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Don Branson
Donald L. Branson (June 2, 1920 – November 12, 1966) was an American racecar driver. Career Born in Rantoul, Illinois, Branson drove in the USAC Championship Car series and also in sprint cars, racing champ cars in the 1956–1966 seasons with 128 starts, including the 1959–1966 Indianapolis 500 races. He finished in the top ten 85 times, with 7 victories. Branson was also the 1959 and 1964 USAC Sprint Car Series Champion. He was killed in 1966 in a crash at a sprint car race at Ascot Park in Gardena, California, which also claimed the life of fellow driver Dick Atkins. The fatal wreck occurred with only a few races left in the season for the USAC series. Awards He was inducted in the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame in 1994 and the National Midget Auto Racing Hall of Fame The National Midget Auto Racing Hall of Fame is an American Hall of Fame and museum for midget cars. The Hall of Fame is located at Angell Park Speedway in Sun Prairie, Wisconsin, and can b ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Rantoul, Illinois
Rantoul is a village in northern Champaign County, Illinois, United States. The population was 12,371 at the 2020 census. It is part of the Champaign–Urbana metropolitan area. History The community was named after Robert Rantoul, Jr., a U.S. representative from Massachusetts, and a director of the Illinois Central Railroad. Rantoul was laid out in 1854 for the Illinois Central Railroad by John Penfield. A post office was established in 1856 as Rantoul Station; the name was changed to Rantoul in May 1862. In 1917, Rantoul was chosen by the United States Army to be the site of Chanute Field, due to its proximity to the Illinois Central railroad and the War Department's ground school at the University of Illinois. In the 1930s, Chanute Field grew, dominating the local economy as thousands of airmen were stationed there to train recruits. Renamed Chanute Air Force Base after World War II, it was closed in 1993, but was partly reoccupied by the Octave Chanute Aerospace Mu ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Championship Car
American open-wheel car racing, generally and commonly known as Indy car racing, is a category of professional automobile racing in the United States. As of 2025, the top-level American open-wheel racing championship is sanctioned by IndyCar and is known as the IndyCar Series. Competitive events for professional-level, open-wheel race cars have been conducted under the auspices of various sanctioning bodies, and traces it roots as far back as 1902. A season-long, points-based, ''National Championship'' of drivers has been officially recognized in 1905, 1916, and each year since 1920 (except for a hiatus during WWII). As such, for many years, this discipline of motorsports was known as Championship car racing (or Champ car racing for short). That name has fallen from use, and the term ''Indy car'' racing (derived from the Indy 500) has become the preferred moniker. The machines, typically referred to as "Indy cars", are a formula of single-seat, open cockpit, open-wheel, purpos ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Great New York State Fair
The New York State Fair, also known as the Great New York State Fair, is a 13-day showcase of agriculture, entertainment, education, and technology. With midway rides, concessionaires, exhibits, and concerts, it has become New York's largest annual event and an end-of-summer tradition for hundreds of thousands of families from all corners of the state. The first fair took place in Syracuse in 1841, and took permanent residence there in 1890. It is the oldest and one of the largest state fairs in the United States, with over one million visitors annually. The New York State Fair begins in August and runs for 13 days, ending on Labor Day. The Fair did not operate in 2020 due to the COVID-19 outbreak. It is held at the Empire Expo Center on the shores of Onondaga Lake, in the town of Geddes, near the western border of Syracuse. The New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets owns five of the buildings at the fair and employs its workers. History In February 1832, ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
DuQuoin State Fairgrounds Racetrack
DuQuoin State Fairgrounds Racetrack is a one-mile (1.6-km) clay oval motor racetrack in Du Quoin, Illinois, about southeast of St Louis, Missouri St. Louis ( , sometimes referred to as St. Louis City, Saint Louis or STL) is an Independent city (United States), independent city in the U.S. state of Missouri. It lies near the confluence of the Mississippi River, Mississippi and the Miss .... It is a stop on the ARCA Menards Series, USAC Silver Crown Series and American Flat Track. History The DuQuoin State Fair was founded in 1923 by local businessman William R. "W.R." Hayes, who owned the fair and ran it. It did not become run by the state of Illinois as a true "state fair" until the 1980s; it is now officially called the Illinois State Fair in DuQuoin, as opposed to the longtime one at state capital Springfield. At the start Hayes had a half-mile harness-racing track on his 30-acre site, with wooden grandstands that seated 3000. In 1939 Hayes started buying adjoining st ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Lakewood Speedway
Lakewood Speedway was a race track located south of Atlanta, Georgia, in Lakewood, just north of the eastern arm of Langford Parkway (formerly Lakewood Freeway). The track held many kinds of races between 1919 and 1979, including events sanctioned by AAA/ USAC, IMCA, and NASCAR. It was a one-mile (1.6 km) dirt track which was located adjacent to Lakewood Fairgrounds. Lakewood Speedway was considered the "Indianapolis of the South" as it was located in the largest city in the Southern United States and it held an annual race of the Indy cars. History In 1916, Atlanta officials chose the Lakewood Fairgrounds as the site for agricultural fairs. They built a one-mile (1.6 km) horse racing track around a lake at the fairgrounds. The first events were held at the track on July 4, 1917. The feature events were a horse race and motorcycle race, before 23,000 spectators. [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Darlington Raceway
