11 replies to this topic

[Hugo Boecker]

In a book I read about three US Midget racers from the 30’s. Their names were Bryan Saulpaugh, Glenn Hyatt and Lou Penno. They were called the Tri-City Boys – I think named after a Stadium, all died during the 30’s in racing accidents.

Who can tell me more ?

[MPea3]

Don't know about the stadium... but the term "Tri Cities" is used to reference a number of areas around the country, including the area neat Johnson City, Tennesee, and another area in Washington State. Does your book say what area of the country these guys raced in? That might help in pinning something down.

[Disco Stu]

The Tri-Cities in this instance is likely Rock Island, Illinois/Moline, Illinois/Davenport, Iowa. Saulspaugh was born in that area. I know Saulspaugh made a handful of Champ Car appearances in the early '30s, I'm unfamiliar with the other two names, though. That area must have been a bit bigger in the past. For basketball fans, the Atlanta Hawks started life as the Tri-Cities Blackhawks, representing those three cities. That area certainly isn't big enough to be considered "major league" today.

[Hugo Boecker]

The book is. The Encyclopedia of Auto Racing Greats by R.Cutter & B.Fendell but I cann't find the exact page.
Bryan Saulpaugh was killed on April 22 1933 according to this page http://www.geocities...iverlist.html#S
He raced at Indy in 1931 (relieved Chet Millar) and 1932 he was a DNF

[MPea3]

Originally posted by Hugo Boecker
The Encyclopedia of Auto Racing Greats by R.Cutter & B.Fendell

Bob Fendell! Nice guy, handled PR for Mazda back in the late 80's early 90's when they back the Atlanta Region SCCA's National Pro Rally.

[Jim Thurman]

I can't add a lot, but Maynard "Hungry" Clark was another of the "Tri-City Boys", and he did not die in a racing accident.

Most of the "Tri-City Boys" driving was in Big Car racing, as Midgets didn't really get going until 1933.

Bryan Saulpaugh was very badly injured in a race at Oakland (CA) Speedway on New Year's Day 1932 (Ralph Hepburn was also badly injured in a crash earlier in the same race). Saulpaugh returned and died in a crash practicing for a 150 mile race at the same Oakland Speedway in April 1934.

Hopefully Don Radbruch will post more here, I'm sure he would have more info on these drivers.

[Hugo Boecker]

thanks to all for all this informations so far

[Don Radbruch]

A couple of corrections on the spelling---they may not be correct but they are, at least, more common. It is Lou Fenno and Glenn Hiatt. Along with Bryan Saulpaugh they raced in the Midwest. The cars they drove were "sprint cars" and not midgets. They were called simply race cars then or maybe dirt track cars. Saulpaugh came to southern California in about 1930 and starred at Legion Ascot. There are photos of Fenno and Saulpaugh in my book DIRT TRACK AUTO RACING, 1919-1941. I have more information and photos in my files someplace.

[Hugo Boecker]

Originally posted by MPea3
Don't know about the stadium... but the term "Tri Cities" is used to reference a number of areas around the country, including the area neat Johnson City, Tennesee, and another area in Washington State. Does your book say what area of the country these guys raced in? That might help in pinning something down.

Here is the exact text from The Encyclopedia of Auto Racing Greats by R.Cutter & B.Fendell
page 136 in the bio of Maynard Clark
MAYNARD CLARK
Maynard (Hungry) Clark was a thrill show motorcycle rider from Milan, Ill., who survived all other members of a group of dirt and midget drivers called the Tri-City Boys. He specialized in dirt track racing and, while not adverse to agitating the accelerator pedal, was better known for his showmanship.
Among the other Tri-City Boys, all killed in racing accidents, were Glenn Hyatt, Lou Penno, and Bryan Saulpaugh, who made one Indy 500 before his death. Later Maynard teamed on the fair circuit with Johnny Gerber as the Racing Rubes. That he still could race was evidenced when he took the 100-miler at Atlanta's Lakewood on Labor Day, 1935. Apparently, Hungry must have become well-fed for he disappeared from competition about 1940.

[bpratt]

Not sure if the Tri-City Boys (not as offhand as the Soggy Bottom Boys) get much of a mention as such but John Gerber's autobiography, Outlaw Sprint Car Racer, Witness, 1997, covers the era of the 1920s up to the Second World War. Photos of Glenn Hiett (different spelling to what Don Radbruch has) and Lou Fenno plus Saulpaugh and Clark. The book is quite the history of a long gone era.

[A E Anderson]

Originally posted by Disco Stu
The Tri-Cities in this instance is likely Rock Island, Illinois/Moline, Illinois/Davenport, Iowa. Saulspaugh was born in that area. I know Saulspaugh made a handful of Champ Car appearances in the early '30s, I'm unfamiliar with the other two names, though. That area must have been a bit bigger in the past. For basketball fans, the Atlanta Hawks started life as the Tri-Cities Blackhawks, representing those three cities. That area certainly isn't big enough to be considered "major league" today.

Except that Davenport Iowa, Bettendorf Iowa, Rock Island Illinois and Moline Illinois has almost always had the "Quad Cities" nickname, they being all extremely close to each other, with only the width of the Mississippi River separating Illinois from the Iowa side.

Art Anderson

[Disco Stu]

It's the Quad Cities now, but Bettendorf wasn't added to the group until later. I don't know the exact date, but I do know that at least through the 1940's it was still known as the Tri-Cities, which would cover these drivers.