The crash walls
were made of 2xI2 planks and lots of wood ended up in the stands in these days, and in
reading the stories it almost seems that being hit, especially cut. by flying boards was
thought of as a status symbol, as opposed to today's thoughts of lawsuit city.
Johnny Key and Duncan were the heavy hitters this season sharing
five main wins each, with Duncan picking up seventeen total wins and the 99 Speedway
title. Other top runners included Al Rica of Stockton, an AJ Toland of San Jose. &
Mike Batnich picked up the state crown. In a 1990 phone interview with Mike, now retired
from racing and Farming in central Oregon, he said he raced seven days a week in those
days, 157 straight days, and won a than staggering amount of $8,000 for the year, in a 37
Ford Coupe that sported a five hundred dollar motor and cost him $150.00 to build.
(1951)
After almost a
full season off, a special race is held for the Roadsters on April Ist., with 17 cars on
hand and Frey taking the win A second event was held on September 2nd., which was won by
Gene Tessien, and after five season's and 116 local drivers, the division is dropped from
the Stockton track for good. The best season on record showed 69 drivers in 1949, while
only nine cars showed on the final night. Lemoine Frey made the last night a stand out as
he pulled off a 4-way sweep of the action.
In the Hardtop ranks, Joe Soares of Modesto brought the track
record down another notch with a 17.95 clocking on May 27th. Seaside driver Johnny Smith
pulled off a 4-way sweep on July 8th and Dave Carter became the first of four driver's in
Stockton history to make a grand slam sweep of five events on August 8th He set the quick
time, won the second heat, the dash, the final heat and the 25 lap main.
A small but interesting footnote occurred on August 26th of this
year as the Name of Whitey Rich appears for the first time, with a second place c-main
posting.
Dave Carter, Jolting Johnny Key of San Jose. and Joe Soares are
the top runners for the year, with Carter becoming the first repeat 99 Stadium champion.
(1952)
A new track starter is on the
stand by the name of Ed Wallace this year and on July 25th., he throws the checkered
flagon a man named Joe Giusti of Stockton. It is the first main event win for Giusti who
will go onto 39 more by the end of his career at 99.
On August 8th , Frank Smith of Lodi gets a 4-way sweep and sets
the second of two track records on the year, this one being the best at 17. 41 Another
4-way sweep comes three weeks later by Johnny Freitas of Palo Alto.
On September 26th a 'B-track' is created for semi-main use only,
The cars come off turn two and dive left onto the dirt infield and back right coming out
into turn three.
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