A Big Thank You to Ford Easton for allowing me to share this great postcard.
A FANTASTIC POSTCARD PICTURE - 1959
Postcard courtesy of Ford Easton
L to R top row: Cecil Keister, Elmira, NY, Mike Clark, Allegany, NY, Bud Johnson, Olean, NY, Bill Schroth, Elmira, NY, Jack Thomas, Wellsville, NY. L to R bottom row: Percy Brown, Elmira, NY, Freddie Knapp, Jamestown, NY, Doc Hoctor, Buffalo, NY, Freddie Brink, Elmira, NY, Fran Pezzimenti, Allegany, NY
Well this one has been going around for at least a couple of years now. All the drivers had been IDed except for one that had everybody not really knowing who it was. As recently as the luncheon last month at Moonwinks I had the picture out on a table for another try to get the ID. Several of you thought it was Gordie Blanchard but not a positive ID. As luck would have it Cecil Keister sent me a copy of the same picture the week after I returned to Florida from the luncheon not knowing that I already had a copy of the promtional post card that had been sent out to fans for a big upcoming race in 58 or 59 ( I think 58 but not positive) and the one he sent me had the driver names written below each picture. I couldn't read the name under our mystery drivers picture because of the resolution of the copy. Cecil couldn't either on orginal he had used so he had his daughter read it that evening. The name is Freddie Knapp. I questioned the person with Cecil and he said the card must have been given to him by a fan and I knew all the other drivers and the person that did the names had all the others right.
I then went to Mr. Olean Raceway himself, Pete Parker in Olean with the picture and low and behold Pete did remember Freddie running a modified at Olean raceway but not all that often. He was from Jamestown and ran the red 99 modified. How do you like that!!! mystery solved after 2 + years.
Ford
4/2009 -
Ron
I wish I would have found your postcard much sooner, I could have saved you a lot of time and effort. That is in fact my father He unfortunately past away in May 2000 Thank You for posting it.
Frederick Knapp Jr