2010 - 23:30
Posted 08 September 2010 - 07:04
Edited by Nanni Dietrich, 08 September 2010 - 07:08.
Posted 10 September 2010 - 21:19
Posted 10 September 2010 - 22:04
Posted 11 September 2010 - 13:38
Posted 11 September 2010 - 14:52
Posted 19 September 2010 - 08:55
Another obituary by Godwin Kelly, Motorsports editor of The Daytona Beach News-Journal:Rife, Hillen “Hilly” –who celebrated his 83rd birthday on Sept. 1, was born in New Oxford, PA and succumbed to this life on Sept. 17, 2010. A 5:00 PM gathering followed by a 7:00 service will be held on Tuesday, September 21, 2010, at the Ormond Chapel of the Lohman Funeral Home. New Oxford, PA Services will be under the direction of Fred Feiser’s Funeral Home, 302 Lincoln Way West. Visitation will be Thursday from 6-8 and funeral service Friday at 11:00 AM with interment to follow at the New Oxford Cemetery.
Hilly shared most of his life with his wife of 65 years, Becky, on their family farm in New Oxford, but moved to Ormond Beach in 1991; they periodically returned to their family farm, which has been in their family for nine generations. He was the son of Vernon Rife and Edith Griffin Rife, who along with his siblings, Harold Rife and Dorothy Deardorff preceded him in death.
Hilly was a very colorful individual who lived more than nine lives. He survived three airplane accidents, three serious racecar accidents, a mugging at gunpoint, among other close visits with death, but it was the ravaging disease of cancer that he finally submitted to.
Anyone who knew Hilly knew many of the stories in his life; there was never any need to exaggerate because his life was unbelievable enough. He was a member of the First Lutheran Church, past president of the New Oxford Lions Club, a Rotarian, a member of the New Oxford Chamber of Commerce, an Honorary member of the Elks and Moose Lodge of Hanover, PA and Ormond Beach, FL. He was on the Board of Directors of the Conklin Center for the Blind, the past Northeastern Regional Director for NASCAR in the early 70’s, Vice President of Motor Racing Heritage, and instrumental in the founding of the Living Legends of Auto Racing in Daytona and Ormond Beach, FL, for which he was recently honored and awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award. Hilly built Lincoln Speedway in Abbottstown, PA and strongly promoted the “Outlaw” Sprint Car Racing in its infancy. He also promoted racetracks in Bedford, Dorsey and Susquehanna Speedway. He was a racetrack owner, driver, promoter, but most of all a fan of the sport of racing, and did all he could to promote the sport his entire life.
In his earlier years he had a Used Car Lot in New Oxford, and then later sold airplanes before retiring to Ormond Beach. He loved flying almost as much as racing, but even more than racing he loved his wife, family, and dogs. He was remembered by people in PA always with his cigar; in Ormond there was the cigar, his Stetson hat and bolo.
Mr. Rife is survived in death by his remarkable wife, Elizabeth Rebecca Wenschhof Rife, who he always thought was the most beautiful woman he’d ever seen, his daughter Vicki Hughes-Micheli of Ormond Beach, two sons Hillen “Hilly” Rife Jr. of New Oxford, PA, and Larry Rife of Hanover, PA, nine grandchildren, 14 great-grandchildren, and numerous extended family and friends that he would have considered close family as well. Memorial donations can be made in his honor to the Conklin Center for the Blind or Motor Racing Heritage / Living Legends of Auto Racing. Arrangements are under the careful direction of Lohman Funeral Home Ormond.
Hillen "Hilly" Rife, 83, one of racing's pioneer promoters and friend of NASCAR founder Bill France Sr., died Friday morning after a long battle with cancer.
Rife, who made one NASCAR Sprint Cup Series start in 1954, moved here from Pennsylvania in 1990 so he could assist the Frances when the family patriarch was slowed by Alzheimer's disease.
Rife's primary duty was to drive France around town to keep various appointments.
"He was a great man," Rife once said of France. "He saved my life once."
That was in 1957, after Rife crashed in a race and suffered a severe head injury. France made arrangements for a highly skilled neurosurgeon to take care of his buddy.
After a six-hour surgery followed by 28 days of unconsciousness, Rife woke from the comatose state. Nine days later, he walked out of the hospital. Rife never got a bill -- France picked up the entire tab.
Rife was one of stock-car racing's true characters and wackiest promoters. He always had a cigar in hand, wore a stylish cowboy hat and string tie.
"He was one of the last great promoters," NASCAR Hall of Fame historian Buz McKim said in a telephone interview. "I mean fireworks and parachutists.
"He was one of the great showmen of the sport."
Rife was in his mid-20s when he built Lincoln Speedway, a 3/8th-mile dirt oval in New Oxford, Pa.
He not only built the track and promoted races, but was himself a race driver. Just seven months after fracturing his skull, he drove a Plymouth Golden Commando stock car more than 122 mph on the beach in Ponce Inlet.
Rife was never short on storytelling. One of Rife's favorite tales was his promise to pay Daytona Beach driver Marvin Panch appearance money to run at Lincoln. Panch won the race in a car prepped by local mechanical legend Ray Fox, then asked for his under-the-table cash.
"You don't need that money," Rife said. "You won the race."
"Every time Marvin saw him, he would say, 'Here comes Hilly with my deal money!' " McKim said.
"Hilly was a great friend," Fox said Friday. "I knew him for many, many years."
Long before there was electronic social networking, there was the "Hilly network system." He seemed to know everybody and know everything about everybody. He was one of the most connected promoters in the sport.
"It was Hilly who started the Northern swing for the Grand National (now Sprint Cup) Series in the 1950s," longtime friend Dick Fleck said by phone. "Hilly would run them on his track and helped set them up on other little tracks up there. Hilly hosted seven Cup races over the years."
Racing wasn't Rife's only career. For a time, he repossessed airplanes to make extra money and bragged about "only crashing three times."
He had many a close call in his life, including losing a thumb and breaking both legs in different racing accidents. Just a few years ago, he was inside the Jacksonville Mayo Clinic, when his heart stopped beating.
Rife was quickly revived and never had another major cardio issue.
And there was one more aspect to Rife's life -- his culinary skills.
"Hilly's chili was the best," Fox said.
"He made the world's best french fries," McKim said. "He sold more fries at his racetrack than anybody else in country. Of course, that was according to Hilly."
Several family members, including his wife, Becky, survive Rife. Services are pending. Lohman Funeral Home, Ormond Beach, is in charge.
Posted 07 October 2010 - 05:04