Darlington Raceway is a egg-shaped oval track in Darlington, South Carolina. The track has hosted a variety of racing events since its inaugural season of racing in 1950; primarily races sanctioned by NASCAR. The venue has a capacity of 47,000 as of 2021. Darlington Raceway is owned by NASCAR and led by track president Josh Harris. Darlington Raceway opened in 1950 under Darlington native Harold Brasington, who sought to replicate the success of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and the Indianapolis 500 in his hometown. Brasington quickly cut all ties with the facility, with Bob Colvin taking over control of the venue as president of the track. Under Colvin's tenure, the speedway underwent major expansion. However, after Colvin died in 1967, all major expansion on the venue came to a halt, with the track's lack of amenities being criticized. After the International Speedway Corporation (ISC) bought out the facility in 1982, the venue underwent further expansion in the 1990s. The ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Milwaukee 225
The Milwaukee Mile in West Allis, Wisconsin has hosted American open-wheel car racing events dating back to 1937. The AAA Contest Board, USAC, CART, Champ Car World Series, and the IndyCar Series have all sanctioned races at the facility. The Milwaukee Mile has a long history of Championship/Indy car racing, and for many years, traditionally held a race the weekend after the Indianapolis 500. The NTT IndyCar Series first held events at Milwaukee from 2004 to 2009, and again from 2011 to 2015. After an eight-year hiatus, the IndyCar Series returned for a doubleheader in 2024. The race is currently known as the Snap-on Milwaukee Mile 250. History Open wheel racing at the track dates back to 1937. AAA sanctioned races in 1937–1939, 1941, and 1946–1955. The track was paved in 1954. For most years starting in 1949, Milwaukee traditionally hosted the first race following the Indianapolis 500. From 1947 to 1982, Milwaukee normally hosted two races, the first race right after Indy ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
1956 Indianapolis 500
The 40th International 500-Mile Sweepstakes was held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Wednesday, May 30, 1956. The event was part of the 1956 USAC National Championship Trail and was also race 3 of 8 in the 1956 World Championship of Drivers. The 1956 race was the first to be governed by the United States Automobile Club. The AAA withdrew from auto racing the previous August after a succession of incidents, including the Le Mans disaster and the fatal crash of Bill Vukovich during the 1955 race. Another change was made to the track that would have an immediate effect on the racing. The vast majority of the circuit was paved over in asphalt. A short stretch approximately 600 yards in length was left brick along the mainstretch. Speeds were expected to climb, and qualifying records were expected to be shattered during time trials. The 1956 race is also known in Indy 500 lore as "Cagle's Miracle". Torrential rains pummeled the Speedway in the days leading up to the race ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
National Speed Sport News
''Speed Sport'', formerly the ''National Speed Sport News ''(NSSN) is an American magazine and Web site covering national, local, and regional auto racing topics. Yahoo! News called it "one of the most famous motorsports publications in the country" when it stopped publishing the traditional weekly print version in 2011. The ''New York Times'' said it has "carried news and, when available, photos, from virtually any dirt track open on a Saturday night." ''National Speed Sport News'' began during the Great Depression as a weekly print newspaper. Chris Economaki published the newspaper for forty years. It was published exclusively on the magazine's website for a year before being purchased by its current owners in 2012, with an accompanying monthly magazine, which became known as Speed Sport. History The newspaper was first published by East Paterson Herald Publishing Co. on August 16, 1934 as the ''National Auto Racing News''. Future editor Chris Economaki sold some of the first cop ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
National Midget Auto Racing Hall Of Fame
The National Midget Auto Racing Hall of Fame is an American Hall of Fame and museum for midget cars. The Hall of Fame is located at Angell Park Speedway in Sun Prairie, Wisconsin, and can be accessed during weekly Sunday races during the summer. Inductees are often honored with their award in January at the Chili Bowl (race), Chili Bowl at Tulsa. List of inductees There were 272 inductees after the 2024 induction ceremony. References {{authority control Midget car racing Auto racing museums and halls of fame Automobile museums in Wisconsin Sports museums in Wisconsin Halls of fame in Wisconsin, Midget Auto Museums in Dane County, Wisconsin ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
National Sprint Car Hall Of Fame & Museum
The National Sprint Car Hall of Fame & Museum is a hall of fame and museum for sprint car drivers, owners, mechanics, builders, manufacturers, promoters, sanctioning officials and media members. The museum is located in Knoxville, Iowa, the home of the Knoxville Nationals at Knoxville Raceway. The National Sprint Car Hall of Fame & Museum Foundation, Inc., is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization incorporated in the state of Iowa on April 25, 1986, for the sole purpose of preserving the history of the sport of sprint car racing and honoring its greatest achievers. The $1.7-million facility, located on the Marion County Fairgrounds in Knoxville, officially opened on January 4, 1992. The first floor of the four-story structure features the Donald Lamberti National Sprint Car Museum, a museum store and the administrative offices. The museum currently has twenty-five (25) restored ‘big cars’, supermodifieds and sprint cars on loan. The exhibit space also contains displays ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Dick Atkins
Richard Charles Atkins (April 23, 1936 – November 13, 1966) was an American racing driver from Oakland, California. Atkins came up in sprint cars and won the Turkey Night Grand Prix in 1965 and was rewarded by race promoter J. C. Agajanian with a chance to race in the USAC National Championship in 1966. He failed to qualify for the 1966 Indianapolis 500, but finished fourth at Trenton Speedway in September then won on the dirt oval at Sacramento in October, for his first "big car" win. However, he was killed just a month later in a sprint car crash at Ascot Park in California in a wreck that also killed Don Branson. He finished 11th in 1966 USAC National Championship points. Awards *He was inducted in the West Coast Stock Car Hall of Fame The West Coast Stock Car/Motorsports Hall Of Fame, originally the West Coast Stock Car Hall of Fame, is a Hall of Fame for people associated primarily with late-model stock car racing on the West Coast of the United States. Many NASCAR Gr ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
