| One More Try this Saturday for Marion Edwards Memorial/Noritz/Tempaco/Bright House Challenge SLM 75 at New Smyrna Speedway | by Jane Smith and Marty Little
Samsula, FL (November 10, 2008) Saturday night at New Smyrna Speedway will mark the second try to run the Marion Edwards Memorial/Noritz/Tempaco/Bright House Challenge Super Late Model 75.
Originally the race was to run at Orlando SpeedWorld on October 25th but Mother Nature had other plans that day and rained the race out. With close to twenty Super Lates in the pits before the gates had even opened that day, Saturday's race should be just as exciting.
The Hialeah Reunion will also take place for all Hialeah drivers. All drivers are welcome to bring their memories of Hialeah and share them with their fellow drivers and the fans.
"I grew up going to Palm Beach Fairgrounds on Sunday and Hialeah," said Rusty Marcus, General Manager at Orlando SpeedWorld. "It was a Sunday tradition in my family to go to the races and when Palm Beach Fairgrounds changed their races from Sunday to Friday, we would then go to races at Hialeah on Sunday. It was then when I got to go to my first Marion Edwards Memoril. I never saw him race but I knew there had to be a lot of history there for a memorial race."
So Marcus called Marty Little and Marty Little called other Hialeah drivers and they all decided it was a great idea to bring back the Marion Edwards Memorial. Only problem was that Mother Nature did not so the race had to be moved to New Smyrna Speedway on November 15th.
Background on Marion Edwards, Jr. aka "Little Marion." He was a second generation driver with his dad also named Marion. He was virtually raised at Hialeah Speedway as his dad was an active part of the Greater Miami Racing Association (GMRA) which ran the speedway from its inception in 1954 until the mid 90s.
As a youngster young Marion helped his father on his race cars and aspired to race one day. That one day came in the late 60s when he fielded his own Chevelle late model.
On July 5, 1969 (a Sunday) Marion and several others from South Florida towed to New Smyrna Speedway for a 100 lap late model special event. In those days fuels cells were not yet mandatory in short track cars nor were drivers required to wear fire suits for protection.
Edwards' car had a leaking fuel tank and despite his and others best efforts they could not completely stop the leak. In the feature Edwards' car made contact with the wall and the leaking fuel ignited and the car was ablaze. The bigger problem was that Edwards was using a seat belt and shoulder harness setup with a different locking mechanism and it would not release.
Despite the efforts of Edwards and some other drivers and crewmen, they could not release Edwards' belts and he perished in the fire.
The inaugural Marion Edwards Memorial 200 was held at Hialeah in October 1969 with Bobby Brack the winner and it continued each year (except 1995) through 2004.
Hialeah Speedway closed in August 2005 but no race was held that year. Of all the big special events held yearly at Hialeah the Marion Edwards was easily the most popular and carried the most prestige over time.
List of Previous Winners:
10-25-69 Bobby Brack #0 (1st win) 200 laps
10-24-70 Randy Tissot #0 (1) 200 laps
11-17- 71 Butch Sousa #29 200 laps
11-11-72 Randy Tissot #74 (2) 200 laps
11-17-73 Billy Barnwell #6 200 laps
11-16-74 Bobby Brack #74 (2) 200 laps
10-25-75 Larry Rogero #17 (1) 200 laps
10-30-76 Mike McCrary #M5 200 laps
11-12-77 Speedy Reeves #21 200 laps
11-11-78 Gary Balough #30 (1) 200 laps (105 rain)
10-27-79 Larry Rogero #17 (2) 150 laps
11-08-80 Bobby Coyle #237(a) 50 laps Dick Anderson #92 50 laps
11-21-81 Tom Duckworth #25 (late model) (1) 50 laps Mike Borghi #94 (limited late model)50 laps
11-13-82 Tom Duckworth #25 (2) 100 laps
11-12-83 Mike Eddy #88 200 laps
11-10-84 Gary Balough #112 (2) 200 laps
11-09-85 Gary Balough #112 (3) (b) 200 laps
11-23-86 Dick Anderson #92 (1) 100 laps Dick Anderson #92 (2) 100 laps
11-07-87 Lee Holloway #25 (a) 100 laps Dick Anderson #92 100 laps
11-19-88 Joe Winchell #37 (1) 100 laps
11-18-89 Larry Rogero #17 (3) (c) 100 laps
11-17-90 Darryl Shelnut #7 (1) (c) 100 laps Larry Rogero #17 (4) 100 laps
11-16-91 Dick Anderson #92 (3) 100 laps
03-20-93 Larry Rogero #17 (5) (a) (d) 100 laps (rain in '92)
11-13-93 Darryl Shelnut #7 (2) 100 laps
11-20-94 Jim McCoy #64 100 laps No Race
11-23-96 Larry Rogero (6) 100 laps
11-15-97 Joe Winchell #57 (tie) (2) (e) 100 laps Danny Maddox #82 (tie) (e)
11-21-98 David Russell #36 (f) 125 laps
2000 Mike Franklin, Jr.
2001 Daryl Shelnut
2002 Joe Winchell
2003 Daryl Shelnut
New Smyrna Speedway will hold an Open Practice on Thursday, November 13th. Pit gate will open at 5 pm with practice from 6 to 10 pm. Cost is $10.00 per person.
Pit gates will open on November 15th at 2 pm. Also on the program for Saturday will be the Manheim Auto Auctions Super Stock 50, Late Models, Pro Trucks, Sportsman, Super Stocks, Mini Stocks and Strictly Stocks. This will be DOUBLE POINTS all divisions and last night of points.
General admission will be $20.00, students and seniors (62 and older) $15.00, children 11 and under FREE.
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